Few days ago I remember myself fighting with my friend Morgan over who are more unfriendly: Germans or Austrians. Honestly my six days in Vienna do not make me an expert making friends in Austria. I have been living in Germany for more than a year and despite I am rather shy. I am not the only one who thinks that making “native” friends in Germany is not an easy job.
However today I have a rather inspiring experience. I have been working as an assistance of a PhD. student of the particle technology department for almost a month now. Often I had to work in the computer room together with other assistants and a couple of PhD students who are all the time around. I have spoken with them, but nothing else than hallo, or how are you doing?. Well, that is the state of almost all my relationships with Germans. This afternoon, I had a long talk with one of them , he was amazed to know that the capital from Ecuador was Quito, and was asking everyone if they knew. I can stop myself from laughing at the situation. I guess by now almost the whole department knows it. Anyway, we chat more and all of the sudden I found myself talking to him about my plans ( as if I knew what I am going to do next). He told me about his ex girlfriend who left him last year just before Christmas after 10 years of a relationship. He asked my when I was going back to Ecuador?. That is a question that keeps on popping on my head lately. I answer as usual: I will come back when I am done, but hopefully just for visiting. He asked surprised from my answer: Hast Du keine Heimweh? (Aren’t you Homesick?). This time I did not doubt and answer with an straight no. I told him about my determination to stay in Europe to study or find a job. He looked at me and said: well you just need to find the right man. I laugh again. He continued: You are latina, beautiful, smart and have a pretty smile I am sure there are plenty of boys crazy for you. Then I could not stop laughing, not because of what he said. It was because that was the first time I’ve heard such a compliment form a German boy. I mean outside bars or discos. I used to think they just dislike compliments. Although, by now my heart has an owner, I have to say I was flattered. I haven’t heard a nice compliment for so long and in Ecuador that is kind of the most common thing on the world.
So, from now and on I will think twice before saying again that most Germans are not that friendly.