Life in Munich, Bavaria

I recently read an article about memory that said when you are making new memories and are being exposed to new things- life seems to move slower. So, it would make sense that we have only been here in Munich for three weeks but it feels like 3 months! For some reason I was not expecting living in Europe to be such a change, but it is! Like I have written before, we live outside of the city center therefore you can really end up giving like a local. 

 I have noticed a number of small yet obvious differences between German and American life.

 For example:

*You have to pay to use any public restroom (up to 1 euro) or to use a grocery basket at the grocery store

*You also have to pay to carry your stuff home grocery bags at the store- they do not give them to you for free (or you can bring your own- I take my rolling carry-on suitcase to the store haha )

*They only sell spray deodorant- no solids available

*They take reuse and recycling very seriously- you get paid for recycled plastic and glass bottles-which they not only recycle as in America but clean and reuse again

*Not only do they have different power outlets but the voltage of their appliances is also different- Nathan’s razor and my hair straightener both will not work here (so it was pointless to bring them)

*The door knobs do not turn- it is hard to describe but it is weird and you cannot leave a door unlocked- all doors automatically are locked from the outside when you leave (I had to ask a neighbor how to open the door with my key one day!)

*Windows do not slide open- but you can prop them open from the top (its cool!)

*Lights in hallways and outdoor areas are not left on- and they only stay on for a few minutes after you press the large buttons lining the walls in the hallway (scary/confusing at night)

*Apartments/ flat are not numbered- apartments are named by their owners- ours is ”Dr. Holz”

*Most apartments have a washer- but no dryer- just a drying rack

*From what I have seen and read, Europeans live in smaller spaces and have fewer “things”- the lawyers I work for live in a modest two story flat without a lot of "crap"

                         (Above: Munich church on the Marienplatz; Below: Gockenbockvirtel- hanging by the river in downtown Munich)

My favorite thing so far is that the city is really beautiful, easily accessible and it is so easy to get around on public transportation here (plus the trains and buses are so clean and efficient!)   My main complaint is that Bavarians are not particularly friendly to foreigners. They do not smile when passed on the street and some seem to have a slightly smug sense of nationalism (and I thought Texas pride was bad.) I have heard that Bavarians believe Americans give their attention/affection too freely- that we are "fake"( while they claim their interactions are more genuine?) It is an interesting thing to think about, and they may be right. Yet, especially after a decade of working in the service industry, (where you are paid to be as "friendly" as you need to be) this change is hard for me to get used to! Between the language barrier and this indifference, it is harder to connect with strangers than anywhere I have traveled before. Of course, there are exceptions- and you cannot help but think it is special when you do make a connection. (For example: we tried to speak German at the Subway near our apartment, the girl noticed we were obviously struggling and offered to speak English. She laughed and asked where we were from. When we answered Texas, she seemed shocked and said with a big smile, “Wow, I never imagined I would ever meet anyone from Texas!” I then proceeded to drop Nathan’s sandwich on the floor, which made a huge mess. She laughed, offered to clean it up and made us a brand new sandwich for free. It was refreshing to have a nice human experience after doing something embarrassing.)

P.S. They also have white asparagus in Germany called Spargel. The kids I babysat said they like it more than the green....

( Above: Traditional German Pork Loin served with both warm potato salad and mashed potatoes; Below: Spargel- the white asparagus available in Germany)