AMD 6: Learning about German recommendations

After a whole summer in Germany and having learned quite a bit more about German culture taking this class, I have still not learned how short and directly to the point Germans can be.  While applying to grad school programs this semester, I asked my boss from the summer for a recommendation letter.  I was hoping that since I had done a good job over the program she would be able to provide a strong recommendation for me to succeed in getting into grad school.

Usually students are not allowed to have access to their recommendation letters, but my boss sent it to me anyway, and I realized that this was definitely not a recommendation.  It was a very descriptive letter about the program I worked in, with not much to say about my work there.  She also said she was going to Mexico for holidays and would not be available until my deadlines were past.  Therefore, I had to frantically search for a new recommender because, for one, that was not a god recommendation, and second, she still owes me 2 more.  Sigh...

But anyway...what does this teach me about Germans?  They are incredibly to the point when it comes to describing things.  In a sentence she says that I was very good and expressed strong intercultural skills.  However, she does not go into detail about how or what led her to see this.  In Germany, this would be sufficient, but in the US that is the equivalent of me saying that she is very nice: it can mean almost anything, including sometimes something negative.  I am sure, in retrospect, this will be a very amusing experience, but for now...AHHH!!! :D