Honestly, I find both of these anecdotes a little mind-boggling, although it may also be a function of my attending school relatively recently. The vast majority of history lessons in my secondary/high school (IB curriculum) were about overseas regions, including comparative studies of single-party states in the "West" and the "East," colonialism, etc.
You see you have a different goal of education.
I for example value more regional history as it is something I can connect to. Also high school is superficial and global topics are superficial as well.
IB meaning International Baccalaureate? That might explain a more international outlook.
The average German history curriculum tends to cover topics with a German-specific lens. E.g. comparison of single-party regimes will likely involve the NSDAP and SED, colonialism may feature British India in a sidebar but mostly talk about German colonies in Africa, the Berlin Conference, Herero genocide etc. (German New Guinea and the other Pacific colonies seem to get less attention for some reason.)
