stereotyped germans

i think i've been here long enough to be able to talk about the german personality and demeanor now, except the work life of course. (i'm still unemployed - and loving it!) before i left home i was told by a few people to watch out for the stereotyped german - cold, uncaring , business orientated blah blah blah... you know the stereotype. since i got here, yes there have been a couple of them that are like that, but as a whole i've found them to be quite pleasant people. they all have their own idiosyncrasies and what have you, which every race has, but i really don't see why people felt the need to warn me. the most obvious stereotyped germans i have come across are definitely in the minority and even then, i see them more as a euro stereotype, rather than a german one. for example the american hating euro. this is understandable. i've only experienced this once, mainly because their first thought was that i am american, but it was mainly because of a communication breakdown, not as a result of anyone's wrong doing. ie 'stupid american doesn't speak my language. hahaha!' to that i say, 'fuck off obnoxious bastard, and the jokes on you cause i'm australian, not american. so you're racist nonsense doesn't really affect me or my people, so hate away, retard!' this made me angry at first. how dare someone call me american, but then later i thought to myself why bother being angry? for one, i'm not american so they can think what they want about them because, as stated above, it doesn't affect my people. and two, doesn't their attitude reflect exactly what they're getting uppity about. the fact that i don't know their language, but at the same time they don't even know my race. it's that old tired adage, racism, homophobia, sexism etc really says more about the person committing the hate crime than it does about the intended victim.

however this is all one incident, everywhere else i go i seem to be either nothing (in a good way, like just another customer), or i seem to be liked cause i'm different. i don't know if this is because i at least try to use my very basic german, or because they can tell i'm different to them and to the usual traveller. a good example of this is yesterday when i went up to famila center (they spell centre like americans, as much as it pains me it is not a spelling mistake). waiting in line to buy my products at the supermarkt i let a guy go in front of me and instantly the woman behind the counter treated me with more kindness than i used to receiving. i know this is probably because of the whole pay it forward/good karma/kill with kindness deal, but had i listened to the german bewarers, it shouldn't have mattered. secondly, i went to the backerei (bakery, obviously) and bought some brotchen (rolls) and sweets (i am not even going to begin to remember how to say the name or spell it - let's just say it begins with quark, ends in en and has about 15 letters between), for the second time in three days. i was served by a different lady than previously and before i could try my german with her, she smiled and treated me very well. she even helped me to pronounce things properly (working in retail for years i have to knack of knowing instantly when someone is humouring me or doesn't want to be there, so i'm a fairly good judge of character), and seemed to take extra care with me. some of you may think that it is all because i 'tried' to speak her language and others may think that it's because she's just a nice person. but the lady i spoke to the time before was exactly the same and both of them were wonderfully nice before i could open my mouth and butcher their language. so again, naysayers of the german people, what are you talking about?

it's not just shopping either, there's a whole world of niceness in the southern part of the country. (i can't talk about the top part because i haven't gotten there yet - soon though. berlin for christmas? sounds great.) there's a custom here from bavaria that allows for complete strangers to sit next to each other at lunch or at a pub and either sit side by side or converse with each other. sounds nice to me. one the other hand though, there is some trepidation talking to me that i have noticed. i tend to think it's because they know i'm not german and may think i'm american, which is as i said above both fine and expected. if you had american bases everywhere in your country, wouldn't you feel a little animosity towards them? i know i would, especially if you were still technically occupied by them until around 1986. i don't know about you, but my hate wouldn't be veiled in a subtle euro way, more a get the fuck away from me american infidel kind a way. alexis seems to think that i might be a rare breed here and that people aren't quite sure where i come from. basically because of how i dress and my skin colour people treat me accordingly. granted i may seem to be american to some, or, as alot of germans have taken me for until i open my mouth, german (which i think is just a guess cause they're unsure). but as alexis pointed out, i'm too pale to be german. they seem to have a yellowish tinge to their skin tone, which i don't have. i'm pure pasty irish/scottish white. particularly now i don't see alot of sun. i'm starting to look like a goth/emo again with my paleness, mainly due to the season and the fact that at 4pm this afternoon it was already dark outside.

but i don't care how people treat me as long is it isn't with rudeness, because i don't know enough german to have a go back and they wouldn't understand me if i was to go off. who gets taught, 'you flaming galah!' or 'pull your head in, fucknut' in english classes? no one. either way, i'm just happy that the warners of the german people were wrong so far. that being said there is a slight coldness, but as i'm used to australians and their 'she'll be right, mate. how's it hangin'?' attitude, i think we might by the different ones here, as not alot of races are as open as ours. but here's looking forward to meeting some more friendly germans and hopefully learning enough duetsch to tell someone off one day for being obnoxious! (if that day ever comes again)