"Wonders of America": No risk, no fun!

Germs – in German "Keime" – is another amazing topic, typical for the U.S.A. During our travels we noticed that Americans can become pretty annoying with their exaggerated fear of bacteria and germs. They usually carry hand sanitizers, antibacterial wipes and sprays of all kind in every purse and pocket (and, of course, store a whole cupboard-full of antibacterial chemicals in their households) to avoid getting infected or contaminated. Many people - in the States as well as in Germany – consume additives, artificial colors and preservatives with their "pre-fab" food in abundance, but your average American easily gets panicky when it comes to germs passed on by other creatures. They avoid buffets, don’t touch food with unwashed hands or don’t use public restrooms.


When we were on the train from Tucson to Chicago a dapper, healthy-looking, well-dressed afro-american lady (about 40 years old) entered the train at some early point of the trip. First thing she did before sitting down in her own sleeper compartment was to wipe the two available seats with special wipes. Then, she removed all cushions and blankets being provided (they were clean) and unpacked her own ones. She wore her own dressing gown and didn’t leave the (always completely darkened) compartment with the exception of one visit to the bathroom in the morning, half an hour before arrival. I am sure, she didn’t use the shower (one for each car) but some other wipes and sprays to make herself presentable.

She didn’t have any meals in the AMTRAK restaurant but let the car attendant bring her the menu and, later, the chosen dishes. Apparently she didn’t want to get in contact with any other passengers, coughing or sneezing (or talking to her?). She wouldn’t have gotten her own table in the restaurant car because they usually seat four people at each table. She didn’t touch a doorknob or switch in the car with her bare hands. Wow, she’ll possibly live long that way, but it seems to be a pretty lonesome and sterile life.

When we are having breakfast or dinner in the garden in summer, on our patio, which is completely covered by roses,it can well happen that a leaf or even a fly, lice or bee falls down onto the table … Also, our salads can be considered "organic" but, even washed twice, there can be a crumb of soil (hopefully nothing else) in the salad bowl.
Our two restrooms in the garden area are set up for a total of 26 gardens - and believe it or not, they are clean, though others may detect germs hidden everywhere. I think, something like a "natural power of resistance" can be developed, without using chemicals and thus provocing allergies. It’s even proven scientifically that kids growing up on farms, drinking raw fresh milk and playing in the dirt, dealing with cow manure and dogs and cats around, are much healthier, have much less allergies and are sick less frequently than kids living in super-clean, sterile conditions.