It is so refreshing to see when somebody from the outside doesn't just settle on the stereotypes, but cuts through the crust and discovers some of the gems for themselves. I rediscovered and found a new apprecition for my own culture by watching expats videos. Also, it took me years to understand why on earth people from North Amerika (predominantly from the US) would call us socialists. Being a German boomer I experienced two German states. One of them was truely socialist, and it was not us in the west. So I agreed to disagree on the "socialist Europe" theory. There are probably just different flavours. Great video Meghan, it's a pleasure to hear your take on things. Keep them coming. sub #77
I just joined an odd group of immigrants to Germany. The purpose of the group is to practice German, so there are also some native speakers (like me). Most of the immigrants have been here just for a short time, so I was surprised that they usually share the same POV on the cultural differences as Meghan did.
Willkommen in Deutschland. Ich kann einigermaßen Englisch verstehen aber schreiben leider nein. Deshalb schreibe ich in Deutsch,ich kann ihre Gründe gut verstehen glaube ich zumindest. Wenn jemand sich vorher Gedanken macht und überlegt was wohl der richtige Schritt für ihn ist bin ich überzeugt das war kein Schnellschuss nach Deutschland zu kommen sondern eine Bewusste Entscheidung die lezt endlich auch Mut erfordert. Deshalb wünsche ich ihnen ein glückliches Händchen für die nächsten Schritte in ihrem Leben.
Others have done that step too. I am from Vancouver Island B.C: but have been living in Germany since 1979, was shortly back in Canada 2004 till 2008 before going back for good to Germany again.
Dear Meghan, at first: great video about your motivation and reasons to come to Germany. I am a german who has been to US many times and many other coutries during my professional life and understand your thoughts about the cultural differences between northern america an europe.. I hope you enjoy your time in Hamburg and hope you will also explore more about the southern regions of Germany as well as the eastern parts. Much more to explore what you surely will appreciate. Whenever you plan to come down to the rhine valley delta around Heidelberg, I will be happy to show you some of the local treasures.
This is great, please make a video on how you moved!!!! How it works in terms of your options as a Canadian in terms of moving, visas even. It would be so helpful, don't stop!
Hi Meghan, I enjoyed your video. I'm a German living in the US and have lived here most of my life. I was a little surprised when described Canada, it sounded like a mild version of the US. At least when US folks talk about Canada, they consider it more like Europe. I have only been to Victoria, but to me it felt more like a European city than a US town. For that reason I like to visit Canada. I would love to move to back to Germany, but the family situation here does not allow it at this time. Good luck with your channel....Greetings from Oregon!
Haha yes it's interesting, conversely I am always surprised when Americans or Europeans think Canada is closer to Europe than the the US! Although there are obviously differences I consider Canada to be much closer to US than Europe. I haven't been to Victoria yet (heard it's beautiful) but the most European-feeling city I've visited would probably be Montreal, especially in the old town. Anyway, thanks for sharing your perspective!
I want to move there for almost all of the same reasons as you. I value people over money which is the opposite here in the US. We're starting by learning German which is really fun as my husbands family came here to the US from Germany back in the late 1800s. We also want to visit first before we move so I've been trying to narrow down areas as the country is so large. I hope you have so much fun and love it!
Interesting and reasonable reasons. And for the second reason, we need more people thinking that way, as some think the freedom for the business is everything what would make the woorld better. Honest and genuine people ... 😢 at the end, there is somone who understood us. Welcome to Germany!
I plan on moving to Germany for my retirement (my parents moved from there to here for a better life) but things got to a point where moving back is a HUGE benefit- the stress is less, the culture is so different and access to other countries is better... besides it is like Canada in many ways but better in others! Thank you for pointing out so many differences- I couldn't explain myself in such a way for others to understand why I want to go this way
As someone who grew up in Germany but have been in Canada for 16 years now, I love the random small talk. Visiting Germany after years of living in Canada it was a bit of a culture shock to see people just be to themselves and not having the small everyday connections. People have made my day sooo many times from these little conversations. You get to see the kindness of people. I miss Germany and I miss my family there, the ease of travel, the basically non existent winter (I get super depressed during winter here). Ohhh and how I miss the baked goods, fresh and crispy buns🤤
Moin Moin. Tolles Video und es freut mich das du in Hamburg lebst. Danke das du die Deutsche Kultur und Sprache liebst. Ich freue mich mehr von dir zu sehen und zu hören. Liebe grüße aus Hamburg
@@michaelcelik7243 Bei uns in MV sind Leute, die "Moin moin" sagen, Schnacker. So wenig, wie möglich sagen, aber dafür auf den Punkt, deshalb nur "Moin". Schon witzig, wie unterschiedlich ein Wort sein kann😅
I'm your 205th Subscriber, I have to agree German isn't as harsh of a language what I read and hear online, I love how you explain things in your own perspective, it is very interesting because I am currently learning German, it's been a tough journey; I have a lot of work to do! I do hope I can use German for work, Germany was my first country in Europe and fell in love with the 2-week trip I did for bit. As an American I have tons of personal reason why I want to move to Germany. I feel the United State doesn't feel like home anymore after coming back from France this week. It is a big night and day difference. The driving culture is huge in North America, What I do like about Europe is the diversity of transportation many options you can go from point A to B which both Canada and United States lags behind. Overall great video Meghan!
Hey Meghan! I’m from the USA and I now see myself waning to leave my country because of a lot of things such as USA does not have any free healthcare (I suffer mentally), the cost of living is skyrocketing, the economy is rigged because of inflation, gun crime rising nonstop, homelessness is rampant everywhere in the USA and finally, political instability is rampant too. But, I will be sad to say goodbye to my family and friends in the USA. But, I’ll be happy to explore the world when I can and have a safer future! I think of moving to Europe, but I don’t know where. But, I will also face cons while I live abroad such as double taxation, bureaucracy, homesickness, language barriers and isolation from my family and friends in the USA. Countries such as Canada and Australia are also not good places to live because for Canada there are some strict laws, and there is limited opportunity there, extreme cold, for Australia there is dangerous wildlife, strict laws, bushfires and extreme heat. The dangerous Australian wildlife species are sharks, box jellyfish, blue-ringed octopus, stonefish, saltwater crocodiles, dangerous spiders, snakes and even dangerous birds such as cassowaries.
Near the end you mentioned how in Germany it is more often about spending quality time than using one's time particularly effectively. From my personal experience, I found that in spending quality time as such and not expecting outcome when doing so, the time that is spent before or afterwards on "being productive" is all the more efficient - sometimes much more so than when attempting to be always productive.
Has a Newyorker I agree with you I been traveling to Europe just to enjoy the food and culture but I have no desire to move there.I’ll retire in the Caribbean island or Mexico cause I love warmer weather by the way nice topic.
That was the nicest declaration of love to Germany I have ever heard. But a lot of is is also well thought through and so so true. And, btw, Hamburg…good choice
Hi Meghan, congratulations on your channel. Your socialist and capitalist point on both cultures was really bang on and a lot of people moving to EU feel the same way.
I agree with your comparison in regards to economics. As a German I am living for over 10 years in Alberta. The capitalism and conservatism is very bad for the people and environment. I am missing the culture, the food (quality), lifestyle, quality of housing, the list goes on. It is funny when I share my thoughts with a Nigerian friend who only recently moved here. We have culturally more in common and we find so many things Canadians could improve. If my health would allow, I would move back to Europe in a heartbeat. I am wishing you all the best for your new life in Germany! ❤
English Canada is closer to USA work mentality, QC is again a distinct society, it is closer to the European way of doing things. The Germans are defenitively prone to gemütlichkeit, und es ist prima. Ich liebe auch deutsches Essen, und Kultur. Be well and stay safe
You're right that there are different subcultures within Canada, with Quebec being the most distinct. Interesting to hear you consider it closer to Europe
Moin! Welcome Meghan, new sub here ^^ Have fun and only the best experiences you can have! German culture is also very condensed to experience. The language, especially the regional dialects. And the food. If you go maybe 50, 100 or 150 km somewhere else, you will have completely different dialects and completely different food specialties. Or in the architecture, etc. As a Canadian, you absolutely have to visit Scandinavia (especially Norway) ^^ And btw: I like the books in the background, especially the ones with the signature sign. Very smart!
