Lessons in Humility - German Style

Writing Instruments
Around a week ago, I was riding my bike to campus and passed a grocery store. I had recently run out of usable pens, so I decided to stop and buy some more. I went inside the store, thought carefully about my words, and asked where I could find the Schreibtische. I wasn't sure if this word meant pen or pencil, but either way, I figured it would at least get me pointed in the right direction. As I asked the question, I even made a writing gesture with my hand, in case my pronunciation was poor. The two sales clerks looked at me, dumbfounded -- like I had three heads. When they didn't answer, I decided to try a different angle: Haben Sie Papier? [Do you have paper?] I asked. They both looked relieved by this question and responded with confidence that they don't sell paper. I thanked them, left the store, and continued to campus. A little later, I was thinking about the look of bewilderment that the clerks gave me, and it hit me: a Bleistift is a pencil... but a Schreibtisch is a desk.


Clean-up on Aisle 2
A few hours later, I went with some classmates to the campus Mensa [cafeteria] for lunch. I got a tray, silverware, and a plate of the pasta grub-o-the-day. Then I decided to get a small bowl of cheesy cauliflower, but something distracted me (I don't remember what happened exactly), and my tray (and everything on it) landed upside-down on the floor. Oops. I froze for a second -- embarrassed that the long line of people behind me would have to step through (or hop over the gigantic mess I'd made) until the lunchroom staff arrived for the clean-up. Then one of the cafeteria ladies shouted out something I didn't understand in German. She pointed to a certain corner of the lunchroom, so walked in the direction she pointed. "Maybe I'm supposed to inform the back kitchen staff of my spill, so they could clean it up," I thought. I arrived at the designated location and was provided a broom and a dustpan to clean up my own mess. Once I'd scooped up the big stuff, this was traded for a mop and a bucket of soapy water to fully remove my schmutz.


Upon reflection, I think it's very logical (and fair) that I should clean up my own mess... but it was an interesting cultural lesson: in Germany, personal responsibility is taken much more seriously than in America, where the customer is king. (Even though they made me clean up my mess, they didn't make me pay for the wasted plate of pasta and bowl of cauliflower... for which I was thankful.)


Happy Thanksgiving, by the way. I had Chinese food tonight to celebrate the holiday. Tomorrow I'll be joining a large group of international students from my university on a 3-day trip to Berlin. I'll try to post some pics next week.