The school has already given us a schedule for what we can do. We’re going to museums, factory tours, that sort. So no suggestions for any activities to do or places to go to.
I would like some tips on some things I should know about Germany, perhaps some German phrases I should understand, cultural differences, or laws I need to know. Anything important that I should be aware of?
It will be about a weeklong trip
Hat off in the church and be respectful of the place - like a library. There are people worshipping in the churches. I’m an atheist, but by respecting the space you gain understanding of its importance. Generally a good idea in museums too.
Also, don’t see the world through your phone or selfie stick. Put it away and enjoy the experience. Taking photos to help you remember it is good, but I see too many people watching their trip through a phone as they shoot photo and video constantly instead of being present.
Germany is large with many local cultural and linguistic variations. I don’t think there’s really many unwritten rules, but follow the written rules - don’t litter, walk on the sidewalk not the garden, sort of thing.
Washrooms may require cash. The default water in restaurants is bottled mineral water, not tap.
I think if you have the ability to read and speak English you’ll be able to get by. Two weeks of Duolingo can help with basic pronunciation and vocabulary.
Prepare for people to speak with quite an accent. Drugs (Cigarettes, most Alcohol and Weed) are allowed from 18 y.o. Even though weed is kinda legal in germany for some reason Bavaria decided to be increadibly strict about it, so I’d advise to steer clear. Obviously Nazi paroles and insignia as well as the Hitler-Gruß are illeagal.
If people are hellbent on speaking German with you, which I assume you do not speak, here is a handy phrase:
- Ich spreche kein Deutsch, aber ich spreche Englisch.
- I do not speak German, but I speak English.
English is taught from a young age, so you’ll find many people who are able to speak it.
When in a pinch you can approach people to ask for i.e. directions. This includes police officers, should you see some. They’ll usually will be happy to help.
In an emergency, <Help> means <Hilfe>. It is best to point or directly adress a single person when asking for help to ensure they’ll jump into action.
Emergency numbers are 110 for police and 112 for firefighters/medics. But 911 also works. I’d like to add that these services are usually free, no need to fear a transport by ambulance for financial reasons.
Thanks, that was super helpful!
I won’t be doing drugs or drinking alcohol, I don’t normally and definitely won’t on an educational trip.
I will make note of the emergency numbers!
If you want to be stereotypical foreigner you can also say “ich nix deutsch”. Lol (dont do it unless you want to look like an idiot)
I would add that in many places, you will find absolutely no English signs or menus. I don’t know how it is in Munich, but outside airports and central stations you are often SOL if you speak 0 German and don’t have a way to translate text from images.
Just dont offer the officers a “gift” for helping you.
Alcohole is allowed with 14 in the presents of a guardian
That’s literally a myth
Source?
It is not xd I wish but it is not
112
112 is the European standard for emergency services (including police). Also works in many other countries.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/112_(emergency_telephone_number)
Insulting people can result in criminal prosecution in Germany. Also giving the nazi salute, repeat nazi slogans (or any such display of anti-constitutional allegiance).
Good advice, no showing middle finger to unfamiliar people, can be fined a few thousand afaik.
How‘s that relevant to what OP asked though? Are you alright in the Head?
Common experience with American tourists, that’s why. Especially young ones. Sad, but true.
If you’re from the USA: don’t come back. Stay.
Not from the U.S., fortunately!
Ping me by dm, I can help with local knowledge, ama.
Oh and except if you behave like a total lunatic even missteps would be fine since you’re visiting. I wouldn’t worry too much.
Maybe public transport. Always have a ticket ready, we’re like Indiana Jones in the Zeppelin scene regarding that.
no ticket? that’s a paddlin.
Augustiner Beer is so good
Fuck the hoffbrau Haus they are rude as fuck
Bicycle tour is a nice way to get oriented
Avoid the boiled pig knuckles or crispy pig knuckles. No idea how drunk you have to be to eat those.
Also, the beer house bathroom sinks are for vomiting.
You’ll visit BMW (Rollys-Royce, Mini), I expect.
If you notice a picturesque brick tower in the vicinity, that’s a Hochbunker from WW2. There’s more than 1 around there.
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_der_Hochbunker_in_München
Munich was not bombed very much, on account of being so far inland. Nevertheless, the hill you can see when you’re at the BMW museum, consists of the rubble of buildings that were destroyed in the war. It was turned into a park for the 1972 Olympics. The terrorist attack that took the lives of most of the Israeli Olympic team mostly took place nearby. If that’s of interest to you, you could watch Spielberg’s Munich.
You may notice cars with an unusual look (see photos here). Those are prototypes. You can see a fair number of these (BMW & Rolls-Royce) in the area. In German, they are called Erlkönig (elf-king) after a poem by Goethe.
