20 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE VISITING GERMANY

The Things you should know before visiting Germany

In this article, we show you 20 Things you should know before visiting Germany. We let you know about the significant German good manners and how to travel in Germany with pleasure and honor.

Significant protocols in German.

How to visit Germany with good manners.

There are few countries that have variations to North America and next to Germany. With the first walking in the German streets, you will feel like it is in Canada. One hour within these ancient cities will bring you to the Canadian mood.

The people wear identical costumes, meals, and also identical music. But now you have come to the place where they end up. German tradition and protocols highly differ from the other cultures. This is one reason Canadians and Americans complain about this amazing country.

We can see lots of faults in a society that we don’t know about. Or we cant come to a decision by the general opinions about that society.

Using of Currency

Not all traders use Plastics, and there are few groups that accept card payments. It is better if you have cash in your hand when entering a store if it’s a cash-only store. They don’t inform you about this and no signs are shown at the store. That is a fact that you should know in this society.

Tips for you: Keep in mind to have some 1euro and 50euro cent coins with you. The thing is you will never imagine the moment that you will need them.  I have been packed some of them in my pocket and It’s for me to use them anytime.

Public washrooms

The main thing is you have to pay for using the public bathrooms. It is a must to pay for what you are using. More often, it costs 50cents Euro but you can spend 1euro per one person. The parents can take their children to the washroom without any payments. However, the changing rooms for the kids are in the disabled person’s section and you have to pay some cost to it.

There are free places that you can use but I don’t recommend you to use them outside of the restaurants. Perhaps they may be fascinating.

Shopping in the vacation.

Note that you have no chances at this side of the border. Lots of natives go to the Netherlands on Sundays for shopping.  It is easy for you that numerous shopping stores and small towns are positioned at the border. This helps the German to spend their money.  You will find it a dream to do shopping on Saturdays in Germany. As well as the Netherlands isn’t a picnic area on Sundays. This is the reason for me to do online shopping or else before taking my kid from school. That precious 2-3 PM time period at the grocery is a paradise store, meanwhile, I am thanking my baby carriage.

Can we believe the German people?

When my kid was 2 years old I invited his classmates to come for the birthday party. All of them agreed to attend the party and they all confirmed the attendance at the same time, therefore I made snacks and a cake for them. The sweets were made for 20 kids and for 3 parents. If a German local confirms his words, they will surely do more than that.  At this moment I should mention the timekeeping of the German people.  My advice is for you to never get late with German people, you will hardly find an excuse or a solution.

The Germans glaring at us.

It’s a kinda disgusting thing. They will be staring at you, till you get embarrassing eye contact and act like everything is ok. They will keep staring at you, though you show your irritation for them.  It’s not clear whether they are studying me, or observing what goes in my inner mind. It’s pretty sure that you will be lost at the moment and you will try to get rid of their sight, but not easy. My advice is to go away, but you will not.

Being silent in the public places of Germany

German natives respect their rules and they don’t like it if anyone goes beyond the rules.  One of the main rules is keeping the silence in public spots.  No one is interested in hearing what you are talking and at the same time, you don’t want others to hear what you are talking about.  Even the small kids know and respect this rule. Though we have been 4 here in Germany, still not practiced these rules, It’s very difficult for me to keep my kids silent in a 10 minutes bus ride, and a 45-minute tram ride to downtown.

“One of the community standards is that all of them are free. They all break the same number of rules and follows same duties at all”.

Nudity in Germany

You will frequently see the nudity in the Spa, beachside, and swimming pools. The changing rooms by the swimming pools are shareable, they are like family rooms, male rooms, and female rooms. None of them are fearful or shy to change in front of strangers, and also in the showers after swimming in the pool. When considering the spa: One of my Spanish friends went to a Spa with her German Female friends, it’s something normal in their culture. She got emabaressd when she saw some naked old women in the pool and it’s around. It became a serious case when she laid down and one of that women came to have chat with her.

It is compulsory to be naked in the swimming pool: There s a belief that the towels and the swimsuits will be tight and make it heat inside, and also it will damage the meatus and overheat the body. At the same time, it is disgusting to have dirty towels in the pool.  We found that it’s soo hard in the Tropical islands.

No tap water in Restauranrts.

On the first night in German, a waiter advised, and informed us about some social protocols in German. Everyone does not drink tap water as you are doing at your home.  It is considered a mistake. So that you can buy a bottle of water in the restaurant.  If not you have the chance to buy a jar full of ice water which spends few Euros.  Keep in mind to ask for still water. Most of them use fizzy water and also juice.  I think water is pretty boring and its flavor mixtures have lots of sugar and also the carbonated apple juice?

Recycling

At the end of the day, all the litter is taking back to the recycling place and gave us some dollars, which we can buy sweets. Germany has depositories in front of the many groceries. We have to pay a deposit when buying each item from the store, and we are bound to return that item for refunds. Many of the items begin from 25cents Euro and hoes high.

Most of the German people return their items daily as they are going to these stores very often.  However, I forget about this and after a week I fill all of them in a large bag. No matter in each that I can do my groceries free of charge.

In some times I don’t return the items like my beautiful Christmas market mugs. I can return it back and get a ton of money and give me more space in my cabinets. But I find no fun with.

The Bike Lanes.

