I spent 14 days in the western part of Germany, visiting 5 cities from Frankfurt to Munster. I wanted to see what life would be like if my husband's relatives never left for the US way back in 1850 and I had met him in Germany! I was impressed!
My grandparents are German, and made sure I learned the language of the fatherland. I spent 2 years there in the Army, and fell in love with this country. Now, as a senior American, I am seriously thinking about returning to my ancestoral roots. Ich bin stolz ein halb Deutsch zu sein! 🇩🇪🇳🇴🇺🇲
I'll be honest, the info is nonsense. Surely you've never been in this country for any length of time. The most important thing in a nutshell is this: Learn the language BEFORE you leave your home country. The language of the new country is eminently important in making the new country a home. Without it, no friends and probably no job. English is spoken almost everywhere, but only if you can express yourself in the local language can you make a foreign country your home. Communication is really the biggest barrier.
Of course...but speaking fluent German doesn't mean that it's any easier making friends here. If you have, you're lucky. Most of my friends are other international people and I've lived in Germany for 10 years
@@newasblue1981 I will now try to explain to you the problem with German friendships. Germans are generally considered unfriendly by expats, which could well be due to our very direct nature. In addition, friendships with us are often formed in early childhood or adolescence and these often last a lifetime. Friends are something very special and most Germans have only 1 or maybe 2 best friends and an extended circle of friends. I for example have only 1 best friend. All others I would call buddies. Friendships are often formed at work or while doing hobbies. The most important thing about a friend is open communication and caring. So it is actually more difficult to find a friend in Germany, but far from impossible. Don't give up.
@@Roger-np3wi The question I have is how would we go through that? I already have no friends as is, I'd rather not move to an entirely new country, stay lonely, and then give up several years later like I have seen others do, effectively wasting years of my life.
@@Moving_Castles4278 In interpersonal contact, communication is an immense barrier, even in the home country. Friendships are often formed at an early age, in kindergarten, at school, in training or in the sports club. These friendships often last a lifetime. Then we marry, start families, and in addition to our own family we get a second one, that of our partner. In addition to the friendships formed earlier and the many acquaintances from our other activities, there are also professional and family commitments and the resulting obligations. If I then move as an adult to another country without the appropriate language skills, I lose my previously existing contacts, friends and family...and end up in a country where everyone else around me already has exactly these contacts. And these may have no desire or time to get involved with new people more intensively. But as I said, I also have these "problems" in my home country, of course, when I move to a distant city. To the then missing contacts to friends and family it comes then fast to homesickness, I withdraw myself more and more and remain alone in the new place.
As someone with 3 children and education, I would like to put this into perspective. That education is basically “free” is true. However, you have to pay fees and sit in overcrowded classrooms and have to pay for all sorts of things privately out of your pocket if you want to get a good education. At least that applies to my chemical engineering field. Scholarships are usually for extremely good or socially disadvantaged people. If you have parents you usually get nothing. Then schooling. Anyone who relies on the public "free" system cannot be helped. As a rule, the middle class looks for private schools for their children, which then cost money. School fees will only be paid by the state if there is a good reason. Unemployment benefits are capped. Means it is only 60% of the net for those without children and 68% for people with children. Then if you earn over 5800 euros gross you have another problem. In the case of unemployment and you earn 7,000 or 6,500 or more, it is calculated at 5,800 euros. So you actually receive 48%, 50%, etc. of your salary. So you become impoverished. Then about the water...If you like a lot of calcium in your water, you can drink it. The pipes are dilapidated, there is more and more iron in the pipes, but it often comes from the houses not üublic grid, which is why I don't drink unfiltered water
you just sound priveledged. "its good but not good enough". bro in my country the govt doesnt do anything for water quality, unemployment or even tertiary education. im from fiji by the way. the land of racism, nepotism and poverty pits
@@VariationMachineWhy do you two need something from the government? DIY, education and prosperity have a lot to do with personal initiative. I also left my homeland because the parasites wanted to take my money, so I'm moving on my feet and no longer live in Germany, but somewhere else where I live better, have much fewer deductions and am almost alone from the state. By the way, I practically deal with water and electricity myself because the administration is unable to do it.
Indeed not for everyone! But a great place to live if you’re seeking higher quality education, research and development is outstanding 👌🏼👏🏼 Beer is my favorite part 😏
German here. Almost every point you made was relatively on point. Although i have to say, you messed up 6:30 "Bad customer service". German Retail Workers, Waiters and what not are usually really nice. Of course, they aren't super nice like the american counterpart, because our system pays them a more or less livable wage, so they aren't dependant on tips. You just have to be nice to them. They can't just tell you to f*ck off if you're rude, of course, but they'll be more than happy to help a nice and friendly customer. Sure, there are exceptions, but i mostly had a good experience with customer service here.
@@righteousmammon9011 that may be true, but the cost of living in the US is much higher than in germany, so even if german people have a lower salary, they'll still be able to afford more.
