Not Better or Worse, Just Different

I was fortunate enough to spend a month in Southern Brazil as a Rotary Group Study Exchange member in 2009. Our pre-trip preparation included meeting with a Canadian student who had spent a year in Brazil as a Rotary Youth Exchange student. He had many things to say about Brazil and it was from him I learned that there are sounds in Portuguese that are too difficult for Native English speakers to produce and they can be offensive when made incorrectly so better be safe than sorry (in short, don't try), never to touch your food with your hands, several key greetings, and that North Americans and South Americans approach time very differently so just leave your watch at home. All this was helpful, sure, but his comment that stood out to me the most was during his explanation of the cultural differences he recognized. After he listed them with bullet points he said, "But hey, these things aren't better or worse, they're just different." He had nailed it. Though simple, I held that key phrase in my pocket as I found myself in ten different Brazilian host homes in almost just as many cities, never quite sure if this new toilet would work like the last one, wondering what part of the animal did THIS come from? and now that we've just had a tour in Portuguese of this place, where ARE we?, none of it really sunk below surface level because I remembered that statement. Who is to say the way we do it is any better than the way they do it? No one is, because it's not better or worse, it's just different.

I have given credence to this mantra in Deutschland, too. With all the new-ness around me upon arrival I was really, REALLY thankful for this belief as it helped me to avoid the deer in headlights look when it could have potentially caused a problem. Certainly, cultural differences exist between us midwesterners and Germans and though none of them cause major setbacks, they are noticeable and well, funny.


First and foremost: The Drinking Situation. Ah, water. That tall, wet glass of health clinking with cubes on a day that qualifies as a scorcher. Seems a simple enough request, water does. Give me tap water, give me bottled water, just give me anything cold and cheap to drink at all besides beer. Alas, the cold water that we are used to in the states is a semi-foreign concept when dining in Deutschland. Room temperature sparkling water is what's on the menu, and at the same price as a pop or beer. Classic water has gas, naturalisches/stilles water does not (though you can sometimes still taste it), and those who are undecided can order medium. If you want water that does not have gas you must specify your request and then you will be brought bottled water that will cost a baffling €2,00+ per small glass. If you want a liter of water be prepared to shell out (brace yourself) €5,00+. Gasp. None of these will come to you even remotely cold unless you order ice (side note: it took visits to four different stores before I could locate one ice cube tray. Now, I guard it with my life.) and when buying bottled non-alcoholic bevies from a store cooler they may or may not be cold. Maybe the cooler is just for show? I really don't know.

Now that I know my way around a German menu I realize that I am allowed to order tap water. Now it may or may not be delivered to me because frankly, tap water just can't be that important, but it is nice to have options. Pop will also be at room temperature and will come to you with a whopping cost of €2,50+ per small glass and no refills. Pop machines open to the customers are rare. We saw one in a McD's and Reggie ran to it like it was a long lost friend.


And then there's beer. Beer comes cold, beer comes large, beer comes cheap. Beer is a vital part of the German culture. The right to drink beer is written into labor contracts, it is available anywhere at anytime, it can be chugged straight out of the bottle on the street, and is available in the spa part of our health club.  The number of German beer varieties is enough to make your head spin without drinking a drop. Astra is the local brew. I've seen as many postcards decorated with the Astra logo as I have of the cathedrals and Town Hall.There are laws about beer in Germany: it cannot cost less than water or pop, it must be filled to the line that is marked on every glass I've ever seen in a restaurant, and, according to the Bavarian Beer Purity Decree that was proclaimed in 1516 but was upated once yeast was discovered, German beer cannot contain more than four ingredients: water, barley, hops, and yeast (wheat beers and other dark beers are technically in violation of the decree.) Beer is a part of the German way of life and they sure do have fun with it.  

German Dog-bots
It didn't take long for Reggie and I to recognize the control Germans have over their dogs. This is not to say Germans are hard on their animals, or yell at them, or that the dogs are scared of them. Oh, no. Dog owners and their dogs have a very special relationship in Hamburg. It's quite simple: when the dog was young the owner trained it properly and now the dog does exactly what it should do exactly when it should do it and nothing else. This of course includes play time as dog parks are plentiful. The first time I witnessed the intriquing German man--German dog relationship was the first night Reggie and I walked to dinner from our first apartment. A man walked past us, alone. Several minutes went by and a dog came trotting along, collared and looking clean and fed. I have been in countries where stray animals is a common sight and didn't think much of it, except that this one wore a collar. I watched as the dog caught up to the man, who had never once looked back, and then the two went into a building together. Wait. That was HIS dog?


