Cafés in Germany

"Cafés are an institution throughout Germany. They aren't simply a place to grab a cup of coffee or a bite to eat, but are meeting places, shelters, sun lounges, somewhere to make friends, talk, write, do business, study, read a newspaper or just watch the world go by. Germans spend a lot of time in cafés, perhaps nursing a single drink, and nobody will usually rush you to finish, unless it's the height of the tourist season and people are waiting for tables."

From Pamela Wilson: Living and Working in Germany. A Survival Handbook. Survival Books 2011.

International teams - adapt or not?

Never assume everyone realizes that we might not be acting along the same cultural codes, norms and values. A starting  point for breaking through stereotypes is creating awareness of each other's perception.

The next step is to discuss preferences of communication and working styles, then agree upon common strategies. After that it will mainly depend on the individual team members how far they can or are willing to adapt to and act within the new situation.

Hard Core or Hard Shell

When I first moved to Germany "the local" people were friendly but somehow hesitant to make friends. It took a while until I realized that the people around me had a small, close circle of friends and a larger network of acquaintances.

As mainly close friends were invited back home, it took a while until I was included. It got much better as soon as I joined club activities ("Verein") and taught evening classes at a local institute.

Peach and coconut

In intercultural trainings the German way of approaching friendship is compared to a coconut. Who do you think the peach might symbolize?

 Peach:

• approachable,
• easy to contact
• colourful,
• but hard core

Coconut: 

• rough,
• hard to crack
• plain,
• but juicy inside