I’ve been in Germany for almost a month and overall, I am adjusting well to the new surroundings and work environment.
As someone who has always chosen public transportation over owning a car, I love the ease of getting around town and beyond using trains, busses, subways, and trams.
I love the bakeries and the fresh bread. I love the clean air. I love the fact that people dress up nicely. I love the reasonable cost for food and rent. I love being so close to the rest of Europe. I love the a/i prices that include tax. Most of all, I love my new job–it has been fascinating so far.
But some things are going to take a little more time to get used to.
With the exception of gas stations and some restaurants, all businesses are closed on Sundays. A common day of rest is a laudable goal, but it also happens to be one of the two days a week I have time to buy groceries and other essentials.
Which leads me to my next observation: stores close early. The grocery stores in my neighborhood in Frankfurt close at 8:00p. I didn’t leave work till 9:00p last night, so I was stuck with frozen food again. Oftentimes, Saturdays are the only day of the week I have to go shopping, but you can’t really stock up on fresh food for a whole week.
And what is it with green salad? I went to three grocery stores last Saturday evening, first Aldi, then Nette (the two poor man’s grocers), then Rewe. None of them had bagged lettuce. Aldi and Nette had no lettuce at all. None had spinach. I swear it has been a royal struggle to find healthy food in Frankfurt. I’ve been afraid to weigh myself and see how many kilos I’ve put on after being on the meat and potatoes diet the last three weeks. I sure do love the bratwurst, though…
I asked a colleague today for some help–just a little thing that would have taken no more than two minutes. Nope. He couldn’t do it. Too busy, he said. But he did have time for the "mandatory" half-hour coffee break at 4:00p.
I’m sure he did not mean any harm and I am not disparaging him at all (especially because he’s one of my blog readers), but I don’t yet appreciate that sort of work ethic. To be frank, I don’t get it at all.
It’s like showing up at shop five minutes before it closes. In most places around the world, shopkeepers would welcome the customers in and let them stay a few minutes after closing if necessary in order to make a sale. Not in Germany! If it’s 7:55p, chances are you’ll be told to come back tomorrow. Seriously. And don’t get me started on credit cards.
I’ve got my BA and Hyatt cards (no foreign transaction fees) sitting in my (new) wallet, but have hardly been able to use them. Germans like cash and I hate not being able to earn frequent flyer miles on my daily purchases. But hey, the dearth of credit card acceptance helps to illustrate why Germans are so financially frugal. That’s an enviable trait.
I don’t mean to be so negative. I’m improving my German, making many new friends, traveling, and having a heck of a good time. Life is fine in Germany and if that’s all I’ve got to whine about, I really have no complaints at all!
I was stationed in Frankfurt 20 years ago and it sounds like not much has changed. Stores are actually open a bit longer now, in fact. I, too, love Germany – and still visit every few years. You’re lucky that you work at the airport, as it may be the only place hoppin in the evening and on Sunday. Germans love to window shop and take nature walks on Sunday – don’t worry, you’ll adjust (and don’t be offended if someone stares at you on the S-bahn – it’s just a habit). There’s always Mickey D’s to fulfill any odd hour hunger pangs you may get. If none are near where you live, get to know a couple of the Schnell imbises nearby.
I have been here 5 years and still getting used to it!! Things have also gotten better over the years. My local grocery store is open till 10pm and I know of one that is open till Midnight. REWE takes Visa/Mastercard/AMEX..
It is a wonderful place to live and I really like the German people and culture.
Only thing most americans miss is the shopping in the states! Oh and that german cars are way cheaper in the states.
I’m glad to see that you are starting to settle in. I’m hoping to visit FRA either next month, or in April. Maybe I can meet you? 🙂
As far as the stores closing early, that reminds me of an organization I work with, in Maine. All of the stores close at 9pm, and sometimes at 8! 😮
When you are in the middle of nowhere, 8 or 9pm closures are pretty bad.
Hope things go well, and look forward to meeting you, someday.
