I have travelled to Germany 3 times spanning 20 years.  Usually I spend time in the vicinity of Munchen. I have always felt the German people I met were friendly, helpful, energetic, orderly,  and fun-loving. The country is beautiful, and the people are really cool too.

Plus, I LOVE hearing Germans TALK!! Love the language.

I think of Germans as really progressive culturally and a generally intelligent and well-educated people and I'm finding their way of thinking to be quite in tune with my American sensibilities. I love the directness and sense of humor! It's like everyone knows that life is meant to be taken with a grain of salt yet things should be done well if they are going to be done at all. I just love that. German art and music are a cut above. How could any country that produced Beethoven, Mozart, Bach and Wagner not have seriously smart genes still running through them and some powerful cultural expectations regarding excellence to boot. Even the modern music of Germany I have found some things that I enjoy a great deal when I don't usually like pop music. It's really nice to be actually talking to real Germans now instead of hearing the terrible exaggerated stereotyped German made to sound nasty on American TV. German has power yet can have it's sweetness too when spoken by sweet people.

These are just my initial impressions and thoughts and I am really looking forward to learning more over time and getting to know the real truth instead of just the silly stereotypes. 

I had a friend, just one german friend and I have the idea that the German people is formal, nice and very trusted. My friend showed me that. He is a good ambassador from his country :)

As for one person creating my impression of a language and a country, I have to admit that I did find a friend here that made me WANT to learn German. I wasn't interested before but her lovely voice and sweet self won me over and because of her, I can't get enough German and now I am meeting other truly lovely German people here. :D And Alice, I think you are an amazing spokes-person for your country and language. Anyone that gets to talk to you could only have good things to say. 

Thank you all for your comments!

I think it's just in the german mentality that the people are a often reserved and orderly. But that's not bad! Some people might like it and some might not. Beeing reserved, orderly and punctual doesn't mean that we are cold oder mean. Neither does the fact that our lanugage can seem a little harsh to some people. Even though it might seem like that sometimes.

And the prejudice that germans don't have any humor is not true. We do have humor and sometimes even make fun of ourselfs.

Camilo, I am sorry that your first contact with germans didn't go that well. But trust me. Not every german is like that. Yes there are some rude and mean ones but every country has those! Please don't let a few people destroy the view on one country.

Dorothy, thank you so so much for your kind words.

"It's like everyone knows that life is meant to be taken with a grain of salt yet things should be done well if they are going to be done at all." I love how you expressed that! It is indeed true.

Christina, thanks for your opinion!

The thing with the tidy gardens, yards and pavements is so true. In the village where I am living is it common that you sweep the street in front of your house and when I say in front of YOUR house I mean YOUR house. From one foundation-stone to the other. We often forget that and then "our" part of the street is very dirty which is a little embarassing because our neighbours do it nearly daily. Oh well this german quirk is a little funny xD

I'm looking forward to more comments and opinions!

Yours, Alice