Oh, how time flies: comparing daily life in US and Germany

Just came back from Germany where I made a few observations realizing that we settled in Seattle for a while now: 

- In the cupboard I find things that expired in 2006 
- In Germany I now feel stupid standing at the cash register when I need a couple of seconds til I notice I have to bag my groceries myself - and I even forgot to put plastic bags on the conveyor belt in time. 
People gave me the looks 'What is wrong with you!'
- I throw - with only a moment's hesitation - batteries in the trash (really hard to admit)
- A life without a microwave is no good life 
- The German traffic lights are sometimes really hard to see (on same site of road)
- Ice water served in every US restaurant has only a slightly chlorine flavor (in the beginning I couldn't drink it at all, was like drinking pool water)
- You really need a coin to get a shopping cart, really? WTF!
- Television without DVR is not good entertainment
- Food shopping in Germany is super cheap (10 items for under 10 Euros - 10 things cost at least $ 30 in Seattle.) 
- Tipping is an entirely different story, 20% in Seattle - 1 or 2 euros or rounding up to the full Euro. If we give 20 % to a German waiter they start a happy dance, it's unheard of.
- The German McDonalds has really great deals and specials and everything tastes pretty good (for a fast food chain) - in the USA it's all the same most weeks (no 'Los Wochos') and everything tastes cheap and bland
- Pretzels, Krusti Semmeln and the local bread selection would really be nice - after all, we have now found a baker who can bake great croissants (Bakery Nouveau)
-  drinking in the beer garden without a brown bag hiding your alcoholic beverage (preferably Radler)
- A waste disposal in the sink is a pretty practical thing
- And also our ice maker and water filter in the refrigerator 
- Shopping is definitely more fun in Germany 
- Americans are friendlier in general (yes, I know it's mainly objective, but no one will bitch at you in a store, for sure), more childcentric than the Germans. Timmy had a real culture shock during his first shopping trip  when no one in the store paid any attention to him. In America at least 3 people per shopping trip flirt and chat with him.

Not all is well in the new world - but not all is too bad in Germany either. 

Many greetings from over here 
Tini