had through my several internships in the U.S. quite a few experiences with the universities in these two countries made and had to sit even with the one or the other officers mold (especially in Germany) apart. An experience that I have made here is that we in Germany are often perceived as annoying complainer that keeps the university staff from their actual work (whatever that is).
In the U.S., university employees are completely different. They are friendly, courteous, helpful, but often completely clueless Every time I went to an American university in the student or faculty office, I was warmly received, so in style:
"Hello, how are you? If the not a beautiful day? How can I help you? ... "
One can imagine the conversations: Very friendly, very helpful and courteous. Often I was told that I am very good at filling out forms - my standard response to this "praise" was that I'm from Germany and we are proficient in German filling out forms.
In Germany, however, it is often with a more or less friendly welcome (well, some say, "How can I help you?" But the way it sounds to say it rather "What do you want?" Need to get in my light and my wegatmen air? ") is then operated or being told that someone else was responsible, "This makes the master tailor in C413, but today leave"
The Unia-off in the U.S. are friendly and helpful, but would never admit in life, that they have no idea what they want or who could help me further. In Stony Brook I did this happen so often that when I went to one of the registrar's office, I was received very warmly, the secretary was friendly and interested, and when I uttered my question also mentions it often, "Well, that's not my job, but sometimes go down the aisle to the last office on the left. This is Judy's ! Office responsible for your concern "at the end of the hallway
in the said office I was welcomed very warmly by Judy, she was curious and polite and when I presented my problem, she said," Oh, but I'm not responsible but sometimes go to the office Estelle XXX at the end of the corridor. Which is responsible for you. "
At the end of the corridor in Estelle's office I was greeted warmly, Estelle was polite and curious, and as I presented my problem ...
It is not difficult to imagine how this story goes on. Eventually I ended up mostly in the correct office and was able to solve my problem, but why me no or sent directly there has told me that she has or he has no idea and I must make myself clever, I'll probably never understand. It would have to go sure saved a lot of times when I would not have been sent four times in a circle to someone who I can be "guaranteed" to be and would have informed himself instead, and then directly to the right person.
In the U.S., but not the only university employees are like that. Even people you meet on the street or in shops do not dare to tell you that they have no idea. Many Americans apparently have such a strange need for impression management (Impression Management), have more than friendly, helpful and knowledgeable present. Apparently it would cost great effort to say, "I have no idea, ask someone else."
said Manuela and I sometimes in the small town of Port Jefferson go to the movies in the movie "Bugs". We had no idea where the movie was, and navigation systems did not exist back then. Thus, by asking, we had to.
We had such a rough idea could be the cinema, and ran off in the direction. But when we had seen after 20 minutes of running still no movies, we went in in a bagel shop in order to ask for directions. The approximately 18 year old employee sent us towards the city back and said that they would be very sure that is the movie theater there.
After another 20 minutes we asked in the street an old lady on the street for directions to the cinema. She sent us in the direction of the port, because it would be very sure that the cinema would be there.
When we were after a good 15 minutes near the port and had still seen no cinema, we asked in a garage for directions. The man in the shop sent us back in the direction from which we had come. The cinema was only 5 (car) minutes ...
For the film, it was now too late, but we were still out in the hope that perhaps a See subsequent presentation to, or perhaps a different movie.
On the way to the cinema, we came back past the bagel shop in which we asked for directions the first time. The cinema was not 400 meters away from the Donut bakery. And we were running around in circles for over an hour because we are "completely safe" directions of the various people had thought!
Honestly, what's wrong with these people?
Funnily Manuela and I were also asked on the street for directions to a place I did not know the. We were in Stony Brook on his way to Green Cactus, a Mexican fast food restaurant where Manuel and I Eating times were like when a car stopped beside us. In the car sat a man and a woman and a stack of children in the back seat.
"Excuse me, can you tell me how I come to the Home Depot?" I asked the co-driver.
"I'm sorry, but we are not from here. I have no idea where the Home Depot is. "
This was clearly not the answer which the Beifarerin was expected of me. She looked at all bedröppelt and then asked, "Can you show me at least the general direction?"
"I really have no idea. The Home Depot could be anywhere. I can not Direction show! You have to ask someone else. "
The woman looked me speechless with big puppy eyes. The car to drive but made no move on. Apparently the two were not hide the fact that I had them rejected that. Apparently I was
the family not otherwise going to answer the question as to one or the other way. "Try it a try in the direction of town. I would imagine that the Home Depot have more outside the city as a settlement is in the inner city. "
A broad smile came over the face of the co-driver. "Thank you thousand," she said. Then her husband gave Gas and the car went in the direction of it that I had shown the two.
These people can not really deal with rejection. Rather, they can give the wrong information than none. Funny ...
I praise myself but my German fellow-citizens. Either they know the way and tell you how to get to the desired location. Or they have no idea and say that one also.
This I am sent from a non-competent secretariat to the next non-competent secretariat, only because the respective secretary did not want to admit that she had no idea I was frankly pretty bad. But apparently serve the secretaries and other persons so that only a need of their fellow citizens.
because people do not just give a false statement, but some would also have a false statement, only that they have anything at all. This must be
probably a difference in attitude between us Germans and Americans. But as long as you do not for a false statement is sued for a million damages should it be me so if the people are rather crappy, but to get an honest answer.
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