Hey everyone,

I'm an international Master’s student living alone in NRW and honestly pretty shaken up right now. I don’t know many people here, and I'm really unfamiliar with how these things work in Germany, so I could really use some grounded perspective and advice.

Yesterday (Sunday), I ordered lunch on Lieferando from a local place - biryani and a sausage. When I opened it, the "biryani" didn't look or taste anything like biryani. I ate two or three bites, realized it was wrong, and threw the rest in the bin. I opened Lieferando's support chat, selected that the order was different, uploaded a picture of the food as requested, and the app automatically agreed to refund of 17.80 euros. 

Ten minutes later, the restaurant owner called my personal phone number from the delivery receipt. He was screaming at me, threatening to call the police, and furiously demanding that I "give the food back". I told him I tasted it and already threw it away. He kept yelling, so I hung up. About five minutes later, someone was violently buzzing my apartment intercom and knocking. I stayed inside and kept the door locked. I blocked his number, reported the harassment to Lieferando, and left a factual 1-star review on the app explaining the late delivery and hostile phone call. 

I hoped that was the end of it, but today (Monday afternoon), he came back. 

He was ringing my doorbell non-stop and started heavily pounding on my apartment door and windows. I was terrified, kept everything deadbolted, and managed to record a 30-second video from inside showing the loud banging and ringing. He eventually left. 

I'm sitting here with the blinds closed, completely stressed, and I have a few questions:

1. Is taking a few bites to inspect food, throwing out an inedible meal, and getting a platform refund considered fraud or a violation under German law? 
2. I was hesitant to call 110 today because I'm an international student on a residence permit and I'm terrified of getting entangled in police cases or having something affect my visa. If he shows up again tomorrow, is 110 the right move? Will the police actually take this seriously, and is there any risk this backfires on me?
3. Isn't using customer delivery info to call me privately and show up at my home to harass me a massive GDPR (DSGVO) breach and criminal intimidation? 
4. Next steps: I already sent an email to Lieferando and reached out to my university's student union (AStA) for their free legal advice, but is there anything else I should be doing right now to protect myself? 

Any advice from people who know German law or tenant rights would mean a lot right now.

Thanks guys.

Spotted this extensive motorcade of black armored BMWs and Mercedes vans right outside Hotel Adlon at Pariser Platz in Berlin earlier today. The whole operation looked incredibly high-level and tightly coordinated. Traffic around Unter den Linden and the Brandenburg Gate was heavily restricted. Does anyone know which state visit or summit is currently taking place?

The worst one that I know, would be John Oliver, who literally just shouts something and then makes a comment about the language sounding harsh and ugly.

link

second link

I'm 24 and I'm going to live in Germany for a year with a friend, specifically in North Rhine-Westphalia, in Marsberg (fairly close to Paderborn). I have a technical degree in gastronomy (national level, Argentina), plus a good level of English (about B2). I'm studying German twice a week with a teacher online and plan to keep doing so until I leave, and to keep studying once I'm there. My guess is that I'll arrive with a solid A2 at the very least.

I'll be living with a friend who has already been there for almost 4 years. It's a small town of about 25,000 people. He told me he might be able to get me a job at a factory with him, where no language skills are needed, and that once I start working we'll split the rent (he pays about 550 euros, so it would be cheap split between the two of us). Still, I'm a bit scared. I'd also like to find something in the gastronomy field later on, if it turns out to be worth it, since I do have work experience in a good restaurant.

So here's what I'm asking, and I'm here to listen to whatever you have to say: Is it going to be very hard for me? Will I be rejected a lot for not speaking German well? If my friend can't get me a job, will I be in serious trouble? Do you have any recommendations? The only thing that encourages me a little, regarding being an immigrant, is that I have German features and a German surname.

P.S. I should clarify that I hold Italian citizenship, which is why I can move to Germany without any issues and live and work there without restrictions. I said I'm going for a year at least, but I'm not ruling out staying and settling there if things go reasonably well. I love Germany, my parents lived there, and a big part of my heart is in that country. Greetings, and thank you all for reading. I imagine we've all felt this uncertainty when we were close to leaving.
Thank you in advance to everyone who took the time to read this! Greetings, I'll be reading your replies carefully!

