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After spending 2 ˝ years in Europe, it’s time for me to move on and explore elsewhere,
specifically Southeast Asia. I plan on returning to Europe at some point, since there’s still much on this continent
I want to see and experience, especially in Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean region. But while here I did visit
19 countries in Europe, plus I went to Africa twice (Morocco, and later Kenya and Tanzania) and Asia once (Turkey).
And, I've gotten a pretty good insight into Germany, having lived here nearly two years. I’ve spent a lot of time
interacting with Germans, both inside and outside of the classroom, and additionally, I’ve seen more of this country
than most Germans have!
There is a lot about Europe I love. First of all, the diversity is remarkable – so many unique cultures, so closely
packed into such a relatively small geographical area. And Germany has been an ideal travel base as it borders
nine other countries while being centrally located in the continent. That was a major reason I chose to come here,
along with the fact that Germany pays English teachers better than most other countries, thereby providing me with
the cash to ramble and roam around.
Also great is the prevailing European attitude of openness and tolerance, as the close proximity of different nationalities
and cultures helps open people’s eyes and minds and obtain a broader view of global events. They are pretty well-informed
about what’s going on in the world too, and even many of the less-educated and young are usually up on what’s happening.
There is a higher priority for people here on “joie de vivre”, as most people understand that there is much more
to life than to just “struggle for the legal tender”, quoting Jackson Browne. Life seems to have different priorities
for Europeans than for Americans, and I find these differences refreshing. I also enjoy how so much history just
drips from almost everything. And finally - the beauty and elegance of so many cities, towns and villages here
is astounding!
I have put together some Top Five lists, but keep in mind this is confined to only England, Wales, Ireland, Spain,
France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Slovenia, Slovakia,
Czech, Hungary and Poland… and that I did not see anywhere close to everything in each country. It covers Europe
only, is not in any order, and no I don’t consider Turkey to be part of Europe.
My Personal Top Five:
Big Cities
- Paris, France
- Berlin, Germany
- Prague, Czech Republic
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Medium-Sized Cities
- Krakow, Poland
- Granada, Spain
- Venice, Italy
- Salzburg, Austria
- Helsinki, Finland
Small Cities/Towns
- San Sebastian, Spain
- Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic
- Bled, Slovenia
- Solothurm, Switzerland
- Chagford, England
Places of natural beauty
- Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Wales
- West coast of Ireland, including the Aran Islands
- The Alps - Swiss, Austrian and Julian
- Lake Constance (Bodensee), Germany
- Dartmoor in Devon, southwest England
Favorite museums
- Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
- Tate Gallery (Old), London
- British Museum, London
- Musee D’Orsay, Paris
- Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid
The most impressive man-made structure I’ve EVER seen anywhere is the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain.
The most underrated places I’ve been to are Wales and Slovenia. Few people talk about them, but that might not
be true for much longer.
We have now come to the most often asked question I’ve heard since I arrived here in Germany, “Eddie, what do you
think of the Germans?” Before I comment on this, I’d like to address the issue of stereotypes… of generalizations
about countries and their peoples.
I occasionally hear friends or travelers I meet state that they never stereotype people - never put anyone in a
category regarding where they live or are from. I suppose that never stereotyping people may be admirable in some
way, but I just wonder if it we’re not kidding ourselves when we think that our attitudes and views could always
be that lofty. Like when I hear someone say, “I never have a rascist thought!” Really? Never, ever, under any circumstances?
Or when someone says to me, “I love everyone!” Sorry to be the cynic here, but I don’t think so… not in day-to-day
life in the real world. We’ve all got some sinner as well as some saint in us, so to speak. We can try, but who
can honestly (!) claim complete success?
And who’s to say that stereotyping is all that bad? No doubt stereotypes are sometimes unfair, cruel and fraught
with danger when carried too far. But I am reminded of a comment once made to me by Martin, a friend of mine from
Devon, England, “There must be some truth to stereotypes, otherwise they wouldn’t exist.” When I gave it some thought
at the time, it made a lot of sense to me.