Moin :) agree, I love that experience when you travel within a country and realize there are "micro-cultures" with their own sayings, slang, food, culture, etc. One of my best friends moved to Norway recently, and I definitely want to visit the nature there as well, it's on the list to visit! And yes I'm an avid reader, cool that you noticed the books :D
I for one just love when fellow Europeans that have lived for generations outside of Europe, return to their place of origin and fall in love with it. I bet it wasn't easy for your ancestors to leave this continent in the first place knowing how rough the times were here when most did. I wonder if they are smiling, knowing that one child made it back home savely 🙂 Greetings and a warm welcome back from a fellow European and German 🙂
I think having regular shops sundays closed helped the coffee & cake tradition to develop in culture. Although I personally am not a fan of Kaffee & Kuchen.
Hi Meghan, fellow Hamburger here. 9:14 Yepp, among the German cities I would rank Hamburg as #2 with Berlin as #1 for public transportation. I never check when the next Ubahn leaves cause that usually takes more time than just popping on the station and waiting. They are so regular it just doesn't make sense to check for the next departure. The only cities I have visited with even better public transportation are Paris, and absolute number one, London. But those two are both strong contenders to share that number one spot. Even with those two up there I'd still give Hamburg an overall rank #4 for Europe. Mind you, the caveat is obviously DB trains. They have become so bad I can't even sum up my experience with them anymore.
@@PetervanHooff-i9x Oh HH ist DEFINITIV vor Berlin was den Lebenswert angeht. Nicht umsonst behauptet Radio Hamburg immer was von "die schönste Stadt der Welt". Auch wenn das übertrieben ist, finde ich die Stadt auf jeden Fall super.
Love your take on Europe! Esp Germany needs a bit of a boost, with all the mocking going on. How about giving Austria a try? We speak German as well but are way more laid back.
Great video, keep it up ;)...Didn´t you have to learn french in school as well? Maybe i´m wrong but i thought both english and french are official languages in Canada and therefore are taught at every school in all provinces.....best wishes from Vienna ;)
Social and socialistic is not the same! I often hear North Americans refer to a more social approach as socialistic. Western Europeans are very particular about this distinction. Think of social as humane and socialistic as communism, then you get the difference.
Yes I've realized there is a nuance there based on some of the comments I've received on this video. When I was in high school learning about politics, they distinguished communism from socialism and had a very different definition of socialism, attributing it to "social programs" and "social safety net" that are prevalent in Europe. Now that I understand Europeans have a different definition when hearing "socialist", I will be more specific when using this terminology in the future. Thanks for your comment
@@MeghanAbroad Most Germans probably have the official name as their opinion: The Soviet Union was communist, the GDR was socialist, and the Federal Republic of Germany is a social market economy...which is basically capitalism+humanism+the best of socialism.
@@MeghanAbroad Apart from other Western European countries, especially in Germany we are very particular about this difference, because Germans definitely experienced the difference first hand (East Germans that is). The former East German State was socialistic and a complete economic f* disaster (concerning freedom anyways), despite the nostalgic fantasies one can hear occasionally coming from some East Germans.
As a German I am elated about your praise for my country. I do however see some things much more critical (which may be a German trait to begin with). No, I am not talking (merely) about our favorite past time, which is complaining about everything in our country while not recognizing that the subject of our complaint is handled even worse in most other countries. I am talking about an increasingly terrifying (and I use this word deliberately) political atmosphere and deterioration of pillars for any humanistic society within the nation and cowardly behavior on the international stage, especially the reluctance to support the Ukraine, to stand against China for example in regards to their treatment of Uighurs and Tibetans, use of child labor in many countries and German companies benefitting from it, the ill perceived absolute support for Israel, I could go on of course.
Interesting, I've lived in Toronto for far too long, I'm a junior data analyst and it's very hard to find stable work here. I've also heard that Germany was rather behind in their IT and their gov't agencies rely on phone services more than having administrative work done online. I've also wanted to learn German in university but I never had the spare time to take a course. Ultimately, I'd want to work in Switzerland though.
Germany is behind on digitization which can be a pro or a con depending on what you are looking for. There is a lot of consulting work and migration projects from old to new technology which some people enjoy. However if you want to work on the most cutting-edge tech stack, those jobs will be harder to find, except for maybe the startups mainly based in Berlin, which are now pretty unstable due to the economic crisis. You can still find jobs in IT speaking english but your options will obviously be more limited (my first job in germany was english-speaking). As you mentioned the bureacracy is frustrating and also lacking behind on digitization though this is slowly getting better. I will talk about the job market stuff in a separate video since I have a lot of thoughts
Switzerland is very beautiful but I personally wouldn't consider it in my 20s because of the cost of living and lack of nightlife. Always depends on what's important to you though. Good luck on your adventure, lots of people feel "stuck" in Toronto but leaving is easier than you think
Hi Meghan. Wow thats very fascinating how you describe the European cultures from a Canadian perspective. I love Hamburg, Bremen the north in general but i am down here in the south and that has its unique specialities. Loved this video and I am a new fan ❤❤❤❤
Great job with this video! I just subscribed I'm looking forward to watching more of your videos in the future. I agree with all your comments about Europe, esp regarding travel . Do you plan to live in any other European countries?
Great question, this is something I'm currently thinking about... it probably warrants its own video but top of mind right now would be Spain or eastern Europe
Welcome to Hamburg. Nice to see a YT expat from Hamburg, most of the other channels are from the south. What was the cost per squaremter in Toronto compared here in Hamburg? Last time I moved here in Hamburg it was 2016 and I moved inside the same Company (SAGA) just from St Pauli to Altona and was lucky to get an apartment which was not renovated by the company. So my qm price stayed at 11€. I doubt that's possible anymore in Hamburg.
Hi @sonkerieckmann - I'm not sure about the Toronto/Hamburg sqm comparison since for both the costs have gone up significantly since 2021 when I was moving. My rent was a bit lower than "normal" in Toronto since I moved in 2020 when most were leaving the city, and Hamburg of course depends a lot on the area; I got lucky and got an apartment with a Wohnungsbaugenossenschft (after initially living in a WG in Barmbek for a year), so my rent was also a bit lower than what my friends were paying, but without EBK and not renovated. It seems a lot of people are reluctant to let go of their old apartment contracts in HH since the rents have gone up significantly and the apartment search is quite difficult/lengthy. Definitely you would be extremely lucky to find something for 11eur/sqm!
@@MeghanAbroad I will definetly keep that contract for sure. I think 2 years ago they renovated the apartment next to mine and the rent is now I think at 17€ or 18€. It’s insane
You are welcome! Maybe you know that on youtube is another canadian? It's Jenna from the channel Life in germany. She is living here about 10 years. If you feel you need to talk about Canada, get in contact with her. She wants to help expats!
@@MeghanAbroad You can also look up Diana Verry originally from Toronto who lives in Berlin for several years now. She explained her reasons to move here with similar points: Not so businees driven, less consumerism, live balance. And a genuine curiosity and appreciation for other countries and cultures. Her parents came from Columbia to Canada, I understand. I was born and raised in Hamburg. But now have moved further up the coast. BTW, your English comes over with some German subtones. If I did not know where you are from I'd say you are a well acclimated German living in an English speaking environment.
