<p class="ingestion featured-caption">My husband and I moved to Germany despite never visiting before. Ashley Packard</p><ul class="summary-list"><li>The first time I visited <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/surprising-things-about-moving-to-germany-with-family-from-us">Germany</a> was when I moved there with my husband two years ago.</li><li>I couldn't believe how easily accessible and convenient the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tips-for-visiting-los-angeles-without-car-using-public-transportation-2023-10">public transportation</a> system was.</li></ul><p>In July 2022, I fulfilled my lifelong dream of <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-american-pays-living-in-vienna-most-liveable-city-2024-4">moving to Europe</a>.</p><p>When my husband and I got married in January of that year, we didn't opt for the typical wedding registry. Instead, we sold, donated, or tossed almost everything we owned. Even our cars — which we sold two days before <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-moved-to-europe-with-family-life-better-2024-6">we left the US</a> — had to go.</p><p>We headed to Germany, a country we'd never visited before, with just a few suitcases and our two cats. As soon as we arrived, we noticed a lot of <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/surprising-things-moving-to-ireland-from-us-2022-2">cultural differences</a>.</p><p>Here are seven things that surprised us about life in Germany.</p>