Or actually, our landlords, who I would not necessarily consider strangers. :) While I have had many share with me their frustrations with Germans and/or their German neighbors being unfriendly, I have not had the same experience. Both the other tenants in our building, plus our landlords who also live here, have been nothing but friendly. In fact, so friendly that our landlord’s wife, who is a professional gardener, shares things with us all the time. She has given us cake and made a lovely flower arrangement to hang outside our door as a welcome present.
As you can see below, these are just a few other presents we have received in the two months we have lived here! And everything is all fresh from the garden!
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- What’s left of the green beans after steaming a whole pot and giving some to Oma!
- Zucchini & Cucumber
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Herbs (I’m not sure what kind as it was lost in translation)
- Black & Red Johannes-berry Jam
- Red Johannes-berry Jam
When we lived in the states, I never even knew my neighbors; not even a cordial wave hello, nothing. I will admit that when I lived in Germany before, I did not have quite this friendly of experience. While I had some neighbors that were very nice and welcoming, there were the others that were rude, unfriendly and even disrespectful. I think this goes to show that you can’t blame unfriendliness on an entire country or culture. Just as my recent post says, people are people everywhere. You have the good and the bad and hopefully your experience gives you more of the good!
It is so great when you have friendly neighbours/landlords as it makes life so much easier! I live in a part of the UK that is very friendly and open and I just hope I experience the same when I get to the US. When I was last there I found everyone very friendly but not many knowing their neighbours!
I haven’t had a chance to read it on your blog yet or maybe I missed it, but where in the US are you headed?
Headed to Ohio! Hubby was born in West Virginia but has lived in Ohio for over 35 years so we figure it will be there where we settle … but you never know!
Aww man, this makes me wish that we had a garden! We actually have a relatively good relationship with the older gentleman who lives in the flat above ours: he doesn’t complain when we have the occasional party (so long as we clean up the cigarette butts outside!), and we always help him when it’s time to move furniture etc (which seems oddly often!).
I know! It makes me wish that too! A party?! What’s that?
Sorry….fairly new member to the mom’s club here who has truly forgotten the party experience!
Not too shabby!!!
That’s what I think! Who can argue with free fresh food?
Thanks for stopping by!
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