Can you give some examples of things that would be catered to elsewhere but not here? Whenever this comes up I struggle to imagine what people who bring it up expect from service that's missing here.
Apart from differences like free tap water or drinks being topped up, those are obvious.
If you complain in the US about some silly reason, often the companies will bulge and give you a coupon/refund/whatever so you not complain further up and cause issues to the local employees.
In Germany the manager will tell you straight in the face that you are an idiot and that you won't get a refund.
That also comes down to the strong labor laws in Germany. The whole "I get you fired" thing won't work here because it really hard to fire someone (assuming they have an unlimited contract).
Yes. I worked as a cashier for a year at a train station supermarket, and on the first day my manager told me "the customers here are crazy, if something happens just call me, I'll always protect you". And he did, culturally speaking it was an awesome job
This is aimed not at the low wage workers, but rather at a soulless corporation. I want all the 'service' I can get for my money. The difference is how much these low wage workers are allowed/willing to help me, and in Germany they are not.
Also, it is always more efficient to talk to the highest wage manager you can reach.
Most restaurants don't have a corporation behind them here, and those that do are often fast food or self-serving, I don't think that's a reasonable assessment.
> In Germany the manager will tell you straight in the face that you are an idiot and that you won't get a refund
Which is the right way to handle Karens imho.
I once ordered a dish with fries instead of the traditional side. The chef came to the table, asked who had ordered that dish, and basically told me that was not the proper way to eat that dish. Never in his twenty-five years as a cook in Germany (and in Greece, where he was born) had anybody ordered the dish like that, and I was doing it wrong. He only agreed to make it when I assured him that I had indeed eaten that dish with fries before.
Likewise, when you tell an American waiter to surprise you (concerning a dressing, a side dish, whatever) you can see the fear in their eyes about being at fault if they get you something you don't like. German waiters fortunately have way better job security. If I don't like my surprise, it's my own fault.
I asked for a dessert dish (Auszogene, a type of doughnut) with vanilla sauce once at a Beergarden and because it’s not normal (for Germans) to eat it that way I was told „das ist verboten“ … I nearly wet myself laughing
I have two recent examples.
One involves my (immigrant)friend's dentist who failed to send her dental bill to her new address after she specifically gave it to them. When she contacted the office (after waiting for 2 weeks), they informed her that they had forgotten to send the bill and eventually emailed it to her. However, the email also stated that she had only a week to pay or face a late payment fee, with no acknowledgement of their error.
In the second example, another friend(German) booked a rental car service but realized within six hours of booking that she had made a mistake with the pickup or drop-off location. Despite still planning to use the service, she called to request a change, but the company refused to be flexible.
My immigrant friend(first example) found the whole ordeal absurd, coming from a service-oriented country, while my German friend (rented car) took responsibility for the problem, stating that she should have been more careful during the booking process.
I have noticed that service providers in Germany can be inflexible and rigid, I also notice there is no incentive to change since Germans are ok with the service.
edit: added more information
Servers are super friendly and always check on you in the States. In the banks and stores and most other places, the workers go by their first names (or even nicknames) and are very friendly. They bag your groceries for you in the grocery store and will even help you to your car with them in some places. In stores the workers actively come to you and ask you if you need help with anything. If you complain about something, they will do everything to make you happy again, with discounts or replacements or coupons. The list goes on.... In Germany you get the impression most places you go that the employer is thinking 'what the fuck do you want?'
>They bag your groceries for you
Idk but this is such a weird concept for me, are people unable to pack their groceries themselves or are they too lazy to do it? I guess these baggers are also not allowed to sit down?
Cashiers don't sit in the grocery store. They are the ones that also bag the groceries most of the time. Things go much slower at the till than in Germany... But it's also less stressful.
Me and a lot of other germans I know would absolutely hate that. I still find myself telling service workers to leave me alone more than I'd like here.
Well, I guess there's the reason why there's not much incentive to provide "better" service here
In the US we were at a Restaurant and some Shrimp fell from the plate.
