- Is it true if I come to Germany for few months , I must only speak Dutech , or people will not even reply to me??
- Are Muslims being discriminated againist in Germany ? If I wear Hijab (Islamic head scarf) , will I get the chance to get an internship for example? Or will it be difficult?
- What are the things that I should never return home with out buying ??
Sorry , but we know very little about Germany , and most of what is being said is that they are not friendly people..
Thanks for your honesty ....
2007-02-06 01:06:41 · 8 answers · asked by shdtt 4 in Travel ➔ Germany ➔ Frankfurt
While overall Germans are friendly, wearing a headscarf to work is a problem.
Many well-trained muslim women in Germany cannot find a job because they cover up. It is a huge problem. I'm muslim myself, so I know.
If you intend to come to Germany and seek an internship, forget about getting one with hijab unless you got absolutely outstanding exam results and are fluent in at least three or four languages. If you already have a placement arranged from home, make sure they know that you intend to cover up before you arrive. A company might not want you to work in an area with customers if you wear hijab.
For years and years hijab has been attributed to illiteracy and menial ultra-low wage jobs. Cleaning toilets especially. The attitude is slowly changing, but not fast enough for current university grads to get good jobs when they leave uni.
Sorry to be so blunt, but this is the way it is. It is not intentional discriminaton, overall in everything else you'll be fine. It is just the job sector which is difficult.
BTW, Germans are often percieved to be rude because we have a very direct and somtimes quite formal way of talking. It is totally different from the US-American or Asian approach to interacting with other people.
An Asian for example would never tell an honored guest "no". A German would, because we value honesty and straightforwardness.
This is not unfriendlyness directed at you, but rather a different approach to dealing with other people.
2007-02-06 13:12:35 · answer #1 · answered by t_maia2000 6 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Where will you be in Germany? Some little town out in the middle of nowhere? Or, in Frankfurt, Berlin, or another major German city? In Frankfurt I am always amazed when I here Good German being spoken!
With you Hijab, yes there is discrimination in Germany, but no worse or better than the rest of Europe. Germany gets a bad reputation thanks to history and Hollywood. But, depending on your skills and langauges(I had to Learn German for my job) you maybe able to get something.
Germans not friendly? Let's put it this way, they ARE Direct. So if you ask them a question, you will get an answer, and it will not be sugar coated as not to hurt your feelings. Took me a while to get used to that.
2007-02-08 07:43:16 · answer #2 · answered by dbdoit 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Being honest I don't think it is very easy to find an internship if you don't speak any German at all. Also I would strongly recommend that you do some research about the country you are going to visit...you might be very young but you seem to be a very inexperienced person...and you don't really have a clue about Germany...you might choose to stay at home its easier...
2007-02-09 09:00:16 · answer #3 · answered by Tanja S 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I lived in Germany for almost five years. Yes, I learned to speak German, which is beneficial, but almost everyone there learns English. The key to everything is respect. If you respect the people, they will respect you and try to communicate. It's the people who don't try and are rude that cause the problems. It's their country. They have the right to speak their own language.
Must buys.
Chocolate!!!!! Reasonable and delicious, if you're into that. Otherwise it depends on what you're looking for.
2007-02-06 12:18:40 · answer #4 · answered by hkrz423 1 · 3⤊ 0⤋
i am german, we all learn english in school, so you should have no problem with communication. we have a lot of muslims living in our country (mainly from turkey), some of them unfortunately give a negative image through rude behavior and so some people have prejudices - yes. but in most cases you should get along fine, we germans have a bad name in the world, but if you watched what was going on over here during the soccer world cup last year, you might have seen that we do welcome guests and that our old unfriendly image has changed
2007-02-06 09:33:21 · answer #5 · answered by ? 3 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Alot of people know english.
Re. the head scarf thing, It means different things to different people...These days most not good in Germany...However, I have a U. S. Pakistani friend who wears his and it is a riot watching the way people look at him...He is one of the coolest guys ever...and he will take it off if I insist...of course he will probably go to hell for doing so...LOL
2007-02-06 21:13:40 · answer #6 · answered by Paris Hilton 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
A lot of German's know English. It shouldn't be a problem. I have gone to a lot of countries and not known a word of their language and managed just fine.
2007-02-06 09:14:58 · answer #7 · answered by nemesis_318 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
What the reason to travel to our beautiful country?
More Germans speak English than US-people speak German. (not dutch, people in the Netherlands speak dutch) You know where are the Netherlands are located?
No Muslim will be discriminated here in Germany. But do not forget, you are guest in an foreign country!!!
I know how to behave if I travel in the US.
And if you think German people are not friendly-stay at home!
Sorry, but I have to say that.
I am really mad of hearing such "trash" from people which do not know their own neighborhood!
2007-02-06 13:35:41 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 5⤋