The first two months in Germany have been a huge learning experience. The student body at Jacobs University is mostly international. This has exposed me to many people that come from different cultures. I have been able to try foods I had never tried before, I have learned some common phrases in other languages aside from German, and generally have been exposed to different lifestyles. At first I found it a bit difficult to connect with people who come from across the world because it seemed as though we had nothing in common. Once we got more comfortable with each other, we have been able to compare our cultures and bond throughout our journey here in Germany.
In Germany I have noticed several cultural differences. The people here seem to be more serious, and greeting strangers is not very common. People do not smile at you as they pass by, or say hello when entering an elevator. However, I have learned not to take it personally because once you converse with someone, most people are friendly and willing to listen to me “try” to speak German.
One obstacle I have faced here is setting up my new sim card. I went to one store where the store clerk did not speak English, and I was not able to successfully set up a Sim card. I then was able to buy a sim card at a different store, however the instructions were completely in German. After hours, I was able to set up my new number. Once I set up the new phone number, I had to set up my payment method. Because I do not have a German bank account, I had to wait for my bank account to be approved by the card company. After a few days, the approval continued to be delayed. I attempted to call the company; however, the answering machine was also only in German. I then asked one of my friends here to help me translate the message. He was able to help me translate; however, the company still did not approve my bank account. I remembered that when I was buying the sim card, I saw gift cards in the store for the company. I asked the store clerk what I could use the gift cards for, and he said I could buy phone plans with them. So, I bought myself several gift cards for the next few months and I am able to pay for my phone plan this way!