CultureShock! Germany (2016 e-Book Edition)

Richard Lord

Description

CultureShock! Germany dispels the stereotypes and explores the realities of unified Germany, giving readers an insight into its varied people and customs. Find out how a makler can help you locate the right accommodation, be aware of the importance of health insurance and prepare yourself for the short German work week that comes complete with an annual 30 days of holiday. Understand what it is to be an Auslaender and take advantage of the practical information on how to fit in and settle into a country that is still recovering from the scars of World War II and the separation of east and west. Learn to appreciate the various versions of wurst and the different types of beer. CultureShock! Germany is the definitive guide for anyone who wants to settle well into German society.

Sujets

• Germany

Informations

• Publié par: Marshall Cavendish International
• Date de parution: 30 janvier 2016
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9789814751285
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

This 7th edition published in 2016 by:
Marshall Cavendish Editions
An imprint of Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Private Limited
1 New Industrial Road, Singapore 536196
First published in 1996 by Times Editions Private Limited, reprinted 1997 (twice); 2nd edition published in 1998, reprinted 1999 (twice); 3rd edition published in 2000 by Times Media Private Limited, reprinted 2001, 2002; 4th edition published in 2003 by Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Private Limited, reprinted 2004; 5th edition published in 2005; 6th edition published in 2008 by Marshall Cavendish Corporation, reprinted 2009, 2011.
2008 Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Private Limited
All rights reserved
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. Request for permission should be addressed to the Publisher, Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Private Limited, 1 New Industrial Road, Singapore 536196. Tel: [phone], fax: [phone]. E-mail: [e-mail]
The publisher makes no representation or warranties with respect to the contents of this book, and specifically disclaims any implied warranties or merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose, and shall in no event be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damage, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.
Other Marshall Cavendish Offices:
Marshall Cavendish Corporation. 99 White Plains Road, Tarrytown, NY 10591-9001, USA Marshall Cavendish International (Thailand) Co Ltd. 253 Asoke, 12th Flr, Sukhumvit 21 Road, Klongtoey Nua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand Marshall Cavendish (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Times Subang, Lot 46, Subang Hi-Tech Industrial Park, Batu Tiga, 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
Marshall Cavendish is a trademark of Times Publishing Limited
eISBN: 978 981 4751 28 5
Please contact the publisher for the Library of Congress catalog number
Printed in Singapore by Times Printers Pte Ltd
Photo Credits:
Black and white photos by Archiv f r Kunst und Geschichte: pages 33 , 35 , 45 Bundesbildstille: pages 6 , 10 , 76 , 88 , 138 , 140 , 145 , 182 , 238 , 271 Inter Nationes: 16 , 54 , 79 , 115 , 117 , 165 , 187 , 205 , 207 , 211 , 213 , 226 , 227 , 263 , 282 . Colour photos from Getty Images pages f-g ; Photolibrary pages a , b-c , d-e , h , i , j-k , l-m , n-o , p Cover photo: Corbis .
All illustrations by TRIGG
ABOUT THE SERIES
Culture shock is a state of disorientation that can come over anyone who has been thrust into unknown surroundings, away from one s comfort zone. CultureShock! is a series of trusted and reputed guides which has, for decades, been helping expatriates and long-term visitors to cushion the impact of culture shock whenever they move to a new country.
Written by people who have lived in the country and experienced culture shock themselves, the authors share all the information necessary for anyone to cope with these feelings of disorientation more effectively. The guides are written in a style that is easy to read and covers a range of topics that will arm readers with enough advice, hints and tips to make their lives as normal as possible again.
Each book is structured in the same manner. It begins with the first impressions that visitors will have of that city or country. To understand a culture, one must first understand the people-where they came from, who they are, the values and traditions they live by, as well as their customs and etiquette. This is covered in the first half of the book
Then on with the practical aspects-how to settle in with the greatest of ease. Authors walk readers through how to find accommodation, get the utilities and telecommunications up and running, enrol the children in school and keep in the pink of health. But that s not all. Once the essentials are out of the way, venture out and try the food, enjoy more of the culture and travel to other areas. Then be immersed in the language of the country before discovering more about the business side of things.
To round off, snippets of basic information are offered before readers are tested on customs and etiquette of the country. Useful words and phrases, a comprehensive resource guide and list of books for further research are also included for easy reference.
CONTENTS
Introduction
Acknowledgements
Dedication
Map of Germany
Chapter 1
First Impressions
Why Come to Germany?
The Maligned Mecca
Chapter 2
Overview of Land and History
The German Landscape: Physical Dimension and Regionalisms
History
Chapter 3
German Characteristics
The Legacy of History
Values
Drugs
Religion
Law and Order
Chapter 4
Fitting into Germany
The Ausl nder Problem
What is a German?
The German Way of Multiculturalism
Finding Your Place Amongst Germans
Experiencing German Society
Surviving the Initial Shocks
Public Selves, Private Selves
The Home-The Great Sanctuary
Hosting
Learning the Customs
Why it s All Worth it
Chapter 5
Settling In
Housing-The Rental Market
Utilities
Dealing with Banks
Domestic Help
Shopping
Know Your Euro
Health
Family Matters
Teenagers
Non-working Spouses
Pets
Transportation
Chapter 6
Food and Entertaining
Traditional German Fare
Carnivores Galore
Vegetables
Regional Dishes
Baked Goods
The Structure of German Meals
Eating Rituals
Drinks
Chapter 7
Enjoying Germany
German Vacation Time
Leisure Activities
The Kneipen Culture
Strassenfeste
The Media
The Arts
Chapter 8
Learning the Language
Good News and Bad News
How to Learn the Language
Names and Titles
Chapter 9
Doing Business in Germany
A Positive Work Environment
The Work Ethic
The Basics of the German Economy
Applying for Jobs
Service Industries
The German Business Character
German Corporate/Business Structure
Women in the Working World
Starting a Business
The Role of Banks
Going Along With the System
Cracking the Market
A Most Taxing Problem
Tussles with Brussels
DeutschMark, Adieu!
A German Business Do-It-Yourself
Chapter 10
Fast Facts
About the Country
Name Dropping
Major Topics of Conversation


