I’m from Australia (but have lived mostly in NZ) where people constantly do small polite gestures smiling at strangers, holding doors, waving at drivers, apologizing for even minor bumps. It’s second nature.
While traveling through Europe, though, I’ve noticed everyday interactions feel different. In Austria, someone asked me to close the door after just 20 seconds because they were cold. On a German train, a staff member rolled her eyes when we asked about our reserved seats. People bump into you without saying sorry, and even when we returned dropped money, the person didn’t thank us.
It’s not that everyone’s rude we’ve met plenty of kind people but I’m wondering if this is just a cultural difference. Are Europeans simply more reserved? Should I adjust my expectations, or is politeness just expressed differently here?
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