School System
In German schools, it is not customary to have a single school nurse. Instead, students and teachers who have completed first aid certification may volunteer to assist their peers. Those who opt to become first aid volunteers typically wear neon yellow vests and stand outside on the playground during recess.
During their school day, students are allocated periods that consist of either one or two lessons. Each day, the duration of these lessons alternates between 45 and 90 minutes. In addition, every two lessons, students receive a 20-minute or 15-minute break. This designated period is intended for students to consume their snacks, visit the restroom, and refill their water bottles. Given that students have the opportunity to take breaks in between classes, it is considered unacceptable to use the restroom during class or consume snacks during lessons.
As I just mentioned snacks, it is important to note that students do not have a designated lunch period. Consequently, they consume breakfast and lunch at home, as they are dismissed from school at 1:15 PM. Some students stay until 3:00, but voluntarily based on which extracurricular classes they want to take. though there is a cafeteria available for students to consume their snacks and/or purchase food items, I was given the opportunity to try a sandwich, which was exceptional. It is worth mentioning that only those students who have added an extracurricular activity to their schedule, which is optional, may choose to eat lunch at the school.
The educational system in this country differs from that of the United States, where students change classrooms. In this system, teachers move between classrooms instead. Due to the need to share classrooms, teachers are unable to decorate them as they wish. The only decorative element present in the classroom is the presence of plants. Consequently, teachers store their belongings in the teachers' lounge and only bring their iPads to the classroom. The lounge serves as a social hub for the teachers, where they gather in the mornings and take their breaks throughout the day.
Students carry around all of their supplies all day they don't have cubbies or lockers to drop them off at.
When the students raise their hands instead of putting up all five fingers the students instead on ly put up their index finger.
When the teachers first enter the room all of the students stand up and greet their teacher. The teacher says good morning and the students reply good morning madam then sit down and the class begins.
I never knew this but the dress codes differ a lot between America and Germany. Teachers are allowed to wear jeans every day, but in America as an incentive, American teachers are only allowed to wear jeans on Fridays. The students are not allowed to wear leggings or sweatpants at school, almost all of the students wear jeans to school every day.
Transportation
It’s also not uncommon to see cars parked on the curbs of any street. In America, if you park on the side of a public road, your car will get towed.
It is more common for people to bike to work and the city than it is for them to drive. People only drive when their destination is more than 25 minutes away. All of the children use regular bikes, and most parents drive electric bikes.
In America, two parallel yellow lines on the road on broken white lines help you to stay in your lane, and in Werne, Germany there aren't any lines on the road. The natives know to just stay on their side on the road.
Germany is the only country in Europe to not have a general speed limit.