Culture shocks I had after moving to Europe

Imagine it’s the dead of winter. You’re taking a wonderful hot shower when suddenly the water turns burning cold, and even your screams are frozen in your throat. Yeah, that’s what it exactly felt like entering Germany. I remember it being so, so cold. My breath froze in the air as I set foot out of the airport in Germany for the first time. I had a killer headache, had already thrown up, and hadn’t eaten anything for like 10 hours to boot. Needless to say, my arrival in Germany wasn’t a pleasant experience. Plus, it was also during the pandemic, so we had to quarantine for 2 weeks. We had a friend bring us groceries. Imagine being stuck in a new house in a new country with a (not so) new husband 😅.

Moving to a new country can be exciting too. For whatever purpose you undertake this strenuous journey, it can be a new chapter in your life as well as your personality. For me, it gave me butterflies but was no walk in the park either.

For a girl who’s used to sweating in Karachi’s hot, humid climate, Germany, quite literally, left me frozen in shock. It took me a few days to get used to the cold, and even after all these years, I still dread the winter. This is not only because of the sub-zero temperatures and daylight savings time but how the Sun is a no-show for months, and it gets dark around 4 pm! The Germans seem unfazed by the extreme weather and even have a saying about it: Es gibt kein schlechtes Wetter, nur falsche Kleidung! (There is no bad weather, only wrong clothes).

Perfect culture for the early birds, a nightmare for me

You might be thinking, “Oh, that doesn’t sound so bad,” but wait for it…it gets worse. Most European countries have a working day until about 8 in the evening. That means malls, shops, and a few restaurants close by that time. It was a big thing for me, whose day used to start after 6 (I know I’m lazy), and now I had to wind up all outdoor activities by that time. Recently, I found out that in Switzerland, some places even close down by 6. Would you believe that?

No post (or basically anything else) on Sundays

Aaand there’s more. You’re sure to have heard of rest days. Well, Germans take this culture quite literally. On Sundays, everything, I repeat EVERYTHING, is closed. You forgot to buy bread or eggs or, God forbid, milk for breakfast? Well, boohoo, because you’re gonna have to subsist on a meager fare of dry cereal or black tea. I came from a city that never rests. Did you see Ms. Marvel’s depiction of Karachi? I can vouch, it’s absolutely true! In many parts of Karachi, you won’t even see the difference between Sundays and other days. Everything will be open, even somethings are open till late on Sundays. But not in Germany. Here, in some places, you’re not even allowed to make noise, which includes vacuuming or even walking too loudly.

Stilles oder sprudel? Yes even water was a culture shock

While we’re on the topic of food, let’s talk about the absolute monstrosity that is sparkling water. Call it aerated, carbonated, or whatever, I can never get on board with its taste. One time I was invited to a family friend’s house. Their table offered the best Pakistani food, but everything was ruined when sparkling water was the only thing to drink. I’m sorry, Aunty, but I’m never coming back to your place again! It’s pretty common around Europe and even more so of a staple in Germany. Although tap water is one of the safest in the world, most Germans prefer their precious bottled water, which they equate with health and wellness. If you plan on traveling to Europe and asking for water, you better be prepared for the question: stilles oder sprudel? (plain or sparkling?)

Reduce, reuse, recycle!

We’ve talked about Germans’ obsession with bottled water, and connected to it is the responsibility of recycling all those bottles. But instead of a responsibility, it’s more like a sacred duty in European culture. ‘Germans love to recycle’ is a gross understatement, and what’s more surprising is that they don’t even do it for the reward. Yes, you heard it right. Pfand is a pretty common occurrence in Germany, where you get a few cents back for each bottle you return to the recycling machine. This may be a common concept in many Western countries, but the Pakistani in me still has a bottle or two or a plastic bag full of them stashed away in the kitchen because ‘I might need them’. Pfand what?

Oh your culture is based around food? Sorry we don’t have a kitchen

I thank God daily that my apartment has a kitchen to stock useless stuff in. Who doesn’t have a kitchen, you might be thinking? Most apartments in Germany would be the answer. A few months after arriving in Germany, we visited a friend’s house, and she told me all about how she and her husband had to go back and forth to get their kitchen installed. During the whole conversation, my face was like this: 😮.

I went home and asked my husband to explain what she meant, and apparently, most apartments in Germany do not have built-in kitchens. When you want to rent a place, you either look for a rare apartment that already has one or you go and buy a whole kitchen, including everything from the cabinets to the sink and the oven to the plumbing. And it’s not cheap at all. Needless to say, I’m still wrapping my head around that one.

Europe takes green living very seriously

Yes, there might be some uncommon things about German culture, but it has its fair share of commendable attributes. For example, the awareness about climate change and the switch to green energy. Each person knows their duty and acts accordingly, be it recycling or saving electricity. With regards to that, there is a great trend of cycling. Most people cycle to work, school, or wherever they need to be. There are fewer private cars as most either prefer to cycle or use public transportation, which is a wonder of its own.

With a flawless network of buses and trains connecting the whole Europe, public transport is easy, cheap, fast, and comfortable to boot. The buses are not as vibrant as the ones in Pakistan, but they sure pollute less. This summer, it was made even cheaper. The Ministry of Transport, in an effort to cut down on CO2 emissions (which they have achieved), introduced a 9 Euro Ticket applicable to travel anywhere within Germany. People flocked to trains in droves, and the scheme was a success. It’s elating to see the common people caring about saving the Earth and doing something about it. It always starts small, and only with that concern in the whole community can something like this be achieved on a regional level. I mean no offense to my country, and I understand our problems are of a whole different variety. When people are starving and drowning, they will hardly care about green energy. Yet, those of us who are privileged enough to have luxuries in our lives should at least spare a thought to the kind of world we will leave behind for our children. 

Lessons from the past

Another thing I love about Germans is how well preserved their history is and how each person has an affinity to it. There are thousands of years old buildings, yet they are near perfect shape as they used to be in the ancient days. Most Germans seem to have an avid interest in their history and carry a range of knowledge on the topic. There are tons of commemorative plaques and statues of historical figures, and in many places, I have seen written descriptions of the history of the site or some significant event that might have happened there. The information is not only for tourists but also for locals who are keen to know about their roots and culture. This is also manifest in the world-renowned and interesting museum selection Germany (and the rest of Europe) has to offer. 

To sum up, I think that’s enough shocks for a lifetime. Yet has Germany made me into the person I am today? Very much so. And for the better. Living in Germany has made me a more environmentally conscious, punctual, and healthier person. There’s no place like home, yet living in Europe definitely has its perks. 

Speaking of perks, Annie has just launched a new online class for adults, which will be perfect for you if you wanna learn Urdu.

So how about you? Which shock sounds totally unbelievable to you? Let us know in the comments, or drop a message on Instagram!