What are the biggest culture shocks people face when coming to Germany?

  

My very first shock was when I took off from this view in Lahore 4 years ago and landed on this view in Bremen The next culture shock was in the first 5 minutes I stepped on German land. Germans are nice people but have a horrible sense of humor After a 13h journey from Lahore to Germany (also my first time on an airplane), I was encountered by a very German immigration officer. After I hesitantly pushed over my green passport with a student visa I was told to stand by until they let everyone else out of the airport. He then called me over and asked me: “Are you a man?” I looked down between my legs and answered in a very uncertain voice - “Yes” “It says on your visa that you’re a female so we can’t let you in the country” - he said with a serious face. Totally blank, I replied: “I…. umm..” “Ha. Ha. Ha. Just joking, das ist no problem, please fix it by going to the immigration office within the next weeks” “Oh and welcome to Germany” - with a grin on his face. Public Transport is your go-to means of traveling A journey from the airport to the central station took a connection via a bus and a tram. Neither of the two modes of public transport was jam-packed as you would find in Pakistan. Bicycles are a must-have If you’re German and you don’t have a bicycle, it’s like being South Asian and not having brown skin - very rare. Bicycles are used by everyone for everything - getting to work, getting to school, groceries, etc. I was even surprised to see 60 year-old people riding bicycles. Most central stations in Germany will have an aura of pee around them The moment you get off a bus or a tram close to a huge station, you will be greeted by a repulsive scent of piss and beer (often mixed) mainly because a lot of homeless people are taking shelter close to these areas. Drinkable Tap water This one is a complete game-changer. After a 30 min train ride from my central station to the university carrying bags, I was exhausted and extremely thirsty. I looked for a water dispenser in my student dormitory and found nothing. I gave up and just filled up some water from the bathroom tap. After chugging it, I did some research and it turns out that Germany’s tap water is of super high quality and is totally safe to drink. Money saved ✅ Cities are closed on Sundays Do you want to go shopping? Are out of eggs & milk for tomorrow? Sorry about that, you’ve got to wait. Supermarkets and all stores are closed on Sundays. I had to make sure and really validate this around with people because I absolutely couldn’t believe it. However, if you fancy a beer or some coffee & cake, places are open. People obey traffic laws No matter how expensive a car a person is driving - If you’re a pedestrian or riding a bicycle, you are always the priority. Completely shocking since I came from a country where the bigger your car, the more rights you get on the road. Also, there happens to be a pedestrian traffic signal that people respect and follow. Electricity doesn’t go out No, I'm not from a tiny village where you get electricity 1 hour a day but I've had days in Pakistan where there was no electricity from 7 am - 3 pm. It’s been 1453 days since I have been in Germany and not for a single second I’ve experienced an electricity outage. Mind BLOWING! Penis sightseeing This is a recent shock since I moved to Berlin about a year ago. If you’re out on a beach to enjoy some views of the water and get some sun, there’s a high chance there’s either going to be a penis or a pair of breasts obstructing your view. You can’t avoid it, you will look at it and you will accept it. Then it’s not going to be shocking anymore. Dogs, Dogs, and more Dogs 🐶 This is getting interesting. I’ve had a lifelong fear of dogs, and to see almost every household have a dog in Germany was far from ideal. It is what it is, Germans love their dogs, they are trained and if they bite you, you are entitled to financial remuneration. So there’s no downside for me at least, I’m up for getting bitten. Getting used to Sirens If you’re in a big city, there’s either an ambulance or a police siren you ought to hear every day. In a small city, this could be less. No Ceiling fans I couldn’t sleep without one. I needed the sound of a fan to put me to sleep. I arrived in August and the very first nights were dreadful - it was absolutely silent and there was no airflow. Being brown, I purchased a portable fan directed straight to my face to resort to a good night’s sleep. Racism People are assholes everywhere - I’ve met some extremely nice people during my time here but I've also been called a “braunes Stück Scheiße” (a brown piece of shit) by drunk white people. However, this is more true for smaller towns than for bigger cities. For instance, berlin is super open and friendly when it comes to this sort of stuff. Friendly police Being any color other than white, this really comes in handy. The police get paid fairly in Germany and are not assholes as you would find them to be in most parts of the world. Earnings are substantial as compared to South Asia What I was earning with my part-time job as a bachelor’s student in Germany was more than what my brother was earning as a tech graduate in Pakistan. Quality of Life There’s no one yelling at you to bring groceries from the shop down the street. You’re not hearing cars honking in the morning amidst rickshaw noises because everyone’s late to work. You don’t see smoke coming out of car exhausts because no one has maintained their cars. Life is calm and systemized. You have time for yourself and have lots of time to learn from the surroundings and incorporate that into your life. There’s mandatory state health Insurance and it is good The concept of health insurance was only introduced when I landed in Germany. Prior to that, I was oblivious to the concept of insurance because we never had any. Your life is so much simpler and happier when you have good health insurance. Car and scooter sharing You will only find this in big cities like Hamburg, Berlin, Munich, etc but this is absolutely insane. You can ride a BMW/Mercedes/Audi from point a to point b for literally the same price as public transport would cost. I use it all the time and it’s one of the biggest luxuries in my life for a fraction of the price. Coffee and Alcohol are in abundance You start your day with a fresh brew and end it with getting smashed at any of the endless clubs in Germany (only on the weekends). If you’re in Berlin, this experience goes to a new level with the amazing cafe’s and the oh so notorious clubs. There’s so much more that I can write but this is the top of the list!