I found the article on the staring Germans to be very intriguing, I actually went back and read it again more carefully. I've always been really interested in the small, day-to-day differences of different cultures. For example, studying in Italy this past spring, I got the chance to observe some pretty interesting daily interactions between the Italians. For example, Italian strangers greet each other a lot more often than we do in the U.S., and they also stand a lot closer to each other when they talk. I came to the conclusion that things are just different, and you just have to adapt. The social norms aren't worse, just different (although I will say the Italian men are pretty bad about harassing women, but most of the time it's harmless. It's not like there are way more reported sexual assaults or anything, I'm sure that statistics are pretty similar).
That's why I loved reading the staring article - it hits the nail right on the head when it says that this is just the way that German culture is and you just have to get used to it and not be offended. I think that's the hardest thing for people: growing up in a culture where something like staring a stranger down is rude kind of conditions your brain to think that it is very offensive. But for the Germans, who have lived with the German culture their whole lives, they have been conditioned to think that it isn't a big deal. Such an interesting topic.
Auf wiedersehen!
Matt
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