What’s worse than bearing false witness against your neighbor? Not greeting your neighbor. At least in Germany. It’s part of our unwritten additional seven deadly sins, along with mowing your lawn during quiet hours and jaywalking. So be pious and greet as if your life depended on it – several times a day, if need be. Read on to learn the six greetings that are essential to know, so you can master any situation – formal or informal – like a true native. RISE AND SHINE – GUTEN MORGEN Just like its English equivalent, it can be used in...
“Wow, you live in Germany? Have you ever driven on the Autobahn?” Sound familiar? Many foreigners seem to view that place as some magical, elusive, amusement-park-type venue that people go to, so they can put the pedal to the metal for an hour and idle away some time. If you thought so too, I’m sorry for the disenchantment but it’s just a regular motorway and, rather than to race, most people simply use it to irritatedly twiddle their thumbs while stewing in traffic for hours each day until they clock in late. About 70% of the German Autobahn doesn’t have...
Not a coffee fanatic? Not a problem. Simply sip a beer for breakfast. Granted, it may not be as common as I made it sound – especially outside of southern Germany – just like not all Karens over 40 gulp mimosas each morning. Still, Weißwurstfrühstück is Bavaria’s answer to brunch, with the exception that it traditionally ends before noon since “the sausages mustn’t hear the church bells ring”, according to an old saying. What kind of kooky rule is that, you ask? Well, there’s only one way to find out. Read on to learn more about this savory southern German...
Growing up, I spent most of my days at my grandma’s place. Let me tell you about every single time her house – a picture-perfect sanctuary from a different era, surrounded by orchards, gardens, and flowerbeds – was filled with the mouthwatering smell of this tart. This is a food blog now, so either read my entire biography or SCROLL! Work for your food! No, just kidding. We both know I’m not a real food blogger, nor do I want to be. I am just passionate about eating – oh, SO passionate – and don’t want you to miss out...
Want to know the most complicated and fear-inducing practice I had to adapt to after moving to the US? It’s not the fact that Americans greet people by saying “How are you” without expecting a genuine response – although that sure is up there. Nope, it’s tipping. One of my most dreaded recurring moments was paying at the hair salon and having to calculate the tip in my head with the stylist standing right there, semi-patiently eyeballing me while waiting for me to be done. Guys! Having to do percentages without a calculator so a bunch of strangers can move...
Have you ever wandered through Edeka or Aldi feeling like you’re growing a third arm from your forehead, based on the way the other customers follow you with their eyes? Welcome to Germany! That exact behavior made me feel extremely uncomfortable when I returned home after spending a few years in the US. Floored, I complained to my husband about society having changed and people being even ruder than I remembered. Because let’s be real here: It’s not like Germans could ever win a friendliness medal, to begin with. What shocked me even more, however, was his answer: the legendary...
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