So, Germany is obviously a different culture than that of the U.S., which means that there are things that you notice as a foreigners. It's not necessarily bad things that you notice, just the differences. I have come to learn and love most of these differences, but here are a few things I think are interesting.
Some things of note that anyone traveling in Germany for more than a week can figure out:
Everything is closed on Sunday. When I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING. You might get lucky and find a coffee shop open for a few hours if it happens to be near a church, otherwise gar nichts*. Es gibt gar nichts öffnen*.
Coffee places are abundant. It is customary to have Kaffee und Kuchen* on an almost daily basis. Looking to catch up with a friend? Want to do something but don't know what? The simple solution is Kaffee und Kuchen. You can go to one of the many cafes out there and enjoy a lovely cup of coffee and some dessert.
There is no open container law. People everywhere drinking in the streets. You can buy a beer from the store, open it up, and walk or take the bus with it. Also, it is never too early for alcohol. People will have wine or beer with lunch if they're out somewhere. It's just part of the culture. It's not for the purpose of getting drunk during the day (although there are some holidays where it does happen), it's purely for enjoyment.
You don't cross the street when the red man is up. You will get weird looks when you cross the street when you're not supposed to. At night, people care less but during the day... unless you are in a hurry, of course.
For those who are interested, there is this wonderful article called "How to be German in 20 Easy Steps." There's a part 2 link at the bottom of the article. It's actually quite accurate, but obviously exaggerated a little bit.
This has been a random post.
Danke und bis bald!
Vocabulary
gar nichts: absolutely nothing
Es gibt gar nichts öffnen.: There is nothing open.
Kaffee und Kuchen: Coffee and cake
Some things of note that anyone traveling in Germany for more than a week can figure out:
Everything is closed on Sunday. When I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING. You might get lucky and find a coffee shop open for a few hours if it happens to be near a church, otherwise gar nichts*. Es gibt gar nichts öffnen*.
Coffee places are abundant. It is customary to have Kaffee und Kuchen* on an almost daily basis. Looking to catch up with a friend? Want to do something but don't know what? The simple solution is Kaffee und Kuchen. You can go to one of the many cafes out there and enjoy a lovely cup of coffee and some dessert.
There is no open container law. People everywhere drinking in the streets. You can buy a beer from the store, open it up, and walk or take the bus with it. Also, it is never too early for alcohol. People will have wine or beer with lunch if they're out somewhere. It's just part of the culture. It's not for the purpose of getting drunk during the day (although there are some holidays where it does happen), it's purely for enjoyment.
You don't cross the street when the red man is up. You will get weird looks when you cross the street when you're not supposed to. At night, people care less but during the day... unless you are in a hurry, of course.
For those who are interested, there is this wonderful article called "How to be German in 20 Easy Steps." There's a part 2 link at the bottom of the article. It's actually quite accurate, but obviously exaggerated a little bit.
This has been a random post.
Danke und bis bald!
Vocabulary
gar nichts: absolutely nothing
Es gibt gar nichts öffnen.: There is nothing open.
Kaffee und Kuchen: Coffee and cake
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