Crime

Coming from a small town of about 300, it is very rare to see crime. However, when you go to big cities there is always parts of the city, where you are told to never go because it is violent. If you go there you might not come back because of the shootings that happen.

Living in Berlin, the biggest city in Germany, I never once felt like I was in danger. My advisor told us, you should not worry about walking alone in Berlin. He did not advise woman to do that because they are usually targeted more, but if it was unavoidable he assured they would be fine.

Germany has pretty harsh penalties if you commit crimes and you don't get the same rights you would here in the states.

Murders seem like an everyday occurrence in big cities here in the U.S. I heard of one murder happening in Berlin in my four months there. As I recall, it was between drunk men and they beat the one guy until they killed him.

German Police (Polizei) van in the middle of Berlin. It is illegal to take a picture of a police officer in uniform, but not their vehicles.

Even in what outsiders to Berlin call, "rough neighborhoods," I believe that these areas are just poorer and not "rough" as a non-native would think. In fact, several nights I came back at 5-6 in the morning in the area with the highest crime rate in Berlin, called Kreuzburg and I felt just like I did in every other part of the city, safe.

In other European cities, I can not say the same as I do in Berlin. In fact in Paris we were approached by a Police officer and he told us we should leave the area we were in because it is quite a violent place to be. We took his advice and left. Even so, Paris doesn't have a lot of murders, but more thefts and acts of that nature.

Public Transportation

I briefly touched upon this when I talked about Europeans, Germans in particular, being environmentalist. Since going to Chicago over Spring Break, I noticed that the Public Transportation here in the United States is NOT EVEN CLOSE, to as good as in Germany.

The city trains don't run very often and are often late. Nothing is posted as to how to get somewhere. (Thank God for iPhones or I would of been so lost in Chicago) My friend, who lives in Chicago, said it takes an hour and a half for her to get to work and it would be a 30 minute drive.

It is very frustrating to see our transportation after coming back from Europe because their system runs like clock work and in America our public transportation runs like a broken clock.

Picture of the Chicago Metro in North Chicago

It is not necessary at all in Europe to have a car, but here you will get no where if you don't have one. We may add a lot to pollution as Americans, but until a more viable option comes available to us, we are going to continue to drive cars.

Attitude

Walking down the street in Berlin, you notice that Germany people do not stop to chit chat or say a friendly hello to you. It does not mean they are angry, they are much more reserved society and do not pretend they know you, so they don't bother you.

My host-mother with the very first day told me, "If Germans say something to you that seems offensive or and they seem rude, they are not trying to be rude and don't take it personal it is how we are."

This is a picture of my host- family. At first I felt like a stranger living with them. By the end of my stay, they were like my family.

This sounds like it would be awful to meet a Germany, but if you make the step to talk to them, they are very nice people. It will just not happen that they approach you first.

Füssball vs Football

Here in America, a lot of people, particularly men, are very passionate about football. I myself love to watch football and get quite into the games.

In Germany they take it to a whole new level. I went to a soccer game in Berlin and watched soccer games at bars. Germans go absolutely insane when there team wins. It is like a riot every single time the team is playing.

This is not only true for Germany, but for almost every European country. Most people live and die by how their Füssball teams, as they say in Germany, play.

I get upset when my team losses, but I get over it. In Berlin last year, the Hertha Füssball Mannschaft, Hertha Soccer Team, finished with a losing record, the people had a riot on the field. They were very angry their team was moving down a league and no longer in the top league.

Soccer Game in Berlin, in early November of 2010

The reason why Europeans hate American football. The response I got every time, "Football is to slow, you play 5 seconds and then take 30 seconds off." Which when you think about, is true, football is a slow pace game. 

One last thing I want to say about German füssball. They play almost all year around. Whether it be the German national team playing or the local team, games are always going on. Unlike here where there is such a long offseason for say football. Football fans, are left with watching other sports or like I did over spring break took a tour of a football stadium.

Lambeau Field where the Green Bay Packers play(Above)
Me at Wrigley Field over Spring Break. (Bottom)

Dining

When you are eating in a restaurant in Europe there are several differences then in America.

The first is, don't be surprised if there is a seat open at your table and someone comes to sit with you. It happens the stranger just goes about his/her normal business without bothering you. They see nothing wrong with this, nor do I.

This is in the Hofbrauhaus in München. You are bound to meet new people in here as it is very crowded.

When you want to pay, you must ask for the bill or you will sit and wait forever. There is no rush for them to kick you out like in American restaurants. They let you sit there for as long as you feel like.

When they do come with the bill, however, you let them know how much you want to give tip included. I was caught off guard by this as I was wondering why our waitress stood at the table as I got my money out. They give you change on the spot which is nice.

The last thing I noticed and what really makes you stand out as an American is how you eat. At least in Germany, they don't switch there knife and fork like we do.

They keep the knife in there right hand and fork in there left the whole time. They think we are silly for always switching silverware back and forth.

Pünktlich (Punctual)

One of the very first things I noticed in Berlin, is they are a society that runs on a schedule. The first time I got on the U-Bahn or the german equivalent to our subways, I noticed a clock hanging above that said exactly when the train was coming. And it was rarely ever late.

German U-Bahn in Berlin

They even had a schedule saying when every bus or train was coming for every day of the week. So one could plan exactly when to leave to catch each ride at the perfect time without having to wait.

Coming back to the United States and using the Subway system in New York, City or in Trenton, it is a joke. Even if there is a schedule, you don't know because most of the time it's not posted and if it is the train is late anyway.

Yes I like not always living on a schedule and switching things up occasionally, but here in the U.S. it seems we are always waiting on people, whether at the doctors office, for a train, or whatever the case may be. It makes for a better society if everyone is always on time.

 I am not saying everyone in Germany is on time, its most Germans like to make a point to keep a strict schedule.

Smoking

Compared to the United States, smoking is quite popular in Germany still. It is not nearly as frowned upon in public places as in the United States.

In fact on the streets in many German cities, you will find automatic cigarette machines.It is not necessary for you to go to a store to buy cigarettes.

The strange part is, Germans continue to smoke even though the package of cigarettes says directly on it, Rauchen kann tödlich sein or Smoking can kill you.

I guess if you follow the rule, everyone dies, then I see why they smoke so much. It doesn't make sense though to spend money on such an unhealthy habit.