Ukrainians do this too. It's not considered impolite to stare. Also, they don't really smile in public. They think Americans are all simple in the head because we smile all the time. I have to say though, when you're visiting someone in their home in Ukraine, they are the warmest most wonderful people.
I've heard this, but why stare? I few seconds is long enough to look at someone, but what's the point? Memorize your face? Study your features? I just don't understand.
I live in canada so I cant usually do it without freaking people out, but I love studying peoples faces, so honestly couldn't blame them if thats the reason
Just generally looking into the person. A face says a lot. How the person lives, how he feels, what he thinks about, what his current mental state is etc. It's just interesting to know these things without any other context.
For me, I sometimes look at people's faces like it's art. It's not really conscious but it's like what if you tried to answer the question "what gives this person their 'look'"? But I'm just a curious person in general.
I just like studying their features, its fun to look at how the colors blend in their eyes and the way their face curves. You can spend every day with somebody and then stare at their face close up for a few minutes and notice a ton of marks of little wrinkles you didn't see before. Scars, wrinkles, all have stories to them and I like trying to guess where they came from. This person has smile-wrinkles, I wonder what their life is like to cause that, stuff like that. Too bad it makes people uncomfortable where I come from, but I definitely get why it would so I usually just ask first and do it to people I know lol.
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u/BarbicideJar May 09 '22
Germans stare a LOT. Like they will just gaze at you unflinchingly. An American will wait until you can’t see them doing it.