Comments on Baroque Babies: OMG...people are smiling.

Thanks for all of your wonderful, insightful comme...

2009-09-18T08:56:47.523+02:00

Thanks for all of your wonderful, insightful comments. My husband is from Bavaria so I can relate to the regional 'smile and come here and give me a hug' area, but I guess (at the beginning) I was not aware of the vast differences among the many states in Germany. Please don't get me wrong, after 3-years of living here and people becoming familiar with my face the paradigm shift has occurred, but when my own family thinks the French have nicer people than those living in my own city I thought something must be wrong (wink...wink =0).

As I've said often to new expats trying to acclimate themselves with the area, "you just have to roll with it, accept it and give it time, because after awhile 'these people' will do anything for you." I've been surprised on more than one occasion with their random acts of kindness and thoughtfulness.

Hi there, very interesting post and comments. I ...

2009-09-18T00:05:32.603+02:00

Hi there,

very interesting post and comments.

I (German) will try to smile more often !
You are so right !

I am married to an Italian and have lived in the land of smile (Thailand) for many years - it is a culture shock to come back 'home'.

And Holly (decor8) is right: it also depends on the region. It is well known that Stuttgart area is more 'difficult' than eg. the Rheinland area.

And Aldi shoppers might also be more pessimistic and unhappy than shoppers at Boehm (Stuttgart city).

Anyway, thanks for the reminder:
I will be special friendly and extra smiling tomorrow and as long as I remember ;-)

Yes Americans are friendly, but it depends on the ...

2009-09-15T00:55:43.443+02:00

Yes Americans are friendly, but it depends on the region as to just HOW friendly because I lived in New England which feels exactly the same as northern Germany to me. Although Hannover is very friendly compared to Hamburg and other local towns, I can't complain here. I see no difference so far. I think Hannover locals are VERY helpful and once you talk to them a little they open right up and you've made a friend for life. They are very loyal here too. This "unfriendly" culture you speak of may not be cultural as much as regional or even by city. I think it's much like America here, you have the deep south where everyone invites you in and you have Bostonians who you can live next door for 30 years and they'll NEVER talk to you!

This is so true! I am really looking forward to my...

2009-08-18T11:40:40.012+02:00

This is so true! I am really looking forward to my Christmas trip to the States just to feel a little love in public, lol! I know it's 'so German' to be brusque and almost cranky at all times, so I'm super thankful for the Germans I encounter who are 'untypisch' in that they're friendly - like our new neighbors. You know by now not to expect it, but it's SUCH a nice surprise when you meet a friendly German!

I was recently home and felt exactly the same. Wha...

2009-08-13T22:31:09.954+02:00

I was recently home and felt exactly the same. What really surprised me over and over was the number of strangers who said, "What cute kids!" and proceeded to engage in a 15-minute conversation with me! I also loved being at the park with my kids and not feeling like I was being gawked at or judged somehow. Instead, I had lovely conversations with freindly parents over a latte that was picked up en route!Returning to Germany, it didn't take long before rudeness and elbowing, line jumping, etc., were encountered. The transition took about 10 days to get used to!

I am also always uplifted and surprised (depending...

2009-08-12T13:21:43.913+02:00

I am also always uplifted and surprised (depending on how long I've been away) at american friendly-ness, hellos at resturants, etc. I know there is the shallow-debate, but I love it and often germans who have visited the US comment to me on how friendly americans are and that makes me smile! I've had my share of rude run-ins in germany, lots of line-cutting, but also some random acts of kindess by strangers. Both boys were having a major meltdown and a little old Oma went into her house to get chocolate for them. It worked! :-)

Haha. So true.

2009-08-11T14:28:59.334+02:00

Haha. So true.

I think I first experienced, what I perceived as r...

2009-08-10T21:31:14.588+02:00

I think I first experienced, what I perceived as rudeness in Germany, in the grocery store when a lady angrily pushed her cart right up to me, parked her cart, and stared a hole right through me because she needed to get by. Instead of her asking me to move politely, me apologizing for having been in the way (like I was used to) she just glared at me, said nothing, and acted extremely annoyed that I had delayed her. Perhaps it is best not to talk about how I feel about shopping at Aldi when all my products are shoved (and sometimes thrown in my cart) when I don't pack them fast enough... not to mention the angry customers looks in the line behind.

I too have had several Germans express their annoyance of the shallowness of questions like "how are you"? It does not seem logical to a German to ask a question that you don't really want to know the answer to. But I often compare it to a German running through the room, almost tripping over someone or something just to tell the "telephone-r" to tell the "telephone-e", "Schöne Grüße"

... in diesem Sinne, Schöne Grüße aus Hamburg!

i know how you feel. i have an acquaintance who sa...

2009-08-10T19:38:31.777+02:00

i know how you feel. i have an acquaintance who said americans were "fake" in their friendliness...then he had the chance to visit new york city ...he changed his tune. he loved the city and the people! i hope as more people travel and experience other cultures it will result in at least more acceptance, if not understanding. have you moved back to the states?