With one of the lowest number of Bhutanese residing in Europe compared to any other country, I decided to step onto the scene as a 19-year-old for an exchange program. Out of the many countries I could choose from Europe, I picked Liechtenstein which was one of the smallest countries yet having one of the highest GDP. I had never heard of such a country and googling it up only made me more curious about it. I then seized my opportunity despite having many friends and family advise me that I was too young to go out into a foreign country all alone. I mentally prepared myself for the challenges I may have to face for months but as the nervousness grew, so did the excitement of having the chance to gain exposure and the independence i had always longed for.
I was confident and pictured myself as an outgoing person when I first came here but my expectations soon came crashing down when I realized how Germans prioritize privacy very highly. Out of the many cultural shocks I received such as greeting people on the streets, the absurdly high prices of anything in the market, sense of individualism, independence in education and so much more, the one that surprised me the most is how the people highly value their rightful privacy.
In Bhutan, if i were to greet a random stranger on the street, it would not be totally erratic but it is also not common to do that unless it is a foreigner. Due to the country’s wealth and high standards of living, the prices of many things such as health, transportation, grocery and many more were also relatively higher than what I had expected. People also seem to be independent and not have to rely on anyone else not only when living their life but also when it comes to education, lecturers here do not seem to handhold students through every process but instead do their job and make students realize that their future is solely upon themselves which makes students do their work not because their lecturers want them to but because they have to do it for themselves.
On my first bus ride in Liechtenstein, I sat on the first free seat as soon as I could. As my journey was quite long, I started noticing that people in front of me were standing on the bus despite having empty seats on the bus. It was understandable that youngsters and children were standing up with their friends but even elders or people carrying loads of grocery and huge bags would rather stand and be uncomfortable rather than sit on a free seat which was totally unusual for me.
If I were to take a public transport in Bhutan, I would be considered lucky if I got a seat on the bus. It is normal to grab any seat that is available rather than stand the entire ride. After being here for a month, I realized that the people here enjoy their privacy and are kind enough to sacrifice their comfort in order to give one another the privacy they need. Although I was taken aback by this at first, I have now started to not only get used to it but also started to enjoy the personal space that I receive.
Notwithstanding how people value secrecy and privacy here, they are still one of the friendliest people I have met who are open to help whenever in need despite being a total stranger making me feel at home even though I am miles away from home. I have seen and experienced many things already which I hope to always remember, learnt some etiquettes that I hope to take back home as good manners.