I fully understand your motivation! I'm German, grew up in Karlsruhe on the French border. As a pupil i visited France very often and i was in Switzerland, Austria and Italy. And became aware of my ability to learn other languages easily. After finishing my studies I went to a backpacking trip rheough Africa from west to east. I found a job as sales manager and worked with several countries there. Then i went to Switzerland to get an education as management consultant. After that i worked for 35 years in this business. I lived 20 years in Spain. But i worked world wide! Now i think to move to Cameroun. Writing my second book. I speak several languages fluently, because i learn like a child. And my lady is African. Very good how you describe German culture. I will come back to Germany because i estimate some things here and i have 4 children and 6 grandchildren. I'm feeling well all over in the world, only i prefer warm weather!!! Have a nice time! People like you are the salt of the earth. ❤❤❤❤
My son and I are getting German citizenship through my grandma. You should definitely look and see if you're eligible. They've changed the laws around that a lot recently. I live in the U.S. and agree a lot with your comments the capitalistic culture and it's not for me. I don't think it's inherently "bad" and it has some pros, but there really has to be a healthy balance and right now there is none here. My dad already lives in Germany and I have lots of family there so it'd be nice to live closer. I have a pitty-mix dog and, unfortunately, a lot of countries in Europe - including Germany - won't allow you to move there with one. The breed discrimination it so sad because he's the sweetest compared to our cat and small dog. He's afraid of the fish aisle at Petco lol. A few European countries don't have these bans so we're looking at those places to eventually move to.
Thanks for the tip! I looked into it and unfortunately (?) my German roots are not close enough to be eligible as my ancestors settled in Canada in the 1800s. However, maybe some viewers can benefit from this tip so thanks for sharing :) Best of luck to your family and pup as you look for a new home in Europe! 🐾❤
@@MeghanAbroad AFAIK, If you have stayed in Germany for some years and can show that you are culturally integrated, have work, then there should be no hindrance to acquire a German citizenship even holding your Canadian passport. You don't have to have any relationship with German ancestors. Many e.g. Turkish people don't have that either who have become Germans.
Hi Meghan, a interesting video! I do have a question though... How easy - or difficult - was it for you as a Canadian to get a work permit and "green card" here in Germany? I know it is really hard for a German to migrate to Canada, you need sponsors and money and a job fixed and God knows what else. So how was it for you? May be a idea for another video...
Hi Meghan, I just got your video recommended by UA-cam. First things first: ♥-ly welcome to Germany ! Enjoy your life here among us. I also wish you all the best for your channel. I'm curious to see more about your thoughts and ideas you may come up with. Just one thing: Germany is a social democracy - but in no way a socialist country. I understand why you said it, but a socialist country is something completely different. As I grew up in the "socialist" part of Germany till the reunification, I know a bit about that and I think I can guarantee you don't want to live in a socialist country. In other words "social" - yes but "socialist" - no. 😉 Greetings from the south (extended area of Munich).
@Opa_Andre - thanks for your welcoming comment. I also wasn't trying to label Germany as "socialist" in absolute terms, rather that it is more left-leaning in comparison Canada/US on the political spectrum, so apologies if my explanation was unclear
@@MeghanAbroad There is no need for you to apologize at all. I know how you meant it and wanted to describe the different German way compared to the US / Canada. All three countries are democratic countries or in short Democracy's. Due to it's past, Germany has a more social approach, therefore we often use the term "Social Democracy" (which implies more rights to the workers / employees etc.). I explicitely turned on CC as you used the word "socialist" which is a different form of government and not a democracy, even if a socialist country calls himself being a democratic one. However many Americans misunderstand the meaning of "socialist" or Socialism, probably because it sounds similar to "social". Anyway, all I wanted was to help clarifying the terminology. I neither took offence nor wanted to teach you a lesson. 🙂
@@Opa_Andre I like to disagree. Socialism is an economic term. That it was many times implemented by a "less democratic" government is because a society has a tendency to fall back to capitalist terms. So the government has to use a lot of effort to keep the economy "socialist". In the end we see in China how that has turned out: A pseudo-democracy based on managed capitalism.
I am a German but I was living in Canada for a while (Vancouver - go Canucks!). What you described as capitalist and socialist systems is that there is basically no safety net in Canada. You can get fired from one day to another, you can lose your apartment from one day to another, if a cop feels like it he can handcuff you and get you imprisoned for no reason. I once went to the hospital and due to health insurance, the hospital was free but the ambulance cost me like 1600 CAN$ but then you can negotiate (as a European that's insane as well). Canadians are super friendly but that's extremely artificial and my experience was that you get ripped off all the time. I am not saying that foreigners in Germany don't get ripped off, but I think they usually get ripped off through bureaucracy and companies, in Canada bureaucracy is awesome since there is almost none but you have to be aware of normal people. Canada still to this day is a British and American colony. Everything is controlled and owned and in the end even governed by the British or Americans. Then efficiency is a really big thing over there that really drives me nuts. Canadiens have absolutely no idea what "Lohnstückkosten" means. Lohnstückkosten basically means what percentage of the price comes from the wages. So if you have one guy earning 1000 bucks producing one unit per month and you have one guy earning 2000 and producing 3 units a month then a 5-year-old German understands that the guy with a salary of 2k is cheaper. Not so in Canada. They expect you to work 60 hours/week even when you are paid by the hour and the y never look what your output is. INSANITY! If you are a European never ever not in a million years move to Canada if you are not planing to live somewhere in the woods. Oh and I forgot, prices are insane too. 500 square foot apartment (about 50qm in real units) is easily 1500/month. Enjoy.
I appreciate the view that one should broaden one's horizon and experience other countries by living there for a while, if possible. For me (German) it was the USA, and after many years I decided Murica is NOT for me - I really tried, though. It was a better experience when I moved from Florida to Seattle (close to Canada 😄), but... no. I could have moved to Canada, I have family there, but that would have been yet another international move I no longer have the energy for. I returned to Hamburg, Germany, and I am glad I did. I sure noticed that things changed a lot in Germany since I left, but the European way is better for me. The US was nicer in the 1990s to maybe mid-2000s, after that it became worse and worse of a place to be. Besides, from Germany, it is an easy way to travel to all the neighboring countries! 😊 There are simply way more cultures and different people to experience in Europe than in North America (yes, I include Canada), where many towns look the same, shopping centers with all the same chain stores, etc. And yes, I would say Canada is a "USA light" version. 😄 So, Willkommen in Hamburg!
Thanks for sharing your experience, always interesting to hear from Germans who go the opposite way, lol. I usually hear mixed experiences, once again goes to show everyone is different
Hi, nice Video. I am German and was visiting the university of Alberta in Edmonton for 6 months. I loved the time i spend there, made alot of Friends and i thought canada is better for foreigners then Germany. Eventually university is special micro cosmos in a country and does not have the same feeling then the rest.
German grammar... As long as you aren't a linguist, german teacher or try to master a grammar test, i would say it's enough to know that the grammar is just "the other way around" to english grammar. ;-) I am a native german speaker (although some germans will disagree ;-) ) and when learnign english in school, i noticed that "fact" early on. The only times that wasn't enough was when we had dedicated grammar rule tests where you had to explain it in a correct way. But that was also the case if we had a german grammar test... I'd claim that apart from german teachers and linguists, 99% of native german speakers can't explain a single grammar rule to you when asked. It's just what we grew up with, just like you grew up with english grammar. But i am sure the exposure to german grammar will do it's job over time, and you will just intuitively get it right. And it's not a problem to struggle with grammar a bit, it's always highly appreciated in every language/country if a foreigner at least tries. People will still understand. Funnily enough i think almost correct pronounciation is more important than grammar.
Yeah I agree that the importance of grammar is sometimes overblown. The positive thing about German is it's very consistent, unlike English which has a lot of exceptions with pronunciation and spelling and such. Some people who have other native tongues aside from English find the German grammar easy! English comparatively is more flexible grammatically (like verb position doesn't matter, Nebensätze, etc) so it takes awhile for an English speaker to wrap their head around the German rules. You are right though, with a lot of exposure to the language it becomes much more intuitive
Auch von mir, Willkommen in Deutschland, der soziale Aspekt ist in Europa sehr viel größer als in Amerika, ich verstehe Deine Entscheidung. Ich komme auch aus dem Norden und sage Mal: Moin, sollte für Dich schon in Mark und Bein über gegangen sein 😂
@@MeghanAbroad weil mit einem Wort alles gesagt ist, z.B. Hallo, wie geht es Dir. Ist heute nicht ein schöner Tag, ich habe gute Laune, Du auch..... Das alles kann das Wort Moin....
