My German Flat vs American Apartment
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- Опубліковано 10 вер 2024
- Come with me on a tour of my apartment in Germany! I will point out all of the differences between my German flat and an American apartment.
Hi! I'm Kelly and I am an American who lived in Germany for 18 wonderful months. While I lived abroad before in Turkey and had done quite a bit of traveling beforehand, those 18 months in Germany definitely broadened my perspective of Germany, Europe, and even the US in so many different ways! I wanted to share my perceptions with you guys through UA-cam so that maybe you can gain context to things you've heard about, or learn new information or a different perspective, or maybe this is everything you've heard before and further confirms your world view. No matter what the reason, I hope that you enjoy my videos! Don't forget to subscribe to my channel and turn on notifications so that you always know when I'm posting new content :)
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I came here after watching the 6 unpopular opinions in Germany video, and this isn't what I expected. Truth be told, I don't understand why so many people complain about "negative comments", I haven't heard anything offensive, she was just describing the differences she noticed from what she was used to and what she encountered in Germany (and she often even said, she liked it, so...). True, it's not like that everywhere in the whole country, but it's her experience, and it's not totally wrong, either. You know only what you know.
Thank you for that :) I’m always relieved to see a comment from someone who understands the purpose and scope of this video haha I really liked my German apartment, it was just very different
Me 2. Not offended at all. So here you go and get my thumb up :D
I'll second that. I would expect that kind of report from an open minded traveler with a watchful eye.
Yeah, its funny to me. Europeans have no problem trashing everything that is American, yet if you even suggest that the slightest thing they do might not be as good as something in the US, suddenly they get super-defensive.
Can dish it out but cannot take it, I suppose.
@@Kellydoesherthing I just really wish your videos were available before my then girlfriend, now wife, to Germany in 2010. She had a complete culture shock. Though I must say, I do miss good old door handles and light switch buttons - makes it so much easier to maneuver around when you are carrying things in your hands, as you only need your elbows to use either ones.
As a European I don't understand how Americans (or English) can wear their shoes at home! Not only it is uncomfortable but it can easily happen that you step into a dog's poo or worse things outside and then spread it around the whole apartment. It really seems gross to me. When comes to slippers - I do wear them sometimes or I just run around barefoot. I offer slippers to people who come to visit me and they decide if they want them or they just want to be barefoot. Never heard of bringing your own slippers to a house party...
From the UK, I never wear shoes indoors.
From the US, I also never wear shoes indoors. Then again, I was raised to run around barefoot as often as possible.
American and I don't like people walking around in their shoes in my home. I wear socks.
I'm Canadian. I got chased outside w8th a broom if I wore my shoes inside.
It's a southern American thing. All the north American states I've been to (minnesota, South Dakota, Wisconsin etc) doesn't wear their shoes inside because they have hard winters like Canada but places like Texas are hot enough to not have mud on their shoes. My friends from the coasts and stuff wear their shoes inside and I'm sure if canada was hot enough we would too. I live part time in minnesota and nobody likes it when you wear your shoes inside simply because it's almost always winter lol.
Having the blinds on the outside means the sun and heat from the sun is stopped before it gets to the insode of the window. If the blinds are on the inside, the heat from the sun will heat the blinds and the heat will circulate inside the apartment. You will block the light, but it will still be very warm inside in the summer. If the blinds are on the outside, you also block out the heat so it will be cooler inside.
Those blinds are amazing
I'm a Brit but I often visit the continent, and we call those types of blinds 'shutters'. They are not just useful for keeping out the heat, but are also an important security feature.Once they are down, it is very hard for anyone to break in.
Aren't the 'outside blinds' called shutters?
Looks like shutters on shops after closing..
Those metal exterior shutters are also for security. Very expensive here in U.S.
Asking party guests to take their slippers is weird for German, too.
I don't think I would ask my guest to bring their own slippers, but whenever my grandparents come to my parents house they put on their own slippers that they brought when they first visited and have left them there ever since :D
At most homes I have been (I live in germany for my whole life, so 24 years), it's normal to take of your shoes and walk around in socks. But there are a few homes where they offer you slippers, there is even a castle, where every visitor/tourist has to wear slippers. But bringing your own is super weird
@@litzzon1 In my experience in Canada, it's pretty much the same.
It depends too. If youre having a BBQ and you go from the yard into the kitchen to grab a beer or food or bring something outside it's not like youll take shoes off and put them on every time. Also I'd say it's more acceptable on tile or hardwood or linoleum than carpet or rugs, as they catch more dirt. So quick trips inside on easy to clean surfaces are ok(though my aunt strongly disagrees), but if youre going to be inside for hours it's socks or bare feet.
@@litzzon1 welches schloss meinst du? Kenne nämlich auch eins. 😁
@@cozyplace93 Die Marienburg (Familiensitz der Welfen/Haus Hannover) macht das m.W. beispielsweise so ...
German water is just free of chemicals. No chlorine. That's why we have more chalk in the water. I prefer more chalk instead of chlorine!
