Ich kann das gut nachvollziehen, daß du dich auf dem Weihnachtsmarkt so allein gefühlt hast. Umgeben von so vielen Menschen und deren Familien. Mir ging es so, als ich das erste mal in China war. Meine Firma hat mir ein Flugticket und eine Hoteladresse in die Hand gedrückt und gesagt " Du machst das schon". Ich war 20 und kam aus der DDR. Da war eine weltoffene Erziehung seiner Bürger nicht eben Staatsraison und oberstes Ziel. Ich bin in Hongkong gelandet, habe den Flughafen verlassen und stand in einer für mich futuristischen Welt, umgeben von tausenden von Menschen und hatte das Gefühl, der einsamste Mensch auf der Welt zu sein. An genau dieses Gefühl, habe ich mich jetzt wieder erinnert. Danke dafür.
You know, it's because of your videos (and a few other people on UA-cam) that I didn't experience that much (if any) culture shock when I was in Germany. There were differences. But not really too much of a shock because of what you post (and of course the other UA-camrs who also give out good information about Germany) was really helpful. And will be helpful when I move there next year.
I think the same will go for me when going to America in January. Just hearing Dana talking about what surprised her in Germany or what to do and not to do here, gives away a lot about the US
+LMN Please be advised to be careful in the US. And if you are a man and happen to have sex with a woman there, make sure to research the "putative father registry" of the state and register in it, otherwise your child can be given up for adoption without your consent.
Living in a country obviously is always somewhat different from just visiting it, but I agree, Dana's videos are very helpful in understanding the differences. I have been living in the US for half a year earlier in 2016 and some things did come less of a surprise to me when I experienced them for the first time.
I visited Germany from Poland for the first time in 2004. It felt like I was in a whole different world because everything seemed so modern, so western compared to what I was used to (keep in mind I grew up in a small Polish town). We crossed the boarder in Frankfurt (Oder). I remember being blown away by the train that took us to Berlin. It was so clean, quiet and it didn't shake at all. That is not an experience you'd get in PL *then*. During that trip I also took metro for the first time and double-decker bus.. Just going from a place to place was so much fun. I've gone to many European countries in recent years but I don't get "shocked" any more. I find that these days I get more emotional over natural beauty than the cultural parts of the countries.
For me it was the other way around. In the eighties and early nineties I often went on hiking tours through the wilderness in Scandinavia and Wales and England and Ireland. But later I became more interested in towns, like Córdoba, Sevilla, Toledo, Granada, Salamanca and Lissabon and Venice. And with my wife I always go to Skopelos. Thank you most kindly for your message. Sosabowski! Sorry, I can't help mentioning his name, because my father was born just north of the Arnhem bridge and I just south of it. We still honour the Free Polish heroes who helped to liberate our country! Best wishes from the Netherlands.
But Wiener Würstchen are called Frankfurter in Austria. And there used to be a type of bread roll called Wiener or Mürbe Wiener - but they were only called that outside Vienna. Haven't seen them here, ever. Greetings from Vienna :D
+carudatta Also, the butter-layered Gebäck known in English as "Danish pastry" is known in Denmark itself as Wiener bread because the baker who introduced it was trained in Austria.
every year, during christmas eve service at my church, when we sing silent night, we always sing one verse in german because my church was originally a german luthern church. we also sing a verse of o come all ye faithful in latin
I just moved this week from California to Germany by myself and I think watching your videos gives me hope that even though I might be lonely now, soon everything will be fine. I think so far Germany has lived up to my expectations, but I hope to get that adventure and learn the culture the way that you did! Thank you for your videos! 😊
Thanks so much for your nice comment, Natalie! I'm glad to hear you're finding the videos helpful :) Wish you all the best settling into life in Germany!!
"Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht" ("Silent Night") is an original Christmas song of/& from the German-speaking area in Europe. The most well-known Christmas song worldwide. Original German lyrics stem from a poem by Pastor Joseph Mohr, Salzburg, written in 1816. A melody was later composed esp. for this poem by C. Franz Xaver Gruber before Christmas of 1818. -- "Stille Nacht" was acknowledged by the UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage of Austria. The old buildings you admire so much (thank you) are all really special in today's Germany, and most of them are under "Denkmalschutz", because they survived the heavy bombardments of WWII, or were reconstructed in painstaking, meticulous restoration over decades after 1945. Germany was nationwide completely flattened. The most breathtaking piece of work is certainly by far the "Dresdner Frauenkirche" (in the town, which you visited here on your first trip to Germany). - - Laugenbrötchen (your "Brezel-roll") are available all over Germany in each and every bakery, and they are no particular bread speciality confined to Bavaria!! Also, the vast variety and quality of German bread is famous, far beyond its national borders.
Your positivity is always so refreshing!! I remember feeling similarly down and out last year when I traveled to Prague from Berlin. I moved to Berlin from New Jersey in October and in November my very own Mr. German Man and I took a trip to Prague. While I wasn't alone, the general hopelessness of worrying that it wasn't going to work out and I wasn't going to be able to find a job were too much to let me REALLY enjoy my trip. And while I wasn't actually alone, I still felt lone not having my friends from home around. I felt similarly when I lived in Florida for two years. Something about one's first fall/winter in a new place is just DEPRESSING! Fortunately, it seems like we both powered through! :-)
I know your videos since yesterday and I can't stop watching them :D Your videos are so amusing! I'm from germany and I'm always looking forward to the christmasmarket! It's so beautiful and gives you a very good mood xD Go on like this! :D
I moved to Germany when I was 8 years old and I remember the first time we went grocery shopping and I was stunned by all the different things and especially sweets they had. When I started going to school, I was very confused by the "colorful bins" and I didn't understand their purpose. In school, I was also confused that there was no cafeteria but you had to bring your own breakfast and that after your breakfast you were supposed to spend the break outside. Also, another shocking factor was the public transportation. In Germany, you can get inside the bus at any door (front, middle, etc) you want because I was only used to standing in line to get inside the front door.
When I first went to America I've been first very, very impressed by the sheer size of the streets. Then I got surprised by the fact that the traffic lights are usually behind the crossroads and not in front of it and (accidentally) violated some traffic laws. Like I drove over one traffic light and entered a one way road in the wrong direction just as I was totally disoriented. ( After that hiccup I totally respected the traffic laws ^^; )
My first thoughts of Germany were about its History. Here in the States, "historical" is a few decades or a hundred years or so. The first Cathedral I saw (Fulda's Dom) was awe inspiring and then to realize it was over 300 years old, and that it wasn't considered all that old as far as buildings in Germany or Europe.
My nanna is Scottish, and all my life she had told me about how beautiful Scotland was and how much she misses it. When I was on my honeymoon we decided to go to Scotland from Ireland by ferry. I will never forget the moment I saw Scotland for the first time, I cried. I guess I was overwhelmed by how much I wish my Nanna had been with me and how much I had dreamed of Scotland and the beautiful cliffs, mountains, glens, lochs and villages just clutched my heart. ❤️❤️
There are 35mm films with 36 photos, 24 photos and 12 photos. With some luck you could get 26 pictures instead of 24 out of your film. I'm still using a camera brand made in Dresden, Praktica.
Oh yes. I remember a day trip to venice and after the arrival we found out, that we had forgotten to bring our spare films. So we bought one from the first street vendor near marcus place. That was the most expensive film I've ever bought :-)
Oh no, you certainly aren't ;) But 26 was kind of a lucky number: normally it was 24 photos. With 26 photos you could have a picture 'cut in half' as the remaining film was just not long enough to get a full picture exposed.
Thanks for this video. I'm moving to Munich in 2 weeks, and as it's close to Christmas holidays I can already tell I'll feel exactly the way you did at the Christmas market.
