[ElJefe]

I'll be headed to Münich this fall (starting October) so I'm going to use this thread to compile the full A-Z experience. Primary purpose is university, but I also hope to try skiing (have never tried), immerse myself in the language, get a good wiff of that high German culture, and naturally, make the most of what opportunities there are.

So first things first:

Accomodation - I'd like to live with some Germans in order to A) have local friends + opportunities to practice German and B) keep overall costs down. How to optimize? What would a room in a decent place with good logistics and some cool roomies cost?

Pipelining: how long before heading down there should I start, and where?

[zatara]

I can't help much with the long-term data but I thought I'd chime in to say Munich is by far the friendliest German city I've been to. I found the locals far, far more approachable than girls in Berlin or Frankfurt. And more fun - they had a closer attitude to alcohol that you'd find in the US/UK/other Anglosphere countries.

The Kultfabrik area is an old industrial zone about a 10min drive from the central train station that had lots of clubs/bars - I found it fairly easy to talk to locals here. The big beer halls are a good spot to pick up tourist girls too - can usually spot the Americans/Canadians by their style of dress relatively easily.

[tomhagen]

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[ElJefe]

Thanks for chiming in!

Ich habe ein bisschen in der Schule gelernt, aber es war vor langer zeit! Ich werde an der LMU studieren.

Would like to push arrival as far back as possible in order to work and save, although I could show up in September to work in Münich. The classes I will be taking at LMU are in English, the language bit is purely for fun.

I am kinda in favor of pipelining because I'd like to focus on the local Bavarian vintage. Exchange students are raging sluts and easily dealt with if I become desperate.

[tomhagen]

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[Dr.Benway]

...

[Pacesetter20]

(06-24-2013 07:40 AM)ElJefe Wrote:  

Thanks for chiming in!

Ich habe ein bisschen in der Schule gelernt, aber es war vor langer zeit! Ich werde an der LMU studieren.

Would like to push arrival as far back as possible in order to work and save, although I could show up in September to work in Münich. The classes I will be taking at LMU are in English, the language bit is purely for fun.

I am kinda in favor of pipelining because I'd like to focus on the local Bavarian vintage. Exchange students are raging sluts and easily dealt with if I become desperate.

I would do this.

Start your trip off right with Oktoberfest.

[capote]

(06-24-2013 07:06 AM)zatara Wrote:  

I can't help much with the long-term data but I thought I'd chime in to say Munich is by far the friendliest German city I've been to. I found the locals far, far more approachable than girls in Berlin or Frankfurt. And more fun - they had a closer attitude to alcohol that you'd find in the US/UK/other Anglosphere countries.

This could not be further from the truth. People from Munich are Bavarians, one of the most arrogant and stuck-up people I've come across (This is after living in Paris and the south of France). If you speak German it will be a great advantage. The good news is that they drink like fish and then get much friendlier

(06-24-2013 10:38 AM)Dr.Benway Wrote:  

the thing that made munich the best for me was the parties in the art academy. its a university building near oranienplatz and the students basically run the place. some of my friends were even sleeping there for weeks at a time, had keys to their gigantic studios and threw awesome parties in the university building. cheap beer, hot art chicks, beautiful surroundings-try to find some connections there!

Are you sure you are not talking about Berlin mate? If not, do you have the name of this art academy?


To the OP: Munich is not the place for pipelining - chicks have plenty of options to make the internet a non-factor. Get here in the summer or during Oktoberfest, pick cheap lederhosen and hit the beer tents. If your logistics are tight, and you are in shape (very imp. for Munich girls), you will be handsomely rewarded.

You are going to LMU - the liberal arts hot-bed in Munich. You will have abundant opportunities from your would-be social circle itself.

Few other awesome things to do in Munich:
- Surfing in the Isar river (yes you heard that right)
- Mountain biking around Bombenkrater
- Go for Bayern games at Allianz arena

[zatara]

(06-25-2013 08:24 AM)capote Wrote:  

This could not be further from the truth. People from Munich are Bavarians, one of the most arrogant and stuck-up people I've come across (This is after living in Paris and the south of France). If you speak German it will be a great advantage. The good news is that they drink like fish and then get much friendlier

Well, to be honest after 7 trips to Germany split between Berlin/Frankfurt/Munich that has been my experience every time. Myself and my friends dress and look like the American "jock" stereotype so perhaps that influenced the way people reacted to us. Berlin in particular was extremely bad - way, way too hipster. Perhaps the Bavarians are more positively prejudiced towards that cultural subgroup as a result of the post WW2 occupation zones?

If you can afford it ElJefe you should definitely do Oktoberfest, its very good fun and a very Bavarian experience you'll have trouble replicating elsewhere in the world. I found it a bit too messy (long, long days of drinking, girls not wanting to lose friends in the big crowds, you having to babysit any drunken friends of yours etc) to hook up with girls reliably at but still great fun.

