There are lot things one might love about this city, but first is the people. If you want to break a stereotype about Germans being not that open and warm, you should come to Köln. You will be totally surprised how eager they are to help you no matter of your level of German and wasting their precious time. :D
About time. Timing really matters in this country. You can see this in all aspects of living. I, being a sleepy-head Georgian, found it extremely difficult to manage everything on time. It took me 3 weeks to set my life in routine and don't miss the only train over and over again that brings me to language centre. During our orientation days we were strongly asked not to bother ourselves entering the room after we are late more than 5 min (I mean this is sick isnt't is? ! :D) bearing in mind all this traffic lights at each corner on the street.
As I mentioned it, lets say couple words about traffic lights. Imagine you are standing on a very usual street (not main street or so), you look left, look right and there is not car coming from anywhere,.. simply no traffic on horizon and people standing at the red light for literally full 5 (minimum) minutes waiting that green comes.This makes me sick. That's what I call waste of time. :D Here its called being a part of civil society, fully respecting the rules of common behaviour. And if accidentally you happen to see somebody crossing the street in such cases, you definitely know this one is not German.
Bicycles: bearing in mind my background and childhood experiences, I never got to know how to ride a bicycle (neither swimming, which surprises everyone who gets to know this :D). Actually since being a 3 year old, where I had a three-wheeled bicycle (one and only) I never got a real one. At some point, (ca. 1995-2000 :D) there was lot more important things to worry about than me having a byce. After civil war period building up the family finances, gathering money for private education (as school education was never well enough to pass university entrance exams), so on and so on, I didn't really complain a lot and was quite happy with my childhood. After that even my interests changed and I never tried to get one on my own. Maybe that's because the ''bicycle culture'' is not that developed in our country. Even today, one might see more students using public transportation, buses, mini-buses, private cars, big jeeps than a bicycle. Accordingly, my first time experience of coexistence with bicycles was quite fatal. I am not used to the fact that bicycles have their own way and there they ride quite fast. If you are on their way, you have to be aware that this might end up bad. If not a couple punch and clank of bells I would end up lying on the ground. :)) but now its fine. it's all about getting used to.
Moreover, I got so 'brave' that i want to learn riding it. Why not having one, when half of the city uses it as a major transport and not only for themselves but carying two kids at the same time with it. :D
Beer: Locals are so proud of their special type of beer, Kölsch, which is quite small and costs only 1 euro and 30 cent, that I can never justify myself for not grabbing one. Having awareness of my current state of liver, I should better not drink it at all. but if you listen to my German teacher, its even good for bone structure and protects against osteoporosis. (when we all laughed about it, she brought an article, proving a result of one research made by University of California, reiterating what she said the other day. I guess she took our laugh in wrong way, like we didn't trust her or so..:D). Anyway, 0,3l beer ist Gesund.
Garbage: within our orientation days, we were explained how to split the garbage in right way. But in real life, I find myself standing in front of bin, not being able to decide where does this one belong, to green, yellow, black or whichever other color waste-bin. :))
Water: usually water from the tap costs quite lot. As I understood you pay double. for drinkable water and the water you make dirty. Nevertheless, at the end of the year, someone will come and over-check if you are using more than one person is supposed to be using and that's where you have to pay additional. I understand now very clearly, why Falko was so surprised seeing that we leave tap half day open, not paying attention to it. :D (We live in student dormitories for this 2 month, thus, we don't pay water costs separately now, but that's a very important thing to know while living for next 2 years here).
What I love about this country is that you can get money for the plastic bottles you have after drinking a water. This is simply amazing.
Food: Food is quite cheap in this country. Something like Georgia. But sometimes even lot cheaper. You can imagine my face when i saw that 1l milch can cost only appr. 50 cent (in Georgia u pay 1,5 Euro very easily for it). They say, where its possible French and Swiss people drive to Germany to make food shopping and go back.
Fines: when you don't have a ticket and take public transportation, in case you are checked u pay -40 Euro.
crossing a street at red light - 40 euro.
one driver showing another one a middle finger - 50 euro (if I remember it right as our teacher told us this)
one driver simply signing at another, that he is driving like a dumb :D - 20 euro (our teacher said this too). Thus, for showing this
:D incredible. I am in love with this country.
That's all I know about Germany so far. I did all bureaucratic stuff like registration in the city hall (once you stay more than 14 days in Germany you have to sign yourself at some address. Otherwise you could have problems to find a flat to rent, being said: where were you and what u did before now?). I opened bank account at Deutsche Bank, as being told to be very friendly and easy with foreigner students.
Now, I am fully relaxed being concentrated on my studies and upcoming events which CDC plans for us. I have lot more to explore, botanic garden, zoo. This all sounds quite fun for me.
S.