I’ve been working for over 3 years at my current job, and I keep getting the feedback that I don’t really seem fully integrated in the ‘team’, along with the question of 'how can they help me feel more comfortable?'. Truthfully, I just don’t like the vibes there at all, and I’m looking for a new job at the moment. My colleagues are all German and I’m the only foreigner. They’re pleasant enough but there’s no camaraderie really to speak of. The ones I share an office with never even go for lunch, just eat at their desks. They sort of barely say hi in the morning and sometimes chat if there’s a reason. I’m not sure but I sometimes get the feeling that they don’t want to ask me for help (with things I’m good at) due to ego. It’s not even like I want to be everyone’s friend, it just fees like a lie when my boss talks about ‘team spirit’ and wonders why I’m not incredibly outspoken (despite being usually decent at my job).

Anyway, I’m just looking for ways to give the impression that I’m trying to fit in here, for the time being. It would be nice if it also helps my main issue, but I’ve sort of given up on feeling like I have any future at this job. Like, I can’t exactly tell my supervisor to fix the vibe.

ETA: I should mention that while I do bear the responsibility of integrating more, part of the reason I feel that the culture is also a bit off is that I've had conversations with ex-colleagues and current ones (Germans) where we agree that the culture and the leadership in our working group just isn't super great. My supervisor puts a lot of pressure on people and the team has been getting smaller due to lack of funding.

When I lived in Germany years ago, one of my favorite food items was this Pineapple Curry Sauce from Knorr and Kühne. Unfortunately, it is hard to come by where I live in the USA. Has anyone attempted to make a copycat recipe for these sauces? If so, would you be willing to share?

Vielen herzlichen Dank!

I’m going crazy trying to find any information about this guy, I found him at the Goodwill in the US and I think I’ve determined he’s a Steinbeck collaboration? But I cannot find a thing.

Hello everyone!

I'm writing this post in hopes of finding one or two people who are Gen Z and who would be willing to talk to me (if possible, over a call, but if you're not comfortable with that, then through written exchange only) about their view of/opinions on the expulsion of Germans from Czechoslovakia.

I'm writing my Master's thesis about how opinions on this historical event change through different generations of Germans, since I would like to bring more of the German perspective here to the Czech Republic (where the sheer lack of it causes people to have a very skewed idea of the whole event), and since it's rather impossible to find anyone my age in the different associations and groups of the descendants of the expelled Germans, I decided that Reddit may just be the way to get in touch with someone whose ancestors (most likely great-grandparents) got deported after the war.

You do not need to be knowledgeable in history (though I'd naturally be thrilled to get even the view of someone who perhaps studies history or orients themselves well in it). I won't really be asking you about historical dates and facts. Mostly, the conversation is going to be about your opinion on how that event is viewed by you and in today's German society + how the memories of it were or were not passed on in your family.

Thank you so much for reading to this point and possibly leaving a comment. It means a ton to me!

Edit: I'm posting this here because I'm hoping to find someone who would be comfortable leading the exchange in English. My conversational German is rather rusty, and I do not believe it's at a level to carry out a discussion about this complex topic.

Hello all! I am traveling to Germany with food allergies, and made a double-sided card to hand to servers.

I wanted to make sure the German side makes sense/has the best terms. Any feedback is helpful!

Thank you!

Edit: Hello everyone and thank for your responses! I definitely would talk to the waiter normally and just ask the card be passed on, sorry if that didn’t come across!

I like the suggestion of making the card more plain as to not come across rude, and listing the allergens/tweaking a few phrases per suggestions.

Thank you everyone and I hope I can find a few places willing to serve me 😅

Hello, I recently moved to Germany specifically Köln. I have been having problems with insects and bugs getting into my room. The windows are all netted and sealed. There’s bug traps near the front door.
However bugs still somehow get into my room. How can I prevent them from getting in and how can I properly remove the ones already in my room.

