I hope this question is not too weird (if so just tell me and I'll delete it).
As a 21 year old guy from Germany I always admired Americans. What particularly impressed me was their social skills, their outgoing/confident nature and humor.
I don't know if it's also connected with being a German but I'm generally a very shy and introverted person. I have very strong social anxiety and just when someone in public or a neighbor sees me, it creates this overwhelming anxiety because I'm so scared that I will embarrass myself and be awkward because I have very bad self esteem and don't know what to say and how to act. So most of the time I end up saying nothing and hiding myself which is very awkward or I say the bare minimum like to the grocery store cashier like only "Hello" and "Thanks, bye". I have this extreme amount of shame that's blocking me.
Germans might often generally be introverted or awkward but I'm on a whole different level.
Then Americans seem like this stark contrast which feels like the exact opposite. It feels like Americans are on a different level of confidence and extroversion than any country I know.
That makes it almost impossible for me to interact with an American as it creates this immense pressure on me (also cause English isn't my native language).
Even on a daily basis the way they're having small talks in grocery stores or talk to strangers that they're walking by seems impossible for me. And I'm afraid that if I ever would go to the US and people talk to me that I would be extremely awkward and don't say anything and wouldn't be able to smile. And I'm afraid that this might come over as rude and they think bad of me.
I really would wanna interact with an American in person cause it seems like it could be so enriching but right now that seems impossible.
I was wondering if there is anything particular that makes Americans so good at that or if they have any secret. Or maybe they're just on a different level cause they're from the best country in the world and are the best/most capable people in the world.
Cause it's my ultimate dream to be on that same level and interact with people like Americans.
Maybe it's impossible for me to get to anything near that and I will simply never be good enough.
Definitely not too weird a question!
There are plenty of introverted Americans who hate how extraverted it is here. And the U.S. definitely isn't "superior" to Germany in that way (or any other particular way.)
Also, there's a difference between introversion, shyness, social anxiety, an avoidant and/or schizoid and/or schizotypal personality type, an avoidant attachment style, hikikomori/shutins, autism, and plenty of other sorts of socially-averse sorts of temperments. Some are "problems", some aren't. Given the way you're talking about yourself, it sounds like what you're experiencing is something you'd like to change about yourself. I do think it's worth introspecting a bit (see what I did there?) and seeing to what extent your desire to change is internalized shame put on you by others and to what extent changing your presentation in the world would lead to a truer expression of your true self. But assuming the latter is the case...
Practice. Even if Germany is a pretty introverted place (and that's valid -- there are definitely differences regionally with regard to how introverted or extraverted the culture is) there are definitely places/events/gatherings/etc that are more expressions of extraversion than others. Immerse yourself in such events. Baby steps are fine. Start with contexts that are just a little bit more extraverted than you are if you like. And move on to more and more extraverted sorts of contexts. Also, I'd try to focus on events centered around things you hold a genuine interest in. (I, for instance, have enjoyed a lot of tabletop roleplaying games. That activity, even though it's engaged in with others, feels much less overwhelming to me given that everyone's focused on a common activity rather than just on "each other.")
One more word about this. Try to avoid "masking." That is, don't invent a facade of extraversion to show people. It's very cliche to say it, but: "be yourself." I think probably ultimately if you end up "pretending to be extraverted" rather than engaging in socialization in a way you genuinely enjoy, it's likely to do you more harm than good with regard to your goals.
Good luck!