Nic Houghton
@40percentgerman.bsky.social
Based in 🇩🇪. Wannabe Lederhosen wearer. Writing about German & British culture. Co-host of the Decades from Home podcast.
40percentgerman.com
40percentgerman.com
Barbecue culture is serious business in #Germany , with courses on how to become a grillmeister, and endless debates about what makes a proper Kartoffelsalat. What can a visitor expect should they ever be lucky enough to get an invite?
Blog Post: bit.ly/3Uk2Npj
Blog Post: bit.ly/3Uk2Npj
July 19, 2025 at 6:52 AM
Barbecue culture is serious business in #Germany , with courses on how to become a grillmeister, and endless debates about what makes a proper Kartoffelsalat. What can a visitor expect should they ever be lucky enough to get an invite?
Blog Post: bit.ly/3Uk2Npj
Blog Post: bit.ly/3Uk2Npj
Shopping in #Germany is rarely described as convenient. Supermarkets are hard to navigate, payment methods aren’t uniform and customer service is disinterested. Is Germany a land of inconvenience culture and could that actually be a good thing?
Blog Post: bit.ly/4lgN7PE
Blog Post: bit.ly/4lgN7PE
July 5, 2025 at 8:25 AM
Shopping in #Germany is rarely described as convenient. Supermarkets are hard to navigate, payment methods aren’t uniform and customer service is disinterested. Is Germany a land of inconvenience culture and could that actually be a good thing?
Blog Post: bit.ly/4lgN7PE
Blog Post: bit.ly/4lgN7PE
I'm often told that living in Bavaria is like living in a different century.
Turns out Bavaria is actually really modern, even the Oktoberfest now accepts payment via mobile...which was invented in...*checks notes*...2015.
So, we're only a decade out of date...
Turns out Bavaria is actually really modern, even the Oktoberfest now accepts payment via mobile...which was invented in...*checks notes*...2015.
So, we're only a decade out of date...
July 3, 2025 at 7:22 AM
I'm often told that living in Bavaria is like living in a different century.
Turns out Bavaria is actually really modern, even the Oktoberfest now accepts payment via mobile...which was invented in...*checks notes*...2015.
So, we're only a decade out of date...
Turns out Bavaria is actually really modern, even the Oktoberfest now accepts payment via mobile...which was invented in...*checks notes*...2015.
So, we're only a decade out of date...
I can't imagine @Germany without Kaffee und Kuchen, just as I can't imagine Britain without tea. Unlike the British though, Germans aren't judged on how they make their favourite hot beverage. Is this why coffee in Germany can be so hit & miss?
Blog Post: bit.ly/3HRsL0m
Blog Post: bit.ly/3HRsL0m
June 21, 2025 at 6:44 AM
I can't imagine @Germany without Kaffee und Kuchen, just as I can't imagine Britain without tea. Unlike the British though, Germans aren't judged on how they make their favourite hot beverage. Is this why coffee in Germany can be so hit & miss?
Blog Post: bit.ly/3HRsL0m
Blog Post: bit.ly/3HRsL0m
Took daughter to the Bäckerei, we stand in the queue. She asks for Krapfen, I say no, they’re not for breakfast.
Before I know it, the people around us have assembled an adhoc legal team and are forcefully advocating for my daughter.
And that’s why we had Krapfen for breakfast.
Before I know it, the people around us have assembled an adhoc legal team and are forcefully advocating for my daughter.
And that’s why we had Krapfen for breakfast.
June 18, 2025 at 6:08 AM
Took daughter to the Bäckerei, we stand in the queue. She asks for Krapfen, I say no, they’re not for breakfast.
Before I know it, the people around us have assembled an adhoc legal team and are forcefully advocating for my daughter.
And that’s why we had Krapfen for breakfast.
Before I know it, the people around us have assembled an adhoc legal team and are forcefully advocating for my daughter.
And that’s why we had Krapfen for breakfast.
When people in the UK ask me how life has changed since moving to Germany, I tell them I seriously underestimated how much Kohlrabi would feature in my day to day diet.
“What’s Kohlrabi?” They tend to ask.
“Exactly!” I reply.
“What’s Kohlrabi?” They tend to ask.
“Exactly!” I reply.
June 13, 2025 at 5:04 AM
When people in the UK ask me how life has changed since moving to Germany, I tell them I seriously underestimated how much Kohlrabi would feature in my day to day diet.