We have already fixed this fact in our son’s head as he is going to school. In many pavements, there are two lanes made, a colored one and a grey lane. The colored one is used by bike riders and the grey one is for the walking side. You will hear the sound of the little bell of the cyclists, till you let them go.  If they go near you and you have broken the rules and everyone will know it. So think about the rules.

We knew this on a trip a few years ago.  We were taken by a cycle gang with an English-speaking couple who taught us everything (There are lots of English people).  We hadn’t any idea that what we had done, and my son made some questions about this issue.  How people can identify this without any signs?   At last, my answer was that the cyclist that hit you will explain the matters to you.

No crossing over in Germany.

You will never have the chance to lie in Germany. Once I was ina crossing in the town, I couldn’t see any vehicle in the road, but the people are standing in their own way. They ware till the road lights to change.  Though it gets too late for them standing there non of them will step to the road and go away.  Those who cross the road get many cries from both sides of the road.

The reason is crossing the German roads is against their law, and all of them respect the laws. If someone does so, that person gives a piece of bad information to the kids. Anyway, that person will get it for his fault.  I have the right to do my works without facing such problems.

In Germany, you must fully consider these driving laws on the roads. The car drivers have the right to go their way in if there’s a crosswalk,  a  bike, the pedestrians, and also the dogs. (Mostly in North America this is taken as a benefit of them). Note that the digs have more social rights than the human.

 If you are in a small street and if it is your chance to cross the road, the vehicle will gently let you cross.  Next, the vehicle will make the turn, this is a fast process.

This is a thing that should come to your mind in Jaywalking.

Using of the English Language.

You don’t make sure who can speak English in the German streets. Anyway, the butcher, the cashier, the lady that serves me can have an American accent. But my realtor, bank teller, or Cell phone reservations don’t have a single English word.

This is Germany and English isn’t an official language, so we cant hope none to speak in English.  The cacher in the McDonald’s may speak in English nut the person cheating me a Vodafone cannot speak even three words sentences, so it is my chance to make questions.

The message is to learn even a few English words., it doesn’t matter how difficult you try to speak English, and perhaps they will refuse what you are saying. I had a small conversation with my staff and they were surely got confused by my language skills.   A customer will interrupt and ask what I need to express.

Protect your Kids

The Germans don’t afraid of the mothers. If your kid is doing something wrong the others will tend to correct his fault, and the kid has to listen to what they are saying. In the time you are busy with something else and your kids enjoying with the grandmother, take the kid away.  There are many things with the freedom of the kids in Germany.

The kids at their young age.

I am thinking the reason why these school children get such freedom and strangers worry about the. When the kids become 6 years old, kids can run their own way, go to school by themselves, go to the store do ant tasks for their parents. The thing is they have the full freedom to get out and the public will take care of them at that time. Generally, all the Germans care for the children, help them to walk alone.

The Taxes in Germany

Some items have 14% sales tax in factories, but not all of them. If not you have to study the tax rate in each province in the state.  It is essential to show the price tag on every item. The kids have the possibility to buy what they need.

The Grocery stores in Germany.

The cashiers in Germany are very fast. We have to bring our own bags to put the goods into. (we can buy them at the store, and they are cheap)  They keep the all goods on the cashier and wait for me to take them because she has to scan more items.  They are doing the scanning process so fastly and speedy than the customers. Everyone will be staring you go out of the place.

 It seems to be a sport. Though it’s disturbing for the locals have nothing to do.  It’s pretty sure that the small number of loads that they take to homes isn’t sufficient. So that they have to run to the stores very often.

Sharing and making friends.

In lots of places, there is a lack of seating facilities such as high school canteen and public places. However, we have to share them.  They have very long benches and many persons can use them and no need to take permission for that. If there is space you have the full freedom to sit there.  They will never let you take too much and the others will complain to you. There’s no shy person in the Germans Community.

It doesn’t mean that you should talk with them.  They are not tending to have small conversations, if you are not interested they will let you go.  However, if you start a long chat with each person be ready to make a new  German friend.

Drinking in the Public.

you have the right to have drinks in the public. This is a good reason for you to go around Christmas, markets, and the downtown festivals.  You have the right to drink in the public but you must give the priority to the limit of it, if not you will be embarrassed. However other countries don’t have such things.

We saw a person drinking beer outside the train station in Rotterdam. It’s not a problem for me as I have been 4 years in Germany.  But if you are in Netherland you don’t have the right to drink in the public.

And also you have full freedom to drink while you are in a vehicle and that’s legal. In addition, you cant drink while driving.  If you are caught up drunk on the road you can lose your license also.

Highways in Germany

In Germany, high speed and NASCAR are something normal. There are many speed signs on the highways. Its means the roads are straight and can drive to 200km/hr safely. But you should have the full preparation to enter the Left Lane. You will rarely see a slow vehicle, it is accepted that sow driving is a fault of them.

Germans are not rude

Generally, the germans are straightforward, not interested in jokes because they have so many things to do.  Non-german will think that natives are kind of hostile. At last, I am saying that it is true.

This can depend on the situation and the condition you are in.  The speaking style of them in the streets and the way they are scolding is strange. But keep in mind that it is not impoliteness. Some people say that they are tired of this high politeness charcuteries. But wait for fo the moment you will meet a German,n person face to face. You will never forget it. Thank you!