Interesting lecture! Unfortunately, you are also making the mistake of describing Europe, and Germany in particular, as socialist. We are not socialist, but social, which is a big difference. Under socialism, the means of production, i.e. the factories, production machines, etc., belong to the state, which is not the case in a welfare (=social) state. By the way, in a communist state, there is no private property at all.
Sorry but I hate the use of the term "socialist" when speaking about European countries, it is so wrong in all aspects...the European way of life is not "socialist" but "social" What you are talking about is actually "social-democracy" which is a capitalist way of life but it is definitively no turbo capitalist way of life as like as in North America (US + Canada, although Canada is not that extreme as like as the US), because of the implementation of "social - aspects" in behalf of the people like "Healthcare" + "worker´s rights" + "food safety" + "public transit" + "social benefits" and so on...those are not "socialist ideas" but "social ideas". And the meaning of "socialism" is no question of opinion, it has a clear definition describing a certain dogmatic form of an economy model + society model which is not capitalistic at all.. But in North America nobody knows that definition, therefore their polititians are using that term wrongly on purpose for painting a certain threatening picture in order to keep their Status Quo of turbo capitalismn. And think about it "to live to work" is actually being a slave for the economy, which by the way is also a notion of "real socialismn" because in "socialismn" you "live to work" as well BUT with the difference that in socialismn you can´t increase the living standard because that is also normed/standardized in the first place based on the dogma.
@@MeghanAbroad I think this is related to "socialist health insurance" in Canada. Which is more patterned after the UK than the US free-wheeling capitalist system.
Huge fan of Germany as Germans can be somewhat aligned to Canadian values…progressive, community-minded, hard working, tolerant etc. But the German language is butt ugly.
I wonder how out of nowhere Germany suddenly became an expat attraction. Probably it's more of Germany became better than other countries became miserable 😅. This country is falling apart yet people are making videos like its the best.
Very interesting opinions and impressions Meghan! About the "German is a harsh language": To a degree Hitler's propaganda speeches and modern (social) media reporting is responsible for that. German maybe doesn't sound as melodic as other languages, but on the other hand not everyone wants to sound like that. German language has a special mixture of Germanic and Latin/Greek influences. In any case, as you said: It is personal preference what you like. Not everyone needs to like what's propagandized on the media. And about the socialist aspects of many European countries: It's the best. We Europeans need to protect this at all costs.
I think you're right, this could be where some of the bias against German language comes from. It's a shame, I obviously love the language but globally (and even by some Germans) it isn't perceived the same way. But I think this is a nice sentiment, that "not everyone needs to like what's propagandized on the media"
Why did you choose Germany and not Switzerland or Austria? This may sound a bit arrogant, but my home country of Switzerland is absolutely top of the list for me in Europe, alongside the Scandinavian countries and Finland. Even though we have the highest cost of living in the world, our country is one of the most stable and safest in the world. We also have a very good political system with direct democracy and a good economy, as well as a hard currency. Perhaps you will be drawn to Switzerland one day, where you will be captivated by our beautiful landscape. And the fine aroma of chocolate will make you dream.
Technically you are talking about country with population size of big cities but over larger area. A lot of other countries have same standard of living in some cities if not better but not in whole country overal.
@olioliver9396 no problem to be proud of your country, I appreciate it. Well, I think a few things that Germany and specifically Hamburg had that attracted me - language and understanding/being understood was important to me, as Austrian German is quite a different accent/dialect and Swiss German is practically unintelligible for me. I also think Hamburg has more night life and cultural diversity than the major cities in Switzerland & Austria, which was also important to me. Not to mention the cost of living, as I'm still early in my career. That being said, I've visited Switzerland and it was absolutely beautiful, I would also like to visit Austria as well, as some friends and family have raved about it. Not ruling either country out for the future! Germany and Hamburg just fit better with what I wanted at the time that I moved
@@MeghanAbroad You should definitely visit Vienna! It's a wonderful city, great places to go out, great cultural institutions, wonderful atmosphere. And the German spoken there is very easy to understand.
Don't walk alone at home at night lonely streets knoNw criminal areas, at this days....always with friends . Suspicious connections..... be aware of k.o.drops at your open drinks..... at the disco Young, beautiful woman as you may be the focus of criminal activity s....always leave with protection. Ansonsten: viel spass bei uns❤👍wir sehen uns später. Bei Kaffee und Kuchen, wenn du willst😅
Hey do you have Instagram? Or is there anyway I could ask you a few question? I’m looking to move to Germany for next year, 2025, and just had some questions about how to apply for a work visa and stuff like that, I’m currently a Canadian citizen and would be moving from here to Germany.
Hey do you have Instagram? Or is there anyway I could ask you a few question? I’m looking to move to Germany for next year, 2025, and just had some questions about how to apply for a work visa and stuff like that, I’m currently a Canadian citizen and would be moving from here to Germany.
Hey do you have Instagram? Or is there anyway I could ask you a few question? I’m looking to move to Germany for next year, 2025, and just had some questions about how to apply for a work visa and stuff like that, I’m currently a Canadian citizen and would be moving from here to Germany.
Hey do you have Instagram? Or is there anyway I could ask you a few question? I’m looking to move to Germany for next year, 2025, and just had some questions about how to apply for a work visa and stuff like that, I’m currently a Canadian citizen and would be moving from here to Germany.
It is so refreshing to see when somebody from the outside doesn't just settle on the stereotypes, but cuts through the crust and discovers some of the gems for themselves. I rediscovered and found a new apprecition for my own culture by watching expats videos. Also, it took me years to understand why on earth people from North Amerika (predominantly from the US) would call us socialists. Being a German boomer I experienced two German states. One of them was truely socialist, and it was not us in the west. So I agreed to disagree on the "socialist Europe" theory. There are probably just different flavours. Great video Meghan, it's a pleasure to hear your take on things. Keep them coming. sub #77
@TheJohnnycab5 thanks for your comment! I agree, politics is all relative, depends on where you are coming from
I just joined an odd group of immigrants to Germany. The purpose of the group is to practice German, so there are also some native speakers (like me). Most of the immigrants have been here just for a short time, so I was surprised that they usually share the same POV on the cultural differences as Meghan did.
Willkommen in Deutschland. Ich kann einigermaßen Englisch verstehen aber schreiben leider nein.
Deshalb schreibe ich in Deutsch,ich kann ihre Gründe gut verstehen glaube ich zumindest.
Wenn jemand sich vorher Gedanken macht und überlegt was wohl der richtige Schritt für ihn ist bin ich überzeugt das war kein Schnellschuss nach Deutschland zu kommen sondern eine Bewusste Entscheidung die lezt endlich auch Mut erfordert. Deshalb wünsche ich ihnen ein glückliches Händchen für die nächsten Schritte in ihrem Leben.
Others have done that step too. I am from Vancouver Island B.C: but have been living in Germany since 1979, was shortly back in Canada 2004 till 2008 before going back for good to Germany again.
Dear Meghan, at first: great video about your motivation and reasons to come to Germany. I am a german who has been to US many times and many other coutries during my professional life and understand your thoughts about the cultural differences between northern america an europe.. I hope you enjoy your time in Hamburg and hope you will also explore more about the southern regions of Germany as well as the eastern parts. Much more to explore what you surely will appreciate. Whenever you plan to come down to the rhine valley delta around Heidelberg, I will be happy to show you some of the local treasures.
Hi Bernhard, thanks for you comment, I've done a few shorter trips within Germany but definitely have much more to see :)
This is great, please make a video on how you moved!!!! How it works in terms of your options as a Canadian in terms of moving, visas even. It would be so helpful, don't stop!
Definitely will make videos on those topics - thanks for your comment!
