As everybody knows, cultural differences sometimes lead to interesting situations. Although the US and Germany look and feel alike in many aspects, there are also many many differences between the cultures. We want you to be prepared if ever you plan a trip to Germany. Therefore, we have asked people to tell us about some weird encounters they had in Germany or other interesting things they have noticed while interacting with Germans in honor of our newest German Course: "German Crash Course."
"My German host family was absolutely convinced that I would catch a cold if I walked barefoot in the house, even though it was the middle of summer!"
"My German father recently made it to the US after spending the whole pandemic in Germany... He often comments on the openness/friendliness/warmth of Americans, as compared to Germans. For example, when talking about one of his neighbors in Germany, he made the amusing comment: "Wenn er lachen will, muss er in den Keller gehen." (If he wants to laugh, he must go into the basement.)
"A German friend of mine teaches at a German school here in Brooklyn. She claims that you can always distinguish the American parents from the German parents when they pick their kids up from school, as the Americans are always extremely loud and effusive with their 'Hiiiiiiiiis" to other parents. In contrast, the German parents are much more understated/matter-of-fact."
"Germans stare at you all the time. I find it quite offensive even though I have been told it is a cultural thing."
"When I went to Germany, I was amazed that you could buy cheap, fresh, and tasty-looking food everywhere you go. Even at many subway stations, you can buy all types of sandwiches (and cigarettes and beer!)"
"Every time I go to Germany, I am reminded of how much Germans follow the rules. For example, there is no jaywalking, and even in public transportation, most people buy tickets, although there is barely any controlling happening. I also noticed that Germans often wear the same clothes several days in a row. Also, I was invited once to a German wedding where they did a money-dance. I had never seen such a thing before."
You can see the Germans are a mysterious people with many weird and confusing traditions. We are here to make sense of these odd habits. If you plan a trip to Germany or would like to get a glimpse into the secret lives of Germans, you should take our "German Crash Course" where we shed light on the most important cultural differences and explain the basics of the German language.
What has been your experience while visiting Germany?
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