@@Z7.309that is absolutely not true. I’ve lived in Germany and my wife is German. The US has the highest median disposable income in the world. Germany is #4 which is still quite good but housing costs, electricity , and benzin / diesel are roughly 3x more expensive
@@righteousmammon9011 if that's the case, then i wonder why many Americans I've heard of need to work multiple jobs to afford to rent even a small house/apartment, while in germany, most people can afford a decently sized home with only one job 🤔
You forget to mentioned when you seek medical care making medical appointment is a nightmare such as "the earliest appointment to see a doctor is 90 days." When you do see a doctor, they won't give any prescribe medicine. They'll prescribed you with some herbal or any local remedies. Essentially, you've to be dying to be seen by a doctor immediately and prescribed expensive medicine. Talk about absolute medical bureaucracy power and nightmare.
Funny, saving energy due to not using air condition is a disadvatage, as it probably is very hard to open windows twice a day and lower the shutters. And we would only use them for two month a year.
![Quality Of Life In Germany [The Good & The Bad]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/iJTLm8ld4SA/mqdefault.jpg)
I spent 14 days in the western part of Germany, visiting 5 cities from Frankfurt to Munster. I wanted to see what life would be like if my husband's relatives never left for the US way back in 1850 and I had met him in Germany! I was impressed!
My grandparents are German, and made sure I learned the language of the fatherland. I spent 2 years there in the Army, and fell in love with this country. Now, as a senior American, I am seriously thinking about returning to my ancestoral roots. Ich bin stolz ein halb Deutsch zu sein! 🇩🇪🇳🇴🇺🇲
Same here, was stationed there, recently left, I am considering moving there 🇩🇪
I'll be honest, the info is nonsense. Surely you've never been in this country for any length of time.
The most important thing in a nutshell is this: Learn the language BEFORE you leave your home country. The language of the new country is eminently important in making the new country a home. Without it, no friends and probably no job. English is spoken almost everywhere, but only if you can express yourself in the local language can you make a foreign country your home.
Communication is really the biggest barrier.
Of course...but speaking fluent German doesn't mean that it's any easier making friends here. If you have, you're lucky. Most of my friends are other international people and I've lived in Germany for 10 years
@@newasblue1981 I will now try to explain to you the problem with German friendships. Germans are generally considered unfriendly by expats, which could well be due to our very direct nature. In addition, friendships with us are often formed in early childhood or adolescence and these often last a lifetime.
Friends are something very special and most Germans have only 1 or maybe 2 best friends and an extended circle of friends. I for example have only 1 best friend. All others I would call buddies.
Friendships are often formed at work or while doing hobbies. The most important thing about a friend is open communication and caring.
So it is actually more difficult to find a friend in Germany, but far from impossible. Don't give up.
@@Roger-np3wi The question I have is how would we go through that? I already have no friends as is, I'd rather not move to an entirely new country, stay lonely, and then give up several years later like I have seen others do, effectively wasting years of my life.
@@Moving_Castles4278 In interpersonal contact, communication is an immense barrier, even in the home country.
Friendships are often formed at an early age, in kindergarten, at school, in training or in the sports club. These friendships often last a lifetime. Then we marry, start families, and in addition to our own family we get a second one, that of our partner. In addition to the friendships formed earlier and the many acquaintances from our other activities, there are also professional and family commitments and the resulting obligations.
If I then move as an adult to another country without the appropriate language skills, I lose my previously existing contacts, friends and family...and end up in a country where everyone else around me already has exactly these contacts. And these may have no desire or time to get involved with new people more intensively.
But as I said, I also have these "problems" in my home country, of course, when I move to a distant city. To the then missing contacts to friends and family it comes then fast to homesickness, I withdraw myself more and more and remain alone in the new place.
@@Roger-np3wi I never actually responded but this didn't answer my question, unless your answer is "tough luck," in which thanks, I guess.
Please make a video on the pros and cons of living in italy.
wdym the German language is hard? It's easier than any romance language (French, Spanish, Italian...), at least for an English-speaker learning it.
As someone who's learned Spanish and French before I don't think that's the case... I find Spanish way easier than German
@@Diamantaire_25spanish is ridiculously easy imho compared to german…unless your comparing chiliean Spanish or carribean spanish
I find reading German easier then other languages but pronunciation I find harder in german mainly the umlauts and the two r's
Wow, primera persona de habla inglesa que comenta sobre que el idioma alemán es sencillo. Usualmente, a los angloparlantes no les parece sencillo.
Very much as I remember it being born in Germany and now living in the U.K.
