GERMAN IN THE 🇺🇸US: My 6 Culture Shocks | Easy German 277
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- Опубліковано 29 гру 2018
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Easy Languages is an international video project aiming at supporting people worldwide to learn languages through authentic street interviews and expose the street culture of participating partner countries abroad. Episodes are produced in local languages and contain subtitles in both the original language as well as in English.
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Host of this episode: Carina Schmid (www.carisafari.de)
Camera: Janusz Hamerski
Edit: Janusz Hamerski / Carina Schmid
Translation: Ben Eve
I really like how respectful she was when she compared the US and Germany.
Cari and Januzs are great cultural ambassadors for German-American understanding. Americans in general like Germany and Germans. I have relatives in both countries and I am critical of both. I also defend both cultures when they deserve it. Easy German is the best way to learn German. Keep up the work.
Indeed. Cari and Januzs are wonderful people and an awesome team.
Same! I am a generally pro-US European, but that's only because many Europeans around me have pretty smug and superficial negative opinions about US/Americans in general. So I find myself defending the US most of the time even though I ultimately prefer Europe. Here, I could relate to all of her criticisms of both sides. For example, I love American small talk! So what if it doesn't lead to the friendship of my life? People are just friendly, that's better than being unfriendly. *shrug*
@@daylightmoon7285 Yeah, and for me it's a nice way to improve my English by reading the subtitles. :D
Großartig wie du das machst! Ich war auch mehrmals in den USA und kann alles was du sagst im Großen und Ganzen unterschreiben. Was die Bio Supermärkte betrifft, komm doch mal zu uns nach Österreich. Da gibt es ganz viele Läden mit großer Auswahl an regionalen Bio Produkten.
Listening to Cari express herself I really feel she's intelligent and articulate. For anyone learning German this is an invaluable resource on UA-cam!
She is an amazing person.
Das stimmt 100%
Agree and also she has a warm "American" personality. So attractive. Great work Cari! Du machst mir Lust, Deutsch zu lernen!
it is
Cari is efficient, detail-oriented, and a real nice lady.
She is a really good teacher. Whenever she used words that we didn't know (like headphones), she performed the action of putting headphones on so that people could follow without the subtitles. Really well done.
nice catch
When I travelled in Germany I had a hard time finding still water, there were times I bought sparkling water by accident and it was NOT a pleasant surprise lol
Where the heck did you gone? :D
I drink still water every day (i dont like sparkling water). You can buy this as easy like sparkling water. It should be really easy to find. ;)
same lol I don't like sparkling water at all
is it me or do others find that the sprudel water upsets their digestion?
I started watching Easy German because I just enjoy Cari & Janusz so much. The questions, the insights, the laughs. Now, I'm learning the language by accident. You're genius. A++
😂
I fell in love with positive energy which you emit each time I watch your videos.
I’ve lived in the USA for my entire life (71 years) and love this video. Well done!
Are you of a Dutch origin?
hallo
I love Whole Foods, but my anthropology professor used to call it “Whole Paycheck” for good reason... It’s too expensive for many Americans.
That's right!!!!!!!!! It's only for rich people and there is no fairness about it. Because everyone wants to eat healthy. And it is a privilege to go shopping at Whole Foods when you have a fat wallet. But if you are not one of those you better do not shop there. I am for everyone should have access to good food, without acceptions, EVERYONE!
One can do as well as shopping at Whole Foods at a local grocery store. I go to one my colleagues describe as "ethnic" and get incredible deals on meat, produce, fish, everything. And no goldfish bowl or uptightness.
Although this is true, here in Germany happens as well with so-called "Bioproducts", what you have to question is the economical-political system that leads so many people to struggle so much to reach the end of the month although they work full jobs and only can buy the mass-produced products with terrible CO2 imprint. I know they have no choice. But the "American dream" ideology is responsible for so many people living on the edge.
The funny fact is, that in Germany, really healthy products are most WAY cheaper than unhealthy ones. But we are often cozy (after a long day of work) to cook healthy. In Germany you can eat really easy healthy to really low prices.
I think, that the biggest "problem" of those whole markets is, that they offer TOO much different stuff. So, they have to through much in the garbage after a day/week and this expenses comes on top off the prices. Just my thinking.
South park reference
It's interesting to me that you say Germans are more introverted. I have been to Germany twice and on one of my visits a German woman heard me speaking English on the train so she struck up a conversation with me. Maybe she felt more at ease talking to me because I was a foreigner.
Yes, they talk more freely with foreigners.
I think that's a very common behaviour across cultures; I guess we are moved by curiosity (that we are otherwise lacking toward your co-citizens).
Sometimes I wonder about why Germans have this behaviour and where does it come from. Of course the single individual has been brought up this way by his community and his family, but on a broader scale, how does this type of isolation award? Having more connections is also incentivised by hormones (you just feel good), so what may ever overtake a biological incentive?
I've heard that german culture has been somehow influenced by the events of the XX century...could it be some sort of aftermath? (I don't think so, but it still worth to ask).
And...are "all" germans like that? are there some (even slight) differences in openness between east and west? big cities and minor towns? near the borders/sea and the inland? between who earns more and who earns less?
I find it fascinating and if anybody wants to digg deeper I'd be glad to carry with this topic on :)
(also privately, if you are not afraid to interact with strangers on yt 🤣)
@@vaxel2 This behaviour isn't exclusively German. It's more like a Central European thing. You see it in Austria, Czechia, Slovakia, even Hungary and Poland. I've never been to Scandinavia but I imagine it may be similar.
Your German is so clear that I can comprehend quite a bit of it still, 25 years after my last German class in der Uni...
I agree. It's rare to hear German spoken so "smoothly" and with distinction between words.
Please make more videos like this (where it's just you speaking to the camera). I find such videos immensely helpful in my experience learning languages. Thank you!
