½ûÂþÌìÌÃ

Hi Marina,

Welcome to ½ûÂþÌìÌÃ!

Please do not hesitate to check out other threads on the Cologne forum.

I have been in Cologne for three years now and while I've wanted to do something like this I've just never done it - and have the horrible German to prove it.  My schedule is pretty wonky as I work full time and also have two children here but am open to trying to make it work!

Hi Marina, that actually sounds like a good idea. My wife and I will happily become members of such a stamtisch to enable us to learn more about Germany and its culture and habits.

Regards

De Wet

I have been here 2 years, about 120kms out of Cologne and my German is still shocking! 
Let me know if the english speakers get together!

I'm not sure if their is a standard answer to this. In general, you will have to motivate to the German authorities. However, as far as I could gather, if she is a student of some sorts, say a language course at the Hochschule, she will be granted a visa to stay with you. We have been here for 18 months now, and my daughter turned 18 a month ago. We had to provide new registration (simply a confirmation letter from the school) confirmation that she is still a scholar.

Nonna

Let me start at the beginning and introduce myself. My name is DeWet (the hers-part is part of my surname and thus can be dropped from now on:-) ).

I would not advise your oldest son to move into a new system at his age. It is very important ito his future plans to continue and perform his best possible and a move like that will be quite a change to handle. However, the other two should not be a problem. However, moving them into a German school will put a huge challenge on them. A good challenge, might I say, and on the longer run one that will benefit them, immensely, but it will put strain, stress and commitment on the entire family in the shorter run. You as a family will have to realise that beforehand.

The easier, and maybe advisable option is to stick to their mother tongue as far as school attendance goes, where they will in any case learn German, they will pick-up the extra german from simply living in germany, plus there are plenty of german kids in the English school, thus they do speak German on playground and in sports teams. My kids are in the St Georges International School, cologne where you have the option of following either GCSE or A-levels routes in their final two years.

My honest opinion is that it will be a huge challenge to drop them into the German schools without having any understanding of German now. I think they are already too old for that.

De Wet

Some of the big cities do offer Baseball and American Football, or even rugby (for De Wet).  However these are clubs and not school sports.
Sport does also play a big role at school, from the new school year, my children (in a full day school) will have 3 hours of sport a week....

Nonna,

In Cologne the big english school is St Georges International (see ) who's academic year is roughly start September to end June. The days are from 08:30 to 15:30, with the sports practice then an hour or more after school.  Real high level sport does happen through clubs, though my son enjoys cricket and rugby at St Georges. The level of competition, however is not that high level we're used to in SA (which is maybe a good thing). They do a bit of basketball and soccer too, but its really not competitive, for that you need to find a club.

Just for your info, in Bonn there is the Bonn International School, () which is the American english school and they do have more American sports such as baseball and basketball. Wether they have opponents to play it competitively though I'm not sure. Your kids will take to soccer (football) very quickly though, don't worry about it.

I'm more than happy to help, as I have already gone through the process you are entering now. Don't hesitate to ask if you have more questions. Germany is a leading nation, thus all mobile services are extremely efficient and fast, don't worry.

Maybe we should move this discussion off the grid?

If you prefer you can email me directly at dewetherselman2@gmail.com

The in public school, we have been here for 2 years and they never spoke german before moving over.  Their school has been amazing with extra german lessons, they even provided extra private german lessons during the school holidays.  It took them about 3 months to start speaking german and now speak more german than english.
Their German is not perfect, but they are understoond and understand everything.  One day at a time!  Oh mine are 10 years old (triplets), hense me always speaking in plurals :S

Hi

I am battling to email you!  I live just outside of a town called Siegen, it's about 60km's out of Bonn.

The younger the kids the easier they change from 1 language to another.  I have problems making them speak english now days.

Children also make friends much easier, the germans love to say the speak with their hands and feet.

When and where will you be in germany?

Oh, my email address is schuhen.michelle@gmail.com

hallo Marina this is very nice if you want to keep your Englisch, Remember practice make perfect.. i am currectly living close to leverkusen and i am spending the most weekend in Cologne so if you dont mind we can just hook up and get one night out or even during the day,, I ma coming from South Africa and i am living here since 4 years now.

lokking forward to hear from you.

@nonna68: Why are you discussing all of your school questions etc. in a topic that is called "English speaking Stammtisch"?

I can understand that you need help, but there are also things that someone can find out by him/herself with a little effort of her own, for example how far is Bonn from Cologne. How about using google map?

