observations of German life...

So Germans are serious about the bathroom process and respecting the WC. First off, the flushing handle is completely different. Sometimes its just a small button. Other times, it's a large rectangular panel on the wall where the entire things is pressed in. I've observed that there is a toilet brush mounted inside every stall or resting in a caddy on the floor. Several bathrooms I've visited have very explicit rules posted about using the restroom:

1. wipe toilet seat dry of any drips
2. wipe dry any "spitting" from the flush
3. use brush to remove any "markings" left in the bowl
4. rinse the brush by flushing again
5. leave floor completely free of debris
6. replace toilet paper roll if you use up the last one and recycle the empty roll
   
   

This brings me to my next observation. They are S.E.R.I.O.U.S. about recycling over here. It is MANDATORY. There are sorting bins evvvvvvvvvvvverywhere. Some places have as little as 2-3 bins while I've seen as many as 6. There's even two different types of garbage: that which is biodegradable and can be burned and "everything else." They sort different types of paper, different colors of glass, different colors of plastic and then there's aluminum and metals.

On a totally different note, Sam and I both took and passed our German driving test today and have received our licenses. Right of way and "right before left" (not to be confused with right of way) is a BIG DEAL HERE. At unmarked intersections where there are absolutely no signs, they recommend the right before left "clock rule." All stop and the first car clockwise from the empty road goes first, then next around the clock and so on. In America, the first to approach an intersection should proceed, as the rule goes. But in reality it's usually the most aggressive driver or the one with the biggest vehicle that typically wins out.

Everything's so different, but makes perfect sense. Huh.