Hard Core or Hard Shell
When I first moved to Germany "the local" people were friendly but somehow hesitant to make friends. It took a while until I realized that the people around me had a small, close circle of friends and a larger network of acquaintances.
As mainly close friends were invited back home, it took a while until I was included. It got much better as soon as I joined club activities ("Verein") and taught evening classes at a local institute.
Peach and coconut
In intercultural trainings the German way of approaching friendship is compared to a coconut. Who do you think the peach might symbolize?
Peach:
- approachable,
- easy to contact
- colourful,
- but hard core
Coconut:
- rough,
- hard to crack
- plain,
- but juicy inside