Plan for everything, even leisure

Germans value proper time management.

I'd read in our guide book that Germans are strictly punctual, and I've seen evidence of it in Berlin over the last few days.

Buses and trains leave on the dot. People get annoyed if you dilly-dally. People walk briskly with a sense of purpose.

Yesterday, I decided to read a bit more about German etiquette and stumbled upon this Web site. It mentioned that Germans value planning their time wisely. There's a time for everything: A time to work, a time to play, a time to eat and even a time to while away the afternoon at the cafe.

Ah, now it all makes sense. Could this be why I seldom see Germans walking and eating?

I've often wondered whether Germans think it's rude to eat while walking. It's not in Malaysia, and it seems perfectly normal in the U.S. where people are always "on the go."

In Berlin, I've noticed that people often sit down (or stand at tables at an imbiss) to eat. I haven't seen people rushing somewhere while munching on a sandwich or something quick, because it seems they set aside time to sit down to a proper meal.

The fact that Germans separate work and leisure could might also be why I haven't seen free wireless internet or laptops at cafes.

If Germans think work is for the work place, then a cafe is a place to get away from that. I admire the way Germans sit with their coffee, tea or beer, and observe people going by. They take time to appreciate their surroundings during their leisure time.

This is different from what I've seen in the U.S., where people try to check their e-mail or surf the Web while drinking their coffee.

It just goes to show that if you plan your day well and stick to the plan, you will still have time to sit by the sidewalk and watch the world go by.