Let’s be real, there will, most certainly, most definitely another one of this.
Someone asked me the other day about the cultural differences I noticed in Germany. It took me a while really. I’ve spent a good deal of time here now, and the things that used to take me back are old news. I am used to a lot now. But I will try to look at things fresh and reflect on them here. I am going to attempt to do this for the first time today. First of many I am sure.
1) The shops are closed earlier and not open at all on Sunday
2) Refrigerators and freezers are smaller
3) Because of this, people usually go shopping more frequently and eat fresher foods
4) You put money into the super market, kind of like at the airport, for a shopping cart
5) Very few people walk over a red, no walking, signal (or less so than I am used to)
6) Going along with that, there seems to be a cultural trend where rules are respected or followed more
7) Trains leave on time, the ones I have taken, whether they get there five minutes early, or that moment
8) There are less coffee shops, and, perhaps I need to open my eyes more, less people who carry around travel mugs, for cold or hot drinks
9) Almost everyone can speak some degree of English
10) You need to bring your own bag to grocery shop and if you pack, since you pack your own items yourself and pay, you feel a bit rushed by those behind you
(By the way, I’m not saying that these are hard and fast rules or traditions, these are my observations, wrong or flawed they may be. This is also the first time I’ve really lived in a city.)
11) Everyone says hello and goodbye in the elevator
12) There are a lot more bakeries
That’s all for now folks