Well, today is my last working day in Germany. It all went by so quick. I knew that two months was a short time and I knew that the day of my departure would arrive very soon. I anticipated already that this time would be slightly melancholic for me. But, I am not all that sorrowful, I am happy too, to see my parents again and my friends in Bangalore.
This country has produced many great people in many diverse fields. At one point of time, Germans were the most learned people in Europe and consequently in the world too. One would be definitely taken by amazement and admiration, if one would consider the amount of intellectual output from this land. A quick example is that the first automobile was invented by a German, named Karl Benz. Mercedes-Benz, a well known company all over the world, bears his name. It is a subsidiary of Daimler AG, which was Daimler Chrysler AG, which in turn was Daimler-Benz before merger with Chrysler Corporation. Dailmer-Benz was a merger of the individual companies of Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler along with Wilhelm Maybach, who worked on the Internal Combustion Engine too. But, Benz and Daimler did not know about each other's early achievements. If these names sound familiar, then you are right. The world's finest cars are named after these people. Then, there was Carl Frederich Gauss, who was known as 'princeps mathematicorum'; the Prince of Mathematicians. He completed 'Disquisitiones Arithmeticae', his magnum opus, in 1798 at the age of 21. And in the 'physics hall of fame', many important physicists are Germans.
I am sorrowful to leave this country, for a variety of reasons. I, probably, will not see again, the people I met here. It was nice to meet all of them in person, after interacting with them for nearly two years through e-mail and online chat. Meeting a person face-to-face is very different from interacting with the same person from a distance through e-mail. I met a German gentleman on a train. He too works for a software company, like I do. He shared his experience of meeting the people, with whom he interacted through e-mail before. He told that the people whom he thought were grouchy and uncooperative before were actually were very nice and friendly people in person. Well, that is very true when one interacts in the course of his work. One could form a very different opinion, in most cases, an unpleasant one, about someone from a distance, interacting through e-mail. But, it would change most likely, after meeting them in person, face-to-face.
For nearly eight years, I have read many books on Europe and what made Europe distinctly 'European', from the rest of the world. For the past two months, I had a chance, by the grace of God, to see that in person and I did. The word 'European' both as an adjective and a noun, brings to mind, many different pictures, thoughts and feelings. Europe has distinguised herself from the rest of the world and she earned it well. I am sad that I am leaving one of Europe's crown jewels, I do not know if I could call her that way, nevertheless, this is what that comes to my mind. Europe is not without her errors and wrongs. But, she delivered herself from all their consequences, atleast from most of them. Nevertheless, one could safely state that the modern era dawned upon the world because Europe became 'European'; the reader knows what I mean by that word, I am sure. I am sorrowful to leave Europe.
Well, I just said farewell to colleagues here. I will attend an Organ concert tomorrow. I will board the flight on the day after tomorrow, off to India.
P.S.: 'Un gesüßt' is a type of coffee (Typ Cappuccino, a brand marketed by Rewe, a supermarket chain) I drank here for two months. It means 'unsweetened'.
