Expat Community > Germany

adminee
Joined 2001
Posts: 8786

A German Moment

21 years ago

Posted on behalf of DanG

It has been while since I have felt the urge to tell a story, but I had
a 'German' moment today, and I thought I would relate it.

I moved about six months ago, and during the move lost the card from the
video store where I rent videos or DVDs. My VCR stopped working at about
the same time, so I really hadn't missed not getting videos, but when
the card magically reappeared, I thought I would go down and change the
address. I had done the same thing two years ago the last time I moved,
and it was a simple process: I told them the address, they typed in the
change, and that was it.

So I set off around midday, heading for the Grueneburgweg so I could get
some lunch at the Snackpoint, well known as the best Imbiss in
Frankfurt. (I had the brat currywurst and the pommes nackish.) Having
fortified myself, I headed down the Bremer Strasse to Tomin, one of a
chain of video stores around Frankfurt. As I had two years before, I said I
wanted to change my address since I had moved. The guy behind the
counter (whom I have never liked -- maybe it shows) asked for my
Ausweis. Well, I hadn't brought my Ausweis -- it's only a video shop,
for goodness' sake! He said he couldn't just type in the address change;
I would have to send a Meldung to the central office with proof of the
address change. It was only after more than five minutes that he agreed
to change it on their local computer. (Why they have gone
technologically backward so that they can't update the central computer
from their local terminal is beyond me -- must be that German IT
qualifications is too 'main frame' and not enough 'peer-to-peer'.)

Anyway, I headed home via the post office, which is still selling the
old 110 pfg stamps of the Stone Bridge in Regensburg.

Regards
DanG

William Russell

Get a quote for international health insurance from our partner, William Russell.
Get Quote

William Russell

Get a quote for international health insurance from our partner, William Russell.
Get Quote

Living in Germany Guide

Guide to Living in Germany covering expat life, local culture, finding a home, diversity and more.

Germany Forum
Join our Germany forum to meet other expats and talk about living in Germany.

Contribute
Help other expats and newcomers by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Germany.

Best Places to Live in Germany

If you're dreaming about living in Germany, here are the 15 Best Places to Live in Germany in 2023.

332 Expats Talk about Healthcare & Health Insurance in Germany

Expats living in Germany talk about their own experiences with healthcare, hospital visits, emergencies, finding a doctor, buying health insurance in Germany and more.

Cost of Living in Germany

Expats offer insight into the cost of living in Germany.

Moving to Germany Guide

Expats in Germany share 10 things they wish they had known before moving to Germany - from the importance of learning German to residency permits to understanding the culture and more.

Real Estate in Germany

Real estate listings in popular cities and towns in Germany.

Pros & Cons of Living in Germany

Take off your rose-colored glasses and learn what expats have to say about the biggest challenges and the greatest rewards of living in Germany.

Retiring in Germany

Advice for people retiring in Germany.

10 Tips for Living in Germany

If you've recently arrived in Germany, here are 10 tips for digital nomads living in Germany.

Additional Information:

Visit our Germany Index for a Full List

William Russell

Get a quote for international health insurance from our partner, William Russell.
Get Quote

William Russell

Get a quote for international health insurance from our partner, William Russell.
Get Quote

Contribute
Help others in Germany by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Germany.

Login

Or, Send Login Link

Expat Community > Germany

A German Moment

Login