International profiles Part of Germany in an Indian heart
Bonn · With Beethoven in his blood, he came from India to Bonn to teach music. He hadn’t yet discovered the autobahn.
Had he been in India when he had his massive heart attack, Cijith Jacob may not have made it to the hospital on time. “Traffic jams,” he jokes. In Bonn, he received treatment on the spot and was raced to the hospital in an ambulance. Major surgery required. He says, “Part of Germany is now in my heart forever,” and he means it literally, five stents later.
Lonely Planet refers to Kerala on the southern coast of India as a “tropical symphony.” For Cijith Jacob of Kerala, anything-Beethoven is his favorite symphony and one of the main reasons he came to Bonn. As a music teacher, he had revered Beethoven and came to know Bonn through reading about his favorite composer. When he was offered a job at Bonn International School, it was a clear go. “Had it been Cologne or Düsseldorf, I might not have come,” he quips with a smile that says he means it.
Jacob came with his wife, Geena, and their daughter, Susan (now 14) to Bonn in 2007. He recalls their first experience at a grocery store. Their small daughter wanted a biscuit she saw on a box package, and they bought the box and took it home. When they opened it, there were no cookies, only powder sugar. But there had been such a nice picture of a biscuit on the box! Since then, they now have a second child, Anna, who is 4 and born in Bonn.
Bonn International School (BIS) had a music room back then, but when Jacob came, he didn’t see any signs of musical instruments. “Is this a music room?” he asked the director at the time, Peter Murphy. He then initiated a fledgling secondary band program which has now resulted in a wide array of bands at the school, with each grade participating. He organized ABRSM grade level exams from the world renowned UK Royal Schools of Music so that students would be able to test to receive rigorous music theory certifications. Students are also active in the greater Bonn community, participating in the Beethoven Festival, United Nations and city functions. Currently, Jacob is the IB Middle Years Program Coordinator at BIS.
Where should people go when they come to Bonn? “The Beethoven Haus,” he says, without missing a beat. For families with children, he recommends Sunday concerts of the Beethoven Orchestra which are especially for families (http://www.bobbysklassik.de/wordpress/familienkonzerte/).
Music isn’t everything, however, and Jacob definitely feels the pull of the autobahn. He traded in his Indian cars, a Contessa and an Ambassador, for well-known German cars. His perfect way to spend a weekend day? Get on the autobahn, take an unknown exit, explore side streets and drive, taking in the beautiful scenery. On one of these spontaneous rides, Jacob and his family travelled a smooth 850 kilometers. He says there is no getting lost; when it’s time to go home, the navigation system points to Bonn.
Not only does the man from Kerala appreciate the car culture in Germany, but he is also a fan of dogs. And he says “Germans love their dogs.” His family has a Spanish Water Dog and a Shitzu, cute as can be, displayed on his iPhone. A big cultural difference he has noted is that wealthy families in India have personnel who walk the dogs, clean up their mess and take care of other pet-related duties. In Germany, he feels people are very responsible for their own dogs and this forms a stronger bond, and helps keep a person grounded. Picking up dog poo can do that.
Jacob speaks four languages: his native tongue of Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil and English. Although he is extremely enthusiastic about Germany, he compares his German language skills to his musical talents, “Although I like classical music, I don’t play an instrument.” For the record, however, he is a fantastic piano player. Perhaps his German is better than he lets on.
Food is a topic that seems unavoidable when speaking with someone from India. Where can we find the best curry, the tastiest Indian food in Bonn? His answer: at home in our kitchen. Unfortunately, we are not all invited. Jacob said his wife, Geena is an excellent cook and they don’t need to go out for Indian food. She brings some spices from India and gets ingredients at an Indian/Asian shop and cooks delicious Indian cuisine. Does the family eat German food? “Yes, we go regularly to our neighborhood bakery. My daughter loves the pretzels and the bread is wonderful.” But they are not strangers to schnitzel or sauerkraut either.
Over his years in Bonn, Jacob’s area of comfort has expanded, “At first, my footprint was close to school and the American compound but over the years, you come to appreciate Bonn and see what Germany is about, especially if you can speak a little of the language.” He adds that he finds people have become more friendly over the years, but says explicitly that he has never encountered racism.
Jacob is aware of the refugee crisis and it’s impact on Bonn. He sees music as a piece of culture that people can bring with them even when they have lost everything else, and also as a way to express themselves no matter what language they speak. “In the future,” he says, “I can see more fusion music happening because people will bring their own musical culture and open their ears to western culture and music as well.”
As far as his future, he exclaims “We bought an apartment here in Bonn so you can imagine how much we love this place!” It looks like there will be many more walks in the Rheinaue and many more drives on the autobahn. In a German car for sure.
