German people's make the difference in the world

German people's make the difference in the world

1. Germans are direct

In the business world and in general, Germans are known as straight shooters and not the most diplomatic bunch. This tendency can sometimes come off as downright rude, especially in cultures where there is a stronger emphasis on indirect communication.

The reason is that Germans tend to be very goal-oriented in their interaction. They want to get right to the point, and not beat around the bush. Germany also doesn’t have as big a small-talk culture as for example the US, where it is much more common to talk to strangers on the street.

The upside of this tendency is that there isn’t that much to decode. A yes is a yes and a no is a no. It’s not meant as an affront or insult but merely serves to state the actual conviction of the speaker.

2. Germans love rules, organization, and structure

Germany has an abundance of laws regulating all aspects of life (see, for example, the German beer law below) and its people like to obey them. This tendency is one of the many leftovers from the values propagated by the Prussians. Prussia used to be a German kingdom known for its unusually well-organised and effective army.

The amount of over-regulation in Germany can sometimes lead to a certain inflexibility. On the other hand it is the Germans’ ability to organize and create structure which has earned them their reputation for being efficient.

This love of rules manifests itself in many ways. For example, crossing the street as a pedestrian at a red traffic light is frowned upon, even if no car is coming. Every house has at least four different garbage cans: plastic and metal, paper, organic waste, and general garbage. Plus, there is even a government office called Ordnungsamt, which literally translates to “office of order.”

3. Germans are punctual

Being on time is considered a virtue in Germany. They would rather be too early than too late. Punctuality is seen as a sign of respect to the person you are meeting. It does not mean that every German is good about this, but they will apologize if they arrive past the agreed-upon time.

On the same line of thought, train and bus schedules are given in exact minutes and yes, people do expect transportation services to be true to their schedule. However, the Deutsche Bahn (German rail service) has a reputation that their timetable is merely an approximate reference for when trains will arrive or leave the station.

4. Germans love football (soccer, that is)

9-german-stereotypes-true

“Football is a simple game. Twenty-two men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win.” – Gary Lineker

By a wide margin, football is the number one most attended and practiced sport in Germany. It is so popular that it could be considered a national pastime. The German Football Association consists of more than 26,000 clubs and 178,000 teams. There are more football fan clubs in Germany than any other country.

In addition, the German football league, the Bundesliga attracts international superstars and is followed by many people outside of the Germany. The country’s national team is strong in international contests and has won four world cups. Did you catch their most recent victory? In recent years, women’s soccer has also been getting more attention as the women’s national team has two world titles to boast.

5. Germans are well-insured

Germany is a land of insurances. You can secure yourself against almost anything. Personal liability insurance, household insurance, legal insurance, life insurance, travel insurance, pet insurance, car insurance, bicycle insurance, unemployment insurance, you name it. Whether that is due to a special Teutonic need for protection and security is up for debate.

While it definitely makes sense to be insured for some fundamentals (health insurance and car liability insurance are mandatory in Germany), foreigners might think the fact that many Germans have their own personal insurance adviser is taking the whole thing a little too far.

6. Germans are distant

You may have heard that Germans are often described as being a little standoffish and cold. That might be because people’s personal space bubbles are larger here than in other countries. Therefore, Germans have a tendency to treat strangers rather formally, especially at first encounters and – as mentioned earlier – are not always big on small talk.

Though sometimes this might seem like they have sticks in places where they don’t belong, it just means they take a little longer to warm up to others. As a consequence, close friendships with Germans don’t necessarily happen overnight, but when they do form they are generally very genuine.

7. Germans love to drink beer

Hell yeah they do! And why wouldn’t they? They’re good at it.

Germany has over 1,300 breweries and more than 5,000 different brands of beer. The country even has a law about which ingredients may be used in the production of the beverage. The beginning of the so-called Deutsches Reinheitsgebot dates back to 1516. Talk about taking brewing seriously.

That being said, it’s no wonder that in 2009 the country ranked second place for beer consumption per capita in Europe, eclipsed only by the Czech Republic (and they invented Pilsner). Germans like beer so much that one of the first things they did after establishing colonies in China was build a brewery. To this day, Tsingtao is China’s second largest beer producer.

Apart from that, every German is able to open beer bottles with anything but a bottle opener (and we are not not talking twisty caps here).

8. Germans know how to bake bread

First, let’s make something clear: German bread is awesome. The variety, the taste, the quality, the fact that it is not squares in a plastic bag meant to be placed in a toaster all make it baking heaven. Studies say that lack of proper bread is the number one reason for homesickness among German students abroad.

Okay, that last fact was completely made up, but baking does have a long-standing tradition in Germany and bread is a big part of the traditional cuisine. Bakeries have tons of shelves full of all kinds of different loaves and rolls (which count as bread in Germany). Dark, white, sweet, savory, crunchy, soft, plain, or with all types of seeds – you can have it your way, any day!

A lot of bakeries will even open on Sunday morning just so that people can get fresh bread for their breakfast, even though, by law, all shops are usually closed on Sunday. I still think one could make a fortune by selling German-style bread next to every international student dorm at engineering colleges outside of Germany.

9. Germans love sausage

Unless you like living off potatoes and staple foods, traditional German food is an insult to vegetarians. Meat in general is a mainstay of German cuisine. However, sausage, or Wurst as it is called here, seems to have a special place in the heart of German meat eaters.

Don’t believe me? Watch this: Bockwurst, Wiener Wurst, Blutwurst, Cervelatwurst, Bratwurst, Currywurst, Weißwurst, Brühwurst, Kinderwurst, Sommerwurst, Rostbratwurst, Mettwurst, Teewurst, Fleischwurst, Jagdwurst, Leberwurst.

And that was just from the top of my head.

As a foreigner and newcomer to German culture, it can be hard to sift through the true and false ideas about traditions, customs, and behaviors. You certainly have to be careful with stereotypes, but now you at least know some of the truer stereotypes you can expect to encounter on occasion in Germany. Now that we’re done playing our little game of true and false, let’s play another game: I double dog dare you…to make some German friends, learn more about their country, and confirm or adapt your ideas about German culture through firsthand experience.

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Why does Germany tend to have a large number of intelligent people?

Why does Germany tend to have a large number of intelligent people?

They don't have more intelligent people, just a general level of education that compares favorably with many comparably developed countries.  They live in a way that makes them seem more educated.  Their culture values education more than other cultures do such as that of the U.S. (so are more educated) - Germany has an effective education system so they're better educated - German culture is "materialistic" when it comes to education much like Americans are materialistic with regards to stuff. The people, and government take steps to ensure higher education is accessible by having free or low cost universities and colleges.

There is no neutral data to support the notion that Germans are any stupider or smarter than the population of any other developed country.

The present state of data on international differences in intelligence is unsatisfactory.  Because of the historic politicisation of this topic, there are many differences in views, including amongst scientists.  Some scientific studies do show that Germany has a relatively high national IQ, and if this be the case, then it might tend to suggest a relatively higher proportion of smart people.

Not more intelligent, just more educated. I believe the biggest factor is that being ignorant comes at a steep social price in Germany. In Germany, you cannot really impress people with wealth (people are suspicious of wealth), instead, the key measure that everyone aims for is appearing sophisticated. This explains a bunch of symptoms, like the bookcases in every living room (often filled with classics or an encyclopedia that the owners haven't read), the popularity of books on manners or 'general knowledge', the effort made to pronounce foreign words as in the original language, the habit of talking about current events by way of small talk... 

