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)

random musings

before i post about the heidelberg schloss i thought i'd write about some of my experiences here. these are completely random are not about a particular place. just me either having trouble doing something or just noticing the difference between australia and europe, whether it be the way people behave or me being a stupid traveller. the first thing i want to talk about is customer service. it doesn't exist here. i'm so used to going into a place and the person behind the counter being friendly and wanting to help, here not so much. before anybody starts, it's not about me being taken for american or a language barrier thing, it simply does not exist. example, i walked into a shop the other day and was made to wait as the girl behind the counter could finish her conversation. at the castle we had to wait as the guy behind the counter continued his conversation on his mobile phone. people sigh when you try to interrupt them and don't seem too concerned that you are becoming completely put off buying whatever it was you came in for. this doesn't happen everywhere, but 9 out of 10 times it happens. the other night i had to ring up for my credit card (to australia) and it felt so wonderful to have a chat to the girl as she worked on her computer. alexis was in the room and when i finished he said, 'why were you talking to her so much? did she have to give an interview? why was she asking so many questions?' my response was, 'because that's customer service!' the idea is that you make people feel welcome and want to continue business with you, not like you're putting them out by asking them to do their job. i will say though, that france seemed to get the customer service angle. it may be just a german thing. who knows. although in true stereotyped french fashion, waiters treat you like crap. i nearly giggled at one when he sighed and then asked for our order. i have also noticed that when you try to talk german to a person behind a counter they seem amused and generally interested in what's going on. this was only in heidelberg though. this could be down to all the american bases here and the fact that most americans don't care to try german.

the transport here is brilliant, always on time and very clean. they do like to change the track trains run on without telling people, and they don't list all the stops on a train line, so watch out! although trying to figure out which ticket to buy is also very amusing. i have no idea what i'm pressing for the trams in heidelberg. i usually just press buttons until i get something that is the right price. although the other day i think i bought a ticket for the stadium. i didn't even know heidelberg had a stadium, let alone a ticket for it!

people like to stare here. when i say stare, i mean eye to eye, like they're sizing you up. as an australian i found this a little unnerving at first. i remember walking down the street and after the 4th person did it i started feeling around my face thinking something was wrong. haha. now i'm used to it though i just stare back and see how long it takes for them to look away. i'll be damned if i'm losing a staring contest to a stranger. this social occurrence is usually done by old people. it's like they think we can't have an army to beat you, so we'll just glare and make you uncomfortable. doesn't work anymore fools! i've learnt to stare back and not blink. now who's uncomfortable, hey?

while i'm on the subject of the general public, people like to push past you here. they don't go around you as you walk, they come straight at you. i'm sure this is fine for them, but having heard many tales of pick-pockets and muggings, every time it happens i instinctively go for my wallet to make sure. in strasbourg i felt really awkward and uncertain. i kept double checking my passport was still in my pocket an sizing people up, as if ready to pounce and beat the crap out of the person who dared to start me.

people here drink on the street down the hauptstrasse. i find this odd and completely startling. alexis thinks i'm weird because of it, but i'm used to thinking that people milling around drinking are usually up to something or waiting to cause trouble. i suppose this is my own problem as what i'm used to, but at the same time, if i can't understand what they're talking about, then i'm going to get nervous around drunks in a group on the streets.

that's about it for now, i'm sure there's plenty more to talk about, but i don't feel the need to show all my insecurities in just one post. next time i swear i'll write about the castle or at least something constructive with pictures.

tchuss