25 signs you have been living in Germany for too long and have become a little bit German

Let’s face it: when you live in Germany, whether you want it or not, you become a little bit German…. You have been living in Germany for too long if you are smiling and nodding your head to at least one of the 25 signs below! Don’t hesitate to let us know how German you have become 🙂

1. Breakfast is sacred! 

You know you’ve been living in Germany for too long when the first thing that comes into your mind in the morning is the Frühstück! You dress up to go and buy some fresh German bread at BackWerk and you sincerely think that the Frühstück is mighty important!

2. You are always on time! No, actually, you are 10 minutes too early…

You have started coming to an appointment on time…. On time in Germany means ten minutes before!

You really get upset when people are late. Before you didn’t mind it if your French friend showed up 20 minutes later, now you’re utterly shocked! It’s especially annoying when you visit your home county and nobody is ever on time! Never!

3. Beer is important!

No questions asked!

You even get upset if someone doesn’t agree: “What??? You don’t drink beer? What is WRONG with you?”

4. Green, green, green light forever!

You know you’ve been in Germany for too long when you wait until a traffic light turns green together with other hundred of people even if there’s no car in sight. You wait partly because you are afraid that some old lady would start scolding if you don’t.

5. You’ve become direct 

All of a sudden you are no longer afraid of confrontation and being straightforward. Actually, you’ve even become aggressive, but this doesn’t disturb you one bit.

Somebody parked a car wrongly in front of your house!!! You get outside and put a sign on their car ”Scheisse geparkt” (you’ve parked your car like shit – ed.)

Somebody uses the vacuum cleaner on a Sunday? You ring their doorbell and tell them you’re going to call the police!

6. Dinner before 18.00 is sacred

No comments…

7. “Scheisse!”

You have been living in Germany for too long when whenever you are angry or disappointed the only word that comes to your mind is “SCHEISSE” (“shit” – ed.).

8. What is a credit card? 

It’s a thing that 99% of the time it is not accepted in Germany…. You’ve even forgotten your PIN because you haven’t used it for months now… As a proper German, you go everywhere with cash!

9. Fan of Fahrrad

The “Fahrrad” (bicycle – ed.) has become your new best friend. You cycle to work and school every day and you don’t even miss your car. You enjoy waving at the cars in a traffic jam when you drive by.

10. Holy Sunday!

Even if you’re not a Christian, you enjoy the sacred Sundays! It’s the time when even the city centre is quiet and most of the Germans are relaxed and easygoing. Isn’t that great!? How can you not enjoy that, right?

11. Do not disturb!

You keep quite at home between 9 PM and until 8 AM. When you organise a party you actually think of informing your neighbours first. You even close the house doors as quietly as you can to not upset anyone.

12. You’ve become eco-friendly 

It’s very important to divide the garbage into bio, paper, plastic, chemistry, glass (well, actually: green glass, white glass, brown glass and, not to forget, Pfandglas), batteries, Christmas trees, corks and much much more. You think it’s fun and you make this world a better place!

 13. Biomarkt 

Bio is your new religion! You regularly visit the eco-supermarkets, the so called “Biomarkt“. You truly believe in BIO: Bio eggs, bio vegetables, bio soap, bio sugar, bio socks, bio EVERYTHING.

14. Carry your shopping bag

You have started carrying your own shopping bag (never a plastic one… more of a bio bag or a trolley) when you go to grocery stores! You like the “Jutebeutel”.

15. Weihnachstmarkt

The Germans really know how to do them better…

16. Taking the train earlier

Quite contrary to the punctual Germans, German public transportation is always late! It’s like a compensation to the over-punctuality of the whole society. It annoys you deeply, but that’s the punishment for you wanting to be punctual at all times! You’ve become extremely German if you start taking the train earlier (but even then, you might be late).

17. You consider buying tickets to Mallorca

Let’s be honest: the weather sucks. Only now you understand why millions of Germans invade Mallorca’s beaches every year and stay in the sun so long that they turn red like lobsters. Good luck trying to get used to the weather: that might take a while….

18. Hand shaking

Forget the kisses and the hugs… Shaking hands is so much cooler (or so you think).

19. Let’s get drunk on Friday evening

Fun is regulated over here: you have been living in Germany for too long when you know that Friday evenings are meant to get drunk and party hard…

20. Tatort

It is Sunday evening 20:15 and you find yourself in front the TV.

21. Abendbrot

German dinners may just mean breakfast… A piece of bread, lunch meat and cheese make in your opinion a delicious “Abendbrot” (evening bread – ed.)

22. Timetable forever

You have been living in Germany for too long when you have actually memorized the timetable of your bus/train/tram etc. and you actually get irritated when your bus/train/tram is two minutes late, which it most likely is. So you actually get irritated quite often…

23. Potato king

You think that potatoes are great! Boiled potatoes, fried potatoes, baked potatoes, potato salad, potato soup, “Reibekuchen’s”, mashed potatoes, “Pommes”, “Knödel”, “Kartoffelkroketten” – you like them all!

24. Herr and Frau Last Name

You have become a little bit German too when you give your last name on answering a phone or at any encounter.

25. Bratwurst mania

You love the Bratwurst! It’s like a hot dog, but so much better… You start missing the Germany’s favorite street food already after a week abroad.

26. …. Liken ! Liken!

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