Advice for people visiting Germany

Since I have nothing better to do than drink coffee right now I'm just gonna go through these and see how they line up with my experience.

Huh, I'm admittedly already one generation past #1 I guess. I always have to tell my mother that I do not need multiple pairs of house shoes.

Haha, #2 is a nice point. Haven't had that for some time myself since our kitchen has gradually become smaller (and my family is generally all over the place), I do remember it though.

I can definitely see #3, haha. Particularly the "frivolous chaos" and "Mallorca" part.

#4: Oh boy, already it starts with our bureaucracy.

#5: Bwahaha. So much for the idiom:"Es gibt kein schlechtes Wetter, nur schlechte Kleidung." (There is no bad weather, only 'bad clothing')

#6 "German grammar is impenetrable nonsense." That is oddly accurate. Particularly with such paradoxes as "Kommentar" which is both neutral and male or "Information" which is both female and neutral.

#7: We definitely like our "Herrs" and "Fraus" and so on. And I personally can say I was at an amazing school.

#8: Haha, there is an odd paradox in that one - we do like rules but we also don't like rules in other places. (particularly when it concerns things like government and so on, then the bitching starts)

#9: As a Palatinian, I will insist on having my Traubensaftschorle.

#10 and #11: Mhm, Idk about that.. we also have cheese and pastries.

#12: Bwahahaha. I'm not gonna comment on that one considering I'm a law student.

#13: I know people and I have participated in finding random objects and ways to open bottles.

#14: Oh hell yeah. I'm one of those people who hates beating around the bushes or people expecting me to read their body language/minds/whatever.

#15: I'm only gonna say this: Berlin pretty much translates to "dirty swamp hole" (don't tell that to the people living there)

#16: True on some accounts but as quasi-Bavarians in Palatinate we hate the Saarland as that's just utterly useless. Bavaria at least has good beer and nice people.

#17: Haha, true. Although I think some people take this a bit too far. Although I'd say Germans are generally relatively open about stuff that other societies might feel is inappropriate or "embarassing".

#18: This may just be my personal observation but some of the cars Americans (or rather, in which condition) wouldn't even fly as the last option here.

#19: Oh yeah. I live in rural RLP (the P part to be specific) and if you step outside today (apart from traffic on main roads) everything's dead.

#20: Can't comment on that, haven't owned a TV in years and my mum doesn't watch too much TV. Idk about my father, my grandad loved his Westerns and Texas Ranger.

#21: Totally true. I was so incredibly bummed out when I was in Rome to find that most I could find was white bread, it was expensive and a lot of it was hard enough to knock out a bull. We are totally spoiled by the diversity, quality and price of bread we have. Although I personally appreciate ALL THE BREAD.

#22: Well, that's just proper manners. /ahem

#23: Eh, where I'm from we're quasi-Bavarians so we also like to call people 'servants'. ("Servus", the universal greeting/goodbye) We also like to borrow from the Italians and just say "Ciao" - if you're really subtle you just make hand gestures and walk away (with a smile).

#24: Now now. Don't insult our Grumbeere. We may not be the Irish, but some us cherish them just like the Irish.

#25: Again, that's just proper manners. Touching glasses is almost as essential as having someone say something that sounds important before the Prost! I would also add that drinking alone is completely unacceptable and while drinking in public is technically legal here some people view it as inappropriate - particularly if you look like a punk or are on your own.

 

#5. I once stepped on a local's foot at the Ochsenbraterei -- wearing my hiking boots -- got a bellow and read the riot act (no matter how profusely I apologized); "Why do you wear mountain boots?!" Personally, I think Bavarians are great actors... or big sissies.

Leading to #16: Can't do it.

 

One thing that caught me off guard was the whole ceremony on New Years Eve built around "Dinner for One."

I thought it was great and have made it a family tradition of our own.

 

I honestly don't know a single person who actually/still does that. Then again, I find "watching TV together" to be one of the most horrible "social activities" there are.

 

- Kartoffelsalat - bleh, puke, NOOOOO... may largely be due to my aversion to mayonaise and bad food

#8 I laugh at the red man, I give him no respect. No cars and no kids, I am crossing. Hell, even if there are kids, I am helping parents by giving their kids an example of what not to do

- my car is my bicycle and public transport

- I love Berlin. No mixed feelings, aside from jealousy, that almost no other city has figured out how to make proper coffee, ie not burning it to death, or the roasters over roasting the beens til they are an oily mess like Starbucks.
It also has some great museums, great food and is just generally pleasant.

- i love german bread and beer, and social system and holidays...

tschüß

 

We were invited to a large New Years party this past year and this tradition seemed to be alive and well with everyone joining in on the action.


Then we went outside where all hell broke lose and we witnessed the most amazing (do it yourself) city-wide fireworks displays I've ever seen. The US 4th of July is a lame sparkler compared to the 2+ hour long German New Years fireworks spectacular in which filled every square meter of the night sky.

 

The last person I remember doing that was my grandfather. May depend on the generation and location too, though. Most people I know do house parties or festive dinners - often getting together people that don't see each other too often. Last year we squeezed 20 people in a one room apartment in one of those old DDR remnants.

I can't say much on the fireworks, Schwerin is comparatively small and so is Palatinate. I haven't been in a major city for New Year's or anything of the like.

 

I kind of hate the fireworks on New Years in Germany, unless you are away from it.
It usually turns into thousands of drunk, dumb guys throwing fireworks at each other and anyone passing by, followed by legions of ambulances picking up these morons.

 

Huh. Sounds just like a holiday I know very well.

 

That is, unforunately, true. I mean I don't mind a good lightshow but not shooting rockets at windows and all that jazz is just irresponsible. I personally don't really use fireworks, either - I don't feel like spending money on that. I'd rather get some quality food and booze for the occasion.

 

My wife once crossed against the light on her way home from work and was yelled at by a woman saying my wife was setting a bad example for this woman's child...

 

Well, some people take things too seriously - it happens. Where I live (Southern Palatinate), parts of Bavaria and Eastern Germany (at least from what I know) people usually tend to take things easy. (there was actually a running gag about our former prime minister Kurt Beck handling political issues over a Hausmacher Platt and a Schoppe)

 

I've come to the conclusion that most folks don't really care that you broke one of the (many) rules... they just enjoy telling you that your broke it.

 

this is soooooo true!

 

Unless they're actually police.

 

I saw this not too long ago and thought it gave a good insite into the German way of life. You can easily substitute any reference to Britian with America. We could learn a lot from the German way:

 

A readable thread but it belongs on Toytown, rather than here.