Living in GK (and beyond)

February 4, 2009

Used Furniture (or How to get rid of your junk at the end of your tour)

Filed under: PCS: IN, PCS: Out — tifany74 @ 15:45

Where do you find used furniture? Something inexpensive and simple that will just last long enough until you move?

Or, where do get rid of these things when it’s time to get that weight down???

Here are a few options:

  • Thift shops! Check the thrift shops at GK and Schinnen. The GK thrift shop is located behind the gas station. The thrift shop at Schinnen is next to the post office and commissary.
  • Browse the Boards! There is an almost constant flow of people going out as people are coming in and so those bulletin boards around all the bases are full of flyers listing furniture, houses, transformers, appliances and many other items that people are trying to get rid of quickly and inexpensively. You’ll find good deals here.
  • RD4 (Bis-Bis or Kringloop): A chain of Dutch thrift shops in this area that can be a lot of fun! You’ll find inexpensive furnature and antiques as well. Decent prices and a continually rotating stock.
  • GK Swap and JFC Brunssum Freecycle: Both excellet resources. GK Swap is a listing goods and services. Freecycle is just that – everything listed is FREE!

July 23, 2008

Hotel in Dusseldorf — PSC hint

Filed under: Living here basics, Local - Lodging, PCS: Out — tifany74 @ 11:09

Hint from a friend who recently PCSed out:

1. Pick your own flights ahead of time, print out your desired itinerary, then take it to the travel office. It makes it easier for them, and then you more often get flights/times/cities that work with your family’s schedule better.

2. If you’re flying out of Düsseldorf, consider this hotel recommendation:

Maritim Hotel
http://www.maritim.de/typo3/english/hotels/hotels/hotel-dusseldorf.html
A two minute covered walk from the hotel to the airport. It has an awesome salt water pool/spa/fitness room, and is a brand new hotel right at the airport. We were on the 6th floor with a great view of planes landing and taking off. The hotel is state of the art… with windows that block out all noise!

3. Dogs can fly during the summer on their own airline. Look into Pet Air which flies from the Frankfurt airport. petair.de


July 21, 2008

Educational Websites for Kids

Filed under: Children - Rainy Day, PCS: Out, Schools/Education — tifany74 @ 12:27
If you’re PCSing, or just curious, you can test your child’s academic levels according to the school they will be attending using the website below.


Websites:
The best resources for knowing about the best websites are our teachers. Most of my favorites, I’ve learned from my children’s teachers and the school website. Look at the classroom links at the GKES website for lists of even more amazing FREE resources for your kids. http://www.geil-es.eu.dodea.edu/

All Grades: (many of the websites below have areas for other grades, I have just not had time to thoroughly search through them all to figure out which ones yet)

Elementary Math:

Elementary Reading Skills/Read Aloud Books

All Subjects:

6th grade:

April 28, 2008

Local Guesthouses and Hotels – PSC In or Out

Filed under: Local - Lodging, PCS: IN, PCS: Out — tifany74 @ 23:01

The guest house that you choose for your sponsoree is important. It can make a rough transition to a foreign country smoother and give its inhabitants a first impression of their new home.

These guest houses are known and loved by the people who have stayed there. If your favorite isn’t listed, email it in and I’ll add it to the list.

Gangelt – 20 minutes from GK, 15 to Brunssum - Reader Recommendation

Guest House Piepers”
Familie Sofia & Mario Piepers
Ferienhaus
Am Freibad 6a
52538 Gangelt
Tel: 02454 – 2687
http://www.ferienhaus-amfreibad.de/
“My husband and I just pcs to GK. I wanted to pass along our Guest House experience with others. The apartment/unit “Flat” that we are staying in is more than we could have hoped for. When we looked at it online we thought it was comfortable, nice. But we had no idea it would be so much more. The apartment we have has three separate rooms. Large bathroom, large bedroom and living/dining and kitchen. All are very spacious. And to say that it is fully equipped is an understatement. It has everything you will need. And more. The Landlords, The Piepers, are the nicest people. If you are looking for privacy, you have it. If you are looking for hospitality and company, they can provide that as well . Or somewhere in between, that too. We will cherish this experience for the rest of our lives. We have loved every minute here. I am certain when we PCS out, if available, we will stay here again.”

