In the winter of 2012, I landed in Germany from India with a bag full of hopes and dreams. I still remember getting on that ICE train at Frankfurt Airport, excited but equally nervous. It was my first time leaving India, and that too, to a country like Germany, with a completely different culture and language; it was damn scary. But looking back now, after 13 years, I can say it was one of the best decisions I ever made. This country has given me more than I ever imagined and changed me in ways I never expected.
I want to share a few things I do differently now because I live here. And if you’re someone thinking about making a big move like this, I hope this helps you see how living in a new country can completely transform you the way you think, the way you live, and even the kind of person you become.
1 Direct Communication
Now this one’s also pretty obvious. Before moving to Germany, I used to start every official conversation with a bit of small talk even if I wasn’t really interested in their life. So when I first got here, I kept doing that. But over time, I realized… I didn’t have to. People here get straight to the point short, clear, and honest. No small talk about the weather, no unnecessary fluff.
It’s not that I’ve stopped being friendly or that I never do small talk it’s just that now, I do it because I want to, not because I have to. And that feels so much more genuine.
The same thing goes for feedback. It’s direct and sometimes brutally honest. If your work isn’t good enough, they’ll tell you right away and expect you to improve. At first, that really caught me by surprise. Where I come from, the idea is to try to avoid confrontations as much as possible. But here, people talk to your face. If they don’t like something, they’ll say it not out of rudeness, but because they value honesty.
And over the past years, I’ve come to respect that. It takes courage to say things as they are. And now, I try to do the same to keep it real, both with others and with myself.
Now, the next one’s big and one of the most impactful changes Germany brought in for me.
2 Punctuality
You knew this one was coming. And honestly, it’s one of the biggest changes Germany brought into my life Punctuality.
If someone says 2 p.m. for an appointment, they mean 2 p.m. not 2:05, not 2:10. You’re expected to be there on time, maybe even five minutes early. And you can expect everyone else to do the same.
Things are slowly changing under the leadership of Deutsche Bahn, but still, in most situations, punctuality is taken seriously. And now, after living here for so long, even being a few minutes late makes me feel awful.
So I plan ahead, I leave early, and I show up when I say I will. It’s one of the best habits I’ve picked up. Like I’ve said always, everyone’s time on the planet is limited and precious. It’s just not fair to waste someone else’s time because you didn’t plan for the traffic.
3 Driving
Speaking of traffic, the one thing that’s definitely changed about me since living in Germany is how I drive. I believe I’ve become a much better driver.
See, Germany’s Autobahn has these long stretches with no speed limit. But here’s the thing even without a limit, there are very few accidents. And that’s because of how well people drive here… and how well they’re taught to drive.
People follow rules here even when no one is watching. They let you merge, they wait when they don’t have priority, and they keep a proper distance no tailgating, no random lane changes. Of course, there are a few rogue drivers here and there, but for the most part, drivers in Germany are disciplined. They respect the system, and that’s probably why driving here feels so organized and a lot less stressful. And when you’re surrounded by that kind of culture, you automatically become a better driver, too.
4 Environmental Awareness
There’s a reason why, Germany is known as one of the most environmentally conscious countries in the world.
In Germany, recycling isn’t just a rule it’s a way of life. Everyone does it, and they take it very seriously. Take Pfand, for example. It’s this brilliant bottle deposit system where you pay a small extra amount like 25 to 50 cents when you buy a drink, and you get that money back when you return the bottle. Simple, but so effective. It naturally makes you more mindful about what you buy and what you throw away.
Even small habits stuck with me. Like grocery shopping. I never leave home without my reusable bags now. Also, food waste. Before coming here, I’d fill my plate, eat what I want, and toss the rest without even thinking twice. But in Germany, it’s different. People here take only what they know they’ll finish, and their plates are spotless by the end of the meal. It’s such a small thing, but it says a lot about the mindset. I’ve become a lot more mindful now I take what I need, finish what I take, and make sure nothing goes to waste.
5 Self Reliance
If you live in Germany for some time, you will learn real-life skills. Because getting someone to fix things for you can be expensive. So if something breaks in your house? You fix it. Need to hang a shelf or put together furniture? You grab the tools and get to work measuring, drilling, leveling, all on your own. Even small things like changing a light fixture or painting a wall become your own responsibility.
Coming from a place where an electrician or plumber is just a phone call away, at first, it feels inconvenient and like a total headache. You’ll mess up, spend hours figuring out the difference between a flathead and a Phillips screw, and probably make a couple of extra trips to the store. But then one day, you fix something all by yourself and that feeling is amazing.
I even know people who’ve done the complete flooring or insulation of their homes all by themselves. And the atmosphere here really encourages that. There are so many home improvement stores like OBI, Bauhaus, or Toom, where you can find everything you need—from tools and materials to step-by-step guidance on how to do it yourself. The system kind of pushes you to be self-reliant.