The first time I was in the US, I just left the airport and got picked up by a friend. The streets were huge compared to germany and everyone seemed to drive a truck (pick ups and stuff). But! What really made an impression was the time we started to drive from the airport to his home. Just after a few minutes on the Freeway, on of the older pick up trucks lost they backdoor on one side. So it got loose on one side and fell to the ground, while the other side was still attached to the truck. So sparks flew around and the driver just kept driving and didn't seem to stop to fix it or anything. That was like... I don't know. Weird. In Germany, most of the people take care of their cars, want them to look nice, work perfectly and everything. So I was kinda shocked to see something like that after a fews minutes leaving the airport :D After that, when I was walking around to have a look at the new country and city, the thing that also made some impression were the walkways, that disappeared (or ended) sometimes for no obvious reason. So I walked there and then... walkway ends. And you have like 6 lanes at your side with a lot of traffic and in front of you, you could only try to get behind some stores to continue your way in that direction. That was really funny, I've never seen something like that. So to say, the US didn't seem very friendly to people who choose to walk :D
As you hear a lot when it comes to the US, it depends on where you are. To some, their cars are a status symbol and they do keep them up, trade them in for a new one fairly frequently. To others, not everyone can afford a lot of car maintenance or to get a new one whenever they want, so if it runs, that's good enough. I'd say it's pretty unusual though for a door to half fall off and not do anything. Walking - no. Unless you live in a tiny town or a city center, it's just too much, nothing is in reasonable walking distance. Weather is also a factor, much of the country gets extremely hot summers and/or extremely cold winters, making walking pretty uncomfortable.
Jetzt weiß ich endlich warum Amis "Wiener" immer so lustig finden. War mir nie klar. Die Fotos waren sehr süß Dana. Als ich vor 11 Jahren nach Amerika gezogen bin, hab ich gedacht dass alle Amis so freundlich sind und daher meine Freunde sind- von unserer Maklerin angefangen. Bis ich gemerkt habe, dass sie zwar freundlich sind, aber es nicht so "tief" gemeint ist. Sie wollen quasi nur Business machen. 😉
Hey Donna, it's so interesting that you speak so honest about your lonelyness, I can understand this so good, when I was alone in Italy the first time, very hard, if there isn't anyone to share your feelings. I also liked your photos of Dresden, for I live here.
I took over 500 photos in 8 days on my first visit to Europe, mostly in Paris. I haven't been to Germany yet, but I am sure I will take at least that many again when I finally make it there. Love your videos. Thank you Dana!
As for me being half German, I was only 3 months old when my parents took me to Germany. Germany has just always been my 2nd home. and unfortunately I haven't been to any other countries. But, I did get to witness other Americans and their first impressions of Germany when my German class flew to Germany. Which for many of my classmates, was their first time in a plane with their brand new passports. Most of their reactions were in aw of the sights. The buildings and architecture, as you said. But it was interesting to see a new perspective on things I was very used to seeing in Germany. Cobble-stone streets, huge, elaborate cathedrals, and castle after castle. It was also interesting to see them eating German food for the first time. Most of our meals were pre-planned, and were very typical German foods. Schnitzel, pretzels, Wurst, Schweinhaxe, Kartoffelsalat. And since it was June we had Spargel. Lots and lots of Spargel. And by the end of the trip, my classmates surprised me. I thought they'd be happy to run home to their Big Macs and go on with their summer in America. But many were sad to leave Germany and wished they could stay in Germany.
+Natalie B That's cool! Sounds like a really interesting experience you had, getting to watch your classmates see and try all these things for the first time.
I have been in Dresden for about two and a half months now on exchange. I am leaving in 10 days and am so excited to see my family again. I have no idea how you can live so far away from your family. It is actually really cool to see al of your photos and think "I've been there!"
When I first visited Gran Canaria, I was really blown away by how unusual it all was to me. All the mountains, the big sand dunes at the beach, the completely different vegetation and wildlife. It was pretty amazing.
I had some kind of deja-vu when you talked about your experiences at Weihnachtsmarkt in Dresden. When I was 16 I went to the USA for a High School year and it was all great. But at the weekend of the first advent therefore at the start of Christmas season, it was the only time I really felt homesick. Normally here in Germany I always spend that weekend with my parent visiting our Weihnachtsmarkt in Chemnitz, going to a special fair where they sell Christmas stuff from around the area and watching the Christmas parade. As it happens they also had a Christmas parade in the town I was staying in the US that weekend and while watching it they played Silent Night and that was when a wave of homesickness hit me... After a call with my parents everything was alright though and I had the best year of my life :)
I just visited America (Kansas City and New York) for the first time this year and one of the first things i noticed was that there were no fences around most of the houses + gardens. One house even had a small fenced area next to it (but with distance to it) for children to play in.
Visiting Dresden is always a good choice... Apart from that, it's remarkable that a small detail in the upper right corner of your first photo was enough for me to see exactly where you were - close to the Dresden castle on the Schloßstraße. I guess that's what only home can trigger!
I lived in Germany for almost 10 years (mid 80's to early 90's) and loved every minute of it. The main thing that stood out to me when I arrived was the overwhelming sense of "history". In America you just don't get that feeling. I hope to go back one day. I love your videos, keep up the great job!
Thank you for uploading :) there's just been an earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, a 7.5 on the Richter scale. Pretty scary because we had a 7.4 in 2010 and two 6.3s and they basically destroyed the city. It's been five years recovering and now it's like boom back with the ridiculously long earthquakes. Luckily this one was deep enough not to damage anything but I really need something to calm me down. This is perfect :)
Gaso Meter throughout the past five years we've had literally hundreds of thousands of earthquakes and aftershocks this one was just quite out of the blue and much longer and larger than I'm used to. There's a running joke that we don't get out of bed for more than a five.
Hey Dana I've stumbled on one of your videos (not this one) by accident. And then when I looked at your channel I was thinking all of your videos are probably the same (US vs Germany - comparison). But I've watched over 15 of your videos now and I find them not only interesting but also educational. Plus you seem like a really nice person. I am subscribing to your channel now and when I have more time for sure I'm going to check more of your videos.All the best wishes from a Bulgarian living in England!
I remember the first (and only) time I went to america (new york) and on the taxi ride to the hotel I noticed that the songs on the radio had the cursewords sensored out which I thought was super weird. When we arrived at the hotel we decided to have a drink before bed and I felt like eating some chips or something so I ordered some nacho's, expecting to get like one or two handfulls in a bowl but turned out to be a huge plate that could fit a pizza with a mountain of nacho's which was quite shocking. Every other meal also turned out to come in huge portions. Another thing that really stood out to me that I wasn't really aware of before that was that the tv series in my country are all ages behind on american television. I was pretty young then and and my sister and I used to watch the suite life of zack and cody a lot and when we found it on the tv in our hotel room those kids looked at least like five years older and 50% taller. I think it was probably the suite life on deck series which might have been going on for a while then but only aired at home several years later. I also noticed that when we went to eat breakfast at a bakery because we were on vacation there were a lot of other people there who probably went out to get breakfast every day rather than just making something at home.
I love your videos, especially as a German who deals with American exchange students on a daily basis. You help me understand both cultures a bit better and having been in other cultures, I understood that we have more in common than I was aware of. I was in the US for 2.5 months (including Alaska, but Florida, too). It was also my first and only time spending Christmas without my family and friends. I was in NYC at Christmas Eve, my two favorite things that night were: There was a couple at Rockefeller handing out christmas-songtext and random people were singing along. Then I walked into a church because I heard a familiar music. I went in and it was "Silent Night". For me as a German, it was thrilling and special, I walked in to this familiar song and people just hugged me. Thanks to all these Americans, that made Christmas away from home a Christmas without loneliness, even in the streets of Manhattan.
In the Trabant picture´s background there´s one of the cool themed restaurants in Dresden, the "Pulverturm", the other, not too far away, is the "Sophienkeller". If you ever are in Dresden again (for a few days preferrably, there´s so much to see), visit both, really nice setups.
I understand how you probably felt lonely there before Christmas. Don't worry, you are one of us now, fully included, and warmly welcomed everywhere. :)
The first time I visited another country was when we went to Toronto. Canada, for hockey camp. The first thing that impressed me was the sky. It was expansive and filled with white, fluffy clouds, and was a gorgeous, rich blue color that I had never seen before where I live. You have such a happy and positive demeanor and I always enjoy watching your videos. My husband lived in Cologne for 4 years from ages 8-12 and it's fun to compare your experiences. Thank you for sharing your experiences and thoughts with the world.