Thank you so much for your insight. As an American I understand your points of view and they were very well put. I avoid public toilets as much as possible, and although most Americans believe that education and health care are a right, we have out of control capitalism in this country. Everything is monetized. Most Americans do not get vacations and most Americans cannot afford to shop at Whole Foods. People with diabetes are dying because they cannot afford insulin. People loose their life savings and their homes because of medical expenses. Many, many homeless people have jobs but housing is too expensive. I’m not asking that you feel sorry for us, but rather to view us as an example of what happens to a society where capitalism and greed run the government.
Do you not think the Germany is a capitalist nation? LOL. Many of your points are straight up lies or misrepresentations.
@@Lerxstification Buy the system is American is a neocapitalism. They have noy social system.
Lerxstification none of the points I made are lies and misrepresentations.
@Szilvia X Truth is not dependent upon "her truth". Truth is truth. Germany is a capitalist nation. Fact. The social market economy (SOME; German: soziale Marktwirtschaft), also called Rhine capitalism, is a socioeconomic model combining a free market capitalist economic system alongside social policies that establish both fair competition within the market and a welfare state, or in simple terms CAPITALISM.
Szilvia X thank you so much💕
Ich liebe dieses Video, Cari. Ich bin eine Amerikanerin und Ich habe vorher 7 Jahre in Deutschland gelebt. Ich hasse unsere Toiletten in den USA. Keine Privatsphäre! Auch die Unterschiede zwischen Arm und Reich sind gravierend.
I teach global healthcare in the US now and talk about my work as a midwife in Germany. I compare the healthcare systems of Germany, the Netherlands, France, and the U.K. with the US. Even showing my students how Germany’s system works and how broken ours is, some (nursing) students still think the US’s care is better. It’s heartbreaking. I highly recommend the read: “The Healing of America: A Global Quest for Better, Cheaper, and Fairer Health Care” by TR Reid.
Ich vermisse Deutschland. Ich hoffe, dass ich bald einen Tag wiederkommen werde!
Thank you so much for sharing your story Laura. That is really so interesting to read.
Wo in Deutschland lebst du? :)
@@EasyGerman I think she wrote 'seit' instead of 'vor' sieben Jahren. She meant she leaved there but "now teaches in the USA'😏
Renee Rey, das glaube ich auch. Laura ist eine Amerikanerin, die vor sieben Jahren in Deutschland lebte/gelebt hat.
gizmo123243 Ja, Danke. Das ist richtig. Ich habe nur ein B2 in meinem Deutchkurs. 😇
Easy German Ich habe zuvor in Heinsberg in Nordrhein-Westfalen und dann in Bitburg in Rheinland-Pfalz gelebt.
Lebensmittelunverträglichkeit. Mein neues deutsches Lieblingswort. 🤣
jajajajajajajaja!!! Donaudampfschifffahrtselektrizitätenhauptbetriebswerkbauunterbeamtengesellschaft
Haha und mein neues Lieblingswort auch!!!! Ich war sofort in es verliebt, sobald ich es gelesen habe.
das mit der tollen auswahl an vetschiedenen nahrungsmitteln und gerichten in restaurants sehe ich auch so. dass man weiss, was drin ist, allerdings nicht. genmanipulation ist in den usa erlaubt. mais und soja würde ich nur mit komischem gefühl essen. außerdem ist in deutschland die auswahl nicht so groß, wenn man regional kauft. im winter wächst einfach nicht so viel hier. in den usa ist es in,vielen staaten ähnlich, es wird aber vieles aus südamerika importiert. ökologisch ist eine übertriebene auswahl also nicht.
die toiletten sind mir auch schon aufgefallen. kann mir einer der amerikaner sagen, warum die toilettenoffen einsehbar sind? hat das einen bestimmten grund? ich las mal, dass es deshalb so sei, um im falle eines notfslls eingreifen zu können. stimmt das?
@@DamnControl5 das ist fake.
Right? Hab es mir angesehen, und dachte mir "WAS. Für ein langes Wort!"
I just love your videos.
I am in a full process of learning german and thanks to you, i find it really easy and I have learnt so many words and expressions just by watching your videos.
I loooove this channel and this video was on point! I live outside my country too and find the talk about cultural shocks very interesting. Again, great video 👍👌
I'm from the UK, living in Germany and the one thing I hate is no free water in restaurants. My friend got charged 5 euro for a 250ml glass, not okay. Apart from that Germans are cool
As far as i know restaurants charge more money on drinks, because the food is therefore priced more competitively.
@@Marzelmusik Thats hella expensive for water...I think you missed the point Megan was trying to make
Excellent video. Coming from an European living in USA I completely agree with all your observations. Very deep and insightful.
I appreciate this so much! The differences are so neat. I've been learning German for almost 2 months now and watching these videos help with that as well! 💙
Carina, das erste Mal dass ich Dich hoerte, hat mir richtig gefallen, you are fair, smart and totally cute. Love to hear some German Sometime, not often possible . Keep up the good work.
Great video - very informative. I grew up in Germany as a small child and find these impressions very interesting. Thank you for taking the time.
I'm sure you have noticed the prices in whole foods, the freedom of choice is not for everyone in usa
Trader Joe's -- that's all I have to say
yes, trader joe’s has great prices
Yes, the Trader Joe’s example is a good one. Of course Whole Foods is at the high end of price, but as anyone who has lived in both Europe and US knows, the abundance and choice is far greater in the US. It’s not even close. At all levels of the price spectrum. HEB, Albertsons, Kroger, pick your grocer. They all have mega-stores overflowing with every conceivable kind of produce, meat, etc... you just don’t see anything like that in Europe (at least not regularly).
The freedom of choice stars when you choose which price you decide to pay for what you what, nobody is forcing you to pay nothing you don't want to.
