I've heard this joke somewhere but it is actually very true. A man waits at a red light in London at 2 o'clock in the morning. There isn't a car to be seen anywhere, but still he waits for the green light. A second man walks up the first, and also stops a the light, waiting for green. After a couple of seconds the first man asks the second: "So, which part of Germany are you from?"
I have done that. Though I am a Finn, not a German. But over here you would never be scolded for jaywalking... because that would require us to actually talk to you. We'll just glower at you in silence.
I've never lived abroad, but when I met some people from America I learned fast enough that they didn't wanted to hear my life story when they asked "how are you" you're just supposed the say "I'm good" Where I live it's normal to tell in detail how your day has been going when they ask you how you are.
Yeah, "How are you" Is a greeting, not a question in America. If you are good friends with someone you can elaborate more, but that's mostly for comedy, inside jokes and stuff. "How are you?" "Dying! we're swamped at work" "Eh, sucks" "Right?" Both laugh...
Melissa Lewis It's just something you need to get used to, we just tend to say what we think so asking a question that is understood as a greeting was confusing for me first, but I understand it now. It's just being polite.
Yeah I can understand how it an be confusing being that it's a relatively new thing. Maybe about 20 years or so it started getting popular. And if I were learning a new language I know I wouldn't be able to understand the little traits and slang terms myself until someone explained it to me.
Where I'm from in the South, we actually want to know how you are. It's not a greeting. Then we will ask about your momma, family, job, children and pets. Then we might invite you to church.
I am very used to drinking tap water in Germany and I remember that it was really strange for me to stop doing that abroad because there are many countries where it is not safe to do so.
In every german city its save to drink it! We got the hardest rules for drinking water! Only the calk can change extrem from city to city but calk dont hurt you. Its only destroy your mashines who work with hard water. Only by exidents the water can be harmfull. But thats not often and get dedected very fast because every few houers the water get tested automaticly
+Wanted Adventure It's the basement for us or outside in the garden in spring/summer. Tho I guess outside is no option if you only have an appartement in the city.
+Wanted Adventure Whoever told you to hang your clothes in the kitchen pulled your leg ;) Nobody in Germany does laudry like that ... expect people in old b/w movies LOL! You don't want your clothes to smell like onions, garlic or roast chicken.
+Jazzy Ah, that's not true. Ever lived in a city like Munich, Stuttgart, Freiburg, etc, being a student? I had lived once in a WG, where bathroom and kitchen were so tiny, we had to hang our clothes in the floor. You could move past it only sideways, and luckily we were all kinda skinny back than. Also, there are apartments where you had to place your washing machine in the kitchen (old buildings) or where the bathroom had only enought place for a toilette and a shower and you are lucky if you can stretch your arms freely. Of course it is different, where the rents are cheaper, I realised that, either I have to live somewhere in the forest in southern Germany or I have to move more to the north of Germany, if I want a decent apartement that is payable. I chose the forest, like 25km from Freiburg.
+Olga Hein When I was a young mother I lived in Stuttgart in a tiny apt which was challenging. Still, it never even crossed my mind to hang the clothes in the kitchen - it would have looked odd not only to me but to visitors as well. There is an attic and/or a cellar in every house where you can do the laundry?! There might be exceptions of course, but I for one know nobody who hang their clothes in the kitchen (unless you don't cook at all. lol). Good luck finding an affordable appartment! I'm looking for one myself and know how difficult it is. *sigh*
I like the way the traffic signals work in Germany. When the red light is about to turn green, the yellow light comes on with the red light for about 2 seconds. That warns you to put your car back in gear. I drive a manual here in the US, and would love to have that "warning light" before the light turns green.
So many people hate others, who pay with credit cards here in germany, because it takes soo long, because "tap and pay" is not a thing in germany. And your description about carrying guns was so on point!
+Etherion Collecting one cent coins from the pocket is also slow. Germans paying cash hate Germans and foreigners paying by card while Germans paying by card hate those damn Germans paying cash cent by cent
Bernhard Döbler uhm, almost no one is even using the copper coins (except elders, who are always slow no matter how they pay). Plus most people already have their cash ready, before they get to the cashier (except for big purchases)
I disagree as far as paying with credit or debit cards is concerned. I pay with debit cards all the time at the supermarkets, it's so much faster. I only carry small amounts of cash around with me for smaller stores or market stands who don't accept the cards. Thankfully I can agree with the guns issue :-D
Paying with card became faster over the time . Some years ago the card terminal had to establish an dial in connection to the payment service provider. This is resolved in most cases as it works over the internet.
6:05 guns -- make this (really good btw) statement more public ... this must and realize everybody. We in germany never ever even think about guns. If you ask me "whats the first comming to your mind if i say gun" i will say "movies".
+MusMusMuffin well, ya ... and just happen again. Im just watching news here in germany. Ofc nobody knows nothing right now. Im just saying, EDIT: sorry, forgot to say: news "gun shooting in california"
yeah I've heard of it too, and I'm also german :3 So the first thing that comes to MY head when I hear guns is "mass shootings in america" and "IS", not "movies". Which says something too. :/ cottton™
well the US arms exports is still higher than germanys, like TWICE as high, or higher... and most germans are against arm exports, while most of the us seems to be pro gun or...pro freedom to carry a gun? like ofc that's a bad thing, but you sound like a sulky child defending themself like "YEAH OKAY BUT YOU DID THAT AND THAT!" xD zenanarchist
Most grocery stores probably don't even take credit cards, but only debit cards, because that's how things work - many people don't even have a credit card, nor would they want one, because it means buying stuff on credit, which you usually pay off over a certain amount of time, so you can basically spend money that you don't have at the moment, which is considered a bad habit here in Germany, as long as it isn't for really big purchases like a new (not used!) car or a house.
+Seegal Galguntijak When you travel to the US you have to fill out a form that asks for a credit card number and I think it's mandatory to fill that in? I mean, most people who regularly travel, especially long distances like from Europe to the US do have a credit card (if only for the insurence), but there are also a lot of people in Europe who don't have one at all - how do they handle that? I personally have both cards, but I hate using them in an actual physical store (only for rather large amounts that I don't feel comfortable carrying around with me or in an emergency). I do use my credit card for online purchases, but I still don't like the way it is kind of spending future money - as you said, that is considered unwise and therfore bad behaviour here (to an extent). And I am one of the people secretly rolling their eyes at others if they pay amounts below about 5 euros with plastic. Around here you mostly have to put the card into a slot, wait for it to connect, type in your security code, wait for that to be verifyed and then agree to the payment - so it's not just a quick swipe, it takes a lot longer than paying cash. I think carrying little cash is ok, but none at all (on purpose and all the time) is inconvenient. If you buy a soda for 98 cents and want to pay for it with plastic, that's just unnecessary IMO.
Jemima1377 I totally agree with you. And since credit cards are the means of payment that's most often accepted throughout the world, those people who do travel much will certainly have one. However, since I've never been to the USA, I have no idea how they handle the form, and what is mandatory to fill in or what isn't. Might be fun to find that out though (maybe a call to the American embassy?) - And I'm sure if it really is mandatory, many people will just get one from their bank that is connected to their account, but acts like a debit card, and not like a credit card. Also, with the new SWIFT banking system, the IBAN (international bank account number) should be enough, too. At least that's what I think, but as I said, I've never been overseas, so I don't really know.
+Seegal Galguntijak I've travelled to the US quite frequently (about 15 times since 2000) and I do not recall having to provide a credit card number per se on any form. You do however have to pay the ESTA fee of $14 beforehand and the esta.gov page currently only accepts credit/debit cards. So, in a way you are right. If you don't have a credit/debit card, there are travel agencies who will fill out the form with you and use their credit card. They will add a service charge though. :-)
Seegal Galguntijak Well, but most of the time not issued by Visa, Mastercard, Discover or American Express. Those are the only providers currently accepted by the website. In the US, Visa cards and MasterCards are not automatically credit cards as usually in Germany.
+docboy989 Me only if I see, there is no traffic. But you can see on some faces how some people are desperately thinking about to jaywalk but don't dare :D
Ich mach das auch. Aber devinitiv nicht zu oft. wenn einfach 20 m weiter Eine Ampel oder eine Insel steht, dann kann man ja wohl die paar Meter auf sich nehmen. sagen wir es so, bei den meisten Straßen hier gibt ja auch garkeine Ampeln, nur bei den größeren.
+Candyman can Tafelwasser is actually tap water, possibly enriched w/ minerals. It's bottled, but not from a spring (hence it's "Tafelwasser" and not "(stilles) Mineralwasser").
+tjpld really? i'm german and i didn't even know german restaurants serve tap water. Maybe if you ask for it specifically, but you'll come across as the biggest cheapskate ever.
+tjpld I encountered several times that a place restaurant or cafe refused to serve me tap water, claiming that by law they're not allowed to serve tap water as it could be a health risk (bacteria), so I'd have to buy bottled Tafelwasser... In Finland and Sweden it's completely normal to get tap water for free. Finns usually complain a lot if the restaurant charges them like 50 ct for unlimited amount of tap water.
In the middle of the night, when there's no traffic at all, I cross the street at red light, although it makes me a bit feeling like a criminal afterwards. On the other hand, waiting for green would make me feel like an idiot .
+Arminixnix I've learned to call that situation cherrygreen, and to just walk Ich hab gelern diese Situation als kirschgrün zu bezeichnen, und einfach zu gehen... hmm, something seems worng...
I live in Holland but have lived in Germany, and the differences are quite subtle but they're there. For one thing, the Dutch use plastic to pay for EVERYTHING. Another is alcohol: for a German it is quite acceptable to walk the streets hugging a bottle of beer in the mid-afternoon. In the Netherlands that would earn you wary stares of the 'poor alcoholic' variety. Finally I've noticed that the Germans are a lot quieter than the Dutch are, despite their reputation. When I'm in the train from Berlin to Amsterdam, the increase in volume once we cross the border is very noticeable.
I've never seen anyone but winos drinking beer in the afternoon. In fact apart from football days or festival days I never see people drinking in the streets here. German people get drunk in their houses. They do not drink in the street or walk about drunk.
I'm not the typical American - I've never needed my beverages to be ice cold. I will often drink even a normal soft drink or a beer at room temperature. That's considered weird here. :-)
My Problem after a Holiday in London is to not evade to the left anymore. In Germany if you walk up to someone you evade to the right, and so does the oncoming (mostly, not everyone) as you would do in the normal traffic. After my Holidays i regulary bump into people because i evade to the left and into their way again.
+MKahn84 well, as beer is kinda holy in Germany, we usually drink it cold here too (not necessarily ice cold though). But the other beverages don't have to be as cold for us.
I think it's interesting that even in Switzerland, which is very close to Germany and quite similar in a lot of aspects, quite a few things are still very different. For example here in Switzerland, it's quite common to ignore red lights from time to time too... Once I was in Germany and I did that and everyone looked at me like I was crazy.
+Manu Ela That's also true for Austria, another small german speaking country next to Germany. Here red lights for pedestrians are considered something of a general recommendation to be used at your own discretion. Some people will stop at red lights only if there are also small children waiting for the green light in order not to give them a bad example, otherwise it's up to you.
+Manu Ela The red light thing is not that strict in Germany. I'd say (now living in Switzerland) it's about the same. But where I love in Switzerland there just aren't that many red lights. But ton of crosswalks. And that';s something I noticed here in Switzerland: People actually stop for you on crosswalks. In Germany they are more like a suggestion and people only stop if you are already on the street when they come. And the best part many people will thank you with a nod or a gesture if you stop with your car at the crosswalk. It makes stopping that much better. Also they look you in the eye when they want to cross. In Germany people just cross with no regard for the car.
Waldgeist Yeah that is all true... But here in Switzerland you are actually obliged to stop on crosswalks when there are people who want to cross the street, it's not voluntary. It's a rule.
Manu Ela I am pretty sure the way it works in Switzerland is not only due to the rule. Because it's a rule in Germany too. One that will fail your drivers license test and cost you dearly if spotted by the police. I think it has to do with the difference in common sense politeness and "public thinking" in Switzerland. Of course not everyone in Switzerland is a beacon of goodness, but generally people think more about the impact of their actions on the general public/society/their group than people in Germany do. The kind of categorical imperative thinking here is more deeply embedded into people and they often behave like they want others to behave, which results in a better atmosphere, friendlier communication and actions like letting someone pass the street if they need to. It also extends to cars when you see someone having to go left with other cars starting to buildup behind him. In Switzerland very often someone will stop to let him through very early on. In Germany that happens too, but less frequently and at a later point in time. I have a good comparison, because I live right next to the border to Germany. I drive across to go shopping once a week and the difference is really noticeable. Disclaimer: Not bashing Germany/Germans here. I am German too, but since living in Switzerland I come to love some of the differences - also dislike of course, where there is light, there is shadow.
+johann sebastian bach We don't have a dryer :D But she answered to an older comment that she doesn't mean the fact that "europeans don't use dryers" it's that people from the US are not as willing to use a drying... thing other than a dryer itself.... Well that was complicated
+Captain Bozo while I don't technically own one, the building I live in has one among the washing machines (Those are for everyone to use). But a lot of people don't use it, probably because It's bad for the fabric and environment.
+johann sebastian bach Speaking as a german who doesn't live in a city apartement without a basement, yup. Most of our clothes still go on the clothesline because it would be silly to use a lot of power to have something dry faster that you don't need right now anyways, but having a dryer really comes in handy when you've washed towels and bed sheets and don't have a place high/big enough to hang them up.
So many Germans demand penalties for jaywalking while in reality, you can jaywalk right in front of a waiting cop car and they won't even give you bad looks.
+Gregor K In czech you can jaywalk in front of cop car, because it is not their job to watch if people jaywalk or not, that is job of those who patrol streets.
when I was driving on a red traffic light a police car behind me turned on the speaker "red also have to respect by bike drivers" and on the next corner they opened the window and told me "next time u ll loose your driving licence"
About the thing with guns: I have read a report some time that the whole German police force nation-wide fired fewer bullets over a whole year, than one US police team did on one call when they had to respond to a crime. That's how weird that is.
