What is expat life like for a New Yorker who has been living in Europe's richest city for the past nine years? Mark, a chiropractor in private practice, describes some of the ups and downs of living in Hamburg, Germany. He also shares some tips, observations, and insights about the local attitude, culture, and cost of living that others who are considering moving to Germany might find helpful.	Dr. Mark J. Styers

-Where were you born?  

I was born in Central New York, USA, just outside of Syracuse, a town called Baldwinsville.

-In which country and city are you living now?

Currently, I live in Hamburg Germany.

-Are you living alone or with your family? 

I live with my wife and two boys.

-How long have you been living in Germany? 

I moved to Germany in December 2000....wow, that makes 9 years and two months i have lived here!

-What is your age? 

I am 41 years old.

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Germany? 

Mainly, when I finished graduate school, I knew I wanted to live in Europe for a couple of years, and Germany just seemed to fit the best for me (i.e., culture, lifestyle, people).

Not really, Germany has a special relationship with America.  Also, I think that if you want to live and work here, and participate in the economy and pay taxes, I think they are open for that.  It may be more difficult if someone wants to come and live here off of the social system (at least that is what I have been told).

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?  

Medical insurance in this country is paid out of your taxes, so no, it was not difficult for me.

-How do you make your living in Germany? Do you have any type of income generated?   

I am a Doctor of Chiropractic.  I started here with a clinic owned by a French Chiropractor (Dr. Jean-Paul Pianta).  Since that time I have been in private practice in Hamburg.

-Do you speak German and do you think it's important to speak the local language?  

Hamburg is really an international city.  I did not speak the language, and still 9 years later I am still working on it!  Most people here do speak English, although I think it is important to learn the language.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes? Describe your favorite recreational activities there or those that are available.

I make sure that my family gets together regularly, either here in Germany or in the States.  For a while what I was missing the most, was getting together with my friends to watch a football game.  I now have an NFL package over the internet so that I can watch all of the games.  Sometimes I have friends over to join me.

-Do you have other plans for the future?  

I travel to various countries at least 6 times per year, as I love to travel.  Living in Europe is great because it is really not so far to travel to any country that you really enjoy!

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?  

I rented for some years, now I own a home (or at least I will in 20 years or so!!).  A nice home in Hamburg runs about a million US dollars.

-What is the cost of living in Germany? 

The cost of living is very high in Hamburg, as it is Europe's richest city.

-What do you think about the locals?  

I like the locals as much as any other place (there are nice people and idiots living everywhere).  One thing I would say (that Germans won't), if you don't look like them, this is more than likely not a great place to live.  Africans, Middle Easterners, and Asians...people are not mean to them, they are ignored though.  I know this from conversations I have had with people from all countries that live here.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Germany? 

The positive aspects of living in Germany, particularly in the north of the country is the quality of life (i.e., environment, food, entertainment, driving, and the overall culture).  I would say the most negative aspects of living here are purely social.  Germans don't really talk so much to people that they don't know.  Being a very confident outspoken person, this is not a problem for me to begin conversations with people, but for people who are not that outgoing, they may find it a little lonely living here.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Germany? 

I would just recommend that anyone who is interested in living here, first begin deciding where to live, then make decisions based on that.  I know many expats who came to Germany, and decided on a location before they had "shopped where they want to live".  For me this is a recipe for a disaster.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Germany? 

I don't have any tips for these types of things right now, as this is the first time I have ever visited a blog!