@@scottmuck Most people can only pick their favorite grocer if they are willing to drive 50 miles.
dat awkward moment when you make eye contact with the fella sitting on the toilet
😂
😂😂 unimaginable for a non-american
My question for all those with the toilet issue... I've gotten through almost 60 years of life using many public toilets without ever having eye contact with someone in a stall. Why are you looking through the gaps you pervs?!! :-P I understand this would be an issue for men but not women that always use a stall.
@@ScottKnitter Ah, got it. Makes perfect sense.
@@amyfrench8678 ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
About the small talk part, I'm a fairly introvert/reserved American, but I still enjoy making small talk (though usually the other person initiates the conversation unless I'm at work) but it is just nice to make someone smile if their day isn't going well (or even if it is, it's just nice to make someone smile) it also opens you up to be more empathic towards lifestyles you didn't know existed, learn about new hobbies (and maybe you will be interested in picking it up yourself), maybe you will have just made a new friend. There's so much knowledge to be gained from other people. It's also nice sometimes to just not think about your own life for a minute, or to get a break from the people you usually talk to. Sometimes strangers are full of wisdom. IDK I like small talk because it can always turn into big talk and even if it doesn't we should always be open to spreading kindness into the world
This was awesome, thank you for sharing your experiences here!
Danke! Das Video hat mir sehr gut gefallen. Gruesse aus St.Petersburg, Russland. Guten Rutsch in das Neue Jahr!
Wow that was surprisingly great insight - super interesting! I've never thought that the water tasted chlorinated but I have noticed that the water is always a little different everywhere you go - even within a single region. Also, as a Philadelphian, I hear that concerns about safety all the time, particularly from people who don't live here . In my experience though, it's just fine. If you don't go looking for trouble, you shouldn't have any trouble.
Thanks for sharing in an understanding and open way. I’ve visited Germany three times. I enjoyed every time all of it. I enjoy the differences. Thanks
This video just popped up on my feed. I have never been to Germany nor do I speak German but I'm glad it did. I really enjoyed it! I agree with everything u said and I liked that you spoke in a respectful manner. It was fun to see my country through another culture's eyes. On a 2nd note, my grandmother used to speak to me in Yiddish when I was little and I was surprised how much German I could understand with you speak slowly and clearly. I was honestly shocked at how much I could understand! Nice video!
Wonderful video, always informative when I can understand them. As an American sometimes I like to talk to strangers and sometimes I want to be left alone depending on my mood. Some of the best conversations I have ever had have been with total strangers. While in Spain my wife and I met a couple from Great Britain we stayed out until 1:30 in the morning (we are old, so it was not normal) just talking and drinking. We didn't know them before and we will never see them again, but it is one of our best memories of our many travels. We have had some conversations with Germans or Europeans but not very many.
Sehr schönes Video. Danke.
Ich komme aus Ägypten, also schweige ich lieber. 🙈 😃
Euch allen einen guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr 2019.
Cari you’re a fun person to learn with you have the most beautiful charm and wit, and I just love learning with you
Seiner Channel ist einfach Wunderbar! Sie helfen mir sehr! Tausendanke an Cari, Janush und das ganze Easy German Team!
I’m from Montana. I went to the West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and a lady working there said to me that “...everything in America is SO commercial and fake!” And I said to her, “You realize that you make your living at the largest mall in the world!” (Which was true at the time.) And that “the population of the city of Edmonton is greater that the entire population of the state of Montana.” She had not further comment.
As a Canadian, I would say the cultural differences between U.S. and Canada are pretty minor. Both countries have big regional variations. I think as Canadians we feel the need to differentiate ourselves, but it's pretty much a waste of time. The cultural differences between European nations and North American nations are much more pronounced.
Canadian foreign policy - "We're not the US!"
Canadian domestic policy - "We're not the US!"
Montana looks really beautiful from the pictures. Im from Germany and recently googled Montana after I read a book from there. Its as big as Germany but while we have about 83 Million people, Montana has only one Million (although the number of people seems to increase).
But its a similiar thing with Austrians and Germans. Austrians often point out differences, because otherwise they would be in the shadow of the Germans.
@@leswhynin913 I'm an American living in Canada and I think the differences are larger than you state between Canada and the US. It is most noticeable in the social welfare system--not just health care, but family leave policies, federal and provincial support for public education, and many other things. Canadians are more like Europeans in their relationship to their government. Beyond that, Canadians are not as loud as Americans and tend to value politeness in public space much more than Americans. While there are similarities, I think the differences are significant and noticeable.
Ich bin von Frankreich. Ich habe in Deutschland, in England und in der USA gelebt. Ich finde deine Videos grossartig. Mir gefällt wirklich, wie taktvoll du bist. I am from France. I lived in Germany, UK and USA. I really find your videos great. In particular the tact you you have in presenting these topics.
Your channel is a lot of fun to watch. I haven’t studied German in over ten years but now I want to again.
Hello Cari, thank you so much for EASY GERMAN. I love your videos. I've been learning German for a short time and they are very helpful and informative. I love your approach.
I have a question that you might like to ask people in and around Berlin. We hear a great deal about how terrible life was in the GDR before the wall fell but I discovered some interesting things about life in the GDR by asking people who lived there "What was GOOD about it?"
I thought it might be interesting for you to ask the question too!
All the best for the future.
Ich finde es sehr positiv, dass ein Punk, eine alte Frau und ein Geschäftsmann miteinander reden. Ich gehe davon aus, dass sie nach ihrem Aufenthalt in Deutschland genug Gespräche über ihre Reise führen werden. Jeder hat wahrscheinlich ganz andere Erfahrungen gemacht, aber es ist schön, dass sie miteinander interagieren.
I don't know if 'Easy German' has ever truly been in rural America, but greeting strangers and passersby is courtesy, not intrusiveness. Since I've moved out here [i.e. 'the sticks'] and live out here, I love the fact that there is a sense of being decent to your fellow man that you seldom ever find in big cities now. Also, folks in rural areas are not dumb bumpkins without a clue. We do have smarts and any travelers out our way really need to know that. Just some things for folks like EG to remember.
