Cultural Differences part 2

Another experience we shared this summer was with our German host and friends, watching the World Cup competition as Germany rose to the semi-finals. Whenever a world cup game was being played, it was on the television in the bars, stores, restaurants, people gathering around the television wherever they were to watch. It reminded me of how we used to pay attending to the World Series years ago, with boys sneaking radios into school to listen during class.

Of course we also shared the despair when France lost in the early round, and then Germany did not win their semi-final game. It is almost a national depression as each country pours so much of their national identity and pride into their teams. It is way beyond our devotion to the Olympics or any of our national sports.

Another cultural difference - money, how we spend it, how we view it. Europeans seem to be so used to living with less, being so much more careful about how they spend their money. They are taxed heavily, but have the security regarding their homes, their health care and pensions that we don't have. They truly watch what they spend on utilities, while we merely complain about it. They drive smaller cars and really use mass transit (it exists there) while we talk big about big oil, but don't have the political will to do anything about it. Look at the mass strikes happening in France and Spain today about proposed changes to the pension systems.

We need to learn.