German culture is very different than that of the United States. Here in America, we seem to honor manners and respect people's privacy (to an extent). It shocked me that in Germany it is not unlikely to get a staring treatment from someone while on the subway or while drinking the morning coffee. It is also commonplace for an elderly lady to watch your every move through her upstairs window. If we did either of these here in Ann Arbor, the most likely outcome would include a disgusted look and quite possibly an attitude-filled sentence such as, "what the hell are you looking at?"
In addition to this, Americans avoid honesty in certain situations in order to spare others feelings. For example, one would show disapproval to a gift that is received from a friend or family member. Even if the gift is something you'll never use, it is normal for you to thank the gift-giver and show appreciation for the gift. In Germany, however, honesty is used more freely. You should tell people what you feel about a gift, etc. Honest answers are the best policy in Germany.
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