People

I’ve been living in Mecklenburg Vorpommern for 2 years only, so don’t have much experience with local people yet.  My excuse is that my German is very basic, and we were in the lockdown for a long time.  My views can be considered as educated despite of it; I lived long term in a few countries and in my head at least, I am equipped to compare Germans to other nations.  I also worked for more than 6 years for a Bavarian company while living in UK and met many west Germans professionally.  I am still offering you my personal opinion of course. 

When I moved here, I heard (and experienced it myself since) that there is a west-east divide amongst people.  One can say that it is normal in other countries too.  South and North of England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and London – each area is occupied by very different people.  People from northern England have certain opinions about their compatriots in Surrey for example.  City people around the world regard those born and living in countryside as country bumpkins.  Until they move to countryside and come to understand that they were wrong.  Not all city dwellers are not nice.   

Back to Germans. I have a German acquaintance from Frankfurt on the Polish boarder who was surprised when I told her that I want to get to know Berlin better.  “Why???”, I heard.  “Because I like exploring and there is a big vegan community”, I replied.  She shrugged her shoulders.  She is one of those people who are OK with divides.  She was telling me a little story about a couple from my village describing them as “those people from Western Germany”. She is a nice woman and I have nothing against her having her opinions.  I have mine too.  As to Berlin it is not the most beautiful or cleanest city I visited, but I suspect I don’t know it’s best bits yet.  I will write the post about it once I know it better.

While getting my corona vaccine I have met a nice doctor at a vaccination centre.  He is from Western Germany I assumed, because he was wearing a Bavarian type folksy top, which is never worn here, and when he heard that I moved here directly from California he laughed and asked me, “Why on earth did you move here!?”.  “Because it is beautiful, and I have a lovely, old house by the lake” I replied.  So, the divide is real, from both sides, but people live peacefully, side by side.  I write side by side because I have met a few and heard about more retired western Germans who moved here.  I understand why it is done.  It is more peaceful than anywhere I lived, and properties are cheap, so win – win situation and very much like Brits retiring in Spain or France.  Not sure if it is still done, but it was the trend when I lived in UK.

What can I say about indigenous people then?  They remind me of Brits.  They are reserved, but once they see that you try to fit in, they are very kind and helpful.  They are polite and like a good joke. I am not sure if they are very family oriented as a rule.  I see some of my neighbours are often visited by their families, some less often.  They are very good drivers and obey rules and regulations.  They like gardening.  It is very seldom that people are noisy with their garden equipment during the quiet time (13:00-15:00) or outside the very few hours allowed to set fireworks off during new year celebrations. The only difference to UK or USA is their relationship with pets.  There are many resident cats, which spend their time outside. I guess they are treated as mice catchers mainly. They look healthy and have cat flaps leading to warm hiding spaces in outbuildings and are fed outside. There are a very few dogs here and even less are walked.  When I walk mine people don’t pay attention to them, unlike in most western countries.  Maybe it is because I live in the small village, as Berlin apparently is very dog friendly.

I need to add that there are many Poles living here.  The boarder crossing is only 15 minutes fast drive away, and properties in Poland are very expensive, on par with western or southern Europe. People buy cheaper houses here and commute to work in Poland, which makes sense.  Poles are not good drivers and too many of them don’t obey rules, which annoys me immensely.  They are very pleasant, friendly people in general.