+Seegal Galguntijak Part of the reason for that is, that a german police officer has to account for every single shot fired, has to write up a report and explain exactly why that was ineviable and what happened exactly. They need witnesses (bystanders and/or their collegues to agree with their version of events) and there ARE consequences, and serious ones too (I doubt that it's the same in the US at least in actuality, considering how easily they shoot.), if they use their weapons without a pressing need for that. Also, because of how much stricter our gun laws are, very few people own guns and even less carry them with them anywhere (they are forbidden in a lot of places too around here), so it is just a lot less likely to encounter someone who is seriously armed and can do actual damage from a distance - which is something the officers know and therefor are a lot less afraid of being assaulted - which makes them more likely to not use their weapons either - in case they even HAVE guns - a lot of officers don't carry guns. It's just a very different situation and mindset. Here, you just don't have to think about people potentially being armed! It's just so very uncommon for that to happen. In the US it's on the forefront of everyone's mind. My family was told (when visiting the US) that they should be really careful and not make any sudden movements or reach for anything in the glove compartment when being pulled over on the road, because they'd risk getting shot! In Germany, you wouldn't even think about that! And no police officer could get away with shooting you, just for reaching for your papers without announcing it first - they need a good reason to reacte with any kind of violence and guns aren't even the first choice then. The story you read was a report from "Der Spiegel" about shots fired by police in 2011 (I can't find the original, but plenty of articles referring to it like this one: www.thewire.com/global/2012/05/german-police-used-only-85-bullets-against-people-2011/52162/). It was 85 shots over the course of a whole year, nation-wide (not counting animals), of which 49 were mere warning shots and only 36 shots were actually even aimed at a suspect. Compared to, yes, 84 bullets towards one murder suspect in the US and 90 at an unarmed man - also in the US. And considering the news-stories we frequently see, these aren't single freak-accurances either...
First Name Last Name I totally believe that. I guess, in whole Europe in the last 50 years, less people got killed by gunshots from anyone than people get killed by gunshots in the US in an average month.
Seegal Galguntijak Not sure about that one. Yugoslavia was Europe too, as are Ukraine and Crimea... but I get what you mean. And yes, I like the much smaller chance of getting shot, as a trade-off for the illusion that I could use my .22 to defend myself against a nuclear warhead if a civil war ever erupted.
I'm so glad someone agrees with me about public transportation. I hated driving in the states! I started when I was 16 and I was already in 2 accidents by the time I turned 18. I love not having to pay for gas every 2 weeks ( or sometimes more frequently) I love not having to worry about my parents paying for my insurance , I love the fact that I will never get pulled over again and have to pay almost 300 dollars for a ticket. I hate driving! Public transportation for the win! ^_^
+Michał Altawil well, I am from germany and I love driving because it´s quiet simple here. The worst time to drive is in the winter, though, with all the snow and icy roads, that´s the only thing I hate.
+Michał Altawil Oh well I'm from Germany and I love driving. But getting a license here is not that easy and rather expensive. You need to take a lot of pricey driving lessons from official teachers and paying for the two test is also... urg.. XD But at least you can be sure everyone driving on the street had to learn all of the rules and know what they do. I've been driving for 4 years now and not been into any accident at all, same with all my friends. I love how you can simply get in the car and drive wherever you want without having to wait forever *3*
I totally agree with you. I'm german and I never felt the need to pay tousands of Euros only to be able to drive a car. Even where I live (a very small town) it is so easy to get around with just walking or public transportation. I need a car maybe once a month and I'm totally willing to pay a Taxi for the service then. Of course - It needs a bit more "planning ahead" but it works for me. And my friends love to drive me around because when I need them they always get a generous amount of money for their gas and time ;)
+Michał Altawil Well, it depends on where you life. For example, I live in a suburb near Düsseldorf and here, once an hour a bus drives by. It becomes really frustrating if you have to use the bus to get anywhere, in special because this bus-line is poorly planned. Therefor I love that I have now a car and can just hop into and drive wherever I have to be. That said though, most of my drives are to my local train station because I study in Cologe and I would only in really extreme situations drive into Cologne on a normal working day :D .
Not more than in the US, it's just that the few racist idiots (old grandfathers who still mourn over Adolfs death or AFD voters) have a lot of impact. What i mean by that is that Newspapers are more likely to write about racist protests than...just regular non-racist people
It is a cultural Thing - Germans criticize everyone and everything very direct - that is just common Behaviour. But I understand that for People from other Countries it seems as if they would hate on you or judge you. What they don't. But to keep the ideal Society you need to point out what's not working. Sadly these Days less and less Germans do it and that got us into serious Trouble. I often felt like Americans don't wanna talk about the Elephant in the Room and that felt wrong to mee too.
The only thing I miss about the US when I'm back in Germany is the gallon of milk. That's it. Everything is better in Germany. Everything is healthier.
+Hans Power Ich geh nie über rot sondern lauf bisschen weiter wo keine Ampel ist und lauf dann dort rüber xD... einmal lief ich über rot dann hat ein polizist mit megaphon gebrüllt "ES WAR ROT, JUNGE DAME". Man ich hab die echt nicht gesehen
Your story about the traffic lights remember me of a story I read in the web. A german guy was on a trip in london and late at night he waits on a red traffic light to turn green, no cars were there, totally empty street, and beside him stands another guy, also waiting, and this other guy asked: "Na? Auch Deutscher" :D ("Eh, also german?")
Mark m Tüv stands for Technischer Überwachungsverein. Thats german for something like technical control club.. You may only drive with your car if the tüv checked that everything is fine with your car. You need to let them check every 2 years or something your car. If you "dont have a tüv" you get some serious trouble. So you may only drive a car on german streets not a batmobile or something. my english might suck at the moment im tired as hell
lol it's not that I think people in Europe don't have dryers but rather I think that most people in the U.S. would not consider using a drying rack instead of a dryer :D So the other way around.
+Wanted Adventure I'd say that most european Families have both. We mostly use the dryer, but sometimes we use the rack when the wether is really hot or when we have to dry something that could be damaged by the dryer's hot temperatures.
Wanted Adventure Thats bc most americans i know are very uneconomical and wasteful with energy. Some americans didnt believe in climate change... Oh and before I forget, Jaywalking is totally not an American only habit. Its common in Austria and Germany too so i think in any other country too. But that with the lots of drinking in America is really a thing! So much coffee! At frist I thought it was something special. :D
+Twinklelinkle lol I don't have a dryer :D The point for me here was less that Germans don't have dryers and more that in America almost nobody would consider using a drying rack instead of a dryer.
+Wanted Adventure I have a drying rack. I had several friends that used or use drying racks. I don't think that this has to do with German or American culture, I think it has to do with you moving from living with your parents to living on your own. Most people have a standard of living decrease when they start supporting themselves, and by the time they have children moving out on their own, they have accumulated a bit of wealth, and can afford luxuries that they couldn't afford when they first started off on their own. It is likely that you did not encounter Americans without dryers because you were still living in a community of people wealthy enough for dryers, and that you do not encounter Germans with dryers because you are living in a community of people who do not want to spend the money on a dryer.
+88michaelandersen But she is from the US, If you moving out in the US you will have a dryer in your new home, Just like a electric can opener and other shit Europeans don't think its necessary.
hasse Siemonsdochter I live in the US and I do not have a dryer. I know lots of people who do not have dryers. I also do not have an electric can opener. I am unconvinced that this is a German vs American thing and not a rich vs poor thing. Everyone learns to live without some of the things that they grew up with in their parents' house, at least until they start earning the same level of income that their parents did. I do not have a TV right now either, but I did when I lived at home. I cannot say that people in the state when I go to college don't have TVs and people that live in my home state do have TVs, because that would be ridiculous to say. However, I live near a lot of college students now, and most of them have no TV, while most of my friends at home did have TVs when they lived with their parents. I think that the dryer situation for her might be like the dryer or TV situation for me. That as she moves out of the bottom income bracket, she might start seeing people with these luxuries again.
Indeed I'm very sad that you can't get water for free in restaurants like in France (or in the US). But I got used to order a drink (soft drink or alcohol), which I almost never did before when having dinner in a restaurant. When I go back to France, I always forget I can have free water! Also I feel very bad when I go back to France and I have to throw my paper in the normal bin, instead of recycling it: it's so outrageous...! ;) I've just discovered your videos about Germany, congratulations! Tschüßi, Laure
+xilvsionx Wäre echt nice, aber dann könnten die englisch-sprachigen Zuschauer wahrscheinlich nichts mehr verstehen. Oder zumindest nicht so viel wie wir jetzt auf Englisch verstehen.... Schließlich haben wir Englisch alle in der Schule gelernt/lernen es gerade... Deine Videos sind aber echt interessant! Ich habe auch Verwandte in den USA (Colorado, Denver) und ab und zu schicke ich ihnen auch Links zu Deinen Videos ;)
+coole ele that I would want to see a video in German. Sorry, in Switzerland we start learning German pretty late, so I'm not too great at it but u try my best.
I was born and raised in Poland. The biggest thing was that no one would ask in a public space airports excluded would ask if I spoke Spanish or.... especially Spanish because people from Spain or Latin America we're considered equally of gypsies. Yes I am so used to walking or taking a bus everywhere. Here in the big city where I live in the states I was stopped couple times by police because I am not homeless who pushes carts everywhere. One time I was asked if I was a pimp. That made me laugh.
Having spent a few years in Germany when I was much younger than I am now, I picked up the habit of using my fingers to count in a different way than in the US. In America, we use the index finger alone to indicate the number ONE. In Germany the thumb is used instead. In America, the thumb is only used after all the fingers have been used up, to indicate the number FIVE. In Germany, the fingers are used sequentially, beginning with the thumb and ending with the pinkie to indicate FIVE.
+Gary Deckant interesting!!! I hadn't noticed that, only that there's a different in how "three" is shown. I will have to pay much better attention the next time a German signals a number with their fingers. Thanks for the info :)
+Wanted Adventure If you signal the number two to someone you would probably use the index finger, because it doesn't look like the "OK"-sign. But if you count for yourself (like going through a list in your head) you would start with the thumb as No. 1.
+Gary Deckant That isn't all that true either. We Germans do use the index finger to indicate 1 as a single number. It depends on the context. For example: If i order a beer (hehe, no prejudice there) in a filled crowed and i want to show it more visible that my desire for beer can be satisfied by a single pint, i will probably underline my desire by showing the index finger. But yes, if i fear i will use more than just one finger i will probably start with the thumb.
+Lisa Müller Ich lache sie doch nicht aus!! Ich habe gelacht weil es so süß ist :D Ich würde niemals über Menschen lachen die ich nicht kenne! Ich finde es toll was sie macht ;)
+Maddin S Achso, deshalb lacht meine Frau mich immer aus, wenn ich eine Patze im Deutsch mache! :-D :-D Ich sage nur, "die Mülltonne liegt auf der Staße", oder vielleicht "scheiße Fliege!" :-D
+Chen Zhu You know what? Before I pay, I take my wallet out and look, which coins I have. And when I know how much to pay, I get the exact sum out - no coins for change!
MashMashMusic you know what. people from the place i live now love to pay by their phone or credit card. it's fast, safe and convenient. pay by cash means you need to carry a big wallet with a pocket, it's too heavy lol
Chen Zhu Probably some people don't want to know their plastic money provider, what they are actually buying. "Safe"? You never heard of credit card fraud? Sorry, but it's not safe, as there is never 100% safety. And where do you live where cashiers can't figure out why I'm giving exactly one (Euro, Dollar, whatever) more than I need to pay so I can get exactly one back? BTW: I doubt that I have more than ten coins in my wallet. It can contain that - I'm more unnerved by all the cards I need to carry around! :D
I don't really like paying with my credit card because I feel like I don't value the money enough if I do. I think it's a big difference if I pay with actual money or just with my card. 100€ is suddenly so much more, if I actually have to give it away rather than just taking my credit card out. I spent a lot more money when I pay with my credit card, especially online! Almost everyone I know agreed on this, so I think that could be your explanation
+Rasgonras Unless you lose it. If you do there's no getting it back. If you lose a credit card you can cancel it and if anything is bought on it in that time the bank will forgive the amount.
I'm from Germany and work at a university and I often ask my coworkers from various countries what they like and dislike in Germany, and the one that struck me by surprise is people telling me that they are not afraid to go outside on the street alone at night. Before I never even thought about this when I went outside. The one German habit that I lost due to my coworkers is getting pissed when somebody is not on time. It's quite astonishing how different cultures interpret "We meet at 6PM". We did a BBQ once and the first people showed up at 3PM and at 8PM finally everybody was there. Weird.
when i lived in holland, i always adressed everybody with "you", though there is also a more formal way to adress people. Here in Germany, it's considered almost rude to adress someone you don't know very well with "you". So i dropped that, too.
+lamprete great point! sometimes it's still hard for me to figure out when to go for Sie and when to go with du...so I start with Sie and just follow what they do :D
+Wanted Adventure The you do it the safe and perfectly polite way. For adult persons allways "Sie" unless they offered you already the "Du" or you want to mock or fratenisize. Even the insult "Sie [SWEARWORD]" is less offensive and more polite than the rather direct or friendly mocking "Du [SWEARWORD]" The difference between the personal "Du" and the formal "Sie" adds sometimes a very funny layer to the german translation of foreign TV series, when two friends, which are also superior and subordinate, start a conversatiom with "Du" on the personal level, quarrel and end with "Sie" on the professional level
Most of the young people (till 30) start with do because they dont want to feel old but older people (30+) ofter prefere Sie. But when youre older than 30, you always have to start with Sie
Well, it is all a matter of personal experiences in a specific geographical region. Things are quite different depending where you are in Germany and whether you live in an old part of big city or modern burbs. Funny that so many are talking about "free refills". Well, that would be possible in Germany as well, if they would fill glasses with 80% ice cubes and 20% actual soda. Free water ? Why, when most of it goes down the drain and is not being touched due to free refills ? Well, a German asked if he wants water, would answer with " I am thirsty, not dirty".
Dana you gave such an inspiring and refreshing reflection of Germany. I come from there and lived in different european countries, I visited the eastcoast-US several times, but never were able to analyze in such a perfect way you do, concerning different nations. You do that in a respectful way that does not ostracize any citizen. You are missionary, bringing people together, good luck and god`s blessing.
after I left Germany I never used to tip the waiters in the US until I found out that waiters in the US depend on their tips to make a living wage. In Germany it is considered poor form to tip the waiter other than round off to the nearest whole Euro.
+Terence Spencer Have to agree, I have been living here for 20 years and my experiences have been vastly different too. I noted one above about the dryers, but the jaywalking happens all over the place where we live, and when we hear a loud sound, we figure it's a car backfiring, TÜV or no TÜV.