Hi Meghan, I enjoyed your video. I'm a German living in the US and have lived here most of my life. I was a little surprised when described Canada, it sounded like a mild version of the US. At least when US folks talk about Canada, they consider it more like Europe. I have only been to Victoria, but to me it felt more like a European city than a US town. For that reason I like to visit Canada. I would love to move to back to Germany, but the family situation here does not allow it at this time.
Good luck with your channel....Greetings from Oregon!
Haha yes it's interesting, conversely I am always surprised when Americans or Europeans think Canada is closer to Europe than the the US! Although there are obviously differences I consider Canada to be much closer to US than Europe. I haven't been to Victoria yet (heard it's beautiful) but the most European-feeling city I've visited would probably be Montreal, especially in the old town. Anyway, thanks for sharing your perspective!
I want to move there for almost all of the same reasons as you. I value people over money which is the opposite here in the US. We're starting by learning German which is really fun as my husbands family came here to the US from Germany back in the late 1800s. We also want to visit first before we move so I've been trying to narrow down areas as the country is so large. I hope you have so much fun and love it!
Interesting and reasonable reasons.
And for the second reason, we need more people thinking that way, as some think the freedom for the business is everything what would make the woorld better.
Honest and genuine people ... 😢 at the end, there is somone who understood us.
Welcome to Germany!
Good to have you here. And learning German gives you the opportunity for three countries. So stay strong and follow your way.
I plan on moving to Germany for my retirement (my parents moved from there to here for a better life) but things got to a point where moving back is a HUGE benefit- the stress is less, the culture is so different and access to other countries is better... besides it is like Canada in many ways but better in others! Thank you for pointing out so many differences- I couldn't explain myself in such a way for others to understand why I want to go this way
As someone who grew up in Germany but have been in Canada for 16 years now, I love the random small talk. Visiting Germany after years of living in Canada it was a bit of a culture shock to see people just be to themselves and not having the small everyday connections. People have made my day sooo many times from these little conversations. You get to see the kindness of people. I miss Germany and I miss my family there, the ease of travel, the basically non existent winter (I get super depressed during winter here). Ohhh and how I miss the baked goods, fresh and crispy buns🤤
Moin Moin. Tolles Video und es freut mich das du in Hamburg lebst. Danke das du die Deutsche Kultur und Sprache liebst. Ich freue mich mehr von dir zu sehen und zu hören. Liebe grüße aus Hamburg
Ich dachte, Hamburger sagen nur einmal "Moin".😂 I lived in HH for 15 years and this is one I remember deeply.
@@Winona493 jeder wie er mag aber in meiner familie ist es immer moin moin außer man kennt sich dann is dat moin.
@@michaelcelik7243 Bei uns in MV sind Leute, die "Moin moin" sagen, Schnacker. So wenig, wie möglich sagen, aber dafür auf den Punkt, deshalb nur "Moin".
Schon witzig, wie unterschiedlich ein Wort sein kann😅
I'm your 205th Subscriber, I have to agree German isn't as harsh of a language what I read and hear online, I love how you explain things in your own perspective, it is very interesting because I am currently learning German, it's been a tough journey; I have a lot of work to do! I do hope I can use German for work, Germany was my first country in Europe and fell in love with the 2-week trip I did for bit. As an American I have tons of personal reason why I want to move to Germany.
I feel the United State doesn't feel like home anymore after coming back from France this week. It is a big night and day difference. The driving culture is huge in North America, What I do like about Europe is the diversity of transportation many options you can go from point A to B which both Canada and United States lags behind.
Overall great video Meghan!
Thanks for your comment and sub :) best of luck on your journey moving to Germany and with the German language!
Hey Meghan! I’m from the USA and I now see myself waning to leave my country because of a lot of things such as USA does not have any free healthcare (I suffer mentally), the cost of living is skyrocketing, the economy is rigged because of inflation, gun crime rising nonstop, homelessness is rampant everywhere in the USA and finally, political instability is rampant too. But, I will be sad to say goodbye to my family and friends in the USA. But, I’ll be happy to explore the world when I can and have a safer future! I think of moving to Europe, but I don’t know where. But, I will also face cons while I live abroad such as double taxation, bureaucracy, homesickness, language barriers and isolation from my family and friends in the USA. Countries such as Canada and Australia are also not good places to live because for Canada there are some strict laws, and there is limited opportunity there, extreme cold, for Australia there is dangerous wildlife, strict laws, bushfires and extreme heat. The dangerous Australian wildlife species are sharks, box jellyfish, blue-ringed octopus, stonefish, saltwater crocodiles, dangerous spiders, snakes and even dangerous birds such as cassowaries.
Near the end you mentioned how in Germany it is more often about spending quality time than using one's time particularly effectively. From my personal experience, I found that in spending quality time as such and not expecting outcome when doing so, the time that is spent before or afterwards on "being productive" is all the more efficient - sometimes much more so than when attempting to be always productive.
Has a Newyorker I agree with you I been traveling to Europe just to enjoy the food and culture but I have no desire to move there.I’ll retire in the Caribbean island or Mexico cause I love warmer weather by the way nice topic.
That was the nicest declaration of love to Germany I have ever heard. But a lot of is is also well thought through and so so true. And, btw, Hamburg…good choice
Summers in GER most definitely aren't be missed out on! We utterly enjoy the summer months....
Hi Meghan, congratulations on your channel. Your socialist and capitalist point on both cultures was really bang on and a lot of people moving to EU feel the same way.
I agree with your comparison in regards to economics. As a German I am living for over 10 years in Alberta. The capitalism and conservatism is very bad for the people and environment. I am missing the culture, the food (quality), lifestyle, quality of housing, the list goes on. It is funny when I share my thoughts with a Nigerian friend who only recently moved here. We have culturally more in common and we find so many things Canadians could improve. If my health would allow, I would move back to Europe in a heartbeat.
I am wishing you all the best for your new life in Germany! ❤
You're welcome!
Greetings from Bremen.
English Canada is closer to USA work mentality, QC is again a distinct society, it is closer to the European way of doing things.
The Germans are defenitively prone to gemütlichkeit, und es ist prima. Ich liebe auch deutsches Essen, und Kultur.
Be well and stay safe
You're right that there are different subcultures within Canada, with Quebec being the most distinct. Interesting to hear you consider it closer to Europe
Moin!
Welcome Meghan, new sub here ^^
Have fun and only the best experiences you can have! German culture is also very condensed to experience. The language, especially the regional dialects. And the food. If you go maybe 50, 100 or 150 km somewhere else, you will have completely different dialects and completely different food specialties. Or in the architecture, etc.
As a Canadian, you absolutely have to visit Scandinavia (especially Norway) ^^
And btw: I like the books in the background, especially the ones with the signature sign. Very smart!
Moin :) agree, I love that experience when you travel within a country and realize there are "micro-cultures" with their own sayings, slang, food, culture, etc.
One of my best friends moved to Norway recently, and I definitely want to visit the nature there as well, it's on the list to visit!
And yes I'm an avid reader, cool that you noticed the books :D
@@MeghanAbroad Cool
I for one just love when fellow Europeans that have lived for generations outside of Europe, return to their place of origin and fall in love with it. I bet it wasn't easy for your ancestors to leave this continent in the first place knowing how rough the times were here when most did. I wonder if they are smiling, knowing that one child made it back home savely 🙂 Greetings and a warm welcome back from a fellow European and German 🙂
I think having regular shops sundays closed helped the coffee & cake tradition to develop in culture. Although I personally am not a fan of Kaffee & Kuchen.
Hi Meghan, fellow Hamburger here. 9:14 Yepp, among the German cities I would rank Hamburg as #2 with Berlin as #1 for public transportation. I never check when the next Ubahn leaves cause that usually takes more time than just popping on the station and waiting. They are so regular it just doesn't make sense to check for the next departure.
The only cities I have visited with even better public transportation are Paris, and absolute number one, London. But those two are both strong contenders to share that number one spot.
Even with those two up there I'd still give Hamburg an overall rank #4 for Europe.
Mind you, the caveat is obviously DB trains. They have become so bad I can't even sum up my experience with them anymore.
