(February 3, 2014 at 8:28 am)Alex K Wrote: Hey,Well, where I'm from is the atlantic coast, and we are very sparsely populated here. I'd say the education discrepancy is canada is much less then the us and that according to UN stats the education systems are pretty comparable.
Concerning Germany, I worked as an ambulance driver for the red cross (basically as an intermediate level EMT) here for my civil service. Although most people in urban areas in Germany will speak English rather well if they are below 50, it will probably be a hindrance if you want to get a job as an EMT if that was your plan. Except maybe the US army hires civilian paramedics at their bases. Gas prices are currently approx. 1,60€ per Liter, which is 8,36$ US per Gallon. The upside: everything is crammed together so closely that you won't have to drive very far anyways. If you live in a city with a decent public transport system, driving by car will not be the norm, and even if you are in a more rural area, taking the bus will be convenient and cheaper if you can get a seasonal ticket or so.
People generally like Americans a lot, and Canadians more so, so no trouble there. If you're not white, there are some areas I would avoid especially in the rural east where there has been an upsurge of neonazi activity after the fall of the wall, but you should be mostly fine.
The amount of culture shock will vary hugely depending on where in Germany you go. You will notice that everything is extremely close together, with gadzillions of tiny, but tightly confined villages just half a mile apart, and virtually no urban sprawl. Cities in Germany just end at some point, and then they're over. Unless you are in the Ruhr area, there it just goes on and on and on. In the Americas, they just seem to peter out forever.
(EditIf you grew up in Montreal you won't notice, if you're from the northwestern territories, better not be claustrophobic. Stuff in supermarkets will come in absurdly small packages.
My impression is that there is less of an discrepancy in education levels between people than in the US, so your average German supermarket cashier or burger flipper will stand out less extremely compared to your college professor when it comes to literacy etc. I don't know how that compares to Canada, I don't know canada well enough.
German suburbia can be an uptight nightmare populated by control freaks who will call the police if your lawn is the wrong length. Then again, before you move in anywhere, just check out the neighborhood and you should be able to tell.
Good thing is I'm not from Quebec. If I was I'd thrown off the continent in a week.
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
