I'm going to Germany! It's my first time out of America. What can I expect? How should I plan?

Question

My girlfriend and I met this summer working together in a chemistry lab. She was here from Leipzig, working on her Master's degree and is now back in Germany. I just expedited my passport application and hope to travel in the next month. I have never left the country and, although I was nervous and reluctant at first, I'm really excited about it.

I guess I'm asking for things that I should consider while booking my flight, changing my money, packing, and flying. Most of the people that I will spend time with speak decent English, but it would be nice to reciprocate, where can I get a crash course in the German language and maybe pick up some cultural/custom information? I will be spending a week in Leipzig, but plan to visit Berlin for 2 nights. Can anyone suggest things that I should see or do? Are there any dangers that I should be aware of or things that I should take care not to do while traveling or visiting?

Thanks!

Answer 1

First of all, stop freaking out. I can tell by the tone of your question that you consider this trip to be a huge deal. Europeans will have a hard time understanding your wide-eyed amazement at everything. Primary rule: stop being nervous. Relax (but guard your wallet and your bags; petty thievery is really a problem in Europe. I know from experience) :(

The first thing you need to understand is that you are now dealing with a European. Your girlfriend has probably travelled all around Europe. I grew up in Chicago, but now live in the Czech Republic, and people all across the Continent here travel without any fuss or fanfare. To Europeans, it's nothing, even for a 14 year old to just get on a train and travel 1,000 miles to a country where he doesn't even speak the language.

Here are my suggestions:

1) Make sure you have at least two credit cards you can use to withdraw cash, such as Visa and AMX. Visa you can use practically everywhere, but never put your trust in any one card. Carry at least two. Before you leave, make sure your accounts are in good order. With many credit cards, you can let them know in advance you will be travelling so they don't put a security block on your card, forcing you to call back to the States and let them know that you are really you.

2) It's usually better to fly straight from your gateway city directly to Europe. (The less attractive option is flying to New York where they often have flights directly to the European city you want. ) The reason is, if your flight from New York is cancelled, you're stuck in the U.S. If you leave directly from your gateway city (Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, etc.), you'll get to Europe, and here I see very few flight delays or cancellations.

3) Forget trying to learn some quickie German. If you can learn some key words, that's all you should hope for. Learning a language takes a lot of time, and you may come across as a little silly if you try using your German 101 on your hosts. Europeans are amazingly adept at English, and they can always speak much better English than you can in their language.

4) Whether you like history, culture, nightlife, or all of the above, Berlin is a great place to visit. The extensive transportation network makes it easy to get around Berlin's sprawling metropolis. In addition to popular destinations such as the Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate, the remaining stretches of the Berlin Wall and the Wall Victims Memorial, explore the city's contemporary skyscrapers, large zoo and many art and history museums.

5) As I mentioned before, be careful of your wallet. I always try to travel with clothing that has zippers, so you never have to worry about someone pickpocketing you. I've even seen Diesel jeans with zippered pockets. Try buying a thin security cable. It will really come in handy. You can use it to strap a couple suitcases together (making them too awkward for someone to run off with), or the cable can be used to secure a bag to a fixed object, making it a lot harder to steal.

Just head to Borders Books and find some travel guides. They often have cultural information included. Don't try to take some crash course in German. You'll come across better in your own language.

Answer 2

This may sound a bit ridiculous to you but I'd recommend not spending too much time on planning - just some necessary stuff (passport, plane ticket, money). Travelling to Germany is no great deal at all especially when staying with friends. Germany is a safer place than the USA, so just take normal precautions like never leave your luggage unattended, etc and you'll be fine.

Credit cards are by far not as widely accepted as in the USA; best are Visa and Mastercard. Probably traveller cheques are a better choice, as well as some cash.

Some general information you can find here:
http://www.howtogermany.com/

A free online-course: http://www.german-grammar.de/
Learning some german would be a good idea though in a short period of time you won't be able to pick up more than some key words. Anyway, showing that you are interested in german will in some cases be a real ice breaker. Nobody expects tourists speaking german - you usually will get along with english. Biggest faux pas: never show an attitude like "America's the best country in the universe". A lot of Europeans are pretty critical about such statements, and GWB lowered your country's (government's!!) reputation considerably.

Some travel information on Berlin you can find here:
http://wikitravel.org/en/Berlin#See
See Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag (parliament), Berlin Wall, the Zoo, a lot of museums (Museum Island), new main station, etc

For accomodation look here: http://www.hrs.de ; there are cheaper hostels as well
Train tickets and schedules: http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en

Answer 3

Germany is a civilised world. No difference at all
from America. In each big cities we have big macs,
You will feel at home. One thing over here is
different, The speed limits on the highways in
some parts is unlimited driving. You have to
watch out for some mad men with BMW or Benz
who drive as though the devil is behind them and
if you happen to drive slower them them in the last
left lane then you better clear the lane fast. The
men otherwise are so close almost licking your ***.

About sightseeing I think your girlfriend who is a
German can be the best person to give you an
advise. Doing a crash course in German would
look good with your future n-laws. You can buy
a CD in the computer store.

Well good luck.

Answer 4

Berlin is a vivant, passionately and addictive town, a town that is just perfect for invest the vacation. Find out more with hotelbye . In Berlin you will only enjoy its renowned sights, its large swathes of green, its air bars and fashionable restaurants. Berlin is really a major middle of politics, lifestyle, press, and science. Noted for the social flair, Berlin is home to the world popular Berlin Opera and Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, while its diverse art scene encompasses a huge selection of galleries, functions, and museums, including those centred on Museum Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But, nothing claims Berlin like the Brandenburg Gate, extended the city's many defining monument and their answer to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Brandenburg Gate was developed for King Frederick Wilhelm II in 1791 and now durante days continue to be an essential image with several famous readers like: Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.

Answer 5

Don't worry, you'll have so much fun in Europe!!!!! Good for you you decided to go!!!
I'm sure your girlfriend will help you out!!!
I don't see any risks, just watch over your stuff and you'll be fine!
Enjoy!