Cultural Quirks

Mood: tired
Stage notes: Neumarkt, meeting with a friend to talk about our perspectives on small groups

This week I have run into several interesting bits of info about Germany:

Media Tax: In Germany you must pay about 200 Euro/year for the privilege of owning a television. A radio runs about 70 Euro per year. This is not to buy a TV or to get cable, this is just for having it in your posession. To make sure that people comply, there are inspectors that come around periodically who are allowed to enter homes and take an inventory.
Dueling: There are fraternities in Germany that require a certain number of sucessful duels be completed before you are able to become a full member. These duels are undertaken without protective equipment being worn, so there are quite a few people walking around with scars that show their membership more clearly than any pin.
All Saint's Day: In Germany there are approximately equal numbers of people who are culturally Protestant or Catholic. If you live in a region with more Catholic people, you celebrate their holidays on an official level, and vice versa. Because Köln has equal percentages, we celebrate the holidays of both here (That, by the way, makes for a lot of holidays!). Tomorrow is a composite day for all of the Catholic Saints, so schools and businesses will all be closed.