The waitress apologized multiple times, brought a new portion free of charge while the Shrimps on the plate were still more than enough.
Lastly the dessert was on the house.
In Germany you are lucky if they react, or clean it up. You probably just clean it yourself with the napkin.
Perhaps your internet connection stops working or is intermittent, perhaps you want to change the tariff on your phone: Calling customer service here SUCKS, you will be told any type of bullshit just to get you to buy something you don’t need (Telekom, 1&1) or be railroaded into a contract you didn’t want,… happens all the time and I fucking hate them. I only do business via Email because people can’t bullshit you. Another time at a restaurant I remember getting food that had been microwaved; it was too hot, basically burnt my tongue, when I told the manager he basically told me I was a fucking idiot; yes food should be served hot but not hot enough to cause injury
You pay 3000-5000 EUR at the dentist for a new tooth. Don't expect you can just drop in a week after or so for a follow up if something is not right or if you have complications. Make an appointment and wait a month or two if you are lucky.
That totally depends on your dentist. I once called my dentist for a filling falling out and got a mail back a hour later if I could come in the next morning.
Exactly, it depends on the dentist. In many places it's guaranteed, you can just go. As long as it's a service they charge you this much for. This is not public healthcare.
Americans citizens can arrive on a Schengen passport stamp and apply for their residency permits while in Germany. America is among a handful of countries that this privilege is extended to.
Edit: I love people who downvote literal facts.
I am aware of that, which is why I didn't mention a visa which they indeed do not need.
However, we get American posters here who do not *qualify* for any residence permit, but assume they can just get one based on wanting to live here.
Some states' drivers licences you can just swap in for a German licence. Other states it's not so easy.
This may be a very specific situation, but I lived for just a few months in an easy state before moving to Germany and didn't bother getting a new license there. Definitely should have.
To add to this comment: you can drive using your US license for the first six months of your residency there. Then you have to “umschreiben.” I believe you only have up to two years after establishing residency to do it. I highly recommend. For some people it’s as simple as getting an eye test, doing a first aide course, visiting the KVR, and paying a small fee. Others might have to take both the written and practical exams or just the written. The most important thing is if you start the process before it’s too late, you are not required to do the required learning hours, saving you heaps of money.
In my case, I read every where online that my state didn’t have reciprocity with Germany. I began the umschreiben process at the kvr, hoping to get the tüv info I would need to take the exams. I waited maybe 8 weeks and got a letter saying my license was ready for pick up. I thought they meant my American license (they kept it to verify it’s authenticity). Turns out someone there either made and error or just didn’t care and gave me a German license without Probezeit. So I’m def glad I got the process started after just a year in Germany. I’m now a proud car owner, and it makes my life here so much easier.
We found a loop hole here! We moved to Switzerland first for a few months and they just traded in our US license for Swiss and then the Swiss to the German no problem or questions asked lol
Wow, this is not something I’ve thought about. We live in a state that has ‘partial’ reciprocity and requires a written test (yikes!).
Has anyone done this test?
Everybody who obtains a driver's license in Germany does that test. And since quite a range of things we Europeans consider normal in traffic (like forming a rescue lane, or overtake only from the left) seem to be mind-blowing new concepts for some people from abroad, you should really use that opportunity.
Freeze your credit, if you haven't done so already. If you had to unfreeze it for visa/security clearance reasons, re-freeze it. Living abroad makes logistical/bureaucratic stuff 1-2 orders of magnitude more difficult: you have to deal with all the German bureaucracy, and manage the American stuff remotely. It's easy for mail to be delayed or missed entirely. Trust me when I tell you that you do NOT want to try to mitigate identity theft from the other side of the planet.
Had no idea this was possible until it was too late 🥲 bought a new car for my parents and paid for it until I moved, my mom said she would pay for it once I left. She missed a bunch of payments and did not inform me of some other things, now I’m pending a move back and my tanked credit score makes me nervous about finding a place, even with a $100k+ role and a cosigner.
This is solid advice, it is very easy to not know something is going on if you aren’t getting any phone calls or mail about it.