Culture Quiz
Do s and Don ts
Glossary
Resource Guide
Further Reading
About the Author
Index
INTRODUCTION
How to describe Germany to someone coming from another culture and planning to live here?
When I first set out to write this book, I somehow thought it would all come flowing out in a rush. After all, the advantages, disadvantages, obstacles and benefits of living as a foreigner in Germany confronted me almost every day, and served as major topics of conversation whenever I got together with foreign friends and associates. But in attempting to pour all this into a book that could serve other foreigners just coming to Germany, I found the task more daunting than I had at first imagined.
After talking to many foreign residents of Germany, this assignment began to remind me more and more of that old tale of the three blind men sent out by a ruler to describe an elephant. You know the story: the first blind man returns to inform his ruler that an elephant is a long, thin animal; the second reports that it s a huge, flat, hairless creature; while the last describes the behemoth as a long, thick cylindrical beast with a butterfly mouth that makes a strange, tooting sound.
The moral of this story is clear-each of the blind men was honest and accurately described what he had experienced. But the first blind man had only experienced the tail, the second the broad torso, and the third the trunk. Well, writing about a massive, complex country like Germany is a similar task. No one can fully experience and describe all of it, not even someone who had spent his or her whole life here. (Plus, a native German would probably miss certain features that just leap out and grab newcomers by the throat.)
We all have our little blind spots, some of us may even have an axe or two stashed away, ready for grinding. I readily admit that I have a few of the former, and maybe even one or two of the latter. I also accept that this book would be somewhat different, would possibly have a different focus had it been written by someone else-someone with her or his own particular blind spots, a different axe to grind. For instance, I found that friends or acquaintances I ve had long discussions with recently were obsessed with their own parts of the elephant. I ve tried to incorporate all of these perspectives into the overall view presented here, even when they were in some cases wildly contradictory.
But then, German society itself is wildly contradictory in so many ways. It embodies great wealth and depressing poverty; an obsession with order along with a taste for measured chaos; a great concern for the threatened natural environment and a careless disregard for obvious restrictions that might better protect that beloved environment.
Many of the cliches you ve heard about Germany are still readily observable here; others presumably were some time ago, but no more; while other cliches are not only no longer operable, they re positively harmful.
I admit that even after you ve travelled through this whole book, you still won t know every inch of the elephant, but at least you ll have a good idea of what kind of beast this elephant is, and how you might begin to deal with it.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This book would have been a much slimmer and poorer volume if not for the input, support and assistance of a good many people and institutions. I can t possibly fit in everyone who helped me in some way, but I must thank the following:
ADAC
Amt f r Multikulturelle Angelegenheiten, Frankfurt
Archiv f r Kunst und Geschichte, Berlin
Bundesbilde