England vs Germany: a culture shock?

Although England and Germany may be major European countries, certain cultural aspects of the countries are very different. So, if you are English and want to go and discover Germany more closely, pay attention to these cultural differences (you have been warned):

• The Motorways

You have probably heard that English and German motorways are very different. This is true. Some motorways in Germany (though clearly not all of them by any means) effectively have no speed limit. This may make English car fans’ mouths water. Last January initial discussions were held to consider establishing a speed limit of 130 km/h. This idea has been put to one side for the moment, so you can make the most of the German motorways!

• Cigarettes

The German culture is completely different to English culture when it comes to cigarettes. While in England you need to go to a tobacco shop to buy a pack, it is much simpler in Germany. In truth, cigarettes are a much bigger part of daily life in Germany. It isn’t rare to go for a stroll down the road and to see an advert for a particular brand of cigarettes. Can you imagine this in England? However, it is very much the case in Germany. In addition to the adverts, if you go for a stroll down the road in Germany, it is possible you will meet people selling cigarettes. They are also very easily accessible in the majority of shops in Germany. Picture the scene: you have just finished your shopping and you want to get a packet of chewing gum by the till like you’re used to in England. Only here, you find cigarettes next to chewing gum.

• Ecology

Germany has a system known as Pfund where you take your glass or plastic bottles to collection zones (in a large number of shops). If you have a bottle in Germany with the Pfund symbol, take it to the shop, and in return you will recieve a voucher with the amount of money you just recieved written on it. You can use this voucher to save money next time you go shopping. Good for the environment and good for your wallet! It is not uncommon that you will see many people in the street with huge bags filled with bottles. It even happens, when you are sat in a park enjoying the sun, and people walk by to collect the bottles. So, a beer bottle lying around leads to money saved. Thank you, Germany!

You are now ready to go to Germany. Although England and Germany have much in common, some cultural aspects are completely different. So get out there and discover these two wonderful cultures.