Germany Isn’t Such a Bad Place After All
I was hauling a heavy suitcase on my way home from an #interpreting assignment. To my great annoyance, the elevator was out of order at a local railway station. It actually happened twice both on the outbound and return trips.
Each time, a complete stranger stepped in to help carry my suitcase up the stairs: first a foreign resident with an Indian accent, and later one of the teenagers hanging around on the steps.
The second one genuinely surprised me. I hadn’t expected such kindness from a teenager. Since such behavior is considered uncool among adolescents, his pals immediately teased him, calling him “a good boy” (ein braver Junge).
Feeling compelled to save the scene, I pulled out a small pack of chocolate bars and handed it to the group as a token of appreciation. Indeed, I was really grateful since my local train (S‑Bahn) was about to leave in just a few minutes.
A big smile on his face made me think: Germany isn’t such a bad place after all.
In Tokyo, the elevators wouldn’t be out of order in the first place. But in an urban atmosphere, people often remain indifferent and distant even when they see someone clearly in trouble.
Germany has a bright future—as long as there are decent youngsters like him out there.
