N
noname223
Archangel
- Aug 18, 2020
- 5,361
So I live in Germany and there are lot of advices and facts you should know. There are some false stereotypes.
German trains are very very often too late or even too early. It is horrible. Germans usually values punctuality but not in this instance. We are all annoyed by it but no government seems to be able to fix it.
Moreover the internet infrastructure is a joke. If you want to move to a Germany rural area be really careful whether your place has a good internet conncetion. It is a shame. Besides mobile data for internet to go is very expensive and compared to other countries a joke.
Especially if you don't look Caucasian I would suggest better move to Western Germany. In the East there are many right-wingers and it is not that seldom that people with darker skin get insulted.
I think the language is pretty hard to learn. If I had the choice I might prefer a Scandinavian country. Due to the better education, health care and welfare system. However compared to the US or UK Germany is still a pretty good choice if you don't have much money. I think Germany is a popular choice because we lack workers and it is easier to find a job. But I think there is a lot of racism. Many foreigners I read said there is a lot of subliminal racism towards foreigners. I don't have first hand experiences but I can imagine that. I think Germans are often perceived as distant and unfriendly to people who are not used to the culture. Personally I prefer it that way. I give an example: Walmart once wanted to expand to the German supermarket market. They failed they wanted to be more consumer friendly. I am not sure whether it is true but I read the following. In the US it is not that seldom they help you to carry the articles to your car. I never ever experienced that in Germany. And noone would want that here. In the US you have to give a tip for that. No German wanted that it does not fit in our culture.
Furthermore in Germany we give substantially less tip money to workers. (compared to the US). College is for free (almost - but the amount is very very low in the international comparison). Nudity and swearing on TV is not that seldom.
Criticism of Israel and potential antisemitism is touchy topic due to our past. Many people who are considered as critics of Israel in the US are for us people who spread antisemitism. It is a topic with a lot of nuances but you should be careful with such takes because we are kind of sensitive on that.
Gladly the culture war is less intensive compared to other countries but the landscape becomes more polarized in the last years.
The list is probably far from perfect but I cannot find more advices for now.
German trains are very very often too late or even too early. It is horrible. Germans usually values punctuality but not in this instance. We are all annoyed by it but no government seems to be able to fix it.
Moreover the internet infrastructure is a joke. If you want to move to a Germany rural area be really careful whether your place has a good internet conncetion. It is a shame. Besides mobile data for internet to go is very expensive and compared to other countries a joke.
Especially if you don't look Caucasian I would suggest better move to Western Germany. In the East there are many right-wingers and it is not that seldom that people with darker skin get insulted.
I think the language is pretty hard to learn. If I had the choice I might prefer a Scandinavian country. Due to the better education, health care and welfare system. However compared to the US or UK Germany is still a pretty good choice if you don't have much money. I think Germany is a popular choice because we lack workers and it is easier to find a job. But I think there is a lot of racism. Many foreigners I read said there is a lot of subliminal racism towards foreigners. I don't have first hand experiences but I can imagine that. I think Germans are often perceived as distant and unfriendly to people who are not used to the culture. Personally I prefer it that way. I give an example: Walmart once wanted to expand to the German supermarket market. They failed they wanted to be more consumer friendly. I am not sure whether it is true but I read the following. In the US it is not that seldom they help you to carry the articles to your car. I never ever experienced that in Germany. And noone would want that here. In the US you have to give a tip for that. No German wanted that it does not fit in our culture.
Furthermore in Germany we give substantially less tip money to workers. (compared to the US). College is for free (almost - but the amount is very very low in the international comparison). Nudity and swearing on TV is not that seldom.
Criticism of Israel and potential antisemitism is touchy topic due to our past. Many people who are considered as critics of Israel in the US are for us people who spread antisemitism. It is a topic with a lot of nuances but you should be careful with such takes because we are kind of sensitive on that.
Gladly the culture war is less intensive compared to other countries but the landscape becomes more polarized in the last years.
The list is probably far from perfect but I cannot find more advices for now.
Last edited: