19
Aug
2009
“Bad Habits” developed in Germany
As you live in Germany for some more time, gradually you kind of develop various “bad habits” which can never work in China. Anyway, I myself am very interested to have seen all these changes in my daily behaviour and seriously I may need some time to “change back” when next time I’m home again.
(1) Wipe your nose as loud as you want but hold down as you sneeze. In China we do exactly the contrary cause we think it very rude to wipe nose right in front of other people which sneezing is somehow not controllable and thus accepted. Say sorry for sneezing is never to be seen and saying “Gesundheit” to show care for the sneezing guy is considered as very strange.
(2) Riding a bike on the pedestrian way. In Germany there are not so many bicycle ways in their real sense and people just ride by to which people should be careful
(3) The number “1″ is added with a tick on the top and looks like a “7″ and the number “7″ with a line through the middle. It seems that both ways would be blamed if done in China.
(4) If traffic light turns green, just cross the street even without the need to lift the head cause drivers always make way to pedestrians. But in China this could be fatal.
(5) The habit of looking for bus or train schedules before going out.
(6) The ” table knocking” way to show admiration and praise at the end of a lecture or a conference.
(7) Being told that I speak too quiet at the dinner table. In China loudness at dinner shows you are enjoying the get-together or invitation very much.
(8) Putting the bag directly onto the ground anywhere you want, sometimes perhaps also the bread while having to make a short pause for something else.
(9) Gathering bottles to earn money.
(10) Always think about making appointments first even for informal or personal affairs.
(11) ……
19
Aug
2009
Traffic in Germany
Don’t know where it is, but is definitely amazing^_^
As I have once already mentioned, on many high expressways in Germany there are even no velocity limits for automobiles. This may arouse your worry for quite possible traffic accidents, but if I tell you that Germany is one of the European countries with the lowest incidence of traffic accidents, it may have confused you. But how?
To explain this, firstly we are going to refer the highly developed road networks in Germany, which is also complemented with other kinds of public transportation such as trams, subways and of course railways. According to an article, more than 12.000 Km. of high expressways have been built in this country, which ranks the second of the world only after America.So conditions of traffic jam are much relieved which mean that people are less likely to drive in disquietness and thus accidents are reduced. Needless to say, the road condition is also very good for driving even if on rainy days.
Secondly, There are very strict rules to restrict the driving on the road. Electronic cameras are set everywhere and fouls are forfeitable, in tremendous bad cases even the possibility for jail. But one thing I find very interesting is that the information where cameras and set will even be shared through radio stations to remind drivers of possible punishment, like playing games with the traffic police^_^ No one could bear the lost of driving fun especially for the Germans, so they drive crazily but also in a safe way in oder to still keep their licences in the pockets. And if you hear how they curse stupid drivers on the way, that’s really interesting. “Silly monkey” and “cow” are very favorable terms as examples.
And at last and also the most crucial point, the Germans themselves have a really strong sense of abidance, not just for traffic rules, but for all those to make the globe move around. What’s more, I ‘ve heard that kids get educated about traffic and driving rules even since the kindergarten, which is a convincing argument for such a safe Germany!
18
Aug
2009
Consciousness of Environmental Protection
A green world for us all!
I like to use google earth and it makes fun. And if you have a closer look at the topographic world map, you’ll see that China is covered with large area of deserts and wasteland, while Germany is one of the greenest piece of the world. This is such an exemplary country which combines natural beauty and economical development in a highly harmonious way. And all of this should thank its environmental policies and the participation of all citizens in environmental protection in the long-run.
One very urgent policy China should learn from Germany is that the costs of material recycling and pollution disposal should not be covered by the state, but be shifted to consumers and pollution initiators. For example, in Germany when people buy a bottle of mineral water, the costs for the plastic bottle is included into the price which means in oder to get this extra paid money back, people have to return the bottle themselves to appointed places in stead of the state paying a huge bill to buy the bottles back. One other way to reduce recycling costs is that in Germany waste are carefully sorted and those dustbins with different colours can be seen everywhere.