Also, to add to capote's list of things to do: if you've any interest in cars at all then check out the BMW museum near the Olympiapark, its very cool.

[Dr.Benway]

...

[perspective]

(06-25-2013 09:13 AM)zatara Wrote:  

Well, to be honest after 7 trips to Germany split between Berlin/Frankfurt/Munich that has been my experience every time. Myself and my friends dress and look like the American "jock" stereotype so perhaps that influenced the way people reacted to us. Berlin in particular was extremely bad - way, way too hipster. Perhaps the Bavarians are more positively prejudiced towards that cultural subgroup as a result of the post WW2 occupation zones?

I think there is a lot of truth in this. Americans have been so common in Munich since 1945 that people respond to them well. Bavarians like American culture. Conversely, wearing baseballs caps and US fashion labels in Berlin is like kryptonite. A Nike or Abercrombie Fitch label will get you turned away from any decent Berlin club. And rightly so - you probably don't belong there. In Munich it wouldn't make much of a difference as long as you are neat enough.

Clubbing during Oktoberfest in Munich is awesome. All the girls still sober enough to make it to a club are really well lubricated. Harry Klein is still the best dance music prospect in Munich. It's located on Sonnenallee where the bulk of the Munich club scene now resides (besides Kultfabrik). Nachtgalerie is a bit of a barn but it's proximity to "die Wiesn" will likely mean it's packed during late September. Maybe check out Cafe am Hochhaus too (Blumenstrasse). Muffathalle is a great venue but you'll need to be selective about when you go.

If you want to live the highlife go for places like Lenbach, Lehel, P1 and Nektar. Be prepared to drop some bills. P1 has the strictest door policy in Germany.

[perspective]

(06-25-2013 11:16 AM)Dr.Benway Wrote:  

but about oktoberfest, while it is fun and hilarious to watch drunken englishmen and italians embarrass themselves, i would hardly call it a "bavarian" thing. most if not all of my friends there hated it and would only go if i prodded them to. its quite disneylandish these days. if you want a really good beer hall experience you can go to the augustiner brewery...its actually quite close to the park where they have oktoberfest. its probably one of the most popular beers in germany now (even in berlin its everywhere now) and the food there is incredible! skillets of meat and big beers-cant go wrong!

I agree about Oktoberfest and about Augustinerkeller being great.
You have to do Schottenhamel once at least, but it's not my thing either. On a Friday or Saturday night chill elsewhere and save the money and stress and then hit the clubs after the Wiesn closes. Good times and easy pickings guaranteed. Plenty a country bumpkin from regional Bavaria wants to try out Munich's nightlife after Oktoberfest.

[ElJefe]

OK, I'm two weeks from arrival in Munich, and I have written perhaps 200 emails to people on WG-gesucht with NO luck. The rooms are taken within minutes of the add going up on the net.

Does ANYONE have a good idea? I can use couchsurfing as a Plan B but that is anathema to settling into the right studying environment.

[void]

Check your university and the german universities website for information about the exchange program / accomodation information for international students, if you haven't already.
This site is a very good summary (german academic exchange service)
https://www.daad.de/deutschland/nach-deu...mmodation/
Try applying or contacting the studentenwerk münich. Consider to find a room in a shared flat for "zwischenmiete" (usually 1-6 months) on the other sites

Enjoy your stay

[sheesh]

If you're American you will most likely have a good time in Munich. Americans are very well received in Munich. If you're from Northern Germany, or at least speaking Hochdeutsch, i.e. "standard German", this may not be case. I've had several instances of people refusing to talk to me in stores and on the street due to me being from Northern Germany. This has never happened to me anywhere else in Germany.

The Bavarain girls though didn't mind. Hochdeutsch sounds a bit agressive to the ear of a Bavarian and it seemed to peak their interest.

[perspective]

Finding accommodation in Munich is a nightmare. Friend of mine recently mentioned she was renting out her flat in Glockenbachviertel on fb. That was plenty of advertising. She got about 20 replies within 12 hours from her friends. The only decent places I ever lived in there I got through connections. You're also looking at the hardest time of year to find something. If you can afford to use an agent you can take that route but you'll need to pay a fee. Rent is expensive in Munich too as I am sure you are aware. Finding a place in Schwabing, Au, etc. near the uni is never going to be easy. You might need to look further afield. Viel Glueck alter!

[ElJefe]

Thanks for that.

Right now I'm using

http://www.immobilienscout24.de

and

http://wg-gesucht.de

It seems you have to sit RIGHT next to the computer and write as soon as the ad goes up. I have also joined and posted in groups on Facebook for expats asking for ideas. What an ordeal. I have a roommate lined up if I find an apartment, but I'd rather live with Germans, of course.