Du bist positive und super nett Cari! Ich mag deine Videos!
Danke für ein tolles Video, Carri!
In Australia nobody talks on public transport during the week. At weekends people talk quietly and on Friday and Saturday night, it's a completely different experience. I think that Australia is somewhere between the U.S. and Germany, but it's definitely cleaner and safer than both. The public toilets give you a lot of privacy and are spotless. The food is pretty healthy. The rich areas don't allow to open fast food. I never go to the bakeries here. The bread is very average. The sweets are tasteless and contain too much sugar.
The tap water is free everywhere. Not the best. They don't drink sparkling water. You can buy it, but it all comes from Italy.
They have whole foods in the uk too. I used to go there often, they have lots of things you couldn't buy anywhere else, but quite expensive.
Seven years on youtube scrolling, watching and liking videos, but never subscribed any channel, but now Easy German became the first one ever.
What an honor!
Danke schön für das wudebare Video! Ich möchte sagen, sehr viel erfahren zu haben👍
Not every city has very noticeable chlorinated water. Here where I live, it's not at all. And yes, water is usually free, unless it comes in a bottle.
I was just at the gym, a whole conversation with a guy I had never met before about Burl Ives, Christmas carols, and crank calls as a kid. Welcome to Monterey, California! :)
Great videos! Thanks for all your work. My biggest Achilles heel is understanding spoken German which your videos are perfect for, even though you talk so fast! Both good and hard for learning. Lots of tap-tapping 🤣🤣🤣🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Tolles Gespräch. Ich lebe seit 30 Jahren in den USA und denke dass du eine hervorragende Zusammenfassung dieser kulturellen Shocks gemacht hast. Gute Arbeit!
Vielen Dank, Cari. Ich habe ihre Ehrlichkeit sehr gern. Und Sie sprechen sehr klar, nicht zu schnell; Ich kann verstehen.
Vielen Dank fürs Video! Als US-Amerikaner, der jahrelang in der deutschsprachigen Schweiz lebt, finde ich deine Einschätzungen und Beobachtungen beides sehr akkurat sowie sehr feinfühlig. Ich stamme aus Texas; habe in CH sowie jahrelang im UK gelebt und um mich über die Unterschiede dieser 3 Ländern und deren Lebensstilen nachzugrübeln ist fast ein "Hobby" von mir!
Vielen Dank fuer die Easy German Videos. Ich bin eine amerikanishe Lehrerin (Mathe) aber vor 30 Jarhen war Deutsch mein Nebenfach auf Uni. Ich kann, und werde, meinen Deutsch mehr oft benutzen. Ich versuche jeden Tag einen Video zu anschauen.
OK, I have to say that this UA-cam channel is amazing !!!! You make a great work ! I've been living in Berlin since 20 years and if this channel had existed when I arrived alone in Germany, my German would be much better and the videos would have helped me a lot to integrate! Chapeau ! You and the whole team do an amazing job !
Wow, thank you!
Was really great to hear your thoughts on this. Sometimes I have trouble listening to Europeans talk about the us because they say many of the same things you do. To be clear, the average American generally wants these things, too. Healthcare and education for all. The people in the US who don't are generally rich people who have something to gain from the systems currently in place. The US has quite a bit of corruption, as does any country, but I definitely agree with you. Healthcare and education should be a fundamental right in the modern era. I'd you're poor and want to go to university you'll likely be in debt the rest of your life unless youre going for a really high paying career. But even then sometimes, take a doctor for example. You might need 8 years of schooling instead of 4 to get a job, and now you have double the debt. First world countries love to flaunt their government's as democratic and free, but if you ask me the US is more like an oligarchy ruled by the richest and most influential families. Whenever there's legislation coming through that someone doesn't like, money talks. That's not democracy, and that's the kind of thing holding back the US in my opinion.
There's a lot of money available for truly poor students to university. Much of this money goes unclaimed. It's the middle-class kids that suffer. Most European countries are more socialist than we are. Someone is going to pay for that healthcare and for that higher education. We have a huge military that requires lots of taxpayer money. Not saying you are wrong in your observations.
You are a poor person who doesnt want to work hard and sacrifice to get ahead. You want people to take care of you. Shame
@@Tennischamp10 you’re right, I’m terrible for wanting people to have equal opportunities through access to healthcare and education.
@@jesseandersen4055 You want other people to pay for your way. You stand with your handout instead of head down and work hard. You will never be successful because you are too worried about what you don't have vs what you can get with hard work.
@@Tennischamp10 It's not a matter of how hard somebody works though. It's about opportunities. Everyone is born in a differnet family, some families just have more money than others, so some people have more opportunities from birth. A lot of people will never be able to afford to go to university, no matter how hard they work, how many jobs they have etc. If university was affordable for everyone, people who are born poor or in middle class who are actually smart and want to learn, could do that. Then they could work in better paid jobs and give back to the community so that other people who are in a similar situation can also go to college. Seems to me like you have a very narrow-minded view on that topic.
It makes sense that you heard strangers talking with each other on a plane ride to Chicago because people in that part of the United States (The Midwest) are known for being very friendly and sincere.
Grace C. And as a person from the Midwest, people have always chatted with me and felt free to tell me so much personal stuff! My husband (not American) were in an airport in japan and this businessman started chatting with me as we stood in a non moving security line. My husband asked me who my friend was. Um, he’s not my friend, I just met him. LoL And this happens to me all over the world.
I'm originally from the Midwest as well and it is worth noting that the largest pool of people with German ancestry still reside there.
I've watched dozens of these videos on the differences of America to other countries and this is the one that always makes me sad. I'm from Southern California and could start up a conversation with anyone lol. I am genuinely curious about everyone and the life they live. It's the only way we will ever have a chance of learning to accept one another with our differences. You can hear some fascinating stories and may meet someone who has an unexpected impact on your life.
