Kultur 2

As I read through the articles, what I found quite interesting is that these "Germanic" qualities seem more to me like "Eastern European" qualities. I see many of the same qualities (constant complaining, the blunt statements, the staring) from my relatives in the former Yugoslavia. I would assume that this has a lot to do with the fact that most modern Eastern European governments were once Communist, just as Germany was (pre-Unification). It seems that each time my overseas family skypes my parents, they have something new to complain about. Be it the government, their health, the weather, there's always something new (and almost always minor) to complain about. They can also be incredibly blunt with their statements- a trait that I share. It seems that they don't have the patience to beat around the bush- they say what they think. That can be either a very good trait, or one that is very bad (especially for Westerners who don't expect it). And if there's anything that is evident throughout Eastern Europe, it's the staring. My grandmother is a huge perpetrator of this. We like to laugh about it, that she has no shame- regardless of who it is, where we are, if something interests her for whatever reason, she stares. During my last visit to Macedonia, I noticed the stares as well. People see Americans or hear English being spoken, and their first inclination is to observe. As creepy as it is, I think it is beneficial for all of us to just observe the people and happenings around us once in a while.