.10 Signs That I Know We're Not In Kansas Anymore

Here are 10 signs that remind us every day that we definitely aren't in Kansas anymore.

1. Toilets. The toilets here don't have a tank and they have two buttons on the wall to flush; a big flush and a little flush. Pretty sure the purpose of that is self explanatory. Here's what our toilet looks like.

2. Light Switches. I actually like the switches here, they're kind of cool. They're huge squares and sometimes are in inconvenient places. Our bathroom switch is located outside the bathroom. That took some getting used to.

3. Outlets. Remember my frustration when I first got here and my on post motel didn't have a 110v outlet? Well luckily for us our home has both 110v and 220v, which has so far come in handy for the 220v appliances we've bought.

4. Heaters. Our heaters are on the walls and I was kind of skeptical of them at first because they don't blow out warm air like the central air and heating we had in  the U.S. So far though these heaters have worked amazingly. If we're not careful our house feels like a furnace.

5. Fast food chains. So far the only two fast food chains that we've been to here (that we've also been to in the U.S.) are KFC and McDonald's. One difference we've noticed between U.S. and German ones are that some of the items that are available in the U.S. aren't available here. One of the major things that we like about the McDonald's here is the McCafe and the fact that their vegetables are actually fresh!

6. Windows. Our windows here don't just slide up and down like the windows we are used too. Our windows have handles. A 90 degree turn of the handle tilts the window and a turn of 180 degrees opens the window up like a door.

7. Germany is very dog friendly! I had my first experience here of just how excepting Germans are of dogs. We went to a restaurant and laying right next to the table was a big yellow lab. He was so friendly and the waiters regularly brought him water and even a small meal!

8. Greetings. Where I'm from in Kansas I wave at people who drive by and say hi to people that I walk passed. It doesn't matter if I know who they are or not because chances are at least someone in my family does know them. Here is Germany you start waving or saying hi to random people you get looked at like do I know you? Haha.

9. Sundays. I don't know if this is a Germany wide thing or just in the area we live in but there are quiet hours. Meaning: Between 10pm and 6am daily and all day Sunday you have to be quiet. Did it rain all day Saturday so that you couldn't mow? Well you're out of luck, gotta wait till Monday.

10. Drinks. Oh there are sooooo many differences in drinks here. First off, don't expect to get ice in your drink... I have no idea why. Next, there are quite a few places we've been to that beer costs less than water. Yupp you read that right. Water does not come with your food. Lastly, be careful when you ask for water. You could possibly end up with carbonated water.