Travel language, Travel security.  I recommend trying to learn some of the language of wherever you’re traveling, even if it’s just the pleasantries such as greetings, thank you, numbers, etc.  You should be able to get that type of book or audio at your local library.  You will be treated much better by the locals if you try to speak their language and it can be fun trying to learn from them.  For those who want a little more, I have had some success with the Pimsleur language courses.  They are audio only (though some versions have additional written phrases if you decide to do them as well) and you learn as a child would learn:  hearing the language, repeating it out loud at a normal voice, and then learning to read plus getting  the nuances of grammar will be learned later on.  You really have to be dedicated though.  I took the Pimsleur German course and did the daily lessons for four months straight as recommended.  I was able to give travel directions, in German, to a German tourist in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.  While in Salzburg, Austria, a taxi driver complimented me on my pronunciation and word choice.  It made all that learning worthwhile as well as made my day.  It also makes for great funny stories later on such as the time I ordered a pancake with mushrooms at a restaurant in Germany.  I thought the mushrooms would be on the side.  No, they were cooked in.  Decades ago in Korea, I politely asked a woman on the bus in Korean if she minded if I also sat on the seat where she was sitting.  She gave me a strange look.  Turns out I had politely asked her if she minded if I sat on a certain piece of my male anatomy.  Rather than shut down after such a language faux pas, I just file it away for future reference and go from there.  Language is fun.  Try it!

Germany is a pretty safe place for tourists.  The crime you would most possibly become a victim of is property theft, specifically pickpockets and/or someone stealing your pack/purse.  Typical pickpocket scenarios are someone bumps you as you try to maneuver around someone purposely stopped in your path or there is a diversion such as an interesting street performer you’re watching so intently that you don’t notice the dip.  So I always recommend using a money belt that tucks into your pants and holds your passport, credit cards, and large sums of cash.  Rick Steves sells an excellent one on his website.  Hotel safes are OK but if you're on a budget, hotels with safes can be somewhat of a luxury so become your own safe instead.   Some folks close access to their pockets with a safety pin to increase difficulty for pickpockets.  Some folks smugly think their Velcro closure on their pockets keep out uninvited hands but never think of someone cutting the bottom of the pocket and harvesting the contents that way, especially when you’re snoozing on a train seat or on a park bench.  Your likelihood of becoming a victim is small but a few preventative measures reduce your chances even more.  Some folks copy their important documents on a scanner, then email the files to themselves for access via the Internet should the docs go missing.  It’s a nice idea to pack a couple extra passport photos separately in case your passport does go missing and you have little funds to purchase more when you eventually manage to get to a consulate for replacements.  Obviously conduct yourself in such a manner that you keep your wits about you or if you cannot do that, keep a trustworthy person equivalent of a designated driver with you.  Body language is important.  Walk confidently as if you belong wherever you are.  Make confident momentary eye contact with someone you feel uncomfortable with to let them know you are aware and have considered their presence.  Speaking of security, I recommend folks not advertise on their Facebook page, Twitter, etc. that they are out of the country unless someone is living at their residence because you’re advertising to unscrupulous folks your house is available for burglary or your family has one less protector in the house during your absence.  Should the unthinkable happen, such as a situation where Americans are advised to leave the country, you should have a plan (and backup resources) on how to get out of the country.  Routes, method of transportation, cash (not credit cards), sustenance, communications, all come to mind.  So, something to ponder and tailor to your situation.  I’m working on getting some input from my former colleague, John, who works law enforcement at the street level often in nasty neighborhoods, to give advice on how to spot a potentially bad neighborhood (such as, oh, everything shabby, no one on the streets except possible thugs congregating on a street corner, armed guards at the local convenience store and Chuck E. Cheese, etc.) and what to do to safely extract yourself from it or confrontation while there.  I carry this flashlight for "passive" security.  It's very bright, has a very disorienting strobe mode which confuses would-be troublemakers in low-light conditions, and works as a passable kubotan if you know how to use one.