German Hospitality

I was shopping the other day for beads (stocking up before the trip) and the lady at the counter told me that German people hate Americans. And so do French people. I realize that may be an exaggerated statement. But I have recently learned some interesting facts about the German government's views on immigrants.

"'We hope the word 'foreigner' will soon become a foreign word for you', which seems slightly opaque until one consults the German original and sees that "foreign word" refers to 'Fremdwort', a concept which does not actually exist in English. The fact that German even has a word for 'Fremdwort' (according to one definition "a word which has been taken from another language … and which is seen as foreign") says something about German attitudes to the 'Other'.

Elsewhere in the [pamphlet on moving to Germany], German attitudes to nationality and immigrants are clearly illustrated. "Today, more than seven million foreigners live in Germany, almost nine percent of the population," it states in the 'History of immigration to Germany' section, adding that "one quarter were born in Germany." The idea of being born in Germany but still counting as a foreigner is perhaps itself foreign to many people.

Similarly 'Spätaussiedler' (ethnic Germans, generally from eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, descended from 18th and 19th century emigrants) are described as "immigrants of German origin", which also tells the prospective immigrant something about German attitudes to nationality."

http://www.expatica.com/de/essentials_moving_to/essentials/the-expat-instruction-manual-abrthe-german-governments-official-guide-to-living-in-germanybr-22242_9920.html

All in all this makes me a little apprehensive regarding our reception in Europe.