Geilenkirchen, Niederbusch, and Brunssum – all within 10-15 minutes of GK or Brunnsum

The Inn Places
http://www.theinnplaces.com/
A family run business with three guest houses in our community located in Geilenkirchen, Niederbusch, and Brunssum, this place comes highly recommended by a couple friends of mine who not only loved the accomodation, but fell in love with the family. The Chalmer’s family has been running guesthouses for 15 years now in this area and are well established in the community. Check their website for more information and more photos of their guest houses. They do speak excellent English and are extremely helpful.
Contact Marie-Ange Chalmers at 02454.7326 for more information.

Geilenkirchen – 10 minutes to GK, 15 to Brunssum

Petra’s Guest House
02451-64957
petra.heinen@t-online.de
http://www.petra-guesthouse.de
Geilenkirchen *I stayed in House #2. Free wireless internet. Three good sized bedrooms with storage and two bathrooms. Laundry room. Nice dining and living room and small, but functional kitchen with breakfast nook. The kitchen was big enough for me to cook a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for 8 people. Large back yard with a very short fence (not suitable if your dog will jump). Just 10 minutes to base by car and a 5 minute walk to the local grocery store (Rewe) and the swimming pool and athletic center. A quick drive to Burg Trips castle or the downtown GK area or a nice bike/walk if you have some time. Clean and very comfortable. Petra is very helpful when needed, but also gives you the space that you need. She does not live next door.

Gillrath – 10 minutes from GK, 15 to Brunssum

Karin’s Guest House
Run by Mike and Karin Plumm
Von Bronsfeldstrasse 49
Gillrath – Geilenkirchen 52511
http://www.karins-guesthouse.com/
*Just 10 minutes from the base and an easy ride by bike via farm roads. Walking distance from an ATM machine, the bus stop, a pizza place, a good bakery, and two produce stands. Mike and Karin speak beautiful English and are very friendly and helpful. Their property lies at the end of the road and next to a path through the forest, so it’s a great place for walking, and riding bikes. Takes visa and mastercard. See website for guesthouse details.

Langbroich – 20 minutes from GK, 25 to Brunssum

Altes Brauhaus
Brauersiestrasse 4
Gangelt-Langbroich
Tel: 02454-936555
Brauhaus@langbro.de
http://www.langbro.de/

American owned and run, a friendly place, beautiful decorated in an old renovated farm house. Kitchen with microwave, sky satellite with DVD, free internet, telephone, washer and dryer.

February 23, 2008

Leaving GK

Filed under: PCS: Out — tifany74 @ 00:22

As I haven’t actually PCS’d yet, I am clearly not an expert in this area, BUT, it is important to attack as things go very differently here and it can be a complicated process. So, let’s open this up to your ideas/comments/etc… and hopefully, at the end of it all, we’ll have a decent resource here for folks. Here’s a start:


Leaving this area:

  • Before you leave, you have to cancel your phone, internet and cell phone coverage in writing. Even if your phone and internet services are with the same company, do BE SPECIFIC in your letter that you are canceling BOTH services or you may continue paying long after you’ve moved.

Outside Assistance:
For assistance with the move here, Easy Stay Germany can write letters to the German companies for you terminating your accounts. Jennifer understands the process and can be very helpful in making it go smoothly. http://easystaygermany.com/

Looking forward to your next location:

Schools:

Your experiences:

“I went to cancel cell phone coverage 2 months before the contract was to expire as my daughter was going off to college. However, they had already automatically renewed it for another 12 months. They consented to terminating it 6 months later.

Additionally, a gentleman that I worked with wrote the letter to cancel my Deutsch Telekom service. I thought everything was taken care of, but when I returned from the states after doing my retirement stuff and visiting folks, I discovered that I was still being charged for internet service! I called DT several times, had German speaking people call and even went to Heinsburg and had the guy from the T-Com store write and fax a cancellation letter. According to DT, the letter only cancelled my phone service, not my internet service. I was obligated to pay for about 3 months during which time I didn’t have/need/want their service because of the error. Although I moved out of my house in May 07, I didn’t get notification that it was cancelled and I didn’t owe anything until Jan 08!

Definitely plan ahead and start early. Keep copies of your letters and bills – you may need them.”

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