+Wanted Adventure I'm a native of Munich (for 20 years now), and we Jaywalk all the time, especially on the way inbetween my University (TUM) and its canteen, since the light is all the way on the end of the street. No one cares. Regarding the drinking: true, but it's a whole other thing when we go have a beer. or two... or five. :D Public transports? yes, but you forgot to mention the awesome reliability of the DB... -_- Also, if you wanna get somewhere not in a major city, driving usually is the better option, for both speed and comfort. I never saw anyone sigh at a grocery store when someone pays with plastic. On the other hand, I have often experienced the excrutiatingly long waiting time when said old lady whants to pay cash and give the cashier exactly 34,96€. Especially if there are five of them are in front of me and I just wanna get a goddamn cheese-and-ham-croissant. Finaly the gun-carrying: I've never been to the US, but if I ever go, I'll probably be really paranoid about some random dude shooting at me for bumping into him. :D
+LadyYvaJ I'm German and I never think about a car backfiring when I hear a loud noise. Actually I think about fireworks or construction sites, too. I never saw a backfiring caused of damaged cars. Maybe it's still an American habit? I grew up in Northern Germany and I am living in Karlsruhe now, but I don't think it's different in other German regions (I've been nearly everywhere in Germany anyways).
Well, it feels like I was everywhere. Of course I couldn't see every part. I still have friends from school all over the country and visited them. We all moved out for University. Because of relatives and other reasons I saw a lot of the countryside, too. I can't really tell you the difference between those 242983742934 southern dialects, but I can say that damaged or wasted cars on fire are really rare (thanks TÜV). Usually they are on fire because of some accidents on the Autobahn or stuff.
>There's no shooting all the time. Criminals use knives here. Much worse, because they actually use them instead of just threatening with a gun. >Loud pop in the night Schreckschusswaffen are a thing... >Not thinking about people carrying Schreckschusswaffen are still a thing ;)
Yeah, I love the gun thing as well. And to Max Moritz: I've lived in Cities across Germany and the Netherlands and I've never seen or heard a single gunshot, so there probably aren't that many criminals with guns. Plus, police statistics support Dana's feeling: All countries with strict gun laws have significantly fewer gun related crimes than countries with gun laws like the US. As to customs I dropped or picked up abroad: When I lived in the States, I discovered and afterwards dropped pride in nationality. I don't get patriotism as a necessity. I prefer the team spirit thing we've got going on over here and I take pride in some of the societal and political things we've achieved here in Germany but there are far too many different things that I disagree with or don't care about at all for me to feel pride in all of my Country. In German cities and after spending some time in England, I picked up jaywalking even though, I still look if there are kids around first in which case I'd patiently wait. I stopped judging indiscriminately because I've found there's always an exception to the rule. I've become much more reflective about my life and the things I take for granted and I observe my friends and family with different eyes. I like that we cling to cash. It makes us less transparent and thus harder to steer. Also, small stores and thus Christmasmarket booths as well, shouldn't have to pay a bank fee so we can pay with plastic, IMO.
+Oplars Maybe today is another time.... She have been there in the (nearly) past. Or she was in another part of Munich. For example in Grünwald, where all the richman lives...
I love your channel and the topics you are talking about, especially since I am a German who has lived in America and I kind of experienced it the other way around. When I came back to Germany I felt so Americanized and couldn't stop use words like "ewww" "oh gosh" and said things in German like "Ich bin heiß" (I am hot) which has such a different meaning. I even freaked out driving on the Autobahn :D. So fast. You just start to realize what "wired" things you do and have never even thought about it for a second. Thank you for making me laugh ;)
hahaa really cool to hear about how you experienced these things in reverse!! very interesting :) Thanks for sharing and happy to hear you're enjoying the videos!
+Lena Bechtold (marielenaanna) Yeah...kind of same here...'oh gosh' is one of my favorits...or 'golly' or 'yeah right'. I smile now, when I say 'good morning' :) I am not that stressed out anmyore when someone listens to his music a littel too loudly on the streets....etc.
I'm American, and besides telling speed, I try to use Metric as much as I can, but that probably has more to do with my job, and my slight distaste in the imperial measurement system.
I'm Austrian and have a combined washing machine/dryer, like many others do. The difference here is that those appliances use *way less* energy than the US machines, and the way modern front loaders work they also use *way less* water and treat the clothes very softly.
Hi Dana! I like your videos really much. Can you make a video about Christmas in Germany? I think, that would be interesting for the people. Frohe Weihnachten! ;)
+Raven isa Thank you :) :) I'm happy to hear you're enjoying the videos. Actually, last year I made several videos about Christmas in Germany. Here's one on counting down to Christmas: ua-cam.com/video/lFdQFDjhE9M/v-deo.html And another on the different Christmas traditions: ua-cam.com/video/pAmq9O2tH-c/v-deo.html And one on my favorite, the Christmas markets! :) ua-cam.com/video/UYfIFgboNeg/v-deo.html Merry Christmas to you too!
well I've never been abroad for a long time but when I attended an english-camp here in Germany, all the american staff members pronounced my name "nile-s" although it is pronounced "neels". and after a while, I even called myself nile-s🙈
Herr Nilson They will never ever learn how to pronounce a German word. I have been visited by my cousin from the US several years ago. We both have the same surname. But he was unable to pronounce the genuine German name and it is a very easy name, definitely no tongue twister, as easy as yours.
Hi Dona, I'm from Spain, recently moved with my family to the USA, Miami. I also lived in Germany and Austria, so I speak german aswell. In every country you have to adapt to some things that you don't understand or simply find absurd. You make me laugh, teach me and I thank you very much for the subtitles, that help me improving my english, because in Miami it's possible to make a living just speaking spanish and this doesn't help me very much. I hope you continue enjoying your life in Germany. I'm glad that I found you!!! Tschüss, Carmen
+Alan Shannon ha! That's awesome. I had no idea -- thanks for the info :) I think I will start calling it that from now on as well. I really like it :)
Wanted Adventure It's weird right? Of course they look nothing like a horse so I wonder how the name came about? I spent most of the night watching your videos btw, I looooove your energy!
+Alan Shannon Where I grew up in the south of England, we called them clothes horses too. I think they bear that name because they typically have four legs and their purpose is to carry something, much like horses. Or at least that's what people back in the 1800s would have thought regarding horses. ;)
I am german and I dropped stopping at every red light when walking regardless of travel after visiting Italy for a few weeks... if you don't jaywalk in rome you don't get to the other side at least that was my experience:P
I visited some U.S. cities (I live in Brazil) and just loved NY just because you don't need a car. Walking in NY is awesome. If you walk in Orlando (FL) you will notice the distance between two stores is just huge because the size of the parking lots.
Well, I'm German, but I have lived in the US for one year. But even now, that I'm back in Germany since August 2014, I still pay pretty much everything with plastic ;) Of course there are occasions when I absolutely need cash, but generally I don't have any or only very little, because I can just pay with my credit card. Luckily I haven't been frowned upon for this. Also I constantly expect the supermarket people to pack the stuff I bought for me. But it's just not happening ;)
+zomfgroflmao1337 me too. I don't like it to carry bigger amounts of money on me. But people do... I bought a care a while ago and I had to pay 4500 and they asked me if I had it on me if it wasn't anything special. I'm 158 cm female... do I look like I should do that? XD
And when we tell people that it's safer without guns, they are like "BUT I HAVE TO DEFEND MYSELF!!!" ...against what? I mean nobody here has a weapon anyway. So who cares. People even sometimes get suspended because of things like rubber badges, or laser pointers - because they're dangerous. Come _on_!
+ Nymus the purpose of the second amendment is to give the citizenry a fighting chance should the government turn tyrannical. germans (and other western europeans) don't understand this, which is why western europe is the birthplace of both nazism and communism. shall not be infringed.
Im German, amused by this and those are my 2 cents: 1: We dont jaywalk. Well, yes we do, but only when granma's not watching... 2: Im thirsty right now. I just love those huge Megagulp-Cups; Fill it with tapwater and everythings fine. 3: Everybody here has a driving license, but uses the public-transportation if possible. Which is free as a student, after all. 4: I've got the impression that Germans are quite environmentally-friendly compared to Americans. I do have a drier, which is rarely used. 5: Using Plastic as a payment-method becomes more and more popular here. Globalisation cannot be resisted...^^ 6: The gun-issue: Germans dont have guns because of WWII. We do have the right to have one, but its very well regulated (imo). Americans get their hands on guns far too easily and the NRA holds too much political power, combined with a radical mindset this leads to mass-shootings.
Recycling! Germans have different bins and the Gelbe Sack as well. You can drink a beer and walk down the street. You can be publicly intoxicated. We even have beer at McDonalds. You can have open containers in the car, as long as the driver is not drinking. Germans think Americans are crazy for not being able to do this.
Been here for a couple weeks, and they do offer washing and drying in the dorms, however I HAVE noticed the fact they charge for everything you drink here at restaurants. In that instance, I usually bring my giant camelback 1000ml bottle with me and just drink water from that. If not, i'll probably get a beer. I realize you can ask for tap, but in the instances I have they just bring bottled anyway. lol The tap water isn't as good as it is back home, but i do like how they have so many bikes and in my dorm I noticed they not only have a car carage but a bike garage. Biking is a big plus that is good for the environment that I like. I've also noticed that they have lights in public buildings that must be activated in for you to be able to see. They'll shut off after a time which is another plus for the environment but maybe not so much for residents. Even the toilets and showers are different. The showers don't have doors here, so the water just goes everywhere, it's really messy but that's the style. I do miss, though, not being able to do any kind of shopping on Sunday, everything is CLOSED! Makes preparing for the week much different, considering I spend Saturday traveling usually. Drivers are very aggressive here, and so are bikers (even though I'm amongst them, I've heard from friends who walk they are pushy). Germans are mostly friendly, and they really follow the rules and have a great public transportation system. I've noticed their work and green energy oriented culture. Also noticed at the recent fireworks show here in Heidelberg that the fireworks here are much more tame then they are back in America. I also agree, it's always smart to just carry around Euros to spend out and abound, card is rarely an option! Finally, just as a side note, it's always important to just kind of be humble here if you're temporarily living here or visiting. When in Rome...
In the Netherlands everybody pays with plastic, don't even worry to carry cash. In Germany it's a little bit more complicated. Germans are all about data security etc. And I don't know why but I have the feeling that most Germans have that instinctive scare of being tracked down. In this case by either the government or the stores themselves for advertising. That's really what happens when you have something like a member card. They save all you purchases and send personalised ads. I kind of like that, but well. Most Germans are scared when it comes to something like that. The internet of things is a brilliant thing. And yes, you're trackable. When you pay with plastic it's visible where you've been at what exact time. But why hide when you've got nothing to hide? ;)
+Cherry van Holland I'm Austrian and it's the same here. People are really paranoid when it comes to giving away any data, but I've never seen anyone give a good reason for that and personally I don't understand it.
can just speak for me. i just dont like paying with cards, because i tend to lose track about my spendings, and i know that i know so little about data security, not talking about someone tracking me down, but somebody getting hands on my data to withdraw money from my account, that i avoid paying with a card wherever its possible.
***** The funny thing is, it's exactly the opposite for me. With money on my bank account, I can immediately precicely on the cent see how much money I have, while as soon as I exchange it to actual money, I'm less likely to think so much about spending it, because it doesn't decrease the number on my bank account and it's much harder to keep track of.
you're absolutely right, iam german. i mean, look at us, we were the first country with blurred/censored houses/flats in google street view. i have no idea why we are so paranoid, but i can tell you that only people above the age of 35+ are like that. our younger generation gives a fuck about anything.
***** Grüß dich, selbstverständlich können unsere Daten "missbraucht" werden, zum Beispiel um gezielt Marketing zu betreiben. Nur, ob ich jetzt jeden Morgen Werbung in der Post habe von IRGENDEINEM Produkt, oder nun von einem Produkt welches ich mir vor 2 Wochen auf google angeguckt habe, interessiert mich wirklich so gut wie gar nicht. Viele Menschen, auch du, unterstellen Konzernen böse absichten. Ich bin selbst in einem großen Konzern tätig mit vielen vertraulichen Informationen, habe auch schon in diversen anderen Unternehmen gearbeitet, eines kann ich dir versprechen, bei Unternehmen sind deine Daten wesentlich sicherer als sie beim Staat sind. Diese Unternehmen, nehmen wir einfach mal ein Versicherungsunternehmen, mit millionen von Kundendaten, haben keinerlei Absichten irgendeinen Unfug zu betreiben, wieso auch, das Unternehmen will Geld verdienen und hat vieles zu verlieren. Auch Google kann es sich nicht erlauben mit den Daten fahrlässig umzugehen, denn wie gesagt, Unternehmen entstehen, weil ein Mensch Geld verdienen möchte und nicht weil er absichten hat die Weltherrschaft an sich zu reißen. Unternehmen können ganz einfach bestraft werden, sobald dem Unternehmen die Kunden weglaufen, z.B wegen einem Skandal. Was passiert wenn der Staat deine Daten hat? Die Person die dafür verantwortlich ist, wird in der Regel nicht zur Verantwortung gestellt falls diese Daten aus dem Nichts verschwinden, oder veruntreut werden. Es ist ja auch ganz logisch, wenn niemand für etwas verantwortlich ist, ist die Hemmschwelle wesentlich geringer wenn es darum geht mit den Daten verantwortungsvoll umzugehen. Dieses Phänomen können wir überall auf der Welt beobachten. Ein Joschka Fischer, der offensichtlich viele millionen Euro von Israel erhalten hat, wird nicht deswegen zur Verantwortung gezogen. Allerdings ein Ulli Höneß, geht direkt in den Bau. Liegt schlichtweg daran dass es eine Privatperson ist. Politiker, welche meistens keinerlei Bildung genossen haben, oder maximal als Metzger tätig waren, können sich seit eh und je aus der Verantwortung ziehen und niemand wird verurteilt, wenn es z.B zu Bankencrashs kommt aufgrund von Verantwortungslosem handeln seitens der Politker. Was ich sagen will: Wir sollten aufhören jegliche Unternehmen über einen Kamm zu scheren, diese sind wesentlich vertrauensvoller als auch nur irgendein Politiker oder Staat, denn diese Unternehmen haben etwas zu verlieren und haben andere Absichten als deine Daten an irgendwelche Verbrecher zu schicken. Denn am Ende sind unsere Daten ohnehin überall zu finden. Google z.B möchte deine Daten sehr gerne. Wieso? Sie sind geniale Entwickler und streben wenn es um Marketingstrategien geht immer in richtung Zukunft und die Zukunft ist nunmal gezielte Werbung, womit sich jede Menge Geld eintreiben lässt. Wie man leicht rauslesen kann bin ich ein großer Gegner von zuviel Einfluss des Staats.