Aber im Ranking Lebenswert bitte HH vor Berlin 😂
@@PetervanHooff-i9x Oh HH ist DEFINITIV vor Berlin was den Lebenswert angeht.
Nicht umsonst behauptet Radio Hamburg immer was von "die schönste Stadt der Welt". Auch wenn das übertrieben ist, finde ich die Stadt auf jeden Fall super.
@@RustyDust101 Radio HH... Ich erinnere mich 😁
How have you been coping with all the different German dialects when travelling?
Love your take on Europe! Esp Germany needs a bit of a boost, with all the mocking going on. How about giving Austria a try? We speak German as well but are way more laid back.
Funny how many Austrians have made this comment to me 😀 ... I haven't visited yet but it's on my list
Great video, keep it up ;)...Didn´t you have to learn french in school as well? Maybe i´m wrong but i thought both english and french are official languages in Canada and therefore are taught at every school in all provinces.....best wishes from Vienna ;)
Greetings from Munich 🥰
Social and socialistic is not the same! I often hear North Americans refer to a more social approach as socialistic. Western Europeans are very particular about this distinction. Think of social as humane and socialistic as communism, then you get the difference.
Yes I've realized there is a nuance there based on some of the comments I've received on this video. When I was in high school learning about politics, they distinguished communism from socialism and had a very different definition of socialism, attributing it to "social programs" and "social safety net" that are prevalent in Europe.
Now that I understand Europeans have a different definition when hearing "socialist", I will be more specific when using this terminology in the future. Thanks for your comment
@@MeghanAbroad
Most Germans probably have the official name as their opinion:
The Soviet Union was communist, the GDR was socialist, and the Federal Republic of Germany is a social market economy...which is basically capitalism+humanism+the best of socialism.
@@MeghanAbroad Apart from other Western European countries, especially in Germany we are very particular about this difference, because Germans definitely experienced the difference first hand (East Germans that is). The former East German State was socialistic and a complete economic f* disaster (concerning freedom anyways), despite the nostalgic fantasies one can hear occasionally coming from some East Germans.
As a German I am elated about your praise for my country. I do however see some things much more critical (which may be a German trait to begin with). No, I am not talking (merely) about our favorite past time, which is complaining about everything in our country while not recognizing that the subject of our complaint is handled even worse in most other countries. I am talking about an increasingly terrifying (and I use this word deliberately) political atmosphere and deterioration of pillars for any humanistic society within the nation and cowardly behavior on the international stage, especially the reluctance to support the Ukraine, to stand against China for example in regards to their treatment of Uighurs and Tibetans, use of child labor in many countries and German companies benefitting from it, the ill perceived absolute support for Israel, I could go on of course.
Cool video from you! There is an interesting video by FERN called "Why German Sounds So Aggressive"
Interesting, I've lived in Toronto for far too long, I'm a junior data analyst and it's very hard to find stable work here. I've also heard that Germany was rather behind in their IT and their gov't agencies rely on phone services more than having administrative work done online. I've also wanted to learn German in university but I never had the spare time to take a course. Ultimately, I'd want to work in Switzerland though.
Germany is behind on digitization which can be a pro or a con depending on what you are looking for. There is a lot of consulting work and migration projects from old to new technology which some people enjoy. However if you want to work on the most cutting-edge tech stack, those jobs will be harder to find, except for maybe the startups mainly based in Berlin, which are now pretty unstable due to the economic crisis. You can still find jobs in IT speaking english but your options will obviously be more limited (my first job in germany was english-speaking). As you mentioned the bureacracy is frustrating and also lacking behind on digitization though this is slowly getting better. I will talk about the job market stuff in a separate video since I have a lot of thoughts
Switzerland is very beautiful but I personally wouldn't consider it in my 20s because of the cost of living and lack of nightlife. Always depends on what's important to you though. Good luck on your adventure, lots of people feel "stuck" in Toronto but leaving is easier than you think
Hi Meghan. Wow thats very fascinating how you describe the European cultures from a Canadian perspective. I love Hamburg, Bremen the north in general but i am down here in the south and that has its unique specialities. Loved this video and I am a new fan ❤❤❤❤
Great job with this video! I just subscribed I'm looking forward to watching more of your videos in the future. I agree with all your comments about Europe, esp regarding travel . Do you plan to live in any other European countries?
Great question, this is something I'm currently thinking about... it probably warrants its own video but top of mind right now would be Spain or eastern Europe
Willkommen :) Welcome ;)
Welcome to Hamburg. Nice to see a YT expat from Hamburg, most of the other channels are from the south. What was the cost per squaremter in Toronto compared here in Hamburg? Last time I moved here in Hamburg it was 2016 and I moved inside the same Company (SAGA) just from St Pauli to Altona and was lucky to get an apartment which was not renovated by the company. So my qm price stayed at 11€. I doubt that's possible anymore in Hamburg.
Hi @sonkerieckmann - I'm not sure about the Toronto/Hamburg sqm comparison since for both the costs have gone up significantly since 2021 when I was moving. My rent was a bit lower than "normal" in Toronto since I moved in 2020 when most were leaving the city, and Hamburg of course depends a lot on the area; I got lucky and got an apartment with a Wohnungsbaugenossenschft (after initially living in a WG in Barmbek for a year), so my rent was also a bit lower than what my friends were paying, but without EBK and not renovated. It seems a lot of people are reluctant to let go of their old apartment contracts in HH since the rents have gone up significantly and the apartment search is quite difficult/lengthy. Definitely you would be extremely lucky to find something for 11eur/sqm!
@@MeghanAbroad I will definetly keep that contract for sure. I think 2 years ago they renovated the apartment next to mine and the rent is now I think at 17€ or 18€. It’s insane
You are welcome! Maybe you know that on youtube is another canadian?
It's Jenna from the channel Life in germany. She is living here about 10 years. If you feel you need to talk about Canada, get in contact with her. She wants to help expats!
A few people have mentioned her, I'll check out her channel. Thanks :)
@@MeghanAbroad You can also look up Diana Verry originally from Toronto who lives in Berlin for several years now. She explained her reasons to move here with similar points: Not so businees driven, less consumerism, live balance. And a genuine curiosity and appreciation for other countries and cultures. Her parents came from Columbia to Canada, I understand.
I was born and raised in Hamburg. But now have moved further up the coast.
BTW, your English comes over with some German subtones. If I did not know where you are from I'd say you are a well acclimated German living in an English speaking environment.
I fully understand your motivation!
I'm German, grew up in Karlsruhe on the French border. As a pupil i visited France very often and i was in Switzerland, Austria and Italy. And became aware of my ability to learn other languages easily.
After finishing my studies I went to a backpacking trip rheough Africa from west to east.
I found a job as sales manager and worked with several countries there. Then i went to Switzerland to get an education as management consultant. After that i worked for 35 years in this business. I lived 20 years in Spain. But i worked world wide!
Now i think to move to Cameroun. Writing my second book. I speak several languages fluently, because i learn like a child. And my lady is African.
Very good how you describe German culture. I will come back to Germany because i estimate some things here and i have 4 children and 6 grandchildren.
I'm feeling well all over in the world, only i prefer warm weather!!!
Have a nice time! People like you are the salt of the earth. ❤❤❤❤
My son and I are getting German citizenship through my grandma. You should definitely look and see if you're eligible. They've changed the laws around that a lot recently. I live in the U.S. and agree a lot with your comments the capitalistic culture and it's not for me. I don't think it's inherently "bad" and it has some pros, but there really has to be a healthy balance and right now there is none here. My dad already lives in Germany and I have lots of family there so it'd be nice to live closer. I have a pitty-mix dog and, unfortunately, a lot of countries in Europe - including Germany - won't allow you to move there with one. The breed discrimination it so sad because he's the sweetest compared to our cat and small dog. He's afraid of the fish aisle at Petco lol. A few European countries don't have these bans so we're looking at those places to eventually move to.
