Neighboring and Contrasting Cultures

 

I am returning to Germany today for a week trip to play in a German national tournament this weekend since I was not able to play in the French national in Brittany. Bouncing between Europe’s most prominent cultures has me reflecting on the differences in people, values, and norms. It’s been just over two months since I was in Germany last, but I can rest assured that I appreciate the cleanliness, quietness, and organization of Germans. There appears to be a standard among most of Germany of integrity and respect in all walks of life. Anywhere from the cleanliness of their environment to the way people sign off on emails with, “Mit freundlichen Grüßen” which translates to “sincerely with my heart”. In addition, timeliness is held in the highest regard as a form of respect to your peers. Culturally, it’s a norm to say hello and smile to someone as you walk past them on the street. In contrast, France seems to do quite the opposite. Rarely do people say hello to each other on the street and NEVER will you see someone smile at a stranger. Instead of being seen as respectful and kind, it’s interpreted as weird and flirtatious. France’s cultural expectations focus more on aesthetic appearance rather than personality qualities through their fashion, makeup, cuisine, music, and art. Valuing aesthetic qualities over general kindness and respect can translate into prioritizing beauty over happiness.

Respect and kindness have a compounding effect within the community. I’ve been fortunate to notice this in the smaller communities I’ve visited in both Germany and France. Outside of Paris, generally the people are more friendly, however they seem to value their individual freedom more than communal appreciation. When I was visiting Wezlar, Germany last summer, I stumbled upon an opera in an outdoor amphitheater full of people from the community. A short walk from the city’s downtown, this part of the city was packed full of people and remained vibrant afterwards as the concertgoers went to the restaurants and bars. In comparison, during my stay over the summer in downtown Cap d’Agde, France, I saw a performance by a Cuban drum band in a plaza next to my AirBnb. While there were people enjoying themselves at the free concert, the rest of the downtown area was dead quiet. For the rest of my stay, I never saw that many people in the dirty downtown. I believe the historical undercurrents of both Germany and France have persisted and shaped their modern cultures and the way new residents behave.