alike/different (because I used to worked in schools)

So I'm in Berlin now. There are a million things that are different here and some things that are the same. Here is a short list of some of these things: Different: dogs. There are wandering dogs sometimes but they aren't gross--they are normal, even sometimes very attractive dogs that obviously belong to someone just wandering the streets. I've asked several people about it. They all just shrug and say "I never noticed." Euros, and Kilograms. It is infinitely harder to grocery shop when you are not only translating the language (or trying to) but also the measurements and cost. IS this cheese a good price?! Who knows?! (turns out it was--mozzarella for about 51 cents? yes please!) accents. Turns out all Germans sound different. They all have different accents and inflection and they cut off the ends of words sometimes. Everyone goes a mile a minute so if they cut off the end of the subject or the main verb (often there are 3 or 4 in a sentence...hence the MAIN verb) then I am completely lost. I'm sort of lost anyway but if I'm trying to keep up with someone from the south, forget it. I sometimes will just think about eating more pretzels for breakfast tomorrow instead of trying to join in. The only word that I hear ALL the time and recognize is "genau" which people say a million times in every situation and the only thing I can come up with is that it is an agreeing word like "yeah." speaking of pretzels...Breakfast. Breakfast is so different here. yes, sometimes people just eat cereal and that's all well and good but if you get a really German breakfast, you get bread with pumpkin seeds on it, pretzels, three different kinds of cheese, various deli meats (though I didn't get that...vegetarians. psh!), and jam. Along with this you get a cup of coffee which is quite nice for the jet lagged traveler. The same: Multiculturalism. I feel at home in my neighborhood because there are so many different cultures and restaurants and smells to enjoy. It's predominately Turkish but there is a chinese shop I'll try soon and just down the street you can find a million other Thai, Indian, Lebanese, or Italian places to go. It is strange to hear a Korean man speak German, though. H&M. At stores we have SOME similar products. Same prices and clothes at H&M. Same shampoo (Dove, Garnier, etc) at the drug store. Same pasta packaging (though it is a different name...I know Bertoli when I see it). Some of these familiar things have made it feel like home. CILANTRO!!! Ok, maybe this sounds crazy but their cilantro (I hope in more places than just the one) tastes just like CA cilantro! It's not even east coast, no taste cilantro! I couldn't have been more thrilled. I'll for sure go back to that Thai restaurant! (5 bucks for a huge lunch with leftovers? Ok!) I'll add as more comes up. Tschuss!