Thanks for the tip! I looked into it and unfortunately (?) my German roots are not close enough to be eligible as my ancestors settled in Canada in the 1800s. However, maybe some viewers can benefit from this tip so thanks for sharing :)
Best of luck to your family and pup as you look for a new home in Europe! 🐾❤
@@MeghanAbroad AFAIK, If you have stayed in Germany for some years and can show that you are culturally integrated, have work, then there should be no hindrance to acquire a German citizenship even holding your Canadian passport. You don't have to have any relationship with German ancestors. Many e.g. Turkish people don't have that either who have become Germans.
@@MeghanAbroad After 5 years in Germany you can get the german citizenship, Germany just changed these laws.
Hi Meghan, a interesting video! I do have a question though... How easy - or difficult - was it for you as a Canadian to get a work permit and "green card" here in Germany? I know it is really hard for a German to migrate to Canada, you need sponsors and money and a job fixed and God knows what else. So how was it for you? May be a idea for another video...
I'm going to talk about this soon in an upcoming video! Probably next week
Hi Meghan, I just got your video recommended by UA-cam.
First things first: ♥-ly welcome to Germany ! Enjoy your life here among us. I also wish you all the best for your channel. I'm curious to see more about your thoughts and ideas you may come up with.
Just one thing: Germany is a social democracy - but in no way a socialist country. I understand why you said it, but a socialist country is something completely different. As I grew up in the "socialist" part of Germany till the reunification, I know a bit about that and I think I can guarantee you don't want to live in a socialist country. In other words "social" - yes but "socialist" - no. 😉
Greetings from the south (extended area of Munich).
@Opa_Andre - thanks for your welcoming comment. I also wasn't trying to label Germany as "socialist" in absolute terms, rather that it is more left-leaning in comparison Canada/US on the political spectrum, so apologies if my explanation was unclear
@@MeghanAbroad There is no need for you to apologize at all. I know how you meant it and wanted to describe the different German way compared to the US / Canada. All three countries are democratic countries or in short Democracy's. Due to it's past, Germany has a more social approach, therefore we often use the term "Social Democracy" (which implies more rights to the workers / employees etc.). I explicitely turned on CC as you used the word "socialist" which is a different form of government and not a democracy, even if a socialist country calls himself being a democratic one. However many Americans misunderstand the meaning of "socialist" or Socialism, probably because it sounds similar to "social". Anyway, all I wanted was to help clarifying the terminology. I neither took offence nor wanted to teach you a lesson. 🙂
@@Opa_Andre I like to disagree. Socialism is an economic term. That it was many times implemented by a "less democratic" government is because a society has a tendency to fall back to capitalist terms. So the government has to use a lot of effort to keep the economy "socialist". In the end we see in China how that has turned out: A pseudo-democracy based on managed capitalism.
I am a German but I was living in Canada for a while (Vancouver - go Canucks!). What you described as capitalist and socialist systems is that there is basically no safety net in Canada. You can get fired from one day to another, you can lose your apartment from one day to another, if a cop feels like it he can handcuff you and get you imprisoned for no reason. I once went to the hospital and due to health insurance, the hospital was free but the ambulance cost me like 1600 CAN$ but then you can negotiate (as a European that's insane as well). Canadians are super friendly but that's extremely artificial and my experience was that you get ripped off all the time. I am not saying that foreigners in Germany don't get ripped off, but I think they usually get ripped off through bureaucracy and companies, in Canada bureaucracy is awesome since there is almost none but you have to be aware of normal people. Canada still to this day is a British and American colony. Everything is controlled and owned and in the end even governed by the British or Americans.
Then efficiency is a really big thing over there that really drives me nuts. Canadiens have absolutely no idea what "Lohnstückkosten" means. Lohnstückkosten basically means what percentage of the price comes from the wages. So if you have one guy earning 1000 bucks producing one unit per month and you have one guy earning 2000 and producing 3 units a month then a 5-year-old German understands that the guy with a salary of 2k is cheaper. Not so in Canada. They expect you to work 60 hours/week even when you are paid by the hour and the y never look what your output is. INSANITY! If you are a European never ever not in a million years move to Canada if you are not planing to live somewhere in the woods.
Oh and I forgot, prices are insane too. 500 square foot apartment (about 50qm in real units) is easily 1500/month. Enjoy.
Do you file tax in Germany and Canada?
Yeah Germany is great choice and a nice place.
Where in Germany did you move to?
Very well Done!😂🎉
Look at that! Someone who appreciates the local library. Enjoy reading! 😉
Haha libraries = love of my life
I appreciate the view that one should broaden one's horizon and experience other countries by living there for a while, if possible.
For me (German) it was the USA, and after many years I decided Murica is NOT for me - I really tried, though. It was a better experience when I moved from Florida to Seattle (close to Canada 😄), but... no. I could have moved to Canada, I have family there, but that would have been yet another international move I no longer have the energy for.
I returned to Hamburg, Germany, and I am glad I did. I sure noticed that things changed a lot in Germany since I left, but the European way is better for me. The US was nicer in the 1990s to maybe mid-2000s, after that it became worse and worse of a place to be. Besides, from Germany, it is an easy way to travel to all the neighboring countries! 😊 There are simply way more cultures and different people to experience in Europe than in North America (yes, I include Canada), where many towns look the same, shopping centers with all the same chain stores, etc.
And yes, I would say Canada is a "USA light" version. 😄
So, Willkommen in Hamburg!
Thanks for sharing your experience, always interesting to hear from Germans who go the opposite way, lol. I usually hear mixed experiences, once again goes to show everyone is different
Grüße aus Kiel nach Hamburg! 🙂
Hello im candian citizen i want to move to Germany as chef
moin! welcome to hamburg! enjoy your stay! prost!
The question is, why would someone move from one country with miserable weather to another country with miserable weather?
Lol, I ask myself the same thing sometimes 😆
😅😅😅
Do not go out alone
Where you born in Canada?
In Calgary, Alberta
@@MeghanAbroad Thanks 🙂
Hi, nice Video. I am German and was visiting the university of Alberta in Edmonton for 6 months. I loved the time i spend there, made alot of Friends and i thought canada is better for foreigners then Germany. Eventually university is special micro cosmos in a country and does not have the same feeling then the rest.
German grammar... As long as you aren't a linguist, german teacher or try to master a grammar test, i would say it's enough to know that the grammar is just "the other way around" to english grammar. ;-)
I am a native german speaker (although some germans will disagree ;-) ) and when learnign english in school, i noticed that "fact" early on.
The only times that wasn't enough was when we had dedicated grammar rule tests where you had to explain it in a correct way.
But that was also the case if we had a german grammar test... I'd claim that apart from german teachers and linguists, 99% of native german speakers can't explain a single grammar rule to you when asked.
It's just what we grew up with, just like you grew up with english grammar.
But i am sure the exposure to german grammar will do it's job over time, and you will just intuitively get it right.
And it's not a problem to struggle with grammar a bit, it's always highly appreciated in every language/country if a foreigner at least tries.
People will still understand. Funnily enough i think almost correct pronounciation is more important than grammar.
Yeah I agree that the importance of grammar is sometimes overblown. The positive thing about German is it's very consistent, unlike English which has a lot of exceptions with pronunciation and spelling and such. Some people who have other native tongues aside from English find the German grammar easy! English comparatively is more flexible grammatically (like verb position doesn't matter, Nebensätze, etc) so it takes awhile for an English speaker to wrap their head around the German rules. You are right though, with a lot of exposure to the language it becomes much more intuitive
As a german, you're the most german non-german i've ever seen haha (this is a compliment i think)
Our cultures and values are not *that* different. She's not from Argentina or Korea for example.
@georgiosntanis4353 Haha thank you
It is 😂
@@MeghanAbroad yeah, same to me. you look very like my littly sister, very much german, and also lives in hamburg now.
Ha, the YT algorithm does work. I am German and obsessed with expat videos, don't judge me! Subscriber #28!
Haha love it 😀 thanks for subscribing!