The education system is another factor of course. German education is completely free, including university, and the average German school routinely outperforms the average American school. As an example, it is generally possible for German high school graduates to skip the first two years of American college. German universities don't teach any general knowledge anymore, you immediately start with a schedule specific to your field of study. A side effect is also that German job ads never call for 'any bachelor degree' - they either require a specific degree that is relevant to the job, or they are happy with a high school diploma. The biggest reason for the quality of German education is not students' intelligence but that teaching is a highly-regarded profession. Teachers have to undergo rigorous training (average starting age is 30 because the studies & internships & exams take that long to complete) and teachers' salaries are several times as high as in the US.

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A Former CIA Executive's Advice On How To Make Hard Decisions

A Former CIA Executive's Advice On How To Make Hard Decisions

A five-step decision-making process from a man who spent 25 years making life-and-death decisions.

Each day we make thousands of decisions. Most are fairly insignificant, such as what to have for lunch or what to wear. Others carry weight and consequences. Complicating things is our access to information; a simple Google search produces a million results in a split second, and that can lead to analysis paralysis.

Philip Mudd is accustomed to making tough decisions. As the former deputy director of the CIA’s Counterterrorist Center and FBI’s National Security Branch, he has gathered information and made recommendations about some of the world’s biggest threats to national safety. During his 25 years working for the government, Mudd developed a system for analyzing complex data and assessing risk. While some of the decisions he made involved life and death, he contends that all complex decisions—government and civil—are major.

"Whether you're combating terrorists or managing a pension fund, decisions should be made in similar ways," he says. "Before you say your decisions aren’t profound, stop. Is it really soulless if it affects people’s lives?"

In his book The HEAD Game: High-Efficiency Analytic Decision Making and the Art of Solving Complex Problems Quickly, Mudd breaks down his decision-making process into five steps:

2. DECIDE ON YOUR METRICS
Once the question and drivers have been identified, decide what metrics you’ll use to measure how the problem and solution are evolving over time.

Mudd suggests comparing your thought process to the training process of an Olympic sprinter who measures success in hundredths of a second. "If we don’t, the analysis we provide will suffer the same fate as a sprinter who thinks he’s great but has never owned a stopwatch: he enters an elite competition, and reality intervenes," he says.

Metrics provide a "mind mirror"—a system for judging your decisions. It provides a foundation for coming back to the table and assessing the process for success.

4. COLLECT THE DATA
Once you’ve built the framework that will help you make the hard decision, it’s time to gather the data. Overcome data overload by plugging data into their driver categories and excising anything that doesn't fit, says Mudd.

"Too much data might provide a false sense of security, and it doesn’t necessarily lead to clearer analytic decision making," says Mudd.

Aggressively question the validity of your data. Once you have your data sorted, give yourself a grade that represents your confidence in assessing your question.

5. LOOK FOR WHAT’S MISSING
Complex analysis isn’t easy, says Mudd; you must assume that the process is flawed and check for gaps and errors.

He says three common stumbling blocks are:
Availability bias: The instinct to rely on what you know or what has been most recently in the news.
Halo effect: When you write off the negative characteristics because you’re mesmerized by the positive attributes.
Intuitive versus analytic methodologies: when you go with your gut.
"I hate intuition," says Mudd. "It’s dangerous and it makes me nervous."

Mudd says making complex decisions is hard work. "It’s a lot of fun to be an expert who bases their ideas on history and not a lot of fun to be an analyst who must always be assessing potential scenarios," he says. "Every time you go into a problem, and before you rip into data, ask yourself, ‘Am I sure where I’m heading?’"

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The down-south chic of Montpellier, France

The down-south chic of Montpellier, France

Why Montpellier?

Languedoc’s capital is one of France’s most dynamic cities – helped by an unusually high number of students studying at one of the country’s oldest universities. At the same time, the abundance of Mediterranean sunshine brings a mellow air that invites slow ambles through the old town’s pedestrianised medieval lanes. When things really heat up, the beach is only about 20 kilometres away.

Its historic centre is an attractive mishmash of 18th-century mansions and medieval houses, book-ended by handsomely landscaped green spaces, including France’s oldest botanical garden. Tiny squares and alleys teem with cafes and bars; the convivial atmosphere is infectious on warm evenings when people fill the streets.

Mellow it may be, but Montpellier is always on the move. Its cultural life is one of the richest in southern France, with summertime music and dance festivals. Behind its severe facade, Musée Fabre (museefabre.montpellier-agglo.com) houses one of France’s biggest art collections outside of Paris. The city itself is constantly expanding, with new districts such as Port Marianne, which boasts shiny buildings that run alongside the River Lez.

A comfortable bed

Baudon de Mauny (www.baudondemauny.com) has eight elegant and quietly refined rooms in an 18th-century family mansion in the heart of the old town. Splash out on one of the XXL rooms, which makes you feel as if you’re in your own private ballroom. Double rooms cost from €165 (Dh676), room only.

Another family home, but from a more recent era, Les 4 Etoiles (www.les4etoiles.com), near the 18th-century aqueduct Les Arceaux, is a friendly B&B with plenty of original 1930s features and an adorable roof terrace. Doubles cost from €94 (Dh385), including breakfast.

Formerly the Holiday Inn, Hôtel Oceania le Métropole (www.oceaniahotels.com) is in a handy location near the train station and – rare for Montpellier hotels – has an outdoor pool. Doubles cost from €101 (Dh407), room only.

Find your feet

The old town, called the Ecusson, is easy to explore on foot, and there’s an efficient tram system for exploring further afield. Start in the Place de la Comédie, a grand oblong square in which an ornate 18th-century opera house sits regally among the row of lively cafes. At the other end – just before the expansive gardens of the Esplanade Charles-de-Gaulle – is the tourist office (www.ot-montpellier.fr). It stands before some examples of Montpellier’s more modern face: the Polygone shopping mall and Antigone, a controversial 1980s experiment in grandiose modern architecture.

Behind the Place de la Comédie is the tangle of streets and alleys that makes up the old town. At its western end are the Jardin des Plantes botanical garden and the elaborate gardens of the Promenade du Peyrou. Just beyond is Les Arceaux, modelled on the Pont du Gard, which hosts a twice-weekly food market.

Meet the locals

The streets around Saint-Roch church are a hive of bars and restaurants wedged into the narrow lanes, including a cluster of cafes where Rue du Petit Saint-Jean and Rue de la Fontaine meet. Le Saint-Roch is a perennial favourite, as is its neighbour Le Bouchon Saint-Roch.

Book a table

Le Petit Jardin (www.petit-jardin.com) serves innovative dishes in a classy environment that includes a not-so-petit garden. The menu is seasonal, but could include turbot with carrot mousse and tempura capers. Mains cost about €32 (Dh131). Adjoining the restaurant is a more casual bistro with a cheaper menu and its own garden.

The cosy little Le Paresseur (0033 4 6767 1207) around the corner from Le Saint-Roch bases its menu on what it gets from the market. The seasonally changing menu will usually include a risotto and a fish of the day. Mains cost about €16 (Dh66).

Shopper’s paradise

Check out the lanes around Saint-Roch for tiny boutiques selling handmade clothing and accessories. Matière d’Art at 5 Rue de la Fontaine (www.n-b-collection.com) has an eclectic mix of handcrafted jewellery, ceramics and women’s clothes. Vert Anis at No 10 has fun women’s creations, plus a range of children’s clothing. You’ll find upmarket boutiques along Rue Foch on the way to the Promenade du Peyrou.

