JackTheLad

Thanks!

Now bear in mind this was 10 years ago, just after they brought in the smoking ban on all flights. So I was on a flight to Frankfurt, but because of thunderstorms it got diverted to Koln.

So I said to the stewardess. How long is the delay. "As long as it takes". So hours and hours go by sitting on the tarmac. Eventually I get so pissed off I go to the toilet and have a ciggarette.

The german stewardess' were on me like bloody hyenas. I think I had about 4 of them surrounding me all shouting at me in german, about how I had endagered everyone on board (when 2 months earlier smoking in first class was ok). How was I endangering life, why couldn't they give us a take off time?

So I had a stand up argument with these Lufthansa women. They were all for calling the police, until my british female (supposed) boss just said, "oh for **** sake apologise", so I did.

JTL

Wol

"Fewer", not "Less".

Nitpicking, 'cos I'm jealous....

PamE

Hmmm don't really know how to respond to that one, it does seem that you rather brought it on yourself, altho German is quite a harsh-sounding language so can appreciate it wasn't very nice to be shouted at in it
Germans do seem to get a bad rap in general, such a shame & not sure why it is exactly. When I first told people I had met the lovely man who is now my husband they were like 'he's German?!' Have to admit he does have some weird ways tho and that stuff about Germans liking efficiency is sooooo true! They are very different to British people in general, too, I guess that makes them seem a little weird to us. Sorry to hear of your bad experiences. I have only been to Germany a couple of times and then only to Koln, and apart from family I only know one other German (and she is VERY weird altho in a lovable way), but I have very much enjoyed my time there and they have all been very nice to me.
Anyway! Same as all countries - some good folks, some weirdos & nutters

kporte

They were after my good looks and charm, not my grammar skills. Thankfully.

Wol

I almost fancy you myself, with that resume.....

spartacus

All heavy-legged fraulein I'd warrant . . .

moneypenny20

Well, who'd have thunk it? A thread in the Barbie going from rewinding your life 10 years to JTLs history of Germany in so few posts Tell her the one about the $50 note, JTL - oh hang on, that wasn't a German was it?

JackTheLad

I'd thank you to not refer to me as 'her'.

I'm JTL, the guy, husband, bloke. Ask Sue why I got a bollocking for having my own account as ADL.

Mrs JTL is apparently holier-than-thou. So would never post the bollox I post.

And it was me that got the change from a $20 when it was a $50 I gave the girl.

Lets not go there again, or Bix might appear.

JTL

moneypenny20

You're a fruit loop. When I said tell her I think I meant tell PamE who, judging by the name and the fact she mentioned her husband, is a 'her' . I know it was you, that's why I mentioned it

Tell S to give you a clip round the ear

kporte

Like most resumees, it's economical with the truth....

Safin

Did you tell her it was a $50?

JackTheLad

I had a chat with my closest German work colleague one time. We were at his apartment, we were having a few beers and watching a grand prix.

This was back in the days of Michael Schumacher, and he was a huge fan. So anyway we got on to wierd subjects like why he would drive people off the track and all that. It went on and on.

But the most profound thing he said to me, was, "Don't hate us, we have a very militaristic language and attitude. We have to prove we are better".

So instead of saying "could you" or "would you", they say "you must" or "do it". And you can guess the rest.
JTL

PamE

Sorry mate I am now lost

However, since you mention the language - they don't speak so abruptly in English because they have to 'prove they are better', it's the way their language is constructed, it's just different to ours. Some of them may use imperatives a lot in English like many who speak it as a second language, it doesn't mean anything & I think their accents or manner can perhaps just make it sound worse than it is, which really isn't their fault. I have met a lot of Germans since meeting my husband and to be honest it is true that a lot of them have come across quite abrupt and perhaps even rude in English, but once I learned to give them a chance I found that the majority of them are of course perfectly lovely people. They just are a certain way & it takes some getting used to. They find some of us 'island monkies' just as weird and offensive sometimes. You might be surprised to find that many Germans have a conception of British people (esp English) as loud, violent drunks. Of course we are not all that way. Like I said before, each country has it's weirdos & freaks and also its share of lovely people. It's silly to generalise by nationality, especially in a negative way.

I assumed you were tongue in cheek when you said you hated Germans, now am beginning to wonder But perhaps you are just winding me up! I did say earlier in the thread that I wouldn't be drawn into this one and here I am
But I love one of them very much you see

johnnyx0

I had a similar thing happen, when watching a grand prix with an ex's brother in law. Michael Schumacher was winning after he'd done something which could have been deemed a bit on the sly side, and I vehemently called him a "cheating German slag" while forgetting the ex's BIL was german as well. If I could go back 10 (ok, nearly 15 years), i'd change that as he was a lovely bloke and I've since met lots of really nice german people (as well as the odd knobhead, but that happens with every nationality I guess).

johnnyx0

Things I'd change with hindsight and knowing what I know now? Too many to list......

Things I'd change knowing what I knew then? Nothing. I made the best decision at the time with the knowledge, maturity and skills I had.

Regrets? Never