Lifestyle

I moved from the US to Germany 2 years ago. Here are the 7 biggest culture shocks I’ve experienced.

September 4, 20240
We had to come up with alternative ways to keep cool.

Ashley Packard

After a tiring seven-hour flight from Boston to Frankfurt, a three-hour drive from the airport, and six flights of stairs to our apartment, we arrived in Düsseldorf and quickly learned air conditioning isn’t really a thing in Germany.

The large tilt-and-turn windows in our place didn’t have screens, only metal rolling shutters. This meant we couldn’t open the windows fully for fear our cats would try to go outside.

Instead, we cranked the metal shutters down early in the morning to keep hot air out and then rolled them up at night to allow cool air in.

We also stayed hydrated, added ice cubes to the cats’ water bowls, tried not to use the oven, took cool showers, and ordered a standing fan.

It blew my mind to learn that only about one in eight German households use air conditioning. Still, we had no choice but to adjust to that lifestyle.

Public transit is easily accessible in most major cities.
Sundays are considered rest days in Germany.

Kerstin Waurick/Getty Images

We landed in Germany on a Sunday and soon learned that most shops — even grocery stores — were closed, forcing us to use a food-delivery app.

That’s because Sundays are rest days in Germany. Most people aren’t supposed to work or shop, though there are a few exceptions for touristy spots and gas stations.

Most apartments don’t come with kitchens.
It’s always a good idea to keep cash with you.

Ashley Packard

To avoid fees and security concerns, many restaurants, local businesses, market stalls, and cafés only accept cash as payment.

Luckily, many larger businesses, grocery stores, and malls accept credit and debit cards, as well as other forms of digital payment.

There’s no social expectation to tip.
Don’t expect to be served water with ice.

Ashley Packard

In Germany, restaurants automatically serve sparkling water without ice. If a customer asks for ice in their water, it clearly signals that they’re American.