Naturally,
when you visit a country halfway across the planet you will notice many similarities
and differences. I have seen some
fantastic things here in Mannheim, but have also experienced some culture
shocks that took some getting used to. Let me begin:
o
Drink (mainly Beer) - Germany's
food and drink has surpassed all expectations. Let me first discuss the German
staple- Beer (bier). In Germany there is a "Purity Law." Over 500
hundred years ago, Albert IV from Bavaria proclaimed that beer could only consist
of "Water, malt, and hops." The integrity of the law has pretty much
stood unaffected since then. (Yeast is the now the 4th and final
ingredient). This makes the difference between beer in the US and beer in
Germany HIGHLY noticeable. My first beer was so pure it almost had a fruity
taste to it. That may sound weird but it was delicious. Every beer since then
has reconfirmed to me that this is a spectacular law. Absolutely have to
respect the foresight Albert the IV had on that decision.
The carbonation of the beer is also much different. German
beer is much smoother and you do not feel as though your nose is going to pop
when you drink it a little too fast. This might help when partaking in Das
Boot.
Another very
interesting aspect to the beverages here in Mannheim is that they are very
inexpensive. The average beer at a bar
in the city is about 2 euro and maybe some change. But very cheap. To the point
where it is equivalent (if not cheaper) to the cost of bottled water. I spoke
with a German professor about this and he told me it is almost a problem how
inexpensive it is because it could lead to higher consumption. But as a visitor
with a budget, I have no complaints (yes, I ball on a fiscally responsible and
feasible budget). I have also purchased
a 1.5L of a particular brand of Iced Tea three times now. The drink is .45 euro
(with a .25 container fee). I could get used to prices like this.
(Below are some common German beers)
(Below are some common German beers)
o
Food-
The food also follows a similar pattern. Here in Germany, the people eat a lot
of red meat. The carnivore section of the menu consists of about 90% red meat
at the typical German restaurant. I really have no problem with this although
you always hear how “White meat is so much healthier” or “I’m a pescatarian! Red meat is yucky!” The
second quote is directed toward my sisters.
But when I finally did have chicken out here, it was quite delightful to
say the least.
o
Public Transit-
The public transportation here in Mannheim (and in the region of
Baden-Württemberg) is quite interesting. For one, it is very efficient. The
trains show up on the dot and the buses arrive pretty much right on time, give
or take a minute. The routes also cover a lot of ground. This is extremely
convenient for me considering I live about an hour walk from the University.
Another interesting thing about the bus and tram system is that they use
the “honor system.” Bus drivers and tram operators will not ask you about a
ticket when you enter. They just assume you are telling the truth and you
aren’t a jerk. Every once in a while, Police (or some authoritative figure)
will get on and ask a few people to show their tickets but this is rather
uncommon. I have been riding for five weeks (yes, I have a ticket) and have not
seen this happen. If you get caught riding ‘black’ then you will be subject to
a 40 Euro fine. Never mind the embarrassment of being that typical American punk that some Europeans
picture. Just don’t be that guy.
o
Cleanliness-
This has been one of the more shocking
aspects of Mannheim so far. I had always heard that Europeans recycle, that
they’re very eco-friendly, this and that. Maybe I was just thinking the habits
of Sweden were consistent throughout the continent. To my surprise, this city
has a decent amount of litter. I don’t know if Boston is very clean, or Mannheim
is a little messy. I have personally seen people throwing cups and bottles in
the streets during broad daylight, which I was pretty surprised to witness.
I have also been quite surprised with the
bathrooms. If you’re one of those “TMI” people, skip this paragraph. As I was
saying, the bathrooms… The toilets are very weak. I have talked to multiple
people who have agreed to this. Maybe the logic is “we save water!” but that is useless if flushing has to be done more
than once. Also, I have only encountered ONE bathroom that had a window during
my stay here. I find this quite unusual and this is probably adding to the
gross vibe I get whenever I enter a restroom.
o
Smoking-
I knew that smoking cigarettes was more common in Europe, but I did not realize
how prevalent it really is. There is a part of the city known as Jungbusch and
it is popular for its bars. In these bars, smoking is allowed. And people don’t
hold back. I have set a pair of pants and a shirt aside for Jungbusch that I
will most likely have to throw out after this trip because I will smell like
the lungs of a 50 year cigarette addict if I continue to wear them.
I recently went to a Mannheim Adlers hockey
game. It was a lot of fun and the fans were DIE HARD. I’m from Boston and our
city is known to have some serious fans, but these guys don’t even need music
between whistles. Non-stop chants, songs for individual players, and of course
the Adler anthem. Anyway, back to my story. I left the game at the end of the
second period and noticed that when I was heading for the exit, a lot of other
people were too. A LOT. When I got to the exit door I was given a little
“Re-entry” ticket if you will. This was for the smokers. All 4 thousand of
them. Maybe more. Each exit had a massive group of people omitting clouds of
smoke in the air. It almost looked like a harbinger of some sort. Like, “Where
do the Adlers play? Oh, just follow the
four dark clouds oddly low to the Earth and you will be led to the SAP Arena.”
(Here is a picture of the re-entry ticket that was handed to me at the end of the 2nd period.)
(Here is a picture of the re-entry ticket that was handed to me at the end of the 2nd period.)