I don't know if it came up in the comments up till now, but: the reason for the dashing for the tram is quite simple: drivers have to stop/slow down, if there's a tram stopping at the tram stop. Of course it depends on the roads around.
I live in the US and I don't bother washing my bathing cloths, they've been in soap and hot water. I think they get stiff from not being rinsed enough to get rid of all the soap, Try rinsing the cloth a second time in running cold water, squeeze and hang dry. The extra rinse seems to help return the softness.
Hey dana! You always just speak about munich, whats pretty interesting. But whats about prague? Did you liked it there? Do you see many differences to munich? Maybe you could do a video about that anytime. :)
+Manuel Tschenet Hey Manuel, so awesome to hear that you'd be interested to hear about this, as I was JUST preparing a video on this topic yesterday :D I was wondering if people would be interested, so happy to hear at least one person will enjoy it! :) :)
No guns for citizens in Germany? Is it against the law, or just a cultural thing? I ask because its often amazed me in the U.S., that so many in favor of "gun control" are either celebrities or politicians, protected by armed guards.
It is against the law and of course it is also a cultural thing. People here in Germany think there is no need for the average citizen to own a gun. You can, however, have a gun if you are in a special 'danger', but you hardly get the license.
Yes you can, private ownership of guns is allowed, but the law that regulates private ownership is very strict and restrictive. For example, you have to fulfill a long list of requirements to get a license as for example, you have to be at least 18, go through phychological evaluation, explain your necessity, etc. An entry to an existing license is mandatory for each weapon you buy AND nobody is allowed to carry a gun. If you have an ownership card, you are allowed to safely transport your gun, in a locked container in the trunk of your car, the ammunition needs to be in a seperate locked container. In your home, it's the same thing. You need a gun safe and you have to keep the ammo in a seperate locked case, you can not keet your gun on your night table or under your pillow. And not all weapons are allowed for the private ownership.
MUsicplusSExisMUSE I'd feel anything but safe, in a society with laws that hindered my ability to protect myself. The primary reason the Second Amendment exists in the U.S. Constitution, was because the Founders knew the government could one day become tyrannical. They wanted the citizens to have a way of fighting back.
I'm getting ready to head to Germany in the fall to study abroad for the year. I've done a lot of reading and video watching, and yet your videos still have plenty of new information. Dankeschön!! Side note: For me, you talk slowly, but that's mostly because the majority of the UA-camrs I watch talk really fast, so that's what I'm used to. At first I found it annoying, but I was really thankful for it when watching your video auf Deutsch, because i could actually understand everything. In conclusion: good talking speed.
Vinegar can make your clothes softer when they're drying without a fabric softener + dryer. You can drive natural in house, but also in garden. Cheap and not so bad for the environment.
I feel debit cards are quite popular in Germany, also with the shop-owners. Credit cards aren't because the fees you have to pay to the credit card company to be able to accept payment are high. So they prefer debit cards with their much lower fees. I wasn't aware that Americans often use debit cards. America has been known to me as the country of credit cards.
+Joachim Pense Go to japan... you are pretty lost with a credit card. Japanese are cash users. And you are more lucky if you have a debit than a credit cards. (But I think the newer debits from germany don't work anymore, not sure about it, I used cash all the time.
+boy638 I'm a german Leitungswasser addict and I enjoyed the free (big) glass everywhere in the US. When you order "stilles Wasser" over here, it usually will be a high quality product you will be charged for (2-3€ per 0,25l in a decent restaurant). So no reason for this to be rude. If you say particularly "Leitungswasser", it might be taken you want the free tap water (which is almost as good as "stilles Wasser" by the way) only, which can be taken as cheap and slightly offensive under certain circumstances (full restaurant and a group of people orders nothing but tap water...). They might also just charge you a few Euros for the tap water or bring you the bottled stilles Wasser instead. I'd recommend to order "Leitungswasser" everywhere and see if they charge you. The order as such is definitly not considered rude.
+boy638 The beautiful thing is you don't have to give a fuck what others think of you in Germany. Just ask for a glass and refill it with tap water yourself. Nobody will scold you for it if you are really thirsty.
+boy638 That depends. The Leitungswasser is not everywhere the same quality, in some places it has such a bad quality, that ordering it in an expensive cafe/restaurant/nightclub is seen as offensive (because it is low quality, and the cafe/restaurant/nightclub is considered of high quality), also there are places, where you don't even get Leitungswasser because it is too bad to drink without boiling it first. In Bavaria (Bayern), Baden-Württemberg and rural areas far away from big cities you have usually very good tab water and can drink it directly. There it is not considered rude, as long as it is not the only thing you order. There are also some very good cafes, where you get automatically a small glas of tab water (or stlles Wasser, if tab water is low quality) if you order a good coffee, for cleaning your taste sensors before you drink the coffee.
It is really so refreshing hearing an american talking about our habits and I mean this in a very positive way. I love your clips Dana! :) Wish Mr. German Man would appear more often too :D
The fountain soda thing is definitely regional in the US. I almost choked when Dana said she would get 3-4 refills of a large size of soda! (I'm glad you turned over a new leaf!) Where I live, it's getting less and less common to even order soda in a restaurant. Kids and old people seem to like them, but adults/young adults will just stick to water if they aren't having any alcohol.
If I'm not having beer, I tend to drink iced tea and will get multiple refills during the meal. Sometimes when I'm having beer, I also get "refills" - definitely not free, but I need more than one glass to make it through the meal.
Why do you even have to refill your drink that often? When I was in the US I got so much food from just ONE order and I couldn't even handle 2 glasses of water. That's just way too much.
I love you, you're so funny :) Your videos remind me moving from France to Austria 6 years ago... And i love watching your videos to practice my English ! Gruss aus Österreich ;)
+iLuluchan Wenn es die Kleidung trocknet, wie kann es Energieverschwendung sein. Du denkst wohl nach dem Schema, dass wir so wenig wie möglich verbrauchen sollten. Das ist falsch. Es sollte darum gehen, dass wir so viel wie möglich zum Verbrauchen zur Verfügung haben sollten, und so wenig wie möglich dafür arbeiten. Wenn es nicht anders geht, ist dieses Ziel auch durch eine niedrige Geburtenrate zu erreichen. In deinen Augen ist wohl auch ein Automatikgetriebe Energieverschwendung, wenn es mehr Benzin verbraucht als ein Schaltgetriebe. Oder ein größeres Auto "-------" ""-------" .
+Will Vafuth she's essentially the kanadajin3 of Germany. i wouldn't expect her to do any research or have any actual understanding of anything she says in her videos.
I'm living overseas in Japan, and have noticed the items on Wanted Adventures are true here as well - plus taking your shoes off just inside the door when you enter a house. Never search the whole house for them again! they are all near the door and may even be neatly organized.
I think that people have an natural yet irrational fear of guns, yes guns in the hands of the wrong people can do very bad things but in good hands they can do far more, but even as a US citizen unless I am in a very bad part of town and dressed nice I don't even think twice about whether or not someone has a gun.
+clowe73 Exactly. Like, crossing when it's still red isn't illegal where I'm from and it's not called Jaywalking. Jaywalking is when you DON'T cross on the crosswalk and that IS illegal because... I don't know, maybe thin white lines on the road creates a magical force field that stops cars.
I'm an American and I've been in Germany for almost 4 years. I can relate to every single one of these! Another one is leftover food. Most restaurants (excepting pizza) are not in the habit of boxing up your food to take home! The portions also don't feel as gigantic and impossible to eat in one sitting. I also don't throw away as much food as I used to. Making enough to have leftovers, even in the home, doesn't seem like a common practice here.
Also, I see there are lots of critical people on here who like to nit-pick what you say. I think it's awesome that you just keep making videos anyway -- you get so many views, and your vids are great. Anyone who wants to take the time to comment something rude here obviously has nothing better to do anyway, and even their comments mean more views for you! So anyway, haha, you're awesome, keep it up!
I've heard this joke somewhere but it is actually very true.
A man waits at a red light in London at 2 o'clock in the morning. There isn't a car to be seen anywhere, but still he waits for the green light. A second man walks up the first, and also stops a the light, waiting for green. After a couple of seconds the first man asks the second: "So, which part of Germany are you from?"
Haha 😂
it could be a British man to, because they like to stand in que
Here's another one: Why did they build the Berlin Wall? A red light would have sufficed.
not funny
I have done that. Though I am a Finn, not a German.
But over here you would never be scolded for jaywalking... because that would require us to actually talk to you. We'll just glower at you in silence.
you certainly didn't drop your habit of speaking obnoxiously loud...
+Danilo2moon If there only was a way to turn down the volume on UA-cam... That'd be great!
+Sophie Gruen is there a volume lower than mute? ;)
There is. Hitting the little x in the right corner.
+Danilo2moon and hysterically, overexaggerated and high pitched --> annoying Americans!!!
+Danilo2moon it's weird how you manage to be obnoxious without any volume at all.
I've never lived abroad, but when I met some people from America I learned fast enough that they didn't wanted to hear my life story when they asked "how are you" you're just supposed the say "I'm good" Where I live it's normal to tell in detail how your day has been going when they ask you how you are.
Yeah, "How are you" Is a greeting, not a question in America.
If you are good friends with someone you can elaborate more, but that's mostly for comedy, inside jokes and stuff.
"How are you?"
"Dying! we're swamped at work"
"Eh, sucks"
"Right?"
Both laugh...
Melissa Lewis
It's just something you need to get used to, we just tend to say what we think so asking a question that is understood as a greeting was confusing for me first, but I understand it now. It's just being polite.
Yeah I can understand how it an be confusing being that it's a relatively new thing. Maybe about 20 years or so it started getting popular. And if I were learning a new language I know I wouldn't be able to understand the little traits and slang terms myself until someone explained it to me.
American superficiality. It's really a pointless question, waste of time.
Where I'm from in the South, we actually want to know how you are. It's not a greeting.
Then we will ask about your momma, family, job, children and pets.
Then we might invite you to church.
I am very used to drinking tap water in Germany and I remember that it was really strange for me to stop doing that abroad because there are many countries where it is not safe to do so.
Wanja [Nechtan] Gröger In most of the german regions its also not sooo safe...
Im happy to not live a region like that
In every german city its save to drink it! We got the hardest rules for drinking water! Only the calk can change extrem from city to city but calk dont hurt you. Its only destroy your mashines who work with hard water. Only by exidents the water can be harmfull. But thats not often and get dedected very fast because every few houers the water get tested automaticly
Fabian Kolb hell no, in the largest part of german the water is not tasty... ofc. U wont die because of it, but its also not clean
Wanja [Nechtan] Gröger don't drink it. Believe me. I know better than you. The tap water here is NOT safe either.
Wanja [Nechtan] Gröger I drink tap water and I live in the northeastern U.S.
The thing with traffic lights is not just a habit. It's a law. Ignoring a red light can cost between 5€ and 15€.
+Treufuß
its illegal in the US as well.. but no one cares...
+Treufuß Also you may loose your drivers license for this (it is at least possible).
Also a comet might hit you while you do it.
***** Bußgeldkatalog sagt was anderes. Wobei ich mich trotzdem vertan hab. Es sind 5€ pauschal und 10€ wenn man dadurch einen Unfall verursacht.
+Treufuß + punkte, wenn man nen führerschein hat.
who hangs clothes in the kitchen? I'm german! that's what the freaking bathroom is for!
You must have a nice big bathroom! :) If I put the clothes in the bathroom I wouldn't be able to get to the bath anymore lol
+Wanted Adventure It's the basement for us or outside in the garden in spring/summer. Tho I guess outside is no option if you only have an appartement in the city.
+Wanted Adventure Whoever told you to hang your clothes in the kitchen pulled your leg ;) Nobody in Germany does laudry like that ... expect people in old b/w movies LOL! You don't want your clothes to smell like onions, garlic or roast chicken.
+Jazzy Ah, that's not true. Ever lived in a city like Munich, Stuttgart, Freiburg, etc, being a student? I had lived once in a WG, where bathroom and kitchen were so tiny, we had to hang our clothes in the floor. You could move past it only sideways, and luckily we were all kinda skinny back than. Also, there are apartments where you had to place your washing machine in the kitchen (old buildings) or where the bathroom had only enought place for a toilette and a shower and you are lucky if you can stretch your arms freely. Of course it is different, where the rents are cheaper, I realised that, either I have to live somewhere in the forest in southern Germany or I have to move more to the north of Germany, if I want a decent apartement that is payable. I chose the forest, like 25km from Freiburg.
+Olga Hein When I was a young mother I lived in Stuttgart in a tiny apt which was challenging. Still, it never even crossed my mind to hang the clothes in the kitchen - it would have looked odd not only to me but to visitors as well. There is an attic and/or a cellar in every house where you can do the laundry?! There might be exceptions of course, but I for one know nobody who hang their clothes in the kitchen (unless you don't cook at all. lol).
Good luck finding an affordable appartment! I'm looking for one myself and know how difficult it is. *sigh*
Be honest. The only reason you don't drive in Germany is because you don't know how to drive a manual car. ;)
+Wilhuff Tarkin
LOL!!!!
rekt xD
hahahha
ahaha good one ahaha
I like the way the traffic signals work in Germany. When the red light is about to turn green, the yellow light comes on with the red light for about 2 seconds. That warns you to put your car back in gear. I drive a manual here in the US, and would love to have that "warning light" before the light turns green.
So many people hate others, who pay with credit cards here in germany, because it takes soo long, because "tap and pay" is not a thing in germany.
And your description about carrying guns was so on point!
+Etherion Collecting one cent coins from the pocket is also slow. Germans paying cash hate Germans and foreigners paying by card while Germans paying by card hate those damn Germans paying cash cent by cent
Bernhard Döbler
uhm, almost no one is even using the copper coins (except elders, who are always slow no matter how they pay). Plus most people already have their cash ready, before they get to the cashier (except for big purchases)
I disagree as far as paying with credit or debit cards is concerned. I pay with debit cards all the time at the supermarkets, it's so much faster. I only carry small amounts of cash around with me for smaller stores or market stands who don't accept the cards.
Thankfully I can agree with the guns issue :-D
Paying with card became faster over the time . Some years ago the card terminal had to establish an dial in connection to the payment service provider. This is resolved in most cases as it works over the internet.
Bernhard Döbler
it's still not as fast, as paying by cash. It will be faster, if this "tap and pay" is established here
6:05 guns -- make this (really good btw) statement more public ... this must and realize everybody.
