I spent five months living in Germany in 2022 for a study abroad program through my university, and I figured I’d share a few of the things that I wished I knew before I got over there and/or I learned the hard way.

I will say, though, that a lot of this changes depending on which region of Germany you’re in. I lived in Baden Württemburg, and this list mainly details my observations I had of the people in that region. But I have also spent three weeks living in Cologne, and I’ll admit they’re quite a bit nicer and more welcoming, but other than that this list applies to them as well.

After writing this I realize that some of these might make Germany sound bad, but I assure you that it is an amazing country to visit and live in. It’s a country with so much natural (and man-made) beauty, and I recommend that everyone travels to Germany at least once in their life.

Architecture

The architecture in Germany is absolutely breathtaking. Since people have lived in Germany for hundreds if not thousands of years longer than people have lived in the U.S., the architecture reflects that. You will see beautiful cathedrals from the 1700s right next to a more modern office building, stone walls hundreds of years old, and well-preserved centuries-old houses that lean over the alleyways. It’s a breathtaking mix of architecture, and I suggest taking as many pictures as possible.

That also goes for the streets and city layouts. Since they’ve been around much longer, the roads have a much more natural flow to them as the cities have expanded, as opposed to the grid system we use here in the States. Personally, I’m a much bigger fan of the natural expansion of European cities. It has a lot more character than our monotonous and repetitive grid system.

Bureaucracy

If you’re going to move to Germany, you’d better make sure you have all of the right documents. Make sure you’re registered at your new address as well as have a residence permit if you’re staying longer than 90 days, as I learned the hard way (read about it here). If you’ve read The Trial by Kafka, that’s pretty much the level of bureaucracy you’ll be dealing with in Germany if you have any problems.

Dry Humor

A big thing you should know about Germany is that the people have a real tough sense of humor. Most Germans don’t really have a sense of humor at all. If you’re a self-proclaimed “funny guy” (like myself), be prepared to get absolutely no laughs at even the best, universally-funny joke you could ever crack. Blank faces. Crickets chirping. It’s astounding. I’d hate to see the German stand-up comedy scene.

Environmentalists

Out of all of the countries I’ve been to, no country is quite so environmentally-conscious as Germany is. We’re talking five different waste bins, each dedicated to a different type of trash, almost every utensil and cup is paper, the plastic caps stay attached to the rims of plastic soda bottles, and glass and plastic bottles are returned to grocery stores for money, making them a type of currency for the homeless. I’m an especially huge fan of the last one, since it kills two birds with one stone: pays the homeless and keeps public spaces clean.

It’s great to be environmentally-conscious, don’t get me wrong – just be ready to sort your waste into five different bins and eventually get seriously confronted by your neighbor for putting a plastic bottle in the paper bin.

Keep It Moving

Especially since it was my first time in Europe, I definitely learned this the hard way. Germans, as they will tell you themselves, really just want to get where they’re going and that’s that. There’s very little small talk, everyone is extremely punctual, and that’s the way they like it.

This applies perhaps most importantly at the supermarket. You will never believe how stressful it is to scramble to pack up your groceries into your bag as the cashier scans three items per second, expressionless, then scowls at you for holding up the line (full of Germans – all scowling) and irritatedly repeats the dollar amount in German. You also must remember to bring your own bag to the grocery store, unless you hope to pay the fee and buy a new reusable one.

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Thank you for reading! I hope this has given you some insight into what it would look like to move to Germany, and drop a comment below if I missed something. Leave a like and follow the blog for more travel content!

Have a great week!