One day last week, my friends and I decided to explore and we found ourselves only a half an hour from the start of our walk on a gigantic hillside where we had seen sheep grazing that same day. Germans tend to have hard boundaries in their architecture: an old wall defining the town center, a few kilometers of residences surrounding the wall, then the countryside. It was vastly different from the many Boston suburbs I’m used to.
The Germans are pretty perfectly adapted to their environment. A temperate climate, with a few extra rainy days here and there, defines their leisurely and pleasant lifestyle!
Adaptation to this environment is simple; explore it. Every German I know can be found hiking, skiing, camping, sailing, waterskiing, or even tobbingening for many weeks throughout the year. Their vacations tend to stay within German borders, as those with an inclination for water go north towards the Nordsee and the rest towards the Swabian alps, where I’m located. Last week I got the chance to explore the Alps myself, and see just how well Germans take care of the natural world around them. Even with two feet of snow, we found clear trail markers, park rangers, and resources for hikers like rest stops which were well-maintained and warm. It was clear how much Germans work to adapt themselves to the natural world, rather than trying to mold it to fit their own needs.