I'm a transplant living in the upper Midwest and the general stereotype here is that people are reserved, distant, fake-nice, and passive aggressive, but generally very polite and unobtrusive. It has been tough making friends here since people tend to mostly be friends with the folks they grew up with (moreso than other places in the US I have lived). Broad generalization, and It's all relative I guess :D
I'm from Los Angeles and the warmth and friendliness of Midwesterners the first time I visited Nebraska floored me. I thought I was being punk'd.
love your videos
Thanks! 😊
I really enjoyed this video - thank you Carrie xxxx
Now, I understand why, as an American, I don’t like ‘small talk’ and most everyone using ‘how are you?’ as a greeting when they don’t really want to know, it’s my Deutsche Blut rebelling against it! 😀😀
Some Europeans have a superficial understanding of American culture and should learn more about it than repeating the stereotypical comments (they are becoming their grandparents and parents). There are proper circumstances as to what, when and where you make small talk.
james wagner 😂
What culture?
unioncityman63 Don’t worry, Germans are also asking „ wie geht es dir“ without real interest. They are ice cold, I live in Germany for a long time and know them very well...
If you don't say something like 'How are you?' then what are you going to say? Hi? - which is short for 'Hidy!", which is short for 'Howdy!', which is short for 'How do you do?', and you are back where you started. So you might as well say 'How are you?' and get it over with.
@@_blank-_ Because it's a phatic expression
Toller Inhalt. Wohne seit 11 Jahren in den Staaten. Stimmt alles!
Really interesting video, thank you for sharing your experiences! It's true that tap water tastes bad in many places here in the U.S.. I think most people use filters (basic filters just take out chlorine) for drinking water. When I was visiting Germany, the hotel at which I stayed put out sparkling water for breakfast - many here call this carbonated water. I asked the service personnel for non-carbonated water and she did not understand. I have since learned that this is called flat water! So this was a surprise for me also.
Vielen Dank für Ihr sehr informatives Video.
Danke! Sehr interessant! I have used that generous space under the cubical door to crawl out when the knob on the door broke! I was glad it was there! Hahaha!
😂 for real? 😂
@@EasyGerman Omg, we have ALL done this, especially as kids. It's useful for a lot of practical jokes too.
Easy German at least the toilets are free of use.
The public toilets coming with a cost, even in a department store.
Visit KaDeWe in Berlin and people came with 6 bags of merchandise and still had to pay to use the toilets. That’s insane.
These are natural occurrence and you should not have to pay.
Even in the big Harrods store the toilets where free.
Shame on you germany. Been to Tokyo,Singapore,Bangkok,Hongkong, Buenos Aires, Montevideo and many other place and never had to pay for a toilet
Forget about the broken handle. I'm sure many a drunk bar patrons just thought it would be easier to crawl out than mess with that little ol' knob lmao! Um, not me though.
@@evelinholmes6401 I was there two years ago and was greatly annoyed by pay toilets. The concept is not without merit, but I wouldn't charge more than 25 cents, while they charged a Euro. Also, I saw one drinking fountain the whole time I was there. I prefer to refill my bottle rather than buying multiple disposable ones.
Wow...that thing about Whole Foods really shocked me! Of course, Whole Foods shocks us Americans as well--with their prices! (cough) (cough)
Yeah I believe so 😂
But actually American food prices shock us generally. To us food and drinks in the US are just more expensive in general and we kind of get used to spending more while being on a trip in the US. So maybe that's why we arent shocked then when we see even bigger differences within the US itself.
Whole Foods is so expensive, yet the food is SO good...I purposefully avoid going there. Maybe someday we can reduce the military spending and feed ourselves...
We sometimes joke that Wholefoods should be called "Whole Paycheck" since it is so expensive!
So, to live healthy is a case for rich people?
You are truly a class act. I hope to meet you in my travels someday.
Thank soundproof the great videos 👍
I find the differing themes helps to keep it fresh …
This style of 12 minutes, straight to the camera was really good.
Im now gonna go and decide what level of memberships to tale out.
Maybe next time I comment I might not be so lazy and do it in Deutsch 😮
Thanks! And we would be happy to have you as a member! ☺️
Hello Carina. First of all I find all these Easy german videos so addicting and enjoyable. I have only been to Germany twice but did not stay longer than a few days due to my hectic schedule. I found it beautiful and I long to come back hopefully soon. With regards to your comment about unsafe places in the US (ex: Detroit), you will be amazed at what you see when you walk in the shoes of those who live there every day. Although this is just my account, I lived in Los Angeles in the 1990s which was a time of heavy gang violence and crime. You will hear stories about people making the wrong turn with their cars and being completely surrounded by gang members and shot (including innocent children). Along with that, wearing the wrong colors (blue in a red gang area) would get you shot without remorse, no matter what your age. You have to understand the history of these neighborhoods to really know about the current complex state of the present time. It has become much improved since those times, but there are still lingering areas which to avoid. You do not want to learn the hard way about these people and places. That is why many Americans especially if they come from places like those become so enamored by Europe. It is a paradise, a wonderland and although not perfect, it is a place dreamt of by many Americans.
I can really relate to your comment about small talk. I grew up in Hamburg and moved to the US after my Abitur. Last year I took my family to Hamburg for the first time. The first thing we did was go to Edeka, because my kids wanted to see all the treats I always told them about, Haribo, kinderuberraschung, marzipan..., Once we were inside we were talking and walking. Then I noticed all these German people staring at us. We were the ONLY people talking at the store!!!! My kids could not stop laughing, which made even more people stare at us. To my kids it felt like Germans are always acting like they are in the library.
Loved your commentary!
Danke ihre Hilfe und das hat mir gefallen
Danke fur die nette und angemessene Beobachtungen.