Chlorine has nothing to do with the amount of chalk. Chlorine is put in to kill microbes. Chalk is there because of the composition of the rock in the aquifer that your water is drawn from. You can have water that's both full of calcium and chlorine.
Tap Water is the safest and most controlled beverage/food product in Germany. German tap water which often comes from the same source as mineral water. Like everywhere else the taste and quality of the tap water differ across the country.
Usually, taste is related to the hardness of the water. While softer water tastes good almost everywhere harder water generally tastes better cold. Tea drinkers prefer soft water.
I'd rather have chlorine than chalk. That's just nasty. Chlorine is clean.
Hard water is water that has high mineral content. Hard water is formed when water percolates through deposits of limestone and chalk which are largely made up of calcium and magnesium carbonates. Hard drinking water may have moderate health benefits.
Disinfection using chlorine has played an important role in the supply of drinking water, but its use also involves some risk. When used in very large quantities in drinking water, chlorine presents significant risks to public health.
In Switzerland, Germany and Austria the use of chlorine as a disinfectant for water is avoided as far as possible.
@@claudekennie that's right: tap water in lower sachsony tastes better than tap water in NRW. (my opinion)
You can basically call this European flat and things we do instead of German, most of these things apply in every European country.
Very true! I’ve traveled a lot in Europe and have seen similar things in many countries :)
Actually here in Slovakia we do the kitchen moving aswell, but not everybody, if the kitchen doesnt fit the new place ppl just leave it or sell it to somebody else, if the new owners dont want it.
Yeah, most of these things are like it is in Sweden as well, i actually have a wall mounted toilet although the floor mounted is the common one. Ive never heard of anyone moving their kitchen though, if you rent a flat then the kitchen comes with the flat complete with stove and fridge and you are not usually allowed to replace the kitchen, if you own your flat or house it is sold with the flat/house and you can do what you want with it. The blinds seem modern, we usually have blinds you can flip that is mounted in between the layers of glass in the window. I do have a closet though, but my flat is from 1962 and i dont think its that common anymore in new flats.
@Bobby Brady shut up
30 years in Germany and I have never been asked to bring house shoes with me to a party. Sometimes I take off my shoes when I get home, sometimes I don't. That depends on where I have been or how long I plan on being home. As for 'really hard water', that all depends on where you live in Germany. I have lived in places where the water was so soft it was almost impossible to rinse soap or shampoo off. But it made great coffee. Speaking of which, no Keurigs in Germany! THANK GOD FOR THAT! What a waste of money and resources. I have grown to love the real German way of making coffee with nothing more than hot water and a paper filter.
yeah i told my friend everyone on my UA-cam video has commented to say he's weird for asking us to bring our shoes hahaha have you checked out my part 2 video? ua-cam.com/video/DglW6F3BRJ0/v-deo.html
Hey Kelly, and JJ. Try Perkolator for coffee making. you get rid of that paper filter too and you get HOT coffee! Also it takes a bit coarser coffee to make, so the fine particles that the paperfilter does NOT filter (and reason why people get stomach problems from) doesn't even exist and that makes the coffee taste best ever! Note that the paperfilter coffee is almost always the worst quality. Bulk stuff. Also Perkolator is the most enviromentally friendly apparatus. Only biowaste (without paper), and the coffeepackage.
I wear U.S. 17, which best I figure when I buy German shoes, is 52. So, they'll have my size houseshoes...or bring my own? U.S. we have a welcome mat to wipe the shoes before entering.:-)
Dude you look kinda... tough! Let me guess, Ex-Seal or Green Berets and you had once a mission here but they left you behind and thus embittered you decided to stay in Germany forever or??
The only thing is that even in the US when people have parties and they ask me to take off my shoes- this picks at my last nerve. im all dressed up and I have to take off my shoes? It not like Ive been walking around...this is my ONLY issue- or else I could care less and I get it. DOnt have a party if you you're going to ask poeple to do this. Or just tell them to bring their shoes and not wear them. As for the soft water, can't deal with that either... in Minnesota, Twin Cities, MInneapolis areas it can be like this...I can almost taste it.. haha
Putting on slippers at a party? I am German and never had to do this nor has anyone expected me too. LOL
I would. Haha. At least no one wears shoes etc in my home period.
I usually just take off my shoes and walk around in socks.
The Home Office Productions i
Same here, never had to put on slippers at a get together in germany
Guys, seriously: I had to take off shoes at so many parties in Germany (in different regions) that I cannot believe that you never had to take off shoes. Maybe you did not put on slippers just wearing your socks? But you never heard of it? Actually, I do not expect guests to take off shoes when they come to our apartment. But they take them off themselves because it is standard in Germany!
the blinds are on the outside because they also protect against heat. When they are inside they only help against the sun
Smarter!
Smart idea but how do you clean them?
@@amylo6372 it's tough
@@amylo6372 … You don't because it is not your responsibility as a tenant. You obviously can't clean them from outside. Unless maybe when you live on the ground floor. That looks then bad when yours are clean and all the others are dirty. You can roll them down and clean them from inside. However if water drips outside they will only look worse. Why do it? When they are down you are usually sleeping and don't see them anyway and when they are rolled up you do not see the dirt. I understand the temptation, but save your self the unnecessary work. Have a nice day!