What to avoid

Taking a car into the centre. There’s nowhere to park and you certainly won’t be needing one. The only alternative is to leave it in a costly car park.

Don’t miss

Spend an afternoon on the beach. Take tramway L3 to its final stop – 3km from Carnon-Plage. If you’re lucky, you might spot pink flamingos perching in the water as you pass the Étang de Pérols and the Étang de l’Or.

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Avignon is a French fancy

Avignon is a French fancy

The sunny capital of Provence’s Vaucluse region is marking 20 years of being a Unesco World Heritage Site – an apt accolade, considering it’s home to the world’s largest Gothic palace and has an astonishing number of historic sites within its stony ramparts. For almost 70 years, Avignon was the home of the Papacy, and the imposing towers of the 14th-century Palais des Papes (www.palais-des-papes.com) draw you irresistibly to the vast Place du Palais, which is large enough to hold the medieval treasures of the Musée du Petit Palais (www.petit-palais.org) and the 12th-century Notre Dame des Doms cathedral. Lording over it all are the hilltop gardens of Rocher des Doms, Avignon’s first settlement.

At the merest hint of warm weather, cafe tables fill every open space within the city’s cobbled streets. The Avignonnais do cafe society very well, squeezing in restaurants and bars in hidden corners and courtyards. And don’t forget to look up: many of the handsome 18th-century town houses are covered in trompe-l’œil that illustrate the city’s other main obsession – theatre. The 69th edition of the Festival d’Avignon, one of the world’s oldest and biggest theatre festivals, runs from July 4 to 25.

A comfortable bed

The splendours of the 18th century are lavishly evoked at La Mirande (www.la-mirande.fr; 0033 490 142 020), a former cardinal’s palace near Palais des Papes. It’s unstuffy luxury at its best, with a superb afternoon tea in the courtyard garden. Double rooms cost from €370 (Dh1,543), room only.

Facing the lively Place Crillon, the stately Hotel d’Europe (www.heurope.com; 0033 490 147 676) has been running since 1799, offering stylish comfort – plus a highly acclaimed Michelin-starred restaurant. Doubles cost from €225 (Dh938), room only.

A grand 1820 town house contains Villa de Margot (www.demargot.fr; 0033 490 826 284), a friendly B&B with individually themed rooms. Even if you don’t get the royal suite, with its wonderful roof terrace, there’s a charming secluded garden in the front. Doubles cost from €120 (Dh551), including breakfast.

Find your feet

Most of the main sights are contained within Avignon’s medieval stone ramparts, which encircle about four kilometres of the historic centre bordering the River Rhône. The big exception is Pont St-Bénézet, aka Pont d’Avignon, the famously ruined bridge that juts into the river. South of Place du Palais is Place de l’Horloge, which teems with people and cafes. The square blends into the main Rue de la République, which eventually leads to the main tourist office in Cours Jean Jaurès (www.avignon-tourisme.com or www.provenceguide.com; 0033 432 743 274), as well as a tangle of pedestrianised streets to the east. To the south-east is Rue des Teinturiers, which runs alongside a tiny stretch of the River Sorgue and is flanked by ancient waterwheels and quirky cafes.

Meet the locals

Away from the busy Place de l’Horloge is the much more intimate Place du Corps-Saints, a delightful little square (well, triangle, really) round the corner from the tourist office. Bistros and bars cluster around the triangle’s plane trees, which give welcome shade to the cafe tables. If you’re hungry, stop at Ginette et Marcel for a tartine, a large slab of toasted rustic bread covered with toppings that include warm goat’s cheese with honey.

Book a table

The food is as exquisite as the elegant belle époque surroundings at Hiély-Lucullus (www.hiely-lucullus.com; 0033 490 861 707), one of Avignon’s top restaurants. The roast saddle of Provençal lamb with cannelloni of confit leg (€35 [Dh146]) is a work of art.

One of Place du Corps-Saints’ newest and most welcome additions is Restaurant l’Agape (www.restaurant-agape-avignon.com; 0033 490 850 406). Inside its industrial-chic interior, very generous plates of French dishes include beef that’s been cooked slowly for 12 hours and melts in the mouth. It’s part of the €17 (Dh71) lunchtime menu, which is excellent value.

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Lyon: France’s gourmet capital

Lyon: France’s gourmet capital

I’ve just taken Lyon’s cable car up to the top of Fourvière Hill, the perfect spot for a bird’s-eye view over this majestic city. The ancient funicular dates back to 1878, but has recently been renovated with gleaming new coaches, a little like the city itself, which is going through a renaissance, suddenly staking its place as one of Europe’s hot new weekend hideaways. Lyon boasts both Unesco World Heritage status and cutting-edge architecture by the likes of Renzo Piano, Jean Nouvel and Santiago Calatrava. Traditional bistros are booming, alongside a new generation of creative young chefs in elegant fine-dining restaurants.

Culture lovers can choose between Old Masters displayed at the Museum of Fine Arts and avant-garde installations that regularly transform the Museum of Contemporary Art. Throughout the year, there’s always a surprising event energising Lyon, from biennales dedicated to dance, music and art, a cinema festival, classical concerts or techno raves, culminating in the famous Fête des Lumières at the beginning of December, when four million visitors marvel at the city spectacularly lit up for four nights.

Looking down, it’s clear how Lyon has logically evolved from the grandiose Roman ruins that mark its beginnings up here on the hill, running below to the bank of the Saône River with the grand mansions of medieval Vieux Lyon, and across to the baroque splendour of the Presqu’île neighbourhood. Then the metropolis stretches from the other side of the mighty Rhône River to the modern, 20th-century business quarter of La Part-Dieu and a whole new city-of-the-future, under construction at Confluence, where the Rhône and Saône merge.

The Romans rapidly made Lugdunum the capital of one of their Gaulish provinces, and if the French had followed their famed Cartesian logic, then Lyon, not ­Paris, would still be the French capital today, perfectly positioned in the centre of France’s “hexagon”. But it is only now that La Ville des Gones – The Kids’ City, as Lyon is known – is emerging from the shadow of Paris to become France’s fashionable new ­destination.

A local guide, Jérôme Fayet-Trevy, tells me that “tourism has suddenly taken off here. Lyon is being discovered by both the French themselves and foreign visitors, and I suspect we Lyonnais are all rather perplexed by this. Tourists used to be concentrated in Vieux Lyon, the historic centre, but now they realise that this is more than a day-trip destination and that it is worth taking time to explore the whole city.”

The one thing that everyone agrees on is that Lyon is France’s capital of gastronomy, and I decide to head straight off on a foodie pilgrimage to the flagship restaurant of the world-famous chef Paul Bocuse. Lyon may be the birthplace of the likes of Le Petit Prince author, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, and the Lumière brothers, inventors of modern cinema, but the 88-year-old chef towers over ­everyone. You can book a table in one of his numerous, reasonably priced brasseries dotted all over the city, or the new gourmet restaurant of his cooking school, while all of Lyon meets for weekend shopping in the teeming food market, Les Halles Paul Bocuse (102 Cours Lafayette; www.hallespaulbocuse.lyon.fr), a cornucopia of stalls selling foie gras, oysters, truffles, cheeses and irresistible macaroons. You can even take a selfie of yourself with the great man – not in person, but in front of his mural at Place Saint-Vincent, probably the most-photographed of the 200 evocative frescoes that decorate the city.