I think your observations are on point. Our public restrooms are terrible, most people do not want to use them. If you are lucky you can usually find a toilet for one hidden in a small store or restaurant. There really are parts of our cities that are dangerous, we are reminded of this every evening when we watch the news. The food here ranges from terrible to amazing. For amazing food go to Austin Texas! Small talk is considered "polite". Excessive small talk can be "annoying". Avoiding small talk at all cost can be "rude". You can avoid small talk with a nice smile and not be thought of as rude. This doesn't apply in crowded places where we can be just as inconspicuous as Germans, but make eye contact in a quiet corner and its game on. Or better yet, speak and let your German accent be heard, you will find instant friends!
Now I've just returned from Germany. Let me share my observations. Germany has a long way to go to master "comfort". Do they buy everything from IKEA? The furniture, the beds, the pillows, the hotel rooms and even the placement of toilets are often uncomfortable. This is the second trip where the toilet in our hotel room was placed centimeters from the glass shower making it almost unusable - how do your building inspectors let this pass? What do you have against shower curtains? I'm sure the Putzfrau complains after every American tourist sprays water everywhere uncontrollably in (and outside) the showers. On the other hand your comforters are amazing, like little clouds from heaven - You have perfected the comforter! To be wrapped in these gifts from God makes all the other oddities melt away! Your food is amazing! Breakfast is amazing, Lunch is amazing, Kuchen is amazing, Abendbrot is amazing - The food in Northern Germany is the best anywhere in the world I have been, it deserves so much more credit and attention. I love walking thru your neighborhoods in the mornings when people are already cooking Roladen, Gulasch, Bratkartofeln. Your beer is the best in the world and your wine may be as well. And your bike paths - best idea ever. You don't need Whole Foods, Whole Foods needs you!
My son says America has perfected coffee! Europe has fallen way behind. I find this funny but perhaps a revelation that may be true. Coffee has experienced amazing growth in America far beyond Starbucks (the new McDonald's). Recently craft beer breweries are popping up everywhere and they are packed with people too. Our beer is still immature in my opinion but it may not far behind.
Thank you for your videos!
Gulash is Polish. German wine is mediocre to really bad, the vines need sun to produce the best wine without ice, and Germany is not known for the sunshine days and without ice. Even the Californian wine is most years better than the German one. And believe me Californian wine is not the best out there.
The bike paths actually are a Dutch idea, that's where the Germans took it from at least.
Normally, the hotels do have some kind of divider from the rest of the bath, normally it's not a curtain but a plastic door. A curtain in a hotel is not hygienic for anyone, it cannot be cleaned from the cleaning stuff, and the room has to be clean at least for the next guest to go in.
As for the food, I'm Mediterranean leaving in Germany so I strongly protest that German food is good. It can't be any good if I see them eating tomatoes in January. and they still believe they are eating healthy. Or if I see them eating out of cans, which is their normal everyday food. Or when they BBQ, they put the stake on for about 5 minutes each side and you can still see blood when you cut it, which means that if the animal has a disease you can get it too.
American coffee I hate it, starbacks coffee i hate it too, and yes I've tried to find a mix that I liked since my sister wanted to go there all the time. Coffees that I like in Europe are the Italian mixes, they are coming normally from Brazil and Ethiopia, and the french ones, although they are a little bit lighter. German coffee is very close to American coffee. To tell you the truth they both remind me of water with coffee flavor.
Well, thank you for sharing Gigi. What are your favorite Mediterranean foods?
@@Gigi-us4jk Gulasch is Hungarian. German vine is like vinegar.
@@duftstabkerze4236 Did you ever drink Spätburgunder Weißherbst?
Public restrooms here in the USA seem designed (1) to encourage users to leave promptly and not hang around, and (2) to be easy to clean.
I find the differences regarding bathrooms fascinating (OK, so I'm weird). So, in the USA, there are reasons for why the walls and doors don't go all the way to the ground. For example, it enables you to quickly see that someone is already in the "stall" and, therefore, you should not push against the door and potentially walk in on someone. Also, it makes mopping the floor much easier. Finally, it discourages more than one person from going into the stall together (given that others can see how many feet there are). Gaps between the door and the stall's front wall or between the side wall and the front wall are merely a sign of poor construction practices. To address the gaps, sometimes, people hang toilet paper from the top to cover the gaps. A practical but uncomfortable thing I have found in German bathrooms over the years is that the bathrooms in some bars and restaurants were freezing cold because rather than having exhaust fans, there were open windows (I assume to deal with odors, a real problem with WC's). Also, and I didn't see this the last time I was in Berlin, there often used to be the very sad bathroom attendants (I forget the "funny" name they were called), old women sitting on stools at the bathroom sinks (even in the men's rooms) for whom you would give some Trinkgeld as they were there to clean the Klo. I always felt terrible thinking that someone's grandmother was cleaning public toilets.
Also it’s to deter people from having sex or using drugs in the stalls.
I was once in a bathroom where they had installed saloon doors on the stalls. Whoever installed them put them so high up that you couldn't see over them, but everyone could see what you were doing below!
If people are having sex in the stalls then weird people is the real problem (or is it…?), and why in the rest of the world this doesn’t happen with closed stalls then? It’s a solution trying to find a problem.
@@telocho The gaps at the bottom of the doors act as a deterrent because those people know that others can see there is more than one person in the stalls as opposed to stalls with doors that reach the floor. As for people having sex in public restrooms, I’m sure it happens all over the world. Not having deterrents makes no sense. After all, “no parking” signs and prohibitions of murder and assault come with deterrents (fines and incarceration) because people cannot be trusted to obey societal norms and laws and instead, they can be expected to hide or disguise their unacceptable and unlawful behavior.
Ich danke dir Schatzi, wenn ich richtig gesagt habe.Sehr informativ und klar und fließend hast du gesprochen
Vielen lieben Dank für dieses interessante Video! 🙂🙏🏻
Thanks Cari, I found this video very interesting and got me much more convinced that you are a good person. What about culture shocks in Mexico?