“What’s Kohlrabi?” They tend to ask.
“Exactly!” I reply.
“What’s Kohlrabi?” They tend to ask.
“Exactly!” I reply.
I've never really understood why some people consider food in #Germany to be boring.
Seems like a good variety to me...I can't pronounce half of it, but still.
Seems like a good variety to me...I can't pronounce half of it, but still.
June 11, 2025 at 6:03 AM
I've never really understood why some people consider food in #Germany to be boring.
Seems like a good variety to me...I can't pronounce half of it, but still.
Seems like a good variety to me...I can't pronounce half of it, but still.
After a decade of learning German via online courses, VHS, apps, and several unproductive "meet-ups" in various pubs, I've crunched the data on the most difficult elements of the language.
Frankly, the results aren't that surprising.
Frankly, the results aren't that surprising.
June 5, 2025 at 6:37 AM
After a decade of learning German via online courses, VHS, apps, and several unproductive "meet-ups" in various pubs, I've crunched the data on the most difficult elements of the language.
Frankly, the results aren't that surprising.
Frankly, the results aren't that surprising.
"OK Duolingo, I've been using this app for years and it's finally time to teach me something that I can actually say to a living breathing German person without them looking at me like I've been lobotomised"
Duolingo:
Duolingo:
May 27, 2025 at 4:52 AM
"OK Duolingo, I've been using this app for years and it's finally time to teach me something that I can actually say to a living breathing German person without them looking at me like I've been lobotomised"
Duolingo:
Duolingo:
That moment when you accidentally let slip to a room full of Germans that you don’t really like Spargel.
May 23, 2025 at 4:45 AM
That moment when you accidentally let slip to a room full of Germans that you don’t really like Spargel.
Sometimes it's hard explaining to people what Germany is really like, luckily I've made this handy diagram to help with that.
May 21, 2025 at 5:53 AM
Sometimes it's hard explaining to people what Germany is really like, luckily I've made this handy diagram to help with that.
Learning to drive in #Germany is no easy feat, but once you pass, the Autobahn awaits. What’s it like to drive on the Autobahn and why should you be careful when discussing speed limits with Germans?
Blog Post: bit.ly/4jNw86z
Blog Post: bit.ly/4jNw86z
May 17, 2025 at 10:07 AM
Learning to drive in #Germany is no easy feat, but once you pass, the Autobahn awaits. What’s it like to drive on the Autobahn and why should you be careful when discussing speed limits with Germans?
Blog Post: bit.ly/4jNw86z
Blog Post: bit.ly/4jNw86z
Supposedly, this map shows the beer consumption per person in each German state.
Somehow the numbers still seem low.
Somehow the numbers still seem low.
May 14, 2025 at 7:36 AM
Supposedly, this map shows the beer consumption per person in each German state.
Somehow the numbers still seem low.
Somehow the numbers still seem low.
I thought one of the hardest German words was "Eichhörnchen". Funnily enough, the translation "Squirrel" is equally hard for Germans.
Once I learned "Eichhörnchen", my father-in-law suggested I also try the Bayrisch version, "Oachkatzl".
Bayrisch is German on hard mode.
Once I learned "Eichhörnchen", my father-in-law suggested I also try the Bayrisch version, "Oachkatzl".
Bayrisch is German on hard mode.
May 12, 2025 at 4:55 AM
I thought one of the hardest German words was "Eichhörnchen". Funnily enough, the translation "Squirrel" is equally hard for Germans.
Once I learned "Eichhörnchen", my father-in-law suggested I also try the Bayrisch version, "Oachkatzl".
Bayrisch is German on hard mode.
Once I learned "Eichhörnchen", my father-in-law suggested I also try the Bayrisch version, "Oachkatzl".
Bayrisch is German on hard mode.
I love how birthdays in Germany are like an annual audit of whether your colleagues or their partners can bake.
May 8, 2025 at 6:33 AM
I love how birthdays in Germany are like an annual audit of whether your colleagues or their partners can bake.
Imagine waiting all your life to be Chancellor, only to scrape the election, form a government with your rivals, and then fail to be confirmed as Chancellor by members of your own party.
Germany doesn't do funny very often, but when it does, it's a doozy.
Germany doesn't do funny very often, but when it does, it's a doozy.
May 6, 2025 at 9:25 AM
Imagine waiting all your life to be Chancellor, only to scrape the election, form a government with your rivals, and then fail to be confirmed as Chancellor by members of your own party.
