Cologne (K

[Sociologist]

Hi ladies and gentleman,

I don't know if there is any German, anyone that has lived in Germany or anyone going to Germany (more precisely Cologne) next fall, but I would appreciate any information on living conditions in Cologne. I'm particularly concerned with the following subjects:

- Cost of living, especially food (renting prices seems ok);

- Good and unexpensive areas;

- General mood of inhabitants towards foreign citizens;

- Any myscelaneous info you might consider useful.

Many thanks!

[fuzzylogician]

I can't help you with K

[Sociologist]

Hey, Fuzzylogician, many thanks for that useful reply! I was not expecting any reply in this thread. I am also a jew (not religious) and concerned but I have travelled around Europe and found the Germans much more conscious about neonazism than some other neighbours from the East. I've got a decent fellowship (I guess) for a doctoral program in English in a local research institute and my main concern is that my German is rather primitive. The people from the institute told me that this wouldn't be a problem for studying (well, they accepted me! ), but I have travelled to German before and I know how difficult it can be to talk in English to locals (especially government authorities, as you said). Of course I can't expect them to use other language than theirs to speak...

Well, I will bear in mind your advises when going.

Thanks again!

[fuzzylogician]

Sociologist said:

I am also a jew (not religious) and concerned but I have travelled around Europe and found the Germans much more conscious about neonazism than some other neighbours from the East.

Exactly. During the time I spent in Germany I got the impression that the Germans are very sensitive about their past, much more so than some Eastern Europeans who would sometimes have antisemitic opinions that are so ingrained that they don't even notice them.