Something I don't like about Germans

[Barbara]

Obviously forums are different - and Pet Talk is a very nice one.
I was always convinced that US-Americans and Canadians are so much nicer but now I would say the bigger a city is the closer it comes to Europe. I feel that in Europe people are breathing down each others neck much more and that makes them more nervous and more aggressive.
When I have visitors from overseas I always tell them our waiters are grumpy (which IMO they are) and then I come in with my visitors and we meet a very nice waiter who tries to speak English and is very friendly

I don't know any German who thinks of himself as part of a master race. I am sure there are some- but I don't know them. Right now I would say there are not more racist people in Germany than in any other country of the Western world.

About the Germans who misbehaved in Italy: obviously they have been very stupid. If now in Italy you buy fake goods you can get fined really high fines. Italian companies like Gucci don't like to see their purses and watches for 20 bucks- so you better shoo all the sales guys away or you may have to pay 2000 bucks

[kokopup]

I worked with German Engineers for years when i worked in Huntsville for NASA. The attitude you mention I observed very often and thought nothing of it. I always just chalked it up as being German. The Germans especially engineering types are perfectionist and that is their nature. Later on in my work experience I was brought in contact with various nationalities that had their own way of doing things. I always attributed it to cultural differences in what was normal.

When Living in The Netherlands my wife had a very hard time adjusting because if you did anything wrong someone would let you know. There may be some unwritten law saying you only go down this grocery Isle this way. She would get cussed out in Dutch and would come home crying almost every day for doing something wrong and usually she had no Idea what. Once she learned more about the people and culture she learned to cope with their difference. She had to just
learn not to take it personal.

[Kirsten]

I don't know any German who thinks of himself as part of a master race. I am sure there are some- but I don't know them.

Oh, I do, unfortunately! Not all, of course, but there are some. Grew up in an environment like that - and I sure hope it did not rub off on me.

BTW, I did not mean that in a racist (nazi) way, it's more this attitude that Germans tend to have re. perfection, organization etc. Or these complaints that we are not ackknoledged in the way we should be in some people's opinion. I cannot count anymore how often I heard people saying "They (other countries) love to take our money, but they don't like us...). I think it's just so stupid! LOL

kokopup, that sounds like your wife was having a really rough time in the Netherlands. I'd never thought there's such a mentality over there. When I was there for a holiday, the Dutch seemed to be very open-minded, tolerant people. But maybe it's a difference when you're living there.

Also, at the last comment in that quote, we call people that act like that "Grammar Nazis".

LOL, sounds good!

Kirsten

[kokopup]

Kirsten,
My wife loved our time in the Netherlands, and she would go back in a heartbeat. The main thing is the culture shock of moving from the "South" in the USA to Europe. In the South if you seeing someone doing something wrong you notice it but unless it was something extreme you would never say anything about it. The Dutch people although very warm people individually, are very ruthless in their day to day dealings with each other. The person that just knocked you down charging through a door would be very nice and cordial if you stopped them and ask a question. The Dutch did not believe in LINES (queues) and would push to get to the front rather than wait their turn. I guess this comes from having so many people on such little land. These were cultural adjustments that may not have been as evident if we were moving from New York or maybe the "Northern part" of USA. We tend to be a little more laid back in the South, even in the cities.

My son was stationed in Germany while I lived in the Netherland so we spent a lot of time in Germany. During Christmas time We would go to Austria for Holiday. Where he was stationed was right on the Mosel so we spent a lot of time touring that area. We even went to Octoberfest in Munich.

[phesina]

Along this line (as far as Americans go, anyway), a video from the Onion News Network: "Mexico Builds Border Wall to Keep Out US As*h*les" ... reported in Spanish with English subtitles!
http://www.theonion.com/content/vide...r_wall_to_keep

[aTailOf2Kitties]

I think the German attitude is contagious. My boyfriend has an aunt and cousin living in Germany. They are American civilians working for the US military in either Bitburg or Heidelburg (can't remember). Anyway, any time they come to the US to visit the rest of the family they are always going on and on how wonderful Germany is and how it's soooooo much nicer than America. After about a week of this we are usually more than ready for them to go back, LOL

[Sonia59]

I don't belong to French forums. They are very impolite, always make bad jokes, answer completely out of topic and tell you that you are stupid posting such questions, that you should better not spend your time there, etc.

[K9karen]

Off the subject for a minute..I have to ask...

Kirsten, and Barbara and other Europeans, I have to say..your
English is wonderful! Did you learn it in school? I mean, you use our idioms and everything. I'm dreadfully ashamed to say, that my 4 years of high school Spanish is a disaster. I know a bit (like baby talk), but now that our Hispanic community is growing, I'm thinking of heading to night school for a refresher.

I really admire multi-lingual people!!!

[Carol Bulger]

You have that same sort of problems in every race. I myself just walk away from people like that because I consider myself a better person. Just remember one thing, we all have to answer to the same God one day.

[kokopup]

Quote by Carol Bulger

You have that same sort of problems in every race. I myself just walk away from people like that because I consider myself a better person. Just remember one thing, we all have to answer to the same God one day.

Did I miss something here.

[Sonia59]

I learned English at school, that was 7 years in total I think. The most amazing is that most French who can't speak English, or don't want to, all learned it at school! I love English and languages in general, so I was interested in trying to improve it. But my English really became fluent because I worked for 5 years in the Netherlands. As Kokopup has said, most Dutch speak English so it's hard to learn their language. When they realize you are not Dutch they switch to English, so after some time, especially at work, I gave up with Dutch and spoke only English!
Idioms come from PT mainly