Fun Stuff > CHATTER

To Germany with poverty

<< < (6/8) > >>

Barmymoo:
Thanks for all the ideas! I don't think you get paid for donating blood etc in the UK, but the selling things idea is a good one. Do you need to be over 18 to sell things on Ebay?

I'm going to Saxony, which will be cool because I've only been to West Germany thus far. It could be interesting because the family I'm staying with can't speak much English, so I'll have to learn German fast! Not as bad as it sounds though, I've been learning German for about six years.

Yup, I'm from the UK and today it's pretty cloudy. I live in a very rural part, we have practically no public transport and lots of little winding roads, but when I say rural I mean British rural not the American road movie kind of rural.

Redglasscurls, I actually have thought I might be a surrogate mother when I'm older but I'm a bit young at the moment and I think being pregnant might get in the way of actually going to Germany! I hadn't realised you got paid for it, though, but I guess most people wouldn't do it otherwise.

Anyway I'm going to have a look at what I could sell. Not much, sadly, I seem to own a lot of crap. Any other ideas? Anyone fancy buying an appallingly badly knitted scarf or some such article?

Oli:
People always want to buy other peoples crap!

You must have things from your childhood that are in working order and you don't have a huge sentimental attachment to.  Sell those DVDs you own but probably won't watch again anytime in the near future

Whatever you're thinking of selling make sure you let us all know. People (including myself) might be interested in buying some of your stuff and I'd like to think folks on here would be willing to pay a little more than a pawn shop for anything they're interested in. (Please note that I am not suggesting that this forum should be seen as a marketplace, I just think that - in this case - it seems relevant to let barmy try to sell us shit. A auction thread might be a fun idea though.)

Incidentally if you knit me a tea cosy I'd be willing to pay handsomely for it. (Srsly.)

DonInKansas:

--- Quote from: redglasscurls on 26 Apr 2008, 04:15 ---
--- Quote from: Barmymoo on 24 Apr 2008, 12:45 ---The employment situation round here is sucky (actually it's non-existent) and anyway I'd have trouble working right now, what with exams and then obviously being out of the country for several weeks, so just plain getting a job isn't really an option.

--- End quote ---

Hooray for not actually reading the first post, Don!

--- End quote ---

Most of the time "employment situation around here is sucky" means "I don't wanna work at McDonalds."  I have no idea where this person lives or the situation since they didn't expand; it's just my experience talking. 

Good luck to ya.

Elizzybeth:
I was an au pair in Italy for three months, and it was great (I had to come back because of trouble with the Schengen visa--being from the EU, you shouldn't have that problem)!  I have an acquaintance who did it in Germany, and she loved it.  Enjoy it!

My first recommendation--if you can't easily get the money from selling stuff, donating blood, etc.--would be to talk to the family about it.  If the German situation is anything like the one in Italy, EVERYONE's looking for English-speaking au pairs, and there really aren't too many girls to go around.  The family I stayed with was offered one application (mine) in seven months of waiting.  Thus, the market is really favorable to the au pairs, and you have a fair bit of bargaining power.  Obviously, you don't want to strain your relationship by asking for too much, but even if your contract doesn't state that the family pays for air fare, if you talk to them and explain that you're really excited about working with them but are having trouble coming up with the money, they'll probably be willing to either help you out a little or maybe even foot the bill entirely.

Barmymoo:
Don, I don't think there even is a McDonalds where I live, I've never seen it. But you're right, I wouldn't want to work in one because I'm vegetarian and the smell of onions makes me ill.

I'd love to knit a tea cosy, although I can't begin to imagine what it'd look like. I'll give it a go and let you know what it turns out like.

Right, I'm going back to my dad's in a few weeks (that's where all my stuff lives, I only brought the things I needed when I moved out) so I'll have a clear out and get selling. I'll let you all know if I find anything interesting :-)

Oh and Elizzybeth, I'm not going through an official agency. My German teacher set it up, she knows the family very well and the arrangement is that I'll pay the plane fare and they'll keep me, but no money involved apart from that. It's mostly to give me a chance to improve my German before my major exams next summer.

What's the Schengen visa? I never really thought about it but I suppose the EU makes it a lot easier for people to travel. I've never been outside Europe so I've only got a vague idea what a visa actually is.

Edit: Apparently you do have to be 18 to sell things on Ebay. That makes it more complicated but perhaps my mum will let me use her as a middle (wo)man.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page