About Germany
- Capital: Berlin
- Population: 80.1 million
- Official language: German
- Land area: slightly smaller than Montana
- Location: bordering countries include Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland and Switzerland
Read more in the CIA World Factbook and Diversity Abroad destination guide.
Berlin
Discover Berlin as a creative, tolerant, multicultural and liberal city. No other city balances tradition and trends, density and open space, underground and cosmopolitan like UNESCO’s “City of Design.” Explore the history of this city, including the Berlin of the Hohenzollerns, Jewish Berlin, Weimar Berlin, Nazi Berlin, Cold War Berlin and Berlin in the wake of reunification, rebuilt and reborn.
Leipzig
Since it was founded in the 11th century, the commercial hub of Leipzig has become a major cultural center in Germany, with a fast-growing population of over 550,000 residents and an active media, arts, music and culture scene. Getting around the city is easy and inexpensive thanks to an extensive tram and bus network. In addition to exploring numerous museums, you can visit the oldest botanical garden in Germany (located on campus), as well as one of the largest zoos in Germany.
German culture
Social interaction
There is too much to say about social interaction, so this handbook will give you a taste of what you might experience in Germany. Germans generally value order, privacy and punctuality. They are often very direct and to the point. If you are expecting additional information, you will not receive it. Do not be afraid to ask several questions. Titles and formality are valued — you should always refer to your professor as “doctor” and use the formal “you.” Work and personal lives are usually kept separate. Often, if you participate with someone in an activity, that is the activity you do together — you probably aren’t going to be invited to hang out at someone’s house afterward. People often jokingly say that German’s don’t smile. Most Germans aren’t walking around town smiling at everyone they see, because it gives people the impression that you are crazy or flirting with them. Personal space and what you might consider common courtesy are quite different, as is customer service.
German food
German food is so much more than sausages, pretzels, schnitzel and roast pork accompanied by big mugs of foamy beer. Be sure to sample some regional specialties like these:
- Swabian Maultaschen — noodle dough pouch filled with meat or vegetables, eggs, spinach, parsley, onions, leeks, dried bread and spices such as marjoram or nutmeg.
- Käsespätzle — similar to macaroni and cheese, but better. Occasionally served with onions or bacon on top.
- Kartoffelpuffer — potato pancakes, often served with applesauce.
- Döner Kebap — halal meat roasted on a spit and served in a warm pocket of flatbread filled with savory sauces and vegetables.
- Rote Grütze — dessert made with black and red currants and raspberries cooked in their juice and thickened with a little corn starch or corn flour. Usually served with creamy vanilla sauce.
If you are in Germany during May and June, you will experience Spargelsaison — the season of white asparagus and a German favorite.
Dining and eating out
The cheapest place to eat is at the Mensa. The food isn’t bad and the prices are great. You probably can’t cook for much less, and it’s good, authentic German food. The choice of restaurants in Germany is extensive. Larger cities offer nearly any type of cuisine, while smaller cities typically have at least Italian, Greek, Turkish and Chinese food. You will also come across Gasthöfe, Gasthäuser, Gaststube or Gastwirtschaften serving German food. Restaurants usually hang a menu outside with a price list, so you can decide whether to eat there. The prices given include tax and a service charge, but it is still common to leave a tip in restaurants, cafes and other places where you order from a table. The bill is almost always settled at the table and you tip your server when you pay the bill (it is not customary to leave the tip on the table). The general rule is to round up to the next full euro for bills under 10 euro, or add five to 10 percent for bills over 10 euro. Dining out does not have to be very expensive — ask other students for tips.
Grocery shopping
Ask your neighbors or roommates where the nearest grocery store is. Examples of chain grocery stores include Netto, Lidl, Rewe, Aldi and Edeka. There should be several located only a short walk or bus ride away. You will have to either bring your own shopping bag or buy one at the store. Hours for grocery and most other stores are generally 10 a.m. to 6 or 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, until 1 or 2 p.m. Saturdays and closed Sundays and for public holidays. In most German cities, an open-air market comes to town several mornings during the week. Fresh fruits, meats, cheeses, yogurts and breads are sold.
Laundry facilities
Laundry facilities are usually in the basement of the dorms. They operate on tokens (Wäschemarken) that cost one or two euro, or, at some locations, you can pay with your student ID. The laundry machines have many settings, so ask someone how to work the machine. Short wash cycles may last an hour, so plan to be there for a few hours. Cycles are based on water temperature (remember — it will be marked in centigrade!). If the wash cycle says Kochwäsche, it should be taken literally (kochen means “to boil”); clothing not suited for such hot water will shrink or fade. You will need to buy tokens from the floor representative in your building. Buy the maximum quantity at a time because they can be hard to track down later. You should also consider buying a drying rack to keep in your room. Aerual brand laundry detergent is similar to Ariel, and you may also want to use fabric softener because German water is hard.
Time
Germany is seven hours ahead of Missouri. Note that while Germany does observe daylight savings time, the dates used to change the clocks are often different from the U.S.
Recycling
Recycling bins in Germany are color coded: blue for paper/cardboard, green for organic waste and yellow for plastic and aluminum wrappings/packaging. When buying beverages in Germany, you will often have to pay a deposit for bottles and cans. Upon returning the empty bottle or can to the store you will get your deposit back (the so-called Pfand). So before recycling a bottle or can, be sure it’s not a Pfandflasche (the label should be marked). Glass bottles or containers that have been bought without leaving a deposit are collected in special glass containers set up all over the city. Bottles are separated according to the color of the glass (green, brown and white).