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So many stereotypes of the German people have circulated through society in today’s time. During my trip so far, I have stayed aware of these in hopes to see if they are true and/or as common as some make them out to be. I have observed many different situations and personal interactions over the last few weeks and have come to the conclusion that some stereotypes are true and some are just plain false. As you read in my first post about German beer, I am no expert, but the beer here is, coinciding with the stereotype, is very good! I have been pleased with every kind that I have tried (usually sticking with the dark or “dunkel” beer). Along with the beverage, the commonly spoke of German dishes Currywurst and Snitchzel have impressed me as well. I heard that Germans eat few vegetables and only eat meat and potatoes and this can be true, however there is definitely plenty of options for the veggie lovers out there and I have also seen plenty of gluten-free dishes for you healthy people out there.

A couple more stereotypes I was prepared to see involve the way German people interact with Americans and other foreigners. I was told that Germans were not always polite to Americans and I have determined that to be false, as I have not felt targeted in any way throughout the trip, and if anything, to my surprise, I have felt welcomed in most cases. Yes, maybe we have been laughed at while we run around and try to find the right bus or train, or not been served the right meal because the server didn’t understand us, but nothing has felt personal. The same is for entry to common nightclubs, we feared that we may not be let in because we were “too American”, but we never were denied service there, either. Speaking of talking to Germans, a common stereotype is that Germans speak aggressively and loudly all the time. I have discovered that this is only true for some, and the stereotype is because we do not understand their language. The language just has a lot of powerful words and phrases, but in their defense, English can sound aggressive as well. For example, a young woman asked me for help with the train in German in a very pleasant tone and volume (in German), and although I didn’t quite understand everything, I was not taken aback or offended. However, the same day, I watched a man bump into an elderly man on the S-bahn, and the old man spoke angrily at the younger man, showing that attitude has everything to do with it, not the language. And lastly, one might have heard that Germans are not exactly personable, meaning they do not go out of their way to be friendly. But I have had mixed experiences regarding this. I have had men and women (non-workers) in the hotel and on the street greet me and smile and I have had people scowl and look away when I try to say hello to them. In general the German people are helpful at the least, and most of the time pleasant when I try to talk to them.

I  have always heard good things about beer in Germany, so naturally one of the first things I wanted to try was the different flavors, styles, and environments beer is served in here in Berlin. To first clarify, as I am 20 years old, I do not know a lot about beer in the USA because of the drinking age, however I am familiar with some common beer taste’s such as Bud Light and Budweiser. One of the first things I noticed about beer in Berlin was the places that sold it, which was almost every place that sold food including everything from small food stands to more fancy restaurants, to the Mall of Berlin. When we went on a tour one of the days, it was mentioned that the Huguenots (French Protestants) came in to many German cities and improved the quality of Beer, making the consistently and quality of beer some of the best in the world, so I decided to try as many different beers as I could. My first experience with beer on the trip was at the group dinner we went to the first night, a German restaurant, “Thomas-Ech”. I ordered a dark classic beer, I believe it was a “Landmann” brand. The beer was on tap and was a very dark in appearance, and had a malty look and smell. It was a slightly bitter beer, but unlike American beer, had a very pure and full feel. I’m no expert but in general it tasted very good and was also relatively strong in terms of alcohol percent. Some things I took away from this experience was the quality and decent price (3 Euros) for a restaurant. I also ate at the Mall of Berlin during one of our adventures, and what stuck out at me at this place was the fact that the cashier asked me how old I was when ordered. I might have been just offended that he asked since the drinking age for beer 16 in Germany, but I was also surprised that they trusted me to tell the truth and asked for no identification. I figured they have to ask because of the large amount of younger high-school students that use the mall as a hangout spot. Either way, the beer I tried was mid to light beer, also on tap, and was less bitter but had a somewhat bitter aftertaste. My latest experience with German beer and culture was at the Hofbrau restaurant near Alexanderplatz and it was a great one. The classic Bavarian style of the restaurant and the cultured dress of the employees added to the effect of the already appealing environment of live entertainment and large amounts of beer being served.  Our group was about 16 people and we all ordered at least a half liter of beer, with all varying flavors and styles. A common style was to get soda or lemonade mixed in with beer, something that I had never seen or tasted before.  As we all tasted each others beers, it was easy to come to the consensus that the overall quality of beer lives up to the stereotype that it is very good. From dark to light and mixed to straight, I am very impressed with the classic beverage.