Sunday Taboos in Germany

In Germany shops get closed on sunday

Even before I came to Germany, I’ve already sensed the difference a lot concerning on the table manners. As I was receiving a German guy in Beijing and went out with him to visit the Great wall, we stopped for a break at noon and ate there for lunch. In China we order dishes for all people cause everyone can share and taste different flavors which we see as an advantage. So I ordered for him and as the dishes came onto the table, he grasped “his ” dish without any thought. I knew this guy got sick because he had to finish a whole plate of fatty pork leg himself^_^. Until now I still enjoyed our way of eating on this point because even if I am now in Germany, I still keep on getting confronted with embarrassed situations in which I totally disliked the food but out of politeness had to finish it without the possibility to turn to other dishes instead. (cause dishes are served one after another in sequences)! Dear god!
Other interesting things are also worth mentioning. My German friends who once lived in China for quite a while had more than once complained that he rarely could bear Chinese spit bones of whatever directly onto the table or the ground because according to him it was really disgusting. So I told him for Chinese it was even more unacceptable to do it onto the plate which is considered to be seen more easily. While Chinese eat loudly, Germans clean the nose in front of people’s face; while Chinese mess up the dinner table, Germans lick their fingers… So it’s really difficult to say which way is better and who’s going to make compromise to the other. Anyway, that is culture!^_^