We in germany never ever even think about guns.
If you ask me "whats the first comming to your mind if i say gun" i will say "movies".
+cottton™ I would say "america"
+MusMusMuffin well, ya ... and just happen again. Im just watching news here in germany. Ofc nobody knows nothing right now. Im just saying,
EDIT: sorry, forgot to say: news "gun shooting in california"
yeah I've heard of it too, and I'm also german :3
So the first thing that comes to MY head when I hear guns is "mass shootings in america" and "IS", not "movies". Which says something too. :/ cottton™
+cottton™ yeah you never think about guns, you just sell loads of them to Middle Eastern regimes.
well the US arms exports is still higher than germanys, like TWICE as high, or higher... and most germans are against arm exports, while most of the us seems to be pro gun or...pro freedom to carry a gun?
like ofc that's a bad thing, but you sound like a sulky child defending themself like "YEAH OKAY BUT YOU DID THAT AND THAT!" xD
zenanarchist
Most grocery stores probably don't even take credit cards, but only debit cards, because that's how things work - many people don't even have a credit card, nor would they want one, because it means buying stuff on credit, which you usually pay off over a certain amount of time, so you can basically spend money that you don't have at the moment, which is considered a bad habit here in Germany, as long as it isn't for really big purchases like a new (not used!) car or a house.
+Seegal Galguntijak
When you travel to the US you have to fill out a form that asks for a credit card number and I think it's mandatory to fill that in? I mean, most people who regularly travel, especially long distances like from Europe to the US do have a credit card (if only for the insurence), but there are also a lot of people in Europe who don't have one at all - how do they handle that?
I personally have both cards, but I hate using them in an actual physical store (only for rather large amounts that I don't feel comfortable carrying around with me or in an emergency).
I do use my credit card for online purchases, but I still don't like the way it is kind of spending future money - as you said, that is considered unwise and therfore bad behaviour here (to an extent).
And I am one of the people secretly rolling their eyes at others if they pay amounts below about 5 euros with plastic. Around here you mostly have to put the card into a slot, wait for it to connect, type in your security code, wait for that to be verifyed and then agree to the payment - so it's not just a quick swipe, it takes a lot longer than paying cash. I think carrying little cash is ok, but none at all (on purpose and all the time) is inconvenient. If you buy a soda for 98 cents and want to pay for it with plastic, that's just unnecessary IMO.
Jemima1377 I totally agree with you. And since credit cards are the means of payment that's most often accepted throughout the world, those people who do travel much will certainly have one. However, since I've never been to the USA, I have no idea how they handle the form, and what is mandatory to fill in or what isn't. Might be fun to find that out though (maybe a call to the American embassy?) - And I'm sure if it really is mandatory, many people will just get one from their bank that is connected to their account, but acts like a debit card, and not like a credit card. Also, with the new SWIFT banking system, the IBAN (international bank account number) should be enough, too. At least that's what I think, but as I said, I've never been overseas, so I don't really know.
+Seegal Galguntijak I've travelled to the US quite frequently (about 15 times since 2000) and I do not recall having to provide a credit card number per se on any form. You do however have to pay the ESTA fee of $14 beforehand and the esta.gov page currently only accepts credit/debit cards. So, in a way you are right. If you don't have a credit/debit card, there are travel agencies who will fill out the form with you and use their credit card. They will add a service charge though. :-)
LEISE/laut - Musik Blog Well, everyone in Germany, who has a bank account, also has a debit card.
Seegal Galguntijak Well, but most of the time not issued by Visa, Mastercard, Discover or American Express. Those are the only providers currently accepted by the website. In the US, Visa cards and MasterCards are not automatically credit cards as usually in Germany.
uhhhh....that's not why she told you to stay off the dryer...
+Occams Razor Yeah an we know why she staid on there...
I jaywalk in Germany all the time. Not living in conservative Bavaria though :D
I'm in bavaria. shit
+docboy989 Me only if I see, there is no traffic. But you can see on some faces how some people are desperately thinking about to jaywalk but don't dare :D
+docboy989 Same for me :D
Ich mach das auch. Aber devinitiv nicht zu oft. wenn einfach 20 m weiter Eine Ampel oder eine Insel steht, dann kann man ja wohl die paar Meter auf sich nehmen. sagen wir es so, bei den meisten Straßen hier gibt ja auch garkeine Ampeln, nur bei den größeren.
I jaywalk in Bavaria and I am perfectly fine, my hair does not turn to fire nor do I get struck bylightning. What is this Bavaria obsession?
Water is also free in Germany if it's tap water. At least in the Bars and Restaurants I have been to.
+tjpld Not in every bar or every restaurant. Most of the time, the'll charge you with tap-water ("Tafelwasser"). But not all of them do.
+overTIMe Tap-water = Leitungswasser, Tafelwasser ist wieder was anderes
+Candyman can Tafelwasser is actually tap water, possibly enriched w/ minerals. It's bottled, but not from a spring (hence it's "Tafelwasser" and not "(stilles) Mineralwasser").
+tjpld really? i'm german and i didn't even know german restaurants serve tap water. Maybe if you ask for it specifically, but you'll come across as the biggest cheapskate ever.
+tjpld I encountered several times that a place restaurant or cafe refused to serve me tap water, claiming that by law they're not allowed to serve tap water as it could be a health risk (bacteria), so I'd have to buy bottled Tafelwasser...
In Finland and Sweden it's completely normal to get tap water for free. Finns usually complain a lot if the restaurant charges them like 50 ct for unlimited amount of tap water.
In the middle of the night, when there's no traffic at all, I cross the street at red light, although it makes me a bit feeling like a criminal afterwards. On the other hand, waiting for green would make me feel like an idiot .
+Arminixnix hhahaa perfectly said!! I definitely know the struggle.
That's the same I do. And I, too, would feel like an idiot xD
+Arminixnix I've learned to call that situation cherrygreen, and to just walk
Ich hab gelern diese Situation als kirschgrün zu bezeichnen, und einfach zu gehen...
hmm, something seems worng...
I live in Holland but have lived in Germany, and the differences are quite subtle but they're there. For one thing, the Dutch use plastic to pay for EVERYTHING. Another is alcohol: for a German it is quite acceptable to walk the streets hugging a bottle of beer in the mid-afternoon. In the Netherlands that would earn you wary stares of the 'poor alcoholic' variety. Finally I've noticed that the Germans are a lot quieter than the Dutch are, despite their reputation. When I'm in the train from Berlin to Amsterdam, the increase in volume once we cross the border is very noticeable.
I've never seen anyone but winos drinking beer in the afternoon. In fact apart from football days or festival days I never see people drinking in the streets here. German people get drunk in their houses. They do not drink in the street or walk about drunk.
That is so not true for Berlin, it's absolutely normal to see people drinking beer on the street or in the subway at basically any time of the day.
In Germany if we want to laugh, we go to the Keller. But there is no Keller in the train so we have to wait.
3 months in London cured me of thinking water needed to be ice cold! now i almost never drink ice water.
Megan Richardson+ haha it took a little while longer for me (a few years, honestly lol), but I'm there now!
I'm not the typical American - I've never needed my beverages to be ice cold. I will often drink even a normal soft drink or a beer at room temperature. That's considered weird here. :-)
My Problem after a Holiday in London is to not evade to the left anymore. In Germany if you walk up to someone you evade to the right, and so does the oncoming (mostly, not everyone) as you would do in the normal traffic. After my Holidays i regulary bump into people because i evade to the left and into their way again.
One thing i learned (even though i am German). If you can enjoy a warm Beer, you have more fun at parties ;)
+MKahn84 well, as beer is kinda holy in Germany, we usually drink it cold here too (not necessarily ice cold though). But the other beverages don't have to be as cold for us.
I think it's interesting that even in Switzerland, which is very close to Germany and quite similar in a lot of aspects, quite a few things are still very different. For example here in Switzerland, it's quite common to ignore red lights from time to time too... Once I was in Germany and I did that and everyone looked at me like I was crazy.
+Manu Ela haha, when I see someone jaywalking, I always yell after them how sad their lives must be with color blindness :D
+Manu Ela That's also true for Austria, another small german speaking country next to Germany. Here red lights for pedestrians are considered something of a general recommendation to be used at your own discretion. Some people will stop at red lights only if there are also small children waiting for the green light in order not to give them a bad example, otherwise it's up to you.
+Manu Ela The red light thing is not that strict in Germany. I'd say (now living in Switzerland) it's about the same. But where I love in Switzerland there just aren't that many red lights. But ton of crosswalks. And that';s something I noticed here in Switzerland: People actually stop for you on crosswalks. In Germany they are more like a suggestion and people only stop if you are already on the street when they come.
And the best part many people will thank you with a nod or a gesture if you stop with your car at the crosswalk. It makes stopping that much better. Also they look you in the eye when they want to cross. In Germany people just cross with no regard for the car.
Waldgeist Yeah that is all true... But here in Switzerland you are actually obliged to stop on crosswalks when there are people who want to cross the street, it's not voluntary. It's a rule.
Manu Ela I am pretty sure the way it works in Switzerland is not only due to the rule. Because it's a rule in Germany too. One that will fail your drivers license test and cost you dearly if spotted by the police.
I think it has to do with the difference in common sense politeness and "public thinking" in Switzerland. Of course not everyone in Switzerland is a beacon of goodness, but generally people think more about the impact of their actions on the general public/society/their group than people in Germany do.
The kind of categorical imperative thinking here is more deeply embedded into people and they often behave like they want others to behave, which results in a better atmosphere, friendlier communication and actions like letting someone pass the street if they need to. It also extends to cars when you see someone having to go left with other cars starting to buildup behind him. In Switzerland very often someone will stop to let him through very early on. In Germany that happens too, but less frequently and at a later point in time.
I have a good comparison, because I live right next to the border to Germany. I drive across to go shopping once a week and the difference is really noticeable.
Disclaimer: Not bashing Germany/Germans here. I am German too, but since living in Switzerland I come to love some of the differences - also dislike of course, where there is light, there is shadow.
What? Having a dryer is normal. Why do you assume Germans do not use dryers??
+johann sebastian bach We don't have a dryer :D But she answered to an older comment that she doesn't mean the fact that "europeans don't use dryers" it's that people from the US are not as willing to use a drying... thing other than a dryer itself.... Well that was complicated
+johann sebastian bach Most Germans don't use them. I only know Germans who don't own dryers.
+Captain Bozo while I don't technically own one, the building I live in has one among the washing machines (Those are for everyone to use). But a lot of people don't use it, probably because It's bad for the fabric and environment.
+johann sebastian bach Speaking as a german who doesn't live in a city apartement without a basement, yup.
Most of our clothes still go on the clothesline because it would be silly to use a lot of power to have something dry faster that you don't need right now anyways, but having a dryer really comes in handy when you've washed towels and bed sheets and don't have a place high/big enough to hang them up.
+Captain Bozo
If you know only people who don't own a dryer then you don't know many people, only a very few.
So many Germans demand penalties for jaywalking while in reality, you can jaywalk right in front of a waiting cop car and they won't even give you bad looks.
+Gregor K Depends on the mood of the cops. I experienced differently. And no, it wasn't me. ;)
+Gregor K In czech you can jaywalk in front of cop car, because it is not their job to watch if people jaywalk or not, that is job of those who patrol streets.
+Mari Choi same in Russia
when I was driving on a red traffic light a police car behind me turned on the speaker "red also have to respect by bike drivers" and on the next corner they opened the window and told me "next time u ll loose your driving licence"
+AndyGerman1984 *bysicle not the motorbike:)) because than I would be demanded definitely;)
Yes, wait for the green light. Also in Denmark and also if there are no traffic. And also in the middle of the night. Wait for the green light.
About the thing with guns: I have read a report some time that the whole German police force nation-wide fired fewer bullets over a whole year, than one US police team did on one call when they had to respond to a crime. That's how weird that is.
+Seegal Galguntijak
Part of the reason for that is, that a german police officer has to account for every single shot fired, has to write up a report and explain exactly why that was ineviable and what happened exactly. They need witnesses (bystanders and/or their collegues to agree with their version of events) and there ARE consequences, and serious ones too (I doubt that it's the same in the US at least in actuality, considering how easily they shoot.), if they use their weapons without a pressing need for that.
Also, because of how much stricter our gun laws are, very few people own guns and even less carry them with them anywhere (they are forbidden in a lot of places too around here), so it is just a lot less likely to encounter someone who is seriously armed and can do actual damage from a distance - which is something the officers know and therefor are a lot less afraid of being assaulted - which makes them more likely to not use their weapons either - in case they even HAVE guns - a lot of officers don't carry guns.
It's just a very different situation and mindset. Here, you just don't have to think about people potentially being armed! It's just so very uncommon for that to happen. In the US it's on the forefront of everyone's mind.
My family was told (when visiting the US) that they should be really careful and not make any sudden movements or reach for anything in the glove compartment when being pulled over on the road, because they'd risk getting shot! In Germany, you wouldn't even think about that! And no police officer could get away with shooting you, just for reaching for your papers without announcing it first - they need a good reason to reacte with any kind of violence and guns aren't even the first choice then.
The story you read was a report from "Der Spiegel" about shots fired by police in 2011 (I can't find the original, but plenty of articles referring to it like this one: www.thewire.com/global/2012/05/german-police-used-only-85-bullets-against-people-2011/52162/).
It was 85 shots over the course of a whole year, nation-wide (not counting animals), of which 49 were mere warning shots and only 36 shots were actually even aimed at a suspect.
Compared to, yes, 84 bullets towards one murder suspect in the US and 90 at an unarmed man - also in the US. And considering the news-stories we frequently see, these aren't single freak-accurances either...
+Jemima1377
Very interesting. I think that's far superior to the situation in the U.S.
+Seegal Galguntijak In the past 50 years, on average, German police _shot_ fewer people than got _killed_ by US police in a single month.
First Name Last Name I totally believe that. I guess, in whole Europe in the last 50 years, less people got killed by gunshots from anyone than people get killed by gunshots in the US in an average month.
Seegal Galguntijak Not sure about that one. Yugoslavia was Europe too, as are Ukraine and Crimea... but I get what you mean. And yes, I like the much smaller chance of getting shot, as a trade-off for the illusion that I could use my .22 to defend myself against a nuclear warhead if a civil war ever erupted.
