The state of Germany today.

after a couple of days went to Walldorf to visit more friends, you seem to forget how many people you know, and then you always feel bad that you did not keep in touch with them. But, never the less, never forgotten are these people, cause I still come back and knock on the door to say hello.
Still, after 15 minutes of rejoicing, the next questions is always "why did'nt you drop a line once in a while?" and I guess all I can say is, I was occupied. Anyway, still love all of my friends.

Not having lived in Germany for fifteen years is an interesting experience. There are very similar problems or similarities to the US. It is common to see people throwing cigarette butts on the street and at the same time, every Saturday, everyone is sweeping the sidewalks of their village. The garbage separation system is interesting. Every household needs to separate their garbage into at least 'paper', 'plastic' and 'other (land fill). Beverages are usually reusable glass or plastic. At least when you buy beverages, you have to pay some $0.60 per bottle as deposit which you get back if you return the bottle.

Inflation is higher that pay increases, which means there is a bigger gap between the rich and the poor. The middle class is getting smaller or is being re-defined.
I hear a lot of complaints about buerocracy, high prices for food and those damned neighbours and at the same time, the upper-middle class, seem to integrate quite smoothly and don't live lavish but comfortable, and don't seem to air the dirty laundry that much.

Homeless people, talking to them selves, is a common place here today, not only in the big cities.

The German people, even more than before, surely state their opinions very clearly and straight forward to their colleagues and friends. There are not many 'nice-eties' found here, actual more real blunt truth, which is only personal if you take it that way. Otherwise it just the facts in general or how I (person) feel. A little refreshing knowing where you stand at all times, or not...

Here is something I find very neat, in June 1948, after WW2, the government replaced the currency (Reichsmark) with the Deutsche Mark. With this currency switch, they also implemented a market economy. America's market economy is Capitalism, in Germany, the current market economy is a social market economy, which means it is a form of Capitalism but tries to take its inhabitants into account for their social needs. Anyway, after 60 years, the german people are no longer happy with this business model and dont think it can continue to work. Now they are looking for a different economical system. That's cool.

similar problems, similar states of mind, similar political cover-ups, but the European Soccer Championship is making a lot of friends and the hooligans have not yet struck that hard. They actually have set up make shift prisons for the hooligans close to the soccer stadiums to keep the peace, hehehe...

That's all for now.
Ciao