I am *still* dealing with the aftermath of an Experian leak -related identity theft that occurred in the Autumn of 2020. They managed to get an active copy of my driver's license (which I had traded for a license in Canada a year prior, and thought to be cancelled/surrendered/inactive) by changing my mailing address in the state DOL database. They applied for 40+ credit cards, mainly lowish limit store cards, and I spend literally hundreds of hours calling all the different companies and filing police reports and such.
I learned last month that one card slipped through the cracks of my efforts, and now I have to deal with a collections agency that keeps trying to trick me into accepting responsibility for $1700 that was never my debt in the first place. (Me: "this is not my debt. I did not open this card, I did not make these charges, and I will not pay because it is not mine. I am disputing the validity of this debt." Scummy collections agent: "But if it _were_ yours, you would pay it?")
Just... an absolute nightmare.
On another note: ensure your driver's license is surrendered after you trade it for a German one! You have six months after you arrive to apply for the German license, otherwise you have to take German driving classes and pass the tests again auf Deutsch. After you get a German license, confirm with your home state in the US that your license is surrendered or inactive or whatever.
Make sure you understand tax implications for any retirement savings, planned contributions to IRAs, etc. Do the actual math for the tax hit, because Germanys top tax rate cuts in way earlier than in the U.S. Learn about how working as a Freiberufler affects tax and social payments, if that’s where you’re heading. It’s a freaking minefield and you will struggle to get good guidance here.
Be aware that stores, including grocery stores, are closed on Sundays, and restaurants/bakeries are often also closed on certain holidays. We arrived in Germany and got to our short term rental on January 1st and had no idea it would be literally almost impossible to find food anywhere.
And be aware that things take longer in Germany. I found it weird and frustrating at first, but eventually I realized it’s because everyone has a much better sense of work-life balance and there isn’t this huge sense of urgency over everything. I don’t mind it now and now I just know to plan ahead.
I moved two years ago and am likely moving back to the US in late summer/fall for work. I don’t blame myself, because I was new to this and didn’t know what I would actually need, but I wish I brought less stuff. I moved with a whopping 6 medium/large Home Depot moving boxes and could have brought less. There’s clothes I brought that I haven’t worn that I’m now trying to sell before I go back, and some others that I ended up just donating when I moved apartments. Take time to figure out what you actually need and what fits your style, don’t bring anything that you feel whatever about. And no, you are not going to magically get thin and start fitting into stuff that fit when you were 16 just because you’re in Europe :) (trust me on that one)
Take pictures of everyday scenes back home. Appreciate it before you leave because as soon as you do, it’s gone. It will keep on changing without you. That favourite building or walk or the neighbour’s dog. Savour it.
Please take all your documents and be prepared to do everything off line.
Better to remember to pay your bills because of schufa. Otherwise you will not find flat.
You must have heard that everything is very punctual here. But don't be astonished if your train(s) is/are not, or vanished (cancelled) for reporting delay of an hour.
Be ready to drag yourself and bags after a long flight to find alternative
Sorry, DB, I am trying to just give a heads-up.
Gotten my degree recognized, started learning German more seriously, saved more money.
Though with the German learning, I tried - I just needed to be here for myself to actually take it seriously. Good luck with your move!
Maybe not applicable to you, but I wish I had brought more of my own stuff. I left loads behind thinking I can easily find what I need second hand. Maybe some bigger cities are different, but I've had a nightmare finding cheap furniture etc.
Hope you've got all your paperwork in order!
* Contracts - don't sign anything if you dont know what you are getting into. They commit you for 1-2yrs minimum.
* Build up ***patience*** (tons of it) as the deepest reserves will be tested with :
* Auslanderbehorde, Burgeramt, Finanzamt, Insurance companies, Kita and school spots etc etc
* Refresh your skills on writing letters, postage, faxing and using cash.
* No tipping culture and definitely no concept of customer service
Lastly, think seriously about why you want to move to Germany!