I'm so glad someone agrees with me about public transportation. I hated driving in the states! I started when I was 16 and I was already in 2 accidents by the time I turned 18. I love not having to pay for gas every 2 weeks ( or sometimes more frequently) I love not having to worry about my parents paying for my insurance , I love the fact that I will never get pulled over again and have to pay almost 300 dollars for a ticket. I hate driving! Public transportation for the win! ^_^
+Michał Altawil well, I am from germany and I love driving because it´s quiet simple here. The worst time to drive is in the winter, though, with all the snow and icy roads, that´s the only thing I hate.
+Michał Altawil Oh well I'm from Germany and I love driving. But getting a license here is not that easy and rather expensive. You need to take a lot of pricey driving lessons from official teachers and paying for the two test is also... urg.. XD
But at least you can be sure everyone driving on the street had to learn all of the rules and know what they do. I've been driving for 4 years now and not been into any accident at all, same with all my friends. I love how you can simply get in the car and drive wherever you want without having to wait forever *3*
I totally agree with you. I'm german and I never felt the need to pay tousands of Euros only to be able to drive a car.
Even where I live (a very small town) it is so easy to get around with just walking or public transportation. I need a car maybe once a month and I'm totally willing to pay a Taxi for the service then.
Of course - It needs a bit more "planning ahead" but it works for me. And my friends love to drive me around because when I need them they always get a generous amount of money for their gas and time ;)
+Michał Altawil Well, it depends on where you life. For example, I live in a suburb near Düsseldorf and here, once an hour a bus drives by. It becomes really frustrating if you have to use the bus to get anywhere, in special because this bus-line is poorly planned. Therefor I love that I have now a car and can just hop into and drive wherever I have to be.
That said though, most of my drives are to my local train station because I study in Cologe and I would only in really extreme situations drive into Cologne on a normal working day :D .
+Weltgebrumm
Same here. I didn't even use a taxi for ten years or so :)
Germany sounds awesome! No guns, public transport and environmental friendly, that's the ideal world
Not more than in the US, it's just that the few racist idiots (old grandfathers who still mourn over Adolfs death or AFD voters) have a lot of impact. What i mean by that is that Newspapers are more likely to write about racist protests than...just regular non-racist people
and really judgemental.. but there are also a lot of nice people here :-)
It is a cultural Thing - Germans criticize everyone and everything very direct - that is just common Behaviour. But I understand that for People from other Countries it seems as if they would hate on you or judge you. What they don't. But to keep the ideal Society you need to point out what's not working. Sadly these Days less and less Germans do it and that got us into serious Trouble. I often felt like Americans don't wanna talk about the Elephant in the Room and that felt wrong to mee too.
depends on who you meet. i experienced that less educated people are more likely racist than educated people.
Criminal used more Knife than Guns in Germany.
The only thing I miss about the US when I'm back in Germany is the gallon of milk. That's it. Everything is better in Germany. Everything is healthier.
I am from Germany and I jaywalk all the time :D
Ich auch :D
+Hans Power I do´s some times. But only on streets with very low traffic
+Hans Power Ja bei uns macht das jeder, außer Kinder sind in der Nähe :D
Ich hab noch nie miterlebt, dass jemand deswegen beschimpft wurde..
+Hans Power Me, too. But than again I live in the country, there is much less traffic than in big cities...
+Hans Power Ich geh nie über rot sondern lauf bisschen weiter wo keine Ampel ist und lauf dann dort rüber xD...
einmal lief ich über rot dann hat ein polizist mit megaphon gebrüllt "ES WAR ROT, JUNGE DAME". Man ich hab die echt nicht gesehen
Your story about the traffic lights remember me of a story I read in the web.
A german guy was on a trip in london and late at night he waits on a red traffic light to turn green, no cars were there, totally empty street, and beside him stands another guy, also waiting, and this other guy asked: "Na? Auch Deutscher" :D ("Eh, also german?")
+Merit Seto hahaaa :D Nice one :) :)
+Wanted Adventure Thats so true xD
7:00 haha how she says tüv :D
+Doctaime "tuff" ^^
+Doctaime What does that even mean?
+Mark m
technischer überwachungsverein. Gotta get your car inspected periodically to keep it legal.
Mark m Tüv stands for Technischer Überwachungsverein. Thats german for something like technical control club.. You may only drive with your car if the tüv checked that everything is fine with your car. You need to let them check every 2 years or something your car. If you "dont have a tüv" you get some serious trouble.
So you may only drive a car on german streets not a batmobile or something.
my english might suck at the moment im tired as hell
So like the UK MOT then?
Lots of interesting cultural info in these videos. But frankly, her gushing, breathlessly exited manner of speaking grates on me after a while...
Dennis Fritz But she is funny
Dennis Fritz some of her videos she seems to run out of steam. She even seems to get annoyed to do it
Dennis Fritz I was itching for someone to say it. its so American.....its just feels disingenuous and overwhelming lol. the over smiling scares me
my thoughts exactly
Yes! Argh. Love the info but my goodness...I wish she would tone it down.
How can you think that we have no dryers in europe?!
lol it's not that I think people in Europe don't have dryers but rather I think that most people in the U.S. would not consider using a drying rack instead of a dryer :D So the other way around.
+hAuNtEd KiD does your mom know that you insult strangers on the internet?
+Wanted Adventure I'd say that most european Families have both. We mostly use the dryer, but sometimes we use the rack when the wether is really hot or when we have to dry something that could be damaged by the dryer's hot temperatures.
+Rapti second that :)
Wanted Adventure Thats bc most americans i know are very uneconomical and wasteful with energy.
Some americans didnt believe in climate change...
Oh and before I forget, Jaywalking is totally not an American only habit. Its common in Austria and Germany too so i think in any other country too.
But that with the lots of drinking in America is really a thing! So much coffee! At frist I thought it was something special. :D
You make it sound like there are no dryers in Germany - lol.
I don't know anyone here that has no dryer.
+Twinklelinkle lol I don't have a dryer :D The point for me here was less that Germans don't have dryers and more that in America almost nobody would consider using a drying rack instead of a dryer.
+Wanted Adventure I have a drying rack. I had several friends that used or use drying racks. I don't think that this has to do with German or American culture, I think it has to do with you moving from living with your parents to living on your own.
Most people have a standard of living decrease when they start supporting themselves, and by the time they have children moving out on their own, they have accumulated a bit of wealth, and can afford luxuries that they couldn't afford when they first started off on their own.
It is likely that you did not encounter Americans without dryers because you were still living in a community of people wealthy enough for dryers, and that you do not encounter Germans with dryers because you are living in a community of people who do not want to spend the money on a dryer.
+Twinklelinkle Well, I don't know a single person WITH a dryer in Germany... And I know literally hundreds of people here since 30 years...
+88michaelandersen But she is from the US, If you moving out in the US you will have a dryer in your new home, Just like a electric can opener and other shit Europeans don't think its necessary.
hasse Siemonsdochter I live in the US and I do not have a dryer. I know lots of people who do not have dryers. I also do not have an electric can opener. I am unconvinced that this is a German vs American thing and not a rich vs poor thing.
Everyone learns to live without some of the things that they grew up with in their parents' house, at least until they start earning the same level of income that their parents did.
I do not have a TV right now either, but I did when I lived at home. I cannot say that people in the state when I go to college don't have TVs and people that live in my home state do have TVs, because that would be ridiculous to say. However, I live near a lot of college students now, and most of them have no TV, while most of my friends at home did have TVs when they lived with their parents. I think that the dryer situation for her might be like the dryer or TV situation for me. That as she moves out of the bottom income bracket, she might start seeing people with these luxuries again.
Indeed I'm very sad that you can't get water for free in restaurants like in France (or in the US). But I got used to order a drink (soft drink or alcohol), which I almost never did before when having dinner in a restaurant. When I go back to France, I always forget I can have free water!
Also I feel very bad when I go back to France and I have to throw my paper in the normal bin, instead of recycling it: it's so outrageous...! ;)
I've just discovered your videos about Germany, congratulations!
Tschüßi, Laure
+Laure B. I didn't realize water is given for free in France too! Good to know, thanks :D surprised to hear they don't recycle paper there
Sometimes they do, but it's not as automatic as in Germany ;)
+Wanted Adveture The only restaurants I know you can get free refils here in Germany are Subway and the IKEA restaurant which are both international.
in NY they would charge you 4 $ for SMALL CUP OF TABWATER.... WTF? :-D
so ok NY != USA okok :)
ajo was restaurant are required to give free tap or fresh water
Where does the myth of "no guns in Germany" come from? There are 3 different types of permits for gun ownership in Germany.
or in your holster
criminals don't care what the police says.
Lucas Sidor
So why have police then?
how do u get all the video ideas, you must be a very creative person
ein deutsches Video wäre mal interessant :)
ja, ich würde dich auch gerne mal ein einem komplett deutschen Video sehen, Dana
+xilvsionx Wäre echt nice, aber dann könnten die englisch-sprachigen Zuschauer wahrscheinlich nichts mehr verstehen. Oder zumindest nicht so viel wie wir jetzt auf Englisch verstehen.... Schließlich haben wir Englisch alle in der Schule gelernt/lernen es gerade... Deine Videos sind aber echt interessant! Ich habe auch Verwandte in den USA (Colorado, Denver) und ab und zu schicke ich ihnen auch Links zu Deinen Videos ;)
+Eva Konen ja ich auch
+picklebobby3 was meinst Du? What do you mean?
+coole ele that I would want to see a video in German. Sorry, in Switzerland we start learning German pretty late, so I'm not too great at it but u try my best.
Most German Restaurants in don't serve tap water. They will bring you bottled water
that's illegal
I was born and raised in Poland. The biggest thing was that no one would ask in a public space airports excluded would ask if I spoke Spanish or.... especially Spanish because people from Spain or Latin America we're considered equally of gypsies. Yes I am so used to walking or taking a bus everywhere. Here in the big city where I live in the states I was stopped couple times by police because I am not homeless who pushes carts everywhere. One time I was asked if I was a pimp. That made me laugh.
Having spent a few years in Germany when I was much younger than I am now, I picked up the habit of using my fingers to count in a different way than in the US. In America, we use the index finger alone to indicate the number ONE. In Germany the thumb is used instead. In America, the thumb is only used after all the fingers have been used up, to indicate the number FIVE. In Germany, the fingers are used sequentially, beginning with the thumb and ending with the pinkie to indicate FIVE.
+Gary Deckant interesting!!! I hadn't noticed that, only that there's a different in how "three" is shown. I will have to pay much better attention the next time a German signals a number with their fingers. Thanks for the info :)
+Wanted Adventure If you signal the number two to someone you would probably use the index finger, because it doesn't look like the "OK"-sign. But if you count for yourself (like going through a list in your head) you would start with the thumb as No. 1.
+Gary Deckant That isn't all that true either. We Germans do use the index finger to indicate 1 as a single number. It depends on the context. For example: If i order a beer (hehe, no prejudice there) in a filled crowed and i want to show it more visible that my desire for beer can be satisfied by a single pint, i will probably underline my desire by showing the index finger. But yes, if i fear i will use more than just one finger i will probably start with the thumb.
HAHAHAHAHA to the "Tuf" HAHA TÜV ;) Tuf HAHA Greetings from Germany
Lach sie doch nicht gleich aus ich will nicht wissen wie dein Englisch ist...
+Lisa Müller Ich lache sie doch nicht aus!! Ich habe gelacht weil es so süß ist :D Ich würde niemals über Menschen lachen die ich nicht kenne!
Ich finde es toll was sie macht ;)
+Maddin S Üs sind grundsätzlich sehr schwer. Hin und wieder hör ich das bei meiner Mutter. Aber sie steht auch auf Kriegsfuß mit frisch und fresh XD.
+Maddin S Achso, deshalb lacht meine Frau mich immer aus, wenn ich eine Patze im Deutsch mache! :-D :-D
+Maddin S Achso, deshalb lacht meine Frau mich immer aus, wenn ich eine Patze im Deutsch mache! :-D :-D
Ich sage nur, "die Mülltonne liegt auf der Staße", oder vielleicht "scheiße Fliege!" :-D
If you pay with cash you will get lots of coins for changes which is really annoying.
Marcell Menzel then you'll get coins as changes again and again.
+Chen Zhu You know what? Before I pay, I take my wallet out and look, which coins I have. And when I know how much to pay, I get the exact sum out - no coins for change!
MashMashMusic you know what. people from the place i live now love to pay by their phone or credit card. it's fast, safe and convenient. pay by cash means you need to carry a big wallet with a pocket, it's too heavy lol
Marcell Menzel haha i tried it once. But cashiers here can't figure out why you give them 10.37 instead of 10, since they think 10 is enough for 9.37.
Chen Zhu Probably some people don't want to know their plastic money provider, what they are actually buying.
"Safe"? You never heard of credit card fraud? Sorry, but it's not safe, as there is never 100% safety.
And where do you live where cashiers can't figure out why I'm giving exactly one (Euro, Dollar, whatever) more than I need to pay so I can get exactly one back?
BTW: I doubt that I have more than ten coins in my wallet. It can contain that - I'm more unnerved by all the cards I need to carry around! :D
I don't really like paying with my credit card because I feel like I don't value the money enough if I do. I think it's a big difference if I pay with actual money or just with my card. 100€ is suddenly so much more, if I actually have to give it away rather than just taking my credit card out. I spent a lot more money when I pay with my credit card, especially online! Almost everyone I know agreed on this, so I think that could be your explanation
Hannah Totally agree!
uh the differences between Germany and the US are interesting! I really like your Videos! :)
+Ada Rückert Roldán Thank you! Yes, I find them fascinating as well :) Glad to hear you're enjoying the videos!
I've been going through the comments here and I do wonder WHY people hate cash?
Cash is so much safer than credit cards.
+Rasgonras And it doesn't track data ;D
+Rasgonras And neither you nore the shop does have to pay anything because you spend your money, when you spend your cash money.
+Rasgonras ATM fees. 2$ every time you withdraw cash from remote machine. And banks have terrible service and are rarely open.
Thisold Hatte
Then withdraw lots.
Also, banks rarely open? Look for another bank.
+Rasgonras Unless you lose it. If you do there's no getting it back. If you lose a credit card you can cancel it and if anything is bought on it in that time the bank will forgive the amount.
I cross a road when save, I drink a lot, I could not live without a dryer. I was born and live in Munic. ^^'
"German glass", made in Spain, by a Swedish company, delivered by polands, stored by turkish, sold by a russian cashier - globalisation.
I'm from Germany and work at a university and I often ask my coworkers from various countries what they like and dislike in Germany, and the one that struck me by surprise is people telling me that they are not afraid to go outside on the street alone at night. Before I never even thought about this when I went outside.
