About us

André: I´m a self employed architect and interior designer. My career spans 28 years, 7 countries and 2  continents. A camera is always a vital accessory on trips and I find myself becoming briefly distracted from the task at hand in exchange for a brief view through the lens into the local culture and aesthetic.

I was born in South African, moved to Germany and recently to Switzerland. I speak 3 languages fluently and enjoy finding connections to cultures through music and food. I love singing, and have sung in many choirs in both South Africa and Germany.

Gerhard: I´m a 52 year old marketing professional and currently work for a large international telecommunications company as a senior manager in the area of brand management, marketing communications & media management.

My professional background spans 20 years and includes many aspects of marketing management on local and global levels, having worked in four of the most dynamic industries: advertising, fast-moving consumer goods, IT & Telecommunications.

A South African native, I´ve worked across 4 countries and 2 continents and speak 3 languages fluently. I have two business degrees and a post graduate diploma, and am a registered Life Coach and workshop facilitator.

About this blog

Germany is cool and in fashion: with its vibrant cities and a laid-back population, it has become “one of the hippest places on the planet”, as a magazine recently said. But what if you really want to integrate in ´Cool Germania´? Should you learn German? How do Germans typically behave? What should you do to fit in? What is important to Germans in their normal, day-to-day lives – at home, socially, in the workplace and within their communities?

 

These are some of the many topics we write about in our eBook “Living in Deutschland now!” which was launched at the end of 2015 and is available for around 7 Euros on Amazon. The topic of integration has many facets, though, so we would like to continue and expand the discussion using this blog as well as our Facebook page.

 

Let´s face it – integration is a helluva big topic. We know it´s important to distinguish between the circumstances people face when they arrive in the country. For example, I (Gerhard) arrived with a work contract and an apartment arranged by my employer so my circumstances can´t be compared to refugees from Syria or Afghanistan. However, Germany as a country and the German culture present many challenges for immigrants, no matter their background or circumstances. The German language combined with bureaucracy will seem to be the biggest hurdles but integration is a challenge every immigrant to Germany has to face, sooner or later. Without any doubt, true integration into German society presents the biggest challenge of all. We would like to use this blog to make the process easier for people.

 

The blog will consist of highlights from the book, new thoughts and ideas on the topic of integration, and will include your ideas and comments, of course. Please join us!