Return to Germany

Arrival in Germany 🛬

My flight is scheduled to depart around 9:00 PM local time. If there are any airlines I would wholeheartedly recommend, it would be Qatar, Emirates, and Singapore Airlines. You can't go wrong with them.

I will be landing in Frankfurt around 7:00 AM in the morning, with a time difference of 6 hours, making it a 16-hour flight with a two-hour layover in Doha.

What is it like to resurface in Germany after such a long time?

A lot hasn't changed, except maybe the prices have gone up. It wasn't until now that I realized Asia, excluding Singapore, was comparable or even cheaper. I always assumed Japan was so expensive. Sure, if you want to stay in the city center of Tokyo, then yes.

It didn't even take 20 minutes after setting foot on German soil for me to receive a notification from the German Rail app that my train would be 5 minutes late, even though the arrival in Frankfurt is scheduled for another hour and a half. At least I'm not one of those poor souls whose regional trains are constantly canceled in Solingen.

Smile!

There are things you miss when you suddenly no longer have them. And then there are things that disappear from your life and you only realize how beautiful it was without them when they resurface. What could that be? Well, on the way from the airport to the long-distance train station, I see the moon rise at 8:00 AM. Twice. In two months in Asia, I never once saw a plumber's smile, and now I will encounter three of them on the way home. How is it that an entire nation of millions of people can hold back their butts, but it doesn't work here? Oh yeah, that reminds me of the statement that characterizes Japan, "Careful self-representation," is what comes to mind.

Fun Fact: In English, it's called a "Plumber's Smile." I like that.

Empathy 2.0

On the way from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1, I notice two things.

Firstly, Germany's busiest airport is unable to do what provincial airports all around the world can do: provide reasonable shuttle buses. I mean, who thinks it's a good idea to use regular bus models instead of airport buses, as you find them on regular routes? These are designed for sitting, but there's a need for space during terminal transfers, for all those suitcases.

This brings us to number 2. I see a young Chinese woman struggling with her three roller suitcases to get on the bus. The bus is slightly inclined, and the suitcases keep coming towards her as she tries to get on. The nearby Germans don't care. They just want to be the first to get on and off, no matter what it takes. The only thing they share is a shaking of heads. "欢迎来到德国" - "Welcome to Germany." When getting off, I ask her if she needs help, she kindly declines. Some people you have to force them to accept your help; I put the two remaining suitcases out.

After such a long time in Asia, I have a good understanding of what it's like to be a foreigner somewhere. And how nice it is when you unexpectedly receive help. It has made me much more empathetic in this aspect. And this gain in empathy will not only be limited to tourists.

Something remains

It's good to be able to understand the language around me again. However, it will probably take a little while for me to acclimate. I remember a saying that came to mind during this time:

"Something of you will remain there."

I had never doubted that before. But understanding something conceptually and feeling it like this are two different worlds.
Basically, it's like your first love. No matter what comes after Japan, sooner or later, I will compare everything again.

Feelings of Home

No, Germany is beautiful. There is soooo much green outside my doorstep. Having a beautiful park in a city of a million people is priceless. Having the green forest that grounds you amid all the stress and having that corner is invaluable. And the DHL delivery person greets you. Because they recognize you (again). I hop on my bike. That's what I missed the most, the freedom on two wheels. I'm back home.

I go shopping on the way to work. Yes, there are no bows exchanged. Yes, the cashier at REWE greets me as if it has been raining for 9 weeks. It's probably not just because it really rained for so long here. But I also see the friendliness and cheerfulness, the affectionate teasing of the bakers.

Nippon on the Rhine 🗾

Two weeks later, during a visit to Düsseldorf, I will take the opportunity to visit the Japan Quarter. There are several Japanese supermarkets. I will enter the store, and as soon as I step across the threshold, I will feel like I've been transported 9,500 km to the East. Japanese-speaking staff who bow apologetically with a nod if they may have inconvenienced me. Japanese products as far as the eye can see, baked sweet potatoes and bento boxes in the entrance area. It's like I'm over in a 7-Eleven, except the tourists all speak German. But I also feel my antipathy towards "German tourists in Japan" resurface. But that's a topic for another time.

The fact that imported products are more expensive is beyond question. But I didn't expect that a bento box with rice and fish would cost €13 in Germany instead of €6.5 like in Tokyo. I take two canned drinks and tea with me, and at the checkout, I am served in broken German with a friendly attitude. Payment is cash only. I end the encounter with a familiar "Arigato Gozaimasu." She responds with the joyful surprise that I have come to love in the past two months. At least occasionally, I will come here again to remind myself of all the things I have gained in these two months.

Climbing Stairs

From day to day, I will notice how this journey has changed me in various interpersonal encounters. I am more relaxed, and I find an even greater balance between equality and mindfulness. I realize that I am taking another step in climbing the stairs of life. The older you get, the higher the steps become. Currently, I am pulling myself up at the three-meter-high step and seeing what is possible on the next step. A heap of days full of experiences in Asia lies beneath my feet, pushing me beyond myself, so I can reach the edge three meters above. A lot of possibilities and changes await me. But as the people of Cologne would say,

Et hätt noch immer jot jejange!