1/29/22, 6:48 PM 12 ways to improve your life in Germany without even trying

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12 ways to improve your
life in Germany without EXPLAINED
get a rent red
even trying for problems
German flat

What I’ve lea

from five yea
living in Ber
Imogen Goodman
news@thelocal.de

@imogen_goodman

German gov
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contract
Updated termination
Ski tourers climb against the backdrop of the Alps on their way to the
28 January 2022
Brauneck summit. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Tobias Hase
15:12 CET Consumers i
Germany fac
A new year doesn't have to be all about grand plans widespread
living in germany and life-changing resolutions. With these 12 steps, hikes this ye
Share this article you can make a big difference to the quality of your
life in Germany without even trying.
Deadline for
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1/29/22, 6:48 PM 12 ways to improve your life in Germany without even trying

New Year’s resolutions are all well and good, but exchanging
sometimes the best laid plans can be hard to stick to German driv
licences exte
once spring rolls around. So instead of overhauling
your entire life, why not try making these simple
changes which could make a surprising difference to
your life in Germany? 

1. Get a bike 

Sure, if you live at the top of a mountain in the Bavarian

Alps, this one may not be that appealing, but almost
anywhere else in Germany it makes total sense to
cycle. With extensive cycle-path systems, German
cities are renowned for being well-equipped for cyclists
– and if you live in Berlin, you get the added bonus of
living in one of the flattest places around.

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If you’ve been relying on buses and trains to get you

from A to B, you’ll probably be surprised at how
efficient it can be to cycle around the city instead. Say
goodbye to packed-out trains, missed connections,
and endless scrolling. Say hello to feeling like a
superhuman and getting your daily workout done while
commuting to work. 

READ ALSO: Riding the Radweg: A guide to touring

Germany by bike

2. Ask questions 

This is such a simple one, but it doesn’t come naturally

to everyone. Living in a foreign country can get
confusing and overwhelming – especially if you
happen to have chosen one with as many rules and
regulations as Germany. Give yourself a break and
remember it’s okay not to know everything. Nobody will
mind if you ask, and often there’s nothing a local will
enjoy more than giving you the lowdown on everything
you may have unwittingly been getting wrong. (I
believe this is what’s known as “German small talk”.) 
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Showing curiosity is also a great way to get the insider

scoop on the best places to go in your city or quirky
German customs. The more you learn, the more at
home you’ll feel, so ask away. And if you can’t find an
actual local to answer your questions, ask The Local
instead! 

3. Meet the neighbours

Boiler broken in sub-zero temperatures again? Fallen ill

while living alone? Council refusing to empty the bins
again because they are “too full”? (Yes, this is an actual
thing.) 

Knowing the neighbours can be a life-saver in

situations like this. Especially in the time of Covid,
creating a small community in the building where you
live is a great way to ensure there’s someone there to
look out for you if you need it. But even in non-Covid
times, a fluent German speaker who understands the
rules and is on your side is one of the best ways to
reduce stress in your life. 

An elderly lady in Essen recieves a delivery of groceries from a

neighbour during the pandemic. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Roland
Weihrauch

So next time you meet one of the other building-

dwellers at the postbox or out in the Hof, why not say
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hello and ask how they are? After a few conversations,

you could even set up a WhatsApp group to coordinate
complaints to the landlord and borrowing eggs / DIY
stuff / Covid tests. Trust me, after building good
relationships with your neighbours you may wonder
what you ever did without them. 

4. Stay informed 

Since you’re reading The Local right now, chances are

you’re already pretty well-informed, so we may be
preaching to the converted here. But keeping on top of
current affairs over your morning coffee at the end of
your working day is a great way to feel more integrated
in German society and stay on the right side of the
ever-changing Covid rules. 

Even better, you’ll finally have something to yabber

about with your German work colleagues at your next
Feierabendbier (after work drinks). 

5. Spend time outdoors

Germans are absolutely crazy about the great

outdoors, and it’s no wonder: whether it’s the sprawling
lakes of Brandenburg, the soaring peaks of Bavaria or
the rolling hills of Hesse, Germany has a breathtakingly
beautiful natural landscape. 

A car drives through the snow-covered Ore Mountains in Saxony.

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1/29/22, 6:48 PM 12 ways to improve your life in Germany without even trying

Numerous poets, painters and thinkers have taken

inspiration from these scenes and concluded that
nature is good for the soul. But did you also know
that two hours a week in nature is strongly linked to
good physical health and wellbeing as well? The
benefits improve the more time you spend in the great
outdoors, but it doesn’t matter whether you get your
dose of nature in one go or several small bites, so just
getting out for 20 minutes a day could do the trick. 

