AIBU to wonder what life in Germany is like?

[prepared101]

lighthearted and somewhat stereotypical

I'm on holiday at in popular European summer holiday destination. The resort is made up of mostly German and English tourists.

The Germans are almost universally in excellent shape- not thin but lean and 'strong' looking. Their hair is in good condition- mostly natural looking. Their skin is great and their tans are superb.

So. as I sit on my sun lounger with dodgy tan (if you can call it that) lines, a bit of extra podge on my belly and hair that breaks at the sight of chlorine I ask... how do I live like a German?!

in practice for me it’s the time. a 30 minute walk to supermarket (and 30 mins back) is an hour i often just don’t have spare when i can do it in 5/10 minutes in the car. i have a long commute (80 miles) and a lot of calls on my time. oh and living in the North West it’s usually pissing it down.

Germans are far more blunt than the British and many think nothing of telling you that you have got fat, same as in many Eastern Asian countries. Over here, people pussyfoot around the issue too much.

While it's a big yes to outdoor opportunities (including decent cycle routes - I miss those!), it is absolutely not true that Germans eat less processed foods - the processed meats for breakfasts and inners alone are something else, and so are a few very popular regional dishes (Eisbein, currywurst, Berliner - just to name a few).

What strikes me as very different is the actual taste of food - British fresh food can often be very bland. Compare that to the taste of fresh cucumbers, apples, tomatoes etc. in Germany and you'll be astonished at the difference.

There was also a big drive to home-grow food on balconies in flats (we used to get tomatoes, courgettes and marrows on a regular basis) or fruit in larger gardens.

Another big difference is the culture of common sense.

In Britain, there are signs by every lake near here forbidding you to swim because even one child getting in danger is seen as a minor catastrophe, as opposed to German lakes, where it's generally up to you to make sure you're safe.

Woods are far less often fenced off, so exploring them is much more enjoyable.

An indoor ice rink company near here has recently decided to mandate helmets for all children after the tragic accident of one child, after decades of successful, accident-free business. My children now refuse to go, where before, they loved ice skating.

And when I was young it was perfectly fine for me to walk to and from school by myself aged 6 (latchkey children are a very common thing) - my children here have to wait until they hit 10 or 11 before the threat of SS is lifted.

So yes, Brits are far more sheltered and therefore far less active.

As for haircare and skin, yes, the great outdoors helps, but Germans also use far fewer products and damage their hair less as a result. It used to be common for people to walk in the rain (good for your hair no end), dyes are generally less invasive and there is a huge market for organic, vegan and sulfate-free products.

People in this country are astonished that I only buy blue Nivea, but my skin looks 10 years younger as a result of just going for a very basic cream rather than 10 essential oils and perfumes.

I started spending time in Germany many years ago, in the late sixties/seventies and was struck by how many very overweight people there were compared to home. Admittedly they were middle-aged rather than young people.
Now the UK has overtaken them.

Agree with everything above about food and lifestyle, and hypochondria!. German visitors always comment on the aisles of crisps and snacks. Bread features a lot in their diet but it's good quality, dense bread. The amount of processed meat they eat isn't such a good thing. I believe bowel cancer rates are high.

It's so easy to cycle and cycling is a normal way to get around. I've seen lots of indoor tennis courts in small towns or villages. More people than here go hiking, often with a nice cafe to round off the walk.

A healthy lifestyle is easier there in many respects but to some extent it's choice. UK supermarkets stock all that stuff because it sells. We're good at excuses.

Be warned that everything closes on Sunday, sometimes even hotel restaurants. We were quite surprised to find even our five star hotel closed everything down so no bar, no room service. There were no museums open, only churches. Considering we were only there for a weekend trip it was a bit of a blow.

My dd stayed in a childrens home in Germany. She said the food wasn’t great. Lots of bread and sausages. Very outdoorsy and loved music.

Have lived here for nearly 35 years and wouldn't swap.
Working days tend to start earlier and consequently finish earlier leaving time in the late afternoon/early evening for hobbies etc.
Most towns and cities have a good, well-maintained infrastructure, whether that is public transport, leisure facilities or entertainment.
There are still open-air markets nearly everywhere, especially on Saturday mornings, where you can get local produce. It was not until I had been living here a few years that it dawned on me that the relatively poor selection of fruit and vegetables in supermarkets was because a lot of people grown their own.
As PPs have mentioned, walking, hiking and cycling are normal activities for all sections of the population.
There also does not appear to be this culture of constant snacking that seems to prevail in the UK and there certainly isn't the range of ready meals. Food (including the dreaded white asparagus - which was really good this year) tends to be local and seasonal, especially in more rural areas.
Things can be very bureaucratic, although this is improving and not so true in rural areas - presumably because they do not have the pressures of large non-German, non-EU people needing to be dealt with.
Sundays are generally seen as days of rest - no lawn mowing, for example - if you do a load of washing, you would definitely not hang it outside to dry. Most shops are closed on Sundays (and used to close at 14:00 on Saturdays in years gone by). You plan accordingly. If you are really desperate for something you can generally get it at the nearest major train station or airport, but these are the exception.
You often find that people live in rented accommodation until their late 30s or early 40s when they build a house. There are special schemes to save up for this event, which, when interest rates were high, offered a loan at much lower rates and a repayment time of 7 years. Not sure if these are still around and they did come under considerable criticism in the 90s on the grounds of mis-selling to a certain demographic, but the principle is a good one.
There is considerably less influence on life in general from the US.

