They are, but the degree really varies. I remember being flabbergasted in a small town in eastern Germany when a woman not only willingly gave us directions, but even stepped out of her shop (where we hadn't bought a thing) into the rain to walk us to the curb, point out the landmarks, and make sure we understood where we were going. I have trouble imagining that occurring in most parts of western Germany, let alone generally.

To pick a Chinese example, I butchered the word for "airport" (saying fēichǎng--which sounds confusingly like "unusual" [féicháng] rather than jīchǎng) when telling the taxi driver our destination our last morning, forcing him to seek clarification from the concierge. Then he deferentially apologised to me for the misunderstanding. I have trouble imagining that happening with a Chicago-born cabbie.