Hey everyone,

I’m working in the car export business in South Korea

Where do you guys normally find reliable business partners in Europe?
Are there any good platforms, forums, trade groups, WhatsApp/Telegram communities, Facebook groups, exhibitions, or other places where dealers and importers actually connect?

Hi everyone,

I'm living in Germany and would appreciate some advice.

On October 15, I ordered an iPhone Air 256GB with a 24-month Otelo mobile contract through CHECK24. The seller was Sparhandy.

Today (October 19), a DHL courier delivered the package directly to my apartment door.

The parcel felt unusually light. When I opened it, I found only the SIM card and some paperwork. The iPhone was completely missing.

What makes this particularly concerning:

Sparhandy's shipping confirmation explicitly lists both the iPhone and SIM card under the same DHL tracking number.

The invoice includes the iPhone and its IMEI.

The DHL shipping label states a weight of 0.41 kg.

I have photos of the packaging and everything inside.

The mobile contract is already active.

I've already contacted Sparhandy by email and phone. Their customer service told me to wait for a response, but I haven't received confirmation of an investigation yet.

I've also contacted CHECK24 by email.

My questions:

Has anyone experienced something similar with Sparhandy or DHL? How was it resolved?

Should I submit a DHL Schadensanzeige myself, or should Sparhandy handle it?

What happens if Sparhandy claims the phone was packed and shipped correctly?

What evidence should I preserve to protect myself?

Since the mobile contract is already active, what are my rights if the phone isn't delivered?

I would prefer to receive the iPhone rather than cancel the contract.

Any advice or experiences would be appreciated. Thanks!

Hello everyone,

I arrive at T3 at 19:00 hrs on 31st Dec.

As a Non-EU how long does it take from the arrival to reach the Frankfurt Airport train station?

I am planning to take ICE to another city. Is 3 hrs buffer more than enough?

Looking for the experiences from anyone who arrived in the evening hours.

Thanks in advance.

Hi guys,
I am asking today for any research associate for help.

I have an engineering degree from non EU country, it's listed as H+ on Anabin, it's a 5 yeard diploma, with a title of Dipl Ingenieur in my home country (Master equivalent).

I have PR and a job in Germany, and I wanna do a Phd, do I need ZAB or Anabin is fine?
also what other things I would need

thanks in advance

So after being with EWR for nearly 1.5 years I decided to change to something cheaper and more foreigner friendly and Ostrom was heavily recommended to me. However when I signed up I picked the option "cancel my previous contract for me" and for some reason they set my starting date as July 2027. My contract with EWR is monthly cancel-able so I was pretty confused and I have been having issues with contacting customer support that wasn't an AI bot and even with just logging in to see my details for some reason. I then decided to read about Ostrom on reddit and realized that this seems to be a common issue and that opinions on Ostrom is actually pretty mixed here and those posts are usually from 3-4 years ago and I don't fully trust Trustpilot.com .

So can anyone share their real experience with Ostrom as an electricity provider? What issues you've had and if it really lives up to the hype online as an affordable and good customer support option or is it all just paid ads at this point? Because at this point I might as well go with Tibber or something else.

I am planning to apply for citizenship in Germany. But I have a problem.

1. I was born in Austria (Linz), so I have a birth certificate from Austria with birth place: Linz. In this birth certificate my name is registered: Asad. (I do not have Austrian citizenship).
2. But I am originally Iraqi. Iraq embassy registered Vienna as my birth place in their my Iraqi birth certificate. In this birth certificate, when translated into English, my name is Assad.
3. Later I immigrated to USA (citizen). In USA I explained the things and all my documents have Linz as birthplace, and the name is Assad. I don't have USA birth certificate!
4. now I want to apply for citizenship in Germany. (After PhD in USA I am working with Blue Card for a long time in Germany) They need a birth certificate. If I give the Austrian birth certificate, birth place would be correct, but name would be not correct (just one S). If I give the translation of the Iraqi birth certificate the name would be correct but birth place would be Vienna!

