Living in Germany
Navigating the Districts of Frankfurt, Germany
Altstadt Frankfurt's Altstadt, meaning "Old City," is the heart of the city, and has history dating back hundreds of years. The main square is called Römer Square, and there are many reconstructed representations of historic buildings that had been destroyed during World War II. Nevertheless, there still is a good deal of culture in the [...]
Public Transit in Berlin, Germany
Berlin, Germany offers an efficient, cheap and reliable public transportation system, where any local or expat can live easily without a car. The transit system is operated under the BVG (Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe) and the DB (Deutsche Bahn). These companies are integrated for users. The U-Bahn and S-Bahn are the most commonly used transportation [...]
Exploring the Lesser-Known Cities of Germany: Dresden, Leipzig and Freiburg
Dresden Dresden is the capital of Saxony, close to the border with the Czech Republic. It is only three hours from Prague by bus, and about 3.5 hours away from Berlin. Dresden has approximately 500,000 inhabitants. It is on the River Elbe. Dresden definitely has a post-socialist, East Germany residual vibe. It went through some major changes over [...]
Christmas Shopping in Berlin
Today Berlin is one of Europe’s trendiest spots, and at Christmas it turns into a giant Christmas Market. Department stores KaDeWe (pronounced ka-day-vay) (Wittenbergplatz) is an abbreviated form of ‘Kaufhaus des Westen’; in English this is ‘Department Store of the West’. The ‘West’ of the title is a reference to former [...]
Wir essen, oder? The Eating Customs of Germany
In Germany, most people do not eat much directly after they have woken up. Those who wake up early will generally eat a light breakfast, which consists of some bread or rolls. They also drink coffee which is prepared with canned milk and sugar. Children sometimes eat oatmeal or porridge and raisins. Following this initial-semi meal, most people [...]
Wir Fahren Auf Der Autobahn: The Autobahn in Germany
Contrary to popular belief, the German Autobahn resembles a typical freeway, not a 20 lane superhighway with crazy sportscars whizzing by everywhere. Not every driver is driving at intense speeds, either. Parts of the Autobahn even have speed limits, which surprises some people. When entering the Autobahn, one is more likely to be interested in [...]
Public Transit in Munich, Germany
If you are planning on relocating to Munich, you probably do not need a car, unless you just have an urge to tear up the Autobahn on occasion. The public transit system in this Bavarian city is fast and efficient, like much of Germany. Let it be known that Munich is also very bike-friendly in the inner-city part, as parts of the sidewalks are [...]
German Social & Business Customs
Social Germans value efficiency. They are the masters of planning. Most Germans think ahead of the moment, and like to know what they will be doing at certain hours of the following day. They feel secure in their planning, both in their personal and business worlds. They like order and structure, and feel that when things are planned correctly [...]
Das ist Oktoberfest!
Trinken Sie Bier? It's time for Oktoberfest in Germany! Anyone can visit Oktoberfest, which takes place in Munich, Germany. It opened on September 19, and will go through until October 4, 2009. It is recommended that you visit as early as possible. Even though entry is free, it is likely to be swarmed. Oktoberfest is the world's biggest fair, as [...]
Countries that Speak German
Sprechen Sie Deutsch? German is spoken by about 126 million people, and is the tenth most common language on earth! Many people around central Europe in the countries bordering Germany know it as a first language, or at least very well. There used to be many displaced Germans in the former Soviet Union, but this is being reduced over time. If you [...]
