- I grew up in the Midwest and I miss the conviviality and the little conversation at home.
- Pleasant Chitchat was rare for me in Germany, but I continue to live here for hiking and security.
- I feel more safe in Germany compared to the United States.
At the end of August 2016, my wife and I landed in Düsseldorf. It was love at first sight.
Were passionate hikersAnd I remember the feeling of absolute joy with our easy access to miles of trails along a river – in this case, the Rhine – without worrying about cars, traffic or intersections.
I grew up in the US midwest And dreamed for many years of life in Europe for many years. So when my wife and I finally had the opportunity just before I was 30, we got her.
We loved traveling and we had just spent a year Costa RicaBut we wanted to try somewhere in Europe where trains could Strive us to different countries with ease.
We found it in Germany. However, life here has become more than simple convenience of traveling For different national cities and parks, a short train route.
I appreciate the security of a country that values a social security net.
I feel more comfortable in Germany
One of my memories in Cleveland – the last American city in which I lived – almost involved being struck by a reckless driver on the way back of a plea meeting in terms of cycling.
I shouted on him, and he accelerated the block to face us again. Fortunately, there was no weapon involved – just blasphemies. However, in the United States, the possibility of Meet an armed pilot Always went in the bottom of my mind.
I am not looking for street fights in Berlin – where I now live – but conflicts occur everywhere. The difference is that in Germany, I do not wonder if a minor dispute will end with someone who pulls a gun. I feel more safe to keep myself here.
I miss conviviality where I come from
None of this means that I don’t like the United States. Too often, people confuse my preference with Germany as an invitation to hit my country of origin.
The United States will always be at home, a frustrating brother that I can make fun of, no matter how separate uncle and I become.
Above all, the general conviviality Back home, like when you meet a stranger and ask: “How are you?”
I did not appreciate this until he left. Pleasant Chitchat was rare for me in Germany. For example, ordering in a restaurant or checking in a grocery store is purely transactional.
I usually hate a little conversation, but in this case, I miss it. These tiny interactions remind us of our shared humanity, like the server which requires your order and begins to exchange life stories a minute later with a real interest that goes far beyond someone Work for advice.
Fortunately, Berlin, where I lived For five years, shelters many Americans. I can get my Midwest subtleties solution “everything is great” here. I am Jewish and I even found a wonderful community of Jews from around the world which have become some of my closest friends.
The United States will always be at home, but I do not intend to come back
Although I am now a citizen of the German and European Union, I will always be American.
However, as long as Europe remains a place where we feel more safe and free to live as we want, it will be the place where I think I belong the most.
Finally, we plan to divide our time between Berlin and the United States to spend more time with our aging nieces, nephews and parents. For the moment, we do not envisage a full-time move in the United States.