DIFFERENT OPINIONS, ATTITUDES, CUSTOMS, HABITS
Germans will do the things listed below nor will every family have the same customs, but these are some things that seem to be fairly common among Germans and that might seem "different" to foreigners visiting Germany for the first time. Some of this is also just silly, so enjoy it for what it's worth.
Eating and coping at the dinner table
# Don't put your left hand in your lap when you eat.
# Food/drink - the coffee is super-strong and the bread can be hard (but it is supposed to be that way!)
# Germans don't put their hand on their lap while eating.
# Do not whine about the food. Try everything. You will not starve.
# Make sure you say "das schmeckt" - it tastes good.
# When eating or drinking together, wait until someone says Guten Appetit or wants to "anstossen" (click glasses to say "cheers". Also look into their eyes, when doing so. These are small details, but important!
Restaurants
# Feel free to sit with strangers in a restaurant, once you determine "ob hier noch frei ist"
# You also have to order water extra (Still oder mit Kohlensaeure) and pay extra.
# If you cross your knife and fork on your plate, it means you are just pausing. If you lay your knife and fork side by side, it means you are finished, and the waiter may come and take your plate away from under your nose.
# Doggiebags are still mostly unknown but feeding your dog under the table and asking for a bowl of water is no problem in most restaurants (some now have signs with a picture of a dog and "Ich muss draussen bleiben").
Homes
# Close the doors. Keeps the heat in the room and prevents drafts - Es zieht!
# Turn off lights and close doors behind you.
# Do not enter a closed door without knocking
# Slippers - you might have to take off your shoes at the door
# Don't call from private homes without really double checking how to pay them back.
# Don' t take 20-minute showers. Find out beforehand how the shower works. Most Germans don't shower every day.
# Don't ask for the Badezimmer (bathroom) if what you need it the Toilette!
# Find out how the door handles and locks work.
# Stay off the phone and the Internet unless you ask permission
# If one visits a private home, do they have the wall of books? That's a dead giveaway that they are middle class.
Flowers
# Flowers: Give an uneven number. E.g. A dozen roses is one too many and bad luck.
# When you visit someone with a "Mitbringsel" in the form of a nice bouquet, make sure you dispose of the wrapper before presenting the flowers, otherwise your hostess will look at you as though you've handed her a dead rat.
Busses and trains
# Offer older people a seat on the bus.
# Greet the people in your train compartment. The same goes for small restaurants and especially hotel dining rooms.
Miscellaneous
# Do not sit down on the sidewalk or on the floor or in any other public place.
# Do not ask questions such as " how much is that in real money?"
# Be prepared to see dogs in restaurants, on the streetcars and busses, in church, etc.
# Don't be surprised when Germans correct your English!
Arguing
# Arguing is not necessarily a personal attack. Germans can go tooth and nail at each other without becoming "beleidigt" (offended), so don't back down.[/quote]
wow you're amazing Katinka! I've been living here Germany (Hamburg) for a month now and your depictions of German culture are so true! it was quite a shock for me when I first arrived - impeccability of any toilets (usually if one see at the four upper and lower corners of every building structure, no Spider Webs can be found! bizarre for me!), politeness of the people (but direct!), their amicable approach to foreigners (well at least me! Hamburgers are soo nice!) - and obviously some stereotypes were true but not all of them!
I will be living here for another year or so, so its good to see how well I can penetrate German culture! I must improve my linguist abilities though!
anyways! cheers for the contribution!
Can anybody tell me how to make curreywurst at home?? All in all, I have VERY POSITIVE opinion toward German and Germany. By the way, katinka, the Ossi vs Wessi thing is still alive? 
