Culture shock come at me after 6 months!!

Summer holiday time! I think nearly everyone has summer holidays by now or has only one week left. My sister can't wait to get out of school next week, meet up with friends and go on her sailing trip in the Netherlands and to France for a week. As for myself, I haven't planned anything for summer yet. We "just" got back from Australia and I'm still trying to settle in and as weird as it sounds, it doesn't feel like a break yet. In Australia the big break comes at the end of the year. Christmas time, summer, new years, etc. Everything comes at once; just like a big event. I'm sorry, if I compare everything to Australia but lately I compare everything! It's crazy :D I sometimes feel like that our plane landed six months ago, but my mind hasn't quite arrived just yet. I'm still a stranger in my own home. Well, it's a new town but you'd think that settling in would be easier than it was five years ago. However, it actually isn't.

When we arrived in Melbourne everything was new. I didn't really have any expectations besides those typical tourist expectations like seeing Kangaroos everywhere (haha). But that was it. This time I knew what was coming at me and it turned into a shock! I never had thought that I would have adapted to the Aussie nature so quickly. Some people can be so gruff, it's unbelievable! Everyone wants to get out of the train first which usually turns out into a huge "traffic" jam and makes everything go slow.. Australian's are the masters of queues! They really are. There's no hectic, unpatient body language, rude talks or anything. You stand in line, wait like everyone else, it's so simple. Here, it's nearly impossible. Best example is trying to get an ice cream when it's hot. Jeezzz, sometimes I feel that I'm queuing up for the last ice cream on earth :D Also driving on the road. When someone takes two seconds longer than normal there is a concert of different car horns, OMG is all I'm gonna say to this.

Oh and also: Going grocery shopping. In Australia when you go shopping there will always be someone that asks you "How are you?" Then you answer and sometimes you have a little conversation. No complaints from the people behind you because they want to be treated just as nicely as you were. Simple rule: What you give is what you get. Of course you don't have five minute conversations about the latest gossip. But asking each other how you are and how's you day been is enough. Everyone is happy. Here: HECTIC! The first few times I forgot to take bags to the supermarket and then stood there completely perplexed and everything was just quick, quick, quick!! hahaha

Since I live between Heidelberg and Mannheim, I'm in the city a lot and also use public transport frequently and I must say: We Germans complain a lot :D (Just like I am doing right now hahaha) We discuss every little thing, have the need to constantly nag and imperfection doesn't exist. If you make mistakes, you are on you own. No second chances. C'mon people. Relax. Take it easy! Being grumpy won't solve the problem! ;)

It might be just me but these were just a few things that I realized really quickly and preferred a lot in Australia. Don't get me wrong! I don't want to just stit here and whinge all day. Of course living in Germany has it's positives, too. .. You can travel more easily, doing things by bike is also more convenient here and there are bakeries! Also the forest isn't home to fatal animals (even though I haven't come across one snake in the past five years) and you don't have to check your riding boots for spiders each time - that's a big plus!

Yes, I'm still going through a culture shock and am settling in step by step. I don't want to say that Australia is the perfect country, there's no perfect country. You just have to find that one little spot on this planet that you feel secure in and can call home when you come back to it. I know that my home will always be where my mum, dad and sister is because I can always rely on them. I just don't feel like that I have connected to the surroundings yet. Which is probably why I'm constantly comparing to then later take out and add the best of both worlds.