My name is Anne, I am part of the voluntary project in Madeira. Therefore, I want to share my thoughts on the comparison between Germany and Madeira.
Although, Madeira is on the border of Europe, close to Africa there are lots of similarities between Germany and Madeira. You can find some typical German food in supermarkets like Haribo or Nürnberger Würstchen. Most of the people are very nice, helpful and dressed like people in Germany. And last but not least we share the same currency, the Euro.
However, there are also some differences. Due to the fact that the weather is much better than in Germany, the people are more tanned and different plants grow around the island. Therefore, there are some fruits in the supermarket that I have never seen before. For example, the mixture of banana and pineapple or tomato-maracujá fruit. But, not only the fruits are new to me, but there is also some typical Madeiran food like Bolo do Caco I tried for the first time.
I really like the local cuisine, beverages, and fado concerts. Although, sometimes I also miss the culture of my home country. Especially, when it comes to tapping water, German bread and punctuality. Well, every culture has its benefits and drawbacks. It is good that we are all different, so we can learn from each other and improve one another. Nevertheless, in my opinion, it is important to accept new values in a new country and try to adapt to the culture.
Anne Schroeder
Students’ Union German Volunteer