+hazeloveu Thanks for the positive feedback! Glad you're enjoying the videos :) And that sky sounds beautiful. Interesting how different the same sky can look around the world.
I live in Germany and I visited Italy for the first time about 6 weeks ago. Before I arrived there, I expected it to be like a country full of ancient, romantic castles, colorful old houses and people eating pizza or pasta 😉 When I got there, I found out, that it's quite different and a lot more modern, at least in the city centers. But I also visited like very small towns, and they are exactly the way I imagined them. With their old colorful buildings & castles, little shops and markets, these towns were so cute 😊 I almost felt like I was in a fairy tale ❤️
The first time I was in the US (in 2007), I walked across a parking and there were only huge cars. A little bit further, I saw a small one. I went there to look at it to see which car it was. It was an A6, a well known car from Germany, but one of the biggest you found here at that time (SUV were still rare). I found that quire hillarious.
I really love your videos! I am from Germany but I also know lots of things about America because I was born there and lived there for some time. It's so cool to see what other culture and their people think about Germany because it is so normal to me. Love you so much ❤
I went to poland and it was like snow everywhere... except I was surprised how they barely had any snowfall and instead the snow just managed to stay... for an entire week.
What a coincidence! Dresden was also the first city I knew in Germany! I'm actually studying here at TU Dresden. It's a very laidback city, yet architecturally impressive, specially the Zwinger. Btw, I love your channel!
I went to France in 2007 for senior spring break. There was some culture shock but I have a well-traveled family that gave me plenty of tips and pointers. I can't wait to visit Germany. My family heritage is almost all German. My aunt got her PhD from Princeton in Germanic Literature and Languages.
as a dresdener maybe some enlightenening facts: -the barock building in the 3rd picture close to the wiener bakery is in fact the dresden castle (of king august for example). so quite a center point. it now host a number of important museums. you have photographed it afterwards again with the other selfie, with castle church (schlosskirche) on the left from the other side. the other barock building with the garden like place in middle is called "zwinger", and used to host actual animal cages (hence the name "zwinger") like bears and such. it's now is home to the art museum of older paintings ("alte meister", where the painting with the 2 famous angels is hanging) and several other museums. -the modern looking building is the world trade center we have in germany. probably why you took the picture. i know, not even close to what has been standing in nyc. and to be honest, not sure why it still has this name as there is a theater and some shops, a hostel and a hotel inside, as far as i know. -also you photographed one of the smaller christmas markets in dresden. one that we call "münzgasse", as it is between frauenkirche (also a reason you might have taken the picture, the church on the left) and "brühlsche terrasse" that you were standing on. there is another one in front of frauenkirche that we call "neumarkt" and the big one on "altmarkt" that has the famous name "striezelmarkt". oh and the freezing, you were actually standing at marienbrücke - one point where it's ALWAYS quite windy, so it might have been especially cold at this spot. but you seem to had quite some joy, so come back at summer maybe. even though dresden trys very hard to be christmas town each year.
The first time I visited another country was Germany, I went to Köln. My first impression was "OMG! so many HUGE trees". After that it was hard for me to keep awake, I took 3 flights to get there, with several hours between them. Really exhausting.
There were a few small differences that I noticed when I first visited Germany in 2015 and when I moved here in 2016, but overall I feel strangely at home here. One of the biggest adjustments was realizing that I can't buy something as ordinary as aspirin at the DM or grocery store. Oh, and stores being closed on Sundays is a little weird, but then again I come from a state where you can't buy alcohol or cars on a Sunday. Other stuff... I'm in love with the windows over here. I got over not having a dryer more quickly than I thought I would. Even existing without a car hasn't been *that* terrible, although I will hopefully get one in the new year.
I can relate to loneliness in Germany as well. I've spend there 10 months as aupair and the moment of loneliness came upon me on New Year's Eve Midnight. Everybody had there somebody closer than me and I had to wait for my turn on wellwishess. The pain for somebody of my own people was huge.
This is kind of backwards to my own story, and I very much enjoyed watching it. The "Stille Nacht" Part made my day :) Christmas markets soon again, cant wait :)
When I was in Dresden my German teacher pointed out that same Wiener Restaurant, apparently it's an old chain and there are very few of them are left. I also remember an underground area with a sign saying imagination zone.
For me, it was how cold and windy England was. Being a Florida girl, I had no concept of layers, and still pretty much don't. I missed the warmth and the sun.
Dana, I studied abroad in Sweden for four months. My second day in Sweden, I got the keys to my apartment and went to the grocery store to buy toilet paper (priority #1!) and food. I was overcome with seeing the prices and not being able to convert them as well as not being able to read anything! I remember not even knowing what a good brand of toilet paper to buy was! Then, I tried using my credit card and the lady needed a Swedish version of a social security number, which I of course didn't have. I had to go to the ATM to withdrawal cash to pay. Leaving that store, I was in tears and just wanted to go back home. They told us about culture shock and to expect it, but I really didn't expect to get so emotional from a trip to the local grocer!
I hear ya! It can be really overwhelming. In my video on Prague vs. Munich I mentioned that even after a year of living in Prague, my brain STILL had trouble wrapping itself around the bigger numbers for money in the Czech Republic. I would go shopping and it would cost 500 crowns, and I would automatically get so nervous about having spent such a lot of money, before my rational side kicked in and reminded myself that 500 crowns was actually only around $25 😂
I'm really surprised you thought "Stille Nacht (Silent Night)" was the translated version of the christmas song. It's one of the first things I remember I have learned in school that "Stille Nacht" was written by Franz Xaver Gruber and Joseph Mohr in 1818 and first performed in church in Oberndorf (Austria!) where now is located the "Stille Nacht-Kapelle" (Silent Night Chapel). THe story about the mouse is just too sweet :D I thought it's a worldwide known fact where "Stille Nacht" came from because during my school time in Oberndorf I saw lots and lots of tourists visiting the "Stille Nacht-Kapelle".
I'm always excited and extremely curious when arriving in a new city or new country and can't stop myself from walking around until my feet hurt, just to see everything and get a feeling for that place. After visiting almost fifty countries, a good bunch of them alone, I'm pretty used to it, but my curiosity never ends and always overrides any feeling of loneliness that might appear.
That you can't find anyone to talk to is tragic, I'm always looking for people who speak English. didn't have any english at school and am now learning it for myself through videos like yours. thank you very much and have a good time. tilo
I love watching these videos! :) I like hearing the differences in places. My father married my mother in Portugal and they moved to America together so all my life I heard the differences between places, and now that I live in a new place in America(my therapist said it's so different I'm experiencing culture shock!) so I like to talk about the difference ALOT. And the fact that my mother lived in Germany and studied there for 2 years also makes me very interested :)
First 45 min in Japan I was confronted with a Train were the seat rows turned at terminus automaticly to face in the direction of travel.....later at the Hotel it hit me that home was on the other side of a planet....so I can share the feeling
I remember my first experiences when I visited Germany in 1964. I was traveling with a friend, but we got separated changing trains in Brussels. When I reached the building where we would stay, a sign above the doorknob said Ziehen. I got out my paperback dictionary to learn that ziehen means "pull." But by the time I put the dictionary away, I had forgotten. It did not matter, because the door was locked. Another young man let me in, I met the Heimleiter, and was given a key for the next 10 weeks. The Heimleiter's number one job seemed to be teaching German to the residents. He only spoke German but he spoke slowly using phrases similar to English. It was a great welcome and just what I wanted. I learned much basic German including grammar of course, during that summer.
