German Surprises!

Even though we've only been in Germany for a few days, we have already made some incredible memories. So far, most of these memories have been created because of our group project on the city of Dachau. In just two short (but full) days, we met the mayor of Dachau (who happens to be the youngest lord mayor in Germany currently), went to some beautiful public places such as the English Garden, and last but most certainly not least, got really lost. Although we have not been here long, these past couple days have given us quite a bit of knowledge about German culture.

A few things in particular have really surprised us, like how Germany does not have water fountains. According to Professor Farrand, it's because they consider water fountains to be dirty and germ-infested, but we also found (after a little excursion on Google) that the word for tap water in German literally translated to "plumbing water," which they consider to be very rude to offer to guests. Ironically, however, their tap water is more filtered than their bottled water.

We were also excited about how much the Germans recycle and keep the city of Munich clean. About half of the beverages we sell in America in plastic bottles are sold in glass bottles here. Many buildings were lined with large windows and solar panels, and our tour guide the first day told us most of Munich uses renewable energy.

We were somewhat surprised by the amount bread consumed by Germans, especially considering how fit Germans seem to be. Each day we have been eating at least one small loaf of bread for part of our breakfast. 

I think one of the things that we have admired most about Germany is how Germans, overall, respect the law and each other. They don't jaywalk, they respect the bike lane, and there is a much lower theft rate so they're much more trusting with their belongings in public places. Chances that we'll return home willing are quickly decreasing.