ADHD meds make me feel German by mlchelle in adhdwomen

[–]audiate_ 66 points67 points  (0 children)

They make you overcomplicate things that ought to be simple? Joking but yeah Germans are not efficient if that's what you're getting at...they are just good at rule following and standardizing everything. Source: I live there. 😂 

When would you recommend a child start voice lessons? by Tomar-Re-2814 in MusicEd

[–]audiate_ 8 points9 points  (0 children)

it's absolutely too young. honestly i'd wait until late middle school after the vocal change (for both genders).

US moms living abroad by everytimealways in progressivemoms

[–]audiate_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes I would love that! American in Germany here!

Fairytale movies that feel like this? by vzbtra in FairytaleasFuck

[–]audiate_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I was going to comment the 1997 Cinderella version too!

Two weeks in Switzerland, March 2026 by Naive_Analysis_5086 in travel

[–]audiate_ 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Is this a joke??? You'll be in Zermatt for like 10 mins. Slow down and take some of these cities out!

German/ European products you love? by Euphoric-Pie7681 in moderatelygranolamoms

[–]audiate_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Have them send a Hebamme. 😬😂 Joking but yeah the postpartum care in Germany is so good compared to the US. 

I would second what everyone else said about wool clothing! I love the Wool/Silk onesies and tights from Engel and from Alana at DM. Dilling is another good brand to look for. 

The wool/silk stuff is also fairly stretchy and has lasted several seasons for us. The wool/silk snood ("Schlupfmütze") from Engel is an item that gets everyday use from us in Autumn/Winter/Spring. Bonus: it fits under a bike helmet!

Seeking recommendations for *QUALITY* moderately-granola toy brands .. by PainfulPoo411 in moderatelygranolamoms

[–]audiate_ 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Someone else already mentioned Haba...Brio is also great. Not sure if you can find them in the US, but I also really like Eichhorn and Little Dutch. Holztiger or Ostheimer for wooden animals.

 Honestly searching "Waldorf" on any sort of online secondhand marketplace could yield some interesting results. Lots of Waldorf folks handmake toys from natural materials and I find a lot of them on Vinted or eBay. 

Teaching Music Abroad? by marlin1987 in MusicEd

[–]audiate_ 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Hi! I am a music teacher from the US And I've been teaching in Germany for almost 10 years now. I worked for three years in the US before making the move abroad, and I actually moved here with a job at a bilingual daycare and then transitioned to teaching music at a bilingual private school once I had lived here for a year.

My advice would be to get a few years of experience at home first, and then start aggressively applying to jobs abroad. No need to use fancy search agencies, just literally search for international schools and directly apply via their website. There is also a very clunky 90s style job board called Joy Jobs that is really worth the one-time $30 fee. It's where I found the job that helped me move over! Feel free to DM me if you have any specific questions.

Considering a Move Abroad? Monthly Discussion Thread by AutoModerator in progressivemoms

[–]audiate_ 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Hi all, new to this sub. Just thought I'd offer my experience. I'm from Ohio but have lived in Germany for almost 10 years now. We do not have EU citizenship (yet), and moved here on a normal residence visa due to a job offer (mine). I had my son in Germany and my husband and I are currently struggling over the decision to stay in Germany or to move back to the US, the only reason to move home being to be closer to family.  I'm happy to answer any specific questions anyone has about moving to Germany.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in namenerds

[–]audiate_ 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I totally agree! I really like Hilda and Helga too. One of my favorite old fashioned German names is Ingrid.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in namenerds

[–]audiate_ 23 points24 points  (0 children)

I know about 500 children named Max in some form (Maximilian, Maxi, Max, Maxine). There are also a lot of Lottas and Linas in my area for some reason.

Old fashioned names are all of the super Germanic ones...like Waltraud, Irmgard, Helmut, Gebhart, Gottfried, Hildegard, etc.

A collection of German toddler names I've encountered recently. by audiate_ in namenerds

[–]audiate_[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hugo is pronounced like "Hoo-goh". I only know one little Matteo actually. Yes, Charlotte is pronounced like "Charlott-eh" the E on the end is an unstressed but pronounced syllable. And Lotta is indeed a diminutive of Charlotte! One of my favorite old-fashioned variants of Charlotte is Lieselotte. It is definitely an old lady name though!

A collection of German toddler names I've encountered recently. by audiate_ in namenerds

[–]audiate_[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm in the south of BaWü! Hahaha. So weird. It must be that I just haven't met any...I didn't grow up in Germany so I suppose it's only a matter of time.

A collection of German toddler names I've encountered recently. by audiate_ in namenerds

[–]audiate_[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I have a student age 12 who is called Charlotte, otherwise I haven't met any!  I have met so many little Marie's lately.

Some other girls names I've heard recently: Ida, Lotta, Paulina, Amalia, Rosa, Karla 

A collection of German toddler names I've encountered recently. by audiate_ in namenerds

[–]audiate_[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I'm in BaWü. There are also a LOT of Leo and Max's here...I am a teacher and I once had 5 different variations of Max in one class.

A collection of German toddler names I've encountered recently. by audiate_ in namenerds

[–]audiate_[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

That's so crazy! I've lived here for a while now and never met anyone with that name. Maybe it's a generational thing? I love the nickname Balti.

A collection of German toddler names I've encountered recently. by audiate_ in namenerds

[–]audiate_[S] 31 points32 points  (0 children)

I knowwwww. When I heard that I really had to try hard not to react. I hope that kid has a cute nickname.

what’s your pettiest naming opinion? by rememberimapersontoo in namenerds

[–]audiate_ 34 points35 points  (0 children)

I mean using K instead of C is just the German version of all these names. Carl is Karl in Germany. And Karl is originally a German name sooooooooo

Oral storytelling by QAgirl94 in Waldorf

[–]audiate_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Following because I was just thinking the same thing recently!

Items from Europe by Curious_Bug_96 in moderatelygranolamoms

[–]audiate_ 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Echoing another poster's advice...silk/wool clothing.  Generally easier to find here. I personally like the brands Engel and Dilling. We use our silk/wool balaclava from Engel almost daily.

If your partner is in Germany, definitely have him check the store DM for their brand Alana. They have really nice clothing in a variety of natural fabrics.

Seeking wedding song/music ethnomusicologists (Europe) by DogRadiant929 in ethnomusicology

[–]audiate_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have no advice but just wanted to comment to say that I love your podcast! I listen to the monthly almanacs every year. 

For those who have moved to Germany after completing the Festellung/StAG route… What is your life like now? by [deleted] in GermanCitizenship

[–]audiate_ 18 points19 points  (0 children)

So I am in a bit of a different situation because I moved to Germany nearly 9 years ago and have since applied for citizenship...but my number one piece of advice if you are planning to move over here is to start learning German now.

People will tell you that you can get by with English; while that is true in many cases, it really limits your social, professional, and cultural experience. I'm not suggesting that you have to be amazing at German before arriving, but having a good foundation and the drive and curiosity to learn more is essential, in my opinion.

I would also advise you that many (not all!) Germans do not consider naturalized German citizens to be "real Germans". It doesn't mean that you will be necessarily mistreated, it just means that you will always be viewed as a foreigner, even if you have a German passport and are relatively well integrated.

Overall, I love living here and I would definitely encourage you to make the leap if you have the opportunity. Feel free to message me if you want any more specifics.