Auch von mir, Willkommen in Deutschland, der soziale Aspekt ist in Europa sehr viel größer als in Amerika, ich verstehe Deine Entscheidung.
Ich komme auch aus dem Norden und sage Mal: Moin, sollte für Dich schon in Mark und Bein über gegangen sein 😂
Haha, 'moin' ist praktisch mein Lieblingswort 😀
@@MeghanAbroad weil mit einem Wort alles gesagt ist, z.B. Hallo, wie geht es Dir. Ist heute nicht ein schöner Tag, ich habe gute Laune, Du auch..... Das alles kann das Wort Moin....
@@PetervanHooff-i9x Genau 😄
Deutsch ist die Sprache der Dichter und Denker! / German is the language of poets and thinkers!
I am a canadian. Wanting to move to europe Xd
und das nächste Video dann auf Deutsch?
Eventuell, vielleicht :)
❤
Welcome to Germany , new subscriber from Berlin here
Thank you ❤️
Welcome to germany! Don't worry about telling us to keep it in german if you wanna learn the language btw ;)
Haha you are free to write me in German or English, whatever you like
Interesting lecture! Unfortunately, you are also making the mistake of describing Europe, and Germany in particular, as socialist. We are not socialist, but social, which is a big difference. Under socialism, the means of production, i.e. the factories, production machines, etc., belong to the state, which is not the case in a welfare (=social) state. By the way, in a communist state, there is no private property at all.
You can tell that you speak German it’s left you with an German accent how you pronounce words
A few people have said so, which is interesting to me
You look Celtic to me.
Sorry but I hate the use of the term "socialist" when speaking about European countries, it is so wrong in all aspects...the European way of life is not "socialist" but "social"
What you are talking about is actually "social-democracy" which is a capitalist way of life but it is definitively no turbo capitalist way of life as like as in North America (US + Canada, although Canada is not that extreme as like as the US), because of the implementation of "social - aspects" in behalf of the people like "Healthcare" + "worker´s rights" + "food safety" + "public transit" + "social benefits" and so on...those are not "socialist ideas" but "social ideas".
And the meaning of "socialism" is no question of opinion, it has a clear definition describing a certain dogmatic form of an economy model + society model which is not capitalistic at all..
But in North America nobody knows that definition, therefore their polititians are using that term wrongly on purpose for painting a certain threatening picture in order to keep their Status Quo of turbo capitalismn.
And think about it "to live to work" is actually being a slave for the economy, which by the way is also a notion of "real socialismn" because in "socialismn" you "live to work" as well BUT with the difference that in socialismn you can´t increase the living standard because that is also normed/standardized in the first place based on the dogma.
😇👍👍👍👍👍🙏
...we here in Germany always thought Canada is the sane part of northern America and already more likely than Europe...
Yes I hear that a lot from Europeans and some Americans... but in my view Canada is much closer to the US, culturally speaking
@@MeghanAbroad I think this is related to "socialist health insurance" in Canada. Which is more patterned after the UK than the US free-wheeling capitalist system.
Huge fan of Germany as Germans can be somewhat aligned to Canadian values…progressive, community-minded, hard working, tolerant etc. But the German language is butt ugly.
Wegen deinem Akzent hätte ich dich fast für eine Deutsche gehalten. Viel Spaß noch in Europa.
Das höre ich nicht selbst, aber mehrere Leute haben darauf kommentiert :)
I wonder how out of nowhere Germany suddenly became an expat attraction. Probably it's more of Germany became better than other countries became miserable 😅.
This country is falling apart yet people are making videos like its the best.
Ich lass mal n deutschen Kommentar da ....
Ja klar :)
Laber nicht du warst doch früher meine Nachbarin, oder !? Spaß!!! Du bist so deutsch wenn ich deinen Akzent in Englisch höre. xD
Haha, echt?! In welchem Viertel?
Very interesting opinions and impressions Meghan!
About the "German is a harsh language": To a degree Hitler's propaganda speeches and modern (social) media reporting is responsible for that.
German maybe doesn't sound as melodic as other languages, but on the other hand not everyone wants to sound like that. German language has a special mixture of Germanic and Latin/Greek influences.
In any case, as you said: It is personal preference what you like. Not everyone needs to like what's propagandized on the media.
And about the socialist aspects of many European countries: It's the best. We Europeans need to protect this at all costs.
I think you're right, this could be where some of the bias against German language comes from. It's a shame, I obviously love the language but globally (and even by some Germans) it isn't perceived the same way. But I think this is a nice sentiment, that "not everyone needs to like what's propagandized on the media"
@@MeghanAbroad hi Megan. First time viewer. Feli from Germany made a great video on how A.H. gave the German language a very bad rep.
Why did you choose Germany and not Switzerland or Austria? This may sound a bit arrogant, but my home country of Switzerland is absolutely top of the list for me in Europe, alongside the Scandinavian countries and Finland. Even though we have the highest cost of living in the world, our country is one of the most stable and safest in the world. We also have a very good political system with direct democracy and a good economy, as well as a hard currency. Perhaps you will be drawn to Switzerland one day, where you will be captivated by our beautiful landscape. And the fine aroma of chocolate will make you dream.
Technically you are talking about country with population size of big cities but over larger area. A lot of other countries have same standard of living in some cities if not better but not in whole country overal.
@olioliver9396 no problem to be proud of your country, I appreciate it. Well, I think a few things that Germany and specifically Hamburg had that attracted me - language and understanding/being understood was important to me, as Austrian German is quite a different accent/dialect and Swiss German is practically unintelligible for me. I also think Hamburg has more night life and cultural diversity than the major cities in Switzerland & Austria, which was also important to me. Not to mention the cost of living, as I'm still early in my career.
That being said, I've visited Switzerland and it was absolutely beautiful, I would also like to visit Austria as well, as some friends and family have raved about it. Not ruling either country out for the future! Germany and Hamburg just fit better with what I wanted at the time that I moved
@@MeghanAbroad
You should definitely visit Vienna! It's a wonderful city, great places to go out, great cultural institutions, wonderful atmosphere. And the German spoken there is very easy to understand.
@@lisamirako1073 it's on my list to visit :) heard good things, and especially since I saw the movie Before Sunrise I've been interested
Germany's economy is shrinking just as fast as Canada's. You're gonna need a 3rd option.
What?😂😂 ruZZia??😅
@@mwb3783 "Russia is expected to grow faster than all advanced economies this year." That's according to CNBC, APR 17 2024.😃
Growing through war, great, be proud of it!
All third-world countries grow faster economically than first-world countries. The fastest growth rate should be experienced in Bangladesh or Rwanda.
@@thorstenguenther But the German, British, French and Swedish economies are SHRINKING, not growing.
Don't walk alone at home at night lonely streets knoNw criminal areas, at this days....always with friends . Suspicious connections..... be aware of k.o.drops at your open drinks..... at the disco
Young, beautiful woman as you may be the focus of criminal activity s....always leave with protection.
Ansonsten: viel spass bei uns❤👍wir sehen uns später. Bei Kaffee und Kuchen, wenn du willst😅
Hey do you have Instagram? Or is there anyway I could ask you a few question? I’m looking to move to Germany for next year, 2025, and just had some questions about how to apply for a work visa and stuff like that, I’m currently a Canadian citizen and would be moving from here to Germany.
Hey do you have Instagram? Or is there anyway I could ask you a few question? I’m looking to move to Germany for next year, 2025, and just had some questions about how to apply for a work visa and stuff like that, I’m currently a Canadian citizen and would be moving from here to Germany.
Hey do you have Instagram? Or is there anyway I could ask you a few question? I’m looking to move to Germany for next year, 2025, and just had some questions about how to apply for a work visa and stuff like that, I’m currently a Canadian citizen and would be moving from here to Germany.
Hey do you have Instagram? Or is there anyway I could ask you a few question? I’m looking to move to Germany for next year, 2025, and just had some questions about how to apply for a work visa and stuff like that, I’m currently a Canadian citizen and would be moving from here to Germany.