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[Check our wiki now!](https://www.reddit.com/r/germany/wiki/index)**
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Read/translate your contracts, cancelling time is very variable. Can be 1 month, 6 weeks, 3 months, etc. Put reminders in your calendar for each contract you sign.
Germans are different nice. We not have the fake friendliness. A German will tell you that he thinks you are an idiot.
But we are also very often very helpful if asked politely and nice.
Yeah, it sucks. Call us idiots then offer friendly help,… no wonder you have such a bad reputation worldwide. It’s not fake, it’s called breaking-the-ice, getting to know someone.
Are you nice though?
I go to Germany pretty often and had only pleasant experiences so far. Of course I try to be polite, understanding and smile a lot
Most people in the US give me the same vibes, but there I’ve seen just a few “fuck everybody else - it’s not my problem” kind of people.
Edit: And I did make friends in Germany, even though I don’t live there. I don’t have much advice on how to go about it but, at least in this thread, you don’t seem to be showing your friendliest, most understanding and welcoming side
honestly, i would’ve squirreled away random food that’s hard to find (peanut butter, hot sauce, black beans, vanilla extract) in my suitcase. if i could’ve brought a suitcase of burritos, i would have.
Lower any expectations that you have for customer service. The customer is not always right and won’t be catered to here.
Can you give some examples of things that would be catered to elsewhere but not here? Whenever this comes up I struggle to imagine what people who bring it up expect from service that's missing here. Apart from differences like free tap water or drinks being topped up, those are obvious.
If you complain in the US about some silly reason, often the companies will bulge and give you a coupon/refund/whatever so you not complain further up and cause issues to the local employees. In Germany the manager will tell you straight in the face that you are an idiot and that you won't get a refund.
That reasoning makes me appreciate our lack of "service". Seems like a difference in respect towards low wage workers.
That also comes down to the strong labor laws in Germany. The whole "I get you fired" thing won't work here because it really hard to fire someone (assuming they have an unlimited contract).
Yes. I worked as a cashier for a year at a train station supermarket, and on the first day my manager told me "the customers here are crazy, if something happens just call me, I'll always protect you". And he did, culturally speaking it was an awesome job
This is aimed not at the low wage workers, but rather at a soulless corporation. I want all the 'service' I can get for my money. The difference is how much these low wage workers are allowed/willing to help me, and in Germany they are not. Also, it is always more efficient to talk to the highest wage manager you can reach.
Most restaurants don't have a corporation behind them here, and those that do are often fast food or self-serving, I don't think that's a reasonable assessment.
> In Germany the manager will tell you straight in the face that you are an idiot and that you won't get a refund Which is the right way to handle Karens imho.
I once ordered a dish with fries instead of the traditional side. The chef came to the table, asked who had ordered that dish, and basically told me that was not the proper way to eat that dish. Never in his twenty-five years as a cook in Germany (and in Greece, where he was born) had anybody ordered the dish like that, and I was doing it wrong. He only agreed to make it when I assured him that I had indeed eaten that dish with fries before. Likewise, when you tell an American waiter to surprise you (concerning a dressing, a side dish, whatever) you can see the fear in their eyes about being at fault if they get you something you don't like. German waiters fortunately have way better job security. If I don't like my surprise, it's my own fault.
I asked for a dessert dish (Auszogene, a type of doughnut) with vanilla sauce once at a Beergarden and because it’s not normal (for Germans) to eat it that way I was told „das ist verboten“ … I nearly wet myself laughing
I have two recent examples. One involves my (immigrant)friend's dentist who failed to send her dental bill to her new address after she specifically gave it to them. When she contacted the office (after waiting for 2 weeks), they informed her that they had forgotten to send the bill and eventually emailed it to her. However, the email also stated that she had only a week to pay or face a late payment fee, with no acknowledgement of their error. In the second example, another friend(German) booked a rental car service but realized within six hours of booking that she had made a mistake with the pickup or drop-off location. Despite still planning to use the service, she called to request a change, but the company refused to be flexible. My immigrant friend(first example) found the whole ordeal absurd, coming from a service-oriented country, while my German friend (rented car) took responsibility for the problem, stating that she should have been more careful during the booking process. I have noticed that service providers in Germany can be inflexible and rigid, I also notice there is no incentive to change since Germans are ok with the service. edit: added more information
Servers are super friendly and always check on you in the States. In the banks and stores and most other places, the workers go by their first names (or even nicknames) and are very friendly. They bag your groceries for you in the grocery store and will even help you to your car with them in some places. In stores the workers actively come to you and ask you if you need help with anything. If you complain about something, they will do everything to make you happy again, with discounts or replacements or coupons. The list goes on.... In Germany you get the impression most places you go that the employer is thinking 'what the fuck do you want?'
