There's so much more to Germany than Octoberfest, cars and pretzels!
By understanding more about our German students’ lives back home,
it will help you gain insight into their culture and background and prepare you for a successful hosting experience.
Let’s start by learning about what’s typical in German communication, home life, education and food, as described by our programme participants.
Educational system
In Germany, most school days begin at 8 am and end between 1 and 3 pm.
Extracurricular activities, such as sports and clubs, are not organised by the school but instead by parents and community groups.
Parents feel that time outside of school should not be completely structured with extracurricular activities.
Germans believe that free time to play with minimal adult intervention encourages children to develop important values like respect and empathy.
German students assume a high level of responsibility when it comes to homework and studying.
Tests are less frequent and rarely have multiple-choice options.
It is important to know that most German students will have to repeat their school year when they return home.
The students do not receive any academic credit for their exchange year courses.
As a result, students may want to take more elective classes for their exchange year.
Communication style
Germans are very direct in their speaking as it’s considered a sign of respect.
They say what they mean and do not value fillers within conversations.
Eye contact is valued in Germany, and a lack of eye contact can be interpreted as a sign of weakness or dishonesty.
Formal speech, such as using “Mr.” and “Mrs.”, is preferred, unless speaking to children or close friends.
German students may have a difficult time understanding hints or passive requests, as well as sarcasm.
In Germany, the use of swear words in everyday conversations is commonly accepted.
Food habits
While regional dishes vary, potatoes, noodles, dumplings, sauces, vegetables and pastries are common in Germany.
Germans buy groceries often and prefer fresh foods for cooking.
Leaving food on the plate after a meal is considered wasteful in Germany.
The legal drinking age for drinking beer in Germany is 16, though they must wait until 18 to drink spirits.
Most Germans prefer beer, wine (served primarily with dinner) or mineral water with their meals; they rarely drink tap water and are unaccustomed to the taste.
While on the programme students are not allowed to consume any alcohol, regardless of their age.
Home life
German teenagers tend to be relatively independent.
They typically do not have a curfew or need to check-in regularly with their parents.
They are also not familiar with asking for rides, as many students ride their bikes or take public transportation.
In many German families both parents work, therefore it is common for children to go to and from school by themselves starting at the age of six or seven.
Large families are uncommon in Germany.
The average family in Germany has only one or two children.
Germans are generally very punctual.