Kultur2 Assignment

Perhaps I just stayed with really happy people in Germany, but I never once heard any of them complain like the first article describes. This could also be because when I was in Germany I was 13 years old. It could also be attributed to the fact that I knew literally no German words. All of my host families I stayed with seemed to be very happy people. A few of them were very well off and the rest of them were very content. I suppose a really poor family wouldn't volunteer to take care of an American for a week though, so my view of Germany could be rather skewed.

I also never encountered what is referred to as "The Germanic Stare Down". However, I find the theory developed as to how it came to be quite interesting. It makes total sense that people would watch their neighbors in the World War eras because you never knew who was siding with who. Knowing the goings on of your neighbors could be the one thing that saved you from a grizzly death. The staring on the subway thing just seems weird though. Not sure about that one.

Honestly, sarcasm makes speaking to people a very intricate process. Being brutally honest and direct like the Germans are to each other could save a lot of time and confusion. It also seems like the more logical way to plan events and lean about each other. It's not that it's rude, it's that it's straightforward and to the point. It doesn't mean, however, that I will start walking up to girls I know and asking them if they've gained weight.

This last bit of information in "By the Numbers" doesn't surprise me at all. With their society so focused on economic and technological advancement it only makes sense that most Germans are fascinated with statistics and patterns. This interest in statistics could be part of what is making Germany an economic leader in Europe. The fact that they know so much specific information about their country, I think, could be attributed to their deeply rooted patriotism. They've been through so much in the past century and they want to have a country they can be truly proud of.