Adventure Germany

When going abroad expats often receive an intercultural training to learn about their new living environment and how not to alienate everybody they meet. The other day I heard that these courses also exist for so-called inpats who return from their foreign assignment. I had to giggle at the thought and asked myself: “How hard can it be coming back home?”

After the first couple of days I would like to take that back. We have only been away for six years and travelled to Germany regularly during that time, so I cannot really speak of a culture shock. But still, this country has changed a lot. Or perhaps I have.

Let’s take the garbage disposal. Germany has always been a role model when it comes to recycling which usually drove our expat friends nuts – or at least caused some furiously raised eyebrows.

But I grew up with it and the concept was so deeply rooted in my system that I used to smuggle the plastic bottles in Barcelona past our caretaker Juan and carried them to the recycling bins at the street corner because I had the sneaking suspicion that he just threw them out with the regular garbage. In Buenos Aires, I diligently separated paper, plastic bottles and glass, only to have our cleaning lady stuff everything in one big plastic bag. I just didn’t have the energy to argue with her.

But perhaps this was the final warning sign that I was giving in to the dark side and that it was high time that I came back to the country where recycling has been turned into an art form or philosophy, depending on the perspective. And boy, do I need a refresher course, perhaps by an intercultural coach who will patiently explain what goes in which bin.

We are renting a temporary flat in Wiesbaden until we find a permanent place and our things arrive from Argentina. Behind the house I found a flotilla of trash containers. One for paper, one for glass, one for plastics – that’s quite easy to determine – then another one for bio-degradables and one for the rest. Hm, is soggy kitchen paper biowaste or does it belong in the paper bin? Do I have do separate the bottom of the joghurt container made of cardboard from the plastic sideparts. And what shall I do with the leftover joghurt? Is that bio??

Knowing that the Germans, and especially the German garbage collectors and inspectors – yes, the latter exist – really mean business, it is only a question of time until I am found out and shot at dawn. But this is only a fair punishment for my laughing at the above-mentioned expat friends. And I would also like to take back the “How hard can it be separating the garbage” that I might have asked you about six or seven years ago. I hear you now.

And I will of course keep you posted.