6 Healthy
How healthy you are really depends on two things what you put into your body as food, and how much energy you burn.
Let’s talk about food. In Germany, it is less processed and clearly labeled, and the industry is well-regulated. So you can actually trust what you’re buying. And then there are all these small local farms around every corner, selling fresh, organic fruits, vegetables, and dairy.
And when it comes to burning calories, there are so many fitness centers and local clubs called Vereins, where you can get a yearly membership for a really small fee. They offer all kinds of sports: football, badminton, basketball, you name it. And if swimming’s your thing, there’s usually a public pool nearby too. In Germany, if you don’t play a sport or do some kind of physical activity, you’re actually the odd one out. So you just end up being active without even trying.
And the place I live in, like most German cities, is incredibly pedestrian-friendly. I can walk to the grocery store, grab a coffee, or just take a stroll through the fields. Even when I’m meeting friends across the city, I’ll check the map first just to see if I can walk instead of taking the train. That’s the kind of mindset shift that happens once you’ve lived here for a while.
And the cycling culture here is on another level. Most roads have proper bike lanes, and people take cycling seriously not just as a way to get around, but as a full-on hobby. I even know colleagues who ride 40–50 kilometers to work every single day.
All in all, I genuinely care about my health now more than I ever did before. And being surrounded by people who value staying healthy makes it even easier.
7 Nature
When I first got out of the Frankfurt airport, I was expecting to see huge skyscrapers. Because somewhere in my mind, I thought that’s what developed countries were supposed to look like. So when I stepped out of the airport and saw none of that, I was a bit disappointed. I remember thinking, “Wait… did I come to the wrong place?”
But now, ten years later, I completely get it. Germany has this beautiful balance between development and nature. Unless you’re right in the city center, you’re never far from a park, a forest, or a field where you can just go for a walk and breathe.
Where I live now, nature is literally all around me. It’s so normal to go hiking in the mountains or biking along the river on weekends. I was someone who loved the hustle and bustle of city life, but now, for me, life feels more peaceful when I’m surrounded by trees and open spaces. And I feel lucky to live in a place where being outdoors isn’t something you have to plan it’s just part of everyday life. And when you live like that, you care a lot about the environment
8 Minimalism
Back home, I grew up believing success meant having the best of everything the latest phone, the fastest car, a big house. Over my years in Germany, that perspective has completely changed. The society here isn’t built around showing off. It’s not that people aren’t wealthy they just don’t feel the need to prove it. A huge part of the population still lives on rent, and most of those homes are simple, functional, and cozy not massive mansions like you’d see in some other countries.
Even when it comes to cars, you’ll see everything from Porsches to small Opels sharing the same road and no one judges. The funny thing is, the person driving that old Opel could very well be the CEO of a multinational company. No one cares.
It’s the same when it comes to how people dress. Germans are super practical they wear what’s comfortable, not what’s flashy. No one’s trying to impress anyone. Although I’ll admit, during winter it always feels like everyone’s going to attend a funeral.
But yeah, the whole pressure to look successful? It just doesn’t exist here. And I love that. Now, I buy less but I buy better. I live within my means, I’m debt-free, and I’m financially independent. And honestly, I’m not sure that would’ve happened if I were living anywhere else.
9 Tolerance
The next change Germany brought into my life is something that might happen in any foreign country, but Germany definitely took it to another level. Tolerance and cultural acceptance.
When you’re surrounded by people from all over the world, you can’t help but learn. You get curious about what they believe in, what drives them, and how they see life. This place made me more open, more understanding, and more aware of how beautifully people can be.
Living in a foreign country really expands your mind. You start realizing there’s no single “right” way to live. Everyone’s path looks different and that’s okay. Germany has this way of quietly breaking down your judgments and teaching you to accept people for who they are. Now, when I come across something unfamiliar, I don’t judge it I learn from it. I adapt. And honestly, that’s one of the best changes this whole journey has brought into my life.
Yeah, a lot has happened in the last 12 years. I’m still learning, still trying to adjust and adapt to this culture. Germany has changed me in so many ways that — I don’t know, it’s strange to say this but my identity now feels kind of mixed. If you’ve ever lived abroad, you probably know what I mean. You start to feel like you don’t fully belong anywhere.
When I go back to India, I feel that so strongly. Like, this is home… but it’s also not. And at the same time, Germany doesn’t completely feel like home either. It’s this weird in-between space you just learn to live with.
But looking back now, every part of that journey made me more confident, more grounded, and honestly, more myself. You just need that openness to learn, to adapt and slowly, everything falls into place. Germany’s been good to me. Not always easy, but definitely good. And I’m truly grateful to this country for taking me in and shaping me into a better version of myself.