72. Report - The journey back to Germany

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The journey with the two police officers in buses and trains takes 24 hours. There is friendly respect for each other. At the airport in New Delhi, they hand me over to the immigration officers. The farewell is very formal.

But the new officials are friendly too. They are less respectful of the dark-skinned Congolese man who is also in custody with them.

At the airport in Delhi

One of the officials has an excellent knowledge of football and the World Cup that is just beginning. He is also familiar with the German team. 

A security man comes later and takes me straight to the plane. He hands the stewardess my passport and the cover letter from the police.

 

If you think positively, that's wonderful, because I don't have to worry about anything and I get preferential treatment everywhere. Good juice and a snack are brought directly to you on the plane.

 

A young Indian man who speaks German quite well sits down next to me. He is an IT engineer and got a job in Germany. Although he earns a lot of money and enjoys the advantages of Germany, social life is not easy for him - the people are different than in India. – I notice how easy it is to develop a closer conversation with him.

 

A German journalist has sat down on the right, with whom the conversation is interesting because he shot photos in Tibet for a report on "Elephantiasis" (Elephantiasis: An infection caused by a mosquito bite, in which the legs swell "elephant thick"). But I sense his caution and detachment in conversation, as if he somehow has to watch out for something or is afraid of getting close to a stranger. Hmmm … typically German?!?

 

When I land in Frankfurt, I have to wait on the plane until the nice stewardess picks me up and hands me and my papers over to a German security man. When saying goodbye, she wishes that I can come back to India soon.

 



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