Kultur5, Norman Lam

I found it interesting that Germans are used to physical contact when walking in the streets, because this is somewhat similar to Hong Kong, where I grew up in. In Hong Kong, people seldom apologize for physical contact in the streets, and I am sure that the scene of people rushing into the subway during rush hours is more horrible than that in Germany and many other countries. Occasionally, Hong Kong people might scowl at or quarrel with one another if someone bumps into someone else on the sidewalks in a rude way.

In my four years here in America, I have grown accustomed to the politeness of Americans. However, sometimes I still feel awkward when someone apologizes to me at the slightest contact, or when I cannot even feel that someone has touched me. It makes me feel like I am compelled to apologize upon the slightest contact with someone as well.

I also found the article on German “toilet ladies” very interesting. Coming from Hong Kong where it is generally free to use all restrooms, I was very intrigued by my experiences in Germany when I found out that everyone had to pay to use the restrooms. Furthermore, I was confused about the amount I should tip the sanitary assistants when I saw them in restrooms in tourist districts. However, I have to commend them for their efforts - in general the German toilets that I have been to were indeed very clean.