European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 05, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                When bubbles collide cultural relations go pop. Thomas Sweeney guest columnist mar icons love space. No in a not talking about the Milky Way or Apollo Moon shots. In a referring to personal space. We like to drive Down Broad a boulevards in big vehicles with spacious interiors in the states Well take our Gas Buzz ing monsters to huge shopping malls surrounded by acres of free parking lots when we enter those  stroll Down wide Aistis in big warehouse like stores we re accustomed to big things and we love t plenty of space. A r the american love affair with vast expanses probably began when Daniel Boone started the Westward drive through the Cumberland Gap in search of Richer Farmland. Folk talks Tell us of a Quot seeing whoopee Goldberg is one Good reason to go to Cannes. Page 11. A sunday is a weekly supplement cart the stars and stripes. R acting editor Sarah Bottorff Art direction Wes Booher a a eduction Kelly Quinn a Lisa Williams kid Torjul assistance Louis Pierce a a Marian Familton Pioneer who Felt so crowded when new neighbors moved within 10 Miles of his Homestead that he packed up and moved farther West for More breathing room. _ anthropologists Tell us that we each surround. Ourselves in a Bubble of air that encompasses what we claim As our individual territory.  american Bubble has a radius of 12 feet and each of us divides the personal space within our Bubble into zones that we defend with varying degrees of intensity. Usually  to keep strangers in the 4-to-12-foo.t social zone unless we re partying with them in which Case Well let them come As close As 18 inches i.e., deep within the personal zone _. Strangers who break the Boundary of our 18- Inch intimate zone tend to make us edgy and defensive. Europeans with the exception of the British a who sold us our bubbles zip around in sportier 6 / foot models and seem to be quite Comfort Able dealing with folks who arc Only a foot away from them. The average european intimate o zone has a radius of 9 to 10 inches. So what happens when we Bounce into Europe with our big bubbles we feel confined in this smaller world. Village streets and older sections of towns close in on us. We have trouble fitting our cars into the parking spots. The aisles in the shops Arentt As wide As those we Are used to. When the people regularly penetrate 8 inches into Bur inti-1 mate zones we recoil from what we consider. Pushy behaviour while giving the impression that we re standoffish. _ How do we resolve different concepts of per Sonal space How  improve european Quot american relations just take advantage of this new knowledge to better understand your neigh. Bors and adjust to their Way of doing things. It  re on the autobahn and Hans veers Over from the left Lane just inches from your front bumper done to worry. He s not trying to kill you he merely uses a smaller safety Cushion. When that Little old lady blows you out of the checkout line with a Block that would make Mike Ditka proud understand that she operates in a smaller Bubbler failing eyesight May have made her misjudge your position. And Guys this May burst your Bubble a but when Heidi Marie comes close she May not have unification on her mind. Thomas Sweeney is the plans development specialist for the Hohenfels Germany sub Coin a Unity a directorate of plans training mobilization and Security.  &Quot>4 unday Magazine sets aside this space each week for guest columnists. If Youl have encountered anything amusing Vyp confusing frustrating or fascinating v a about life in Europe in the military or in general wed like to hear about it. Ten t get frustrated if you done to see your column for a while. We have quite a backlog but we like to hear from new people. It will Speed things up if you include a recent photograph of yourself for use with the column since we wont have to write Back to you requesting one a so Send in your thoughts in 500 words or less to by our guest sunday Magazine the stars and stripes Apo 09211 or Postrach 11 14 37, a 6100 Darmstadt 11, Germany contents from the cover. 4 american singles in Europe Folk about their lives in _ stories by Ron Jensen Juni Jones and Muri Euth Tyz a a a in 7 l i m i  i i a boors and language 8-9 a author Michael Blake urn washing dishes for a living when Kevin Costner cat led. Quot James Kilpatrick on language Best seller Isis Odds amp ends. 10a claims filing becomes a catera a i genealogy and Horoscope to plus. A Ujj is the Cannes film festival ready for Madonna television listings 12-14 local Cable and satellite schedules i _ a i on television. 15 what s new in the states and on a in and Sebon video. 16 a Texas i be Quot and Quot Graffiti Quot Bridge Quot arrive Joe Bob Briggs. 17 comments on people who write about strange stuff this weeks films .18-19 a the drifters Quot sets the stage for three great stars Complete a fes circuit listings classified ads .20-23 last laugh .?.24 dare Bany cartoons from around the world Anjelica Huston and John Cusack make a the drifters a Shine. Page 19, 17�b u Wirdy no she uld a a Sunda May 5, -1991