I am about to vist Germany for my first ever interview week, which will take place over five days and take in, among other things, a panel interview, one-on-one interviews with group leaders, giving a presentation and doing a few touristy and social things such as dinners and a tour of the city. I've never experienced anything like this before- at present my PhD interview experience extends to one informal panel interview in the UK.

Does anyone have any general tips for making the most of an interview week, for myself and anyone else attending one in any city? Are the interviews more formal than those in the UK? Are candidates expected to socialise after-hours or is this discouraged? Are these things laid-back and friendly or do candidates get a bit competitive? Are candidates looked after by reps or encouraged to be a bit more independent? Does learning a bit of the langage help? Any advice would be welcome, and if anyone has any experiences of interview weeks I'd love to hear about them.