1. People:
The people are accepting, respectful and polite in and around Velber. Whenever I go for walks or take a trip to the supermarket, the old people always have a smile on their faces and are super enthusiastic about their lives. They greet with either "Moin", "Morgen" or "Hallo" and if you get into a conversation with a stranger they will always say "Tschüss" or "Auf Wiedersehen" at the end. My Deutsch is still not that great, but people help when they see you are new and are struggling with communication. The Germans in Niedersachsen are very private which is uncommon in India. They are all rules oriented as well.
So, if you want to make friends, you might want to make the first move. I was feeling a tad homesick so I cooked lots of Gulab Jamun one day and gave it to all of my neighbors. And, one of my neighbors shared this beautiful cake, made with Sahne and it was absolutely delicious. (Es war sehr lecker! :D)
2. Places
Places are what people make them. I visited the Steinhuder Meer about which I had learned in my A1 German classes and it was a sight to behold. (More on the Steinhuder lake and my visit in the next blog.) People were rowing boats, surfing, and doing water sports. Lots of ships were lined up against the jetty. The natural habitat felt very taken care of, I saw ducks and seagulls. The best view I had was when the rays of the sun trickled through the clouds to reach the lake.
I passed by some homes while visiting the lake and noticed that most homes had a steamer or a boat. People are always looking forward to adventures and sports and I think I love this about them.
3. Climate
Coming from 40 degrees Celsius in India and landing at 16 degrees in Frankfurt was kind of crazy. My body went into shock out of confusion. The whole circadian rhythm was disturbed. After a few days, I was all set for the fall and got adjusted to the climate. Although Autumn/Fall is beautiful, it is also kind of weird. When I walk under the tree shades, it's too chilly. And when I walk under the sun, it's too sunny. The rains are quite unpredictable. Fortunately, most days it has been sunny with a beautiful skyline and I can see many clouds really close to my window, not to mention it improves my mood. It feels like I can touch the clouds with my bare hands.
4. Cost of living
Compared to India, the cost of living is higher. It's a country where you will find everything and anything in the supermarkets and they are right next to where you live. Due to the war between Russia and Ukraine, the prices have skyrocketed for gas, food, oil, etc. But the good part is the policies and labor laws here are strict and they take care of people. Living in areas such as Hannover is less expensive than living in Hamburg or Berlin or Munich. The commute to the city if you take a bus with a day ticket is also cheaper. A sincere request, while spending, please do not convert everything from EUR to INR! :P
5. Transportation
For a newbie, the modes of transportation in Germany are amazing. I personally use the GVH app where you can check out the best possible ways to reach your destination and the Deutsche Bahn app to book the tickets. I was scared to travel alone for the first time but it was super smooth as all the information was available at my fingertips. Most people have cars here. The first day when I arrived here I experienced the express lane and it felt something like the GTA games :D. Such high-speed cars on the road. Many cars actually drove at 220 km/hr which I hadn't ever seen in India. And you have to drive that fast else someone will crash with you.
I hope I could give you a glimpse into my life in Niedersachsen. I am going to share more of my experiences; till then enjoy life and keep well.
In my next article, I will give you details about how I came to Germany, what processes I had to undergo, and also about the things I need to take care of while travelling! Auf Wiedersehen! :)
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