What you think about Germany

My first two weeks went so happily. Because, I dot know cooking. I had my life with Bread, Butter and Beer ( 3 B’s ). Then I started thinking that this will not help me run my next 3 year life cycle at this new and beautiful Leipzig city. So, I started calling the German girl again and again for help to get tips in cooking. She is so kind enough when ever I called her on phone, she use to invite me for the food at her home. So, I decided to make more friends in the city, so that that they will invite me for the food always. But, I was wrong because, when ever the party (BYW- bring your own) happens every body carried own beer or wine some times even cooked food.
Finally the week end has come. The only thing, I afraid here is that the week ends. Because, I can meet and talk my colleagues in the office from Monday to Friday. I have to be alone for the next two days. So, I always keep thinking, how fast the week ends will go and eagerly looking for the Monday mornings. This was my thought for the first two weeks.

Once day, I got a mail from the girl and asking my availability to meet again in the park during the week ends. I was so happy after reading the mail. In the mail she asked me come to the park at 14.00 hours. But, I was there in the park already from the morning 10.00 onwards.( just Einstein’s theory of relativity. If you wait for a girl for the whole day even, you don’t feel like that you have waited for so long. And more over, if you talk to the whole day, even you don’t feel like that you have talked so long or spend so long hours with her). So, finally she came to the park at 14.00 on time. And the first question, she asked was this. You look so cool and relax. Don’t you feel cultural shock again? The hours were passed my, it was fun that I am the only one talking and talking and talking. She uses to put some lead questions or some open ended questions. For example one is that how you look things around in Germany and what is your first impression and what you had in your mind for last 3 weeks are so. All the questions are like Psychological which normally comes in our TCS or WIPRO software company campus interviews. I was tried to answer all to questions to get the god marks. But, my goodness the day was over and she want go home. So, Still I am think in deep mind, where is my cultural shock.

DON’T you have CULTURAL SHOCK!!

Cultural shock

I had few German friends before I come to Germany itself. The friendship started some how with internships. One guy came from Hanover to Chennai to do his internship on the Indian textile market. I have one good point to tell you now. All the European famous brands ESPRIT and S Oliver come from our own tamilnadu ( Kovai). I went to Goethe institute ( Max Muller Bhavan) to learn some german language some time ago or once up on a time. O met some good friends there also. I met one girl there from the same university.

So, I decided to meet her again here in Leipzig. So, I made a phone call and told her that I am right here in the city of Leipzig and I am looking forward to meet you again. She was really in a shock and asked to come to some coffee shop. (When I come to germany, I had two different opinions. One is that I can drink beer in the early morning and I can get the same from the office also. Because the beer is less costly than the bottle of water. The second one is that all of them in Europe’s are Christians but only the old people go to the church. I found after wards, I was wrong both on my opinions)
I have no idea which direction I need to travel to reach the coffee shop. I asked the near by shop and got the TRAM number and also the tickets. All of them speak very good German language to me but I am not able to understand any thing. But some how I reached the coffee bar, because the invitation came from the girl. I was so early to coffee bar than the scheduled time, because I have no other important work than meeting a girl. I reached the coffee shop and found a good place to hide my self from the rest of peoples. The girl came to coffee shop and she expected that I will wait out side. But, I did not learned so far to wait out side until the host comes in. I thought like in India, I should get a table first and put all my books on the chair to reserve. (In India, some of our friends often try to catch seat in the bus or train. Even, I have done many times; just throw the books and bags through the windows to occupy the seats in the rush hour. But that’s the different story, if some beautiful girl comes with her mother. We use to offer the hard earned seat for her mom. Just ACT of Good Samaritan. )
The girl is waiting out side for me to take me inside. I just sneaked through the window and saw the girl. She was expecting me very anxiously. Just because, I am new to the city, culture and the language especially to the tram.
She offered me the menu card to post the order. I did not even glance it. I said, I want one glass of beer. It was fun; the time is around 16.00 hours. I never knew that no one will beer or wine so early like me. She looked so confused and the waiters came to rescue. She told me that it’s ok because today is so hot. It is good to have cold beer. And this German girl ordered for BIG coffee. I think, the whole Indian family ( 5 members) can drink that coffee. And the second questions she asked to me were this. You look so cool. I am not able to see any fear in your face. DON’T you have CULTURAL SHOCK!!
I was really shocked after hearing the word cultural shock. I am still having no answer for that. So, I am still looking for the cultural shock to happen on me.

Unholy to holy (Hoffentlich! Christlich „ but not “Wissenlich! Christlich)

My life runs between these two extremes with in a week. The Sunday starts with holy by attending the worship and meditating about the god for the whole day. I use to go to German church service just because the invitation came from the nice German girl. I can understand at any point of time only two words “Christus mitt Centrum and amen”. One day, after my Sunday German service, I started looking for some English speaking church. I found one that called Leipzig English church. So, I don’t want to disappoint the German girl again. I started attending for two services on Sunday alone. My holiness starts flowing from Sunday morning to Monday morning. Then afterwards the days pass by holiness get reduce and at the end of the Friday evening, I become truly unholy. I mean, the Friday party and dance life starts from evening and goes on still Saturday morning. Then the whole Saturday back to normal, I mean, with washing the clothes and cleaning the house for fun. Again Sunday starts ………………Holiness!!! ( I can understand , just attending the church service will not make any real sense. I may be a “Hoffentlich! Christlich „ but not “Wissenlich! Christlich „( German translation: hopefully I think , I am a Christian but not knowledgably and heart fully ??? ) I used here, Just to tell that I know some German words !!!