45 Signs That You Have Been Living in Germany For Too Long

Most expats don’t realise how much life as an expat in Germany alters them until they return home and struggle with reverse culture shock. Here is a silly but relatable list of 45 signs that you have been living in Germany for too long. 

Let’s face it: When you have been living in a foreign country for a few years, it will start rubbing off on you – whether you like it or not.

I came to Germany for the first time in 2010. In 2012, I moved back to the country of my birth. As soon as I landed, I started to experience a massive reverse culture shock. Within a week of arriving in India, I hatched a plan to go back to Germany. 

Ladies and Gents, in that one week I realised that I had been Germanised in those two years. There are so many things – subtle habits that I have picked along the and didn’t even notice. 

As of 2020, I have been living in Germany for a total of eight years. Last fall, I visited India for a couple of weeks. I realised during this trip that now I am even more Germanised that ever before. 

This holiday really got me thinking hard about the signs that you’ve been living in Germany for a long time. At this time this list is just about 45. I will keep with adding to it as I think of new ones.

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Let the assimilation begin…

1. 1. You genuinely appreciate the German Ordnung – and miss it deeply when you are in a foreign country or back home
   2. You can get a full night sleep on German square pillow without waking up like a bent-neck lady/lad each morning.
   3. You have come to appreciate the high tax system in Germany
   4. You intuitively start to separate your müll into 7 different mülltonne
   5. Ruhezeiten have become sacred hours for you
   6. You have 107 types of insurances and don’t know what exactly they’re for
   7. You carry a bunch of cash everywhere you go 
   8. You catch yourself saying tja and naja every at least 11 times every day
   9. German straightforwardness does not shock you anymore
   10. In fact, now you find over- friendliness of other cultures too superficial for your taste
   11. You do not hesitate before stripping down to nought at the sauna
       

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   12. You arrive exactly 5 – 10 minutes before any appointment and expect the same of others
   13. Speaking of time, you are now fluent in military time system
   14. You now carry reusable shopping bags and frown upon those who buy plastic bags at the shopping till
   15. Great weather now means – anytime when it is not raining…
   16. You wait at the red signal – even when there are no cars in sight  
       

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   17. You have learnt to make potatoes in 20 different ways
   18. You look forward to seasonal German foods like –Weiß Spargel, Flammkuchen mit Federweißer or Kürbissuppe.
   19. Suerkraut or mettwürst has grown over you – you actually love them!
   20. Abendbrot is now an acceptable dinner for you
   21. You now religiously believe that German beer is the best in the world
   22. You say your last name whenever the phone rings instead of ‘Hello’
   23. You say ‘Hallo/ Guten Tag’ whenever you enter the doctor’s waiting room and ‘Auf Wiedersehen’ when you leave
   24. It is now normal for you to accept your neighbour’s packages and feel fine when they accept yours when you aren’t home
   25. You automatically take your shoes off whenever you enter someone’s house 
   26. You gasp audibly when a guest does not take their shoes off when they enter your home (and you never invite them. Ever again!)
   27. You open your windows every day for umluftung, even on the coldest of winter days.
   28. Apfelschorle, Weinschorle or any-schorle is now your standard drink to order at a cafe!
   29. You always remember to take an umbrella or a regenjacke whenever you head out
   30. You forbid yourself from wishing someone “Happy Birthday” before their birthday
   31. You appreciate the idea of a “Pfand” and religiously collect your pfandable bottles
       

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   32. You say “Genau” in a conversation every few minutes – even when the conversation is in English!
   33. You are not afraid of drinking in public areas and don’t hesitate to take ‘one for the way’
   34. You watch Dinner For One and drink feuerzangenbowle every New Year’s Eve
   35. You look forward to Christmas markets in November already
   36. You look forward to your “Feierabend” every evening – even when you work from home
   37. You effortlessly greet your German colleagues with a Mahlzeit!
   38. Making a table reservation is a norm for you when planning to dine out
   39. You love visiting your local therme as often as possible – especially during winter
   40. You have different beer glasses for specific types of beers
       
   41. You own Tracht! And NEVER miss a chance to flaunt it
   42. You get seriously annoyed when someone talks loudly in the ruhebereich in the train
   43. You know better than to go grocery shopping just before the long weekend
   44. You use at least one item from Jack Wolfskin in your wardrobe.
   45. You are much more aware of sustainability and have picked several sustainable lifestyle habits – and you are proud of it

       And here is the last one! 😉
       
       

   46. Whenever you leave Germany to visit home, you terribly, utterly miss your real home in Germany. 🙁 🙁

Your turn now! How has living in Germany changed you? Do you have a special habit that you picked up while living in Germany? Tell us in the comments below.

Like this post? Read this Dummy’s Guide to Dating a German

Want to learn more about Life in Germany? Start Here!

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