Nuremburg life a world apart
Meeting an exchange student set Elliot Parry on a very different path than he had imagined.
Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Wellington.
What inspired your move, and how long have you been there?
In October 2008, on one of Wellington’s rare warm and still nights, my flatmates had a few people over for a gathering. It was on this night that a new exchange student from Germany also came along. In 2011, we got married and bought a house, and in 2013, we had our first child. Next came a few unsettling earthquakes and it was then that discussions about a future in Germany began.
If someone had told me in college that I should learn German because one day I would be living, working and raising a family there, I would have dismissed it as one of the craziest ideas I’d heard.
What do you do there?
We moved to Nuremberg in July 2015. It’s a city steeped in history, in the heart of Bavaria. The easiest part about the move was that July is the height of summer and Germans love their festivals and beer gardens.
Over the following months, as winter edged closer, it dawned on me that culturally I was worlds away from what I was used to and there was frustration at not understanding the language.
I had come with the hope that I would walk into a job and the language would simply follow. In the larger German cities, jobs are easier to come by, as the requirement for English is higher. Jobs where language ability may get overlooked in favour of skills are for qualified technical workers.
I am an account manager at the headquarters of Hemmersbach, an IT services company with about 2700 employees globally.
What are the greatest advantages to living there?
When people ask me where I am from and I say New Zealand, their reaction is always the same: ‘‘What are you doing here?’’ The greatest thing about living here is having Europe on my doorstep.
There is so much history, so many cultural differences, all within hours from where we live.
The opportunity for my children to grow up bilingual in this changing world is invaluable. It has also taken me leaving New Zealand to appreciate what it has. I have taken many months of language courses here and have met so many courageous people from all walks of life from all over the world.
Most powerful was hearing a Syrian peer deliver a speech in German about his background and the death of his parents, and his need to escape for his life. New Zealand appears to be far removed from these not-sounique stories. I know every society has its challenges, but what I have been exposed to in Germany feels more extreme.
How expensive is it compared to New Zealand? How much is a beer?
Germany feels very affordable no matter what your circumstances. A beer costs about $4.80 for 400ml. Fresh fruit and vegetables are available all year round and are not cost-prohibitive out of season.
One of the most difficult things to believe is that I can buy premium New Zealand lamb, frozen, on special here cheaper than I could in New Zealand.
What’s the local delicacy, and would you recommend eating it?
Nuremburg has a few specialties that it’s renowned for. These include finger-sized sausages called Nurnberger bratwurst and Christmas cookies lebkuchen.
What’s the shopping like?
If someone asked me what the most dangerous thing in Germany is, I would say online shopping!
Everything is so accessible, with cheap next-day or same-day delivery, and free returns. There is seldom a need to go to the city any more.
Add to this that Sundays are ‘‘quiet days’’. Nothing is open, you are not allowed to make noise (no loud music, no lawnmowing). It means Saturdays are always chaotic in the city and to be avoided.
I like to mock my wife about Sundays in Germany. It always consists of a walk in nature, followed by coffee and cake. It is very predictable.
Best time of the year to visit? What are the top three things you recommend for visitors?
If you are planning a visit to Germany and to Nuremberg, check out the social calendar of the summer months. There is Europe’s largest rock festival, a motor race, village festivals, a busking festival, classical music concerts, and the vibe is generally buzzing over the summer months.
Next comes the hibernation period until December when Nuremberg sparks back to life with its worldfamous Christmas markets. It is truly a fairytale with the candy-striped stalls, handcrafted decorations, and hot mulled wine. Nuremburg conducted the world-famous trials after World War II. There are some sobering exhibitions to visit that are well worth seeing.
A more lighthearted thing to do is to visit the outlet shops of the global headquarters of Adidas and Puma in nearby Herzogenaurach or visit the Playmobil HQ and fun park.