A Different World

The connection between global public health and culture is one that is strongly entwined together. Each country’s culture dictates the type of health care they provide. In the United States there is a very individualistic culture, where people are mainly focused on themselves. This is present in our healthcare system, which is supposed to be managed by the individual. In Germany and in other parts of Europe, there seems to be a combination between having an individualistic culture and a collectivist culture when it comes to public health. The culture in a country directly affects the health that it has.  When I first arrived in Germany, I was surprised at how common smoking was here. I could not find any signs where it said not to smoke, and could smell cigarettes while walking down the sidewalk. In addition, I also see many more people drinking alcohol than I see in the United States, and definitely more than I had seen in Saudi Arabia. The culture in Germany is much more liberal when it comes to smoking and drinking than it is in the US. There, it is considered taboo for 18 year olds to drink, while here, I see someone my age with a bottle of beer almost daily.

In the US, fast-food restaurants are a very common sight. You can almost see them on every corner. When I first arrived in Germany, I was taken aback that the area we were living in had no fast-food restaurants in sight.  This was kind of surreal at first, because a fast-food chain in a neighborhood is such a common sight in the United States. Instead, they have grocery stores with fresh fruits and vegetables. The vegetables and fruit were beautiful, with intense colors and hues unlike those that I have seen in America.  In addition to the food in Germany, I was also surprised to see people exercising. In Germany, there is a dedicated bike lane on all of the sidewalks, which is different from the United States. It is inspiring to see people so concerned about their health, and the government concerned about health that they place more opportunities to be healthier for the average person.