Cultural Differences

Though I've noticed numerous of these, I cannot say that I've really sat down to capture them on paper (or, in this case, on the microfibers that transmit signals to the internet?). In so many ways, Berliners (I don't think living in Berlin qualifies me, or anyone else for that matter, to speak about "Germans") seem just like Americans. On the surface, it's not too much culture shock dealing with them. I mean, sure, they have a greater tolerance for public nudity. They engage (at least IMHO, Andy differs here) in more PDA. They seem much more aggressive and impatient about getting into and out of trains than Americans would be on similarly uncongested trains (think NYC in early evening, around 8:00 p.m.). But these are such small things.

There are bigger things like the Berliners' penchant for recycling. They bike everywhere and at all ages. They possess far fewer elevators for buildings much higher than would be the case in the U.S. They smoke like chimneys. They're far more aware of American politics than are Americans of their own politics. These, however, are only slightly less cosmetic.

One of the biggest thing I've noticed, however, is the prevalence of children in the city. Not just unaccompanied minors (I saw a 6 y/o boy going through the train station at 9:00 a.m. yesterday all by himself), that you would never see in the U.S. Rather, Germans take the children (including small children) to all sorts of things/events where Americans would leave their kids with either a sitter or a parent. This is especially noticeable at restaurants and cafes. MOST IMPORTANT HERE IS THE PREVALENCE OF MEN WITH CHILDREN EVERYWHERE. THESE ARE MEN BY THEMSELVES WITH THEIR CHILDREN (NOT MEN AT ORGANIZED EVENTS ONLY OR MEN LOOKING FRANTIC CAUSE THEIR WIFE OR SITTER BAILED ON THEM AND THEY'D RATHER BE ANYWHERE ELSE THAN TAKING CARE OF THE MUNCHKIN). THIS IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE. These men are truly having fun with their babies.

There are also loads of parks and parents everywhere have their kids out in droves. What's most interesting is the presence of these young families in the heart of the city. U.S. sub-burbs are filled with young, expectant parents desperately seeking better schools for their embryos. Cities are just no place for infants (who can fall into the wrong crowd by 6 months for heaven's sake). Certainly, they would never imagine allowing their 6 y/o kids to wander the streets of NYC by themselves. In fact, that would probably be grounds for a call to 241-kids. As much as parents here seem thrilled to have their children around, the children, for their part, are also amazingly independent in this sprawling metropolis. This relationship between the society and its children is probably the most striking distinction I've noted to date.

The entire time we've been here, Andy has noted the huge level of integration of disabled persons. In the U.S., these people are invisible. Here, they are quite visible and, at all ages, their friends and family demonstrate a deep care/love for their well being. They are not shunted into homes or kept isolated in sub-burbs where they rarely get out. You see people being pushed around in wheel chairs (or more likely motoring next to their friends/family) on a daily basis. Mind you, given the absence of elevators in German multi-story apartment buildings, it's somewhat puzzling where these wheel chair bound people live. But they seem not only to live, but to thrive here.

I would also note the general ethos (in german, gemütlichkeit) of the city. This comes from a combination of several of the above listed factors. First, the fact that this is not a car city makes it really quite hospitable. There aren't horns going off everywhere, no endless clouds of black fumes and you're generally not running for your life from cars hurtling in your direction. However, this ethos exudes as well from the endless, really, I mean endless, outdoor seating areas for restaurants/cafes. It comes from the families one sees everywhere. And it comes from the general (with a few notable exceptions) absence of poverty.

Although I mention the absence of poverty, there's really a different issue going on here. It's fair to say that one does not see the same level of disparity in socio-economic conditions here as we see routinely in the U.S. Put differently, people generally seem comfortable. There aren't loads of exclusive restaurants catering to the rich and famous with everyone else eating at Kabab stands (that are really ubiquitous). To the contrary, most areas seem quite similar in the external appearance and seem to offer a similar number, or saturation, of restaurants/cafes (if not the same ethnic makeup). Moreover, there are no areas where there are only liquor establishments and exploitative corner stores on the one hand, and others where it's all exclusive boutiques and 5-star restaurants. Americans with dreams of sugarplum fairies and white picket fences may abhor the comparative flatness of the socio-economic landscape here, but it makes for an exceedingly pleasant city.