I lived in Europe and something that surprised me how each country is very very different. We tend to think in the US that "Europeans do this or that", but really it varies quite a bit by country. Nice video!
Your German is very clear and I enjoyed hearing your perspective
Bevor ich in Deutschland gelebt habe, hatte ich immer davon gehört, wie toll das Bildungssystem war. Man kann so gut wie kostenlos in einer Uni studieren, wie toll! Ich bin selbst Lehrer und wohne seit ein paar Jahren im Osten. Obwohl ich nur in privaten Sprachschulen arbeite, habe ich viel Kontakt mit Schülern und ihren Eltern. Ich muss mal ehrlich sein und zugeben, dass es mir immer noch nicht ganz klar ist, wie die ganzen Schulen (Oberschule, Realschule, etc) eingeteilt sind. Ich weiß aber dass, Kinder nach ihrem akademischen Leistungen bereits mit 11 oder 12 in verschiedene Schulen eingeteilt werden. Oft wissen Kinder schon mit 12 dass sie fast gar keine Chance auf der Uni haben. Deutschland, vor allem in Sachsen, wo ich wohne, leidet gerade unter einer Lehrermangel. Meine Schüler reden stetig von Unterrichten, die wochenlang ausgefallen sind. Es scheint auch als ob viele Kinder wenig oder gar keine persönliche Aufmerksamkeit in der Schule bekommen. Nur die wohlhabenden Familie können es sich leisten, Nachhilfe außerhalb der Schule für ihre Kinder zu bezahlen.
Bis jetzt habe ich wenige Deutsche kennengelernt, die mit dem Bildungssystem allgemein zufrieden sind. Aber Deutsche meckern auch sehr gern also wer weiß :)
LG aus Sachsen
Es ist grundsätzlich möglich zwischen Gymnasium, Real- und Hauptschule zu wechseln. Allerdings ist der Abstieg in eine niedere Stufe häufiger als das Schüler aufsteigen.
Und was Sachsen und die anderen ehemaligen DDR-Länder angeht muss man natürlich sagen, dass dort zu wenig Geld vorhanden ist.
Die Wiedervereinigung ist nicht gut gelungen, um es nett auszudrücken.
LG aus Berlin
you should go to the UK and do this too! I'd find this really interesting cause im from England learning German:))
Vielen dank Cari ,ich Liebe EASY GERMAN und ihre Videos.
Fantastic video!
Very interesting video! It was funny the “water” part! I was totally shocked when I arrived in Europe (I’m Canadian) to see people drinking water only from bottle…that is a lot of plastic waste as not all countries are recycling the plastic!
I've been to the U.S few years ago and living now in Germany. you can definitely notice how different the way Americans "interact" with others compared to Germans. Americans are more social and friendly. you can always expect that someone somewhere in the elevator or bank or in a waiting line would talk to you or say Hello at least. In Germany the rule is "awkward silence".
the rule is "silence", the "awkward" is a personell thing..
I purposely broke a rule of ettiquite in Tokyo, by saying "Hello" to a stranger sitting next to me on a train. He actually enjoyed the fact that a stranger would do that. It's an unknown concept on Japanese transport to make eye contact, let alone speak.
In Russia it is more like in German than. Though you can have some casual conversation in a lift or in a queue . Especially with older friendly women.
I think there is a difference betwen citys and villages. On a village its normal to say hello. You comes easyier in contact with others. In a town, an every one do his own thing. Saying hello only if you know a person.
What happen if someone just constantly acts friendly in Germany? At some point people will have to act friendly as well 😂
We're weirded out by the toilets too. I always choose the stall where there isn't. a crack in the door. Very insightful video. It's great to hear someone's perspective seeing it with fresh eyes.
Love u ❤❤❤❤. You lighting up lots
of students lives..
Ich habe dieses Video geliebt. As an American, I agree with everything you said haha. I'm hoping to go abroad to Germany for a year soon and was wondering some of the biggest culture shocks I'll have while I'm over there
For me the biggest culture shock in Germany was people coming up and chastising you if you ever break the rules, even if they are so asinine or broken by nearly everyone.
Yes, we should do a video about that 😂
I was surprised by the fact that many places in Germany require you to pay with cash. I understand a small shop not accepting credit cards. But we would go to a nice restaurant, eat several courses, drink a couple bottles of wine, and then have to pay cash. So if you go, be sure to bring Euros or plan on going to the bank to withdraw cash.
Ahh, the free water issue. I'm French living in Belgium and I'm therefore used to getting water for free in restaurants like it is done in France. You definitely get angry looks in Belgium when you ask for tap water which is a shame...
Herzlichen Dank. Es ist hoch interessant untershiedliche Kurtur zu wissen.
Danke euch. Ein tolles Video.
I was in Krefeld for an exchange in High school for 6 weeks, so not really a full exchange but I loved Germany. I thought it was interesting that you mentioned the bathrooms, because I thought it was crazy that they had an attendant in the bathroom that you were supposed to pay, or that you had to pay for the toilet. Also they sold beer at the high school, I know that drinking age was not really a thing there but I was surprised you could buy beer at mid day break with fresh bread at school. About the water with your meal, that was a shock to me as well, and they would not bring you just water from the faucet. They acted like it was not drinkable water, they only wanted to serve Perrier, which of course tastes different. Lastly a friend got pulled for drunk bicycling after a night at the pub, in the pedestrian plaza. We truly thought the cop was kidding at first. That is not a thing here.
Great video! I think, as an American, one of the weirdest things as you mentioned, is the attitude of "Well I've got mine".
I've had the argument with my Mom before. She's complained about the raising of the minimum wage, and when I asked why she cared, and we worked past the reason of "Things will get more expensive" (Got forbid the dollar menu become the dollar-fifty menu...) but it eventually becomes me asking "Why should 'minimum wage' not be enough to live off of?". Her answer, and something I've heard echoed frequently online is "Well they aren't supposed to be jobs for adults" which is always frustrating because that's not the world that exists in actuality.