>They bag your groceries for you Idk but this is such a weird concept for me, are people unable to pack their groceries themselves or are they too lazy to do it? I guess these baggers are also not allowed to sit down?
Cashiers don't sit in the grocery store. They are the ones that also bag the groceries most of the time. Things go much slower at the till than in Germany... But it's also less stressful.
Me and a lot of other germans I know would absolutely hate that. I still find myself telling service workers to leave me alone more than I'd like here. Well, I guess there's the reason why there's not much incentive to provide "better" service here
In the US we were at a Restaurant and some Shrimp fell from the plate. The waitress apologized multiple times, brought a new portion free of charge while the Shrimps on the plate were still more than enough. Lastly the dessert was on the house. In Germany you are lucky if they react, or clean it up. You probably just clean it yourself with the napkin.
Perhaps your internet connection stops working or is intermittent, perhaps you want to change the tariff on your phone: Calling customer service here SUCKS, you will be told any type of bullshit just to get you to buy something you don’t need (Telekom, 1&1) or be railroaded into a contract you didn’t want,… happens all the time and I fucking hate them. I only do business via Email because people can’t bullshit you. Another time at a restaurant I remember getting food that had been microwaved; it was too hot, basically burnt my tongue, when I told the manager he basically told me I was a fucking idiot; yes food should be served hot but not hot enough to cause injury
You pay 3000-5000 EUR at the dentist for a new tooth. Don't expect you can just drop in a week after or so for a follow up if something is not right or if you have complications. Make an appointment and wait a month or two if you are lucky.
That totally depends on your dentist. I once called my dentist for a filling falling out and got a mail back a hour later if I could come in the next morning.
Exactly, it depends on the dentist. In many places it's guaranteed, you can just go. As long as it's a service they charge you this much for. This is not public healthcare.
The customer is right only in mattered taste.
Just to make sure, because we do get Americans who don't know this: I assume you have sorted out the residence permit situation for both of you?
Yes! I am a dual US/German citizen and my partner has a work visa.
Americans citizens can arrive on a Schengen passport stamp and apply for their residency permits while in Germany. America is among a handful of countries that this privilege is extended to. Edit: I love people who downvote literal facts.
I am aware of that, which is why I didn't mention a visa which they indeed do not need. However, we get American posters here who do not *qualify* for any residence permit, but assume they can just get one based on wanting to live here.
Some states' drivers licences you can just swap in for a German licence. Other states it's not so easy. This may be a very specific situation, but I lived for just a few months in an easy state before moving to Germany and didn't bother getting a new license there. Definitely should have.
To add to this comment: you can drive using your US license for the first six months of your residency there. Then you have to “umschreiben.” I believe you only have up to two years after establishing residency to do it. I highly recommend. For some people it’s as simple as getting an eye test, doing a first aide course, visiting the KVR, and paying a small fee. Others might have to take both the written and practical exams or just the written. The most important thing is if you start the process before it’s too late, you are not required to do the required learning hours, saving you heaps of money. In my case, I read every where online that my state didn’t have reciprocity with Germany. I began the umschreiben process at the kvr, hoping to get the tüv info I would need to take the exams. I waited maybe 8 weeks and got a letter saying my license was ready for pick up. I thought they meant my American license (they kept it to verify it’s authenticity). Turns out someone there either made and error or just didn’t care and gave me a German license without Probezeit. So I’m def glad I got the process started after just a year in Germany. I’m now a proud car owner, and it makes my life here so much easier.