Assad <> Asad , Vienna <> Linz.

All my working documents in USA and Germany up to now are with Vienna and Assad!

What can I do?

Hi everyone, I need some clarity on my specific situation regarding medical licensing in Germany.

My Background:

• Non-EU citizen (Indian).
• Graduating with a 6-year MD from a medical university in Belarus in January 2027.
• In Belarus, the 6-year degree is academic; a 1-year local internship (Internatura) is mandatory to practice there.

My Plan:

Due to financial constraints, I cannot afford to stay in Belarus for the 1-year internship. My plan is:
1. Graduate in Jan 2027 and return to India.
2. Clear the Indian licensing exam (FMGE) and complete the mandatory 12-month Indian internship.
3. Obtain permanent Indian medical registration.
4. Learn German (B2 general, C1 medical).
5. Apply to Germany (e.g., Baden-Württemberg) for the Anerkennung process and take the Kenntnisprüfung (Knowledge Exam) directly to get the Approbation.

My Questions:

1. The "Incomplete" Degree Issue: I know Austria will likely reject my Belarusian degree because it lacks the Belarusian internship. Will Germany do the same, or will the German authorities accept my Belarusian academics + Indian internship as a combined qualification and allow me to take the Kenntnisprüfung?
   
2. The Berufserlaubnis: While I am in India (or after I arrive in Germany) preparing for the Kenntnisprüfung, can I apply for a Berufserlaubnis (temporary license) to work under supervision? Or do they refuse the temporary license because the primary degree is technically incomplete?
   
3. Visa & Job Search: To get a visa for the Kenntnisprüfung, do I need a job offer first, or can I apply for a job-seeking visa (Chancenkarte) for this specific purpose?
   Has anyone here navigated a "fragmented" degree (academics in one country, internship in another) through the German system? I need to know if I'll be rejected at the first document check before I invest years into German language courses.
   

Thank you for any advice.

Hey everyone!

I really like dark chocolate… and I’m looking for recommendations for some of the best ones available in Germany :)

I usually go for around 70–85% cocoa, preferably something with a rich cocoa flavour, smooth texture, and not too much bitterness… but I’m open to trying something new ¯_(ツ)_/¯

I’ve tried Lindt, but I’m personally not a fan of their chocolates, so I’d love to discover some alternatives.
I’m open to both affordable supermarket options (Rewe, Edeka, Aldi, Lidl, etc.) and premium brands, as long as they’re worth the price..

What’s your personal favourite? Any underrated brands or specific chocolate bars I should try?

Thanks in advance! ^^

Hello everybody,

I’m planning to move to Homburg (Saar) for a job at the Saarland University Hospital next year and would like some insight into the cost of living there, especially rent for a single person, average monthly bills, transportation, and general day-to-day expenses.

Any tips for someone moving from abroad would be very welcome.

Thank you so much in advance!

A small background, I tore a small ligament on my wrist a few years ago while working, I didn't think it would be important since I didn't notice it until quite recently where it started to flare up because of my new job. The doctor said the only way I could get this healed up was to quit working physical labour job and to take at least 3 months to heal after surgery.

The problem is, I just recently returned to Germany. I am not qualified for any ALG nor anything of that kind yet, I didn't pay enough into the Sozialversicherung according to Arbeitsamt.

I took a new job not long ago out of desperation, it was labour intensive work, that really hurt my wrist again. If I opt for the surgery, I would have much relief to my hand but my new workplace would let me go for sure, which again, means I won't be able to get any financial support whatsoever (I am still in Probezeit).

The pain is so unbearable on most days, I can't take painkillers without the risk of me being giddy and losing concentration, causing work-place accidents.

I'm looking for any sort of advice on what to do here.

