Most of the media is liberal. Interestingly, when you go overseas, you will sometimes be surprised at the non-biased nature of the publicationsd. The Manila Times is a great newspaper, very informative.

J

Give me a heads up when you get through that list

1. You answer other people's questions so obviously without care and thought and apparently just for points so you can go ask more questions.

and

2. The people that are gracious enough to assist you or answer your questions most of the time don't even recieve the courtesy of you selecting the "best answer" but they are instead selected by voters.

So instead I decide that if you are not interested in doing the right, then why in the world should anyone be interested in helping you?

First of all, consider how you will be traveling. Will you be taking buses or trains? So, how much luggage will you take with you? A rolling suitcase is pretty comfortable in the US, but in Europe they have lots of uneven sidewalks, short flights of steps and cobblestone streets that can be pretty annoying to lug a suitcase full of souvenirs around all the time. I recommend a good backpack with a padded waist support if you think you'll be doing much travel between destinations.

Secondly, bring comfortable shoes. There are so many cool things to see in those three countries, and since European cities were built with pedestrians in mind, you'll definitely be doing a lot of walking.

Attire depends on you–generally Europeans dress a little nicer than Americans for going out in the evening, but a nice pair of jeans with sandals and a nice shirt will be fine. Under your clothes though, you should have a passport holder. I prefer the kind you wear around your waist like a belt, other friends of mine like the around-the-neck kind. Keeping your passport safe and out of sight should be a priority!

Take the time to look in a bookstore or a library for a guidebook of Western Europe. The ones with pictures, like the Eyewitness line, are really good for piquing interest in places to see. Then, when you have a general idea of what you want to see, you can figure out how many things you will be able to fit in. There is so much to see in France or Germany alone that you won't be able to do everything you wanted! (My top pick for Germany would be Nuenschwanstein castle–the one that looks like the Disney castle–and for France, who doesn't love Paris).

As for proper behavior, just remember you're a guest in these countries. You'll be fine.

Happy travels!