But the most important point for a good environmental condition in Germany is that everybody conceives such a strong sense for it. Not like Paris and some southern European cities, Germany is totally clean, streets and lanes, subways and trains, as is also related to the neatness character of Germans. It’s not allowed to eat food in a bus; bags are taken along with from home for shopping; Bicycle riding is favored if time allows and all people pay lots of attention to the environment they live in and they enjoy. As Germans like traveling so, it’s not hard to imagine how can’t they bear pollution in their own homeland.
For a change in China the first step should be made by the government and industrial manufacturers. Investments to reduce environmental pollution should be done as well as to promote the environmental consciousness of all the folk. I really hope what I see here can one day also happen in my own country.
18
Aug
2009
Embarrassing Experiences in Germany
Every foreigner will have to confront all kinds of embarrassing situations while living in a country with totally different culture. I myself have suffered just much less from that as I can speak the language at least. So to my Chinese friends who don’t know one single German word at the very beginning (Normally they just start taking language lectures until their arrival here in Germany and some of them don’t speak English well enough neither), life could be really tough and funny as comedies. So here I’m going to share some of their interesting and embarrassing experiences which they ever told me and left me such a deep impression^_^
(1) As a girl friend of mine first came to Germany, she could not understand one single word out of language abilities. So no wonder that every time when she went shopping and paid the bill at the cash point, she could not figure out the money to pay as the cashier told her and didn’t know as well that in Germany we have electronic screen to show the customers the price. But she was afraid that other people in the queue laughed at her so she always hand over a large note for change and thus received lots of coins. One month later there’s a huge pile of coins at her place already.
(2) A Friend was once receiving guests at home and people smoked a lot and ran out of the cigarettes. So he described with hand movement to the little boy of his neighbour that he wanted two boxes of cigarettes from the automat . Ten minutes later, he got two condoms from the boy.
(3) A friend once shown me the kitchen paper (to dry hands and so on) to asked me: “why do the Germans need the toilet paper to be so huge?!”
(4) In China the bus driver will always give a stop at every station but here in Germany you need to press the button yourself. On the first day of one friend in Germany he cried out in a thundering way: “That’s my station, I want to get off please!”
(5) In the language lecture the professor always liked to ask what people did at the last weekend. Then there was one classmate shouting loudly: “Ich habe Liebe gemacht!” ( German for I’ve had sex!)
17
Aug
2009
Summer to Go? Barbecue!
A Scene of Barbecue Masses in a Park of Berlin
Germans like barbecue so much that you can’t imagine. At my place in Wannsee where I live when it comes to sunset, you’ll see people everywhere barbecuing, men and women, kids as well as seniors. Why they so crazy about this? Well there are several reasons for it.
Firstly, it’s a great way for family members to get together. It’s the very occasion on which parents can spend time with kids for fun and show real care for them. With a work division somebody gets in charge of set up barbecue stand, somebody makes fire, somebody responsible for the roasting work and somebody focuses on eating^_^. Not like a real dinner in good restaurants, people feel much more relaxed at the barbecue without the need to consider any rules and surroundings. By the way, Barbecue is also a more economical way for fun and food than that in a restaurant. People purchase meat and some vegetables themselves and roast, and that’s it, no more costs!
Secondly, Barbecue is suitable for meeting people and making friends too. As people take part in a team work in a relaxed way, there would be less pressure and awkwardness while communicating with each other. Needless to say, it would also be a perfect place for young people to flirt. Serving food attentively to the girls will sure gain you extra points!
Besides, at a barbecue people get nearer to the nature, especially for those who live in big cities and don’t usually stand a chance to breath in fresh air. And if the chosen place is nice and with beautiful scenery, then it would be more ideal.
Finally, it tastes damn good!!