...and against the cold in the winter too. It´s just way more energy efficient to have em on the outside. In the US they are nowadays not that far to do something or even think about their energy consumption. If you are having a president who is telling in the year 2020 that houses with low energy consumption or zero emmision will not have any windows and are cold in the winter and hot in the summer you get a glue how they think. Me is pretty sure that there is not a single amercian who knows what the german word "Stosslüften" means or why it is a good thing to do. Just look at their cars - bigger is better. however nice video.
It's not just Germany, it's all over Europe with just a few minor differences but I guess that also depends on the type of flat.
True, I live in Greece & could relate to much, the "fascinating" windows/doors, the blinds (which in the US older houses had shutters-which were on the outside). I definitely think we're more energy efficient in Europe. We don't waste electricity keeping water heater going 24/7! We turn it on 15 min before a shower .
@FuckYouGoogle Bullshit! It depents on the stats of germany where you are in. In the north of germany the kitchen is part of the appartment and you don´t have to take it with you or install a new. But maybe you are somewho stupid!
It never ceases to amaze me when people comment their unease with taking their shoes off at the door. Most people assume only the Japanese practice this measure of cleanliness; I was raised to do this since I can remember, and I was born and raised in NYC.
Most appartmts have a foreroom/ entrance room something like that.
I’m Dutch and do the same, why would I want to track dog poo onto my carpet?
Its rude to wear your shoes into someone's house.
@@citytrees1752 I agree. We don't allow it, and some people get angry when we ask them to take their shoes off.
Hey 👋👋👋
This is a standard Europe flat , especially for single person, young couples or students
every single thing there she pointed is really a 'the rest of the world thing' rather then 'the german thing'
americans just do stuff in a confusing and irrational way. shoes at home, leave the kitchen, build in closet into the wall? i mean those are just not normal. how can they live like that? filthy and uniform. disgusting.
Europe flat? What the hell is that? There are differences even in Swiss flats compared to German ones. For example, in Switzerland you almost never have to buy a stove, as you often do in Germany. Which is a big expense.
Ohh what a difference, how to overcome such a large cultural gap :p
@@mpan6102 oh there is an abysmal cultural gap between "German" speaking Switzerland and Germany. Forget about the rest of Europe!
Another difference not shown, is the bottled water. Germans, as well as other neighboring countries, have been convinced decades ago, that their water is no good. So despite a very reputable consumer's organization (Stiftung Warentest ) showing time and again that German tap water is MUCH better that bottled water (beating EVERY brand of bottled water soldin Germany), Germans are addicted to the bottle. Many restaurants REFUSE to give you tap water! Germans argue that, while true that their tap water is excellent, the pipes that conduct such water from the main pipe into individual homes are rusted and affect the quality of the water.
Which is strange, as I've never seen a person in Germany making coffee or tea with bottled water!
In Switzerland ppl drink more tap water. Sad.
and it is a big difference. Moving into an apartment without refrigerator and stove (as many in Germany), will cost you many hundred euros. This expense is not an issue in Switzerland. There is no "Europe flat", and in fact, there is not a whole lot of cultural things in common in the whole EU. This is what the people who created the EU tried to convince others of, that Europe is a single entity with cultural affinity, etc, so they could get support from the population to introduce neoliberal policies. Bulgarians have more in common with Russians than with Portuguese. Swedish more in common with Norwegians than with Italians. Spanish (although they don't recognize it) more with Latin Americans than with other EU countries. And so on. The EU and "European cultural values" is an artificial construction. Brain wash.
Bring your own house shoes to a Party? Never heard about this, it must be a local attitude.
Where are you living?
Add: the term you are looking for is Stoßlüften
in my german city everyone has to bring his own teddy bear to a Party, thats the way it goes
It's called politeness. You don't want to bring in dog poo from the street to friends you visit.
tony16074 must me the countryside
seems as long as you look at the bottom of your shoes and nothing's on them it should be ok to wear inside
@@andywalker2077 Yeah, you take of your shoes and the walk around on your socks. Nobody brings their own slippers to a friend's party ... family, yes, we do that, too, but I think wearing slippers looks like being at home which I might be at my sister's place, but not my friend's place.
As a German: Its rather uncommon to expect your guests to take off their shoes when you have a party.
Naja das ist sehr subjektiv, ich z.B. kann mich an keine Party erinnern wo man die Schuhe anbehalten durfte.
Bei mir ist das genau umgekehrt.
I think we can all agree that experiences may vary :)
As mileage does with model and driving habits. :)
I think it somewhat depends on the age of the people throwing the party.
I‘m German and most people I know have a big freezer and fridge too. And I don‘t know one single German person who expects his guests to bring/ wear slippers. Most of my friends don‘t even wear slippers themselves.
Never have I ever had to put on slippers when I went to a Party
i felt really weird wearing them...especially because i had a (Casual) dress on.
