Culture shock for Germans when visiting Australia

It certainly seems that way. Way to overreact. They are in Australia so they should get used to people not being the same way as people in Germany. I have never been to Australia (unfortunately) but I have lived in the south of the US, which I dare say is probably at least as friendly insincere as Australia. Maybe it takes some getting used to but when in Rome, do as the Romans do and play the fuck along. And when dealing with random people I prefer friendliness over grumpiness any day. It's not like I wanna be friends with the waiters or employees of a store so what does it matter whether they really want to know how you are. It's the custom. I hate saying "Good morning" in German (Guten Morgen) because that expression is an oxymoron for me (much like black milk) but guess what, I do it anyway. They need to get over themselves.

Oh mann...I'm already so much used to saying "morgen/Moin , Mahlzeit (donno why they use this), and Schönen Abend". At times, its boring! Specially, the 'mahlzeit' dingsbumps.

Oh yeah, I'm used to it too, saying it at work, but any day that I have to get up to work at 8.30am is inevitably a bad morning, so "good morning" is a lie and oh so insincere. And you could say "Guten Appetit" instead of Mahlzeit, that's what I always say. Mix it up a little.

Come to think of it, there are plenty of superficial things about German society, and there are plenty of Germans who love the laid-back casualness of Australia. So I think you probably just lucked out with that woman. If you want to have some fun, do over-the-top superficial next time you're sitting near her - "Oh Darling, so good to see you again, how ARE you?"

Personally I think friendliness is ALWAYS a posiive characteristic. I like it and am very disappointed with the lack of it in Germany. After 3 years in Germany I am moving because I have noticed that whatever directon you travel from Germany, the people get nicer/more insincere (even the swiss). I am emigrating, to Oz actually, after coming here 3 years ago thinking I might make Germany my home. I guess to stay here I would have to become just like the Bavarians in the story in the original post.

This German "sincerity" actually translates into being cold and unfriendly.

I think the Bavarian couple in the original post have to react with this old "insincerity" complaint, because the alternative is the horrible realisation that you come from a society that is often, although not always, self-centres, cold, inhospitable and unfriendly. And who wants that?

Neither true in my experience but each to their own eh?

Are these Bavarian friends the kind who wear those funny hats with bits of rope round them?

As an Australian it is nice to hear that generally "our" friendliness is viewed as genuine. I'd like to think that I have maintained the home level of warmth and friendliness but I reckon overtime, living in Germany you learn to tone it down a bit.

Your guests deserve pity. They know no better. What a life they must have had. Don't expect them to change... try to remain compassionate.

I don't miss hardly anything about Australia, but service and casual friendliness is definitely something I would like more of over here. More positive attitudes wouldn't go astray either.

The crazy thing is that on the whole, I think Germans are pretty friendly. However, the one time they are not friendly, is when they are getting paid TO BE friendly. Service is something I really didn't care about before I came here, but it's so appallingly bad here, I actually value it now.

Like others say, sometimes you'll go into the shop, and it seems like the shopkeeper is doing you a favour by letting you come in. The other crazy thing is that the Germans know the country has appalling service (Servicewüste is a term you hear a lot) but nothing gets done about it.

Neandertaler said what I think to be the most important thing here: "One of the things I always pointed out to them was that in Australia, when someone asks "How are you?", they don't (as a general rule) want to know."

I had similar experiences with germans in canada complaining about the whole superficial thing. I explained to them that in Canada, if the cashier at Loblaws asks how I am, I could be on fire and I'd still say "Good thanks." That's because to me it means "hi" and "hi" respectively. I imagine that germans find it intrusive or uncomfortable because they feel that they should answer the letter of the question, rather than the concept. Whether it's due to a literal interpretation of language, or based on a cultural thing I dunno. The germans I know eventually came around though so maybe that's hope for you Melbel.

In an attempt to feel less formal with my greetings, I once said hi to someone in Germany with a "what's up" and got a 2 minute response about everything that was up, when all I really expected/wanted was a "nix." So it goes both ways.

It's like when my canadian friends complain about germans being rude and budding in line in front of you. I try to explain that it's not that the Germans are thinking "i'm german and thus deserve to purchase my ticket first," it's just that you probably weren't standing in line properly.

You're not serious, are you?

well being an INTP i sometimes get annoyed at Australian /yank/brit Youth Hostel room extrovert friendly mates, and wish i had some seriouss, unfriendly germans, but thats me.

I thought this applied to the USA. When in the lift (elevator!) in hotel in Burlington (Boston) & some young lady asked "How are you today" & I answered "Awful - have a terrible headache & didnt drink a drop yesterday" she clearly didnt want to know...

Probably not (I know, I can't speak for them) but I do have to admit, the few times I have "cut in line" were because I did not realize the people were also in line. Happened just the other day at the grocery store, and old granny gave me an evil stare (the Catalan version). (Of course I let her back in line as soon as I realized my mistake.)