Real quick, I had to share something I found on the internet that gives some factual substantiation to something I’ve noticed about Germany: while universal healthcare may be a right, sunshine is a privilege. Even though this graphic was created to describe the use of solar power in various countries, it has a secondary effect that I think you’ll notice right away:

That dark purple/blue blotch on the bottom right is Germany. Fortunately, I live in the slightly lighter blue area in the southwest, but the fact remains that only in Seattle and Portland is it anywhere near as dreary. According to the graph at the bottom, even Alaska gets more sun, on average, than Germany! So to those considering moving to, studying in, or working in Germany, consider yourself fairly warned.

Note: click here for a larger-resolution version of the picture above.