Im german i dont even own slippers and i dont know anyone whos younger then 30 who owns any. Normally when going to someone elses flat we just wear our socks inside.
Pflaumenkuchen01 ich auch und wenn ich keine Hausschuhe trage bringt mich meine Mutter um 😂 bin unter 30 und kenne es gar nicht anders....ich meine ist doch auch sinnvoll, keine Kalten Füße und du musst die Socken nicjt jeden Tag waschen weil sie kohlrabenschwarz sind 🙄
Die Problematik ist mir unbekannt, da ich regelmäßig wische und im dritten Stocke wohne(warmer Boden).
The point is cleanliness, not ruining your awesome appearance with slippers. We want to keep the dirt building up on street shoes out of the house. If you do not fancy ugly slippers, you can bring a pair of ballerinas or heels matching your party dress. As long as they are clean, they are fit for use indoors.
If you come to Canada you will need to remove your shoes also. It's not weird it's healthier this way you are not tracking the outside in. Think about if you have a baby that's crawling around on a dirty floor
Not all Americans keep their shoes on. My husband and I always take ours off at the door.
I get to take them off in your own home... After living in Prague for 2 years I for sure don't wear shoes inside... But I am forced to take my shoes off in Parties, Christmas dinner, New Year events... Dude I'm 1,60 and I think my shoes as much as I think my shirt before going out... And honestly there is a huge study saying countries that make people take their shoes off in other's houses tend to have more podiatrits issues (Fungus, Warts etc)
Yeah, weirdest thing (as a Canadian) is the idea of going to a German house party where everyone is... wearing slippers :P
The word is "Stoßlüften". It is like Blitzkrieg for your windows.
It also means "anklappen" You could use it both
man kann sich auch einfach darauf einigen das es mehrere wörter gibt dafür. je nachdem wo man ist nennt man es halt anders.
durchzug = fenster ÖFFNEN... ein gekipptes fenster ist nur eine kälte brücke und beschissen ineffektiv...
Best comment.
@RedHawk J gekippte Fenster sind herrlich im Sommer, erzeugen immer eine leichte kühlende Luftbewegung!
Most of what is pointed out is not just standard to Germany but most of Europe. I lived in the UK for 2 yrs. most of this stuff is standard Euro stuff.
Not just Europe, but also the Middle East as well. As I was watching this it reminded me of Jordan.
Not the bed thing
Except for the kitchen, all is the same in Belgium too.
true same is in poland
It's just that Americans have ridiculously huge fridges. I'm British and that is a normal sized one you have!
We certainly like our big fridges! Especially ones with ice machines haha
Weeeeell that's not completely true. It depends on what kind of person you are. I live in a very very small one room apartment. My fridge is even smaller than yours, the freezer as well. However, my parents, who own a big house, have a fridge twice the size of yours and the freezer is the same size! :)
We have larger fridges because we tend to have larger families and often have to drive longer distances to shop than Europeans.
A lot of us Americans have ridiculously huge fridges, and then two ginormous freezers in the garage.
Most the time, I see this when there are:
1. Five children or more
2. Hunters in the family
3. People who cook a lot, and for a lot of people
4. Farmers
5. Only expensive stores nearby
All the first three together, you have a regular family from regions in the South. Put all of them together(though not so much of a farmer/hunter mix. Farmers don't need to hunt), and you have an ordinary Northwest American family.
My parents have two fridges(one with a freezer) and two large freezers because they feed six people (including growing teenagers) three times every day, and then feed twelve or more every Sunday. Those are just the two normal things. We also make food for holidays and church and meetings. Our fridges are put to excellent use.
I know many people who live up in the mountains and can't just go to a store five miles away. And the stores that are there are costly, so they wait to go a town thirty miles away and get everything in one trip.
EzziBA, in Europe freezers are common too. I have a fridge/freezer and a large freezer just for two persons (my son and I). I have a kitchengarden and although the stores aren´t that far away I like to have something at home without traveling everyday.
1980: "I bet there will be flying cars in the future"
Germany:
*flying toilet*
The point about having the blinds on the outside is as we don't use air conditioners we can roll down the blinds on a hot day to get partial shade so the room doesn't heat up. If the blinds would be on the inside the air between the window and the blinds would still heat up and spread through the room.
I guess that's why we got them on the inside here in Norway.
It rarely gets warm enough for that to be an issue.
First Last, I also had that problem. The thicker 3 inch slats took care of that. It was a worthy investment.
would also take care of the issue of babies/kids being strangled by them or the cords that dangle into their cots - that does cause deaths when cords & blinds are on the inside
I am german and I have never ever had to bring my own houseshoes. You can just walk in socks for the time. Most people don't even use houseshoes.
Regarding the coffee issue: Most people in europe still brew coffee without any full or halfautomatic machine. Really ridiculous that you consider it mandatory to use some type of automatic coffee maker.
Also regarding the air conditioning topic: It is really harmfull for the environment that a lot of people you electricity to regulate room temperature and don't rely on basic energy sources and passive temperature regulation. Electricity is also expensive so to be frank about this: normal germans won't waste a good portion of their incomes for air conditioning.
