German Dual Citizenship - While most nationalities must denounce their nationality in order to get German citizenship, German law permits certain people to hold two citizenships in certain circumstances. German dual citizenship can be granted in the following situations: Children with one German and one foreign parent, or a parent who has two citizenships, automatically acquire all the citizenships […]
How to Act Like a Real German - How do people greet one another in Germany? How do work colleagues interact? What really makes Germans “tick”? Anyone arriving in a foreign country for the first time is often unsure of how they should behave. So it makes great sense to find out about a country’s idiosyncrasies before you arrive. You will find it […]
How to Behave In a Restaurant in Germany - Public places in Germany like restaurants or cafes require certain behavior. Learn how to get the most pleasure out of it. Difficulty Level: Easy Time Required: 2 hours Here’s How: Wish others at your table Guten Appetit before you begin eating. Wish others Prost! (Cheers!) before you begin drinking. If you need to call a […]
How to Celebrate Carnival in Cologne - The Cologne Carnival (Kölner Karneval) is a carnival that takes place every year in Cologne, Germany. Traditionally, the “fifth season of the year” (carnival season) is declared open at 11 minutes past 11 on the 11th of the 11th month November. But the real “crazy days” do not start before the so-called Weiberfastnacht (Shrove Thursday), […]
How to Color the Easter Eggs - Coloring eggs for Easter is an old tradition dating back to the times when the liquid wax techniques were used for that. Learn how to do it easily and in a natural way nowadays — with onion peels! Difficulty Level: Easy Time Required: 1 hour Here’s How: Fill a large pan with water and let […]
How to Cook Gingerbread Cookies - Gingerbread cookies are traditionally made in Germany for Christmas. Cook them anytime, and let some Christmas into the house right now! Difficulty Level: Average Time Required: 30 min Here’s How: Heat 3/4 cup honey, 3/8 cup sugar and 2 tbsp butter in a saucepan until smooth. Stir in ginger, black pepper, ground cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, […]
How to Cook Gingerbread Cookies - Gingerbread cookies are traditionally made in Germany for Christmas. Cook them anytime, and let some Christmas into the house right now! Difficulty Level: Average Time Required: 30 min Here’s How: Heat 3/4 cup honey, 3/8 cup sugar and 2 tbsp butter in a saucepan until smooth. Stir in ginger, black pepper, ground cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander and nutmeg (a […]
How to Cook Sauerbraten - Don’t let the long cooking time scare you away. This authentic German dish will win your heart … after you have cooked it. Difficulty Level: Average Time Required: 3 days Here’s How: Mix 2 cups water, 1 cup wine vinegar, 1 tsp salt, 2 onions, 1 carrot, 5 peppercorns, 2 whole cloves, and 1 bay […]
How to Cross the Street In Germany - Make your stay in Germany safe — follow the simple traffic rules. Difficulty Level: Easy Time Required: 30 sec Here’s How: Be sure to choose a zebra crossing for walking across the street. Wait for the little green man on the traffic-light to show you when to walk. Look to the left. Look to the […]
How to Get a Work Permit for Germany - Obtaining a work permit for Germany is not always easy. Your success in the application process depends on various factors: your nationality, your occupation, even your annual salary. Here are the key aspects that you have to keep in mind. General Considerations Over the past few years, the German government has tried to encourage the […]
How to Get German Citizenship - Getting German Citizenship is one of the top questions we get so we have decided to summarize the information for those who are willing to get started. The German Foreign Office quite ominously warns on its website that “German citizenship law is relatively complicated” and that they can only answer “the issues which currently dominate […]
How to Make German Quark - Quark is a traditional, creamy, unripened cheese tracing its origin to German-speaking and eastern European countries. Quark is said to be a cross between yogurt and cottage cheese. This fresh, soft, white cheese is prepared from pasteurised cow’s milk with a small amount of acid added to achieve a good, firm curd. However, traditional quark […]
How to Move to Germany - If you do not want to completely say goodbye to your own country in order to live in Germany, permanent residency to guarantee you can stay long-term might be a better bet. Taking up residency in Germany can be a tricky topic that involves a fair bit of paperwork. This article will list the most […]
How to Pack for a Trip to Germany - Avoid disappointment upon your arrival in Germany by knowing the important things in advance. Difficulty Level: Average Time Required: varies Here’s How: Take a Foreign-German dictionary from your original country. Bring some German currency. If you bring a computer and it doesn’t accept 230V, be sure to take an auto-transformer (not the simple “converters” used […]
How to Peel White Asparagus - Learn how to peel white asparagus Difficulty Level: Easy Time Required: 5 minutes Here’s How: White asparagus must be peeled, as the outside is fibrous and even woody at times. The usual way to peel asparagus is to hold it in your non-dominant hand, gripping it gently right below the head with the thumb and […]
How to Prepare for a Trip to Germany - If you are planning a trip to Germany but have no idea what to pack, here is everything you need to know about what to pack for your trip and the essential items you absolutely must take with you, plus a few packing tips and tricks, for good measure. Germany has so much to offer […]
How to Pronounce German Consonants l and r Correctly - Most consonants in German are pronounced differently than in English. It is quite obvious with the consonants l and r. Difficulty Level: Average Time Required: 20 min Here’s How: Pronouncing l (like in “million”), place the tip of the tongue to the ridge behind the upper teeth. Flatten it to produce the German l sound […]
How to Saw a Log - This is the first thing a newly-wed couple in Germany has to do immediately after they have gone out of the church. Difficulty Level: Hard Time Required: varies Here’s How: Step out of the church with a happy smile on your face like all newly-weds do until they see a huge log waiting for them. […]
How to Taste German Beer - Practical advice on how to get to the bottom of a beer stein without losing a bit of the rich taste of German beer. Difficulty Level: Average Time Required: 20 min Here’s How: Choose your favorite kind of beer, or the kind mostly advised by your friend. Open the bottle. While pouring the beer into […]
How to Win a German’s Favor - It is very important for a stranger to be accepted in German society. Study the following rules, use your intuition, think of all the good things you were taught in your childhood, and good luck! Difficulty Level: Hard Time Required: 2 hours Here’s How: Be on time (at least do your best not to be […]
Party Like a German - It’s party season, and to help you seamlessly blend into German life and culture we’ve put together our top ten ways you can avoid embarrassment while you’re keeping out the winter chill. 1. Arrive on time. Germans love nothing more than punctuality. While ‘fashionably late“ might be a desirable quality in more laid-back countries, it […]