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Is Amsterdam the best place to live ?

Is Amsterdam the best place to live ?

Have you read The Geography of Bliss: One Grump’s Search for the Happiest Places in the World? The author traveled the world in search of what factors, including money, culture, and democracy, affect happiness. Its opening chapter about Amsterdam is a great hook–interesting and hilarious. For me, reading about how people live in different places around the world related to my nagging interest in finding a simpler life abroad and made me reflect on what places might be my future home. Since my short but wonderful stay in Amsterdam, I have wondered if that just might be the best place to live. I plan to go back, wander its neighborhoods more, and find out what it’s really like to live there.

My husband and I stayed there for four days, and the only mistake we made was booking a hotel that was outside the city center. We got a hugely discounted rate but would have gotten more travel experiences from staying in a hotel right in the center. Lesson learned…and since then I have always told people to spend more to stay in the center. That way you can walk everywhere, go back to your room to rest during the day, and stay out at night without worrying about getting back to your hotel. Everything else about our time there was perfect, and we often talk about going back. Here are my reasons why Amsterdam is a wonderful place to visit and just might be a great place to live.

Amsterdam has excellent quality of life.

It’s clean and safe. It has a lovely environment, with little traffic or pollution and beautiful canals that give the city a special ambiance. According to a 2011 study, Amsterdam has the 12th best quality of life because of its infrastructure and environment.

Half of the population is not Dutch.

For someone like me who values ethnic and cultural diversity, this statistic is a welcome one. In fact, one source states that Amsterdam has residents from more countries than any other city in the world. It means that the schools and neighborhoods are not entirely filled with blond, blue-eyed Dutch; instead the city has a sizable immigrant population, as evidenced in the city’s variety of ethnic restaurants. How integrated this population is with the Dutch residents is a question worth asking, however.

“Leef en laat leven,” or “Live and let live”

This is a saying that the Dutch are known for, and it shows in the city’s liberal policies and the people’s laid-back attitude. The most famous example is the city’s allowing marijuana to be sold and smoked in “coffee shops,” but recently this has changed with a new law passed that allows only residents of Amsterdam to partake. While I personally don’t like pot or prostitution and don’t condone the objectification of women, I do appreciate the city’s tolerance of diverse lifestyles.

Amsterdam is a beautiful, unique city, and one that I liked right from the beginning, and I can’t wait to go back! Have you been to Amsterdam? Do you live there? Please share your impressions!

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Study at VU University Amsterdam and experience Amsterdam!

Study at VU University Amsterdam and experience Amsterdam!

About studying an international Bachelor or Master at VU University Amsterdam and living in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

I am Larissa and this is my last post of a series of 4! With things less busy now, I want to tell you about the last months of this master experience and give you an overview of my year. I have completed the master programme Law and Politics of International Security at the VU, year 2014/2015. I came from Brazil to the Netherlands on August 2014 and a lot have happened since then. The last months of my master at the VU were extremely intense. I cannot describe in words how intense the second half of my academic year was. I committed myself 110% to my final thesis and it was everything but easy. Fortunately, I had the support of my family, of my close friends and of my supervisor. They all, especially my supervisor, were crucial for my success in the end. The whole year was as stressful as it could be but I could learn a lot from it:) I also have met the most incredible people along my way and I have been to places and experienced things I am sure I would never had if I had not chosen to come to The Netherlands.


When you are doing a master’s programme you probably will not be able to attend many social events, staying focus is very important. However, it is also important to build a relationship with people that are going through a similar moment in life and with whom you can share your difficulties and achievements. I met incredible people living on my building and studying/working at the VU. Trust me, having social relations and moments to escape the heaviness of life is also very important to keep your sanity going:) The people I met in Amsterdam were definitely the best and the most unexpected aspect of my year.


I did not visit many other places in Europe but I could definitely visit a lot of the Netherlands and especially a lot of Amsterdam. Amsterdam has many great spots that vary from cute to alternative to fancy. Close to where I lived I enjoyed going to the Biertuin, to the Roest and to the Kriterion cinema. With respect to the country, I found the Netherlands great: it is super organized and pretty, everything is perfectly designed and it is small, which means that you can visit a lot! The weather is the only disturbing thing about this country. I had to use my winter coat 99,99% of the year, many the times with an additional raincoat over it. Whenever it is sunny and hot, people celebrate it as ifit was national holidays. My family came to visit me this summer and when they arrived it was pretty hot! During the year some of my best Brazilian and international friends came to visit me too and having them around was awesome!

My house in Pierre Lallementstraat was also one of the highlights of this year. I thought that the place would be nice but I did not expect that I would like it so much. It was definitely hard to say goodbye to my house after one year living there. The building is new and it is located in a very nice area of Amsterdam. The studios are super big for one person and, despite of the lack of common areas, there is a facebook page where people organize meetings and keep in touch. In addition, if you are doing a master programme you will probably need a lot of privacy to study and the least amount of stress possible, so living alone in the studio definitely was an asset for me. If you prefer studying at the University instead of home, the VU offer many nice spots and it is open till very late. The 7th floor, where I liked to study, became my second home in Amsterdam:) During the weekends, in order to vary from the university environment, I used to go to Amsterdam’s public library (OBA). OBA is in the centre of Amsterdam and many students go there and stay till late on Saturdays and Sundays. The public library is the best library I have ever studied in. It is huge and extremely beautiful. It is not particularly quiet because many tourists and teenagers visit the library during the weekends. Still, many people of all ages go there to study and you should arrive early in order to get a spot.

After submitting my thesis I went for a summer vacation in Brazil and it was absolutely great! Being back home after so long was super weird and super normal at the same time. Going out with my friends was just amazing and I felt like I had never left the country:). After this visit I came back to The Netherlands and I started an internship at the ICTY Tribunal in The Hague. Job hunting is the next step and only time will tell what the future holds and what the next adventure will be!

Finally, for all of you who have started or are going to start your studies at the VU, I wish you the best of luck! Work hard, keep your nerves and enjoy the experience!

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Here’s Why Your Content Marketing Strategy is Totally Failing

Here’s Why Your Content Marketing Strategy is Totally Failing

I talk with a lot of people who are frustrated with the fact that their content marketing strategy doesn’t seem to be working.

In fact, in some cases, their entire content strategy seems to be an abject failure.
Why is this the case? If content marketing is such an important marketing method, has proven success, and is used by nearly 90% of businesses, then why do so many businesses feel like their strategy is useless and ineffective?

There are some common trends that characterize many of these “failed” content marketing strategies. In most cases, the strategies haven’t “failed” at all. The “strategy,” whatever that is, wasn’t clear enough to guide the business to achieve its goals.

Instead, what the strategy needs is a hard reset and some new programming. That new programming comes in the form of SMART goals.

Why I’m concerned about ‘strategy’

Content marketing is something that everyone is doing, but not many people are very confident about it. You may have read CMI’s industry survey, which explained that only 9% of B2B marketers think their organization’s use of content marketing is “very effective.” That leaves the vast majority of the industry in a situation where they are not totally confident about their efforts.

This is a problem. If content marketing is the wonder technique that we think it is, shouldn’t we have a bit more confidence in it?

The core of the problem seems to be with strategy. The proof is in the data.
What we’re facing is an industry in which “strategy” – whatever that is – is either not working or nonexistent. Why? Because there isn’t a strategy at all.

