Everyday Life in Germany

Everyday life in Germany is full of unwritten rules, laws and peculiarities that you often only discover once you are fully immersed in it. In our column, authors from abroad share what they have learned and experienced, and what they have sometimes simply found strange.
A collage with pictures of game elements. A photo of UNO cards and a photo of a little boy getting annoyed while playing Ludo. Graphic: Jennifer Engl| Illustrations: Canva.com | Pictures: on the left: picture alliance / dpa-tmn | Christin Klose; on the right: picture alliance / Westend61 | Mareen Fischinger

Everyday Life in Germany: Game Edition “Don’t Get Cross – It’s Just a Games Night”

Games are the same everywhere – and yet never quite alike. Between “Mensch ärgere Dich nicht” (Man, Don’t Get Angry) and “Bargis”, one can discover not only how much a games night is shaped by culture, but also how familiar the foreign can feel. A journey into the world of games with our author Ahmad Kalaji.

Ahmad Kalaji

A collage with images of sports. A person with a SUB board by the lake, a climbing wall and a group of cyclists. Graphic: Lena Maurer| Illustrations: sketchify via Canva.com | Pictures: Links: picture alliance / NurPhoto | Michael Nguyen; Mitte: Pexels; Rechts: picture alliance / xim.gs | xim.gs / Philipp Szyza

Everyday Life in Germany: Sport Edition German Sports Culture: You Snooze, You Lose!

Germans love trying out new sports. In doing so, they quickly become experts — or "let it slide". Here are some personal observations from our author, Lena Maurer.

Lena Maurer

Collage of food photos from above, shoes and an arm serving potatoes on a plate. Graphic © Lena Maurer

Everyday Life in Germany: Dinner Edition Dinner at a Friend’s House

Take off your shoes, bring some wine and (don't) help out. Lena Maurer from South Tyrol loves to spend evenings at friends' homes. That's why she knows how a 'typical German' dinner invitation works.  A personal insight.

Lena Maurer

Various photographs on a blue background. Picture 1: Vintage picture of the escalator. Image 2: Bird's eye view of a platform crowded with people. Image 3: A subway sign with the U crossed out. Picture 4: A sign with a subway and several S-Bahn signs and the location 'Jungfernstieg'. Graphic © Lena Maurer

Everyday Life in Germany: Public Transport Edition The Germans and Public Transport

Different countries, different customs. Lena Maurer from South Tyrol talks about her little culture shock moments from everyday life in Germany. This time: Germans and public transport.

Lena Maurer

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