Why WalMart failed in germany...

What about real friendliness? Americans have many flaws like being insular, navel-gazing, and ignorant of the world (I am getting into essentialism here, which I normally avoid, and understand this is completely untrue of many Americans), but they are genuinely very nice. Much nicer and friendlier than the average person in basically every European country I have been to. The only place I have found friendlier and more welcoming people was in the Middle East/North Africa. People who barely know you will take you in like you are family there. I had this experience multiple times, when I had friends families invite me into their homes to stay. That is not something that would happen in most other places. Your nephew from another country brings friends, and you invite them to stay with you for a week. Incredible really.

 

Why would that bother you? It has no impact on you whatsoever. If they followed you home screaming have a nice day at you the whole way home, I would get that. However, saying that as you are leaving should either be something you like or are apathetic towards. Wanting to be violent over that, speaks a hell of a lot more about you, than it does the person saying have a nice day.

 

There is no such thing as a specifically Belgian type of potato. Potatoes are native to the Americas and only came to Europe after the colonization of the Americas. Any potato grown is Belgium is therefore necessarily also grown elsewhere as well.

 

Gotta wonder how much fresh fruit and veggies are available at German grocers. Bananas? Pineapples? Peaches & plums?

Marcuss?

 

Why would anyone care? I like Europe. I think it is great. I don't feel the need to denigrate Europe, and I don't see why Europeans feel the need to denigrate all things related to the US. I get being critical of our foreign policy, as it is deserving of criticism, but the fact that a company is American should be irrelevant to people of intelligence.

 

It's the culture.

"Welcome to Britain. We have prevailing south-westerly winds and 52% of our days are overcast, so as a nation we are infused with a subtle melancholy, leading to eccentricity, binge drinking and casual violence."

 

Depends on how you define that? Both countries have very high standards of living. Why is it a competition? Seems like pointless jingoism to pound your chest and argue X country is better than Y country. All countries have things which recommend them. I see your Polish flag, and I was in Krakow last summer and it was lovely and extremely affordable. I traveled a lot for my age, because my mother works for the airlines and I fly free, and because I have traveled to do research for my degree. I have never been to a single country that did not have positives and negatives. Which country is best is largely down to subjective preferences.

 

I am young and stay up late, so the open 24 hours part is one of the only redeeming qualities about Walmart. The only time I will go in there is very late, because the shopping experience isn't so terribly hellish then. Otherwise I prefer quality to cheapness.

 

And what's wrong with the minimum wage?

The other German retailers are able to make a profit, and their workers are able to support their families. You make it sound like that is the German's fault for not allowing Wal Mart to pay slave labor wages.

We're idiots in America allowing such low wages in retail and food services. We end up paying for those cheapo widgets and dirt cheap burgers through welfare because the people working those jobs can't survive on the wages paid.

Time to wake up to reality, the Wal Marts, McDonalds, etc... of America should not be seen as beacons of how good capitalism works, they should be seen as the sins of greed and exploitation.

 

I was stationed in Germany (Mainz) for a couple years and it was my experience that most Germans could speak at least some English.

 

Same here, Stuttgart and Mannheim and English was prevalent with the younger generation.....1980's

 

So I should have punched the young lady working as a cashier at Dairy Queen in the face for telling me to have a Blessed Day last night?

 

Greece economy is smaller than the economy of the single german city Stuttgart. So whats your point?

 

That is definitly not true. But we like honesty. I feel harassed from a person i don´t know who comes to close to me. I don´t want that. If i need help in a shop, then i ask.

When i buy clothes, i look for myself and feel very uncomfortable when shop staff comes to me and tries to "help" me.

 

We have a wall around us. For strangers we appear cold and show distance. But once the ice is broken we are the most friendly and helpful people. But we need time to build up trust.

 

You want kidding me?

EDEKA



Kaufland



You get evrything here. From the common apple to the Truffle.

My girl and i want cook some pasta with morels for example tomorrow.

 

In east germany almost zero. In rest of germany only in the largest cities. Some know some basics. I was the best in english in my class and i made an exchange year to New Zealand, that helped me. English plays no big role.

To see how bad english is here you just have to listen the english callings of our railway corporation DB. They are famous for their miserable english ;P

 

Ignorance?

 

DB actually tries to announce in English? Everywhere I've gone it has all been only German. Luckily I've picked up enough German to understand what they mean.

I do enjoy riding the trains - a very comfortable way to travel and a lot easier than taking a plane.

 

Yes they "try" sometimes. It sounds funny

[video=youtube;wJHZuRxAkSw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJHZuRxAkSw[/video]

I love our DB. Its very comfortable. You can sleep well and the food is also good that they serve in the train.

 

Ignorance leads to prosperity? Really? You're going to go with that?

 

Um... how do you think it got on the shelf?

 

We lived in the base housing at Mainz-Kastel. Small world!

 

I think you still don't get it. I'm young, healthy and have strong arms. I put my stuff myself into the bag. I see it as totally nonsense to make that a job for someone. Its not accepted here to have such stuff here.

 

Ah; the way you phrased it, it sounded to me as if you found it disgusting if other people lay their fingers on your stuff. So it's just an ego thing, then? "I can put my stuff in my OWN bag!" If you're that offended, you can ask to put stuff in your own bag.