Cologne schools
07-16-2011, 07:28 PM
#83
On Reserve
Joined APC: Jul 2011
Posts: 12
I'm a new hire going through the process and seriously considering CGN...can anyone help me out w/the following questions:
1. Could I live 60 miles from Cologne/Bonn Airport (LOA says 100 miles) in another country and still receive the housing allowance? It would be Hauset, Belgium in order to homeschool some of our kids to keep the move from being cost prohibitive. Belgium is homeschool friendly.
2. Would living in Belgium cause a change in the tax equalization policy mentioned in the LOA? If so, what would it be or how significant?
Much Appreciated!
1. Could I live 60 miles from Cologne/Bonn Airport (LOA says 100 miles) in another country and still receive the housing allowance? It would be Hauset, Belgium in order to homeschool some of our kids to keep the move from being cost prohibitive. Belgium is homeschool friendly.
2. Would living in Belgium cause a change in the tax equalization policy mentioned in the LOA? If so, what would it be or how significant?
Much Appreciated!
07-17-2011, 08:09 AM
#88
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2006
Posts: 177
VolFan,
Huck is correct about having to live in Germany. No way around that. For me, the school issue is the show stopper. My kids are in middle school and ideally I would like them to attend a German school. However, even though I'm sure they would pick up the language quickly, I'm not willing to jeopardize a year of their education. From my research, I've learned that after primary, German kids are broken out into different tracks based on their abilities/aptitude. Off course the "brightest" are sent on to schools that prepare them for college. Some of these secondary schools even offer an English immersion program, but they are very competitive to get in to. And even though both my kids are "honor" students here, I'm not sure if they would even qualify and be accepted into one of these German schools. So that only leaves me with the private school option which at $20K per kid is cost prohibitive (if the FDA school allowance was $10k per child then maybe...) My research is mostly from different internet sites and from speaking with military friends who lived over there and with people that actually bid the FDA. I sent you a PM with my contact info if you want to talk more.
Skypine sent you a PM too; I'd like to see/talk to you about your research as well.
SG
Huck is correct about having to live in Germany. No way around that. For me, the school issue is the show stopper. My kids are in middle school and ideally I would like them to attend a German school. However, even though I'm sure they would pick up the language quickly, I'm not willing to jeopardize a year of their education. From my research, I've learned that after primary, German kids are broken out into different tracks based on their abilities/aptitude. Off course the "brightest" are sent on to schools that prepare them for college. Some of these secondary schools even offer an English immersion program, but they are very competitive to get in to. And even though both my kids are "honor" students here, I'm not sure if they would even qualify and be accepted into one of these German schools. So that only leaves me with the private school option which at $20K per kid is cost prohibitive (if the FDA school allowance was $10k per child then maybe...) My research is mostly from different internet sites and from speaking with military friends who lived over there and with people that actually bid the FDA. I sent you a PM with my contact info if you want to talk more.
Skypine sent you a PM too; I'd like to see/talk to you about your research as well.
SG
07-17-2011, 01:18 PM
#90
On Reserve
Joined APC: Jul 2011
Posts: 12
I read the LOA a little closer and found the part of living "in Country". Thanks Huck for making me look again at the LOA. I have the same thoughts as you Some Guy about the German Public Schools so we're going to fork over the $$ for the private schools. 
I was looking for a way to make the move cheaper since we currently homeschool. We're looking at the International School of Dusseldorf as mentioned earlier in the thread. I'm still looking for what a schedule would be like for a junior guy. Sounds like Skypine 27 may have some info for me once I'm able to PM.
Thanks Gents!!
I was looking for a way to make the move cheaper since we currently homeschool. We're looking at the International School of Dusseldorf as mentioned earlier in the thread. I'm still looking for what a schedule would be like for a junior guy. Sounds like Skypine 27 may have some info for me once I'm able to PM.Thanks Gents!!
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