5 Fun Facts About Germany

Hi! I’m Wanich, a Thai volunteer currently living in Germany.

After staying here for a while, I’ve learned so many things I never imagined I’d have to deal with back in Thailand.

So I wanted to share a few things in case anyone is planning to come live here too.

Here are 5 things I wish I knew beforehand.

1. The Train and Bus System in Germany

Back in Thailand, I thought German trains must be perfectly on time. But when I got here it was definitely not like that.

On my very first day, I missed a bus because I was waiting on the wrong side of the road. The bus stop names were exactly the same, but they went in completely different directions. When I checked the DB Navigator app again, the next bus was almost an hour away.

That’s when I learned that German public transport is connected through several different companies. When platforms change or delays happen, the app sometimes updates a little late.

And in smaller towns, some bus lines really do come only every 30 to 60 minutes.

2. German Bread

I had no idea German bread came in over 3000 varieties but it is true.

The first time I walked into a bakery, I was overwhelmed. There were dark ones, sour ones, nutty ones, crusty ones, heavy ones that felt like weights.

But honestly, most of them taste really good and they’re surprisingly affordable, especially from local bakeries.

Brötchen is what people eat every morning, usually with butter or cheese. It is simple but really good.

Germany grows many types of grains, so every region has its own recipes. Bread is a big part of their food culture.

3. Waste Separation is a Real Skill Here

At first, I thought separating waste was just basic recycling.

But it is much more detailed than that.

There is organic waste, plastic, paper, metal, clear glass, brown glass, green glass and sometimes bottles come with a deposit system too.

Germany recycles around 60 percent of its waste, one of the highest rates in Europe.

Every household also has specific days for each type of waste collection. If it is not the right day, they simply will not pick it up.

But after a while, you get used to it. You even start checking bottle colors without thinking.

4. Bicycles Are Everywhere

If you are used to motorcycles in Thailand, forget that here.

In Germany, especially in small towns, people rely heavily on bicycles.

The bike lanes are well designed with their own signs and signals. Some train cars even have spaces just for bikes.

In hilly areas, people love e bikes because they make riding so much easier.

Once you get used to biking, life feels lighter. Everything is within biking distance, it saves money, it is healthy and it is fun.

I bought a second hand bike through the Kleinanzeigen app and it works perfectly fine.

5. German Directness Reduces About 90 Percent of the Drama

At first, it felt like Germans speak very bluntly.

But it is part of their culture. For them, being direct is a form of respect because it means the listener does not need to guess or read between the lines.

At work, it is even clearer. Meetings go straight to the point with no extra tasks and no endless discussions. Overtime is very rare.

The minimum wage in 2025 is 12.82 euros per hour, which shows how much they value people’s time.

After a while, you begin to appreciate this straightforwardness. It actually makes life easier because everything is clear.

In the end Germany is not as difficult as people imagine, but it is also not as easy as travel ads make it look.

Some days you learn how to wait for buses, some days you learn to eat half a kilo of bread and every day you learn something new that is confusing, funny and interesting at the same time.

If you are planning to come, I hope this helps you avoid the confusion I had in my first weeks here.