Germany doesn't do funny very often, but when it does, it's a doozy.
Germany doesn't do funny very often, but when it does, it's a doozy.
Germany's Mittelstand, those small regional companies doing one very specific thing very well, is considered the backbone of the economy.
This principle is also the backbone of Germany's crisp/chip industry, which has a massive range of products, all of them Paprika flavour.
This principle is also the backbone of Germany's crisp/chip industry, which has a massive range of products, all of them Paprika flavour.
May 5, 2025 at 4:55 AM
Germany's Mittelstand, those small regional companies doing one very specific thing very well, is considered the backbone of the economy.
This principle is also the backbone of Germany's crisp/chip industry, which has a massive range of products, all of them Paprika flavour.
This principle is also the backbone of Germany's crisp/chip industry, which has a massive range of products, all of them Paprika flavour.
For many migrants, the question of home can be a contentious issue and can be a cause of an identity crisis. What is home and can we ever return to it?
Blog Post: bit.ly/3EDwpK9
Blog Post: bit.ly/3EDwpK9
April 26, 2025 at 5:27 AM
For many migrants, the question of home can be a contentious issue and can be a cause of an identity crisis. What is home and can we ever return to it?
Blog Post: bit.ly/3EDwpK9
Blog Post: bit.ly/3EDwpK9
Erm…is this even a competition? Answer seems obvious to me…Penguins. No fuss, no messing, just quality tea and biscuit action.
April 16, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Erm…is this even a competition? Answer seems obvious to me…Penguins. No fuss, no messing, just quality tea and biscuit action.
Erm…is this even a competition? Answer seems obvious to me…Penguins. No fuss, no messing, just quality tea and biscuit action.
April 16, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Erm…is this even a competition? Answer seems obvious to me…Penguins. No fuss, no messing, just quality tea and biscuit action.
I’ve no way of knowing, but an educated guess suggests Trump’s never seen Love Actually.
I guess the question is, have any of Kier Starmer’s advisors?
I guess the question is, have any of Kier Starmer’s advisors?
April 16, 2025 at 4:39 PM
I’ve no way of knowing, but an educated guess suggests Trump’s never seen Love Actually.
I guess the question is, have any of Kier Starmer’s advisors?
I guess the question is, have any of Kier Starmer’s advisors?
Tis the season to eat Spargel in all its varied forms and you better believe #Germany takes Spargelzeit seriously. This makes things difficult for the minority who don’t like it, but is it worth incurring the wrath of the Spargel lovers?
Blog Post: bit.ly/3EqncVi
Blog Post: bit.ly/3EqncVi
April 12, 2025 at 10:48 AM
Tis the season to eat Spargel in all its varied forms and you better believe #Germany takes Spargelzeit seriously. This makes things difficult for the minority who don’t like it, but is it worth incurring the wrath of the Spargel lovers?
Blog Post: bit.ly/3EqncVi
Blog Post: bit.ly/3EqncVi
I really admire Germany's dedication to putting Kräuter flavour in every conceivable product sold in the Bundesrepublik.
I also like how it's considered the "original" flavour for toothpaste, as if the whole of Deutschland considers mint to be a lesser herb.
Blöde Minze.
I also like how it's considered the "original" flavour for toothpaste, as if the whole of Deutschland considers mint to be a lesser herb.
Blöde Minze.
April 8, 2025 at 6:15 AM
I really admire Germany's dedication to putting Kräuter flavour in every conceivable product sold in the Bundesrepublik.
I also like how it's considered the "original" flavour for toothpaste, as if the whole of Deutschland considers mint to be a lesser herb.
Blöde Minze.
I also like how it's considered the "original" flavour for toothpaste, as if the whole of Deutschland considers mint to be a lesser herb.
Blöde Minze.
People often ask me what's the fundamental difference between Britain and Germany.
I can't say for certain, but I do have some ideas...
I can't say for certain, but I do have some ideas...
April 7, 2025 at 7:15 AM
People often ask me what's the fundamental difference between Britain and Germany.
I can't say for certain, but I do have some ideas...
I can't say for certain, but I do have some ideas...
When Germans here the magic phrase "Liebe Kunden wir öffnen Kasse 2 für Sie".
April 2, 2025 at 6:59 AM
When Germans here the magic phrase "Liebe Kunden wir öffnen Kasse 2 für Sie".