Culture Shocks After Moving to Germany• Compilation

I knew after I moved to Germany from the US my life would be different.

But it still amazes me that the little things that you consider ‘normal’ in your home country can be so shockingly opposite while living abroad.

These are the first of the many differences I experience in good ol’ Deutschland.

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[bantakkor]

As a german, I'm kind of confused by the idea of not letting 5 year olds roam on their own... they're like cats, you open the door and they come back when they're hungry.

[Adrian]

As a german, i always find it interesting to see a foreigner's perspective :-)

[smonyboy]

Kids going to school by themselves is so common in many developed nations. It's only a culture shock if you're from the states mainly because it's a car country and public transportation sucks.

[agent_]

"Kids go by themselves to school."
Yes, you either have that option OR...

There are these people called "helicopter parents" and they make up pretty much the other half.

[nicolasblume]

We have School Buses too in Germany! They mostly run in the countryside, where public transport is almost none existened

[sadadokis]

I live in Hamburg and here schools make some kind of "treasure hunts" with children, where they have to learn how to use public transport on their own to get to certain places to find the treasure. They go in groups though, but there are no adults with them.

[ObiWanShinobi]

German after moving to America:
"Lets go take a hike in the woods!"

*gets shot by some guy named Earl with his Model 1894*

[a.m.]

When I was in the states the second time, me and some guys wanted to go out and have a couple of drinks. It was a nice day in summer, so I suggested to get some beers and sit in the park. Everyone looked at me as if i'm crazy and I had to explain, that in Germany we do it all the time. One of the guys stayed in Germany for a couple month and he got so used to it, that he almost got a ticket for public drinking when he was back in the US, cause he opened up his beer right in front of the store.

[annis]

There actually are school busses in germany but its mostly in smaller towns/villages where theres no public transport like trains around

[lithophaniclamb]

I'm from Europe, not Germany but I found it so weird that going to school all by yourself is considered abnormal, in some places. it just seems so natural in my country, like nobody cares, unless you look like you're 3.

[meplays]

There is something called Jedermannsrecht for woodland properties (roughly "everybodys right"). You are allowed to walk through woodland and allowed to collect everything from said woodland except wood and plants. This is because wood is seen as recreational area for surrounding villages and if you buy woodland you only buy the right to extract wood. Nothing else there belongs to you, be it fruits or mushrooms. On the other hand, the ability to harvest said wood must not in any way be harmed by the gatherers. Which means not even damaging saplings because these will at some point be harvested, too.

[SkandalRadar]

My four culture shocks in the U.S. (Kentucky in 1996) while beeing an exchange student: 1. If you are under 18 or so, you are not allowed to stay outside without parents after 10 p.m. Police can caught you. (at least they told me, maybe it was a lie ;-) ) 2. Stay indoor at the cafeteria of my high school for lunch and staying indoor all the time in high school. 3. Everyone thought I was crazy because I don't believe in God and wanted to convert or proselytize me. 4. No local public transport. I often didn't know how to get home the 20 miles after Varcity soccer training.

[sebrn]

Public transport is very secure in Germany, the kids will be fine.

[Links_wife]

Personally, I think it's good that wild camping is not allowed here, because otherwise the forests would quickly become littered and animals would be disturbed. People have a tendency to litter, so strict regulations are the only way to deal with that.

(That is my opinion. Anyone who feels offended now can sit in a corner with a biscuit.;-;)

[EnkaMexi]

About the Forests: The Forests are mostly owned by the City or Town you live in, or the Goverment itself ownes them and has People working for them there (Staatsforst). Around Villages are Forests or Parts of Forests or Fields and Grounds that are private Property, if the Owner doesnt want Trespassers he must have the Place marked with Signs and the Signs must be noticable. Shooting some Trespasser could get a Forest-Owner in big Trouble in Germany, so they would most likely call the Police and let them deal with the Trespassers. Many Owners fence their Property in when they dont want Trespassers, but it doesnt keep them all away, there is a lot of Wildcamping in Spring and Summer here.

[Caesim]

One joke I know:
Two Americans are driving on the train. The train stops "the next segment is blocked for a bomb defusing". The americans are shocked "A bomb? I hope they catch whoever did it" a person nearby says "I'm afraid it was the royal air force".

[husk]

To prevent kidnapping your parents will tell you the ultimate surviving rules that you will never forget:


Stay away from white and black Busses
Don't go near car doors at all
Never speak to strangers
Make sure you can run fast

[Jaydabblju]

"Little kids walk by themselves to school all the time in Germany"...
I don't know what kind of people are going to school in the heroic USA, but here in Germany KIDS are going to school.

[tf]

I remember taking the train an cologne main station was closed because of a Fliegerbombe (bomb from WWII). In German, the train driver explained all the details (weight etc). In English he said nothing about the cause.
The English wasn't too bad so I think it was to avoid panic

[giuliettaschroder]

About the wild camping one: Germany is a lot smaller than the US, so if you could just camp everywhere, aside from legal camping spots, it'd get a bit difficult I'd say.