Thank you for sharing your first experience and your photos with us! In my first time in Germany, (also in Dresden coincidentally) I was also impressed by quite a few things. It was summer at the time and they had those strawberry kiosks laying around by the train station, which I found really cute. I also took a picture of the phone booths cause they were pink and I thought it was funny :$.. ( Next to the strawberry kiosk was even a strawberry car ! ) I have yet to see the Xmas market but I hope I will have the chance someday ^^ Architecture is so beautiful, the country is so green and overall so much different than my home town in Athens. Germany is a really beautiful country.. ( I also met my fiancé there ^^ ) As a little side note : Something that actually really impressed me when going outside of Greece, was the fact that, cars will stop at the crosswalk in order to let pedestrians cross the road. (I grew up seeing people walk between cars in order to cross the road, so I was shocked to see a car stop itself for once.) And goodness there are crosswalks nicely placed everywhere as well ! Not to mention bike lanes which I would really love to see in my hometown... Maybe someday...?
I know it's the law but I don't see people here do it.. I see people cross between cars and even when they are not supposed to, cause nobody will stop for them.
+ Dantelia Kalen Glad you enjoyed the video :) :) And yeah, the telephone booths just look cool! :D I went to Greece (Athens) for the first time last year and really enjoyed it! Completely different architecture that also amazed me.
*Please, make a Video about how Germany looks like!* I know, there are many Landscapes and Citys, but i think it would be very interesting for other people!
Well my first "surprise" when i went to the US was that i felt running against a wall when leaving the LAX Terminal. The many hours before in the chilly environment of an airconditioned plane and airport building and after that i stepped through the door into the glaring sun and at least 35°C. That really was a surprise to me. ;)
About "silent night": I live in Austria and I was mind blown that there is an english version of that song! For me "silent night" always was a typical german Christmas-song. (Like "Oh, Tannenbaum" or "Morgen Kinder wird's was geben".) Wait, does that mean that there is also an english version of the songs I just listened?
Baccatube79 , yes that as well! I think (not 100% sure) that the "O Christmas Tree" words are known in other English-speaking countries; even in the US -- at least outside of the state of Maryland -- I imagine that "Maryland, my Maryland" is best known only because it is associated with the Preakness Stakes (one of the annual "Triple Crown" horse races).
Lena, germans (incl das deutsches Raum) invented Christmas! Almost all our christmastraditions are german, like the songs, the christmas three and st Nicholaus (well he lived in Turkey, but who cares).
Speaking of Wiener... I hear English-speaking people also tend to laugh when driving on the Autobahn and seeing an "Ausfahrt" sign. When I visited other countries, I felt strangely unimpressed by the differences. I don't remember much of the school trip to London, but when I traveled to Hawaii and made a stop for a few days in Chicago, it was weird to be in such a far away country and it felt so familiar. I had studied so many things about the country (plus influences via entertainment) that being there in person was almost like just jumping through a TV screen. Some habits and behaviors I had to get used to, like figuring out proper cab fares and the awkward way of communication with the cab driver about it (evasive), but apart from that it was just another place, not much different than traveling to a different city in Germany. I did notice how people showed more openness towards strangers and a DIY spirit in getting things done, together. (Part of that is probably also kept alive through language. While there are added words to make an adress formal, still, the lack of Sie-Du distinction does seem to bring people closer together just through communicating. You ask someone for directions and it feels like you're immediately on a first name basis - and hey, often you actually are because of that other habit of actually using the first name in casual interactions. I like this stuff a lot.) ... Oh yeah, one thing where the difference was like the opposite to this was when I had to ask in a diner whether they could lend me a phone for a call. Obviously because fear of theft was great there, it was a big deal with lots of deliberation going into it before I could make the call.
my first time visiting another country was Spain. I was so happy and amazed by everything. Foreigners often praise Germany's architecture, so do you, but I never thought so about Germany. probably because I live in the architecturally (is that even a word? xD) ugliest part. In contrast, Spain's architecture was sooooo beautiful in my pov. And it warm. Also this feeling of excitement when ppl around you speak another language. Then I lived in Japan for one year and her natural beauty is overwhelming: big mountains, huge trees, the sea everywhere. And so many lights at night.
Why you looked quite different compared to now? (not because of the age!!! :-) ) Thank you for visiting, now you are a part of Germany! I'm a German and I enjoy your Videos so much!
I totally understand that you felt lonley at the chrismas market. Chrismas is the time of the year when you get together with the people who are most important to you and beeing alone abroad during this time is quite hard. I am from Germany but I'm doing an internship in Singapore now. The country is great and I like it here very much, but I'm also looking forward to beeing back at home on chrismas and maybe go to a chrismas market if there is still one open when I'm back there ;-)
+Wanted Adventure fun fact for 3:13 the telephone booth: The telephone booths are mandatory in germany since they count as basic supply of public telephones. Everyone has a right to use those so they have to be provided even in the most basic manner in every city. Though the one you photographed is actually not considered a telephone "booth" but a "basic" telephone. (Yay glorious german amtssprache!) :D
Ich kann das gut nachvollziehen, daß du dich auf dem Weihnachtsmarkt so allein gefühlt hast. Umgeben von so vielen Menschen und deren Familien. Mir ging es so, als ich das erste mal in China war. Meine Firma hat mir ein Flugticket und eine Hoteladresse in die Hand gedrückt und gesagt " Du machst das schon". Ich war 20 und kam aus der DDR. Da war eine weltoffene Erziehung seiner Bürger nicht eben Staatsraison und oberstes Ziel. Ich bin in Hongkong gelandet, habe den Flughafen verlassen und stand in einer für mich futuristischen Welt, umgeben von tausenden von Menschen und hatte das Gefühl, der einsamste Mensch auf der Welt zu sein. An genau dieses Gefühl, habe ich mich jetzt wieder erinnert. Danke dafür.
You know, it's because of your videos (and a few other people on UA-cam) that I didn't experience that much (if any) culture shock when I was in Germany. There were differences. But not really too much of a shock because of what you post (and of course the other UA-camrs who also give out good information about Germany) was really helpful. And will be helpful when I move there next year.
erickofspirit Can we switch identities. You can stay in Germany and I move to the USA? lol
I think the same will go for me when going to America in January. Just hearing Dana talking about what surprised her in Germany or what to do and not to do here, gives away a lot about the US
+LMN Please be advised to be careful in the US. And if you are a man and happen to have sex with a woman there, make sure to research the "putative father registry" of the state and register in it, otherwise your child can be given up for adoption without your consent.
that's oddly specific advice. Bad experiences?
Living in a country obviously is always somewhat different from just visiting it, but I agree, Dana's videos are very helpful in understanding the differences. I have been living in the US for half a year earlier in 2016 and some things did come less of a surprise to me when I experienced them for the first time.
I visited Germany from Poland for the first time in 2004. It felt like I was in a whole different world because everything seemed so modern, so western compared to what I was used to (keep in mind I grew up in a small Polish town).
We crossed the boarder in Frankfurt (Oder). I remember being blown away by the train that took us to Berlin. It was so clean, quiet and it didn't shake at all. That is not an experience you'd get in PL *then*.
During that trip I also took metro for the first time and double-decker bus.. Just going from a place to place was so much fun.
I've gone to many European countries in recent years but I don't get "shocked" any more. I find that these days I get more emotional over natural beauty than the cultural parts of the countries.
For me it was the other way around. In the eighties and early nineties I often went on hiking tours through the wilderness in Scandinavia and Wales and England and Ireland. But later I became more interested in towns, like Córdoba, Sevilla, Toledo, Granada, Salamanca and Lissabon and Venice. And with my wife I always go to Skopelos. Thank you most kindly for your message. Sosabowski! Sorry, I can't help mentioning his name, because my father was born just north of the Arnhem bridge and I just south of it. We still honour the Free Polish heroes who helped to liberate our country! Best wishes from the Netherlands.
Wiener are people who live in Vienna (capital of Austria)
only Wieners in Vienna :D
Coin
Maybe this explains why austrians are so cocky about not being german. jk :D
and also saussages "Wiener Würstchen".
But Wiener Würstchen are called Frankfurter in Austria.
And there used to be a type of bread roll called Wiener or Mürbe Wiener - but they were only called that outside Vienna. Haven't seen them here, ever.