I'm a student in Berlin renting a room in a 3-room WG. I found bedbugs in mid-September and told my landlord right away. He arranged pest control, but only my room was treated, and I still see bugs coming out of the baseboard after two visits (a third is planned).i

I haven't slept properly in over a month. I wake up several times a night from the itching, I have bites and rashes all over, and I'm exhausted while trying to study for exams and apply for jobs. My bed was removed on the company's advice, and I'm on an air mattress.

Costs so far: about 640 € for three treatments, plus bed disposal for 170 €. The landlord says I must pay all of it. I've also paid the full October rent, and I'm moving out on 30 October. I don't know how the bugs got in, and nobody has shown I caused it. I'm a student without income right now. This is so unexpected for me as i am somebody who stays home and even before that i used to work from home. I hardly been travelling within the city or even outside the city. This whole has impacted me mentally, emotionally and physically & financially where i was supposed to focus on my job applications and exams these month but this whole situation has sucked life out of me.

Questions:

1. Who normally pays for bedbug treatment in Germany if the cause is unknown?
2. Can I claim a rent reduction (Mietminderung) after already paying, and can the landlord deduct costs from my deposit?
3. Is there free tenant help in Berlin?

Thanks!

First email to [feedback@fraport.de](mailto:feedback@fraport.de) 30th Sep 2026.

We flew in to Frankfurt from Seattle 3 weeks ago, transferring to a condor flight to Chania, Crete.

Your Frankfurt airport is absolutely 0 stars for being customer friendly. The transition from B to A absolutely sucked, poorly posted signs, no easy walkway or shuttle¿then you get dumped at a customers border checkpoint, mile
Long line of hundreds of people, and 3 agents that appeared to be sedated, while steering blankly at what I can only imagine is a windows 3.0PC running slow wear!

Result, had to run to flight gate after finally getting through, last shuttle, heats pounding (I¿m a senior). Never seen such a shit show since working in Africa in rhe 1980,s

Return flight to Frankfurt, transit to condor Seattle flight¿.even worse than the inclining flight. The line (Que) to get out of hell (Frankfurt airport to gates b61) was moribund! Line was uncontrolled , people in red jackets not helping or controlling the line cutters, had to be 300+ people on each side of some poorly placed DFS shop!

Well, everyone in the line was unhappy, missing flights, no guidance or corral tapes and standards to keep people from cutting¿reminds me of an African airline boarding in Nigeria in the 1980¿s with no assigned seats, and livestock!!!

Well, the same slow motion sedated boarder police seemed to have shown up again, they even closed up cubicles and went off shift despite the overflowing lines! Simply unbelievable, I never thought a German premier airport could be this bad! We will never return the FRA again. I am writing this email in the slim hope someone in senior frauport, or Frankfurt airport, or Frankfurt politician reads this and takes corrective action asap.

This is totally third world experience for a country that prides itself on technical excellence, reliability and customer service.

Yours sincerely (my name and contact details)

2nd email to [feedback@fraport.de](mailto:feedback@fraport.de) 5th Oct 2026

Thanks you for your response to my feedback. I am sure you should or will have received hundreds of similar posts daily during this summer.

Frankly, your airport buildings are not capable or suited to establishing adhoc border or customs control between A and B…it is a rolling unmanaged nightmare for All non EU passengers, and contrary  to your statements below it is absolute unmanaged, uncontrolled chaos!

Our flight out with Condor had to wait another hour, delayed, and still left without a large number of passengers!!

Secondly, I didn’t mention it before but what’s up with the subway busses?? Both times our Condor aircraft pulled up to the terminal and the airbridgea for boarding and arrivals were not used??! This is 2026, what in gods earth is up with that? Trying to use subway style busses is about as retro as it gets, introduces huge delays and other dependencies, and is a total PITA if you are carrying any weight of luggage…please STOP that stupid shit immediately!

Frankfurt airport is 110% responsible and accountable for this miserable tourist transit experience through your German airport terminal, which should be clean, quick, simple, hi tech. I suggest you fly over to SEATAC or any other modern airport and see how it’s done properly?

Sincerely, a super concerned, global frequent flier)