Stairs and Silence: Navigating the Cultural Gap Between German Management and Thai Efficiency.

The lift in our apartment building has been out of order for about a month (exactly last month). Naturally, breakdowns happen and repairs are necessary, but what truly shocks me is the German management system.

I can’t understand why it took nearly a month just to put up a notice stating the lift was broken. There was no explanation, and no sign was posted immediately. Even now that the warning sign is up, no repairs have been carried out, and there’s no indication of when they will be finished.

In contrast, if this happened in Thailand, I’m confident the lift would be fixed as soon as possible. We would be given a clear timeline, the cause of the fault, and a polite apology for the inconvenience.

This experience has taught me a lot about the cultural differences in German management. What Germans consider a normal pace of work feels quite abnormal from a Thai perspective. For now, I’ll just have to keep watching to see when this lift finally gets repaired.

Natthaphon Jarat, PhD (Peace Studies) MCU

18.03.2026

Berlin

How the trees themselves "feel", delighted and proud during the festive season.

 While walking through every corner of Berlin these days, I've noticed so many abandoned Christmas trees dumped on the sidewalks.

Before the holidays, Berliners bought them to bring home, decorate, and celebrate the Christmas season with their families. I can't help imagining how happy those trees must have felt while fulfilling their wonderful role; sparkling with lights and ornaments, bringing joy to everyone.

But once Christmas is over, they suddenly become bio-waste, left out on the street.

People often think they're turned into food for the animals at the Berlin Zoo, but actually, that's not quite true for the used trees from homes.

The ones collected by BSR (Berliner Stadtreinigung) are usually shredded and recycled into compost or used in biomass power plants to generate energy, a very eco-friendly end.

Only unsold trees from shops sometimes go to the zoo as a special treat for the animals. I wonder how the trees themselves "feel", delighted and proud during the festive season, but perhaps a little sad or relieved when it's all over? What do you think?

#Christmastree #Berlin

"Original Orgasm" : In the Shadow of a Pink Banner

 On a snowy day, my partner and I went to S-Bahn Rathaus Steglitz, where I noticed a pink advertising banner for an adult product with an ambiguous message. As an adult, I considered it effective marketing and emotionally appealing to its intended audience. However, I was taken aback when I heard several school-age students talking and laughing about it. Although I could not fully understand their German, I recognised some of the words they mentioned and wondered how much they truly understood its meaning.

In my view, the public display of advertising for adult products in train stations raises legitimate policy concerns, particularly regarding the exposure of children to sexualised commercial content. Such places are shared civic environments, and their regulation should reflect broader social responsibilities, not solely commercial interests. I also question whether explicit terms such as #orgasm are appropriate for young students to encounter so openly in public spaces. This remains one of my personal points of reflection about contemporary Germany.

That said, I respect the German approach to freedom of expression and social openness. My concern is not cultural judgement, but rather the question of suitability for young students and the boundaries of what should be presented in environments used daily by children.

On a snowy day, my partner and I went to S-Bahn Rathaus Steglitz, where I noticed a pink advertising banner for an adult product with an ambiguous message. As an adult, I considered it effective marketing and emotionally appealing to its intended audience. However, I was taken… pic.twitter.com/IxaxCzLyaY

— Nath Jarat (@nathjarat) January 12, 2026