Greetings from Vienna :D
+carudatta Also, the butter-layered Gebäck known in English as "Danish pastry" is known in Denmark itself as Wiener bread because the baker who introduced it was trained in Austria.
every year, during christmas eve service at my church, when we sing silent night, we always sing one verse in german because my church was originally a german luthern church. we also sing a verse of o come all ye faithful in latin
I just moved this week from California to Germany by myself and I think watching your videos gives me hope that even though I might be lonely now, soon everything will be fine. I think so far Germany has lived up to my expectations, but I hope to get that adventure and learn the culture the way that you did! Thank you for your videos! 😊
Thanks so much for your nice comment, Natalie! I'm glad to hear you're finding the videos helpful :) Wish you all the best settling into life in Germany!!
"Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht" ("Silent Night") is an original Christmas song of/& from the
German-speaking area in Europe. The most well-known Christmas song worldwide.
Original German lyrics stem from a poem by Pastor Joseph Mohr, Salzburg, written in 1816.
A melody was later composed esp. for this poem by C. Franz Xaver Gruber before Christmas
of 1818. -- "Stille Nacht" was acknowledged by the UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage
of Austria.
The old buildings you admire so much (thank you) are all really special in today's Germany,
and most of them are under "Denkmalschutz", because they survived the heavy
bombardments of WWII, or were reconstructed in painstaking, meticulous restoration over
decades after 1945. Germany was nationwide completely flattened.
The most breathtaking piece of work is certainly by far the "Dresdner Frauenkirche" (in the
town, which you visited here on your first trip to Germany). - -
Laugenbrötchen (your "Brezel-roll") are available all over Germany in each and every bakery,
and they are no particular bread speciality confined to Bavaria!!
Also, the vast variety and quality of German bread is famous, far beyond its national borders.
the photo of the Christmas market from above is actually really pretty
Your positivity is always so refreshing!! I remember feeling similarly down and out last year when I traveled to Prague from Berlin. I moved to Berlin from New Jersey in October and in November my very own Mr. German Man and I took a trip to Prague. While I wasn't alone, the general hopelessness of worrying that it wasn't going to work out and I wasn't going to be able to find a job were too much to let me REALLY enjoy my trip. And while I wasn't actually alone, I still felt lone not having my friends from home around. I felt similarly when I lived in Florida for two years. Something about one's first fall/winter in a new place is just DEPRESSING! Fortunately, it seems like we both powered through! :-)
Christmas time can be very hard if you're alone - or single. Even if you aren't in a foreign country.
I'm surprised you didn't know "Silent Night, Holy Night" ("Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht") was German. I thought it was a widely known fact xD
it's Austrian actually :-)
+Tree in the Wood As far as I know, we talk german in Austria too xD
Hauke Holst I'm from Baden-Württemberg though :D And you might be right that Badisch is not German xD
They do speak german. What you mean is a/an dialect / accent.
Diree RL
People in BaWü can't speak German. "Leute, WO da glauben". Grrrrrrr. "People, WHERE believe"
Next time you are alone and cold at a christmas market, try the Glühwein. It should take care of both problems.
I know your videos since yesterday and I can't stop watching them :D
Your videos are so amusing!
I'm from germany and I'm always looking forward to the christmasmarket!
It's so beautiful and gives you a very good mood xD
Go on like this! :D
Glad you're enjoying the videos :D :D Thanks for the nice comment!
Ohh your welcome :D
Thanks for commenting my comment xD
I moved to Germany when I was 8 years old and I remember the first time we went grocery shopping and I was stunned by all the different things and especially sweets they had. When I started going to school, I was very confused by the "colorful bins" and I didn't understand their purpose. In school, I was also confused that there was no cafeteria but you had to bring your own breakfast and that after your breakfast you were supposed to spend the break outside. Also, another shocking factor was the public transportation. In Germany, you can get inside the bus at any door (front, middle, etc) you want because I was only used to standing in line to get inside the front door.
When I first went to America I've been first very, very impressed by the sheer size of the streets.
Then I got surprised by the fact that the traffic lights are usually behind the crossroads and not in front of it and (accidentally) violated some traffic laws. Like I drove over one traffic light and entered a one way road in the wrong direction just as I was totally disoriented. ( After that hiccup I totally respected the traffic laws ^^; )
Hahaha, same happened to me when I moved to LA earlier this year :)
The glass building is the World Trade Centre Dresden, just so you know .
Greetings from Dresden ;)
My first thoughts of Germany were about its History. Here in the States, "historical" is a few decades or a hundred years or so. The first Cathedral I saw (Fulda's Dom) was awe inspiring and then to realize it was over 300 years old, and that it wasn't considered all that old as far as buildings in Germany or Europe.
As an Amercian fried put it: "In the USA, 100 years is a lot, and 100 miles is nothing. In Europe, 100 miles is a lot, and 100 years is nothing."
@@HotelPapa100 not in Germany it isn’t, you do realise how large Germany is too?
@@JF1908x Did I step on a toe? That's the saying, and it captures general attitude to distance and time very well.
Thank you so much for sharing the photos with us Dana!! I always wondered what your very first impressions of Germany were like ;)
My nanna is Scottish, and all my life she had told me about how beautiful Scotland was and how much she misses it. When I was on my honeymoon we decided to go to Scotland from Ireland by ferry. I will never forget the moment I saw Scotland for the first time, I cried. I guess I was overwhelmed by how much I wish my Nanna had been with me and how much I had dreamed of Scotland and the beautiful cliffs, mountains, glens, lochs and villages just clutched my heart. ❤️❤️
"I took exactly 26 photos" So - a whole film! (Come on, I can't be the only one old enough to remember that, can I?)
There are 35mm films with 36 photos, 24 photos and 12 photos. With some luck you could get 26 pictures instead of 24 out of your film. I'm still using a camera brand made in Dresden, Praktica.
Oh yes. I remember a day trip to venice and after the arrival we found out, that we had forgotten to bring our spare films. So we bought one from the first street vendor near marcus place. That was the most expensive film I've ever bought :-)
Oh no, you certainly aren't ;) But 26 was kind of a lucky number: normally it was 24 photos. With 26 photos you could have a picture 'cut in half' as the remaining film was just not long enough to get a full picture exposed.
I LOVE how you bind your scarf. Can you show us this technic please?? I would love to wear it like this, too.
Thanks for this video. I'm moving to Munich in 2 weeks, and as it's close to Christmas holidays I can already tell I'll feel exactly the way you did at the Christmas market.
just discovered your channel. I've been binge watching! Lol. love it. greetings from the UK xx
:D Yay! Glad to hear you're enjoying the videos. Thanks for the nice comment
Maybe you took a picture of the glass building because it's called the World Trade Center Dresden
Exactly what I wanted to write now :D
Merrsharr ja wollte ich auch schreiben
Awwww, my hometown Dresden! So nice to see pictures from your first trip to Germany! :D
The first time I was in the US, I just left the airport and got picked up by a friend. The streets were huge compared to germany and everyone seemed to drive a truck (pick ups and stuff). But! What really made an impression was the time we started to drive from the airport to his home. Just after a few minutes on the Freeway, on of the older pick up trucks lost they backdoor on one side. So it got loose on one side and fell to the ground, while the other side was still attached to the truck. So sparks flew around and the driver just kept driving and didn't seem to stop to fix it or anything.
That was like... I don't know. Weird. In Germany, most of the people take care of their cars, want them to look nice, work perfectly and everything. So I was kinda shocked to see something like that after a fews minutes leaving the airport :D
After that, when I was walking around to have a look at the new country and city, the thing that also made some impression were the walkways, that disappeared (or ended) sometimes for no obvious reason. So I walked there and then... walkway ends. And you have like 6 lanes at your side with a lot of traffic and in front of you, you could only try to get behind some stores to continue your way in that direction. That was really funny, I've never seen something like that. So to say, the US didn't seem very friendly to people who choose to walk :D
As you hear a lot when it comes to the US, it depends on where you are. To some, their cars are a status symbol and they do keep them up, trade them in for a new one fairly frequently. To others, not everyone can afford a lot of car maintenance or to get a new one whenever they want, so if it runs, that's good enough. I'd say it's pretty unusual though for a door to half fall off and not do anything.
