So, I'm going to Germany on Tuesday.

[Meister]

You should probably also read Ich werde ein Berliner.

As it was established before, German people quickly feel uncomfortable when there is nothing to be offended or worried about. If they currently have no personal reason to be offended or worried about anything, they will go to a bookstore to buy a book written by what they consider to be a much more intelligent person, who happens to be altruistic and kind enough to lecture them about recent developments that they should better be offended or worried about, and that person, more often than not, is Frank Schirrmacher.
[...]
His latest book, which is likely to become another bestseller, deals with the “dangers of the internet.” To Frank, the internet is at least 99% bad and a health risk for those little neurons who live inside that spongey stuff inside your skull called “brain,” so he highly recommends to go buy his book and read that until your brain turns numb from all the dull statistics and references to obscure studies. Admittedly, that will save you from having your brain turned into elephant poo by the internet because you can have a really, really intellectual German person do it for you instead. It’s the same tactical approach to health as cutting off your hand to keep your fingernails from growing.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

Another thing, pack warm. I don't know how cold it is where you are from but Germany freezes like a mofo.

Also German people are crazy ordered. Like you'll be at a traffic crossing, not a car in site. Every other country people would cross the road but lots of them just stand there waiting for the little man.Apparentely there is like a 40 euro fine for jaywalking and they will give it to you. This is what I was told, don't know if it is true but would explain why no one cross.

You can ride the underground without a ticket, in Berlin at least, but if the inspector catches you you have to pay something like 50 euros. A newspaper worked out it is cheaper just to pay fines when they come rather than buying tickets but tickets are quite cheap normally so really its up to you whether you risk it. I just bought tickets.

[A Zarkin' Frood]

I'm from what I like to call the best part of the worst part of Germany. We have religious nutjobs, bad food, drunkards, right-wing politicians but...

Originally Posted by Geminex

try the cheeses. Way better than the monotonous cheddar America seems to thrive on.

Exactly that. American cheese is freakin' orange. ORANGE?! How the fuck do you make orange cheese AND survive eating it? Over here cheese will come in many other colors like white, slightly yellow-ish, another shade of white with some green, bright yellow and many more.
Try European cheese. Now!

Also, please reaffirm something for me.
Buy a German product that says "American" on the label and please give your impression. A certain American person I know says "That's not American, it's German American it's not the same. (commence rambling)"

[Professor Smarmiarty]

Wait wait wait. Orange cheese?

[A Zarkin' Frood]

It's just what I once saw, it was horrible, okay. Maybe the rest of american cheese is reasonably colored and even tastes okay, but I can't check right now.

[Sky Warrior Bob]

I think he's talking about yellow cheddar. I prefer the white stuff myself, preference on Cabot of Vermont. They make some mean sharp cheddar.

Yellow cheddar over here seems to be the preference of restaurants, but whenever I go to the supermarket, the varieties of white sharp cheddar are at least 5:1. I think yellow has a lower melting point, so its good for cooking.

I personally don't care a wit for it, but its basically a really mild & soft cheddar. Too soft & too mild, if you ask me.

SWB

[Osterbaum]

But cheddar tastes awesome.

[Krylo]

It's called cheddar. And, yes, it tastes awesome.

And you know, we actually have Monterey (I prefer pepper) Jack, Mozzarella, Provolone, Ricotta, Brie, Blue Cheese, Havarti Cheese, Gouda, Romano, Asiago, Formaginni, etc. etc.

We're a damn melting pot of all of your cultures, if you've got it we've got it. Maybe not in every supermarket, but most delis have a ridiculous selection of cheeses.

[Corel]

Originally Posted by Smarty McBarrelpants

Another thing, pack warm. I don't know how cold it is where you are from but Germany freezes like a mofo.

Also German people are crazy ordered. Like you'll be at a traffic crossing, not a car in site. Every other country people would cross the road but lots of them just stand there waiting for the little man.Apparentely there is like a 40 euro fine for jaywalking and they will give it to you. This is what I was told, don't know if it is true but would explain why no one cross.

You can ride the underground without a ticket, in Berlin at least, but if the inspector catches you you have to pay something like 50 euros. A newspaper worked out it is cheaper just to pay fines when they come rather than buying tickets but tickets are quite cheap normally so really its up to you whether you risk it. I just bought tickets.

Bwhaha, oh I remember these three things VERY well.

I think the whole traffic light thing is quite good to set an example; even more so if there are children about. I found in some places people will say hello and goodbye to you when sitting down next to you or standing in an elevator, but I can imagine this might not be true everywhere.

Oh the trains. It is actually cheaper to get caught than pay a fine, it depends how lucky you are. In my stay the inspector would come around once every month or so (Taking the train twice everyday) and the fine would've been cheaper than buying the monthly ticket. If you get caught you might be lucky and play the foreigner card and you are only jumping out on the next stop and be let off, sometimes you're not. Also love the beast that is German public transporation.

Of course, I remember some friends of mine trying this, and got caught THREE times in a week without a pass. Talk about unlucky.

[Green Spanner]

Originally Posted by Osterbaum

But cheddar tastes awesome.

Cheddar should have protected designation of origin status, that way that tasteless orange crap you get in American supermarkets wouldn't be put in the same boat as a proper, beautiful bit of mature English cheddar.

They're pretty much two different cheeses, so why not?