The one German habit that I lost due to my coworkers is getting pissed when somebody is not on time. It's quite astonishing how different cultures interpret "We meet at 6PM". We did a BBQ once and the first people showed up at 3PM and at 8PM finally everybody was there. Weird.
when i lived in holland, i always adressed everybody with "you", though there is also a more formal way to adress people. Here in Germany, it's considered almost rude to adress someone you don't know very well with "you". So i dropped that, too.
+lamprete great point! sometimes it's still hard for me to figure out when to go for Sie and when to go with du...so I start with Sie and just follow what they do :D
+Wanted Adventure
The you do it the safe and perfectly polite way.
For adult persons allways "Sie" unless they offered you already the "Du" or you want to mock or fratenisize.
Even the insult "Sie [SWEARWORD]" is less offensive and more polite than the rather direct or friendly mocking "Du [SWEARWORD]"
The difference between the personal "Du" and the formal "Sie" adds sometimes a very funny layer to the german translation of foreign TV series, when two friends, which are also superior and subordinate, start a conversatiom with "Du" on the personal level, quarrel and end with "Sie" on the professional level
+Wanted Adventure here in germany , there is a big difference from east to west
Most of the young people (till 30) start with do because they dont want to feel old but older people (30+) ofter prefere Sie. But when youre older than 30, you always have to start with Sie
Blödsinn. In Germany we always start with "Sie". That not depends on the age. Besides of Kids.
Well, it is all a matter of personal experiences in a specific geographical region. Things are quite different depending where you are in Germany and whether you live in an old part of big city or modern burbs. Funny that so many are talking about "free refills". Well, that would be possible in Germany as well, if they would fill glasses with 80% ice cubes and 20% actual soda. Free water ? Why, when most of it goes down the drain and is not being touched due to free refills ? Well, a German asked if he wants water, would answer with " I am thirsty, not dirty".
Dana you gave such an inspiring and refreshing reflection of Germany. I come from there and lived in different european countries, I visited the eastcoast-US several times, but never were able to analyze in such a perfect way you do, concerning different nations.
You do that in a respectful way that does not ostracize any citizen. You are missionary, bringing people together, good luck and god`s blessing.
Wie du TÜV betonst ist ja mal richtig süß :D TUFF
Ich liebe deine Videos :)
+youknownothing Thank you! :D
+youknownothing Nicht nur Du :D
Great vid! Travelling to Germany from California (hopefully Covid willing) in Sept. Love your joy and enthusiasm and all your clocks!
after I left Germany I never used to tip the waiters in the US until I found out that waiters in the US depend on their tips to make a living wage. In Germany it is considered poor form to tip the waiter other than round off to the nearest whole Euro.
In the USA, this year, there was not a mass shooting "every other month" this year, but on average, more than once EVERY DAY.
seems like your 6 years gave you some impressions that are oddly different (prob half of The mentioned) from my 19 years of experience.
interesting!! so any specific other ways you've changed/habits you've dropped since moving here?
+Terence Spencer Have to agree, I have been living here for 20 years and my experiences have been vastly different too. I noted one above about the dryers, but the jaywalking happens all over the place where we live, and when we hear a loud sound, we figure it's a car backfiring, TÜV or no TÜV.
+Wanted Adventure
I'm a native of Munich (for 20 years now), and we Jaywalk all the time, especially on the way inbetween my University (TUM) and its canteen, since the light is all the way on the end of the street. No one cares.
Regarding the drinking: true, but it's a whole other thing when we go have a beer. or two... or five. :D
Public transports? yes, but you forgot to mention the awesome reliability of the DB... -_- Also, if you wanna get somewhere not in a major city, driving usually is the better option, for both speed and comfort.
I never saw anyone sigh at a grocery store when someone pays with plastic. On the other hand, I have often experienced the excrutiatingly long waiting time when said old lady whants to pay cash and give the cashier exactly 34,96€. Especially if there are five of them are in front of me and I just wanna get a goddamn cheese-and-ham-croissant.
Finaly the gun-carrying: I've never been to the US, but if I ever go, I'll probably be really paranoid about some random dude shooting at me for bumping into him. :D
+LadyYvaJ I'm German and I never think about a car backfiring when I hear a loud noise. Actually I think about fireworks or construction sites, too. I never saw a backfiring caused of damaged cars. Maybe it's still an American habit? I grew up in Northern Germany and I am living in Karlsruhe now, but I don't think it's different in other German regions (I've been nearly everywhere in Germany anyways).
Well, it feels like I was everywhere. Of course I couldn't see every part. I still have friends from school all over the country and visited them. We all moved out for University. Because of relatives and other reasons I saw a lot of the countryside, too. I can't really tell you the difference between those 242983742934 southern dialects, but I can say that damaged or wasted cars on fire are really rare (thanks TÜV). Usually they are on fire because of some accidents on the Autobahn or stuff.
>There's no shooting all the time.
Criminals use knives here. Much worse, because they actually use them instead of just threatening with a gun.
>Loud pop in the night
Schreckschusswaffen are a thing...
>Not thinking about people carrying
Schreckschusswaffen are still a thing ;)
Yeah, I love the gun thing as well. And to Max Moritz: I've lived in Cities across Germany and the Netherlands and I've never seen or heard a single gunshot, so there probably aren't that many criminals with guns. Plus, police statistics support Dana's feeling: All countries with strict gun laws have significantly fewer gun related crimes than countries with gun laws like the US.
As to customs I dropped or picked up abroad: When I lived in the States, I discovered and afterwards dropped pride in nationality. I don't get patriotism as a necessity. I prefer the team spirit thing we've got going on over here and I take pride in some of the societal and political things we've achieved here in Germany but there are far too many different things that I disagree with or don't care about at all for me to feel pride in all of my Country.
In German cities and after spending some time in England, I picked up jaywalking even though, I still look if there are kids around first in which case I'd patiently wait.
I stopped judging indiscriminately because I've found there's always an exception to the rule. I've become much more reflective about my life and the things I take for granted and I observe my friends and family with different eyes.
I like that we cling to cash. It makes us less transparent and thus harder to steer. Also, small stores and thus Christmasmarket booths as well, shouldn't have to pay a bank fee so we can pay with plastic, IMO.
I live in munich and people jaywalk all the time here o.o
+Oplars Maybe today is another time.... She have been there in the (nearly) past. Or she was in another part of Munich. For example in Grünwald, where all the richman lives...
Was ist ein jaywalk??
+Lisa Müller bei Rot über die Ampel laufen, oder einfach ohne Ampel
+Oplars gnah,über die Straße natürlich
:D :D
I love your channel and the topics you are talking about, especially since I am a German who has lived in America and I kind of experienced it the other way around. When I came back to Germany I felt so Americanized and couldn't stop use words like "ewww" "oh gosh" and said things in German like "Ich bin heiß" (I am hot) which has such a different meaning. I even freaked out driving on the Autobahn :D. So fast. You just start to realize what "wired" things you do and have never even thought about it for a second. Thank you for making me laugh ;)
hahaa really cool to hear about how you experienced these things in reverse!! very interesting :) Thanks for sharing and happy to hear you're enjoying the videos!
+Lena Bechtold (marielenaanna) Yeah...kind of same here...'oh gosh' is one of my favorits...or 'golly' or 'yeah right'. I smile now, when I say 'good morning' :) I am not that stressed out anmyore when someone listens to his music a littel too loudly on the streets....etc.
Have you gotten used to the metric system?
Dy Ray im American and I love the metric system. I can't wait to move to Toronto and use it on the regular
I'm American, and besides telling speed, I try to use Metric as much as I can, but that probably has more to do with my job, and my slight distaste in the imperial measurement system.
Murdoch493 I'm American and I absolutely despise inches and the likes. Metric is so much better.
I'm Austrian and have a combined washing machine/dryer, like many others do.
The difference here is that those appliances use *way less* energy than the US machines, and the way modern front loaders work they also use *way less* water and treat the clothes very softly.
Hi Dana! I like your videos really much. Can you make a video about Christmas in Germany? I think, that would be interesting for the people. Frohe Weihnachten! ;)
+Raven isa Thank you :) :) I'm happy to hear you're enjoying the videos. Actually, last year I made several videos about Christmas in Germany. Here's one on counting down to Christmas: ua-cam.com/video/lFdQFDjhE9M/v-deo.html And another on the different Christmas traditions: ua-cam.com/video/pAmq9O2tH-c/v-deo.html And one on my favorite, the Christmas markets! :) ua-cam.com/video/UYfIFgboNeg/v-deo.html Merry Christmas to you too!
Oh, I didn't know that. I discovered your channel an hour ago. :) Thank you!
+Raven isa I think that's an excellent idea. The Christmas markets in Munich are really something else.
well I've never been abroad for a long time but when I attended an english-camp here in Germany, all the american staff members pronounced my name "nile-s" although it is pronounced "neels". and after a while, I even called myself nile-s🙈
+Herr Nilson reminds me of fran fine (the nanny) shouting for the butler. German names sound awkward in english :D
Herr Nilson
They will never ever learn how to pronounce a German word. I have been visited by my cousin from the US several years ago. We both have the same surname. But he was unable to pronounce the genuine German name and it is a very easy name, definitely no tongue twister, as easy as yours.
Umm... I don't think breaking it was the reason her mom was worried about how much time she was spending sitting on the dryer.
Hi Dona, I'm from Spain, recently moved with my family to the USA, Miami. I also lived in Germany and Austria, so I speak german aswell. In every country you have to adapt to some things that you don't understand or simply find absurd. You make me laugh, teach me and I thank you very much for the subtitles, that help me improving my english, because in Miami it's possible to make a living just speaking spanish and this doesn't help me very much. I hope you continue enjoying your life in Germany. I'm glad that I found you!!! Tschüss, Carmen
In Ireland we call those drying rack's a clothes horse. In most of England it's called a Maiden. Totally random and I have absolutely no idea why.
+Alan Shannon ha! That's awesome. I had no idea -- thanks for the info :) I think I will start calling it that from now on as well. I really like it :)
+Wanted Adventure did you ever seen a "wäsche spinne"(laundry spider) that's these big round drying rack you put outside in the garden^^
Wanted Adventure It's weird right? Of course they look nothing like a horse so I wonder how the name came about? I spent most of the night watching your videos btw, I looooove your energy!
+Alan Shannon Where I grew up in the south of England, we called them clothes horses too. I think they bear that name because they typically have four legs and their purpose is to carry something, much like horses. Or at least that's what people back in the 1800s would have thought regarding horses. ;)
I am german and I dropped stopping at every red light when walking regardless of travel after visiting Italy for a few weeks... if you don't jaywalk in rome you don't get to the other side at least that was my experience:P
I visited some U.S. cities (I live in Brazil) and just loved NY just because you don't need a car. Walking in NY is awesome. If you walk in Orlando (FL) you will notice the distance between two stores is just huge because the size of the parking lots.
lol no guns in germany? there are millions of firearms.. they just don't shoot that often at other people
sehr schön zu hören so als Deutscher :) ich hoffe du fühlst dich willkommen, München ist wirklich schön
Well, I'm German, but I have lived in the US for one year. But even now, that I'm back in Germany since August 2014, I still pay pretty much everything with plastic ;) Of course there are occasions when I absolutely need cash, but generally I don't have any or only very little, because I can just pay with my credit card. Luckily I haven't been frowned upon for this.
Also I constantly expect the supermarket people to pack the stuff I bought for me. But it's just not happening ;)
+MrsAlways394 I usually have between 20-50€ in cash on me, but if i pay for something bigger (100+) i use my card.
+zomfgroflmao1337 me too. I don't like it to carry bigger amounts of money on me. But people do... I bought a care a while ago and I had to pay 4500 and they asked me if I had it on me if it wasn't anything special. I'm 158 cm female... do I look like I should do that? XD
+RiaStarchild You could still kick them in the balls ;D
+MrsAlways394 Welcome back to Germany, guess you need to learn again to do things yourself. We have now "Mindestlohn" of 8,50€ per hour ;)
I wish she would decide where to put her hands, and keep them there until there's a reason to move them. he constant flailing is annoying.
No why, she is not a statue?!
Germany sounds awesome! No guns, public transport and environmental friendly, that's how every country should be like.
That's how most western countries *are*.
Not true. The U.S. is not like that
Most.
And when we tell people that it's safer without guns, they are like "BUT I HAVE TO DEFEND MYSELF!!!"
...against what? I mean nobody here has a weapon anyway. So who cares. People even sometimes get suspended because of things like rubber badges, or laser pointers - because they're dangerous.
Come _on_!
against the other people with guns...
+
Nymus
the purpose of the second amendment is to give the citizenry a fighting chance should the government turn tyrannical. germans (and other western europeans) don't understand this, which is why western europe is the birthplace of both nazism and communism.
shall not be infringed.
Im German, amused by this and those are my 2 cents:
1: We dont jaywalk. Well, yes we do, but only when granma's not watching...
2: Im thirsty right now. I just love those huge Megagulp-Cups; Fill it with tapwater and everythings fine.
3: Everybody here has a driving license, but uses the public-transportation if possible. Which is free as a student, after all.
4: I've got the impression that Germans are quite environmentally-friendly compared to Americans. I do have a drier, which is rarely used.
5: Using Plastic as a payment-method becomes more and more popular here. Globalisation cannot be resisted...^^
6: The gun-issue: Germans dont have guns because of WWII. We do have the right to have one, but its very well regulated (imo). Americans get their hands on guns far too easily and the NRA holds too much political power, combined with a radical mindset this leads to mass-shootings.
Constantly driving 100+ mph on the Autobahn was one of my favorite things about living in Germany.
Also the beer.
Recycling! Germans have different bins and the Gelbe Sack as well. You can drink a beer and walk down the street. You can be publicly intoxicated. We even have beer at McDonalds. You can have open containers in the car, as long as the driver is not drinking. Germans think Americans are crazy for not being able to do this.
Been here for a couple weeks, and they do offer washing and drying in the dorms, however I HAVE noticed the fact they charge for everything you drink here at restaurants. In that instance, I usually bring my giant camelback 1000ml bottle with me and just drink water from that. If not, i'll probably get a beer. I realize you can ask for tap, but in the instances I have they just bring bottled anyway. lol
The tap water isn't as good as it is back home, but i do like how they have so many bikes and in my dorm I noticed they not only have a car carage but a bike garage. Biking is a big plus that is good for the environment that I like. I've also noticed that they have lights in public buildings that must be activated in for you to be able to see. They'll shut off after a time which is another plus for the environment but maybe not so much for residents. Even the toilets and showers are different. The showers don't have doors here, so the water just goes everywhere, it's really messy but that's the style. I do miss, though, not being able to do any kind of shopping on Sunday, everything is CLOSED! Makes preparing for the week much different, considering I spend Saturday traveling usually.
