My son is 16 and is going to germany to visit his friend in july is there any thing i should be worried about?

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DeSaxe

Most German exchange students come from good families or at least wealthy families. Most exchange students have good grades because they can afford to spend a year away from their studies.
Yes at 16 you can start drinking beer and wine. Most clubs and cities require those under 16-18 to leave bars after midnite.
I would not be worried, but you would now more than anyone else judging by your knowledge of the exchange student that lived with you for a year.
Most German students spend the majority of their time studing, education is very important and can greatly influence the remainder of one life in Germany so it is not taken lightly.
My parents would not let me go to Europe when I was 16 and we did not have the money for me to be an exchange student.
But unless you have a reason not to trust the family of the exchange student, i would not be overly concerned. Take precautions, make sure he has a return ticket, the number to the Embassy, and you have the numbers to wher he is staying.

Fenris Troll Ripper JPA RT ATL Â®

Worry in what sense? Do you trust your son?

If you do I am sure all will be ok. Yes they can drink at restaurants with the family and such but the age is 18 now at clubs to drink as of Jan 1st. Thats the most he would probably do is go out a few times at night but it is not dangerous.

Just have him check in by email so often and you will be just fine. Also try to learn what you can about the host family too. That can make or break an exchange program!

Lastly make sure he speaks German or tries too!

Alwin is correct here!

Harley

Well, the German culture is diffrent than the American culture. They are much more open about certain things such as drinking and sexuality.

If you are trying to find a ticket now then GOOD LUCK! It's a little late during the high season to look for tickets but they dont seem too outrageous on www.cheaptickets.com during that timeframe.

Alwin E

Alright, I understand your concerns, but I grew up in Germany, and survived 16.

You're worried about drinking, and, yes, let your son have his fun. The legal drinking age for wine and beer (in Berlin, it'll mostly be beer) is 16 here, and I, too, drank too much alcohol when I first was allowed too, woke up with some severe hangovers, and found that I should restrict my drinking habits to a socially acceptable level. Once you've made a fool out of you because of being drunk, you won't do it again. -- That's a matter of trust here: Do you trust in your son to act responsibly on alcohol, or do you want him to wait another five years and make a fool of himself when he's 21? I suppose you can't spare him the experience of being sincerely drunk anyway, so why not let him do it in Germany, where he's far away from home and people will be forgiving to a tourist? He'll be miles ahead of his companions in experience when he returns.

But now, let's get sober again and turn to the other issues. Berlin is a very tolerant, multinational city. I lived and worked there for seven years, and there's something new to find out every day. I'm quite fond of travelling, and to a traveller, everything is a new experience. Your son will be with yourt foreign exchange student and his parents, so don't worry. Parents are, well: parental. Sometimes even too much parental for a guy aged 16. I'm sure he'll find his way alone, without your parental guidance.

I could list a number of places and districts in Berlin now to go to or to avoid; but what use would that be? Your son's going to be with the locals; they know better than me.

The only thing he maybe should know is that condoms are available at drugstores, pharmacies, and in the men's washroom at bars.

carina

oh dear, the other two answers give a very negative view of Germany

I'm white English and have only visited Germany once briefly, but I assure you it's a civilised country with polite friendly people ... I was travelling with my Asian partner and no-one stared at us, bothered us or was rude ... as for drinking, teenagers do like to experiment but I really doubt he will come to any harm, I'm sure his friend's parents will make sure of that

I would be more worried about him not wanting to come home hahaha !!

vanhalen766

Make sure he knows how important it is not to lose his passport and identification. Usually the foreign exchange families are researched before by the organization so chances are that the family hes staying with is responsible and he will be fine with them. Also don't worry about drinking its a tradition over there and you won't really be able to stop him.

James Bondi

Yes the girls - they are really open to all things sex - it wont take him long to get to know some interesting girls.

Make sure he understands safer sex and does not get anyone pregnant!

geier55

Berlin is not always a safe city but still much much safer than any big city of the USA

the drinking age is 16 in germany for beer and wine.
let him do his experiences

shobby

Â´Â´a friend visidted.... come back almost alcoholic.Â´Â´
this is no fault of our drinking limitations which have no use anyway.
in the USA the drinking age is 21 everywhere(?)
i guess he was a bit too jaunty

not all teenagers are alcoholics here. Many are able to control it and are happy to drink a beer or two with his friend

And many maybe drink a bit too much but letting normal drinkers suffer doesnt do much..it is not so hard to evade this law

straring in germany doesnt mean they want to kill you
we just dont really care if the other is offended by this staring
this means for all
we make our thoughts. thery are probably not used to see black people.
in hamburg, where i live, we have many black people and we got used to it
we may look at them when they speak african or so but only cause its interesting.

Lina D

i am 16 (currently exchange student in the usa) and i'm pretty sure that he will go to parties with lots of alcohol. but it is his own decision if he wants to drink and it depends on the people he is with, but most are responsible with alcohol.

bennani s

A year from now, I was in Germany. As a Muslim Arab girl, wearing a scarf around my head, with the company of my friends, boys and girls(2wearing scarfs and 2 are not),my parents and I were very worried. It was a university students conference, and we met people from every place in the world.

I admit that people tried to be helpfulas much as they can especially those not knowing English. (Likely the old people.) They were open to my questions and tried to be nice to me. This is the case of young people not old ones because they were NOT.
A German friend advised me:dont expect them to help, YOU ask for ur help.

I met some foreigners living there maily from Moroccow and syria.They assured me one thing. Keep urself to urself, and u'll live in peace. Regarding ur son, i think that this does not go with him since he's not a Muslim, or a girl. Stop worrying.

One thing I noticed is that people stare at foreigners, and even some weird Germans. So I guess that it is their habit to do so, or it is their intrest.
They told me that they, Germans, r very popular with drinking, sex, and eating "pigs meat". I guess u wont worry about the last one. If u hav really raised ur son not to drink especially behind ur back, he wont find a problem.Regarding sex, I guess he already has his CUTE girlfriend, and she'll make sure of that problem. Probably, she'll make him pleadge himself to an oath or ask him to call her every 5mn. HAH ;)

I stayed with a student; but a girl friend of mine stayed with a family. So did other two guys. They all told me they were very nice to them. They respected them and treated them as old friends. If ur lucky enough, ur son will not have trouble. Make sure that he asks them from the begining what are their limits, and tells them about his own. So that no rule would be broken.

Views are awesome there. Ask him to take lots of pictures.
The weather there is something he'll have to worry about. It changes many times.Maybe it's different in Berlin. He'll have to ask his friend.

Let him have fun!!
Safe trip.

If u want, i can give u some emails of German friends that ur son, or u can contact so that u 'll have a broader view. Happy 2help.
Soumiatulip@yahoo.fr

Princess J

berlin is not the safest palce to be. he should make sure he doesnt go outside alone especially not at night. with 16 u can legally drink beer, champaign and wine. but most teenagers drink the other stuff to because the polics is not very strict. berlin got a pretty big drug scene also.
but hey i dont wanna scare u. my grandparents been to berling and said its a beautiful city. u just gotta watch where u go and with what kinda people u hang out and ull be alright
i moved to the frankfurt/wiesbaden area from the states myself, so i know what im talking about.

shobby

drinking

diana c

I justmoved here fri. husband is military and ppl was starring maybe because we are black and they are very rude I like the views but not +the ppl

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