How to Survive in Germany
Personal reflections about life in Germany from a Puerto Rican expat
Before I met my German husband, the only thing I knew about Germany was Oktoberfest and World War II. As we got to know each other, I learned a bit more: Germans love their bread, their beer is highly standardized, women can take up to three years of maternity leave, checks do not exist, education is free for everyone, and there are no speed limits in some sections of the Autobahn. But even knowing these and other things didn’t prepare me for actually living here.
I moved to Germany in late 2012 and I’m still learning about German life. When I started my blog, before I became a published author, the only topic I wanted to write about was my life in Germany. I wanted to capture what it’s like to live here: the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Below is a sample of my most popular posts about life in Germany, from the ordinary to the interesting traditions to the culinary delights.
German Life
When I moved here, I was mainly focused on two things: learn the German language and find a job. Everything I’d learned about writing a resume or applying to a job went out the window. The Germans just do it differently.
There’s a lot of bureocracy here in Germany, and finding an apartment can feel like searching for a job. From the vocabulary used, to realizing that apartment rentals don’t necessarily come with their own lighting fixtures or kitchens, you’re in for a journey.
This may seem like an odd inclusion, but doing groceries in Germany was one of the biggest culture shocks of living here. When the cashiers are so fast, you hardly have time to pack everything before you have to pay so the next person can go, it feels like a race.
German Culture
Germans have a million types of bread and cake (okay, maybe not a million, but a lot!). They also love their sausage.
Germans consume the most beer in the world but their favorite drink is coffee. They also love their sparkling mineral water, which is not for me.
German Traditions
As expected, celebrating a birthday in Germany is not as straightforward. When you have to bring your own cake to work to celebrate, you know everything is different here.
Surprisingly, wedding traditions in Germany are not that different than in Puerto Rico or the USA, but it does come with a certain bureoucracy (doesn’t everything here?).
Christmas is very important here. Did you know that the tradition of having a Christmas tree originated in Germany?