I love the Germans!

I always knew I would live in Europe, but Germany was a surprise.  Having never traveled here, I was at a loss for what to expect from the people themselves.  You can google museums, restaurants and shopping, but you cannot find online how much people laugh and smile even though it is raining. 

Germany may not be for everyone, but it's definitely for me.  I find the people incredibly friendly and snobby all at the same time.  For those of you who know me, I fit in well here. Most people have a confident formality about them that I love.  They always leave the house dressed in their Sunday best and look at me sideways in workout clothes (I overlook this because thin trumps well-dressed in my book :)). On the other hand, they are welcoming and seem to love Americans.  If not Americans, they do love practicing their English.  I have a wallet full of cards with names and numbers of people I have met on the tram.

Two days ago at the grocery store at 5.30PM Colt and I are standing in line.
"Guten Morgen, guten morgen, auf wiedersehen, etc.," Colt rambles.
Everyone (5) people look around at each other quizzically, slight smiles.
Colt says good morning about 3 more times.
People quietly giggle.
"Ok," I announce in English, "he has just started learning German and he is practicing.
"Oh, good job.  Good boy! Say it again!"  everyone brags and chuckles and tell each other in German why he has his days and nights confused. The checkout lady was adorable and tried to talk to all of us in English.  Colt went on and on about his cars to her as I translated car to auto.

Today, we went back to the store. No matter how many times I throw out Ja, Bitte, Danke.  Colt always gives me away. We approach the checkout and the same cashier grins. We checkout and I tell Colt to tell her Danke Schoen. Everyone nods and smiles.  There is an old lady at the end staring at us (very common here).  I encourage Colt to smile and tell her, Guten Tag.  He does and she just smiles from ear to ear (because I have the cutest boy ever) and she says, "Guten Tag."  Colt goes into a soliloquy about cars, trams and crashes.  Her jaw drops like OMG what just happend. She looks at the four people behind me SHOCKED, confused and horrified.  Everyone dies laughing at the look on her face.  One guy in line says to me, "American?"  Ja, ja I respond.  Then, the cashier tells everyone about the other night and we all have a belly laugh. I don't understand it all, but I did get the ein auto, ein auto, ein auto! lol

What's not to love about people who are always laughing and always well-dressed?