TRAVEL|CULTURE
How Do I Love Germany, Let Me Count The Ways
What I have discovered in all there is to love about Deutschland, aka Germany, after a year of living here
One of the first things I care to mention that happily surprised me about Germany is the cultural diversity that I witnessed early on.
A high number of people moved to Germany from Turkey to help rebuild after World War II. They were called “guest workers” and many of them were eventually allowed to stay to create a new life in Germany if they so chose.
I see men with long hair, women with purple or blue hair, and all genders with tattoos showing openly in professional workplaces.
There are also a lot more people of color than I thought there would be- mainly from eastern Europe and Africa. There are quite a few Asian people, from China, Japan, Thailand and India, throughout Germany (mainly in cities of at least 500,000 people).
I did not expect that and it made me feel a little more at ease when I first arrived.
Although people here have their sense of style or fashion, it is quite common to see women without make-up.
In Italy, I felt watched and judged a lot!
Germans are notorious for staring, but after a year and a half in Germany, I do not find it to be an issue at all. People were worse about staring in the United States.
Although I’m a huge fan of panoramic views and sunsets from high peaks, I love that I can bike for miles, or rather kilometers (the metric system is next), without getting tired.
Germany is fairly flat in most regions with tons of parks, forests, lakes, and rivers. Some parts of Germany even have beaches and are known to have some of the darkest skies for stargazing which I plan to do more in the near future.
The metric system just makes sense. I do not understand why the U.S. continues not to use it.
I watch soccer regularly now. I have a favorite team and have become familiar with some of the top players. Werder Bremen is the team my boyfriend watches and that I’ve come to love.
It’s the first time I’ve ever supported a team or watched any sport regularly. Werder fans are some of the best in the world — and I’m not just saying that because I am one.
It’s nice that some holidays I’ve been used to celebrating just don’t exist here in Germany, like Halloween.
It’s slowly catching on but is nowhere near what it’s like in the United States.
There is no Memorial Day, Independence Day, or Thanksgiving Day. Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Labor Day are different as are Daylight Savings Time Days.
It’s pretty much just Christmas and Easter during which I have 3 extra days off as public holidays than I did in the States. I am also paid for all 5 public holidays which was rare for me in America.
Go Deutschland!
The selection of organic (bio in Europe) food and drink has thoroughly impressed me. It continues to grow too. High-quality food and drink are more affordable in Germany as well.
Germany has made me fall in love with so many kinds of food that I never had loved before:
- natural yogurt
- sage tea
- marzipan
- cakes and pastries that aren’t too sweet
- chocolate with pumpkin seeds and ginger
- roasted pumpkin
- sunflower bread (almost any bread here)
I can walk to three bakeries within ten minutes of where I live and I don’t live in a major part of the city.
They’re everywhere and I love that.
Most of the time I just stare…and every once in a while I try something new — or an oldie, but goodie.
Rarely am I disappointed.
I could go on about:
- the standard 24+ vacation days per year for full-time employees
- low-cost and high-quality healthcare for the vast majority
- low-cost tuition for higher education, vocational schools included
- the safety and comfort of having designated bike lanes to use all throughout the country, including major cities.
- low rates of gun violence or mass shootings
and remind us all that every place has its weaknesses.
The following photo is a showcase of one of my weaknesses and loves that is German-based:
Niederegger Schokolade…an all-time favorite that I’d never tasted before last year.
Guten Apetit!
