vendredi 30 avril 2010
despite the volcanic ash...
I recently came back from a petit sejour in Germany. I went to Stuttgart to visit the very same Indian friend I mentioned earlier as having participated in an Indian/Iran debate. He just moved there for an internship and said I could stay for free and promised we would eat Indian food and go to random cities by train once I got there. So, then I made an impulsive decision to go to Germany by way of a lengthy, yet economical Euroline bus. As we all know, an invisible, yet supposedly destructive cloud of volcanic ash came over the whole of Europe and canceled everyone's flights for them, so this ended up being a very wise choice.
Oh, Germany, I loved it! First of all, the people are voluntarily happy, nice, and helpful. It was such a pleasant cultural contrast from the wintry, cold-shouldered French rudeness wrapped in black that I've grown to expect as typical behavior of strangers. Especially the very ones who have something you need, whether it's lunch, a stamped document, or the whereabouts of a street. And it seems that the random German walking happily down the cobble stoned streets or selling you an extra long hot dog nestled in a baguette speaks better English than my French students who study languages. I was so impressed by their automatic switch to English, it seemed so natural to them.
Next, I have to comment on their recycling facilities. For example, the public trash cans scattered around the city have separate holes for plastic, glass, and wrapping. This practice should be adopted by every country, it seems so obviously practical. It's not uncommon for me to get overwhelmed with guilt for not recycling everything I consume (especially when thinking about where and how trash ends up). But in Germany recycling practically everything you buy is much more common because you have to pay to have your trash picked up while recycled stuff is picked up for free. Another good idea!
To describe the cities individually, Stuttgart is known for its Mercedes-Benz museum and has beautiful parks which are perfect for sipping from enormous flasks of beer, while tossing the occasional frisbee, and smiling at the cute dogs and babies. Heidelberg is full of university students winding in and out of the streets and under red roofs. It has a a picturesque river and the whole city is surrounded by mountains, one of which has a huge castle looking down over the city. Freiburg has a really neat built in irrigation system where the water flows down the street all the time in little ducts right between the sidewalk and the cobblestone road. And a good variety of old architecture and lots of boutiques and shops. I liked Heidleburg the best, and I definitely feel like I could revisit these places again. But I'm also drawn to seeing the bigger cities like Berlin and Munich in the future. All in all, great trip!
Oh, Germany, I loved it! First of all, the people are voluntarily happy, nice, and helpful. It was such a pleasant cultural contrast from the wintry, cold-shouldered French rudeness wrapped in black that I've grown to expect as typical behavior of strangers. Especially the very ones who have something you need, whether it's lunch, a stamped document, or the whereabouts of a street. And it seems that the random German walking happily down the cobble stoned streets or selling you an extra long hot dog nestled in a baguette speaks better English than my French students who study languages. I was so impressed by their automatic switch to English, it seemed so natural to them.
Next, I have to comment on their recycling facilities. For example, the public trash cans scattered around the city have separate holes for plastic, glass, and wrapping. This practice should be adopted by every country, it seems so obviously practical. It's not uncommon for me to get overwhelmed with guilt for not recycling everything I consume (especially when thinking about where and how trash ends up). But in Germany recycling practically everything you buy is much more common because you have to pay to have your trash picked up while recycled stuff is picked up for free. Another good idea!
To describe the cities individually, Stuttgart is known for its Mercedes-Benz museum and has beautiful parks which are perfect for sipping from enormous flasks of beer, while tossing the occasional frisbee, and smiling at the cute dogs and babies. Heidelberg is full of university students winding in and out of the streets and under red roofs. It has a a picturesque river and the whole city is surrounded by mountains, one of which has a huge castle looking down over the city. Freiburg has a really neat built in irrigation system where the water flows down the street all the time in little ducts right between the sidewalk and the cobblestone road. And a good variety of old architecture and lots of boutiques and shops. I liked Heidleburg the best, and I definitely feel like I could revisit these places again. But I'm also drawn to seeing the bigger cities like Berlin and Munich in the future. All in all, great trip!
Inscription à :
Articles (Atom)