Random (hopefully interesting) facts

garbage cans in Berlin with little word plays

1. In Germany, you can buy milk with fat percentages: 1.5%, 3.5%, 3.7%.
(No "skim," 1%, or 2%.)

2. Germans say "Ah-chi!" [spelled "hatschi" in comics, etc] when they sneeze, not "ah-choo". Seriously.

3. On German TV, there is a warning on the screen before the show if there is product placement: "Unterstützt durch Produktplatzierung" 

4. The stop lights are on the other side of the street here. In the US, they are on the oppose side of the street, so you can pull right up to the intersection. In Germany, they are on your side of the intersection, so you have to back up behind the crosswalk in order to see them. 

5. In Germany you only pay (or get charged "minutes") when you make phone calls and place text messages, not for receiving calls or messages. I wonder if the difference is that the US has such a huge area...otherwise it doesn't really make sense. 

6. "Oil of Olay" (the brand) is called "Olaz" in Germany. By strange coincidence (?), the Y and Z are swapped on the German keyboard. (so when zou tzpe with the German kezboard it looks like this...) Michael's theory about Olay-Olaz: it's a typo. :)


7. NO public drinking fountains here. The only city I have ever seen with a drinking fountain is Hamburg, they have a few outdoor ones. But in the library I have seen students with their heads under the faucet in the bathrooms, getting a drink!! It's crazy! In the US you can plan long runs around parks that have water fountains...not in Germany. Don't expect one at the gym, the university, wherever. Nope. 


8. In Germany you can control the amount of water you use to flush the toilet...very environmentally friendly. :)