If you’ve been there or live there, I’d love to hear your perspective. I’m going for the first time to visit my daughter, who lives with her German boyfriend near Munich in a town called Grunwald. I’m coming from Michigan. The question’s intentionally broad since I’m curious about everything: must-try experiences, daily life, culture, etc.
I’m just learning from this thread that we Americans have a reputation for small talk with strangers. For what it’s worth, it’s not really true in my experience. I never have cashiers or people I’m sitting next to on the bus try to engage me in conversation. Though it is true that smiling while interacting with people is considered polite.
Its a regional thing, in some parts of the US it is very common.