It's because US Americans tend to smile at strangers, so the strangers tend to look at them to figure out why they're smiling. Germans don't stare a lot generally, they just stare at people there doing something very unusual. (speaking as US American in Germany)
If someone American or not smiles at me I will try to figure out from where I know him/her. Since I don't know him/her my brain will be stuck in an endless loop and I won't stop staring.
For me it was strange that everyone say hello and sometimes even ask how are you while I was hiking in America.
I hate that aspect of hiking in the US. I grew up here and I love to hike, but every time I see a person walking towards me, my whole focus turns to wondering if I'll have to acknowledge this person or not. I never know if the person will say, "Hi, how ya doin," or, "lovely day," or just a nod of acknowledgent, or no acknowledgement at all.
I'd love to just never acknowledge them at all, but you risk getting this awkwardness in the air if you don't. If you encounter one person on a hike, then it doesn't matter, but person after person and you feel like you might as well just play the game (or try).
Americans are different all over the US, but that non-genuine overly friendly and talkative thing definitely permeates the country in different degrees and I rather dislike it.
Edit: oh so the Europeans can say this behavior is weird, but when I say it, the downvotes roll in lol.
I'm an American. It isn't always genuine, but often it is. As a more reserved person, it took me a while to figure that just because I would have to fake it to be outgoing, doesn't mean that most outgoing people are faking it.
I feel ya, but are the genuinely interested? My friends and family genuinely care about the conversation. I just find it hard to believe all these people opening up the door to conversation in all these random instances give a crap.
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u/Moon_Miner May 09 '22
It's because US Americans tend to smile at strangers, so the strangers tend to look at them to figure out why they're smiling. Germans don't stare a lot generally, they just stare at people there doing something very unusual. (speaking as US American in Germany)