20 things I found out after I went to Germany.
1.There are no trash cans on the buses.
The first time I took the bus in Germany, I noticed that there were no trash cans on the bus!This made me feel uncomfortable when I was used to throwing away garbage in my country. It turned out that the Germans took their garbage home and sorted it again.
2.Drinking beer is like drinking water.
In Germany, beer is an integral part of their daily lives. The first time I went to a bar, I saw someone holding a beer and drinking it all down, and it felt like they were drinking water. I was amazed that the Germans were so able to drink!
3.Smoking is prohibited in public places.
In Germany, smoking is not allowed in public places, which makes me feel very uncomfortable as a smoker. Especially in the winter, when I was standing in the cold wind and wanted to smoke a cigarette, only to find that there were no smoking signs all around me, it made me feel like I was being deprived of my basic rights.
4.Queue culture.
Germans are very conscious of queuing culture, whether in supermarkets, banks or public transport, they consciously wait in line. This makes me, the one who often cuts in line, feel very ashamed.
5.Late eating.
Germans eat much later than we do, and they usually don't eat dinner until around 8pm. This made me, who is used to having breakfast and dinner in China, very uncomfortable.
6.The working hours are short.
The working hours of the Germans are very short compared to the working hours at home. They usually only work about 8 hours a day, and they also have a long lunch break. This reminds me of the 996 work system in China, and it feels very unfair.
7.Weekends are short.
There are only two days of weekends in Germany, which makes me feel very disappointed when I often enjoy long weekends at home. But then I found out that Germans have a very fulfilling schedule of work and life on weekends, which is very interesting.
8.The way to greet is special.
In Germany, people nod to each other when they meet, rather than shaking hands or hugging like we do. It made me feel very uncomfortable because I always forgot to nod my head.
9.The way of addressing is complicated.
In Germany, people have a very complex way of addressing each other, not only according to factors such as gender, age and occupation, but also according to each other's social status and relationships. This was very confusing to me, a newcomer. 10.Garbage classification is very strictIn Germany, garbage classification is very strict, they will divide garbage into different types such as ** garbage, hazardous garbage and other garbage, and require residents to put it according to the specified time and place. This made me feel very uncomfortable because I always forgot to sort my garbage. 11.Public transport is well developedIn Germany, public transport is very well developed, and a wide variety of public transport options can be seen, both in the city and in the countryside. This makes it very convenient for me because I am always able to get to my destination quickly. 12.Bike lanes are safeIn Germany, bike lanes are very safe and they have a special bike lane on the road for bicycles. This gives me a lot of peace of mind knowing that it is very safe to ride a bike in Germany. 13.The houses are very clean, and the interiors of the houses in Germany are very clean and tidy, both in public and private homes. This surprised me very much, because I always thought that the Germans were very rough.