Sunday, September 8, 2013

What are some "American" things to include in a goodie bag for an exchange student?

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A.L.


I am hosting a German student, 15 years old, for three weeks. We are making a little Welcome To America gift bag for when they arrive. Things like snacks, drinks, and little trinkets should be included. It should be things they don't have in Germany.

I was thinking of maybe a Hershey's bar and other candy, maybe a Vanilla Coke, and a small pack of Oreos. Any other ideas?



Answer
Coke is one of the US's biggest exporters. They have Coke - Diet Coke - Oreos - everything! Remember the limits in taking liquids aboard planes - he cannot take that stuff home.

Just get a couple of little local items from your town/nearby. If you were near Miami & a big Dolphins fan, etc, get them a baseball cap. Stuff like that. Does your high school have pennants, t-shirts? How about a photo or drawing of some landmark in town - there are always local artists selling inexpensive but very nice sketches, photos, etc. Local historical society will have an interesting book, prints, something about your town/city & its history. Mementos need to be small, light, easy to pack to take home. And make them "keepers" - things to remember you, your family, friends & town.

Along with some photos of all of you together, you want some kind of unique and very local item. Mementos of your town, school, family, people they meet while here.

Stock your fridge with drinks, especially bottled water, or distilled water, along with some Coke or whatever. Changing tap water - despite the lack of Tijuana Two-Step bugs - can still upset travelers' stressed tummies. And long flights are very dehydrating. Try to have something familiar to them, too, as all-new-everything can be overwhelming. Have a bag of Bachman's pretzel Twists (American version of old German tradition) in the cupboard, bottled Pellegrino water will be familiar since it's widely available throughout Europe, and if he can cook, ask him to prepare some sauerbraten or something one night & go shopping with him for the ingredients. It's harder to find genuine German stuff in US than US stuff in Germany.

How do I move to Germany from the US?

Q. I want to move to Berlin within the next year. What do i need to do: proper documents, things to get in order before leaving, things to get in order once i get there, how do i find an apartment, finding a language school, finding a job( i have no real skills, i'm a certified EMT and a cake decorator(i run the cake decorating department of the store where i work but i have no official training), etc. . Also, what are the guidelines regarding airports now??


Answer
You are allowed to stay 90 days with your tourist visa. Before the 90 days are up you need to get a residence permit. To get a job, you will need to get a work permit which may require the support of a local German company. You may want to first try working for a restaurant, such as Hard Rock or Planet Hollywood. They usually have Americans working for them.

Documents that you should bring are: passport, birth certificate, medical records, your driver's license, an international driver's license, insurance information and 10 year driving history, (if you want to get a German license). I would recommend to get a 2nd license from your DMV before you leave (tell your DMV you lost yours) because the German authorities will require you to surrend your license when you get your German one.

When you move back to the US, you will need to have your valid passport of course, birth certificate, Social Security card, insurance information, medical records, valid US driving license.

Finding an apartment is usually best done with a realtor or by searching an expat website.

Finding language training will be easy once you arrive. Be sure to contact some other expatriates when you arrive to get their recommendations.

Airport guidelines are not much changed, no sharp objects (tweezers, scissors, knives, etc.), and all liquids must be in a 100ml (3 oz) container or less and fit in a 1 quart plastic bag.

I attached a couple useful links for you. You are making a very big move, so be sure to do plenty of research before you go.

Good luck!




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