READ ALSO: Holiday like a local: Five of the best

camping regions in Germany

6. Find German things you like

Are German grammar books making you want to move

to Spain instead? We don’t blame you. The good news
is, pouring over endless textbooks may not even be the
most effective way to learn German. A better method
is what’s known as immersion learning, which is
exactly what it sounds like and is how we learn
languages as children.

See also on The Local:

End of a political era as Why do Europeans Ange

Merkel steps down want a recreational…
recreational… funn

04:43 03:31


Now, nothing is going to beat speaking and listening

with a real native speaker, but the next best thing is
finding German culture you enjoy and diving right in.
Whether it’s trashy TV, cheesy pop music or point-and-
click adventure games, there are no “guilty pleasures”
here. If anyone asks, you’re improving your German. 

READ ALSO:

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The five weirdest and best reality TV shows for

improving your German
How to overcome five of the biggest stumbling
blocks when learning German

7. Visit a sauna

If the long, hard winters are getting you down, a trip to

the sauna could be just the thing you need to
rejuvenate yourself. It’s a great way to escape the cold
for a few hours and sweat out all those toxins you
guzzled over Christmas, while also embracing the
German attitude of not really caring if anyone sees you
naked.

In the month of punishment diets and guilt over piling

on the pounds, a little bit of Freikörperkultur (FKK –
free body culture or naturism) could be just the thing
you need to feel comfortable in your own skin again.  

8. Switch banks

With eye-watering ATM charges and punitive account

fees, banks in Germany can be the complete opposite
of consumer-friendly. But studies suggest we’re more
likely to get divorced from our partner than switch
banks in our lifetime – probably because it’s perceived
as difficult.

This is a shame, because the process has become

incredibly simple in recent years, and many banks offer
attractive bonuses to try and lure new customers. 

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A customer makes a withdrawal at an ATM. Cash withdrawal fees

can be a major downside of many German bank accounts. Photo:
picture alliance/dpa/dpa-tmn | Benjamin Nolte

If you’re stuck with a bank that charges you to use

most ATMs, ING-Diba and DKB could be a cheaper
route. Alternatively, the mobile bank N26 is designed to
be easy and bureaucracy-free for foreigners, but there
are plenty of options to explore. 

9. Try something new 

From sampling local food to trying your hand at ice

dipping, living in a foreign country is a great
opportunity to step out of your comfort zone and try
something new.

Who knows? You may find your new favourite dish or a

hobby you never knew you would love – and at the very
least, you could make some new friends.

10. Eat seasonally 

In our modern, globalised world, it’s easy to get out of

step with the seasons and find ourselves stuck in a rut
with our eating habits. One of the great things about
Germany is how much of a big deal people make about
seasonal produce – just visit any local restaurant
during Spargelzeit if you don’t believe me.

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By trying to stick to local, seasonal produce, you not

only help the environment but you also support your
local community. And there’s something lovely about
feeling in touch with the changing seasons and having
an excuse to switch up your diet and experiment with
new dishes every few months. 

You can find calendars telling you what fruit and veg is
in season on this incredibly helpful website (in
German). 

11. Wear practical clothes

There’s a reason Germans are generally known as

practical dressers rather than fashionistas: having an
active lifestyle in unpredictable weather generally calls
for practical clothes. Whether you’re out in the Ore
Mountains in the pouring rain or running to meet a
friend for coffee in the snow, there are some absolute
wardrobe essentials you can’t do without if you live
here. 

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A man walks with his dog in the snow and fog in Bavaria. Germans
are well known for having practical clothes in every type of weather
– and German dogs are no exception. Photo: picture alliance/dpa |
Lennart Preiss

This winter, think like a German and stock up on high-

quality gloves, sturdy boots and a warm coat. As the
Norwegians love to say (but it could just as well be a
German phrase): “There’s no such thing as bad
weather – only bad clothing.”

READ ALSO: Five German lifestyle habits you should

think about adopting

12. Set reminders 

We’re sure it won’t come as a surprise to you that living

in Germany involves a lot of bureaucracy on top of the
general hectic pace of modern life. You may think you
have the memory of Rain Man, but even he would
struggle to remember all the tax deadlines, visa
appointments and general admin that daily life in
Germany can require. 

Our advice? Set reminders for key dates, appointments

and deadlines on your phone. We’re not promising that
you’ll complete avoid any angry bureaucratic letters of
doom, but for the most part, it should help you keep on
top of things. 

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