This is an issue that I covered in depth in my Kissmetrics article, 10 Common Reasons Why Content Marketing Isn’t Working for You. The issue to notice here is that there’s actually no strategy. None.

If this is the case, then it’s no wonder your content marketing strategy is failing. You don’t have one. The problem is more common than you might think.

The percentage of B2C marketers who have a documented content marketing strategy is 27%. You might get hopeful, because 50% of marketers have a strategy. (It’s not written down, that’s all.)

That’s a huge problem. If it’s not written down, then it probably doesn’t really exist. Sure, it exists in people’s minds, but how clear is that? How can a strategy that exists in people’s minds guide an organization’s cohesive efforts?

Content marketing is a method that takes a team to carry forward. If the organization’s individuals are holding some nebulous strategy in their minds, that’s not really a strategy at all. That’s just some thoughts on content marketing.

I’m also concerned about this statistic: Only one-third follow their documented strategy “very” closely, with 57% following it “somewhat” closely. Why document your content marketing strategy if it’s not valuable enough to follow closely?

The problem seems to lie with the word “strategy.”

“Strategy” is a fuzzy word. Frank Cespedes wrote in the Harvard Business Review:

Ironically, after years of books, articles, and MBA programs dedicated to strategic thinking, that’s the danger with how strategy is used in business meetings. It’s too often a way of sounding smart or leader-like and used to avoid necessary choices.

People conflate business strategy with the aggregation of tactical plans … Studies show that a big problem with strategic planning processes is that the resulting ‘strategy’ is a bland compilation of capital budgets that, in turn, are a compilation (not integration) of separate functional initiatives.

OK, so most businesses don’t have a strategy – let alone a good one. Now, we need to talk about what “strategy” is. The HBR article explains it this way:

So, what is strategy? It’s fundamentally the movement of an organization from its present position to a desirable but inherently uncertain future position. The path from here to there is both analytical (a series of linked hypotheses about objectives in a market, where we do and don’t play among our opportunity spaces, and what this means for the customer value proposition, sales tasks, and other activities) and behavioral (the ongoing coordinated efforts of people who work in different functions but must align for effective strategy execution). And the trail always begins with customers.
That’s basically a complicated way of saying that we need to have goals.

I would argue that “strategy” should really mean “goals.”

“Strategy” sounds smart and sexy, but how different is it from goals? Goals are a much clearer way to look at the issue of strategy. I suggest that we stop trying to come up with an innovative “strategy,” and instead focus on goals.

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What is marketing strategy?

What is marketing strategy?

Consumers do not buy what you sell. They buy what has value to them.

We are exposed to hundreds, if not thousands, of marketing messages every day. Why would we be receptive to all of them? That would be mental chaos. So, in response, we tune out all but the most relevant ones. Our brain is actually very good at tuning out stuff that it does not want or need. We do this automatically. This prevents us from going insane.

You probably remember the experience of learning a new word—as a child or even as an adult—and all of a sudden you see and hear that word everywhere. This is an example of how our brains smooth over the parts of our environment that are not relevant to us. That word was always there, of course, but it was effectively invisible to our mind until learning its meaning gave it relevance. As a result, pop! like magic that word is now there where seemingly it never was before. A marketing message operates exactly the same way.

What does marketing strategy have to do with this materialization out of nothing?

Marketing strategy is sorting out who your audience actually is, and then finding out what has meaning for them. What do they care about, and how does this relate to your offer? What message can you deliver that is both true and meets your consumer squarely at the level of their needs? Marketing strategy is the process of uncovering messages that can be heard. Marketing strategy allows you to answer the crucial question your offer must address: “Why should I care?” To paraphrase Peter Drucker: Consumers do not buy what you sell. They buy what has value to them.


Why does marketing strategy matter?

In marketing, there is strategy and there are tactics. A lot of marketing, in practice, is preoccupied with what I call tactical experimentation. This is the act of throwing all kinds of things out at the world or at broad demographic targets to see what works. As you do this you are spending money, potentially lots of it. The idea in this method is to do this until you find some marketing actions that work, and when you find them you can then do more of those.

This process often results in the classic Wanamaker dilemma—”Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don’t know which half.” He was speaking of advertising, but the principle applies.

Marketing strategy allows you to use pathways and footholds that apply your limited marketing budget more effectively (everyone’s marketing budget is limited). Marketing strategy facilitates your ability to apply marketing money to the correct half of the Wanamaker equation—the half you are not wasting on audiences who do not value your message.

To illustrate this principal with one of our own rather straightforward examples, when we looked at the South Bronx as a marketplace for the Bronx Museum, the situation we saw was reflected by the first competitive advantage diagram below; here, there is nothing in their offer, as understood by the consumer, that is of any perceived value. The strategy, therefore, could not be to simply support the institutional desire to communicate about all the great art that was on exhibit (see Drucker above).

We had to find factors that could legitimately be moved into the competitive advantage, things that were perceived as valuable to the desired audience, that were not perceived to be offered by the competition. In this case, there was no required product change, just an adjustment of the marketing message communicated through the website and advertising. By effectively marketing on the basis of the factors that reflected what was of value to the target consumer we cost-effectively supported the achievement of their desired objective to increase attendance from local audiences in the South Bronx. This is marketing strategy applied, and it helped them double attendance*. (You can read more about this campaign in The Marketing of the Bronx Museum.)

So, for the sake of your own institution or product, please spend the time and energy to really get inside the head of your consumer. Find the intersection between your offer and their needs. Answer Drucker’s Questions #2 and #3: Who is your customer? What do they value? Isolate those specific factors that actually drive behavior for them. Realize they are not buying what you are selling, they are only buying what is of value to them. And, by all means, use THAT in your marketing communications.

You’ll be very glad you did.

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Why Britain is one of the best places in the world

Why Britain is one of the best places in the world

Why Britain is one of the best places in the world: Personal security, job satisfaction and earnings rank above average in survey of 35 countries

• Britain ranks above the US, Germany, France and Ireland in many of the criteria set by the OECD

• Greece, Hungary, Brazil and Chile are among those ranked at the bottom

• British students spend 16.6 years in education, compared to 19 in Finland

• Income inequality has risen more in the UK than other countries since 2007

• Women spend 11 hours more a week doing unpaid duties around the home than men

The UK is one of the best places to live in the world, bucking the worst effects of the recent financial crisis, according to a leading think tank.
Personal security, job satisfaction and earnings are all areas in which the UK ranks above average among 35 nations in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
The UK sits alongside New Zealand, Canada, Switzerland and Scandinavian countries in being among the best places to live in the world.
In many of the criteria set by the OECD, the UK is above the US, Germany, France and Ireland, which are listed as average in the Better Life Index.

Researchers measured well-being in 34 industrialised countries around the world and examined factors such as education, housing, security and income.
It found that Greece, Hungary, Estonia, Mexico, Brazil and Chile are among those ranked near the bottom.
But the Paris-based think tank has warned that while in some areas the UK was ahead, in education it was falling behind.

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Is Samsung the best tech company in the world?

Is Samsung the best tech company in the world?

Samsung has shown it is the Alpha of the phone market. While leading Android as their leader, Apple and other companies have done many things to take them down like acsesive sueing or false accusations of copying. They have shown to have the best camera, specs, and processors in the world. They give their engineers a free life for their families with top notch education. They also support and government and invest heavily in Asian markets giving people better lives. They give tons of money to charity and gives schools around the world and in the U.S. To conclude, Samsung it the best company.

