Huh. Literally everyone we interacted with in Germany spoke English. They’d start speaking it to us before even trying German - apparently the smiling is a dead giveaway that we were Americans and they all clocked us immediately.
One museum staffer looked at us when we came in and said, “American?” before we even spoke, so yeah, pretty much. She wasn’t rude about it, she could just tell.
I’m in the middle. I’ve been to Germany a couple of times, met plenty of English speakers, met plenty of people who had to endure my Dutch-infested attempt at German, and one lady who spoke no English but was born in France so had to endure my by then atrophied schoolboy French.
Huh. Literally everyone we interacted with in Germany spoke English. They’d start speaking it to us before even trying German - apparently the smiling is a dead giveaway that we were Americans and they all clocked us immediately.
Yes, we Germans never smile. That’s an unambiguous hint you’re from far away
One museum staffer looked at us when we came in and said, “American?” before we even spoke, so yeah, pretty much. She wasn’t rude about it, she could just tell.
Americans are always obvious.
Scowl… when in… Germany. Noted!
I’m in the middle. I’ve been to Germany a couple of times, met plenty of English speakers, met plenty of people who had to endure my Dutch-infested attempt at German, and one lady who spoke no English but was born in France so had to endure my by then atrophied schoolboy French.