The best way to make a good coffee (normal, I dont mean Capuccino) is to brew it per hand. With a Porzellanfilter.
Pikaia Lotti - visit the US in the summertime and travel to Georgia, Texas, and Arizona. You will reconsider opinion of air conditioning. (Then again, maybe we can just afford to pay the electric bill.)
Electricity is a lot more expensive in Germany than in the US. Also the days the weather is so hot that you would appreciate an air-conditioning are very few.
@broke dick if people in georgia, texas or arizona would have buildt their houses with the help of german architecture (and not just clapboard & cement) the house itself would have an air conditioning functionality without the need of electrical ac. the outside blinds (aka shutters) also prevent heat from getting through the windows.
In some places in the US you NEED AC. I live in Arionza where for 5 months the temps range from 38°c-47°c (100-117). There have been elderly people who have died because their AC broke and they passed out from heat stroke in their own homes.
Well the reason for the two matresses is that in most cases the man and the woman weight is diffrent, so their ideal matress shoud have a diffrent hardness
I hadn’t thought of it that way!
Me neither, and I am German :D
Flora Well so am I
Thats exactly the reason why. Also one matres mean you get a share of every movement the other person sleeping next to you makes, which is annoying, especially if you are a light sleeper.
Drachinator The two mattress thing is also not every time the case (I actually only saw it in hotels). There are King and queen size mattresses as well.
Doorknobs aren't popular because they are just impractical I feel.
It's a chore to open them when you carry something most of the time
I wish they'd go out of style/use in America for that very reason. : /
I don't have any doorknobs in my apartment they are all handles and I love them so much easier to open when I am carrying something . ( I live in the us )
I used to catch my sleeves on German door handles. Doorknobs don't do this.
If you have children or pets they can open doors like that. I love having door knobs because we have cats that would get into places we don't want them to go.
cats thanks for doorhandles :))))))))))))))))))))))))
She obviously hasn't visited many flats. She generalizes too frequently.
I totally agree
I haven't been to a German flat yet but I can already tell hers is not the usual one (especially the bathroom).
I thought she did a pretty good job. obviously, she lives in a relatively modern place. Were it the latest, she'd have floor heating throughout, and the heat source would be geothermal. besides, I think she's comparing her apt to what she knows from the states. btw, we have a continous mattress with one cover, not two.
I studied in Germany (Aachen), never had to take my shoes of on any party. It is absurd.
I doubt anyone can explain how a whole country runs. It's obvious that she's comparing her experience in the States with her experience in Germany. Jeez.
American door knobs are a fire hazard, and I believe they're banned in all of Europe. Technically they're banned in the US, too, but it's not enforced, because they're so popular there.
To be clear, it's not that they present a greater danger of fires, it's that they can make evacuation more difficult than handles. A knob can slip, or it might be really hot. Where as with a handle, you don't need to grab it, you can use something to press it down.
The door knobs are also harder to open for disabled people and if your hands are full.
I always wondered why Europeans use handles. My husband is English and they do too. To me they look commercial but that's just because I'm not used to them. Your explanation makes sense, easier to use.
HA!
Live and learn...👍🏽
In the states they don't outright ban things like this. They will make changes to building codes but that applies mainly to new construction and usually it's on a state or local level. If you go to california you'll see things that are banned that are available in the rest of the country
Round door knobs are not banned in the US. Where are you getting this shit? Handles can slip too ya know..
They don't need aircondition in Germany my dear. It's never so hot and if it is, it's for only a couple of days.
I didn’t say that there should be...just that there isn’t :) there are a few places in the US that don’t have air conditioning for the same reason but they’re by far the minority
Kelly does her thing It's ok. By the way I live in Cyprus and we don't take our shoes off, in the house here either. ☺
Also, German houses are 99% of the time built out of brick, which naturally keeps houses much cooler than wood houses, which you mostly see in the US.
Try a "Dachgeschoss Wohnung"! Ich wünschte ich hätte Klimaanlage!
Summer in Germany is like winter in my country, believe me. Try live in a Cyprus town in summer without aircondition!
As a German now living in the US, I totally agree with Kelly’s opinions. I wish I had watched her video before we moved to the US! And I love the part how she explained the different beds in Germany and US. My husband and I always have problems with the beds in hotels on our vacations in the US, especially because we have to share one blanket😳
Yiyi Sun lol
i can't imagine not sharing one blanket with my loved one. maybe it's an asian thing idk. ...
Share a blanket? One spouse or the other almost always ends up with the blanket. My wife likes to make the bed up quickly in the morning to hide the evidence. 🙂
Uhhh who doesn't take off their shoes when they enter someone's house??
Americans.
SolidSnake013Duds No one in my circle does. My family and friends as I grew up would drop by and no one ever took off their shoes(or were asked to do so). Now, when Dad built a new house, Mom started asking for shoes to be off because she wanted to keep the carpet looking great. I guess since I’m older, I grew up with a lot of people having older wood floors so it wasn’t a big deal.