But there also exist more and more environmental problems as after the barbecue in public parks for instance, people just forget (let’s say not in an intentional way) take the waste along with them but simply drop it there. Here in Berlin we thus keep hearing more and more regulations to forbidden barbecue in various districts of the city, which is cruel but an affective way. Don’t let ourselves kill this beautiful tradition and everybody is in so that we enjoy a more pleasant summer time!
17
Aug
2009
Culture of Homosexual Tolerance
Rainbow Parade!
Germany is one of the several Countries in the world which legally allows and also recognize the marriage of gays and lesbians. As I firstly arrived here as a “naive kid”, I got so shocked to have seen two girls kiss each other with great affection. And I though it was wrong and not acceptable, but things change.
Several days ago I happened to read about the cute story of two gay penguins who raise a chick together. The Zoo personnels once tried to separate them from each other and bring them female partners for a new life. But interestingly this move was accused as an intervention of animals rights by gay right activities which is indeed fun. The rights of homosexual people are paid high attention to and thus protected in Germany. It is estimated that there are approximately 5 to 10% of all the German population with homosexual orientation. Not like in Denmark and Netherlands, homosexuals in Germany still have to face some implicit social pressure and undertake discriminative unfairness for example at a chance of job promotion and so on. But with the time people tend to accept this culture more and more, especially as the Bill of legality for gay marriage are enacted and issued. Now gays can get together without (to which I still believe not in a total way) any bothering, in clubs, bars, cafes, discos, saunas and so on.
But there are also this medical and political anxiousness, namely, the AIDS. As it is still not conquered for effective treatment and one major canal to spread is sex. The issue of the law for gay marriage should not be seen as an advocation for homosexuality, while more and more homosexuals stream toward Germany for potential partners and possibly also a marriage finally. Then there arises the fierce debate whether people should stay conservative or open to this question.
I myself think in spite of that the homosexual relationship can’t be the major cause of AIDS spread and this is the psychical and also physical needs of some social groups whom should be given the right for satisfaction.
14
Aug
2009
Parliamentary Election
This decides the destiny of a country
China’s “parliamentary” election has been world famous cause people themselves don’t even stand a chance to know who the hell are firstly selected to vote on behalf of them. But we do know these guys much have strong background and we do not care so much anyway cause those supposed to have won at the election are already predestined, all of which is just procedural business.
The 2009 parliamentary election has been heated up to the fullest and by the end of september there’s going to be a result. Firstly, the competition and sometimes also defamation between parties turns out to be very interesting. Friendly colleagues become enemies all of a sudden (as this session of the German government is an alliance of several parties) and elective posters prove to make a lot of fun, especially over the charming lady, madam Merkel. I just can’t wait to watch the TV debate of chancellor candidates, at which the same to American presidential debate I just keep on thinking that those two guys standing there must want to kick the ass of the other very much although they try hard to hold self-control. Secondly, I was somehow surprised by the enthusiastic involvement of every German, totally out of their willingness. One German friend who lives in Beijing even sent his voting letter across oceans to Germany just in oder to let his voice heard, among the 82 Million people! One other German then explained to me: “I have to be there in any case not because I want which party to be elected, but I want the party that I hate to fall.” In China I was so politically indifferent, but now here gradually you’ll feel the political environment exerting influence on your personal life, such as insurance fee, tuition, relevant policies on foreigners and so on.
To cite the words of one German friend who studies politics as the end of the article: “Julius, will you devote yourself to the change the Chinese elective mechanism and finally also the democratic situation?” A cat has seven lives but I only have one.
14
Aug
2009
Interesting Examination Occasions
“Have a good dream please!”
