Looking at my last few blog posts, it is no surprise that there is little else on my mind than the ongoing pandemic. Even as restrictions begin to ease, there is an uneasy expectation that life may never be the same. It is worth debating whether this is actually a good thing, but in survival mode I am thinking about exactly what life in Germany will look like when the dust settles.

So much is still unknown as 2020 seems officially canceled for everything from weddings to festivals. I really didn’t see this coming and I am having trouble imagining what normal will look like. Some differences are already apparent and even offer improved quality of life. Many more changes are sure to appear.  Superficial changes like the publicity stunt of a cafe in Schwerin opening with customers required to wear pool noodle hats isn’t sustainable. So what is?

One thing is certain. Life will be different, in Germany and the rest of the world so let’s take a look at the changes that are likely to stay after the pandemic is over.

The Rules PHOTO: Erin Porter

Cash is No Longer King in Germany

The phrases “Cash in king” or “Geld stinkt nicht” come up frequently when giving  advice on traveling or living in Germany. The Germans have been infamously slow to adapt to cashless culture – for good reason. The sting of historic events like the hyperinflation of the Weimar era after World War II are still present in many Germans’ memory.

Then Covid-19 hit and one of the dirtiest things we handle every day – money – began to stink. My local Netto was revamped last year to include several self check-out counters, but those lonely stands sat mostly unused until recently. They only provided bargeldlos (cashless) payment and from what I saw in line many people still paid cash.

Now along with the plastic barriers protecting grocery workers from customers, there is a sign excitedly exclaiming “Jetzt kontaktloses Bezahlen!“. A bit of an exaggeration as you could pay by card before, but now people are actually doing it.

Moving Around in Peace

One of those things you get used to in Germany, particularly in a big city like Berlin, is getting bumped into. It happens in any big city, but coming from Seattle I felt positively jostled any time we left the house when we first came to Germany.

I’ve gotten used to it, to the point I didn’t immediately notice its absence after the lock down measures. Suddenly, everyone is moving in their own little bubble and those that break into your invisible barriers get a dirty look, or a good ‘ole German dressing down.

Security at store entrances tightly patrol that everyone entering the store is wearing a face mask and only a set amount of people can go inside at one time. Everyone is required to take a cart or hand basket to help keep safe distances and keep count of the number of people inside. Delightful memes have popped up showing grocery stores and newly re-opened shops as the new hot spots as people patiently wait in line, their outfits inspected, and  either let in or bounced. Gotta find something to do while Berlin’s legendary nightlife is closed.

Not everyone is respecting distancing, but the change from before lock down is noticeable.

Finding a quiet time to enter the grocery store got much easier. PHOTO: Erin Proter

You CAN Do Things Online

Germany has clung to its old-fashioned ways in a manner that is almost charming. Video stores and travel agents still have storefronts! However, many other elements of their this-is-the-way-we-have-always-done-it attitude are galling.

Want to sign-up for German classes? Get neo-natal instruction? Go to a special kids’ doll museum? These are all things I have tried to do online at various times and not been able to complete. The best procedure is often to visit the location directly as many places are impossible to reach online or by phone, and the information you get there may be entirely different to what you get when you are ready to sign-up in person. Websites even for top restaurants appear like they haven’t been updated since the days of dial-up. It is frustrating.

Covid has changed much of that with Germany figuring out the 21st century and going online. The amount of businesses I see scrambling to make sign-up easier or put classes online is heartening as I really believe this will make things easier and more accessible onto the future. Germany just needed a hard shove to make it happen.

More importantly,  working from home is the new normal. What office work has not been shut down (permanently or just for now with all workers furloughed on Kurzarbeit) is now being done from home, even though many workers were told this was impossible not long ago. (Yes, this happened to me.) Clearly, it was always possible but businesses just weren’t motivated. Workers are slowly returning to their office jobs in the next weeks and while some are eager to get back to their comfy office chair, I think this has opened up many options for remote and work from home for the future.

What changes do you see happening? For better or for worse?