Honesty, integrity and trustworthiness. Great virtues, yet so hard to come by these days, especially when money is involved. Would it be any better in Germany?
My friends have talked about their experiences of accidentally leaving behind their belongings in the public transportation in Germany. As a listener, I could only sympathize with their situations whenever such incidents happened, and then a few days later we would all rejoice if their belongings have been found. But it is never the same as experiencing it first-hand...
I had the "privilege" of experiencing it first-hand when my wallet slipped out of my pocket and I only realized that right after getting off the bus. The realization of my loss of the most important cards, namely my
Ausweiss (personal ID card), student ID, bank cards and insurance card, in a foreign land was a total nightmare! Nevertheless, I remained calm and did the following:
1) Call the transport company
I quickly looked up the contact number of the transport company and immediately called customer service. In my case, I explained my situation and also mentioned the bus line, direction and name of bus stop at which I got off the bus. Unfortunately the call agent said that the bus driver was unreachable so I had to proceed with the next step.
2) Visit the office of the transport company
Easier said than done! Without a wallet, I had no immediate cash at hand and my student ID, which is also the semester ticket for free usage of public transport, was also not with me. Undeterred, I made my way on foot to report my missing belongings. It was useful to recall and describe exactly what was missing (in my case, colour and size of wallet and its contents). I also insisted to have my name and contact number taken down so that I could be informed as soon as possible.
3) Cancel all bank cards
At the advice of the personnel of the transport company, I went to the banks, explained my situation and asked for my bank cards to be cancelled as a precautionary measure. Better to be safe than sorry!
4) Lodge a police report
I took no chances and also lodged a police report due to my missing ID card. I basically told the officer the same thing I told to the personnel of the transport company; fortunately there was no additional red-tape.
5) Wait
The list of authorities to inform is a long one, but in my opinion it was better to wait for news from the transport company or call them, if possible. If no good news is heard, it may be wise to inform the foreigner office, insurance company, as well as the university if you are an international student.
"Sie sind der Glückpilz!"
Literal translation: "You are the lucky mushroom!", said the receptionist at the transport company. My wallet was found with its contents left untouched. Not even a single Euro was missing!
AMAZING. I can't stress enough how impressed I am with the honesty of the people here in Germany, especially after this incident. I hope that fellow Malaysians can also emulate the level of honesty and integrity that I have experienced here in Germany!