Well “Good kids never cheat at examinations” won’t function at all in modern times. As I was still in the primary school and throughout out my middle school, I never even thought of cheat and of course also dare not. This could be simply explained as “At Zhangs there’s no such tradition ever” according to my father. But he didn’t even attend a high school, how could he know how hard the life has become since we went to universities? People have to date girls and take part in various social activities and over night the exams are again in front of the door! During my campus life in China we prepared all kinds of notes either on a small piece of paper or in terms of “tattoo” and people at the exams sometimes suggest the exam supervisors to have a cigarette outside, or read themselves some newspapers or take a fresh walk for healthy reasons…. This wouldn’t function for the most of the time of course, but conveyed the professor a hint that they would “commit crime” at the exams. But if the supervisor didn’t understand us well, somebody was going to have pity or even face very serious warning, which may have bad influences on his whole life after university.
Here in Germany somehow I would like to describe the situation as half and half. According to the full experience of one German friend, you really need to be careful with the supervisor (who’s frequently also the assistant of exact the professor and gives us lectures) whose lessons turn out to be too quiet as students don’t buy his offer, this guy sometimes wants a revenge for it. In other cases the supervisor would really be very nice and I even remembered once that the guy claimed:”if you do it, do it well and don’t get caught; if you are stupid enough to be caught, I will have to let you sit in the first row”. Basing on this insurance, everybody performed well and in a pleasant way:)
Cheat is surely no good but some lectures are indeed only made up of either nonsenses or too theoretic contents which you have to remember all by heart and after the exam everything again out of mind at an awesome speed. For these exams, I would support and understand the students when I look back to those days of mine.
11
Aug
2009
Gifts and Presents
you be careful:)
Some time ago as I was invited to the Christmas eve celebration of a German family and also experienced this kind of occasion for the very first time, I did feel so embarrassed at the scene of exchanging the Christmas gifts. This was not about how expensive or how cheap a present you sent (of course I would say a tin of cola is surely not acceptable^_^), but about the manners there. In China as invited to a feastful dinner or similar occasions, it’s quite frequent to hand over your present at the first moment you see the host to show your gratitude. That son lived with me together in an apartment so I wanted to give my gift to him who’s in my sense on behalf of his whole family. But he just refused and said I should save this until we were at his home. So I had to stuck it into my pocket again, which was embarrassing enough to have killed me.
And later as we arrived at his home, I remembered his words this time and just observed how things went on. But out of my expectation there came an American girl too who was also invited, and now I had a problem. I just prepared a good and “big” present package for the while family and this girl got some more small presents along with her so that she could also send them to others at presence. Surely you can image how enjoying I felt to receive her cute present with empty hands on my side. If this was in China, I could at least spare the following terrible scene, because we Chinese never open the gifts at once to express our happiness and thanks. But here in Germany I have to, like others do. So again I had to admire her gift to be so wonderful in front of her while not daring to see her face.
So this is my unforgettable experience and I would very much suggest my fellow countrymen to keep in mind^_^!
11
Aug
2009
Bureaucracy in China and Germany
Bureaucracy has a history!
Talking about this topic, people somehow always have to sigh. I was confronted with so many cases even before I left the university, let alone was could have happened when starting your career. In both countries there dominates a real funny word to describe this phenomenon, namely the “stamp country”. So in this sense if you want to get things down, you normally have to get well prepared for possible torturing and suffering. I almost did not got my graduation degree cause I missed the appointment with the chief for 10 minutes later due to a traffic jam as I came a far way from 2000 km to Beijing, yet the chief said “you have to come the next year for it!” And I don’t want to talk about how picky and tricky my visa inspection process had been.
Now I’m in Germany, people get caught in the same situation. For a bank card you have to deal with the clerks for like years and at last it turns out that you have to contact their head bosses from far away via telephone yourself. After that, there would normally be a long time for you to wait and get relaxed. And according to Hofstede’s theory which I recently am engaging in, this would be described as PDI, Power Distance Index, which says to which degree people perceive and accept the bureaucracy and privileges of powerful people. No wonder, in both countries the index is high.
So one very important tip for you to carry on your life in Germany and China is that you always prepare yourself enough time and try you best not to burst into rage, which only brings you more trouble and mess your life up easily.
C’est La vie!