*BYOK and L (Kitchens and Lights)*

Apartments don't come as finished as they do in the U.S. If you move into your own apartment, you have to buy your own "kitchen," a.k.a. a long assemblage of cupboards, oven, and sink that you have to install. Fortunately, these can be secured at Ikea.

People even take the lights with them, leaving cords hanging out of the ceiling for you to connect whatever light fixture you'd like to have there.

Although I can see it's practical for fitting the apartment to your tastes, it seems kind of crazy to me to lug a kitchen around. And isn't part of the fun of moving having new fixtures, whether it be the lights or the kitchen cupboards?

*Blue Overalls and Jumpsuits*

German builders/construction workers wear blue overalls and jumpsuits that a grandpa or two might be caught wearing in the U.S. Even normal guys sometimes pull out blue overalls when they're working on a project. No joke.

*Leaving Food Out*

Leaving food out is not as big of a concern over here. Sure, people have Tupperware, but some pasta and sauce sitting cold on the stove for a few days won't hurt anyone, and most don't make much extra anyway. (This habit drove me crazy at first--I felt like I either had to cover it up and refrigerate it for them, or eat it myself.)

*Lacy Curtains*

Germans have what I would call "old lady curtains," or lacy, frilly, white affairs that I thought young people had put up out of kindness to their generous grandmothers.