@Lazarus, Dewethers, texasgirl: thank you so much for your responses. What day would work best for you guys to try to set up our little Stammtisch. More people to join are welcome :-)

As far as I am concerned, Thursdays or Fridays work best.

Good Morning , if you can this week on thursday or Friday that will be better for me coz i am having Off days!! So if u can just get in Touch before thursday so that i am going to know that we are going to Meet. Enjoy your Day!!-

Both Thursday and Fridays should normally work, though I am flexible.Keep me posted

Hi, I work on Thursdays and Fridays but depending on time and where you all meet I can certainly try to join. 

Hello guys,

sorry, sorry, sorry: Easter has been busy. I have been to Bavaria, where I am originally from.

I did not forget about you.

What location would be good for you? Should we meet in the City or where are you all from? I am living in Porz. If it is closer for you guys to Porz than to the Innenstadt, then we could also meet up in Porz, since there is a "Brauhaus" in Porz.

Let me know...

Looking forward to meet you soon. Would 18.04.13 or 19.04.13 be okay for you?

Best Regards,

Marina

I am 20 km away from Porz so for me is not going to be a problem - about the date that u indicated I cannot say yes or no because I have to check at my working plan for next week, so I wiil confirm that during the week but if it will be in the evening I can manage that-

Hi Lazarus & the rest of the still interested ones:

Are you closer to Porz or closer to the Innenstadt? I don't mind either of both possibilities.

Please let me know as soon as you know if 18.04. works for you. Does it work for anyone else?

How about 8 p.m.?

See you guys soon...hopefully.

Sincerely

Marina

Hi Guys,

just for my planning: Is there anyone out there for whom Thursday (18.04.13), Friday or Saturday would work for a little English speaking Stammtisch meet up?

Please let me know soon.

Thank you so much in advance.

Marina

Marina we can meet in Thursday as u indicated so let's us know where exactly we have to meet ok

Hi Lazarus,

that's great, that you have time on Thursday.

How about this location:

Latino Loco
Heumarkt 63, 50667 Cologne
Phone:0221 1694891

It is a Mexican restaurant, Cafe and Cocktailbar. It offers a nice atmosphere and is located at Heumarkt. (Linie 7 and 9 etc., 2 minutes to walk).

If that is too full there are many other locations at Heumarkt and Alter Markt, in the Altstadt of Cologne.

Is 8 p.m. okay?
Is anybody else joining us? If we are more people I would make some reservations for a big enough table.

Let me know.

All the best

Marina

Yes its ok with the Time so we will Meet on thursday- just make sure we Meet at entrace ok

Hi Lazarus,

yes, we will meet at 8pm in front of the entrance. De Wet and his wife are also joining us and probably one of my co-workers, who will go to the USA soon and therfore is also willing to practice his English. So it looks like we are quite a small group...but all things start small at one point. And maybe we can establish this Stammtisch and more people will join us as time goes by.

See you tomorrow.

Kind regards

Marina

Hello everyone!

I am glad and excited at the same time that I found this blog. Quickly registered. I would love to join this Stammtisch. Recently moved to Koeln. I am now living in Bruck. I am eager to establish a new social setting here in Koeln.

Hi MaszK,

welcome :-)

If you have time, you are welcome to join us today:

8 pm in front of

Latino Loco
Heumarkt 63
50667 Cologne

Kind regards,

Marina

Marina

Thanx again for you initiative with this Stammtisch, I thoroughly enjoyed our first evening's chat and getting to know more people. Already looking forward to a next meeting.

Regards

De Wet

Hi Marina,

I am from Cologne originally, but I have spent a year in the states and a good two years in the UK (I am currently in studying in Edinburgh but will be back in Cologne in June). When I am back in Cologne, although it is my home town, I miss being abroad, especially in the UK. I miss the people, the culture, the informal meet-ups, just everything and I would love to hang out with English speakers when I am back in Cologne.

When is your next meeting? I would love to come along!

Talk soon,

Jasmin

Hi guys,

I think I joined the site too late for the last get-together
Also looking forward to the next one, I live 10 min walk from Heumarkt so anywhere around there is great for me

Lets set a date... Ideas?

Hello, I will be moving to Cologne I'm September. I would love to be able to meet up with some English speaking people for drinks sometime. I have just started trying to learn German through Rosetta Stone and I can't imagine I will be very fluent by the time I get there. I don't know where I will be living yet, other than it will be somewhere in cologne or Hürth.