What You're Getting Yourself Into

Before you decide to embark on a journey to what is considered as a trip of a lifetime, you must understand what type of area you are entering. Luckily, your savior is here to inform you on what to expect when you first step foot onto the rich German land.

Climate:
The general climate of Germany follows the pattern of the Tropic of Cancer: winters are cold and summers are warm, with fall and spring in the middle. The weather depends on where and when you visit. The ideal time to tour Germany is in between May and October. During these months, the weather is neither too hot and humid nor too chilly and brutal; it is normally in perfect moderation. Some areas are subject to minor digression from this weather pattern due to latitude and altitude.

Population:
Unlike countries like the United States and Japan, Germany has a sustainable population. Germany ranks as the sixteenth largest population with approximately eighty-one million (80,716,000) people, but has a higher density of two hundred thirty-three people per square kilometer. The demographics show that a significant portion of the population is between the ages of 25-54, which is common for most developed countries.

Currency:
Over time, Germany has switched their currencies. Currently, Germany's primary form of currency is the Euro ever since the Euro Zone was first established in 1999. It is recommended that you research exchange rates of different foreign currency agencies for whatever currency you use daily to avoid foreign transaction fees from ATMs in Germany. MasterCard, Visa, and American Express credit cards are accepted in Germany, but many shops prefer cash and will refuse to accept credit payment.

Languages Spoken:
Germany is home to people of many languages. The official language of Germany is Standard German, which is spoken by 95% of the population. First and second generation settlers have also brought over many ethnically diverse languages, such as Turkish, Kurdish, Russian, Arabic, Greek, Igbo, Dutch, Polish, Serbo-Croatian, and Spanish. If you are coming from an English-speaking background, there is no need to worry because English is taught as a second language in Germany. Rest assured, you will find an English speaking person on your trip.

Religious Makeup: 
When you go to Germany, one aspect of the culture you will not see is religious diversity. 62% of the nation follow Christianity and the runner up is Islam which only 5% of the nation follows. This has been the case for centuries; ever since the Protestant Reformation in 1517, which accused the Catholic Churches of corrupting Christian faith, the majority of the nation switched to Christianity.

Political Makeup:
Germany implements a federal parliamentary republic. The executive branch is made up of a Chief of State, Head of Government, and a Cabinet. The Chief of State, Chancellor Angela Merkel, deals with foreign affairs while the Head of Government, President Joachim Gauck, works with laws and government decisions. In the German parliament,  The legislative branch consists of two parts: the Bundestag, which is the parliament of Germany, and the Bundesrat, which is a representative group of the states. There are two political parties in Germany: the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD). Both groups are fairly conservative with the CDU possessing more conservative views than the SPD. In terms of voting, due to the fact that Germany follows a parliament political system, the Bundestag conduct elections every four years among the members to elect a new Chief of State and Head of Government.

Customs:
-When entering a room, shake hands with everybody, including children.
-In general, wait for your host or hostess to introduce you to a group.
-Titles are very formal and denote respect.

Warnings:
-Recently, Germany showed support towards Russia with regards to the Ukrainian Crisis presently occurring. This stirred up disputes and chaos throughout the country which will not ease down too soon based off of Germany's position in this issue. Travelers should be alarmed that at any given moment, changes in the environment may occur, whether they are protests, military placement throughout the country, etc.
-Additionally, Germany is facing rapid tick growth. Summer is the ideal time for ticks to begin breeding due to its warm weather, which is leading to the exponential increase in population of ticks. Ticks are known to attach to humans and pierce their skin, causing humans to contract Lyme's disease. Essentially, Lyme's disease is more prevalent in Germany and people who go/live there are at a higher risk.

You've reached the point where you decide whether or not you are up to take this trip to Germany. These are the basics to what you will face while you spend your time over there; does Germany still sound as appealing as it did before?