Experience at Düsseldorf airport: This, was a breeze, much to my amazement, especially given all the trouble I had obtaining the German Work Permit. Immigration does not require any form filling at the German port of entry. They simply use your passport to pull up your visa and validate it. I think it was the fastest I have EVER been through an immigration check point ever. My bags came onto the baggage claim at a seemingly record speed too, and by 7:30am, I was already hailing a cab to find my accommodations.Taxis in Germany: I estimate that 95% of taxis I’ve seen here are Mercedes Benz automobiles. I’m not sure why this is the case. Do taxi companies here get a discount from Daimler? If so, I should get a taxi permit…at least until I can a discounted luxury car.
A Historical Feel: This city definitely has a historical feeling about it. It’s in the building, which are mostly older and more ornate constructions. It’s in the streets, many of which are cobbled. And call me stupid, but it’s even in the nature in the city: the trees, ponds, and of course, the Rhein river that flows through the city. The only thing that looks remotely modern are the few high-rise office buildings in the city, and the Düsseldorf T.V. tower. I have to disclose that I live in a part of Düsseldorf called the Altstadt (Old City), which could be one of the reasons I feel like I’m living in the 19th century.
The Language: The more time I spend in Europe, the more that I am convinced that the best thing the English gave us Indians is the language of English. I can’t think of anything else that can serve to unite a country of 14 major languages and 30 odd states. And over here in Europe, they can take a leaf out of our book. They talk of a European Union and a unified currency, economy and state. But most of the population cannot converse with anyone outside their national boundaries. At least, I shall be forced to practice my German enough to survive in this society. Note: After three weeks in Germany, this observation is not fair. Most of the folks that I run into here do speak decent English. I will say that the assumption most folks make (whether you are white skinned or not) is that you know German. In India, the moment you see someone who is obviously a foreigner, one automatically switches to English. I have no idea which way is better or more preferred.
Supermarkets: I hate to say this, but I truly miss the shopping convenience I got used to in the United States. I actually yearn for a Target or a Walmart – any kind of superstore, where I can find what I want and what I know to be reasonable prices. Over here in Düsseldorf, most everything is available, but in little shops. Bread is bought at the bakery. Shampoo and toothpaste is bought at the drug store. Fruit and other groceries can be bought at tiny little grocery stores or open markets. One fantastic idea I have seen here is that grocery stores do not provide bags for their customers. Shoppers need to bring their own bags (Most Germans have these cotton bags that they bring into the store in order to take their groceries home) or buy cotton or paper bags at the check-out counter to take home their libations. I have found one superstore called Saturn. This is the equivalent of a Best Buy or a Circuit City in the United States. I felt quite at home at Saturn, because of the similarity to a store that I’m more familiar with, but also because of all the fantastically cool electronics I could ogle at. I think I’ll be spending more time there when I’m bored!
Little things that are different: Ever since I’ve arrived, I notice these little things that are different here. The first things I found at the office was that the keyboard was ‘German’. The ‘z’ and ‘y’ keys were swapped and all the punctuations were completely messed up, causing me all kinds of heartburn when I tried to type emails or write a document. I think I need to find a regular American keyboard to restore some sanity to my typing. Staplers here staple differently. Some of you must think I have truly lost it. But when you staple a document (in the U.S. and in Asia), look at how the staple holds the papers together. It usually curls inwards so that the prongs face each other. For some reason, German staples curl outwards for some inexplicable reason. I can only imagine that it’s in order to maintain an air of exclusivity. One of the cool things I’ve seen here is that lighting in the public areas of apartment complexes are timed. So, when I unlock the main door to my aparment complex, the corridor and staircase are completely dark. But there’s a light switch that I press that turns all the lights to all the common areas. The light stays on for a few minutes, giving me enough time to get to my apartment before turning off. This is a great way to save some energy. Have I said anything about water here yet? If you ask for water here in Germany, you get carbonated water because Germans don’t seem to like drinking regular tap water. I suppose I could get used to it, but right now, I prefer drinking regular water, thank you very much. There are tons of bicycles here, another very good thing that I see in this city. Also, public transportation is prevalent everywhere and is affordable.
Disclaimer: I have to make an admission of crabbiness right here. I’m away from home and am only able to start with a healthy amount of cribbing about things I’m not familiar with. But I have tried to make a few acknowledgments of things that are worth emulating in all parts of the world. I’ll end by saying that living in a new place has been an exciting experience, albeit a lonely one. This kind of adventure is best experienced along with someone, and in this case I wish it was my lovely wife.