For example, who has traveled to both Ireland and Sweden and not noticed a difference between the warmth and friendliness
of Irish vs. Swedes? Isn’t it fair to say that the Swedes are more reserved, private and less prone to quickly
opening up to strangers? But it certainly makes them no less likable - it just makes interacting with them a different
experience than with the Irish - it takes more time and effort to get to know them. When I was in Ireland, nearly
everyone I met immediately wanted to know, “Where are you from, where are you going, first time here, do you have
a wife or family, what’s your job, do you like it here, how long are you staying for, are you coming back, etc.,
etc., etc….???” And if I asked them anything, they would practically tell me their life story! When I got to Sweden,
I thought no-one liked me! Usually after “hello”, there was an awkward silence and little said, and getting personal
information out of them was as time-consuming and painstaking as a surgical procedure!
But on the other hand, Irish friends of mine often berate their countrymen for their rascism, an attitude which
is quite uncommon among Swedes.
Deep down inside, we all may be essentially alike, but on the surface there are a hell of a lot of differences
in how people act and react, and there IS an pattern of thinking and behavior endemic to nationalities and their
cultures. I see no harm in ackowledging this fact. Or is that being too “politically incorrect”?
Anyway I have seriously digressed here, so getting back to the question of how I’ve experienced Germans - the issue
is further complicated by the fact that they are far from being a homogenous group of people. There are 82,000,000
of “them”, and besides the various tribes that originally comprised what originally came to be Germany, mass immigration
since WW2 has further added to the mix and stirred up the kettle. Over the recent decades Germany has been flooded
with asylum seekers and other immigrants from many, many countries. For instance, there are over 3,000,000 people
of Turkish ancestry, and I think a second or third generation Turkish/German named Ahmet is no less a German than
one with a long Prussian heritage who’s named Dieter.
In addition to this, Germany was separated during the Cold War for nearly a half century and was physically divided
by The Wall from 1961 to 1989, so the existance of of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) has imprinted
its own particular mentality on those who were within it. Remnants of this division are still quite apparent in
many ways, and most Germans still identify with being either “Easties” or “Westies”. I had a recent student, a
Dane named Mogens, who was in charge of his company’s operations in Berlin. He told me that there’s a dramatic
difference in the way his employees handle responsibilities and tasks, depending on which side of The Wall they’d
grown up and lived on.
I must admit that it took me some time to get into the swing of things here. The strong sense of structure, correctness,
efficiency and the somewhat impersonal manner with which so many Germans interact (or don’t interact) took some
getting used to. When I arrived in Stuttgart I often found people to be at best brusque, and at worse, downright
rude - especially along the sidewalks and around train stations. I was occasionally pushed out of the way while
trying to get on or off buses and trains, and a few times was almost knocked to the ground by people on a mission
to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible. And this frequently happened without a word of apology!
I began to wonder if “excuse me” was part of the lingo here.
In America, people are so ridiculously polite that some even apologize when someone ELSE steps on THEIR foot! They
excuse themselves to death! Even though I find this behavior repulsive, I do carry with me a cultural bias that
is often in conflict with other norms of behavior. This cultural bias is part of who I am, and I’m not so quick
to shed it… for better or for worse. One thing that still irritates me to no end when I’m walking, is when Germans
in a hurry step directly into my path as they pass by or cut in front of me. Either they misjudge my stride, or
they expect me to slow down to avoid our feet getting tangled up! At times I’m lost in my thoughts, or maybe just
not in the mood right then to quickly slow down, and twice they’ve tripped over my feet and ended up sprawled on
the ground… looking up at me in shock.
Sometimes I know how to behave, but I just can’t be bothered!
Germans usually separate those they closely know from casual contacts, and it may take a long time to enter the
inner circle. This is especially true in southern Germany. My friend Heide once teased me on how people I know
only a short time sometimes quickly qualify as friends, “You’ve only just met them, how can they already be friends?”
Starting up a casual conversation that has no recognizable purpose on a bus, train or in a bar/pub/restaurant just
might produce a reaction of shock or even terror, as if they are pondering their escape route home to hastily bolt
all their windows and doors!
At times it seems as though personal contact with others they don’t know is viewed as an inconvenience. In one
of my business English courses we were discussing how Wal-Mart and some other retail stores in the U.S. sometimes
hire elderly people to act as greeters. These people stand at entrances, flash a smile, and offer each entering
shopper a friendly “hello”. A student named Sven asked me if I liked that, and I said that yes I thought it was
nice that the store was making an effort to make me feel welcome. He quickly responded, “Not me… I wouldn’t like
it at all. Their smile and greeting seem very insincere to me. After all, they don’t know me. Besides that, I’m
there to buy something, not to make friends!”
