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It took me a year or so to become fluent in German but even before I was never treated rudly for my attemts to speak the language. I have been living in Germany for 14 years now.
It really only took you a year? How much time did you spend on it a day?
It really only took you a year? How much time did you spend on it a day?
No choice- total Immersion, working where no one spoke English, living in a small village where almost nobody out side of my (now ex) wife did... Also I was working as a Graphic Designer in a small agency owned ba a freind of my wifes and got tasked with German to English Translations of websites a lot. After about a year I was pretty fluent- still getting better though. Never took a class but was coached by mx ex who is a teacher.
I lived in Germany for three years and traveled all over Europe during that time. Not once - not ONCE - did anyone, anywhere make a comment about my use of their language. Not only that, most Germans seemed eager to hone their English skills when they realized my native language is English - some even told me that specifically, and wanted feedback on how well they spoke English.
As for customer service - their expectations and practices are different. It was common, even before I spoke a word, for clerks to be reserved, distant - not as warm as I'm accustomed to as an American. But I do not recall a single time that a clerk or business employee was rude to me.
To this day I love the phrase, "Tschuss!" because it reminds me of shopping in Germany. I had a blast.
The very first day that I ventured out to go shopping, the owner of a little antique shop gave me - gave me, not sold me - a beautiful but very ironic little porcelain statue of Jesus. It is from the 1920s or 1930s - and Jesus is blonde haired and blue eyed.
I am an American who emigrated to southern Europe. Most of my friends are Germans, whom as a national group I seem to prefer over the many others who live here. This leads me, using the OP's standards, to believe that I was an atypical American, impolite and usually being "real" and that at last I have found my own people.
On the other hand, I have found the Germans to be helpful, funny and easy to talk to.
Maybe my affinity is explained by the fact that I lived in Manhattan for forty some years, and we are supposed to be the snarling saber-tooth pigs of America, according to other polite Americas.
I am an American who emigrated to southern Europe. Most of my friends are Germans, whom as a national group I seem to prefer over the many others who live here. This leads me, using the OP's standards, to believe that I was an atypical American, impolite and usually being "real" and that at last I have found my own people.
On the other hand, I have found the Germans to be helpful, funny and easy to talk to.
Maybe my affinity is explained by the fact that I lived in Manhattan for forty some years, and we are supposed to be the snarling saber-tooth pigs of America, according to other polite Americas.
´tis a puzzlement.
Nyahhh, I'm southern to the bone and I have always really liked Germans in general. And they have always responded well to me. I'm also a Texan though, and Texans, while friendly, are also blunt and to the point. So maybe that's why I like Germans so much - who knows?
I think they're a trip. I have a lot of admiration for German culture. Except for that nasty little Nazi business - that was messy.
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