Arts, Culture & People

The German population is of mixed ethnicity with about 10% foreigner, majority of which are from Turkey. The official and only spoken language is German (with different dialects at different parts of the country) and so are all the documents that you are going to come across. The Serbs, Gypsies and Romanians form the (very) small minority of non-German speaking population. However the chances are slim that you actually interact with them.

The average Germans prefer a non-extravagant lifestyle; this trend is also reflected in major cities, where the buildings and attractions blend smoothly to the nature. You won’t find over crowded shopping malls or packed tourist places; so are amiss the flashing neons and bustling boulevards. But be assured, even the smallest of the towns have all the modern amenities should you care to look for. Another amusing feature about German are their lack of interest in other’s affairs. They tend to play an observant role rather than actively taking part into an event which is not directly related to them. You can see people checking their emails at a bus stop while an army of fire fighters are busy controlling a blazing building few yards away (not that its common)! This is in stark contrast with other cultures and needs some adapting. Such a social structure allows one to live a quiet and peaceful life should one prefer to.

The people are somewhat perfectionists – when entitled to a task, they either do it perfect or don’t do it at all; worse they expect the same from you! Time is of outmost importance and they put out-of-proportions importance in scheduling and maintaining appointments. Being a few minutes late at one might make all the difference in the world! So make sure to stick to the time when you take an appointment at the Germany embassy.

Germany is known for its rich cultural history which dates back to the medieval times, long before Germany came to existence as a country. The German’s passion for medieval arts and architectures often finds its way out in the form of numerous cathedrals, monasteries and castles that dot the country. They are also very fond of music and literature. This translates to the very large number of public libraries with massive collections about almost everything. Although there are comparatively few books in English, it serves the purpose well. It will be wise to register yourself at your city’s public library – where you can find more literature in contemporary subjects and a ‘non-university’ atmosphere to study in – if you prefer a change in atmosphere and interact with people from other social backgrounds (read non-geeks!). The average cost is about € 5 per year, so that shouldn’t be much of a problem.