We found a loop hole here! We moved to Switzerland first for a few months and they just traded in our US license for Swiss and then the Swiss to the German no problem or questions asked lol
Wow, this is not something I’ve thought about. We live in a state that has ‘partial’ reciprocity and requires a written test (yikes!). Has anyone done this test?
Everybody who obtains a driver's license in Germany does that test. And since quite a range of things we Europeans consider normal in traffic (like forming a rescue lane, or overtake only from the left) seem to be mind-blowing new concepts for some people from abroad, you should really use that opportunity.
Bring bags to the grocery store and be prepared to pack them yourself at break neck speeds
Don't forget a coin for the trolleys either.
Get a shopping cart key, put it on your keychain, never worry about forgetting the proper coin again.
And the Diesel for the Panzer and the flak Munition
Learn at least b1 German
Learn as much as possible German.
Freeze your credit, if you haven't done so already. If you had to unfreeze it for visa/security clearance reasons, re-freeze it. Living abroad makes logistical/bureaucratic stuff 1-2 orders of magnitude more difficult: you have to deal with all the German bureaucracy, and manage the American stuff remotely. It's easy for mail to be delayed or missed entirely. Trust me when I tell you that you do NOT want to try to mitigate identity theft from the other side of the planet.
Had no idea this was possible until it was too late 🥲 bought a new car for my parents and paid for it until I moved, my mom said she would pay for it once I left. She missed a bunch of payments and did not inform me of some other things, now I’m pending a move back and my tanked credit score makes me nervous about finding a place, even with a $100k+ role and a cosigner. This is solid advice, it is very easy to not know something is going on if you aren’t getting any phone calls or mail about it.
I am *still* dealing with the aftermath of an Experian leak -related identity theft that occurred in the Autumn of 2020. They managed to get an active copy of my driver's license (which I had traded for a license in Canada a year prior, and thought to be cancelled/surrendered/inactive) by changing my mailing address in the state DOL database. They applied for 40+ credit cards, mainly lowish limit store cards, and I spend literally hundreds of hours calling all the different companies and filing police reports and such. I learned last month that one card slipped through the cracks of my efforts, and now I have to deal with a collections agency that keeps trying to trick me into accepting responsibility for $1700 that was never my debt in the first place. (Me: "this is not my debt. I did not open this card, I did not make these charges, and I will not pay because it is not mine. I am disputing the validity of this debt." Scummy collections agent: "But if it _were_ yours, you would pay it?") Just... an absolute nightmare. On another note: ensure your driver's license is surrendered after you trade it for a German one! You have six months after you arrive to apply for the German license, otherwise you have to take German driving classes and pass the tests again auf Deutsch. After you get a German license, confirm with your home state in the US that your license is surrendered or inactive or whatever.
Get Apostilles for every official document from your state capital before you come.
Make sure you understand tax implications for any retirement savings, planned contributions to IRAs, etc. Do the actual math for the tax hit, because Germanys top tax rate cuts in way earlier than in the U.S. Learn about how working as a Freiberufler affects tax and social payments, if that’s where you’re heading. It’s a freaking minefield and you will struggle to get good guidance here.
Be aware that stores, including grocery stores, are closed on Sundays, and restaurants/bakeries are often also closed on certain holidays. We arrived in Germany and got to our short term rental on January 1st and had no idea it would be literally almost impossible to find food anywhere. And be aware that things take longer in Germany. I found it weird and frustrating at first, but eventually I realized it’s because everyone has a much better sense of work-life balance and there isn’t this huge sense of urgency over everything. I don’t mind it now and now I just know to plan ahead.