[trapper_john]

If you can't find a place with a roommate,this is an alternative. It's not cheap of course but those apartments are available. The commission to the agency is based on how long your rent for. You can see that here are a selection of 1 room apartments.
http://www.mrlodge.com/search/1-room-apartment/
Here is the cheapest one that I found today. It's located in a really cool area of Munich, not too far from Oktoberfest and great bars and cafes.
http://www.mrlodge.com/search/detailed-view/541/

Good luck!

[JohnQPublic]

Munich is great for 5 months, then you can leave before the sordid underbelly becomes apparent to you.

It's easy to nail super hot babes for a night there, many of them really like Americans, and logistics are easy. While it is probably the most expensive city in Germany, it's still quite a bit cheaper than the top city in any other comparable country (US, UK, France, Italy, etc).

I agree that you should capitalize on the Oktoberfest opportunity if you can, if you can hit it 4 or 5 times during two weeks, you'll be able to milk the contacts that you make there for the rest of your stay. Once I had to go to Munich for four months starting in the beginning of September. I must have hit the Oktoberfest 5 or 6 times. I had 4 girls I met there that i went out with. Finally I boned two of them, one on the first night. She was a hot and stylish fashion designer with a big perfect silicon rack that you couldn't be sure was artificial (girls with money have their advantages). I kept it going for a few months. Oktoberfest is an undocumented Schmorgesborg. During Oktoberfest, girls want to go down, I just don't like so many of them. The first year I was there I only went in two nights and I got a Spanish flag. We talked for awhile in P1 club then about 15 minutes later she came and told me her friend was leaving and she wanted to stay with me.

::This could not be further from the truth. People from Munich are Bavarians, one of the most arrogant and stuck-up people I've come across (This is after living in Paris and the south of France)::

My thoughts exactly. When Berliners told me Bavarians were arrogant, I said do you think Parisians are arrogant. they said yes. I said more arrogant? They said yes. I said, OK, I think I can deal with them. Well it's not the same thing. At least arrogant French have some minimal reason to be arrogant. I couldn't find any with a lot of people in Munich other than the fact that they were German and I wasn't. But once they learn you are American that arrogance usually evaporates, unless you happen to get an extremist, then it can get worse (unlike in EE countries, much of the time).

Tip: I found the best points for DTF HB7+ girls are smaller bars in the central trendy areas, especially student places around Munchener Freiheit. The big name bars are so crowded it's hard to do anything

[ElJefe]

OK guys, I am giving up on trying to find accommodation on Munich on the official sites. I will now officially attempt to couchsurf my way in there, and then find something after a day or two.

Score: Munich 1 - 0 ElJefe

[Drazen]

I just came back from Munich, great city. Planning to do Oktoberfest next year, I guess I better start early. Probably looking for a hotel within walking distance to the main Oktoberfest "park" where the tents are? Anyone know ballpark costs for this? I'm assuming absurdly expensive, just want to get the logistics down solid.

Might also book through a booking company which reserves blocks of hotels way ahead of time and charge a little extra, but it makes it a lot easier and usually there are hot girls staying inside the hotel and they have organized functions.

[speakeasy]

I've heard Bavarian girls tend toward the conservative side as far as ease of hooking up. What are your thoughts, guys?

[Flint]

(09-18-2013 02:08 AM)speakeasy Wrote:  

I've heard Bavarian girls tend toward the conservative side as far as ease of hooking up. What are your thoughts, guys?

In the last two years, I pulled two Bavarians and one Austrian girl (similar attitudes) but that was always outside of their native environments. I daresay it's not harder to hookup than with girls from the rest of Germany. It can be difficult in rural areas (like in every country). As an African American you have an advantage over most guys on the field anyway.

Personally, I would never ever want to live in Munich or let alone the rest of Bavaria. The dialect, the snobby attitudes and the ridiculously high living expenses would kill me.

[AmoAsBundas]

milchundbar and 089bar have a good reputation for snls

[Courage Reborn]

(09-17-2013 10:45 PM)PartyonBro Wrote:  

I just came back from Munich, great city. Planning to do Oktoberfest next year, I guess I better start early. Probably looking for a hotel within walking distance to the main Oktoberfest "park" where the tents are? Anyone know ballpark costs for this? I'm assuming absurdly expensive, just want to get the logistics down solid.

Might also book through a booking company which reserves blocks of hotels way ahead of time and charge a little extra, but it makes it a lot easier and usually there are hot girls staying inside the hotel and they have organized functions.

I just got a room on airbnb for $100 per night during this Oktoberfest. Not far from the metro stations & the tents.

What was your favorite spot in Munich?