If we try to count the most developed and prosperous countries in the world, I think Germany will undoubtedly take the first place.. There are many things we wonder about the lives of the Germans, who are at the beginning of the most developed and productive societies in the last 200 years.. Especially in Germany, where three million Turks live, it is of great interest in our country as to how life is..
10 Articles on Life in Germany
In this article, we share with you the unique aspects of life in Germany in 10 articles.. Have a pleasant reading in advance!
1) Social rules
If you want to live quietly in Germany, like every German, you must follow social rules, traffic rules, etc.. you have to obey. Although Germans have a “me”-oriented lifestyle, people working in the service sector, such as civil servants, mostly behave respectfully and consciously.. They like to follow the rules, and that’s true at work or on the street.. However, it is not known whether it is due to the monotony of life or lack of action, it is a fact that they work very slowly.. In all official works, official institutions still send you a paper, you sign it, you send it back to the institution, then when you say other paper works, a 1-hour job can sometimes take weeks.. We get used to the system over time, but we are excited people, so it is difficult to keep calm at first.. The same rules and regulations apply to apartment life.. It is forbidden to make noise (such as turning on the vacuum cleaner, taking a shower, mowing the lawn, etc.) between 12-2 noon and on Sundays in most apartments.. They can call and complain about you easily, they should tell us.
2) Language and Culture
The best investment before coming to Germany can be learning a language.. Because in our experience, speaking to a German in his language is the best way for you to both grasp the culture and easily understand what he really likes and dislikes and his real personality.. That’s why language is absolutely important.. Although this is not a requirement where you work, when your common language is English, neither you can give the real meaning nor you. Even if a few people in the crowd chat with you in English, after a while, everyone turns to their mother tongue.. At this point, a distinction is easily formed between the Germans, who laugh and joke or argue about business, and you.. Just as there are jokes and phrases that only we can understand among our Turks, there are also Germans and naturally they find it easier to speak in their mother tongue.. In short, if you plan to live here for a long time, I recommend you to learn the language.
3) Germans
Never talk to a German as much as two Turks in your workplace or social life. don’t expect to be friendly and close. Germans are people who like to talk, tell their stories down to the smallest detail or laugh out loud.. They expect you to be a sharer too.. However, it takes a long time for them to trust the person in front of them.. Even when trust is fully formed, they do not easily give up their skepticism.. Although we try to be optimistic about this, it is true that they have a prejudice against Turks.. There is a Turkish image they have created in their minds by combining Turkey, which is shown to them by the political situation and the media, and the expatriates who have lived here for years but do not even communicate with Germans, let alone learning the language.. We have to change this image! I will not say something like, but if we have decided to live here, it may be useful to adapt a little.. We should think that we would expect the same harmony in our own country and have empathy.
4) Rental system
In Germany, rents are determined as cold rent (Kaltmiete) first.. Then, when heating costs and extra costs (Nebenkosten) are added to this rent, it takes its final form.. Usually a deposit of 2 months’ cold rent is required and you are expected to paint the house before leaving the house.. The fact that the heating is connected to the center or whether it is a combi boiler may vary according to each apartment.. In the center, all the heaters are turned off around 11 at night.. Although we are now in March, the weather is not good at all as it is at -5 degrees at night.. In addition, the amount you will pay per square meter of a house depends on which state you are in.. While the rents are higher in more metropolitan cities such as Berlin and Münich, more affordable houses can be found in less central places.
5) House with kitchen
This title Of course, it will seem strange to most of you, we were very, very surprised at this when we first looked at the house.. Germans have a habit of taking their kitchen when moving out of a house.. Don’t ask how, like this: They’re dismantling the kitchen, including the cabinets, the sink, and everything else.. Do not be surprised if you come across empty kitchens covered with tiles while you are looking for a house.. If the tenant wants to buy the existing kitchen, an extra 1000-3000 euro can be requested.. So it’s best to rent an apartment with a kitchen inside. Under this heading, it should be mentioned that dishwashers are not very common.. Whether it’s because Germans usually prefer a quick, breakfast-style meal for dinner, most kitchens are designed to be small and without a machine pipe entrance.. This expense issue also applies to the washing machine.. Generally, when renting the house, a place called a pantry and a washing machine are shown on the lower floor.. They see the washing machine in the house as a danger of flooding, and drying clothes at home as disrupting the humidity balance.. It is quite common to put the machines in rows or in separate compartments in the cellar and create a place like a laundry room..
6) Recycling
No wonder Germany is the world champion in recycling. Recycling in Germany has almost become a habit, it seems to take place in the natural flow of life.. There are recycling bins in common living areas, schools, subway stations, parks and city centers and many other points.. However, I think the most impressive thing is that they separate household waste into paper, plastic, glass, battery and household waste and participate in recycling.. Each apartment has its own household waste and paper waste garbage. On certain days of the week, you bring plastic garbage to your door in yellow bags (Der Gelbe Sack) and vehicles come and pick it up.. There are large garbage containers in every neighborhood for waste such as clothes, furniture, glass and batteries.. If you see yellow bags piled up on the streets when you come to Germany, you now know that these are bags of plastic waste from homes waiting to be recycled.
7) Shopping and Sundays
An item that every Turk must get used to before starting to live in Germany: Stores that close after 20:00 in the evening and everywhere are closed on Sundays.. After a while, one gets used to the early closure of shops and markets on weekdays, but it’s hard to get used to Sunday 🙂 For Germans, Sunday is a rest day for everyone.. There are no places open except for gas stations and grocery stores at the main station (Hauptbahnhof).. That’s why there are quiet Sundays and the ones full of shopping are on Fridays and Saturdays here.. On Sundays, if the weather is nice (if not, it’s necessary) going to the parks and taking a walk are among the activities that Germans love.
8) Bread and pastry culture
That’s it. Bread and pastry cultures that they have developed over the years as a result of a quiet life and spending time at home. At least we think that way 🙂 The Germans should be given their due in this regard.. Bread cultures are very developed in terms of both taste and diversity.. They consume bread with cheese, ham and jams as the main meal in the morning and evening meals.. A variety of breads, where you can get the taste of fresh bread by putting them in the oven and heating them for 10 minutes, are also sold at affordable prices in the markets, a great option for breakfast.
9) Cash vs Credit card
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Cash is still the most common way to shop in Germany. You can also use debit cards in most places, but credit cards are not common at all.. It’s not easy to get a credit card anyway, they don’t give credit cards to anyone who comes in front of them.. No credit card installments. You can request funds (Finanzierung) for a product you buy, so you pay by dividing it by months and paying with interest.. In local markets and stores, only cash is still valid.
10) Legal rights
You pay your health insurance with a higher amount than your salary while working in Germany.. If your job is terminated for any reason, the state grants you unemployment benefits.. You must have worked for at least one year for this (employee benefits). For example, for a year, you will receive 67% of your salary for the next 6 months (unemployment social deduction you have paid from your salary until then), if you have worked for 2 years, you will receive this amount for 1 year.. You submit a resume at the beginning of this process, and throughout the process you apply for jobs and go to interviews.. This unemployment support is also available for those who have never worked and have insufficient financial situation.. The state also provides benefits per child in the family and protects the rights of the mother during pregnancy.. In short, I will say that there is a state here that really protects your rights.