Tips on Moving to and Adjusting to Life in Germany

chillibreeze writer — Usha Rashmi Amrit

Need an editable PowerPoint map of Germany

You are moving to Germany, one of Europe's largest economies and the country with the second largest population in Europe. Here are a few pointers for you.

Keeping warm

If you are traveling to Germany during winter and are leaving India for the first time, invest in high quality warm clothing. Nothing can prepare you for the cold winters of Southern Germany. You might have to buy additional winter boots and clothing during the long snowy winter months in places such as Stuttgart, Berlin or Munich.

Little India

In case you are wondering whether you must pack your favorite brand of masala powder in kilos and take it with you, you can drop that idea. Nearly every major German town has an Indian/Sri Lankan shop that stocks all of the regular Indian food ingredients.

When in German, speak as the Germans do

In bigger cities you can get by communicating in English at public places, but, the first thing you must do before you travel or as you land at the German airport is to equip yourself with a German phrasebook. This will come in handy at local supermarkets, bus stations and local eateries. Get a phrasebook, which clearly explains the pronunciation of important phrases. If however, you plan to stay for more than a couple of months, perhaps as a student or on a long term project, take up a basic German language course.

Registering yourself

If you have plans for a prolonged stay, you must first register (called ‘anmeldung’ in German) at the local city hall within a few days of your arrival in Germany. Gather information regarding this from your contact at the company or through the international student officer at the University. Once you settle in, initiate contact with a local Indian organization. Though the organization you can meet up with other Indians and gather information regarding local events.

Sustenance

Most towns are dotted with Turkish eateries where you can have a wholesome yet inexpensive meal. If you are a staunch vegetarian, it is important to know that you must be careful while ordering food at the restaurant. You must make it clear that you do not eat, not only meat, but also chicken and fish (if this is the case) to the chef. This is because in many places the European definition of non-vegetarian does not include fish and chicken.

Getting Around

Traveling within Germany is rather easy because of the country’s well planned transportation system. Upon your arrival in Germany, you must check on the various modes of transportation available (routes and timetables). Most cities are equipped with underground suburban trains, trams and large bus networks. At the local train station you can buy travel passes for the whole day, the entire weekend or the whole month as per your travel requirements and plans. Students can travel free of cost within a certain radius of the district in which the University is located.

Getting local

Socializing with Germans requires a little knowledge about German customs and etiquette. If you are invited to your German friend/colleague's house for dinner, remember to take flowers, chocolates or any other small gift for the lady of the house or perhaps a bottle of wine if your purse strings are not too tight. Be punctual and do not visit them without prior notice even if they live down the street (at least till you get to know them well). Over conversation with acquaintances, do not broach World War II history and the Holocaust. This is considered a very sensitive topic. Germans follow procedures, rules and regulations faithfully. Do remember this when doing anything that involves legal/official procedure.

One point must be made regarding the stereotypical image of Germans. Just as there are cultural differences between Indians from various parts of the country, the same holds true for Germans. East Germans, Bavarians, or Germans from the North differ from each other as chalk and cheese on many issues.

Shed those stereotypical images

Last but not the least, you might have heard some negative things about Germany such as football hooligans or the infamous skin heads, however, as you exit the airport, remember to leave behind all these widely prevalent and sometimes incorrectly exaggerated assumptions about Germany. It is best to enter the country with an open mind.

Chillibreeze's disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Chillibreeze as a company. Chillibreeze has a strict anti-plagiarism policy. Please contact us to report any copyright issues related to this article.

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—About our writer:

Usha Amrit, originally from Bangalore, currently resides in Netherlands. Her interests include popular science, reading, traveling and painting.

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