Aka. "Destination Anywhere", "The Boy and Girl from County Bavaria"... After a very intense year in Würzburg (Germany), I'm back in Salamanca. I probably won't have that many experiences to write, but there's always an excuse to post a new entry!

Nowadays, most western countries look pretty much the same, at least when it comes to the way people behave. But we all still have our peculiarities, and it's always fun to know how they see us from outside. Here are some interesting things I've noticed here in Germany, which I hope can help you to get to know this people, which is as funny as it is misunderstood... through the eyes of a foreigner.

1. ABER BITTE MIT SAHNE (WITH WHIPPED CREAM, PLEASE)

Sweets are one of the best things about Germany. You can find bakeries every two steps, and they all sell many different kinds of very appetizing things, from croissants with various fillings to Simpson-like doughnuts. The only problem is that they tend to have thousands of names for the same thing, which do not only depend on the town or region, but also on the bakery itself (some have the theory that the names change within a 100 m radius). But hey, whatever they're called, they're equally delicious! 
It is also very common to find cakes in most cafés. The most popular ones are the Sachertorte (which is in truth Austrian, but it doesn't matter), Apfelstrudel (apple pie) and Black Forest Cherry Cake. Usually, you're supposed to eat them with a little bit of whipped cream, which I personally recommend. Sometimes even with a ball of vanilla ice-cream or with some hot vanilla sauce, but whipped cream is always the main thing. Germans love it, especially in coffee or hot chocolate. So, whatever you order, don't forget to add 'Aber bitte mit Sahne!'

2. UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL

The stereotype says that when two Irish meet, they form an orchestra, and when two Finns meet, they form a metal band (ok, that's not a stereotype, that's from my own repertoire :P) What do two Germans form when they meet? The answer is a Verein. Vereine are groups of people who have something in common, like a club or association. There are Vereine for everything, be it for those who share the same religion or those who are interested in a particular sport. This Verein-Culture is very extended. Apparently, in small villages you have to be part of a Verein to be someone. One of the best explanations for that I've heard (from an actual German) is that 'Germans like to be with people with whom they can be happy or angry about the same things'

3. NO FLAG

Everyone knows that Germany has quite a dark history (of course, there's much more to it, but let's be honest, most people tend to associate Germans with that particular period), and its inhabitants are obviously aware of that. That's probably the reason why they have a strange attitude towards their own flag. It's not very usual to see German flags hanging from balconies or in any other public places. In fact, people who like to show off their flag are considered to be nazis (which by the way doesn't make much sense, taking into account that the current flag has nothing to do with the one they had back then). However, this has changed a little since the Football World Cup in 2006, which was held in Germany. Oh, and there doesn't seem to be any problem with the Bavarian flag...

4. A GREAT AUDIENCE

Germans are a great audience. After every presentation or class (be it a lecture at university or an aerobic lesson) it is important to applaud. Besides, the speaker / instructor usually thanks their audience for their attention, or for having been there at all when they finish. The funniest thing I've seen is that the way they applaud at university is completely different from everywhere else. Instead of clapping their hands, students knock on the tables with their fists at the end of the lectures.

5. SOME UNHOLY WAR WITH THE NEIGHBOURS

Relationships between neighbours are never easy. Germany is divided in 16 federal states (17 if you count Mallorca in), which means that there are always some little... 'inner conflicts'. In other words, people from the north hate people from the south and people from the south hate people from the north. This can also be applied to the east and west, although this also has some historical reasons, as you probably know. Don't get me wrong, it's not like they're constantly fighting and attacking each other violently, but they enjoy calling people from other states by 'friendly' names or making fun of them. Besides, there are like more than 30 different dialects, and these are one of their favourite reasons to tease each other. I've done some surveys and the two most 'popular' ones are Sächsisch (from Saxony) and Bayrisch (from Bavaria). The story with Bavaria is also a tricky topic, which brings me to my next point...

6. HELLO & GOODBYE

As I've already explained, there's a certain needle between one federal state and the neighbours. For this matter, Würzburg is... how could I describe it? Between the devil and the deep blue sea. It's quite in the middle of Germany and it politically belongs to the federal state of Bavaria, but geographically (and spiritually) it's part of the Franken region. That causes certain conflicts in people's minds - are we north or south? Are we Bavarians or not? Funny enough, one of the things in which you can see what people consider themselves to be is how they greet you. 'Grüss Gott!' is the traditional greeting from the south (it means literally 'greetings from god', or something like that), while 'Guten Tag!' is standard German (and the northern version). If you reply to a 'Grüss Gott!' with 'Guten Tag!', they regard this as too cold and distant, while if you reply to a 'Guten Tag!' with 'Grüss Gott!' it's a provocation... I personally recommend waiting until they greet you and reply exactly the same ;P

Oh, talking about greetings. Something I also like a lot is that when you're leaving a shop or any other public place it is common to say goodbye with the phrase 'Schönen Tag / Abend noch!' ('Have a nice day / evening!') I felt so proud of myself the first time I remembered to say that!