From Russia to Germany: 4 expat tips

Is Germany going to be your new home? Are you planning to relocate there for professional or academic reasons? 

As one of Europe’s strongest economies, Germany is attracting expatriates from all the continent who want to improve their career prospects, reunite with family members or just try a new adventure. 

When the moment of the truth is approaching, plenty of questions might arise. Therefore, we have asked current expats in Germany, their best tips to have a successful expat experience there. Here, the most common ones!  

1. Honesty: for the good and for the bad

Really few citizens are as honest as Germans. This means that if you have left your house door opened, it is highly unlikely that somebody will get inside – actually, your neighbor might even call you to inform you about this fact.  But this also means that, despite not having any barrier, everybody will pay their train tickets. And it also means that if one day you accidentally break something at a shop or you don’t park in the correct place, they will be the first ones to inform the authorities. 

2. Don’t talk loudly

One of the things that might shock you the most from Germany is how quiet it is. Even if you are in big cities such as Berlin or Frankfurt, you will notice that streets are quite calm compared with other places of the world. And one immediate effect from this is that there is no need to talk loud – and of course, even less need to shout! With the time you will get used to this, but during the first months after your arrival, pay attention to your voice’s volume!

3. And don’t forget about recycling!

Germany is a country environmentally conscious and recycling is totally implemented. As an expat in the country, you will have to get used to recycling… and recycling well. This means, not only separating paper, plastic, organic waste or glass (in Germany glass is divided according to its color), but also to do it in the proper way, for example, by cleaning your yogurt containers before you through them into the plastic recycling bin!

 

And last but not least, Germans love planning! Sometimes, it might seem too much, but in the case of a relocation, it is never enough. If you haven’t planned yet your goods shipment for your upcoming relocation to Germany, contact your Crown Relocations consultant, who can inform you about our Russian Direct service between Russia and Germany!