1. Sandwiches are a normal breakfast food for you. And you can pay for one with only coins.
2. You are surprised when water (and soft drinks) get free refills.
3. You think that restaurant servers in the US “hover” too much. It makes you a little uncomfortable.
4. Sundays are sacred whether you are religious or not.
5. You always wait for the green light to cross at a crosswalk, even if there is no car in sight. Otherwise an old German lady will magically appear to yell at you.
6. The first word that comes to your mind when you get angry or disappointed is “Scheisse!”
7. You never, ever walk in the bike lane.
8. You have become more direct, maybe even aggressively so. (This is because your German neighbors will happily point out any wrongdoing of yours with the assumption that they are doing you a favor. Read more about huge lifestyle changes here at 43 Things to Know Before You Come to Germany.)
9. You never go out with your ID. What’s the point?
10. Instead of dreading the holidays because of gift buying and screaming children, you look forward to the Christmas seasons with all the Weihnachstmarkt magic and Gluhwein you can handle.
11. You always order beer with your meal – why not?! It’s cheaper than water.
12. You regularly bike or walk to your destinations. It’s healthier, and there’s no parking anyway.
13. When you visit home (mainly the US), you get stressed out while driving. No passing in the right lane! The left lane is for passing only! Why is everyone driving so terribly and so slow?!
14. You are accustomed to slow internet.
15. Busses and trains are always late, so you are sure to take an earlier one.
16. You shop at the grocery store almost daily.
17. You always buy enough food to last through Sunday, or else you accept the fact that you will just have to starve that day.
18. You fully expect to be able to bring your dog out to eat with you pretty much everywhere you go.
19. When you order ketchup, you are ready to pay an extra fee.
20. Where you used to happily yell at your neighbor for a normal conversation while eating out, now you think that American restaurants are crazy noise halls where both adults and children constantly scream at one another. You start to long for the peaceful meals out back “home” in Germany.
21. You read this list and don’t understand how any of these things could be considered weird.
*
Savannah is an American expat in Germany blogging at SavviScouts.
COMMENTS