15 Things You Didn’t Know About Living in Germany

Following article was posted as comment by Raj to the post – 39.4% of International Students in Germany Faced Discrimination.

I want to say thanks to hsb for including information regarding other countries also.

Go here to learn more about Study in Germany for International Students.

And I request everyone who is commenting on this post to comment only if you have been to Germany don’t comment by just simply listening from so and so person or from so and so relatives.

Because what we usually hear from so and so people is just half truth. SORRY to every one if any ones feeling is being hurt by this or after reading this comment will . .

First thing to make it clear for every one here , Whatever I’m posting here is based on my personal experience and also from the experience of my room mates and many other peoples.

I can even provide you contact information of people to prove my point of view .
Now before coming to my experience in Germany I want to share few info regarding me . I have done my mechanical engineering from India in 2008 .

During my engineering days all of my friends applied to USA, UK and many of them left the country since most of them thought that there is very less scope for mechanical in India, (now I know everyone reading this comment will be very happy to argue or start fighting regarding scope of mechanical in India ….

Please guys if your thinking then don’t please because my intention here is not to compare scope of mechanical in India ..the notion of my friends was that the salary range for any mechanical person here in India will be initially very less around max 18.5k for freshers according to what I got and many of my friends got even 12k and less than that also ).

Even I thought of doing masters in u.s then I backed out my plan because of my father’s health.

I thought to do masters after he recovers. And in mean time I collected and dreamed about all countries starting from USA, UK and Germany.

• Where to Study with Admission from US, UK and Germany?

But luckily after few months of my engineering I landed up in a job in a reputed firm in India as a cae/fea analyst.

They paid me around 18.5k per month and I got very excited since among my friends iam one of the person who got good pay he he he in mechanical field.

Initially I enjoyed my work a lot. I like my work a lot.

Because my plan was that I will work for few months here and then plan to do masters in any country mostly u.s or u.k since I have many friends there.

But slowly my work got hectic and from my mind everything regarding masters was gone .Now the next way to go to any country without doing masters is by going onsite ( after few years of experience reputed companies send there employees to work onsite he he he …good way to make quick bucks he he he ).

I started planning to go to onsite.

Because this looked golden chance for me to enter in Germany( PARADISE FOR MECHANICAL AND AUTOMOTIVE PEOPLE AS I HEARD FROM FIRST DAY OF ENGINEEING HE HE HE).

I was working for almost 13 to 14 hours and some times more than that in-order to go to onsite to Germany. I lost my social life.

Everyday I just woke I go to office comes home and then sleep. boring life. Like this around 3 years passed and finally I heard the good news from my PM that they are sending me to GERMANY.

• Butter your manger to get onsite opportunity?

I was very excited. I heard many things about Germany from many people.

Every one said Germany is paradise for automotive and mechanical field.

Now finally my hard work was about to pay off. I landed Munich airport on October 5th 2011 . Most memorable day of my life.

The experience was exciting , thrilling It seems like I’m on cloud 9.

As I came for work I need to concentrate more on my work in order to make my position fix here he he he but stil I planned to enjoy a lot. He he he .

First 15 days in Germany :

I landed at Munich airport. I loved the first breeze that touched me when I kept my first leg on Munich (place in Germany) land.

I liked a bit crowded Munich airport. I felt like I will never be alone since there are so many people here since I’m visiting foreign country for first time . So many people to help. So many people to make friendship .

So many places to enjoy and so much office work to do not to forget.

First 2 days were full of joy, but later I found that Germany was not much friendly to international people.

I faced biggest problem of language, its really very very hard to communicate with people in English since most of the Germany people prefer speaking in in their native language.

Most People treat international people as some one from zoo.

Initially they look at you as if they came to watch animal in zoo. They observe many things about you most of time you may not notice.

They just smile and walk away, few gossips if they don’t have any other work to do and few mischiefs comment.

I agree that if you go to a new country like this many things are common. But for every thing there is a limit. Compared to USA  and UK here discrimination is very much ( I can say this since I have my sister and her in laws stay in u.s ).

Then slowly after few few days I got used to this type of attitude . But still a person having self respect will some times get hurt due to this behavior.

Even for accommodation to take a home or flat for rent its very hard to get since most of German people don’t trust easily any international people.

Luckily my accommodation was provided by my company. Any Indian who prefers eating spicy food surely Germany is not a great place for you.

YOU WILL NOT LIKE THE FOOD SERVED HERE.

Like in U.S.A you don’t usually get indian food easily.

So I got sick very frequently. And most of the people here hate food served here. Then started work load. And I was tired working late hours so initial few days I didn’t travel any part of Germany.

Later days in Germany

Once I lost my way and it was very hard to figure out the correct path. I tried to ask few people but I found them very unfriendly to help.

Many just don’t respond to you knowing you are not from European country.

I walked for 2 hours to know the correct path and in night even I planned to sleep under a bench near roadside but luckily I found a nice Indian who helped me to reach my company’s flat.

Most People here don’t care much to help any international people. There are many incidents that took place in past few months. but since it will get boring to read iam summarizing points.

Life in Germany

1. Language is biggest barrier .
2. Food is not good , you will get bored and quick sick
3. Many good places to visit but also very costly he he he he
4. Climate is very nice
5. Many cases of robbery, theft and abuses especially to international people ( I want to mention word Indians but people in this blog will start arguing)
6. Most of Native people are not so friendly
7. Technology wise its very nice. Very much developed.
8. Paradise for nerds and people who want to do research work.
9. Its not nice for an average person who wants to enjoy life like me and many others who want to make a balance between enjoyment and work.
10. Not easy to get accommodation.
11. A bit difficult to do shopping.
12. You will make good bucks but its very hard to save here. Iam telling this by keeping in mind a normal person spending habits ( i.e after listening to lifes of around 12 peoples out of which some where my colleagues and some neighbours and from my personal opinion)
13. Immigration rules are very strict.
14. Traffic and other government rules are very rigid . Frequently you may get fined.
15. You will feel like a bird captured in golden cage called ADVANCE TECHNOLOGY.

In short I’m regretting why I did 3 years Of hard work to go to onsite for a country like Germany.

In short iam regretting why I did 3 years of hardwork to go to onsite for a country like Germany.

I would have gone to USA or Australia and made good bucks along with that enjoyed life more compared to here. Best part was I learnt new things technology wise but i guess same technology is available in USA.

P.S : Sincere request to people reading this article .

Most of you will at any point while reading this post will relate this to yourself since most of this things happened with you people also if you once visited Germany.

But you people will not agree to this I guess may be …if yes then please don’t argue on this post pointing any point since it is my experience and along with that experience of many of my friends.

I can explain each point with examples, places where it happened along with people with whom it happened to prove my words.

And any point of my comment not wholely says that any people are bad or all Germans are bad I’m pointing only to people that I met.

I met with good people also, there are many good people also. But in general I described based on people I met and incidents in my life and my friends.

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Disclaimer – The opinions expressed in the post are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of the Happy Schools Blog.

Are You Living in Germany?

If you are studying or living in Germany, can you share your experience about education, lifestyle in Germany?

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Your Thoughts to Above Article

Now, you have read an experience shared by someone who is now living and working in Germany. He haven’t painted a rosy picture about Germany.

I can say that experience varies between personalities. I would appreciate if more folks who have been to Germany or living in Germany can share their experience.