In our new series ‘My view on Germany’, club visitors tell us how they perceive their new home country.
1. You’ve been in Germany since autumn 2018. Did you have any clichés in mind before you arrived in Germany? And which of these did you actually experience first-hand?
What I heard about Germany and its citizens before I arrived was:
The Germans are very punctual.
From my experience, I would say that’s true. Of course, there are always exceptions and I would probably say that Germans perhaps value their time more than (most) Tajiks. But at the beginning I was – and still am – totally irritated when some people told me that I was late because I was 2 to 5 minutes late. I thought that was exaggerated. And these comments came not only from my employers, but also from acquaintances during our free time. It’s difficult for me personally to understand, as the exact time doesn’t mean that much to me, especially when it comes to minutes and not hours. e.g. 4:20 pm means to me: ‘It’s 4 pm’. 4:40 pm means for me: ‘It’s 5 pm’. I’m used to rounding up the time because it was ‘normal’ in my family and environment in Tajikistan. In the meantime, I still look at the clock a lot more often and always try to be on time everywhere. I just try to integrate myself in Germany and show consideration for others for whom punctuality is important. But I hope I’ll never be annoyed by other people being a few minutes late.
The streets in Germany are so clean that you don’t have to clean your shoes for weeks.
I also agree with that. It’s a lot dustier in Tajikistan and I personally always had to clean the dust off my shoes after 30 minutes. But in Germany I only do it when I need to – and more to remove mud and dirt than dust.
You should not talk or make loud phone calls on public transport.
Iused to think that talking on public transport was forbidden. But now I realise that it’s simply a social rule and it can simply be annoying. I do realise that many people get irritated – sometimes I do too – when someone talks loudly or on the phone on public transport. Here too, I think you should simply be considerate of others.
2. What is your first memory of Germany?
I clearly remember looking out of the window of the car on the way to my new home and seeing the huge wind turbines. For someone like me, who had never seen anything taller than a 20-storey building, it was mesmerising. In addition, there was a clear blue sky with huge forest areas consisting of tall, narrow trees. A flat green landscape without high mountains in the background. Everything you don’t normally see in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that first sight of the wind turbines.
3. What do you like about Germany at the moment, in terms of nature, culture and lifestyle? What do you find rather annoying?
I like how varied you can spend your free time in Germany. There are numerous museums, sports facilities, clubs, bars, restaurants and exhibitions.
I like the variety of hobby sports you can do here, such as swimming, cycling, hiking, ice skating, skateboarding, inline skating and much, much more.
I like the variety of international food and restaurants that you can find here.
I like how tolerant or open-minded many people are when it comes to sexual orientation, religion or origin. The difference is huge, at least compared to Tajikistan.
But I don’t like the fact that many people feel like they are constantly complaining. I’m not saying that people never complain in Tajikistan. But to be honest, the frequency of complaints and the lack of gratitude here in Germany is new to me.
4. What did you first have to get used to in Germany?
About the food. Fruit and vegetables have much less flavour here than in Tajikistan.
5. Have you ever experienced intercultural misunderstandings here in Germany?
Yes, definitely. In Tajikistan, it is considered rude to hold eye contact for long periods of time, to shake hands with men as a woman or to greet someone loudly. That’s why there were misunderstandings here when I kept looking away while talking or didn’t make eye contact. Many people thought that I wasn’t interested in the conversation or that I was rude, or perhaps that I thought I was better than them. I still have problems with greeting people loudly and clearly. It still gives many people the impression that I’m rude. Of course, I wasn’t used to giving a firm handshake either, but I didn’t have too much trouble with that.
6. Do you have a favourite German phrase or expression that you find funny or that you particularly like?
„Ich verstehe nur Bahnhof“*. That was the first phrase I learnt in German. Every time I hear it, it takes me back to the time in 2017-2018 when I started learning German.
*German saying that can be translated as “I only understand train station”, which is similar to the English expressions “it’s all Greek to me” or “it sounds like double Dutch to me”
Translated by Joeline O’Reilly