prolog

Ⅰ.
Germany Overview

Basic information about Germany
44 Interesting Facts About Germany
3 Major Cities Visited by Koreans
Why isn't there a concentration of population in the capital region in Germany?
Diversity and Coexistence in German Party Politics

Ⅱ.
Housing and living infrastructure

First Step: Finding a Home
German house contract, from start to finish
The strange but interesting structure of German houses
Germans prefer houses over apartments
Residents' Responsibilities, from Waste Separation to Snow Removal
A healing space in the city: Weekend Farm (Schrebergarten)
Choose the utility that's right for you
Guide to Using German Banks
Hidden Features of German Supermarkets
Making the most of German healthcare

Ⅲ.
Mobility and Transportation Systems

Road Rules You Must Know
Confusing Driver Precautions
Smart German Driving Life
German Car Culture, ADAC, and the License Plate System
The allure of German public transportation
Germany, the bicycle paradise
Current status of German rail transport
The long wait encountered at the scene

Ⅳ.
Education and Culture

German-style education for future talent
Representative democracy starting from adolescence
What Makes German Universities Special?
Why isn't there an entrance exam hell in Germany?
Conservative values ​​and lifestyles of Germans
Germany's unique media culture
A society with thorough data protection (Datenschutz)
Germany's unique cultural code
The customer is not king

V.
Work and daily life

The economic realities of working life in Germany
Working conditions for German workers
Experience confirming the discretion and flexibility of the person in charge
Things you'll experience after living in Germany for N years
Basic rules to follow in daily life
Germans' daily leisure activities
Germany, where dogs are treated with respect
Low crime rate, safe society
Why aren't delivery and designated driving services popular in Germany?

supplement
Relations between Germany and major countries
Germany's Solutions to Social Problems

Epilogue
Americas

"Is Germany Different? The Real Germany I Discovered in Everyday Life" is neither a simple cultural introduction nor an informative guidebook.
This book is a life report that tells the "true story that only those who have lived in Germany can know," and is a record of the author's insights that allowed him to view Korean society more clearly after experiencing daily life in a foreign country firsthand.
The author lived in Germany for five and a half years, experiencing firsthand the life of a common citizen: finding a home, using supermarkets and banks, sending children to school, riding bike paths, and savoring the atmosphere of late summer nights in a beer garden.
His days do not just pass by, but are always filled with the question, 'Why?'
Why doesn't Germany have a concentration of population in the capital? Why do children here feel less stressed about college entrance exams? Why isn't the customer king, and why haven't delivery services and designated drivers taken root?

This book explores the country of Germany in three dimensions by following those questions.
Topics encompassing everyday life, including housing, transportation, education, workplace culture, consumption patterns, and political systems, unfold in an engaging way within a solid structure.
The information is rich, the writing is friendly, and the examples are vivid.
Above all, the delicate details and honest impressions that are possible because it is written from the perspective of a person living in the city breathe warmth into the entire book.

“Germany is a somewhat ‘different’ country even within Europe.
That's why Germans themselves often use the expression "Typisch Deutsch (typically German)."
For us who have lived in Korea, a country with a completely different geographical environment and history, it may be natural that we have difficulty understanding Germany's systems and values.
This book was written with the hope that it would help expats, international students, and job seekers new to German life reduce trial and error and adapt more easily to the local environment.
(From the prologue)

For those who have only encountered Germany as a travel or study abroad destination, this book offers a surprising "How different is this?" For prospective immigrants, working mothers, and families of international students, this book offers practical tips and empathy, and for readers who have questioned the structure and practices of Korean society, this book offers a chance for profound reflection.
From major cities and political parties to housing structures, living infrastructure, public transportation, railways, universities, workplace culture, and even German values? This book's greatest strength lies in its depth and breadth of coverage of a wide range of topics.
In addition, it also provides clues to solutions to challenges facing Korean society, such as relations with neighboring countries, low birth rates, an aging population, and social integration, through the example of Germany.

“So ist Deutschland (This is Germany)”

In particular, this book goes beyond simple cultural comparison.
It raises questions about the 'way of life'.
A record for understanding Germany and a time to reflect on a better everyday life.
It's not about judging which country is better,
In that it allows us to understand differences and reflect on our own lives within them.
This book is even more meaningful.

“Living in another country means,
It's also a matter of getting to know the place,
At the same time, it is a process of rediscovering myself.”
(From the epilogue)

As the author says, "Is Germany Different? The Real Germany I Discovered in Everyday Life" builds a bridge between the everyday lives of others and our own.
The moment you close this book, you will not only know Germany a little better, but also look back at the place where I live now.