All in Germany
In 2015, I wrote ‘100 weird things about Living in Germany’. And now, my friends it is 2020! These things below which I found weird, and had trouble getting used to are now, in fact, kinda normal to me? Many of them have explanations, so as an anniversary to 5 years since writing this article, I will now go through each point and provide reasoning and explanation. Let’s see if any of these make more sense. I can’t say I still agree with them all, though.
When I first saw the title of this book, I really had to laugh because I had a conversation once with some of my North-American friends here about how we all thought it was so strange that German men sit down to pee, and how we all found it very feminine. However, just like many other things I find weird about living in Germany, there are great explanations in this book about many of the things I am used to now, but still had questions about. I’ve lived in Germany for almost 6 years, worked here and even dated a German for some time, and I still found the insights in this book helpful. I’ve had many experiences with these cultural ‘differences’ and it was funny to read the explanations provided by a real German (Niklas Frank) and a fellow expat living in Berlin (James Cave). I think if I would have had a book like this when I first moved to Germany, things would have been a lot clearer! I’ve gone through the book and picked my top 10 ‘unwritten rules’ of living in Germany which resonate with me the most, and provided my own experiences, recommendations and comments for these.
You take the leap, you move away, and sooner than you know it you start to feel at home in a new country. You have a place to live, a job, friends, you can make your way around in the local language, you’re happy. The years pass, and where you’re from is still a part of your soul, but you can feel it further away. Home is where your heart is, and that can be in many places. This week marks my 5 year anniversary of being an expat, and these are the top five most important things I’ve learned…
This weeks post showcases Jackie, a Canadian originally from Hong Kong who is currently an expat in Hamburg. I met Jackie at a local Hamburg art community called Creative Nights which she founded 2 years ago. Not only did she start a thriving art community, but she is also rocking an international career in marketing and has made an outstanding life for her self abroad. She is one of the most driven female expats I know, which is why I've included her in the series.
Living as an expat in a new country, you often feel weird, out of place and like everyone is looking at you funny. You try to make yourself fit in, but you end up just standing out even more. So, if you're reading this you probably want some kind of insight of daily life as an expat in Germany, so my friends - I will describe this you in memes.