These sentiments have been echoed by other students in other classes, as well. One student told me that he once
walked into a Perkins restaurant in Florida on vacation, and the hostess greeted him with, “Hello, how are you
feeling today?”
His comment, “I thought… how am I FEELING? What does this woman want from me?!?”
Germans view the American cultural habit of “small talk” as extraordinarily superficial and totally pointless.
(On this point they get no disagreement from me.) They despise superficiality and any phoniness. But make note:
when a German displays affection or friendliness, it is absolutely authentic. Here a friend is the real deal… someone
that can be depended on!
I've never been refused any kind of assistance at any time I’ve asked for it - they view helping others as their
civic duty. In fact, people have literally gone out of their way numerous times when I‘ve asked for directions,
and on several occasions I’ve been given thoughtful and generous gifts, or been taken out to dinner by students,
after finishing up courses with them. Germans like to be helpful, truthful and are generally sincere and genuine.
They are direct and transparent - what you see is what you get! Deal with it!
In general, Germans are analytical, task-oriented, and disciplined... and they appreciate structure and rules.
(Either that, or they seem to totally rebel against them. Many young Germans blatantly and shamelessly spit, litter
and smoke wherever they feel like it without regard for either signs or common courtesy to others.) Shortly after
arriving here from Poland, I was asked during the initial orientation in a my first class with a group of Bosch
engineers if we were going to cover grammar in our weekly 90-minute classes. When I answered that yes we certainly
would, the response by one man was clear and emphatic, “Good! We MUST have grammar and we MUST have the rules!”
When I shared this comment the next day with a fellow teacher who’d been here many years, he said, “Welcome to
Germany, Eddie… get used to it.”
When I moved here, I was dumbfounded by pedestrian’s strict adherence to traffic lights. When I left my flat at
6 a.m. I encountered a narrow street I needed to cross to get on the underground (subway). After a quick check
for oncoming cars, I would cross regardless of whether the light was green or red. But when I crossed against a
red light, locals would look at me as though I had just parachuted off a nearby building wearing a gorilla suit
and doing an Elvis imitation! When I was later challenged by Germans about this horrific disregard for law and
order, I pointed out, with ironclad logic I thought, that there’d been absolutely no cars within sight. But I was
quickly admonished, “You know we must set a good example for the children!”
“Ok, I’ll buy that,” I retorted. “But at 6 a.m. there are no children out on the streets. None!”
The response, “No, but they might be watching from the windows!”
From an unknown source, “Inside every German is a little policeman!”
There is a common misperception by many that speaking to Germans about Nazism, “The War” and/or the Holocaust is
taboo. On the contrary. Except for the very old people, Germans have no problem with these subjects, and, in fact,
they’re studied in school and are frequent topics in books, TV programs and discussions. There is a collective,
firm resolve that history never repeats itself here! Not ever! Much attention is given to history as well as to
monuments for the victims of fascism.
There is a tiny fringe of neo-Nazi extremism (mostly in the former GDR where unemployment hovers at nearly 20%)
that is of concern to both government and citizens, but it is no more prevalent here than in most other European
countries – though it sure gets bigger press here when something happens. I lived and traveled in Germany for over
a year before I ever saw a skinhead; and since then I’ve only seen a handful. The truth is that, within Europe,
serious, organized right-wing political activity is far more prevalent in Austria, The Netherlands, Spain, France
and Italy… at the least.
There are a several things I’ll miss about Germany: among them the cultural diversity, progressive thinking, candidness
of well-thought-out opinions, the degree to which people speak English, the kick-ass public transportation system,
the bakeries (best bread in the world!), and the beer gardens and festivals. If there is a more interesting city
in the world than Berlin, take me there NOW, 'cause I want to see it! Mostly, I’ll miss the many friends I’ve made
while here… real friends. But thanks to email and jet airplanes, they’ll (hopefully) stay in my life, like so many
others I’ve gotten to know while on the road.
My most recent trip was to Poland.
