Signs that I'm getting German-ized

I've now lived in Germany for almost a year and a half and I continue to assimilate and adjust to German life. I am totally enjoying living here, but that's not to say that weren't some adjustments to make and things to learn.

Here are some ways that I've gone "native," or that living in Germany has rubbed off on me.

1. I now love sparkling water/water with gas. I used to think it was nasty. Now, it's all that I seem to want to drink. I also have no problems drinking it at room temperature, which is often how it's served. No ice for me, baby!

2. I've made peace with the fact that many businesses don't take credit cards and that I will be paying with cash. Since I can use international ATMs with no fees, it is slightly cheaper to pay with cash anyway.

3. I have a hard time spelling -le words in English now because I've been writing -el German words.

4. I am a recycling-sorting pro and have chastised a friend for not recycling. When people don't sort recycling correctly, I tut tut.

5. I'm okay with stores being closed on Sundays. In fact, I find it peaceful (for the most part) and know that there are plenty of alternatives of things to do.

6. I know to plan for a big chunk of time when eating a meal at a restaurant. The one thing I'm still not cool with is if it takes forever to pay and the restaurant is not busy.

7. I firmly believe that there is no bad weather with the right clothing. I love, love, love that Germans still have festivals and outdoor activities even in the cold of winter.

8. I know that to get some of the tastiest things to eat, it might require visits to more than one store. For example, if I wanted the best bread, I'd need to go to the bakery. If I wanted the best vegetables, I'd need to go to the vegetable store. There are even stores devoted just to beverages (Getränkemärkt)! Sure, it's totally possible to buy all of these things at a regular grocery store, but believe me, it can be totally worth it to visit a specialty store instead.

9. I was reading an article about a woman living in Canada who received a ticket for drinking alcohol in a park and was super confused why she'd get a ticket for that. I've become accustomed to the permission to drink in public here. After all, why not enjoy some wine with friends in the park during a picnic?

10. I love bringing my own (reusable) bags to the grocery store. It's good for the environment and I don't have to pay for plastic bags that way.

11. I've made peace with canned corn showing up randomly in dishes. If it comes on pizza, I'm like, "oh, hello, you." I also understand the paradox that corn on the cob is somewhat hard to find.