You're right about the German comfort food! My grandad was half German but grew up in Germany before moving to England in his early 20s.

He loved sauerkraut, rollmop herrings, anything picked (not so much eggs), German potato salad (basically without mayo), pumpernickel.

He did have cake and puddings occasionally but didn't overeat. And he was very healthy, even into his 90s. Walked everywhere a lot.

Oh, he also liked salami (German) and cheese. But he had a half French/half English father.

Op I've spent considerable time in Germany, certainly never saw the blonde strapping super healthy people at all!
Infact many men looked extremely over weight.
Maybe the resort you are in Is attracting a certain type?

The health care system is bloody superb.

Good exercise routines start at an early age - children walk to school every day (without their parents) and much more organised sports after school.

My grandad growing up in various parts of Bavaria and Bad Godesberg (Bonn) was very active. He did a lot of outdoor sports including fishing, skiing, running, cycling, swimming. When he was a child even before WW1 and after WW2 they ate home laid eggs, rabbits, etc and food was very important even though it was scarce at times.

Having married an English woman and then an Irish woman in England, he did also embrace English breakfasts (porridge, boiled eggs) and he also liked wine and beer. Drink was in moderation to a certain degree.

I'm not sure if it's related to being brought up in Bavaria but he was very sociable with the pub but would also talk to anyone.

I was only talking to dh the other day about how you can spot Germans a mile off. Their fabulous tans, healthy looking with a nice outdoorsy style. There are all of the threads on here about how to look french but I'd love to look German, unfortunately my pale Irish skin that just burns would never allow me too.

I live in Munich - our supermarkets are closed on Sunday (except in the central station and the airport), but museums, cinemas and most restaurants are open at least in the city. Hours may vary though.

Eh? Their obesity rates are similar to the U.K. Was on holiday recently, lots of fat Germans.

Tans are not healthy!

Hardly anyone has these any more. I last lived in a place with one circa 1998.

It's true that people in the former West are, by and large, wealthier and healthier (there is still a life expectancy gap of a few years), but culturally the two are broadly similar.

Based on the last time we were in Denmark, all the fat Germans are holidaying on the west coast of Denmark.

Oh yes, the museums and restaurants will definitely be open on Sunday, certainly in Munich.

By no means everyone builds/buys a house. People do, especially in some areas of the country (and it's much more usual to either inherit a house from parents, often after living in part of it for decades, or build - there's nothing like the UK housing market really), but, as a PP said, renting is a perfectly good option and many do it for life, esp (but not only) in cities. Tenants are properly protected. A landlord has to demonstrably have one of a very limited number of good reasons to end a rental contract (which are almost always permanent/time-unlimited), whereas a tenant can leave without giving a reason, just three months' notice. You'd never have a phrase like 'in rented accommodation' - with all its connotations of impermanency - in German.

No tuition fees! And a very generous system of state support for students - means-tested on parental income but fairly liberally so, so plenty of students from middle-income families get it - and it takes into account the number of children a family has to support. It's half a grant and half a loan.

Shhh, don't tell anyone, but I have a loo with a poo display shelf. I also have a normal one, though.
Another thing that springs to mind is the annual health checks after a certain age. Not sure when these start, but I get sent "vouchers" for these that I present when I go for the appointments.

So - are Germans actually superior then?

Thanks for the Munich tips. I’m more familiar with the Düsseldorf area.

Think I’ll start a university degree in Germany thread nearer the time.

Not at all, but I would say that in general in Germany there is a better quality of life for most people. Better healthcare, far more financial support for families, lots of outdoor activities, etc.

Though as PP said, there are still very stark differences between east and west, parts of the former east are very deprived with a lot of people suffering. It's not all roses in Germany.

And yet with all that, we still moved back to the UK and I am much happier here : )

@tara66 I wouldn't say that Germans are superior, there are good and bad as in every country. I would say that things are more organised and more formal with distinct processes. These tend to work 90+% of the time.
Again, as with everywhere, it depends on your demographic and where you live.
One thing I have noticed, which is quite interesting, is that compared to 15 or 20 years ago people are now prepared to move around a little more for work and are prepared to commute more, if it means they can buy or build a house in a less expensive area. This never used to be the case.

You've basically described my German friends there