My First Hand Culture Shocks In Germany
Moving abroad can be an exciting adventure. You can anticipate discovering new places, getting to know new people, and trying new things. However, for some people, especially first-time expats or international students who have never lived abroad before, times like that can be challenging and overwhelming . I was a one of them. While I have travel abroad before, being in a Europe country is a whole new horizon for me. So here is what I find shocking and how I am getting used to these aspect.
What is Culture Shock?
But first, what is culture shock? Culture shock is the feeling of disorientation experienced by someone when they are suddenly subjected to an unfamiliar culture and way of life. Caused by a range of things, both big and small, such as unfamiliar greetings and hand gestures, strange food, difficult language barriers, getting lost in a new city or making a cultural faux pas because you didn’t know the local custom.
Here are some of my culture shock moments:
Polite and Welcoming
I was under the impression that German was very strict and not friendly because of all the stories I read online. The reality is, everyone is really friendly and welcoming. You know the saying “When in Rome, do as the Roman do”, we come here with little to none German knowledge, we only know English so there is a worry in the back of our head. People still try to strike a conversation with us
Food for International Students in Germany
I’m sorry in advance but coming from Vietnam, the food here is not as diverse as ours. Most of the dishes here are a variation of either meat or potato. So if you a veggie lover, be ready to get used to the food here. They do have vegan options here but either it is not very delicious or it is too expensive for a student. Luckily for us, there are lots Vietnamese restaurants. However, familiar flavors must come with a price. That why we chose to mostly cook for ourselves and only eat out once in a while
Weather and Day Time
Born in a tropical country, I am used to the heat. what i did not account for was the cold. the weather in German won’t stop being cold till the begin of May. So whenever I am going out, 3 is the least amount of layer of clothes that I put on. Like the German sayings “Wir sind ja nicht aus Zucker“-“We are not made out of sugar”. So I just suck it up
Transportation Availability
I hear people here said that German don’t like their public transportation due to many reason. But I find it much better in my town. Public transport used to be the last resort for me. So the density of such pubic transport system in it own is a surprise for me. You can not only travel to different city with train but also different countries too. I won’t use the train if i don’t have to cause I am easily motion sick but it’s a heaven sent for those who love traveling in their free time while study here
What are your culture shocks from studying in German? feel free to share in the comments