Drivers are very aggressive here, and so are bikers (even though I'm amongst them, I've heard from friends who walk they are pushy). Germans are mostly friendly, and they really follow the rules and have a great public transportation system. I've noticed their work and green energy oriented culture.
Also noticed at the recent fireworks show here in Heidelberg that the fireworks here are much more tame then they are back in America. I also agree, it's always smart to just carry around Euros to spend out and abound, card is rarely an option!
Finally, just as a side note, it's always important to just kind of be humble here if you're temporarily living here or visiting. When in Rome...
In the Netherlands everybody pays with plastic, don't even worry to carry cash. In Germany it's a little bit more complicated. Germans are all about data security etc. And I don't know why but I have the feeling that most Germans have that instinctive scare of being tracked down. In this case by either the government or the stores themselves for advertising. That's really what happens when you have something like a member card. They save all you purchases and send personalised ads. I kind of like that, but well. Most Germans are scared when it comes to something like that. The internet of things is a brilliant thing. And yes, you're trackable. When you pay with plastic it's visible where you've been at what exact time. But why hide when you've got nothing to hide? ;)
+Cherry van Holland I'm Austrian and it's the same here. People are really paranoid when it comes to giving away any data, but I've never seen anyone give a good reason for that and personally I don't understand it.
can just speak for me. i just dont like paying with cards, because i tend to lose track about my spendings, and i know that i know so little about data security, not talking about someone tracking me down, but somebody getting hands on my data to withdraw money from my account, that i avoid paying with a card wherever its possible.
***** The funny thing is, it's exactly the opposite for me. With money on my bank account, I can immediately precicely on the cent see how much money I have, while as soon as I exchange it to actual money, I'm less likely to think so much about spending it, because it doesn't decrease the number on my bank account and it's much harder to keep track of.
you're absolutely right, iam german.
i mean, look at us, we were the first country with blurred/censored houses/flats in google street view.
i have no idea why we are so paranoid, but i can tell you that only people above the age of 35+ are like that.
our younger generation gives a fuck about anything.
*****
Grüß dich,
selbstverständlich können unsere Daten "missbraucht" werden, zum Beispiel um gezielt Marketing zu betreiben.
Nur, ob ich jetzt jeden Morgen Werbung in der Post habe von IRGENDEINEM Produkt, oder nun von einem Produkt welches ich mir vor 2 Wochen auf google angeguckt habe, interessiert mich wirklich so gut wie gar nicht.
Viele Menschen, auch du, unterstellen Konzernen böse absichten.
Ich bin selbst in einem großen Konzern tätig mit vielen vertraulichen Informationen, habe auch schon in diversen anderen Unternehmen gearbeitet, eines kann ich dir versprechen, bei Unternehmen sind deine Daten wesentlich sicherer als sie beim Staat sind.
Diese Unternehmen, nehmen wir einfach mal ein Versicherungsunternehmen, mit millionen von Kundendaten, haben keinerlei Absichten irgendeinen Unfug zu betreiben, wieso auch, das Unternehmen will Geld verdienen und hat vieles zu verlieren.
Auch Google kann es sich nicht erlauben mit den Daten fahrlässig umzugehen, denn wie gesagt, Unternehmen entstehen, weil ein Mensch Geld verdienen möchte und nicht weil er absichten hat die Weltherrschaft an sich zu reißen.
Unternehmen können ganz einfach bestraft werden, sobald dem Unternehmen die Kunden weglaufen, z.B wegen einem Skandal.
Was passiert wenn der Staat deine Daten hat?
Die Person die dafür verantwortlich ist, wird in der Regel nicht zur Verantwortung gestellt falls diese Daten aus dem Nichts verschwinden, oder veruntreut werden. Es ist ja auch ganz logisch, wenn niemand für etwas verantwortlich ist, ist die Hemmschwelle wesentlich geringer wenn es darum geht mit den Daten verantwortungsvoll umzugehen. Dieses Phänomen können wir überall auf der Welt beobachten. Ein Joschka Fischer, der offensichtlich viele millionen Euro von Israel erhalten hat, wird nicht deswegen zur Verantwortung gezogen. Allerdings ein Ulli Höneß, geht direkt in den Bau. Liegt schlichtweg daran dass es eine Privatperson ist. Politiker, welche meistens keinerlei Bildung genossen haben, oder maximal als Metzger tätig waren, können sich seit eh und je aus der Verantwortung ziehen und niemand wird verurteilt, wenn es z.B zu Bankencrashs kommt aufgrund von Verantwortungslosem handeln seitens der Politker.
Was ich sagen will: Wir sollten aufhören jegliche Unternehmen über einen Kamm zu scheren, diese sind wesentlich vertrauensvoller als auch nur irgendein Politiker oder Staat, denn diese Unternehmen haben etwas zu verlieren und haben andere Absichten als deine Daten an irgendwelche Verbrecher zu schicken.
Denn am Ende sind unsere Daten ohnehin überall zu finden.
Google z.B möchte deine Daten sehr gerne. Wieso? Sie sind geniale Entwickler und streben wenn es um Marketingstrategien geht immer in richtung Zukunft und die Zukunft ist nunmal gezielte Werbung, womit sich jede Menge Geld eintreiben lässt.
Wie man leicht rauslesen kann bin ich ein großer Gegner von zuviel Einfluss des Staats.
I don't know if it came up in the comments up till now, but:
the reason for the dashing for the tram is quite simple: drivers have to stop/slow down, if there's a tram stopping at the tram stop. Of course it depends on the roads around.
I live in the US and I don't bother washing my bathing cloths, they've been in soap and hot water. I think they get stiff from not being rinsed enough to get rid of all the soap, Try rinsing the cloth a second time in running cold water, squeeze and hang dry. The extra rinse seems to help return the softness.
Hey dana! You always just speak about munich, whats pretty interesting. But whats about prague? Did you liked it there? Do you see many differences to munich? Maybe you could do a video about that anytime. :)
+Manuel Tschenet Hey Manuel, so awesome to hear that you'd be interested to hear about this, as I was JUST preparing a video on this topic yesterday :D I was wondering if people would be interested, so happy to hear at least one person will enjoy it! :) :)
No guns for citizens in Germany? Is it against the law, or just a cultural thing? I ask because its often amazed me in the U.S., that so many in favor of "gun control" are either celebrities or politicians, protected by armed guards.
It is against the law and of course it is also a cultural thing. People here in Germany think there is no need for the average citizen to own a gun. You can, however, have a gun if you are in a special 'danger', but you hardly get the license.
Yes you can, private ownership of guns is allowed, but the law that regulates private ownership is very strict and restrictive. For example, you have to fulfill a long list of requirements to get a license as for example, you have to be at least 18, go through phychological evaluation, explain your necessity, etc. An entry to an existing license is mandatory for each weapon you buy AND nobody is allowed to carry a gun. If you have an ownership card, you are allowed to safely transport your gun, in a locked container in the trunk of your car, the ammunition needs to be in a seperate locked container. In your home, it's the same thing. You need a gun safe and you have to keep the ammo in a seperate locked case, you can not keet your gun on your night table or under your pillow. And not all weapons are allowed for the private ownership.
Mimarspre
Wow...they really want to keep people enslaved to the government, huh? Whatever happened to the idea of self-protection?
There is no need, you don't have to worry about other people, you feel safe!
MUsicplusSExisMUSE
I'd feel anything but safe, in a society with laws that hindered my ability to protect myself. The primary reason the Second Amendment exists in the U.S. Constitution, was because the Founders knew the government could one day become tyrannical. They wanted the citizens to have a way of fighting back.
I'm getting ready to head to Germany in the fall to study abroad for the year. I've done a lot of reading and video watching, and yet your videos still have plenty of new information. Dankeschön!!
Side note: For me, you talk slowly, but that's mostly because the majority of the UA-camrs I watch talk really fast, so that's what I'm used to. At first I found it annoying, but I was really thankful for it when watching your video auf Deutsch, because i could actually understand everything. In conclusion: good talking speed.
Vinegar can make your clothes softer when they're drying without a fabric softener + dryer. You can drive natural in house, but also in garden. Cheap and not so bad for the environment.
I feel debit cards are quite popular in Germany, also with the shop-owners. Credit cards aren't because the fees you have to pay to the credit card company to be able to accept payment are high. So they prefer debit cards with their much lower fees.
I wasn't aware that Americans often use debit cards. America has been known to me as the country of credit cards.
+Joachim Pense Go to japan... you are pretty lost with a credit card. Japanese are cash users. And you are more lucky if you have a debit than a credit cards. (But I think the newer debits from germany don't work anymore, not sure about it, I used cash all the time.
Is it rude to order tap water (Leitungswasser) in any cafes or restaurants in Germany? I always wanted to but worried that it's rude.
+boy638 I'm a german Leitungswasser addict and I enjoyed the free (big) glass everywhere in the US. When you order "stilles Wasser" over here, it usually will be a high quality product you will be charged for (2-3€ per 0,25l in a decent restaurant). So no reason for this to be rude. If you say particularly "Leitungswasser", it might be taken you want the free tap water (which is almost as good as "stilles Wasser" by the way) only, which can be taken as cheap and slightly offensive under certain circumstances (full restaurant and a group of people orders nothing but tap water...). They might also just charge you a few Euros for the tap water or bring you the bottled stilles Wasser instead. I'd recommend to order "Leitungswasser" everywhere and see if they charge you. The order as such is definitly not considered rude.
+hurricane agreed
+hurricane I second that.
+boy638
The beautiful thing is you don't have to give a fuck what others think of you in Germany. Just ask for a glass and refill it with tap water yourself. Nobody will scold you for it if you are really thirsty.
+boy638 That depends. The Leitungswasser is not everywhere the same quality, in some places it has such a bad quality, that ordering it in an expensive cafe/restaurant/nightclub is seen as offensive (because it is low quality, and the cafe/restaurant/nightclub is considered of high quality), also there are places, where you don't even get Leitungswasser because it is too bad to drink without boiling it first. In Bavaria (Bayern), Baden-Württemberg and rural areas far away from big cities you have usually very good tab water and can drink it directly. There it is not considered rude, as long as it is not the only thing you order. There are also some very good cafes, where you get automatically a small glas of tab water (or stlles Wasser, if tab water is low quality) if you order a good coffee, for cleaning your taste sensors before you drink the coffee.
It is really so refreshing hearing an american talking about our habits and I mean this in a very positive way. I love your clips Dana! :) Wish Mr. German Man would appear more often too :D
I love your english :-) Its easy to unterstand every single word.
The fountain soda thing is definitely regional in the US. I almost choked when Dana said she would get 3-4 refills of a large size of soda! (I'm glad you turned over a new leaf!) Where I live, it's getting less and less common to even order soda in a restaurant. Kids and old people seem to like them, but adults/young adults will just stick to water if they aren't having any alcohol.
If I'm not having beer, I tend to drink iced tea and will get multiple refills during the meal. Sometimes when I'm having beer, I also get "refills" - definitely not free, but I need more than one glass to make it through the meal.
Why do you even have to refill your drink that often? When I was in the US I got so much food from just ONE order and I couldn't even handle 2 glasses of water. That's just way too much.
Dana, for a Germanized person you've got a pretty strong American accent. :-)
In the UK, tumble dryers are a status symbol owned by wealthy people, & until about a decade ago, dishwashers were too.
I love you, you're so funny :) Your videos remind me moving from France to Austria 6 years ago...
And i love watching your videos to practice my English !
Gruss aus Österreich ;)
Lol just realised all the things in the Background are clocks ^^
+Urban Major Did you also notice that the batteries are dead on all of them^^
+Nei Umbe exactly! tried it on one video at the very beginning of the series, and it was just way too distracting!!
using a dryer isn't good for the clothes. and it is a waste of energy. (I mean the energy the dryer needs)
+iLuluchan
Wenn es die Kleidung trocknet, wie kann es Energieverschwendung sein. Du denkst wohl nach dem Schema, dass wir so wenig wie möglich verbrauchen sollten. Das ist falsch. Es sollte darum gehen, dass wir so viel wie möglich zum Verbrauchen zur Verfügung haben sollten, und so wenig wie möglich dafür arbeiten. Wenn es nicht anders geht, ist dieses Ziel auch durch eine niedrige Geburtenrate zu erreichen.
In deinen Augen ist wohl auch ein Automatikgetriebe Energieverschwendung, wenn es mehr Benzin verbraucht als ein Schaltgetriebe. Oder ein größeres Auto "-------" ""-------" .
Did you understand the other reply to your comment or do you need a translation?
+Marie Lastname I'm from Germany so I understand. :)
um, in the US those who legally own and carry firearms generally don't randomly start shooting people....
+Will Vafuth she's essentially the kanadajin3 of Germany. i wouldn't expect her to do any research or have any actual understanding of anything she says in her videos.
I'm living overseas in Japan, and have noticed the items on Wanted Adventures are true here as well - plus taking your shoes off just inside the door when you enter a house. Never search the whole house for them again! they are all near the door and may even be neatly organized.
I think that people have an natural yet irrational fear of guns, yes guns in the hands of the wrong people can do very bad things but in good hands they can do far more, but even as a US citizen unless I am in a very bad part of town and dressed nice I don't even think twice about whether or not someone has a gun.
Waiting for a light is not jay walking. Jay walking is crossing away from a intersection. I'm sure u knew....or not
+clowe73 Exactly. Like, crossing when it's still red isn't illegal where I'm from and it's not called Jaywalking. Jaywalking is when you DON'T cross on the crosswalk and that IS illegal because... I don't know, maybe thin white lines on the road creates a magical force field that stops cars.
I'm an American and I've been in Germany for almost 4 years. I can relate to every single one of these! Another one is leftover food. Most restaurants (excepting pizza) are not in the habit of boxing up your food to take home! The portions also don't feel as gigantic and impossible to eat in one sitting. I also don't throw away as much food as I used to. Making enough to have leftovers, even in the home, doesn't seem like a common practice here.
Also, I see there are lots of critical people on here who like to nit-pick what you say. I think it's awesome that you just keep making videos anyway -- you get so many views, and your vids are great. Anyone who wants to take the time to comment something rude here obviously has nothing better to do anyway, and even their comments mean more views for you! So anyway, haha, you're awesome, keep it up!
I have been living in England for five months and now I always make myself a cup of tea when I come back from school