The German Hamburger

For a change, I have some respite from Copenhagen. Hamburg is one great experience one would seek for being in Europe. There are two reasons for why I could not enjoy Copenhagen, to the fullest. First, being in studies, there is nothing like a 'weekend' in your dictionary, or your life. Every time is a time to do something, an assignment to be submitted, an exam to be prepared for, and some time at your workplace. That was my story, which would rather not be the story of every student at this stage. For I used to see, Italians and Spanish guys just waiting for the weekend, and spend money as they want in night clubs and other places. So this brings me to the second reason, why enjoyment for us is not really the enjoyment for a common European. And that reason is money. We (by which I would always mean Indians, or non-EU) have very limited sources of income, and spending on unnecessary things then becomes a liability in itself on us. Europeans are somehow supported by their home university, or the Erasmus Mundus scholarships, but we?

Being in Hamburg, I am finding the change in my life quite interesting. Now I have a work schedule, I work like normal people, and waste time on remaining occasions. Thats normal, according to me. Weekends are in the real sense the ending of a week gone by - and its a time to relax and chill out. Money, well, the stipend is good enough. Its much for me, to live happily in the biggest room I have ever stayed in, eat well, and roam around and shop in the less-expensive culture of Germany. A nice schedule and some extra money to spend, I think is enough for a decent time anywhere. Ofcourse, having a good company is, needless to mention, the most important aspect.

Of what I have explored in Hamburg, it is a very different city from Copenhagen. Hamburg is a big city, as compared to Copenhagen, and gives the feel of a complete city, as opposed to Copenhagen, which is mostly flat and monotonous throughout. Being huge in population and coverage, the transportation system is extensively developed. Trains and buses cover every corner of the main city and the greater part of the city as well. The central station is a beauty to see, quite exotic and disciplined. Information is easy to seek, with train arrival and departure timings put up everywhere. Close to the central station, is the central bus station, which hosts connectivity to major destinations around Europe. You might at first mistake the bus station to be some opera theatre or something - such is the presence. Underbridges, overbridges, tall buildings, wide roads - there is everything in Hamburg.


Like the rest of Germany, Hamburg is quite cheap. Thats not when compared with India, but thats when compared with Copenhagen. Having seen the kind of expense in Copenhagen, a comparison of the prices of basic commodities clearly showed that Europe is not expensive everywhere. Though, in Copenhagen one might probably earn in the same ratio as they might have to spend. I could see t-shirts available for just 5 euros, in one of the most happening malls. In Copenhagen, one might not expect buying a decent t-shirt for less than 50-60 kroners, which is like 8 euros. Small difference in euros seemingly, but not really small. In euro, even a cent is valuable, for one might get something in that single cent. With this, 3 euros becomes a good deal of a difference. Also, Hamburg is one of the largest port cities, ranked 9th in the world, and 2nd in Europe. It is the second largest city of Germany, and the largest city in the EU which is not a capital.

Amidst all this, there is a very typical educational process in Germany. The German system of education is totally based on 'who can do what' philosophy. So, if a student, may not be performing well in the primary school, he is sort-of 'demoted' to a lower level school. If he further is not able to keep up with the expectations, one more stage of demotion is made. Students continuing in the highest stage only are allowed to pursue further studies in universities, while those in the lower stages, at the end of the schooling, are given special training in practical and vocational work. Thus, no one is forced to study, if he or she does not have the caliber or penchant for it, but an expertise is given in a field which does not require you to study.


Gymnasium is the path to higher studies, while HauptSchule and RealSchule are the stages below it. One of my German colleagues enlightened me with this system. Ofcourse, I did mention the way things work in India, but we have several loopholes when considered carefully.