Legal drinking age for beer and wine is 16yo.
I don’t think we will be going to a bar on a school trip haha. Good to know though if I go to Germany next time.
Really? Things have clearly changed in the 25 years since my last school trip then. We didn’t go to bars with our teachers, but we had plenty of free time in the evenings, some of which was definitely spent in bars.
Health and safety is heavily emphasised in this trip. For the majority of the trip, we will need to stick in our groups, but we do get chances to explore for ourselves in some areas, but even then, we need to meet up as a group after every hour to make sure everybody is here and nobody is missing.
That’s okay, drinking in bars is a popular group activity 😊
Things you should know how to say (not that it’s necessary, but because it’s nice to know):
- Hallo = Hello
- Tschüss = Bye
- Danke = Thanks
- Dankeschön = thank you very much
- Entschuldigung = excuse me
People commonly use “Ciao” for Bye, and “Sorry” for sorry.
You forgot “servus” which is hello and goodbye. “Pfia di” or “Pfiaz eich” is goodbye “Grüß Gott” or “grias got” is hello
In BW I’ve heard servus but not the others, are these Bavarian dialect? I am not a native speaker.
Baden-Wüttemberg speaks primarily swabian. Just like swabia the region in bavaria. The baden area of BaWü speaks badisch. Also a little bit franconian in the north
Yes “servus” is austro-bavarian dialect spoken in austria and bavaria
Dont try to even speak german with bavarians. While there barely are any real bavarians in munich, bavarian dialect is uncomprehensable unless you grew up there. Swabian even more so.
If your school is going to the deutsche museum, i am sorry to say, the big and main exhibitions are all closed due to renovation. Munich people are…strange in the sense of they may seem nice but arent. The oposite of berlin where people are unfriendly but actually friendly.
BE QUIET AFTER 20:00! aka 8 pm. Its quiet time and you can and might be fined for disturbing the quiet. This also goes for all of sunday. Shops also close at that time. DO NOT THROW AWAY BOTTLES they have pfand. A deposite that you get back. If you dont want to carry it around put it next to a bin.
The English Garden, has nudists areas so if you have a problem with that, best to avoid.
If someone tells you ‘Schleich di’ that means ‘go away’ and you should do that
“Cultural differences” Well every place is different. Do not confuse all of bavarians as bavarians, franconians and swabians are NOT bavarians.
If you happen to be in Augsburg, do NOT MENTION MUNICH! Munich is hated and seen as a black hole that only takes and also seen as a infecting overtaking invading force. Fuck munich.
Dont get your hopes up to get weed lol Yes its decriminalised but you cant buy it anywhere (due to conservatives blocking cannabis clubs), and so you can only self grow it. And only you may smoke it not give it to anyone else.
But you will defenetly smell it every now and then :)
Edit: i assume you perhaps will go to the dachau konzentration camp. You probably know. Be respectful. If the guide tells you ‘the showers were build but luckily never used’ bullshit, they were used lots. One guide tried to tell me that as a kid
I will be going to the Deutsche Museum, actually. If some of the exhibits are closed, hopefully the others are interesting too? If not, we at least have other cool stuff to do.
Will aim to be quiet and not disturb others. I’ll be using a reusable bottle, so no worries about that.
I will not be doing weed, or any sort of drugs, alcohol, etc. That stuff messes up your body pretty bad and I don’t ever do it normally, and I definitely don’t intend on doing it in a school trip.
The exhibitions of the museum are 80% closed. They build a small exhibition building next to it which has a few of which only really the printing, computer and encryption, photography and video tech, physics, spacetravel, and planes are really of interest imo. You can look it up on their website.
Yes they have an enigma machine in the computing and encoding exhibition. Also a huge old printing press machine. Like the once that took up entire halls to print news papers!
Ig the little robotics and renewable energie systems exhibition is neat. But i personally miss the farage cage and the Z3, the submarine and ship exhibitions of the main building.
Its just so cool. You walk into a museum looks like an old uni and on the left there is a huge SHIP and above it entire war planes and below A WHOLE SUBMARINE! And on the right a huge stair case with a huuuge oil painting! In the main building you really can get lost hahaha.
The renovations take until 2028 if i remember correctly. Really worth a visit when it is done renovating.
May i ask what other sites you will be seeing?
Lol Wtf. In Munich the culture is very mixed, there is regular German. At the countryside maybe you can’t understand their German.
I have friends there, have fun
Good advice.
Don’t ask why all the pamphlets are blank between 1939 and 1945…
Saying “maul” or “fresse” is a comedic but polite way to signal someone you are speaking, if they’re interrupting you or you have something important to say and others are speaking.