Heide and I decided to spend five days on the Baltic coast there, so we hopped on a train which took us to Slupsk
(six hours, with a change in Szczecin Glowny), where we then had a 45 minute bus ride to Rowy, which sits directly
on the sea. This trip was exactly two years since my first visit to Poland, when I spent a month in Krakow earning
my CELTA certification for teaching, and I was happy to return to a country I am very fond of.
Rowy is a typical seaside resort… Polish style. There are all the shops, restaurants, amusement activities for
kids, etc., one expects in a place like that, plus more ice cream vendors than you would think could ever stay
in business. My friend Traveldude, who while living in Poland for a few years teaching English learned a thing
or two about the country, claims that Poles eat more ice cream per capita than anyone else in the world. There’ll
be no argument from me, as it seemed as though every other person I saw everywhere was devouring “lody” (ice cream).
The second craze is “gofry”, a crisp waffle you can also buy everywhere that is usually loaded up with whipped
cream and fruit. Between the lody and gofry, it’s no wonder the shapely Polish girls eventually evolve into women
whose shapes vagely resemble fire hydrants!
Rowy does have a charm to it. It is a far cry from the fishing village it once was, though trawlers looking a bit
in disrepair can be found if you explore the area. Most vacationers there are the wealthier Poles (remember – everything
is relative) who come for several weeks and rent an apartment with kitchen facilities. Most are very well tanned,
and yes there are plenty of Polish goddesses, and no the beaches are not topless. Rats!
Nonetheless, the beach is quite agreeable: white powdered sand bordered by mounds of thick grass and trees… a classic
Baltic shoreline. The water, however, is brutally ice-cold… the likes of which I hadn’t experienced since I’d waded
in glacially-fed Lake Louise in the Canadian Rockies. Within seconds, my feet started feeling numb! I say “my feet”,
as that was ALL I submerged in the surf. How the few brave souls I saw swimming there ever managed to survive without
getting hypothermia is beyond me. Brrrrrrrr!
Another thing unique to the beaches there are the wind barriers everyone puts up… wide strips of cloth several
meters long on posts that are pounded into the sand, so one can sunbath protected from the sometimes furious winds
that whip along the beach, turning grains of sand into miniature missiles. Gazing down the beach, it looked as
though someone had erected barracades against an invasion of the Smurfs!
Rowy borders the National Seacoast Park, which we explored via rented bicycles. The trails through it are well-marked
and fairly smooth, and the park is lush and lovely, chocked full of trees and large ferns, and occasionally featuring
small lakes. If you pedal far enough there are massive sand dunes for climbing.
A major upside to visiting Poland is the low cost… it is very cheap there! According to my rough calculations,
you will spend less than half there than you would in Germany to do the same thing on the same kind of beach… except
it’ll be more crowded in Germany. Our room was under $17 for double, a large beer was less than $1, a full lunch
with a juice was about $1.50, and a nice dinner with a beer could be had for $3 to $5.
At present, I am trying to make sure that everything I own weighs no more than 25 kilos… this for my plane flight
to Indonesia, which is where I am heading within a few days. I have accepted a teaching position in a relatively
small city in East Java surrounded by mountains, some of them active volcanos. Once I get there and get settled
in I’ll fill you in on it all, but I will tell you now that I’m excited about returning to Asia after an absence
of ten years, and about living in such a remarkably fascinating and exotic location. Obviously, this will be a
major change for me and I am not only dealing with all the logistics involved in moving half-way around the world,
but I’m also working through the emotional aspects of this relocation and the adjustments in my life that this
entails.
One of these logistics was securing a work visa from the Indonesian embassy. Bureauracies are never much fun, but
the guy working there did his best, intentionally or otherwise, to make the red tape less stressful. I was greeted
by, “Oh American, huh? You know I don’t like Americans… ha ha ha.” Then, looking at my passport photo, “You had
a full beard then? Probably a turban too, right? Just as I thought – Al Qaeda, ha ha ha. In fact, probably Taliban
too, huh... ha ha ha!”! He probably thinks he’s the Indonesian Eddie Murphy, since I’m sure everyone yucks it up
big-time at all his “jokes”, since rule #1 when at embassies is, “Don’t piss off the guy who has possession of
your passport!”
On that point I’ll bring this to a close. Next time you hear from me, I’ll be writing to you from an island in
the Indian Ocean.
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Peace and love