Yeah that's actually interesting to hear. It's kind of people are jealous that others get more than what they havent "earned" in their eyes, is it like that?
Easy German yes. Many people in the US believe retail to be jobs for young adults in university or high schoolers (even though Store are open during school hours 😒). If you don’t like the pay you should, quit and get a “real job” because no one is forcing you to stay.
However, the reality is that these “real jobs” are hard to get. I graduated in 2016, and can’t even get an entry level job. There next argument will be that I picked a stupid major, and that it is my fault. You can’t win with them. Honestly this is usually the mindset of Republicans, I have mine so fuck everyone else. However, the second the banks crash or a hurricane destroys their beach house they will have their hands out for a bank bail out or FEMA pay out.
@@EasyGerman Just seeing this unfortunately, but yeah, I think that's a good way to put it.
I think a lot of people forget that sometimes they might just be born into a more fortunate position in life. It shouldn't diminish their standing at all to help someone else up in life, but for some reason a lot of people get the mentality of forcing someone to "earn" it, even if they themselves never really did.
Raising the minimum wage doesn't work. First of all, it also drives prices up. If you get a raise, but everything else becomes more expensive, your raise does not do much good. Secondly, it hurts small businesses. Large corporations can absorb the extra cost, but if you are a small business owner with 15 employees, you might have to lay off a worker or two to continue to make a profit. Or else you stop hiring. What is the cost to society when jobs are NOT created? People don't think about that - a business that could have 30 employees now makes due with 15 and doesn't expand because they can't afford to add to their workforce. (Look up economist Thomas Sowell on this subject - he is very good.) It is easy to just say "Everyone should make more money" and feel like you are compassionate for saying so but someone else has to pay the piper.
@@aaronwhite1786 Aaron you're exactly right, young people nowadays can't even get a job at Mcdonalds if they have two or three degrees. There will be a revolution soon, involving people born from 97' on wards, quote me on it.
Ich hab vor kurzem diese Videos kennengelernt. Ich glaube, wir teilen die Interesse an Sprachen und Kulturen! Ein realer "eye-opener" war fuer mich die Arbeit des Professors Hofstede. Kann ich dir zum Lesen empfehlen!
Danke für das Video, sehr interessant!
A lot of Canadians have a severe superiority complex regarding our neighbours to the south. We think we are nicer, more peaceful, friendlier and more ‘genteel’ but really Americans are some of the nicest people anywhere.
Well I'm American and I think Canadians are nicer and they definitely have a better government :P
Erika “definitely,” lol
Just wish it was warmer up there!!!
Hi Kari -- I love your videos! They really help me develop a sense of the sound of the German language. Here's an idea for you: Why don't you come to the United States and conduct interviews in English with ordinary Americans who are just out walking around outside, just as you do in Germany? I realize that does not quite match what you are doing with this channel, but you could come up with a new channel for just this purpose. You and Janusz have a natural and genial style to your conversations. I think you would do well here in the U.S. Perhaps the subtitles could be in German. Thanks for all of your good work.
You r so right! Thank you , you help us with German language
She is a very sweet and kind lady. How wonderful to learn from her.
hallo
Sehr interessant! For me, I find it funny, the more time I spend in both countries, the more similar I find them. In fact, I really see Germans and Americans quite similar once I get to know them. In general, I do think the pioneering spirit of Americas past has persisted till today especially when it comes to risk taking and rule breaking (the negative) but also entrepreneurialism (the positive). Similarly, Germans seem more preoccupied with safety and security and are more reserved. In the end, I’ll bet we are 98% the same, but it is those 2% of those differences that are really fascinating. Thank you for being so respectful. Keep up making your great videos.
Sharing this with an American friend who emigrated to Germany a few years ago to join her German husband.
It’s so good to listen to new perspectives. It’s the only way we can grow culturally. 🤗
Loved this video! Most of all because I understood EVERYTHING!!! And Cari was not talking super slow (or you where? haha!)...and because I learned a new, important word: VORURTEIL.
I live in Chicago, my son is a Chemical Engineer and my daughter is a Medicine Doctor, she went to the University of Chicago; and I never worked at Uber or other side job to supplement my income, there were times when I was unemployed and received unemployment benefits. And if people are really poor they receive Food Stamps. In Universities and in the government system there are many scholarships available for low-income students. There are also student loans where students repay 10% of their salary six months after they graduate. It is true, my son worked two summers in a restaurant, but I see it as positive because he learned to value his resources. There are also City Colleges that offer quality education for the first two years of university at a very affordable price. My first impression when I learned about the high taxes in Germany to subsidize health and education benefits, especially at university level, was that it is unjust, and the student might not appreciate what he is receiving because it is free. In my opinion taxes should be lower to promote a richer economy, more prosperity and more opportunities.
That’s certainly not the case - Germans value education very highly, more than just about any other nation - it’s the country with the highest number of PhD holders per capita in the world, and there’s a reason Germany leads the world in most fields of engineering and development. And yes, taxes in Germany are reasonably high (though no higher than a lot of other countries) and compulsory health insurance can be costly, but they have probably the best healthcare system in the world - per capita, more ICU beds than any other country (which is reflected in their extremely low mortality rate for covid19...and America’s much, much higher one.
@@sjb2471 Manuel is repeating the talking points the wealthy want the working to believe so that the wealthy may accumulate more wealth at the expense of the working. Many people in America are taught that the more the wealthy become even more wealthy the more they will benefit. It's called "trickle down economics". They don't consider what percentage, if any, "trickles down". They also don't realize that for every US$1.00 that the working pays to subsidize the wealthy, only about US$0.03 "trickles back down". Begs the question, "Why are the working subsidizing the wealthy in the first place?". BTW, if every American received the exact same income, it would be (per 2000 census date) approx. US$130,000/yr. Most Americans consider themselves earning very well if they make half that much.