Innovation at its best No one comes close when it comes to atleast the hardware aspect of things. They lead in manufacturing TVs and smartphones. They are definitely getting screwed up in the lower segment by Xiaomi etc and in the upper segment by Apple, but their latest flagships are the best phones you can possibly buy, without doubt.
They have superior technology in displays, and are the only one capable of building curved displays. They have the best cameras. Even for the popular iPhones, a lot of its components such as displays are manufactured by Samsung. They are investing heavily in software, and hopefully will become more complete in near future, so that they could achieve their true potential in tech industry.

Samsung is the best Unlike apple Samsung makes phones for all classes of people. If anyone says about its not so good things better stop comparing with low end varieties , the high end varieties are always ahead of other phones, even apple. Apple always copies the design from Samsung and os from android .Waiting for the day when apple brings edge phones claiming it their invention and all apple geeks following it blindly.

Samsung is best tech company Samsung is best tech company. I heard someone say apple makes more money. To Samsung it's not about the money. To Samsung it's about being a innovator and trendsetter. They are way ahead of most of their competitors by 10 yrs. This includes apple. They do everything well. In my opinion, I believe samsung has more cash than apple, microsoft, htc, google etc. Just because you make more money doesn't make you the best. For yrs guys made more money than Michael Jordan, but, they weren't better than him. With Samsung it's about the Love and specs

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'He's a miracle from God': The greatest ever quotes about Lionel Messi

'He's a miracle from God': The greatest ever quotes about Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi defies description - but that doesn't mean people haven't tried to put his talent into words. Here's our pick of the most profound, wittiest and most eloquent pieces of wisdom about one of the undisputed greats of football history:
"I have never seen anyone like Leo Messi. He is a miracle from God! I like it when he does his things on the field. It's not jealousy - I feel good, for instance, when he nutmegs someone." - Arda Turan "Once they said they can only stop me with a pistol. Today you need a machine gun to stop Messi." - Hristo Stoichkov "Messi is the Mozart of football." - Radomir Antic "It is clear that Messi is on a level above all others. Those who do not see that are blind." - Xavi "For me, to watch Messi play is a pleasure – it’s like having an orgasm – it’s an incredible pleasure." - Luis Figo "This Barca will be remembered as Messi’s Barca. He’s well above anything else I’ve ever seen. He’s an alien." - Messi's former team-mate Carles Puyol
"Messi is the best in the world without any doubt and for me the history of football." Luis Enrique

"Messi is God, as a person and even more as a player. I knew him when he was a boy and I’ve watched him grow. He deserves it all." - Samuel Eto'o "Although he may not be human, it’s good that Messi still thinks he is." - Javier Mascherano "They tell me that all men are equal in God’s eyes, this player makes you seriously think about those words." - Football commentator Ray Hudson "Newton and Einstein had a certain level of autism - I hope that, like them, Messi surpasses himself every day and continues to give us his beautiful brand of football." - Romario "Life with Leo is prettier, of another colour." - Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu "There are three or four important things in life: books, friends, women… and Messi." - Portuguese writer Antonio Lobo Antunes "Barca will never have a player like Messi again. Messi’s greatness is present on and off the field of play." - ex-Barcelona president Sandro Rosell

"Seeing Messi play is like watching a video game… What Messi does on a football field is simply unthinkable… The way he walks from side to side, and once he sees an opportunity, he simply creates magic." - tennis superstar Victoria Azarenka.

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The real truth behind household power savers

The real truth behind household power savers

A household power low voltage saving devices has recently received a lot of attention from both consumers and manufacturers. It is generally used in residential homes to save energy and to reduce electricity bills. It is a small device which is to be plugged in any of the AC sockets in the house (Mostly near Energy Meter). Moreover, some of the companies claim that their power savers save up to 40% of the energy.

Many people believe that the claims made by the power savers manufacturing companies are false. Almost all people who buy power savers do it to reduce their electricity bills.

Many people who have used these power savers said that they could reduce their electricity bills with the devices; however the reduction was not as much as they had expected. Moreover, they could not figure out if the reduction in electricity bills was due to the power savers or because of their efforts to reduce their electrical usage. There have been several serious discussions about the genuineness of the device.

In this note, we will try to find the real truth behind these power savers which claim to save as much as 40% of energy.

Working Principle of Power Saver as per Manufacture

A Power Saver is a device which plugs in to power socket. Apparently just by keeping the device connected it will immediately reduce your power consumption. Typical claims are savings between 25% and 40%.

It is known that the electricity that comes to our homes is not stable in nature. There are many fluctuations, raise and falls, and surges/Spikes in this current. This unstable current cannot be used by any of the household appliances. Moreover, the fluctuating current wastes the electric current from the circuit by converting electrical energy into heat energy.

This heat energy not only gets wasted to the atmosphere, but also harms the appliances and wiring circuit.

Household power saver device - Schematic diagram
Household power saver device - Schematic diagram

Power Saver stores the electricity inside of it using a system of capacitors and they release it in a smoother way to normal without the spikes. The systems also automatically remove carbon from the circuit which also encourages a smoother electrical flow. This means that we will have less power spikes. More of the electricity flowing around circuit can be used to power appliances than before.

Basically it is claimed that Power savers work on the principle of surge protection technology. Power savers work on straightening this unstable electric current to provide a smooth and constant output. The fluctuation in voltage is unpredictable and cannot be controlled. However, the power savers utilize current fluctuation to provide a usable power by acting like a filter and allowing only smooth current to pass through the circuit. Power savers use capacitors for this purpose. When there is a surge of current in the circuit, the capacitor of the power saver stores the excess current and releases it when there is a sudden drop. Thus only smooth output current comes out of the device.

Moreover, a power saver also removes any type of carbon in the system, which facilitates further smoother flow. The main advantage of power savers is not that they provide a backup system in times of low current, but that it protects the household appliances. It is known that a sudden rise in the power can destroy the electrical appliance. Thus, the power saver not only protects the appliance but also increases its life. Moreover, they also reduce the energy consumption and thus the electricity bills.

The amount of power saved by a power saver depends on the number of appliances on the electrical circuit. Also, the system takes at least a week to adapt itself fully to the circuit, before it starts showing its peak performance. The maximum amount of voltage savings will be seen in areas where in the current fluctuation is the highest.

Household Power Saver Scam Review

Power Factor Correction for residential customers (home owners) is a scam? At most, each unit is worth as an investment. Power factor correction does make sense for some commercial / industrial customers.

Many companies are promoting and advertise that their Power Saver unit are able to save domestic residential power consumption by employing an “active power factor correction” method on the supply line. The concept seems pretty impressive as the concept is true and legally accepted. But practically, we will find that it’s not feasible.

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Be Smart, Move to Germany (not in that order)

Be Smart, Move to Germany (not in that order)

Is it just me, or is Germany possibly the greatest country in the world today…?

Germany is considered the 5th best place to be young in the world (3rd in Europe), and with 64% of the population speaking English, it’s also one of the best places for foreigners of any age to visit (…especially if they speak English). It has the world’s 4th largest economy (after US, China, and Japan) and an impressively low unemployment rate. It’s no wonder that it was rated as the most positively viewed country in the world in 2013 by the BCC. But the real story that motivated me to blog about this is the news about something dear to my heart – higher education. Namely, Germany has made all of its university education completely free.

Say What?

Considering that Germany has the third-most institutions among the world’s best universities (just behind the US & UK), this is a serious and astonishing development. In fact, after having investigated many of the available courses myself, I can say that there are some very interesting options for students of any nations. In English, that is. I have nothing to say about German courses because, frankly, I can’t read German.