Walking - no. Unless you live in a tiny town or a city center, it's just too much, nothing is in reasonable walking distance. Weather is also a factor, much of the country gets extremely hot summers and/or extremely cold winters, making walking pretty uncomfortable.
Jetzt weiß ich endlich warum Amis "Wiener" immer so lustig finden. War mir nie klar. Die Fotos waren sehr süß Dana. Als ich vor 11 Jahren nach Amerika gezogen bin, hab ich gedacht dass alle Amis so freundlich sind und daher meine Freunde sind- von unserer Maklerin angefangen. Bis ich gemerkt habe, dass sie zwar freundlich sind, aber es nicht so "tief" gemeint ist. Sie wollen quasi nur Business machen. 😉
Noch was zu den "Wienern": "Wiener dog" = Dackel. Weil manche anscheinend finden, dass die wie Wiener Würstchen aussehen.
Lol!
Maybe you took the picture of the building (at 4:50 min), because it is called WTC (World Trade Center, Dresden, Freiberger Straße)?
ohh, it was answered before ...
Hey Donna, it's so interesting that you speak so honest about your lonelyness, I can understand this so good, when I was alone in Italy the first time, very hard, if there isn't anyone to share your feelings. I also liked your photos of Dresden, for I live here.
I took over 500 photos in 8 days on my first visit to Europe, mostly in Paris. I haven't been to Germany yet, but I am sure I will take at least that many again when I finally make it there. Love your videos. Thank you Dana!
As for me being half German, I was only 3 months old when my parents took me to Germany. Germany has just always been my 2nd home. and unfortunately I haven't been to any other countries.
But, I did get to witness other Americans and their first impressions of Germany when my German class flew to Germany. Which for many of my classmates, was their first time in a plane with their brand new passports.
Most of their reactions were in aw of the sights. The buildings and architecture, as you said. But it was interesting to see a new perspective on things I was very used to seeing in Germany. Cobble-stone streets, huge, elaborate cathedrals, and castle after castle. It was also interesting to see them eating German food for the first time. Most of our meals were pre-planned, and were very typical German foods. Schnitzel, pretzels, Wurst, Schweinhaxe, Kartoffelsalat. And since it was June we had Spargel. Lots and lots of Spargel. And by the end of the trip, my classmates surprised me. I thought they'd be happy to run home to their Big Macs and go on with their summer in America. But many were sad to leave Germany and wished they could stay in Germany.
+Natalie B That's cool! Sounds like a really interesting experience you had, getting to watch your classmates see and try all these things for the first time.
Wanted Adventure Absolutely. :)
Nothing to criticise here, but the word "pretzels" doesn't fit in there at all. Really hurts my eyes.
I have been in Dresden for about two and a half months now on exchange. I am leaving in 10 days and am so excited to see my family again. I have no idea how you can live so far away from your family. It is actually really cool to see al of your photos and think "I've been there!"
We have a Christmas market every year in Philadelphia and it's really nice. Great to see where the inspiration comes from.
When I first visited Gran Canaria, I was really blown away by how unusual it all was to me. All the mountains, the big sand dunes at the beach, the completely different vegetation and wildlife. It was pretty amazing.
I had some kind of deja-vu when you talked about your experiences at Weihnachtsmarkt in Dresden. When I was 16 I went to the USA for a High School year and it was all great. But at the weekend of the first advent therefore at the start of Christmas season, it was the only time I really felt homesick. Normally here in Germany I always spend that weekend with my parent visiting our Weihnachtsmarkt in Chemnitz, going to a special fair where they sell Christmas stuff from around the area and watching the Christmas parade. As it happens they also had a Christmas parade in the town I was staying in the US that weekend and while watching it they played Silent Night and that was when a wave of homesickness hit me... After a call with my parents everything was alright though and I had the best year of my life :)
have you been to austria?
oh and i'm a wiener.. i'm from vienna, or Wien in german xD
Yes and she saw a lot of kangoroos
SHARP this joke is so old but gold XD
It hurts.. it hurts so bad.. xD
Yes it's true, Vien means Vienna?
"Wiener" or "Wiener Würstchen" is a sausage Germany is famous for.
I just visited America (Kansas City and New York) for the first time this year and one of the first things i noticed was that there were no fences around most of the houses + gardens. One house even had a small fenced area next to it (but with distance to it) for children to play in.
Nice! I live in Dresden and recognized all of the places you visited ^^
Visiting Dresden is always a good choice... Apart from that, it's remarkable that a small detail in the upper right corner of your first photo was enough for me to see exactly where you were - close to the Dresden castle on the Schloßstraße. I guess that's what only home can trigger!
Another great video. Thanks for sharing, Dana.
Thanks, Brian! :)
I lived in Germany for almost 10 years (mid 80's to early 90's) and loved every minute of it. The main thing that stood out to me when I arrived was the overwhelming sense of "history". In America you just don't get that feeling. I hope to go back one day. I love your videos, keep up the great job!
Thank you for uploading :) there's just been an earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, a 7.5 on the Richter scale. Pretty scary because we had a 7.4 in 2010 and two 6.3s and they basically destroyed the city. It's been five years recovering and now it's like boom back with the ridiculously long earthquakes. Luckily this one was deep enough not to damage anything but I really need something to calm me down. This is perfect :)
Holy crap! I can't even imagine how this must be though!
Gaso Meter throughout the past five years we've had literally hundreds of thousands of earthquakes and aftershocks this one was just quite out of the blue and much longer and larger than I'm used to. There's a running joke that we don't get out of bed for more than a five.
Gaso Meter *less than a five I mean
An earthquake, even 'just' a five ^^, will literally scare the shit out of me - that's for sure.
Gaso Meter I suppose I've gotten used to them, i was nine when the first one happened so I've almost grown up with them every now and again
Hey Dana
I've stumbled on one of your videos (not this one) by accident. And then when I looked at your channel I was thinking all of your videos are probably the same (US vs Germany - comparison). But I've watched over 15 of your videos now and I find them not only interesting but also educational. Plus you seem like a really nice person. I am subscribing to your channel now and when I have more time for sure I'm going to check more of your videos.All the best wishes from a Bulgarian living in England!
Hey, thanks so much for the nice comment :) :) Glad to hear you're enjoying the videos and thanks for subscribing!!
I remember the first (and only) time I went to america (new york) and on the taxi ride to the hotel I noticed that the songs on the radio had the cursewords sensored out which I thought was super weird. When we arrived at the hotel we decided to have a drink before bed and I felt like eating some chips or something so I ordered some nacho's, expecting to get like one or two handfulls in a bowl but turned out to be a huge plate that could fit a pizza with a mountain of nacho's which was quite shocking. Every other meal also turned out to come in huge portions. Another thing that really stood out to me that I wasn't really aware of before that was that the tv series in my country are all ages behind on american television. I was pretty young then and and my sister and I used to watch the suite life of zack and cody a lot and when we found it on the tv in our hotel room those kids looked at least like five years older and 50% taller. I think it was probably the suite life on deck series which might have been going on for a while then but only aired at home several years later. I also noticed that when we went to eat breakfast at a bakery because we were on vacation there were a lot of other people there who probably went out to get breakfast every day rather than just making something at home.
I love your videos, especially as a German who deals with American exchange students on a daily basis. You help me understand both cultures a bit better and having been in other cultures, I understood that we have more in common than I was aware of. I was in the US for 2.5 months (including Alaska, but Florida, too). It was also my first and only time spending Christmas without my family and friends. I was in NYC at Christmas Eve, my two favorite things that night were: There was a couple at Rockefeller handing out christmas-songtext and random people were singing along. Then I walked into a church because I heard a familiar music. I went in and it was "Silent Night". For me as a German, it was thrilling and special, I walked in to this familiar song and people just hugged me. Thanks to all these Americans, that made Christmas away from home a Christmas without loneliness, even in the streets of Manhattan.
I love your adorable view on things here in Germany. I am actually going to Florida in two weeks, your "old" home :)
In the Trabant picture´s background there´s one of the cool themed restaurants in Dresden, the "Pulverturm", the other, not too far away, is the "Sophienkeller".
