My name is Liz and I am English. My husband’s job brought us to Cologne in September 2013. I have a linguistic background and one of my main priorities while here is to learn the German language. Now I hear people talking but I cant understand them. It is the nearest I can imagine to being deaf somehow.
I enjoy my new life in Germany. I like the fact that on a Sunday you can’t go shopping; the commercial aspect is not there, but there is still a lot to do. Most places feel clean and safe too. Things that I do not like in Cologne are mostly personal things, for example, I do not like feeling lost. My biggest struggle is the language, when I say “language” I also mean customs and traditions. For example, when you go to a WC, there is a small dish to put a coin for the cleaning lady. How do you know how much to put? You do not want to put too much, but you do not want to put too little to offend the person.
Could you share with us what you have recently learnt about Germany?
I was surprised to learn that Germans have to pay a huge Church tax and I’d like to know more about it.
Do you think a multicultural society can work?
It can. It definitely needs religious and political tolerance. Difference needs to be appreciated and not disliked. Personally I am fascinated by what is different, that’s why I like to travel and learn about the world.
Inga 
English
"Difference needs to be appreciated and not disliked."