What the hell ????????

Mr. Hollywood says on Aug 25, 2004, 12:52:

You ever been to Germany? You're Canadian, right Shane? (I'm curious because of your comment about "my own culture".

Germans are very, very different from Canadians (or Americans) about their outword social behavior. I've had German friends of mine walk right past me on the street (in Germany) without so much as a nod of the head. Waving and being friendly is considered strange. It doesn't mean they're mean people, just that they've got a much less friendly norm of public behavior.

Also, I'd be willing to guess that the Germans you encountered were also responding rudely out of fear. They don't know that you're not a threat.

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elmodefoque says on Aug 25, 2004, 12:56:

white people are weird, jejejej just kidding

I'll get there, when I get there!

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Rico says on Aug 25, 2004, 13:40:

Your culture? Believe me, German culture is NOT your culture. You might think it is, but it is NOT. Germans can be very, very aloof and even rude in public, as Mr Hollywood explains so well.

Even in marriage, a German man will try to keep a lot of emotional distance from his very own wife! They just don't open up much! The German way is to keep emotions out of their personal lives. That's why they keep a tight personal space in public. My view of this attitude? I don't think it's psychologically healthy at all!

German diplomatic schools DO teach students to be more open and receptive. So if you meet a German embassy or consulate diplomat, he or she will be much more open and talkative (just like Canadians or Americans).

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Hunter says on Aug 25, 2004, 15:24:

Shane.. Getting a bit worried about you, with your problems with Colombian girls and now the Germans.

One thing how do you know they were Germans, but seriously the other posters have summed it up about the average German above.

Hunter

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daver says on Aug 25, 2004, 16:31:

***how do you know they were Germans***

Perhaps they were speaking German. This is a fairly good indication. You may offend the odd Austrian, but German speaking people tend to be German.

I have similar experiences with German tourists. In the same light, I have worked with Germans and found them to be exceptional people.

Dave

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Rico says on Aug 25, 2004, 16:43:

Young Germans... I must say there's a generation gap in Germany. Young Germans are much more open and communicative than their elders (just like Americans). The older generations still carry a bit of the paranoia and suspiciousness of the difficult post-war period.

Yes, there's hope for the better. It just takes time!

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Hunter says on Aug 25, 2004, 16:59:

Germans.... Could be Swiss as well.

Hunter

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PRMello29 says on Aug 25, 2004, 17:07:

Yup Sure, German, Austrian... Swiss.

Liechtensteinian, too!

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ari says on Aug 26, 2004, 05:06:

culture? Well

I tend to agree with the Canadian guy, although I'm Colombian of birth I grew up in a Dutch-Jewish environment and therefore picked less of Colombian culture than I would've wanted.

Still I think he's right, whenever I approached other foreigners in Colombia (even other people whose mother tongue was Dutch, just like me) and I felt it was very disappointing.

I think there're similarities between North Americans and Europeans, that's for sure... basically we all come from the same place.... we might have different mentalities but it can be conciliated I'm sure. I think it's easier for a Dutchman to understand a Canadian than a Colombian, I'm sure.

I think we all in the category of "westerners", don't we?

And I couldn't agree more, foreigners in Colombia are very aggresive and rude to each other. I hardly ever got to really talk to people :| it was quite disappointing. Right now I live in the Middle East, in Israel to be more specific and here I meet foreigners down the street every here and there, just like I meet Israelis.

I don't know... guess they're afraid or what? maybe just stoned or maybe you stumbled upon the wrong travellers. In the guest house where I stayed during my last trip to Colombia I got to meet very interesting Spaniards, Belgians, Israelis, etc.

http://ikcenda.tripod.com/philologist

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Skippy says on Aug 26, 2004, 07:10:

Actually I knew they were German because I heard them speaking German.

On a positive note the Colombian woman thing is working very well for me now. I met a great girl. She is from the a city called Turbo. She is absolutly beautiful. She has her own money and often takes me for dinner or coffee. She is also a little tiger if you know what I mean. So, I'm a happy dude.

Thanks for all your responses.

Yup

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liquidlove says on Aug 26, 2004, 07:14:

I can't resist... I have to share a story about germans. I was alone in a bar once in Berlin a few years ago, and the music was very german...and all of a sudden, almost out of context a canadian band that happened to be one of my favs come on! I was travelling alone and was having a hard time making friends in this place because everyone was so stuck up. But out of my sheer excitment I looked to the guy next to me and said "hey, THIS IS A CANADIAN BAND"....he looked at me and said in his thick accent "whoo kares..."
What an ass!

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utopiacowboy says on Aug 26, 2004, 08:42:

I definitely know what you mean, Shane. Sometimes I call my wife, mi tigresa. Good for you, man! Post her pic!

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

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