A lot of poeple in a lot of countries.
In the US it depends on the culture your family is from and how long they've lived in the US. My family doesn't but we have old wood floors that aren't very nice to begin with and we vacuum frequently. Many of my friends do take their shoes off though, and I know to take off my shoes at their homes.
Well, in a lot of countries it's not so normal. For me it's kind of a intimate thing do to or to ask another person. If it's your own home, I completely understand because of keeping things clean, but I would never ask my guests to take off their shoes. But if they want to do it because they feel more comfortable, it's ok.
A traditionell House in Europe doesn't need air condition. Easy to heat in the winter, cool in the summer. Always cozy.
Here is another difference: German flats open into a hallway. US apartments open directly into the living room.
Which is called "Diele"
It depends on the layout. Open concept is popular with American apartments but there’s usually an “entry” area for shoes/coats to go.
That's true! Smaller homes/apartments will sometimes open up straight into the living room. I've never seen that in Germany.
I suspect the reason for this is that the hallway - is to isolate cold air from a cold climate from penetrating into the living room. Thus a small hall/room with a door is often seen in houses - and sometimes apartments - before you get into the living room/area. This is usually also where you would hang your coat and take off your shoes - keep umbrellas, store gloves and other "outside" clothing. Flooring in this room would also be of the more rugged kind (and often heated to dry off water from shoes).
Not in NYC. Most apartments open up to a hallway. Most building are also pre-war (before WW2) so you will find solid building construction (concrete walls, brick and stone exterior, high ceilings) as opposed to post-war or new construction .
Should be titled "America is perplexed by anything European".
I'm English and a lot of this things are pretty standard for us and Europeans. Everything is huge in America but not the rest of the world. Rememeber that lol.
I'm English (yes, despite my name) and we aren't Europeans, you know this : )
As for shoes lot's of English wear them indoors, and same thing holds true for our Southern cousins over in the states, all of whom are basically ungoverned Englishmen. ; )
Of course I cannot speak for everyone.
Edit.
As for the Scots and the Welsh I have no clue.
The whole point is that she DOES remember her home and is telling them what's different where she now lives. She is pointing out--for Americans--what they may find different about her flat in Germany. I didn't particularly notice that she said either way was "better"--she's showing the differences to friends and family who may never leave the U.S.
Johan - That's why I said "us and Europeans".
My point of this comment is that Americans are used to everything being oversized, fancy (top of the range) and a certain way. Of course there are differences in all around the world, but I found this video to be short sighted. That's all.
She isn't perplexed. She only explains the differences.
And things are only standard with you and Europeans because you established it as such (with US guidance) based on the US state/federal model, to create, as it was called in concept "The United States of Europe". You remember? Right after you tore one another to pieces, again. Remember that lol.
The most important difference in housing between Germany and the US is in my opinion, the germans build their houses for to last several decades (stone, concrete, light concrete) but in the US you could actually just run through every wall ( wood, sheet plaster and a lot of nothing in between). I would like to see what happens if a tornado runs over a house built in US style and German style. At least in german style house you can rip the loudest fart without your next 5 neighbours cheering you for it. 😁
Oh well... depends... old building like cheap 70' social buildings.... if someone farts, everyone will hear it.... and worse, no one will never be able to figure out where it comes from
I was at an accident side and someone raced his mercedes with 80 km/h into a house ... the whole room it hit got disformed a little bit and has to be torn down for sake of safety, but im pretty sure would a car race against an american house with 80 km/h .... the whole fricking house would be in ruins
though the car would only get scratches....
Not all homes in the US are built out of wood. In Florida they are built out of cinder block (concrete) and a stucco, brick, or wood facing to make it pretty. When you look at houses bein built it looks like a bombed war zone. It looks absolutely terrible. FL can't have all wood homes because of termites (bugs that eats wood), or of course hurricanes. I think Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Georgia, North and South Carolina are built out of cinder blocks.
The walls that are NOT exposed to the outside are plaster. This is a really really really really good idea. If you have a problem with your electricity (this happens in old homes), or water pipe bursts it's cheap to tear down the wall and put a new wall up. Also if you want cut an opening in the wall, or knock down the wall it's also easier and cheaper to do that. Your homes built before the 80's yeah you can hear them, but if it's built after that you don't hear a thing from your next door neighbour unless you have a DJ with crazy loud equipment at your house.
I accidentally punched the wall of an american house once and there was an actual hole in the wall because it was made out of cardboard or whatever. When I punch the wall in a german house I will most likely break my hand.
Would have liked less face time and much more focus on room.
Thanks for the feedback! I totally understand that I could’ve filmed this better and I posted a part 2 video which shows more of my apartment and I talk about even more differences - ua-cam.com/video/DglW6F3BRJ0/v-deo.html you might enjoy it more!
Same !! You’re a lovely lady but would love to see more of the appartments as well
You sound like a German.
