Don’t Do These 5 Things as an Expat in Germany
Moving to Germany? Be careful not to make these 5 common mistakes…
When moving to Germany, there are no set rules or regulations to follow as an expat. However, some Germans may look at you strangely for not saying or doing the “right thing”.
Fear not! We have made your life easier and have put together a list of things you really should avoid doing as an expat in Germany!
No need to feel stupid anymore — we have you sorted.
Top 5 tips of what not to do when living in German as an expat
1. Don’t talk about money
First and foremost, the Germans are quite private when it comes to money and their earnings.
Don’t ask anyone what their salary is — it is considered rude. Don’t ask someone how much they paid for the place they live in — unless you are close to them, of course.
Last but not least, if you are rich, don’t show off. Nobody likes a bragger.
These three standards should be followed if you don’t want to be considered rude or big-headed.
2. Don’t be late!
This is really important! Germans are generally well organised which means timeliness is a top priority. If you are late, then good luck. Take this into special account when it comes to work — being late for meetings will put you in a tricky situation as you are wasting other people’s time too.
3. Respect Sundays as the day of rest
So, did you remember that Sunday is the day of rest? Didn’t think you did, but Germany is quite religious and, as a result, you will find all shops are closed on Sundays — just like in Spain.
To top this off, here are some more Sunday “Ruhezeit” rules:
- You are also not allowed to mow your lawn
- You are not allowed to listen to loud music
- You must not hoover
- You are not allowed to take out the glass recycling (it could be noisy!)
In essence, don’t disturb your neighbour on a Sunday and you will manage just fine.
4. Don’t jaywalk
This and the fact that you shouldn’t walk in bicycle lanes are rules of society that maybe not all of us take so seriously. We know that we should never cross on a red light when a child is around — it doesn’t leave a good impression. But what about when there are no cars to be seen but German adult is present?
No, don’t do it!
Not unless you want to be shouted at. People in Germany don’t tend to run across the street unless they are running for public transport.
5. Be open to talking about the refugee policy, but be careful
Last but not least, a sensitive topic. In the last few years, Germany has welcomed many refugees. According to UNHCR, it is the country in Europe that has homed the most refugees. Try not to express your opinion on what Germany is doing right or wrong in politics or maybe how you feel about this and their other agendas, because you may run into a person with an opposite opinion on the matter.
Debates can, of course, happen but try to be open and kind.
So there you have it — don’t jaywalk, don’t try to shop on a Sunday, and you must certainly not play loud music!
Oh and don’t forget you mustn’t be late or talk about money, and be careful when talking about German politics.
Avoid all these things and you should be fine as an expat in Germany!
