An Elderly German Man Patted My Face And Said "Freundlich" 3 Times

As I embarked on my 3-week, 500-mile solo run across Germany in 2010 I wasn't sure what to expect from the locals. I had read that Germans are stoic people who strive for perfectionism and precision in all aspects of their lives. They place a high priority on structure, privacy and punctuality. They do not admit faults, even jokingly, and rarely hand out compliments. Their attitude can come across as unfriendly; yet, there is a keen sense of community and social conscience.

However, I was an American who didn't speak German... and who was running across their country pushing a yellow jogging stroller of gear. How welcoming would they be to me? That question ran through my mind during each day of training for the journey. Germany is at the center of Europe -- not only geographically, but also in terms of politics and economics. The country is Europe's second most populous after Russia, with more than 83 million people. I would encounter many of them as I would stride from one side of that country to the other.

After just a few days of running in Germany I concluded that nobody was going to acknowledge my existence. I would pass pedestrians on sidewalks -- often with their heads looking down -- and would say (in my best German vernacular) "Guten Morgen!"... which is Good Morning! I would get no response, not even a glance. I kept trying, but after several days I decided that I wasn't going to have any success in getting a reaction from the locals.

One day I was walking down a pedestrian path drinking water as I pushed the stroller and an elderly gentleman was approaching. He read the sign I had on the front of the stroller which briefly described what I was doing -- and it was written in German text. He stepped in front of the stroller, bringing me to a stop. His eyes flew open wide as he read that I was a solo American running across the country to promote youth health and fitness. Suddenly, he began to speak non-stop in German. I wasn't understanding a word and tried to interrupt him with "Sprechen Sie Englisch?"... which is 'do you speak English?' He just kept right on talking, and I interrupted him again -- asking the same question. That's when he walked right up to me, just inches away. He looked me in the eyes and patted me on the cheek saying "Freundlich, Freundlich, Freundlich." With that, he turned and continued on his way down the path.

In German, "freundlich" means friendly. The old man apparently viewed me as a friendly American, although one who couldn't speak German. It was a quick encounter, but one that left me feeling that not all Germans are as unfriendly as non-Germans may think. Somehow, that gentleman saw this out-of-place American as friendly, and I carried that positive feeling with me for the rest of the journey.

From Him, Through Him, For Him (Romans 11:36),

Paul J. Staso

_______________________________________

Visit my YouTube channel -- https://www.youtube.com/user/pacetrek

Click on any of the links below to see some of my adventure photos:

• United States in 2006 (3,260 miles solo in 108 days at age 41)
• Montana in 2008 (620 miles solo in 20 days at age 43)
• Alaska in 2009 (500 miles solo in 18 days at age 44)
• Germany in 2010 (500 miles solo in 21 days at age 45)
• The Mojave Desert in 2011 (506 miles solo in 17 days at age 46)
• Various Photos From Mileposts Gone By
• Students Worldwide Who Ran With Me Virtually
• Roadside Sights From My Running Adventures
• Some Cycling Moments From The Past

A Rather Large German Woman Blocked My Way With a Stern Voice

"Sie müssen frühstücken,
bevor Sie gehen!

I honestly had no idea what the woman was saying! In 2010, as I was running solo across Germany, I stayed in a small village inn for an evening that was operated by an elderly German couple. I can tell you that if you ever plan to run across a foreign country where the locals do not speak English, it's a good idea to know their language! That wasn't the case for me. I knew just barely enough German to request a room for one night; to ask the location of the nearest bathroom; to order basic German cuisine; and, to understand German currency enough to pay properly. However, that was about it.

It was always an adventure to run into a small village in Germany and to enter an inn where I would stay for an evening. In this particular case, I awoke the next morning and wanted to get on the road. I had stayed in an upstairs room of a house that had apparently been converted into an inn. I came down the stairs the next morning, checked out at the desk with a smile, handed back the room key (having already paid), and turned for the front door. It was then that the large German woman quickly got in front of me and blocked my way. She began saying: "Sie müssen frühstücken, bevor Sie gehen!" -- repeatedly. I had no idea what she was saying, and I was wondering if I had done something wrong due to how adamant she was being... literally blocking the front door.

There I was, an American with a bright yellow jogging stroller, standing in the entry of a small village inn and absolutely perplexed by what this woman was trying to convey to me. Fortunately, a gentleman started to come down the stairs and I asked him if he could tell me in English what she was saying. To my good luck, he spoke English. He listened to her and then looked at me with a smile. He said, "She's saying that you must have breakfast before you can go." The woman was apparently concerned that I was about to venture out on an empty stomach. I opened my food bag and showed her that I had enough food supplies for the day, and she seemed satisfied by seeing that. She smiled and stepped away from the door, allowing me to leave.

I ran through the village that early morning feeling grateful that there are still good people looking out for others, no matter where you may be. She didn't need to feed my stomach that day, but she did feed my soul by her concern for my well being.

From Him, Through Him, For Him (Romans 11:36),

Paul J. Staso

_______________________________________

Visit my YouTube channel -- https://www.youtube.com/user/pacetrek

Click on any of the links below to see some of my adventure photos:

• United States in 2006 (3,260 miles solo in 108 days at age 41)
• Montana in 2008 (620 miles solo in 20 days at age 43)
• Alaska in 2009 (500 miles solo in 18 days at age 44)
• Germany in 2010 (500 miles solo in 21 days at age 45)
• The Mojave Desert in 2011 (506 miles solo in 17 days at age 46)
• Various Photos From Mileposts Gone By
• Students Worldwide Who Ran With Me Virtually
• Roadside Sights From My Running Adventures
• Some Cycling Moments From The Past