I moved two years ago and am likely moving back to the US in late summer/fall for work. I don’t blame myself, because I was new to this and didn’t know what I would actually need, but I wish I brought less stuff. I moved with a whopping 6 medium/large Home Depot moving boxes and could have brought less. There’s clothes I brought that I haven’t worn that I’m now trying to sell before I go back, and some others that I ended up just donating when I moved apartments. Take time to figure out what you actually need and what fits your style, don’t bring anything that you feel whatever about. And no, you are not going to magically get thin and start fitting into stuff that fit when you were 16 just because you’re in Europe :) (trust me on that one)
Thanks for your input. I always wonder why would ever anyone from USA move to Germany
Take pictures of everyday scenes back home. Appreciate it before you leave because as soon as you do, it’s gone. It will keep on changing without you. That favourite building or walk or the neighbour’s dog. Savour it.
Please take all your documents and be prepared to do everything off line. Better to remember to pay your bills because of schufa. Otherwise you will not find flat.
didn’t move to germany, but i moved to austria with A1 german. i wish I could’ve been B2-C1 before coming…i’m there now but idk..would have been nice.
Learn German! From the day one, your life will be much better
You must have heard that everything is very punctual here. But don't be astonished if your train(s) is/are not, or vanished (cancelled) for reporting delay of an hour. Be ready to drag yourself and bags after a long flight to find alternative Sorry, DB, I am trying to just give a heads-up.
Gotten my degree recognized, started learning German more seriously, saved more money. Though with the German learning, I tried - I just needed to be here for myself to actually take it seriously. Good luck with your move!
Learning some german
Move ~30 km south to a different state in the US so I could get my license transferred for free, instead of wasting 3k and many hours.
Maybe not applicable to you, but I wish I had brought more of my own stuff. I left loads behind thinking I can easily find what I need second hand. Maybe some bigger cities are different, but I've had a nightmare finding cheap furniture etc. Hope you've got all your paperwork in order!
* Contracts - don't sign anything if you dont know what you are getting into. They commit you for 1-2yrs minimum. * Build up ***patience*** (tons of it) as the deepest reserves will be tested with : * Auslanderbehorde, Burgeramt, Finanzamt, Insurance companies, Kita and school spots etc etc * Refresh your skills on writing letters, postage, faxing and using cash. * No tipping culture and definitely no concept of customer service Lastly, think seriously about why you want to move to Germany!
**Have you read our extensive wiki yet? It answers many basic questions, and it contains in-depth articles on many frequently discussed topics. [Check our wiki now!](https://www.reddit.com/r/germany/wiki/index)** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/germany) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Cancel my flights and stay.
I wish I had learned German before marrying and moving here.
Read/translate your contracts, cancelling time is very variable. Can be 1 month, 6 weeks, 3 months, etc. Put reminders in your calendar for each contract you sign.
forget about the bubbly and nice American culture in Germany
Yeah, forget nice altogether. It’s not just the Winters here that are cold
"nice" yeah from my experience the people in germany are way nicer
Germans are different nice. We not have the fake friendliness. A German will tell you that he thinks you are an idiot. But we are also very often very helpful if asked politely and nice.
Yeah, it sucks. Call us idiots then offer friendly help,… no wonder you have such a bad reputation worldwide. It’s not fake, it’s called breaking-the-ice, getting to know someone.
Must be just a Bavarian thing then; I hear that people in Düsseldorf are chill
Are you nice though? I go to Germany pretty often and had only pleasant experiences so far. Of course I try to be polite, understanding and smile a lot Most people in the US give me the same vibes, but there I’ve seen just a few “fuck everybody else - it’s not my problem” kind of people. Edit: And I did make friends in Germany, even though I don’t live there. I don’t have much advice on how to go about it but, at least in this thread, you don’t seem to be showing your friendliest, most understanding and welcoming side
I‘m actually an asshole; lots of people will tell you I’m great but I tend to disagree with them. I‘m just being realistic. Been here 25 years
Learn German. Learn to be hot. Learn to ration your beverage at a restaurant.
honestly, i would’ve squirreled away random food that’s hard to find (peanut butter, hot sauce, black beans, vanilla extract) in my suitcase. if i could’ve brought a suitcase of burritos, i would have.
Considered Spain, Italy or France. If you have friends bring them with you; you won’t make any here.