I think door handles are much more practical than door knobs - just try opening a door when both your hands are full. You can push down a door handle with your elbow and open the door without having to put something down first and taking it up afterwards again. :-D
Matthias Kalupner I completely agree with you!
Small Kids prefer handles as well.
Door knobs are just mean prank Americans like to pull on the handicapped.
(Edit: Just like they like to screw with the blind when it comes to paper money)
I think I read somewhere that with the ADA, the new "Handle" type knobs would eventually replace the circular kind.
It's a new EU regulation that requires handles rather than knobs. Cats complained that they couldn't open doors with knobs and claimed species discrimination. Cats can open handles by hanging on them.
6:45 We usually say the window is "auf Kipp"(coll.).
klingt sehr nach 'Pott - stimmts?
wir "kippen" die Fenster
Dreh-/Kippflügel heißen die Fenster.
Also Kippen ist schon richtig
Beorn LP We say “Na kip”
*I mean most of those things you mention are common in most Europe countries not just in germany* 😂 6:40 German closing
was thinking the same thing! German way of opening a window? =)) That's how most windows are nowadays across Europe
That window style originated in Germany though
When we lived in Germany, we used to refer to "home" or the U.S. as "the Land of the Round Door Knobs". LOL! Actually, I prefer the handles to the knobs. You can open doors with your elbows if your hands are full. !!!
I prefer handles too!
That is funny ."land of the nobs" I think Germany just makes more since.Good engineering.
R. McBride Cats can open doors with handles though 😻
@Emily Haha! Yes, we know! We have handles rather than knobs in our house. We also have(among other things) 3 cats and 3 dogs. ALL of them know how to open the doors with the handles. Something we didn't take into account when we installed the handles. LOL!
R. McBride Yeah, I got an adult German Shepherd from the pound and shut her in a room with handle door latches and she immediately got out, which I wasn't expecting. Our other dog was a little terrier.
I never had to bring my own Hausschuhe :'D
yeah, never heard of that one before.. but id take my shoes of if they have carpet in their appartements..
It's actually not true... In Germany, we are wearing just socks in our homes. If you don't have "Hausschuhe" at hand or you just don't like wearing them, it's okay, take off your shoes and get comfortable in your socks.
I don't know which people she is in contact with, but if we visit friends we go on socks inside the appartment. I think to wear or offer foreign house shoes / slipper is very bourgeois...
sometimes houses have cold floors so to prevent ppl from having cold feet u tell them to bring extra socks or slippers in case or "lend" them some pairs
Actually I also only wear socks inside my own house as well as when Im at somebody elses, but if you are having a party oder the larger family comes over actually only the younger people will take theire shoes off and the older ones will leave them on if they want to:) obviously only if they arent too dirty...
Germans got no AC cuz it's just way more expensive to install and power such a thing for the 5 days in the year where it's superhot.
Well you can get ones you just have standing on the floor, but yeah it costs alot to ron them^.^
Wir haben ja viel mehr kältere Tage als warme Tage :D diese 4 Wochen Sommer im Jahr.
Just think logically: if you install your blinds outside of the house the Sun can't heat up the huge glass surfaces, thus you can keep your home way much cooler, than with an inside blind.
very true!
But that would be nice to have in winter
The traditional in Sweden is blinds between the window panes. That is mostly best of both worlds, but not completely optimal for hot days.
Outside blinds, which I would like to have in mine apartment, but can't (it's a listed building), are more exposed to the weather though.
I'm German and not once in my life have I visited a friend or the relatives and was expected to bring my own slippers. At parties either the shoes stay on or it's just socks. Some hosts may provide slippers, but who has enough slippers for 10+ guests?
About the kitchens: In the north, especially in rural areas, you won't find tenants without having a kitchen in the apartment due to higher unemployment. In southern Germany it is more common for tenants to buy their own or buy the old one from their predecessor.
Bathroom: You will still find other types of toilets in Germany. Older houses won't have that fancy wall-mounted stuff. You won't find fancy towel-drying radiators in every single home either. Your apartment is fairly modern, but not necessarily representative. Using the squeegee is entirely optional. Giving that glass a wipedown with a vinegar solution once per week would suffice in my eyes, but if you want it crystal clear 24/7, that's what it takes.
About the closets: In the US it is far more common to hire a cabinet maker and other types of woodworking contractors. Most of our houses are built from stone/concrete. You won't find a lot of houses with wooden framing. When the house is done it's mostly just naked walls without storage. You might find a custom closet in places where a normal wardrobe wouldn't fit, but other that that it's hard to justify the expense. Contractors are expensive.
About the windows: The term for opening all the windows is "Stoßlüften" and it's great that you've already figured out that keeping your windows on tilt can be a really bad idea. Not all Germans know that.
"the German way of opening" I like to call it "the way to open without having my cats escape"
I so wish we had this in australia. My 3 cats are glad we don't im sure.
Ich nenne es kippe
"Fenster auf kipp" sounds like a proper phraseology.
We called it „Stoßlüften“. Open all windows for like 10 minutes to refresh the air and close them after. this saves much heating in comparison to an open window all day long.