Too good to be true? Absolutely not. English is already the main language taught in many German universities, and the amount of English-only schools is growing. Even the best institutions in the country offer programs for international students in English. Of course, it depends on what you would like to learn. Having looked through the catalog of bachelor’s degrees for business and PhDs for psychology offered entirely in English, it’s easy to see (especially for the bachelor’s degrees, which have lots of information available) that the quality of these programs look excellent. Even I have begun considering studying in Germany for graduate school because of this news. From care2:

Germany has never been known for having high tuition costs, but last week it officially voted to make college education free for everyone. According to German senator Dorothee Stapelfeldt, the decision was made because they felt paying anything for tuition was “unjust” and discouraged students with difficult economic circumstances from receiving a high level of education.

Though tuition was already incredibly low by American standards – sitting at about $600 for a year – this decision completely does away with it: even for international students.

This move isn’t unprecedented for Germany. Higher education was free in the past, but in 2006 institutions across the country began charging.

Public outcry caused most schools to phase out their tuition policies rapidly. Last week, Lower Saxony was the final state to formally end all of theirs, driving the proverbial nail into the coffin for tuition fees.

American students, who typically graduate university with about $29,000 of student debt, could now be eyeing Germany as a place to continue their studies. Of course, they’ll have to learn German. Universities have accounted for this, however, with many German language classes on offer. Other schools offer some classes taught in English under headings such as “International Studies.”

This is all true except for the last paragraph above, which is misleading.

To reiterate, you will not have to learn German. I could get a BA, MA, and PhD in Germany without ever having to pay tuition, despite the fact that I am neither German nor speak any German. Sure, depending on the program, you may require basic German language abilities; but this is not actually requiring fluency by any stretch of the imagination.

You may be required to introduce yourself in German, and perhaps talk about your studies in a very rudimentary way. I suspect that this language requirement (again: for some programs, not all) is more to make sure that you are able to live in Germany; not because it has anything to do with the curriculum. Your degree will be in “International Studies,” but in whatever you’re studying. For example, I found lots of really great-looking neuroscience doctorates during my research.

How and Why?

You may be wondering… how can Germany do this? It’s really kind of simple: Taxes & hopes.

Germany wants more skilled workers, and it hopes that you will enter the German workforce after you graduate. Meanwhile, universities are paid (though they all pretty much claim to be underfunded) through taxes. Yes, taxes are high for Germans, but in case you forgot: tuition is free!

So you might now think “so they are manipulating me in order to get me to work for them?” Not really; but even if that was the case, I find no problem in that. If I am educated in a country that has treated me well, and I have a good social life there, then entering the workforce to “give back” to the community would be an easy choice to make. This is true for any country.

Of course, many factors can influence this decision, but the hope is presumably that you will fall in love with Germany. And you know what? It’s looking pretty attractive.

Conclusion

The more I learn about Germany, and the idea of moving there for graduate studies, the more I am becoming open to it. This recent news just made it all the more official – Germany is an amazing country. It is not the first or the only country to eliminate tuition, but there’s no other culture like it.

Of course, I’m not going to go into the merits of the German culture ( ‘m not some spokesman for Germany, nor do I know much about the German culture), but I will ask the following question: Won’t young people (specifically, but not exclusively, Americans) who can’t afford the university experience, consider moving to Germany? I don’t think I have met a single American my age in the last few years (where I live in Japan) who are not still paying back student loans from university. Is it that they don’t want to be separated from home? They don’t know about the amazing opportunities abroad? I’m not sure. But, the way I see it, the choice is now this:

Entering the workforce with international experience and an additional language under your belt (if you choose to spend some free time learning German).
Entering the workforce after living near/at home, with tens of thousands of dollars in debt.
I know a lot of people (including Americans, who pay the highest tuition fees) would pick #2, simply because being in a foreign country can be scary. I get it – I really do. But you will always have choices in your life that will be scary. At least something like this will also have the added benefit of being an adventure, in a country when more than 6 out of 10 people speak fluent English.

It should be mentioned that just because these programs are free does not mean that they are easy to get into. They are still competitive programs (which also implies that they are high quality), and you will have to work hard in order to be accepted (i.e., good grades, a good CV, etc.). But since this news is so new to most people, the next few years will be probably be easier for international students to get into. Perhaps when more people find out about the free tuition, the competition will become that much greater. Also, free tuition doesn’t mean free room and board. Naturally, students will have to pay for their own living expenses.

The Bottom Line

What it really comes down to is whether or not you are able to say goodbye to a cozy life of certainty (which won’t be so cozy once the debts have to be paid back) in order to embrace this unbelievable opportunity.

I decided to write this post because I am considering this option myself, and I think you would be foolish to ignore this opportunity if money is an issue for you, and you’re interested in higher education. If this post has made you consider Germany, please let me know in the comments section below. Maybe in a few years, I’ll see you there.

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World names Germany 'best country ever'

World names Germany 'best country ever'

Germany may not be "fun" or "sexy", but it's still considered the best country in the world, according to a worldwide public opinion poll.

Germans prefer contentment to career and money (19 Jan 16)
German jobless count falls below 2 million (05 Jan 16)
Germany is second-oldest country worldwide (09 Dec 15)
Germany was ranked the overall best country in the world, according to the rankings released by US News & World Report on Wednesday.
The rankings report praised Germany for its support of entrepreneurs, growing role as a global leader and high quality of life, among other factors.

The rankings were based on a survey of 16,000 people worldwide who were asked to associate each of the 60 countries chosen with certain attributes. The responses were then broken down into various categories, including adventure, power, entrepreneurship and quality of life.

Germany was followed in the rankings by Canada in second, then the United Kingdom, the United States and Sweden. Algeria was perceived as the worst country of the 60, with Ukraine and Iran rated just above.

While Germany scored especially well for its perceived power, human rights and the strength of its labour force, the report also cautioned that its "aging population and Europe's future pose challenges" to the Bundesrepublik (Federal Republic).

Who else would dare address the President of the United States like this? Photo: DPA

"Germany's geographic location as a crossroad in Europe places it as the focal point for the tension across the continent between the forces of integration and disintegration, a tension fueled by deepening anxieties over terrorism and a refugees crisis unprecedented since World War II," the report notes.

"Both issues threaten the idea of a unified Europe without borders."

US News & World Report lays out the great tasks ahead of Chancellor Angela Merkel this year, but also praises her competence as a political figure.

"Germany's ascendance as a world leader comes largely from the work of Merkel," the report states.

"Only the third German since World War II to hold the chancellorship for a decade or more, Merkel has shown decisive leadership on several issues."

Strong economy, weak on fun?

Although the country scored among the top ten worldwide for the categories of entrepreneurship, quality of life, place and green living, Germany scored quite poorly in "adventure", ranking 45 out of 60.

Under the adventure category, the Bundesrepublik was given a 1.2 out of 10 for fun, a 3 for friendliness and a withering 0.1 for sexiness.

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World names Germany 'best country ever'

World names Germany 'best country ever'

Germany may not be "fun" or "sexy", but it's still considered the best country in the world, according to a worldwide public opinion poll.

Germans prefer contentment to career and money (19 Jan 16)
German jobless count falls below 2 million (05 Jan 16)
Germany is second-oldest country worldwide (09 Dec 15)
Germany was ranked the overall best country in the world, according to the rankings released by US News & World Report on Wednesday.
The rankings report praised Germany for its support of entrepreneurs, growing role as a global leader and high quality of life, among other factors.

