Here in Germany one of the major differences from America is how the Germans handle crosswalks. In America, it’s pretty common to pick a gap and just get across as quick as you can even if the light on the crosswalk says not too (oh my bad mom, I’m just talking about other people I’ve observed…. not me). The Germans however, are very different in the fact that they will wait until the crosswalk tells them it’s okay to cross. It doesn’t matter if there’s not a car on the street, most of them won’t move until the “walk” signal is flashed.
I’m not sure why this is a big thing for the people of Germany, but they even have stores across the country that sell merchandise with the “Ampelmann” logo peppered on to their various offerings. For those of you wondering what/who “Ampelmann” is, he’s the symbol that comes up on the light when it’s okay too cross a street. While this cultural difference can at times be frustrating, at the very least it’s a good reminder to us that it’s okay to slow down, take a deep breath, and appreciate the moment in busyness of our daily lives.