And so it goes. Owner walks, dog faithfully trots far, far behind. Owner never looks back. Smelling what he wishes but never stopping too long, der hund always arrives safely at the owner's feet. In this city there is a world of distraction for any animal. Willed as can be, when coming to a person that is not his owner the dog does not flinch, he continues his beeline to the owner. When coming to another dog running in the other direction behind a different owner, this persistent pooch continues to make his way to his man or woman. The dog may stop, smell, look around--but will never stop long enough to lose sight of his guy or gal.

Some people use leashes, but it is common to remove the leash once they are off the bus or train. Some don't use leashes on the public transit at all and miraculously the tiny dog will trail behind it's owner amidst an ocean of rushing leather boots and shoes. Like anywhere there are big dogs, designer dogs, and darling mutts and often times an assortment all strolling with one person. One may be on a leash while the others make their own way, but I have yet to see one person with more than one leash when there are multiple dogs.


Recently I saw a dog a block or two ahead of his man and the man was carrying a leash with no dog attached. The dog stopped at the corner when the light was red, crossed when it was green (with no instruction from his owner), and stopped again when it was red. Hence, the German dog-bot.

That sweet little pup in the corner is being led only by that invisible leash that is his owner's magical control. Once the light turned green puppy trotted along without a word from his owner, and owner followed behind. Just like magic.

My friends are scheming to buy a dog in Germany and take it back to the US to show friends how well-behaved their prized pooch is. Not a bad idea, really. Perhaps the next Rosetta stone will be Dog Training the German way.

Perfect Pedestrians and Diligent Drivers

Jaywalking is a foreign concept to Hamburgers. Self-proclaimed rule-followers to the core, Germans do not and would not ever dare cross the street before the cheerful green light waves them on. Time and time again I've watched in amazement as a herd of folks crowd the curb of a one-way street waiting patiently for the light to turn green. Whether or not there are cars coming these patient pedestrians will continue to wait until they are allowed to pass. I once witnessed such a spectacle in the wee hours of the morning when there were no cars within ten kilometers and I still haven't gotten over it. Less than a handful of times I have seen a person daringly leave the pack of unwavering waiters and cross. Without fail at least two people look at each other in response to this charade with a face full of obvious disappointment. One can see the pity they feel for this lost soul.  

To ensure that peds and bikers don't accidentally cross at an inappropriate time, Hamburg crossing lights have not one but two lit red men all but screaming "STOP!" When asked why two red men were needed, our German friend told us "In case one of the lights goes out."
(One of my earliest learnings was that Germans always have a Plan B. Always.)

 Here you see the two lit red men on the traffic signal and the two patient folks waiting. Einbahnstraβe means one way street. I took the picture from the curb on the other side of the street--so you can guestimate the width of the street (hint: it is as almost narrow as they come). Regardless of the fact that it is raining and there are no cars coming, all crossers will wait until it's legal to cross--that is the rule, afterall.

While I'm not a huge fan of the anti-jaywalking mantra, I do fully appreciate the attention drivers pay to peds and bikers. When coming to a street corner that is without a traffic light a walker or biker can expect that 100% of the time the first car to arrive at the corner will pause to let you pass. There has never been a time that I have arrived at a lightless-corner that I have had to wait to cross. Without fail and no matter the size of the vehicle, drivers always stop for pedestrians. I never fully appreciated this until I had to furnish our apartment on foot, in the rain, uphill bothways.



Bagging 101
Things to know before checking out at the grocery store:
1. Bring your own bags or be ready to buy some.

2. Have your bagging hands warmed up and ready to bag at the speed of light. Or faster, if possible. The cashier will not appreciate having to pause to wait for your cash--have it ready--but don't slow down on the bagging. The customer behind you won't appreciate having to wait, either.  His groceries are coming quickly so don't get them confused with your own.

3. If you're lucky there will be a place for you to set your bag down to pack it and for your groceries to temporarily collect on. It may happen that you have to hold your grocery bag and collect your goods as the cashier hands them to you. This is much more difficult than it sounds, unless, of course you put the heaviest things on the belt first, but who actually remembers to do that?

4. Don't slow down until you're out the door. Then, start breathing again.

*Had I stopped to take a pic of my goods prior to bagging them I may have been asked to leave. Alas, I resolved to posting without a pic for this section.



I carry a notebook with me at all times for jotting notes. Currently my first page says: "Open mind or sink" as bold as bold gets. Sometimes we need reminders that our way is not always the best way, nor is it ever the only way.