Survival Tips for Studying Abroad in Germany

cre: Survival Tips for Studying Abroad in Germany

While studying abroad in Berlin, you will encounter both the efficiency and the quirks of a new society and culture. No matter how much you have read and prepared before you leave, there will always be a learning curve when adjusting to life in another country, but I hope the following tips will help you avoid some uncomfortable situations when of your everyday life in Germany.

Language

Don’t rely on English. You may be just a beginner, but using your German skills will take you far. The people you interact with will appreciate it and you will be treated differently than if you spoke English, even if you make mistakes.

The Germans will correct your German. Don’t be embarrassed, that’s how it is. German is a very precise language, which leaves a non-native speaker open to error. My German has been corrected many times by people I didn’t know, and it’s important not to let embarrassment get in the way of my learning. With a little experimentation and effort, you will soon start to feel comfortable with the language.

Håkon Sataøen Photo: Brandenburg Gate

Opportunity

To be on time. The Germans are very fussy about Ordnung, or order, and one of the many ways this is enforced is punctuality. You must arrive at least 5 minutes in advance for all classes, meetings, etc.

Photo by Soroush Karimi: Even the subway is timely

Environmental awareness

Separate ALL trash. Environmental awareness is a German cultural value. You will find that in your home, school and on the streets, waste can be sorted into four different containers:

black container = Household waste – non-recyclable waste such as food scraps, dirt, cigarette butts, light bulbs, etc.

brown container = biological waste – fruit and vegetable peelings, eggshells, leaves, etc.

Blue or green container = Paper

yellow container = Lightweight packaging – plastic, aluminum, etc.

You get money to recycle your plastic and glass bottles. In some grocery stores and malls, you’ll find a machine that takes your empty bottles and then dispenses cash in return. Let’s face it: on a student budget, every little bit counts.

Photo by Flo Karr: Streets of Berlin

Purchases

You will need to rent a cart at the grocery store. Shopping carts are often chained together and can only be released by inserting a coin into the shopping cart itself. When you have finished shopping and returned the cart to its place, your coin will come out when the chain is reinserted.

Plastic shopping bags are not free. It’s becoming more common in some states now, but I unwittingly robbed for the first time at a German grocery store (to which the cashier expressed a high level of animosity that I couldn’t understand). Make sure the cashier rings your plastic bags or reusable cloth bags with your groceries.

Store opening hours: You will find that German stores close much earlier than those in the United States, and almost everything will be closed on Sundays. Also, everything (I mean everything) will be closed on major holidays. So get ready!

Photo by Artem Sapegin: Fernehturm

Studying abroad will push you to adapt to new ways of doing things, so remember to stay open, flexible and adaptable, and you’ll learn so much more than you expected!

Kristyn O. is CAOT’s Student Services Coordinator. She studied abroad in Stuttgart, Germany, majoring in German and International Studies.

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