Well, welcome to our side of the pond, and our side of viewpoints on the far side that may appear peculiar. Yes, we do not have a 24/7 lifestyle. We have come a lot closer to that lately – closing time used to be 18:30 hrs… In fact when you are referring to Aldi and Netto, you are only mentioning the discounting end of the food chain where a trade-off between price and convenience is clearly intentional. Here, groceries that were delivered 12 hrs ago are likely to be sold out when you’ll appear on a Saturday evening, here they’ll only accept the “ec” card (which every German has). – With no more than a few extra cents, however, you’d end up at, say, REWE where, as Damian says, closing hours are at 22:00 hrs or even midnight, groceries are preserved until that hour and credit cards are accepted.
We used to be called a service desert, but there is improvement. And we’re not sure if we want it entirely to the opposite – having a common day off for all still doesn’t strike me as too bad an idea.
What I have to agree about is an outwardly unfriendly attitude that shows in many places. It is in part owing to people’s inability to draw satisfaction from their jobs, which in turn is in part the jobs’ fault, but also the people’s. The same miserable face that might greet you at a supermarket cash desk can be seen again on the tram, but also in a pub or even on a father going for a stroll with his kids. That’s the part of the German way I am least proud of.
@SAN Greg: Thankfully, there are U.S. military bases scattered around and if I need my fix of Taco Bell or American groceries, Weisbaden is not too far.
@sithlord: Haven’t looked into purchasing a car!
@FriendlySkies: LOL. Reminds me of Providence, RI where everything shuts down at dusk…
Let me know when you’re going to be in town. I look forward to meeting you.
@Thomas: Appreciate your comments. To be fair, I should have mentioned that the REWE at Hauptwache is open late and accpets credit cards. But they didn’t have any greens on Saturday night! I do appreciate, however, that the food I eat in Germany tends to be very fresh.
And while I realize I sounded a bit whiney complaining about not being able to shop on Sunday, as I stated there are clear upsides to a common day of rest.
You and many others talk about the outwardly unfriendly attitude that shows in many places, but with the exception of the dour DB Sicherheit, I really haven’t run into that. Even at Nette, the girls at the cash register are pretty pleasant.
I’ll give up my seat on the S-Bahn to women and seniors or hold doors open for people and that is usually met with a smile and “danke.”
I guess the only other service aspect that bothers me is the service at restaurants. Since tipping has not really caught on, there seems to be no incentive for friendly and timely (perhaps grossly superificial friendliness depending on your outlook)services. Germans do not seemed as rushed as Americans, but I don’t like having to wait 20 minutes after coffee to flag down a waitress for the bill.
But be proud of your country. It’s a great place.
Matthew – You have to get used to flagging the server down for the bill. It seems the only culture where it is okay for the server to just bring the bill is in US. You may get used to it, or you may not.
I still remember the first time I went out to dinner in Germany and we paid the “German way”. That little pouch of coins/bills and the waitress doing all the math in her head. It was quite amazing.
Cheers.
@Derek: I figured out many trips to Europe ago that I have to flag down a waitree to get the bill–the problem is sometimes the waitresses vanish and I don’t see them at all for 20 minutes! 😉
I too rememebr the first time paying the German way–it was at a little family-run restaurant in Krefeld in September 2006. Your comment brought back that memory!
Ahh. The joys of adjusting to a new place.
There’s always shopping at FRA if you really get desperate – and I’m sure a few places there will happily take your credit cards 😉
FRA is.. FRA. I’m passing through on Monday, and I’m not heading to the Ziel just so I can get some more Gummibaren 😉
Enjoy life there – it’s not as bad as some places in the world.
@Kevincm: Indeed it’s not. Germany suits me just fine!
Frankfurt wouldn’t be my favorite city in BRD. People are a bit miserable, mixed with poor customer service. Frankfurt is a sleepy provincial city on weekends and busy on weekdays. That’s life being a business center. I would recommend you visiting Hamburg, my favorite German city to live in. As for bratwurst, go for currywurst.
@Zuper_Toll: I’ve been to Berlin, Leipzig, München, Köln, and Dusseldorf, but I have yet to get to Hamburg. I plan to go this spring (and try out the Park Hyatt there). Dresden, Nuremberg, and Stuttgart on also on the list…
Dude, there is a grocerie store at the airport. It’s open on sundays as well.
Maybe you would have found out about the store earlier, if you would have come to coffee break regularly! 😉
ROTFL! I was in a meeting with John today. And where were you at lunch? 😉