Imaginary packing list

As my farewell is coming closer a lot of you guys keep asking me about my main U.S. -impressions and the differences I’ll be confronted with when I am back in Germany…
Well, in my opinion, though Europeans and Americans are not totally like fire and water they can’t pass off as twins… Therefore, let’s see… How do I have to prepare for my homeward journey to be welcomed back into the fold and the German community?

Insider-rules:

1) Use (also) the person’s last name if you are not close to him/her!
2) Get out of you car! (If you like to draw cash from your account, get food, have to buy medicine etc.)!
3) When you are driving, don’t take it easy anymore: Time is money and you have to pretend to be in a hurry! Accelerate, rail against the traffic and the other drivers, honk your horn!
4) Don’t get a heart attack the first time you see gas prices…!
5) Enjoy drinking alcohol (f. e. Gluehwein on a Christmas market) in the public!
6) Don’t waste your time to look for Christmas decoration on the house walls!
7) Pay cash!
8) Find the (supermarket) caddy by yourself!
9) Don’t ask how somebody is doing you don’t know!
10) Get used to manual driving!
11) Party public till the next morning (not only till 2 a.m.)!
12) Be happy about the variety of healthy and fresh fruit!
13) Don’t complain about the small portion if you are eating out!
14) Pay your drinking water!
15) Don’t expect refills!
16) Be ashamed if you don’t know who Heino is, but don’t ask people about the last Anderson/Kid Rock news!
17) Be a Fan of “the Hoff” and be proud of it!
18) Go to soccer-games not in baseball-stadiums!
19) Finish your (grocery) shopping before 8 p.m. and don’t be surprised if you find yourself standing in front of closed stores on a Sunday!
20) Celebrate Christmas on the 24th!
21) Be content with only 20 TV channels!
22) Wake up with the help of (strong) coffee!
23) Recall the numbers 13-24 if someone asks the time!
24) Use Ä, Ö, and Ü!
25) Be prepared of jokes about G.W. Bush!

Linda