If you ever are in Dresden again (for a few days preferrably, there´s so much to see), visit both, really nice setups.
I understand how you probably felt lonely there before Christmas. Don't worry, you are one of us now, fully included, and warmly welcomed everywhere. :)
The first time I visited another country was when we went to Toronto. Canada, for hockey camp. The first thing that impressed me was the sky. It was expansive and filled with white, fluffy clouds, and was a gorgeous, rich blue color that I had never seen before where I live. You have such a happy and positive demeanor and I always enjoy watching your videos. My husband lived in Cologne for 4 years from ages 8-12 and it's fun to compare your experiences. Thank you for sharing your experiences and thoughts with the world.
+hazeloveu Thanks for the positive feedback! Glad you're enjoying the videos :) And that sky sounds beautiful. Interesting how different the same sky can look around the world.
I lived in dresden nearly my entire life so far! (now I am studying in Austria since a year). Cool to recognize some places from your photos!
I live in Germany and I visited Italy for the first time about 6 weeks ago. Before I arrived there, I expected it to be like a country full of ancient, romantic castles, colorful old houses and people eating pizza or pasta 😉 When I got there, I found out, that it's quite different and a lot more modern, at least in the city centers. But I also visited like very small towns, and they are exactly the way I imagined them. With their old colorful buildings & castles, little shops and markets, these towns were so cute 😊 I almost felt like I was in a fairy tale ❤️
Wiener Feinkost means Viennese delicatessen
(Wien also known as Vienna is the capital city of Austria)
Great video! Thanks for sharing your feelings with us :-)
i love your videos. much positive vibe, much wow
The first time I was in the US (in 2007), I walked across a parking and there were only huge cars. A little bit further, I saw a small one. I went there to look at it to see which car it was. It was an A6, a well known car from Germany, but one of the biggest you found here at that time (SUV were still rare). I found that quire hillarious.
I really love your videos! I am from Germany but I also know lots of things about America because I was born there and lived there for some time. It's so cool to see what other culture and their people think about Germany because it is so normal to me. Love you so much ❤
*cultures
I went to poland and it was like snow everywhere... except I was surprised how they barely had any snowfall and instead the snow just managed to stay... for an entire week.
What a coincidence! Dresden was also the first city I knew in Germany! I'm actually studying here at TU Dresden. It's a very laidback city, yet architecturally impressive, specially the Zwinger. Btw, I love your channel!
I went to France in 2007 for senior spring break. There was some culture shock but I have a well-traveled family that gave me plenty of tips and pointers. I can't wait to visit Germany. My family heritage is almost all German. My aunt got her PhD from Princeton in Germanic Literature and Languages.
as a dresdener maybe some enlightenening facts:
-the barock building in the 3rd picture close to the wiener bakery is in fact the dresden castle (of king august for example). so quite a center point. it now host a number of important museums.
you have photographed it afterwards again with the other selfie, with castle church (schlosskirche) on the left from the other side. the other barock building with the garden like place in middle is called "zwinger", and used to host actual animal cages (hence the name "zwinger") like bears and such. it's now is home to the art museum of older paintings ("alte meister", where the painting with the 2 famous angels is hanging) and several other museums.
-the modern looking building is the world trade center we have in germany. probably why you took the picture. i know, not even close to what has been standing in nyc. and to be honest, not sure why it still has this name as there is a theater and some shops, a hostel and a hotel inside, as far as i know.
-also you photographed one of the smaller christmas markets in dresden. one that we call "münzgasse", as it is between frauenkirche (also a reason you might have taken the picture, the church on the left) and "brühlsche terrasse" that you were standing on. there is another one in front of frauenkirche that we call "neumarkt" and the big one on "altmarkt" that has the famous name "striezelmarkt".
oh and the freezing, you were actually standing at marienbrücke - one point where it's ALWAYS quite windy, so it might have been especially cold at this spot.
but you seem to had quite some joy, so come back at summer maybe. even though dresden trys very hard to be christmas town each year.
+Momo Starkloff Hey, thanks for the insights into the photos!! Really interesting :)
das Bild bei 4:45 ... the "cool glas building" ist das World Trade Centre ... in Dresden steht es noch :)
The first time I visited another country was Germany, I went to Köln. My first impression was "OMG! so many HUGE trees". After that it was hard for me to keep awake, I took 3 flights to get there, with several hours between them. Really exhausting.
There were a few small differences that I noticed when I first visited Germany in 2015 and when I moved here in 2016, but overall I feel strangely at home here. One of the biggest adjustments was realizing that I can't buy something as ordinary as aspirin at the DM or grocery store. Oh, and stores being closed on Sundays is a little weird, but then again I come from a state where you can't buy alcohol or cars on a Sunday. Other stuff... I'm in love with the windows over here. I got over not having a dryer more quickly than I thought I would. Even existing without a car hasn't been *that* terrible, although I will hopefully get one in the new year.
Ein sehr persönliches Video. Danke fürs teilen.
I can relate to loneliness in Germany as well. I've spend there 10 months as aupair and the moment of loneliness came upon me on New Year's Eve Midnight. Everybody had there somebody closer than me and I had to wait for my turn on wellwishess. The pain for somebody of my own people was huge.
I come from Dresden and I love my home city!
Now I live close to Frankfurt.
I love your videos!
check out the christmas Market in Dortmund. It is very big and has one of the highest christmas trees in the world
This is kind of backwards to my own story, and I very much enjoyed watching it. The "Stille Nacht" Part made my day :) Christmas markets soon again, cant wait :)
When I was in Dresden my German teacher pointed out that same Wiener Restaurant, apparently it's an old chain and there are very few of them are left. I also remember an underground area with a sign saying imagination zone.
This makes me very proud because I'm from Dresden and I recognized all the locations 🤗
Dresden, my home town! :D
Thanks for sharing!
For me, it was how cold and windy England was. Being a Florida girl, I had no concept of layers, and still pretty much don't. I missed the warmth and the sun.
I'm from England and my (very run of the mill) primary school taught us Silent Night in German. I still sing it that way sometimes.
Dana, I studied abroad in Sweden for four months. My second day in Sweden, I got the keys to my apartment and went to the grocery store to buy toilet paper (priority #1!) and food. I was overcome with seeing the prices and not being able to convert them as well as not being able to read anything! I remember not even knowing what a good brand of toilet paper to buy was! Then, I tried using my credit card and the lady needed a Swedish version of a social security number, which I of course didn't have. I had to go to the ATM to withdrawal cash to pay. Leaving that store, I was in tears and just wanted to go back home. They told us about culture shock and to expect it, but I really didn't expect to get so emotional from a trip to the local grocer!
I hear ya! It can be really overwhelming.
In my video on Prague vs. Munich I mentioned that even after a year of living in Prague, my brain STILL had trouble wrapping itself around the bigger numbers for money in the Czech Republic. I would go shopping and it would cost 500 crowns, and I would automatically get so nervous about having spent such a lot of money, before my rational side kicked in and reminded myself that 500 crowns was actually only around $25 😂
I'm really surprised you thought "Stille Nacht (Silent Night)" was the translated version of the christmas song. It's one of the first things I remember I have learned in school that "Stille Nacht" was written by Franz Xaver Gruber and Joseph Mohr in 1818 and first performed in church in Oberndorf (Austria!) where now is located the "Stille Nacht-Kapelle" (Silent Night Chapel). THe story about the mouse is just too sweet :D
I thought it's a worldwide known fact where "Stille Nacht" came from because during my school time in Oberndorf I saw lots and lots of tourists visiting the "Stille Nacht-Kapelle".
Ausfahrt was the butt of alot of jokes on the drive from the airport to home. My daughter had asked where Ausfahrt was. lol
I've been there too in Dresden last Year!
I'm always excited and extremely curious when arriving in a new city or new country and can't stop myself from walking around until my feet hurt, just to see everything and get a feeling for that place. After visiting almost fifty countries, a good bunch of them alone, I'm pretty used to it, but my curiosity never ends and always overrides any feeling of loneliness that might appear.
