Find out where’s the fine line between staring and keeping eye-contact, how to navigate between the formal “Sie” and informal “You”, how to start a phone call the German way, and why people fail to introduce their friends.

Learning about peculiarities of a certain culture before visiting a country — even if only for a short time — helps to avoid misunderstandings and reduce unnecessary friction and confusion, making your stay more enjoyable and allowing you to place situations and experiences into a larger cultural context.

This booklet showcases eight things you might find strange and bewildering while being in Germany.