About Germany and the Germans 🇩🇪 ⠀ We are all captive to stereotypes, including national ones. When you hear “the kindest, most caring, friendliest people,” do Germans not immediately come to mind? They should. That’s exactly what they are like. ⠀ Throughout the five months I spent here, I was amazed by how little Germans resemble the stereotype people have of them. You know, that they never smile, don’t want to be friends, and only want to go to war and give/follow orders. ⠀ That’s not true at all. They really are wonderful people with a great sense of humor, always trying to help. Two stereotypes, however, are true: - Germans are never late (which delighted me, because I don’t like lateness either); - Germans really do love coming up with rules for every possible situation and then following them (at first it’s irritating, but then you realize that’s exactly why they live so well). ⠀ Doctors and nurses. Physiotherapists and police officers. A lot of police officers. Neighbors who invited us over for drinks, and the people who rented us our place. Politicians and lawyers. Shop assistants. Journalists. Prosecutors who questioned me in response to requests from Russia. Coaches. Schoolteachers. And even, once, the chancellor. I had quite a wide circle of acquaintances here. And to every one of them, I can only say a huge thank you. ⠀ By the end of the second month, I had grown so fond of the place that I even decided to learn German. But alas, I didn’t succeed. The language of philosophers and poets was beyond me. I’ll be using Google Translate. Still, the main thing I want to say, I can write myself: ⠀ Danke Freunde!