That you can't find anyone to talk to is tragic, I'm always looking for people who speak English. didn't have any english at school and am now learning it for myself through videos like yours. thank you very much and have a good time. tilo
I love watching these videos! :) I like hearing the differences in places. My father married my mother in Portugal and they moved to America together so all my life I heard the differences between places, and now that I live in a new place in America(my therapist said it's so different I'm experiencing culture shock!) so I like to talk about the difference ALOT. And the fact that my mother lived in Germany and studied there for 2 years also makes me very interested :)
You went to Dresden! Good choice, Dana :) Have you been back since?
How long ago is that trip you're talking about in the video?
I am planning on living in Germany eventually and I'm going to be going there when I'm done with school in about a year
It's so cute that you met Mr. Germanman so soon after this moment of loneliness in Germany. It seems like your wish of this very moment came true. 💖
I believe the thing you liked the most about the phone booth was the pink color of the "Deutsche Telekom" brand.
I was shocked that everyone was soooooo friendly!
First 45 min in Japan I was confronted with a Train were the seat rows turned at terminus automaticly to face in the direction of travel.....later at the Hotel it hit me that home was on the other side of a planet....so I can share the feeling
I remember my first experiences when I visited Germany in 1964. I was traveling with a friend, but we got separated changing trains in Brussels. When I reached the building where we would stay, a sign above the doorknob said Ziehen. I got out my paperback dictionary to learn that ziehen means "pull." But by the time I put the dictionary away, I had forgotten. It did not matter, because the door was locked. Another young man let me in, I met the Heimleiter, and was given a key for the next 10 weeks. The Heimleiter's number one job seemed to be teaching German to the residents. He only spoke German but he spoke slowly using phrases similar to English. It was a great welcome and just what I wanted. I learned much basic German including grammar of course, during that summer.
Thank you for sharing your first experience and your photos with us!
In my first time in Germany, (also in Dresden coincidentally) I was also impressed by quite a few things. It was summer at the time and they had those strawberry kiosks laying around by the train station, which I found really cute. I also took a picture of the phone booths cause they were pink and I thought it was funny :$.. ( Next to the strawberry kiosk was even a strawberry car ! ) I have yet to see the Xmas market but I hope I will have the chance someday ^^ Architecture is so beautiful, the country is so green and overall so much different than my home town in Athens. Germany is a really beautiful country.. ( I also met my fiancé there ^^ )
As a little side note : Something that actually really impressed me when going outside of Greece, was the fact that, cars will stop at the crosswalk in order to let pedestrians cross the road. (I grew up seeing people walk between cars in order to cross the road, so I was shocked to see a car stop itself for once.) And goodness there are crosswalks nicely placed everywhere as well ! Not to mention bike lanes which I would really love to see in my hometown... Maybe someday...?
Dantelia Kalen we have to stop to let pedestrians cross the road. It's the law.
I know it's the law but I don't see people here do it.. I see people cross between cars and even when they are not supposed to, cause nobody will stop for them.
+ Dantelia Kalen Glad you enjoyed the video :) :) And yeah, the telephone booths just look cool! :D I went to Greece (Athens) for the first time last year and really enjoyed it! Completely different architecture that also amazed me.
off topic question: do you speak german or english in your normal/every day life? (especially at home)
*Please, make a Video about how Germany looks like!* I know, there are many Landscapes and Citys, but i think it would be very interesting for other people!
Look on Google perhaps? :)
TheItalianoAssassino :D i live in Germany. But there are so many different places, and there all look different.. .
Well my first "surprise" when i went to the US was that i felt running against a wall when leaving the LAX Terminal. The many hours before in the chilly environment of an airconditioned plane and airport building and after that i stepped through the door into the glaring sun and at least 35°C. That really was a surprise to me. ;)
I can relate to that -- and I was BORN in L.A. (The Crenshaw smog also adds to the experience.)
+GeeShocker Ah yes, the wall of humidity! I know that from South Florida too.
Wanted Adventure, it's really not the same without the smog, though!
About "silent night": I live in Austria and I was mind blown that there is an english version of that song! For me "silent night" always was a typical german Christmas-song. (Like "Oh, Tannenbaum" or "Morgen Kinder wird's was geben".) Wait, does that mean that there is also an english version of the songs I just listened?
"O Tannenbaum" is very well known in America as "O Christmas tree".
Roland Hutchinson
I didn't knew that.
Roland Hutchinson or "Maryland, my Maryland" for what it's worth
Baccatube79 , yes that as well! I think (not 100% sure) that the "O Christmas Tree" words are known in other English-speaking countries; even in the US -- at least outside of the state of Maryland -- I imagine that "Maryland, my Maryland" is best known only because it is associated with the Preakness Stakes (one of the annual "Triple Crown" horse races).
Lena, germans (incl das deutsches Raum) invented Christmas! Almost all our christmastraditions are german, like the songs, the christmas three and st Nicholaus (well he lived in Turkey, but who cares).
Speaking of Wiener... I hear English-speaking people also tend to laugh when driving on the Autobahn and seeing an "Ausfahrt" sign.
When I visited other countries, I felt strangely unimpressed by the differences. I don't remember much of the school trip to London, but when I traveled to Hawaii and made a stop for a few days in Chicago, it was weird to be in such a far away country and it felt so familiar. I had studied so many things about the country (plus influences via entertainment) that being there in person was almost like just jumping through a TV screen. Some habits and behaviors I had to get used to, like figuring out proper cab fares and the awkward way of communication with the cab driver about it (evasive), but apart from that it was just another place, not much different than traveling to a different city in Germany. I did notice how people showed more openness towards strangers and a DIY spirit in getting things done, together. (Part of that is probably also kept alive through language. While there are added words to make an adress formal, still, the lack of Sie-Du distinction does seem to bring people closer together just through communicating. You ask someone for directions and it feels like you're immediately on a first name basis - and hey, often you actually are because of that other habit of actually using the first name in casual interactions. I like this stuff a lot.) ... Oh yeah, one thing where the difference was like the opposite to this was when I had to ask in a diner whether they could lend me a phone for a call. Obviously because fear of theft was great there, it was a big deal with lots of deliberation going into it before I could make the call.
my first time visiting another country was Spain. I was so happy and amazed by everything. Foreigners often praise Germany's architecture, so do you, but I never thought so about Germany. probably because I live in the architecturally (is that even a word? xD) ugliest part. In contrast, Spain's architecture was sooooo beautiful in my pov. And it warm. Also this feeling of excitement when ppl around you speak another language. Then I lived in Japan for one year and her natural beauty is overwhelming: big mountains, huge trees, the sea everywhere. And so many lights at night.
3:41 die berüchtigte Rennpappe :^)
友情 | Rogue Ja, der _carton de blamage_!
Wikipedia sagt der Trabant war nicht aus Pappe. Ich bin so entäuscht!
M. Utley Wikipedia ist keine Quelle! 😄
Bernhard Bormann
Was?? Es ist real wenn es im Internet steht! ;)
wie viele Leute braucht man, um einen Trabbi herzustellen? - zwei, einer faltet, der andere klebt.
thank you for this honest story :D
appreciated :3
Why you looked quite different compared to now? (not because of the age!!! :-) ) Thank you for visiting, now you are a part of Germany! I'm a German and I enjoy your Videos so much!
I totally understand that you felt lonley at the chrismas market. Chrismas is the time of the year when you get together with the people who are most important to you and beeing alone abroad during this time is quite hard. I am from Germany but I'm doing an internship in Singapore now. The country is great and I like it here very much, but I'm also looking forward to beeing back at home on chrismas and maybe go to a chrismas market if there is still one open when I'm back there ;-)
+Wanted Adventure fun fact for 3:13 the telephone booth: The telephone booths are mandatory in germany since they count as basic supply of public telephones. Everyone has a right to use those so they have to be provided even in the most basic manner in every city.
Though the one you photographed is actually not considered a telephone "booth" but a "basic" telephone. (Yay glorious german amtssprache!) :D
My first time in the US was to Florida! :D
It was just amazing, so different to anything I had seen before, loved it.