13
Jul
2009
Eating manners
Our way of serving food^_^
Even before I came to Germany, I’ve already sensed the difference a lot concerning on the table manners. As I was receiving a German guy in Beijing and went out with him to visit the Great wall, we stopped for a break at noon and ate there for lunch. In China we order dishes for all people cause everyone can share and taste different flavors which we see as an advantage. So I ordered for him and as the dishes came onto the table, he grasped “his ” dish without any thought. I knew this guy got sick because he had to finish a whole plate of fatty pork leg himself^_^. Until now I still enjoyed our way of eating on this point because even if I am now in Germany, I still keep on getting confronted with embarrassed situations in which I totally disliked the food but out of politeness had to finish it without the possibility to turn to other dishes instead. (cause dishes are served one after another in sequences)! Dear god!
Other interesting things are also worth mentioning. My German friends who once lived in China for quite a while had more than once complained that he rarely could bear Chinese spit bones of whatever directly onto the table or the ground because according to him it was really disgusting. So I told him for Chinese it was even more unacceptable to do it onto the plate which is considered to be seen more easily. While Chinese eat loudly, Germans clean the nose in front of people’s face; while Chinese mess up the dinner table, Germans lick their fingers… So it’s really difficult to say which way is better and who’s going to make compromise to the other. Anyway, that is culture!^_^
13
Jul
2009
Sunday Taboos in Germany
In Germany shops get closed on sunday
Even before I came to Germany, I’ve already sensed the difference a lot concerning on the table manners. As I was receiving a German guy in Beijing and went out with him to visit the Great wall, we stopped for a break at noon and ate there for lunch. In China we order dishes for all people cause everyone can share and taste different flavors which we see as an advantage. So I ordered for him and as the dishes came onto the table, he grasped “his ” dish without any thought. I knew this guy got sick because he had to finish a whole plate of fatty pork leg himself^_^. Until now I still enjoyed our way of eating on this point because even if I am now in Germany, I still keep on getting confronted with embarrassed situations in which I totally disliked the food but out of politeness had to finish it without the possibility to turn to other dishes instead. (cause dishes are served one after another in sequences)! Dear god!
Other interesting things are also worth mentioning. My German friends who once lived in China for quite a while had more than once complained that he rarely could bear Chinese spit bones of whatever directly onto the table or the ground because according to him it was really disgusting. So I told him for Chinese it was even more unacceptable to do it onto the plate which is considered to be seen more easily. While Chinese eat loudly, Germans clean the nose in front of people’s face; while Chinese mess up the dinner table, Germans lick their fingers… So it’s really difficult to say which way is better and who’s going to make compromise to the other. Anyway, that is culture!^_^
3
Jul
2009
The land of automobiles
You don’t know nobody in the world, you should have to know the king!
If you ask a German what he’s proud of at most for his country, the answers would come out from their mouths in the first second like well prepared: ” We produce the best beer in the world and we make damn good automobiles!” While living here I’ve pretty much broadened my vision as I see numerous brand cars such as BMW and Mercedes roaring by, even trucks, police cars and taxis are in our sense luxury cars which not a common person in China can easily afford. The advanced technologies of car manufacturing are exactly the reason why. I was several times at some sales centres and auto exhibitions to enjoy this magnificent babies and you can never believe how cheap (of course a car won’t be too cheap but in comparison^_^) those cars are, on the average I would say twice as cheap as in China! So if somebody tells me of the crazing idea of driving a car from Germany back to his own country, I wound never doubt about it! German People love cars and love driving cars, not only because they make awesome ones, but also Germany is one of the only several countries in which there’re still no velocity limits on its many roads. Under this circumstance Germany has become the paradise for uncountable car-lovers all over the world as well. A German friend has ever told me the story of his grandfather that although he’s too old to see anything, he still won’t give up driving his own beloved car. This may sounds crazy but Germans are exactly the people who perhaps would rather die than living a world without automobiles!