[tjansen]

No experience of my own, as I am German, but there are idiots everywhere, including Germany. Before I start, I let me emphasize that I do not condone what I am going to describe, I am just describing it from my perspective.

I think it's more important how you dress than the color of your skin. If you dress in your home country's traditional clothes, you will probably experience more hostility than when you are wearing western clothes. The color of your skin will also be a factor, certainly more so than in the US, but usually hostility is based on your assumed (based on your looks) religion and values than the actual skin color. In the end, people are tribal, in rural Germany more so than in cities, and whether they accept you and how they treat you depends on whether they can relate to you.

I think language is the main factor why immigrants often will be strangers forever. Your social circle will be very limited if you don't speak German near-perfectly. But I would assume the same in the US if you don't speak English very well, and even then it's very difficult. At least that's what I have heard from Germans who moved to the US.

In bigger cities there are usually local expat communities where English is spoken, but you won't find many in rural Germany (unless you are close to a US military base or similar things). I think the best way to find them is on Facebook.

[pwinnski]

I think people around the world underestimate just how much support there is in the US for things like "broken English" and immigrants generally. There are some high-profile political counter-examples, of course, but by and large, immigrants still find the US much more welcoming to immigrants than most other countries.

That doesn't mean it's safer, and we still often struggle with delivering health care, but it's a weirdly welcoming place.

[igetspam]

> The color of your skin will also be a factor, certainly more so than in the US

You sure about that. Out police force is known for being more liberal about shooting people based on skin color. I'm not German so I won't argue with you but I don't get the impression that there's as much institutional racism there.

[tjansen]

Darker skin tones are very rare in most parts of Germany, especially in rural areas. There are lots of immigrant from Turkey, southern Europe, Asia and northern Africa, so it's not like everybody is pale white. But truly dark skin is something most people are not used to and will definitely stand out. Much more than in the US. Police is known to use racial profiling in many cities - which race also depends on who is controlling the illegal drug market in that city. There are many people complaining about racial profiling. Police shootings are not an issue though, for any skin color.

[gamechangr]

Broken English is very accepted in the US.

Some would go as far as to say that there is good feelings for those who try to speak the language after all, most Americans were immigrants a few generations back.