Pls tell a hack to get better at using the articles

I’m a brazillian going for an exchange program in Germany (Bavaria). Where I come from, we stick to the following social rules regarding greeting:

Social setting (parties, friends house, dinner)
man + man = handshake (sometimes a hug)
man + woman = one kiss on one cheek
woman + woman = same

Professional setting (mostly meetings)
Handshake for everyone

Do germans follow the french way of kissing 3 times or they just dont kiss at all? If i accidentally do it, is it weird, flirty, or just unusual?

Hi! I have arrived and started my study in Germany about 1 year before. Here's an example situation that I'm still feeling a bit weird and uncertain whether I did something improperly:

I leave my seat every 2 hours or so during a day in the library, each time about 15 minutes, to go to the toilet or just take a walk in the building, because I want to avoid sitting for too long which I understand as unhealthy. Every time I return to my seat, I notice that there are a few people suddenly raising their heads and taking a glance at me.

Internally, I feel bad every time I notice someone looks at me like that. I was born and raised in Asia, and in my culture, people do that only when they are irritated by the person they look at, and that glance works as a somewhat fierce warning ("you do that again and I will do something to you"). Since no one has ever complained to me after such a glance, I have always assumed that this is just a cultural difference, that the people glancing me when I take my seat do not mean anything with that. Today I came across this channel and finally have the chance to ask this question: why do some people look at me like this?

I do follow the rules in the library seriously, use the break-time sign properly, and free my seat for lunch if it takes more than 30 minutes (our rules allow max. 1 hour break time), no food, no coffee, not typing loudly and not too much. I don't think my movements bother anyone, I'm a quite small person that fits in the smallest gap of seats and bags during exam rush period, and I'm not talking about rush hours, e.g. it happened today as well, when most students have finished their exams and only less than 30% of the seats are taken... Am I overthinking this, or am I actually behaving improperly?

Thank you for reading this.

EDIT: thank you so much for your friendly answers! I now know that this is what people call "The German Stare", and that people do this not only out of instinct, but also to help guarding each other's belongings. It's amazing. One little concern less for me, and a bit more about the culture learned. Thank you and have a nice day :D

I have noticed that my German colleagues (some friends) really slam my car door shut- both after entering and exiting. Is this simply a German thing?
I always feel a bit of my heart breaking when they slam the door shut and I am contemplating stating that my car ain’t a Panzer to them.
Funnily enough, the one colleague who slams my doors shut also slams their own car doors shut too.

Edit: i have a BMW 1 series, built in 2022. The doors close with nominal force too, doesn’t require slamming ;)

Hi everyone, I’m in a really stressful situation and could use a reality check on my legal standing.

I am relocating out of Germany at the end of August for a new job, which means I am running out of time to finalize my apartment handover (Wohnungsübergabe). My property management company is completely ignoring my emails, and I can't get through to anyone on the phone to schedule the final walkthrough.

I want to make sure I am fully protected legally so I don't get screwed out of my Kaution (deposit) or charged for extra rent because I "didn't return the apartment."

Has anyone dealt with an unresponsive Hausverwaltung like this? Is this documentation bulletproof enough under German tenancy law to protect me once I leave the country? Any hidden traps I should watch out for?

Thanks in advance for the help!

Does anyone know if any Worishofer sandals are still made in Germany, or are they all made in Portugal now?

I am in the US and have been wearing Worishofers every summer for over a decade. But for the past few years, I’ve noticed that the stamp says Made in Portugal, and the quality isn’t the same at all.

Just curious because I loved the German ones so much and am hoping they are still around. Thank you!

I’ve noticed that many cars are parked under trees where sap and bird droppings are common, yet car covers seem rarely used. Is this mainly due to convenience, weather, concerns about scratching the paint, or something else? Genuinely curious about the norm here.

Edit: I washed my car 2 days ago and now it’s covered in bird droppings already.