Like He Never Left

chapter 31

DISCLAIMER: I'm so sorry for any cultural mistakes I make in this chapter! I tried my best to research and customs and manners relevant to what's going on here, but I don't have any personal experience with German customs or the language. Please correct me if I'm at all wrong! Thank you for reading!

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Josie's POV 

I know I should have been prepared to say that Berlin is big. I mean, I knew it was going to be much bigger than Savannah or Atlanta, which are the biggest cities I'd ever been to, but when I found out there were almost four million people all packed into one place, I nearly had an aneurism. 

I missed home immediately when I stepped off the plane at Berlin Tegel, but I got a grip and told myself to stay positive and open-minded. James was obviously over the moon when we arrived, and hell, I couldn't get him to shut up on the plane, and he immediately grabbed my hand and tugged us toward the woman who was holding his name up on a big white sign. 

I've since better adjusted in the two months I've been here, and a routine has been established by James. I mean I still feel overwhelmed every time I step outside just because I feel so small in comparison to the ginormous buildings surrounding me, but it helps that I found a job before even stepping on the plane in Savannah after sending over my certificates and such to be recognized as a competent RN by the EU. I started working as soon as I got a residence permit. Another thing I was nervous about was the language barrier, but there are a lot more English-speaking Germans than I anticipated, and the hospital I work at offered me an online course to learn the body parts and other necessary medical terms in German. It was very daunting, but James helped me study, and the day before my first day, I had to do an interview in German with a human resources rep to make sure that I was well prepared for my job. I have learned some other words and phrases while being here though so that they could speak their language in their country. I'm proud to say that I have learned at least 30 swear words and phrases and that I've taught them to SueEllen and Bobby back home.

It's being a nurse that does it, I swear, even though it's frowned upon when I mumble a string of curse words under my breath at work. I was taught that very quickly.

I was also taught that I don't exactly fit into German culture, at least, not at first. Not that I wanted to go shouting my business on top of rooftops, but I'm used to being on a first-name basis with coworkers. Here, it's very professional and personal and professional lives are kept completely separate. Hell, I don't even know the first names of half the people I work with, but I wasn't there to change a whole damn culture, one that I know a few Americans back in Oak Bend could take some notes from. 

"Would you like cream and sugar in your coffee?"  the barista asks in his native tongue.

"Yes please," I answer before telling him how many of each I'd like.

He smiles at me, knowing how long I've been working on my German. I had gotten so used to only hearing Hitler speaking mad German that I never realized how beautiful a language it truly is, and I'd been determined to learn as much as I possibly could.

"Thank you," I tell him when he hands me my cup.

I'd been off the last couple of days, and I let myself become a tourist of my new city since I'd been working nonstop since I was allowed a permit. I found myself more often than not by the Brandenburger Tor—where I'm heading now—either eating a simple lunch with either a colleague or by myself or talking to someone back home. For being 200-odd years old, it looks pretty damn good for its age. I hope I can age that well.