Working Culture - Part I
There are many interesting things about the working culture, let’s have a look in some of them:

Own Offices: When I arrived I was happily surprised as I have my own office, around 16 square meters, a cupboard for my coat and books, telephone and internet line, a computer and a broad access to all the facilities here. Well, I didn´t expected so much for a trainneship. I had in mind a room with many other people working together, more or less the Brazilian style, (which was influenced by the North American style).
In Brazil, just important people have their own room, it´s something that you have to fight for during your career and it’s a symbol of status, specially if you get one on the corner. (Here is a little bit similar, as the bosses are placed on the corners, and are different sizes and lay-outs for the rooms, so they are hierarchically differentiated as well).
Reflecting a bit about this I found out that I don’t have so much comfort because they were thinking of me but they were thinking of themselves. Privacy is very important in Germany, so nearly anybody would share their working place with a stranger. Anyway, I benefit from this.

Talking to your colleagues: here people instead of talking they whisper. Wherever they meet, in the kitchen, corridor or inside the offices, even when they answer their telephone, they are whispering. (Again: Privacy is very important!) It´s a quite strange feeling to me as in my country this attitude is not so well seen by the people and I have a feeling that´s all about secrets and gossips. It´s hard to see them as working. The office is usually very silent, I just hear my Italian and my Spanish neighbour, maybe they didn’t adapt yet! (Coincidence or not I´m placed just in this “Latin Area” in the office! Huhm!)