As someone with 3 children and education, I would like to put this into perspective. That education is basically “free” is true. However, you have to pay fees and sit in overcrowded classrooms and have to pay for all sorts of things privately out of your pocket if you want to get a good education. At least that applies to my chemical engineering field. Scholarships are usually for extremely good or socially disadvantaged people. If you have parents you usually get nothing. Then schooling. Anyone who relies on the public "free" system cannot be helped. As a rule, the middle class looks for private schools for their children, which then cost money. School fees will only be paid by the state if there is a good reason. Unemployment benefits are capped. Means it is only 60% of the net for those without children and 68% for people with children. Then if you earn over 5800 euros gross you have another problem. In the case of unemployment and you earn 7,000 or 6,500 or more, it is calculated at 5,800 euros. So you actually receive 48%, 50%, etc. of your salary. So you become impoverished. Then about the water...If you like a lot of calcium in your water, you can drink it. The pipes are dilapidated, there is more and more iron in the pipes, but it often comes from the houses not üublic grid, which is why I don't drink unfiltered water
you just sound priveledged. "its good but not good enough". bro in my country the govt doesnt do anything for water quality, unemployment or even tertiary education. im from fiji by the way. the land of racism, nepotism and poverty pits
@@theEpicxY THATS EXACTLY HOW I READ THAT
@@VariationMachineWhy do you two need something from the government? DIY, education and prosperity have a lot to do with personal initiative. I also left my homeland because the parasites wanted to take my money, so I'm moving on my feet and no longer live in Germany, but somewhere else where I live better, have much fewer deductions and am almost alone from the state. By the way, I practically deal with water and electricity myself because the administration is unable to do it.
@@jurijeckel4938 So where do u live now?
Yeah where do you life now?
Indeed not for everyone! But a great place to live if you’re seeking higher quality education, research and development is outstanding 👌🏼👏🏼
Beer is my favorite part 😏
German isn't that hard to learn for someone who speaks english, but at the same time I know I catch on to things quicker than most people.
I'd certainly give it a try, if I were a bit younger.
Can Americans retire there without buying property?
German here. Almost every point you made was relatively on point. Although i have to say, you messed up 6:30 "Bad customer service".
German Retail Workers, Waiters and what not are usually really nice. Of course, they aren't super nice like the american counterpart, because our system pays them a more or less livable wage, so they aren't dependant on tips.
You just have to be nice to them. They can't just tell you to f*ck off if you're rude, of course, but they'll be more than happy to help a nice and friendly customer. Sure, there are exceptions, but i mostly had a good experience with customer service here.
You should look up what the “Earned income Tax Credit” is in the US. German salaries are abysmally low compared to the US
You right. Pay in such Jobs are at 12- 15 euros per hour in Germany and often part time jobs
@@righteousmammon9011 that may be true, but the cost of living in the US is much higher than in germany, so even if german people have a lower salary, they'll still be able to afford more.
@@Z7.309that is absolutely not true. I’ve lived in Germany and my wife is German. The US has the highest median disposable income in the world. Germany is #4 which is still quite good but housing costs, electricity , and benzin / diesel are roughly 3x more expensive
@@righteousmammon9011 if that's the case, then i wonder why many Americans I've heard of need to work multiple jobs to afford to rent even a small house/apartment, while in germany, most people can afford a decently sized home with only one job 🤔
Clearly you have never been in germany.
contradicting him without counter points is both lazy and non-german
@@theEpicxY ok
Slow internet? Never experienced that in Germany and it’s cheap.
You forget to mentioned when you seek medical care making medical appointment is a nightmare such as "the earliest appointment to see a doctor is 90 days." When you do see a doctor, they won't give any prescribe medicine. They'll prescribed you with some herbal or any local remedies. Essentially, you've to be dying to be seen by a doctor immediately and prescribed expensive medicine. Talk about absolute medical bureaucracy power and nightmare.
I agree GerMAN here nosense there as exception
German water is high in calcium. Calcium is a main ingredient of Ex Lax. Sone can get used to it.
Funny, saving energy due to not using air condition is a disadvatage, as it probably is very hard to open windows twice a day and lower the shutters.
And we would only use them for two month a year.
Machen Sie das mit den Fenstern in den Hitzesommern um dievSubtropik. Bei den meisten Häusern bringt es nix
Bine villa était ou monda😊
Bureaucracy and bad internet connection in Germany ? These are much worse here in Greece ...
It's hard to find a fan!
Safe, seriously?
Is it not face? Pls tell me, coz im planning to move to Germany next year
Except now you have to recognise isreal it should be a choice
as a german, I agree with everything
Wonder how we copuld work from home offfice, if we have such terrible, slow, unreliable internet connections ... :)
Thank you Germany for giving us nice cars like Mercedes-Benz and Porsches 💯
What the accent is it?
If you ask me
pro's centralized, cons centralized
pro's: jobs. con's: jobs
Your video makes me wanting to drink German water.. 😅😅😅
Drinkable water and the autobahn!
"Being fashionably late" - what uncivilized bullshit IS that?!
What you are telling is full of lies don't promote your channel or earn money by False video
Settle down crack boy.
No thanks, I don't wanna live in any islamic country!
That's my concern. Is poland a good option? i dont want muslims