About the State Program "Welcome to Rheinland-Pfalz! Our Neighbors from the USA"
We welcome you and your family to our beautiful state of Rheinland-Pfalz!
The main goal of our state program is to make it easy for you to experience the authentic German life in your community from day one.
Rest assured that your community is looking forward to welcoming you to their local activities, clubs and events! But how do you come to know about how you can participate in the local life? Inevitably, various questions will arise:
- When is the next event in my community?
- Which shops and restaurants can I find here?
- How do I separate my trash properly?
- What recreational activities can I engage in?
- Are there local clubs I can join?
Being stationed overseas can be a great experience! But taking the leap over the pond and adapting to the new circumstances in Germany also takes some time and effort. The new culture, different dos and don'ts in social interactions and, of course, the language barrier.
Sometimes it‘s hard to get the right answers if you don‘t know where you can find them. There are plenty of contact points we can help you get in touch with!
Our program manager John Constance will be happy to help you
Hint: Get a first impression of the surroundings in the villages and visit more than 100 beautiful spots in the participating program communities virtually on our YouTube channel.
Program Background
Germany is one of the most popular countries for U.S. military members and their families when it comes to an overseas assignment and Rheinland-Pfalz is the federal state with the largest American presence. In fact, in many municipalities the percentage of Americans in the total population reaches more than 20 percent. Main reasons for the enormous popularity are:
- the strong sense of security,
- the high quality of life and
- the welcoming by the local population.
Rheinland-Pfalz, in particular, is known for the hospitality of its people and the communities, the administrations, and the state strive to be good hosts to the stationed American citizens.
In 2014, the Ministry of Interior Rheinland-Pfalz bundled the efforts and started the initiative “Welcome to Rheinland-Pfalz! Our Neighbors from the USA”. Many communities close to the military installations in Ramstein, Baumholder, and Spangdahlem are currently participating in this state initiative.
The primary project goal is to enhance opportunities for American families to join in the life and activities of their German community.
Knowing more about German customs, local businesses, clubs or events can help with the adjustment process and challenges of a PCS.
In a vibrant German-American communal life, U.S. families and the local population have the opportunity to come into contact and exchange views and experiences. The state initiative is encouraging and facilitating these lively German-American encounters.
To this end, it is essential to point out how U.S. families can connect with locals, embrace their community of residence, and enjoy their stay to the fullest!
Because American families have only a short period to get to know their German community, an accelerated adjustment process is indispensable to help make the most out of their stay. Therefore, the initiative is creating easy access points to local information so they can profit from the many activities and services the project communities offer—and thus add to their quality of life during their stay.