The rankings were based on a survey of 16,000 people worldwide who were asked to associate each of the 60 countries chosen with certain attributes. The responses were then broken down into various categories, including adventure, power, entrepreneurship and quality of life.

Germany was followed in the rankings by Canada in second, then the United Kingdom, the United States and Sweden. Algeria was perceived as the worst country of the 60, with Ukraine and Iran rated just above.

While Germany scored especially well for its perceived power, human rights and the strength of its labour force, the report also cautioned that its "aging population and Europe's future pose challenges" to the Bundesrepublik (Federal Republic).

Who else would dare address the President of the United States like this? Photo: DPA

"Germany's geographic location as a crossroad in Europe places it as the focal point for the tension across the continent between the forces of integration and disintegration, a tension fueled by deepening anxieties over terrorism and a refugees crisis unprecedented since World War II," the report notes.

"Both issues threaten the idea of a unified Europe without borders."

US News & World Report lays out the great tasks ahead of Chancellor Angela Merkel this year, but also praises her competence as a political figure.

"Germany's ascendance as a world leader comes largely from the work of Merkel," the report states.

"Only the third German since World War II to hold the chancellorship for a decade or more, Merkel has shown decisive leadership on several issues."

Strong economy, weak on fun?

Although the country scored among the top ten worldwide for the categories of entrepreneurship, quality of life, place and green living, Germany scored quite poorly in "adventure", ranking 45 out of 60.

Under the adventure category, the Bundesrepublik was given a 1.2 out of 10 for fun, a 3 for friendliness and a withering 0.1 for sexiness.

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Be Smart, Move to Germany (not in that order)

Be Smart, Move to Germany (not in that order)

Is it just me, or is Germany possibly the greatest country in the world today…?

Germany is considered the 5th best place to be young in the world (3rd in Europe), and with 64% of the population speaking English, it’s also one of the best places for foreigners of any age to visit (…especially if they speak English). It has the world’s 4th largest economy (after US, China, and Japan) and an impressively low unemployment rate. It’s no wonder that it was rated as the most positively viewed country in the world in 2013 by the BCC. But the real story that motivated me to blog about this is the news about something dear to my heart – higher education. Namely, Germany has made all of its university education completely free.

Say What?

Considering that Germany has the third-most institutions among the world’s best universities (just behind the US & UK), this is a serious and astonishing development. In fact, after having investigated many of the available courses myself, I can say that there are some very interesting options for students of any nations. In English, that is. I have nothing to say about German courses because, frankly, I can’t read German.

Too good to be true? Absolutely not. English is already the main language taught in many German universities, and the amount of English-only schools is growing. Even the best institutions in the country offer programs for international students in English. Of course, it depends on what you would like to learn. Having looked through the catalog of bachelor’s degrees for business and PhDs for psychology offered entirely in English, it’s easy to see (especially for the bachelor’s degrees, which have lots of information available) that the quality of these programs look excellent. Even I have begun considering studying in Germany for graduate school because of this news. From care2:

Germany has never been known for having high tuition costs, but last week it officially voted to make college education free for everyone. According to German senator Dorothee Stapelfeldt, the decision was made because they felt paying anything for tuition was “unjust” and discouraged students with difficult economic circumstances from receiving a high level of education.

Though tuition was already incredibly low by American standards – sitting at about $600 for a year – this decision completely does away with it: even for international students.

This move isn’t unprecedented for Germany. Higher education was free in the past, but in 2006 institutions across the country began charging.

Public outcry caused most schools to phase out their tuition policies rapidly. Last week, Lower Saxony was the final state to formally end all of theirs, driving the proverbial nail into the coffin for tuition fees.

American students, who typically graduate university with about $29,000 of student debt, could now be eyeing Germany as a place to continue their studies. Of course, they’ll have to learn German. Universities have accounted for this, however, with many German language classes on offer. Other schools offer some classes taught in English under headings such as “International Studies.”

This is all true except for the last paragraph above, which is misleading.

To reiterate, you will not have to learn German. I could get a BA, MA, and PhD in Germany without ever having to pay tuition, despite the fact that I am neither German nor speak any German. Sure, depending on the program, you may require basic German language abilities; but this is not actually requiring fluency by any stretch of the imagination.

You may be required to introduce yourself in German, and perhaps talk about your studies in a very rudimentary way. I suspect that this language requirement (again: for some programs, not all) is more to make sure that you are able to live in Germany; not because it has anything to do with the curriculum. Your degree will be in “International Studies,” but in whatever you’re studying. For example, I found lots of really great-looking neuroscience doctorates during my research.

How and Why?

You may be wondering… how can Germany do this? It’s really kind of simple: Taxes & hopes.

Germany wants more skilled workers, and it hopes that you will enter the German workforce after you graduate. Meanwhile, universities are paid (though they all pretty much claim to be underfunded) through taxes. Yes, taxes are high for Germans, but in case you forgot: tuition is free!

So you might now think “so they are manipulating me in order to get me to work for them?” Not really; but even if that was the case, I find no problem in that. If I am educated in a country that has treated me well, and I have a good social life there, then entering the workforce to “give back” to the community would be an easy choice to make. This is true for any country.

Of course, many factors can influence this decision, but the hope is presumably that you will fall in love with Germany. And you know what? It’s looking pretty attractive.

Conclusion

The more I learn about Germany, and the idea of moving there for graduate studies, the more I am becoming open to it. This recent news just made it all the more official – Germany is an amazing country. It is not the first or the only country to eliminate tuition, but there’s no other culture like it.

Of course, I’m not going to go into the merits of the German culture ( ‘m not some spokesman for Germany, nor do I know much about the German culture), but I will ask the following question: Won’t young people (specifically, but not exclusively, Americans) who can’t afford the university experience, consider moving to Germany? I don’t think I have met a single American my age in the last few years (where I live in Japan) who are not still paying back student loans from university. Is it that they don’t want to be separated from home? They don’t know about the amazing opportunities abroad? I’m not sure. But, the way I see it, the choice is now this:

Entering the workforce with international experience and an additional language under your belt (if you choose to spend some free time learning German).
Entering the workforce after living near/at home, with tens of thousands of dollars in debt.
I know a lot of people (including Americans, who pay the highest tuition fees) would pick #2, simply because being in a foreign country can be scary. I get it – I really do. But you will always have choices in your life that will be scary. At least something like this will also have the added benefit of being an adventure, in a country when more than 6 out of 10 people speak fluent English.

It should be mentioned that just because these programs are free does not mean that they are easy to get into. They are still competitive programs (which also implies that they are high quality), and you will have to work hard in order to be accepted (i.e., good grades, a good CV, etc.). But since this news is so new to most people, the next few years will be probably be easier for international students to get into. Perhaps when more people find out about the free tuition, the competition will become that much greater. Also, free tuition doesn’t mean free room and board. Naturally, students will have to pay for their own living expenses.

The Bottom Line

What it really comes down to is whether or not you are able to say goodbye to a cozy life of certainty (which won’t be so cozy once the debts have to be paid back) in order to embrace this unbelievable opportunity.

I decided to write this post because I am considering this option myself, and I think you would be foolish to ignore this opportunity if money is an issue for you, and you’re interested in higher education. If this post has made you consider Germany, please let me know in the comments section below. Maybe in a few years, I’ll see you there.

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