After being in Germany a week it still doesn’t feel like home, which is to be expected. It is still a completely different country on the other side of the world that speaks an entirely different language. The people don’t look like they are from another continent, they look like a lot of people I see around west Michigan, only they might not even speak English.
I didn’t expect the food in grocery stores to be different. This may seem obvious but Its weird walking into a market and not seeing American brands like Cheetos or Mountain Dew. Also, the grocery stores are much smaller and everywhere. This may just be because it is a big city but I think it’s noteworthy. Aldi is here which I didn’t expect.
I miss not being able to drive places. The public transit here is good especially for longer distances, but I just want to drive. It’s so much easier to drive than wait for a bus and then wait for a subway. A bike would probably be idea for shorter trips around town but I miss the freedom of a car.
I wish people drove like Germans back home. Everyone is on the same page and if you’re distracted, the world will let you know. Germans get places. It is not uncommon to hear tires squealing when the light turns green. Even the bus drivers are on a mission.