My experience at Jacobs University exceeded my expectations. When I first arrived it was cold, windy and gloomy. The sun would rise at 8 am and set at 4:30 pm. The short, winter days discouraged me from going outside and exploring. However, the people I met there made it feel so warm. The close-knit community at Jacobs is so incredibly inclusive, fun and spirited. The high density of international students makes the school so unique. I met people from all around the world, shared music, food and holiday traditions with them. Not only did I feel like I was experiencing Germany, I felt like I was getting worldwide exposure. The gloomy days soon turned into cool, sunny days. I never thought that I would find such an amazing group of friends in a small, northern town in Germany.
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- In Germany, I noticed several cultural differences. For instance, people like to uphold the rules imposed by the city/ country and ensure to hold others accountable. Additionally, the new covid variant caused a lot of restrictions in Germany when I first arrived in January, as opposed to the regulations in Florida. When I first arrived in Germany, the group of exchange students spent the day getting to know the town and acquiring the correct documents needed for covid regulations in Europe. We had to obtain a European QR code that stores an individual’s vaccine information. In the pharmacies, there were only two people allowed at a time. The student assistant went in with us individually to help us translate and obtain this QR code in the pharmacy, while the rest of the group stood outside. It was very cold out and we had been walking all day, so we sat down on the ledge outside the pharmacy waiting for everyone to finish getting their documents. After a while, a woman in a car approached us. She pulled over, got out of her car and asked if we were in line for the pharmacy. After explaining that we were just waiting for group members, she told us we should not stand so close to the door because it gives the impression that there is an extensive line for the pharmacy. She then got back in her car and drove off.
- Initially, I thought the woman was asking if we were in line as a courtesy. However, she was not interested in entering the pharmacy. Instead, she went out of her way to correct a group of college students. I thought it was a bit excessive considering there was no one else around waiting to go into the pharmacy and it was not affecting her in any way. This was the first experience I had regarding rules and soon realized that the locals like things done their way, and they are not afraid to call people out. There have also been times where people have yelled at my friends and I for being too close together on the bus or not wearing masks correctly.
- I think someone in my host culture would view the experience as normal. They would think that the woman is helping the greater community. I noticed that the people in that community are always willing to share their opinions, whether it affected them or not.
- It is important to respect the customs and behaviors of others, especially when entering their community. Rules are not a negative thing. Without rules, there is chaos. However, due to political and social differences the culture within the United States and Germany varies For example, all the stores and supermarkets are closed on Sundays in Germany. Whereas, in the United States they are open all days of the week. Although living in a different community may impose challenges and practices different from your own, it is important to keep an open mind and understand that those practices are what work in that society. Although I was not used to people staring excessively or being reprimanded by strangers, I made sure to not take the situation personally and tried harder to behave like the locals.