This is a standard european "flat". Even in eastern Europe many things are very similar (including taking shoes off at home, and no we do not bring slippers with us to house parties 🤣)
@Bobby Brady Go away from the interwebs and step into the real world. I think there is still a cheap flight left from Europe to Europe.
Exactly, couldn't agree more. Flats are mostly the same across Europe - at least in the 19 counties in (continental)Europe I've been to.
Bobby Brady
Yes, really.
Dame in Spain, except taking off the shoes inside.
@Bobby Brady soon will, you started with European union and will end it with united states of Europe
You literally tilt the window. We say "das Fenster kippen"
Huch, was macht ihr denn hier ?!
Wir sind überall 😈
Ich auch 😈
we say kippen in dutch too (even though it also means chickens)
tilt and open
European windows are 3 in thick by latest standard and quite different standards used for them
We dont need Air Conditioner.
Our houses are built with stones.
Airconditioners are extremely bad for your health.
Ein "Armen Märchen" that I have heard so often. At the latest when the thermometer hits 30 C it makes no difference what so ever. It is also a proven fact that one breaths better in a wooden house weil the atmosphere is more comfortable. Particularly in comparison to houses that were built in the the 70's and 80' where one tended to over insulate. The reason why German houses normally do not have Air Conditioners is because of the way the windows open. They need to be installed in the wall and that is too expensive for some people or they are too "Geizig" to spend the money. Yes I know one can go out in the garden in the evening to cool down for the next day. Just like one can put two sweaters on in the winter instead of turning the heat on. Ok, I know … andere Länder andere Sitten. Have a nice tag! (;-))
@@dhr.neuteboom4536 … Another "Arme Märchen" … The only thing that is bad for your health are people who do not know how to regulate an Air Conditioner. Knowing where it is really needed, when it is needed and when it is better to turn it off. These days with Computer controlled thermotaten it is not a problem if one knows what one is doing. Have a nice day!
@@dhr.neuteboom4536 hahahaahahhaha
@@robertthomas6127 bei diesem Mischmasch aus deutsch und Englisch weiß ich nicht woher du kommst - aber wenn du noch einmal "Armen Märchen" sagst, flippe ich aus. Die Dinger heißen "Ammenmärchen".
Flowing the entire house with fresh air by opening all windows means: "Lüften" in Germany
It would be great if your face didn't cover 90% of the picture all the time...even when you tried to show for example the furniture....
Iskierkas Yess!! 😤
Yep, still have no idea what the "flat" looks like.
@Iskierkas Well she is an American and they tend to have Larger Heads than Normal i guess that will explain it.
Totally agree, being in the main focus whilst the video is supposed to be about the flats, makes no sense...
@@Amazon820 I'm an American. You are smearing an entire nation based on some stereotypical bullshit. SHE has a big head...and so do you, thinking you're any better.
Not just Germany but pretty much all of Europe.
Zrinka Jelic nope 🤔 its to cold in scandinavia for us to take of our shoes when go visit people 😂
Nope, it was tradition before 50 years . Even the new generation in Germany have shoes on
Russia as well
thrakiamaria lol stimmt nicht, erzähl kein Blödsinn
plus complete Asia
😂 There are devices you can install which will provide soft and perfect mineral-rich water. And it depends where you live in Germany, what pipes are used and how old they are. At least we aren‘t drinking and showering in chlorine.
I'm watching these videos cause I'm trying to move to germany from America and honestly I'm still confused on the whole hard water and soft water thing but ill keep in mind the device and do some research
Jeremiah Melvin I think the water is the last you should worry about. In most places the water is perfectly fine, I always drink tap water in my house:)
I have a German passport my dad is from Munich and I visit all the time. Even though it's an interesting video it is biased and most of the things aren't true. This floating toilet thing or the top part of the toilet being in the wall is just a design. Not a single German family I've ever met have moved their kitchen. I have also seen many German kitchens with lage refrigerators or even two refrigerator.
thanks! and yes, there are certainly some details specific to my apartment. i'm surprised you've never met anyone to move their kitchen. are these apartments you're talking about? just google "why do germans move their kitchens?" and you'll see that it really does happen quite frequently
Correct. Also, the water is not that hard all over Germany, in Munich and Berlin, yes, but there are areas with soft(er) water, too. In Germany, we don't have AC because it's no use to buy/install one for maybe 14 days tops of heat per year ;) Come on. I find, I'm freezing to death whenever I'm on business trip in US offices. Also, it's awful that windows usually can't be opened in US offices, I mean, wth?? I guess, the smaller size of apartments in Germany is the reason why there are no closets..Impossible to cram it in. You got to remember, Germany is one of the densest populated countries in the already small continent of Europe. 230 ppl/km2, as opposed to the USA, 30 ppl/km2. Now you can imagine that space is small and expensive in Germany.
I recall in Leipzig an instructor of mine mentioned that the water in Germany is just generally much more mineral dense than in the US; perhaps even if the water isn't always so hard as described in the video, from an American perspective, it's still a drastic difference. I think a large portion of the comments here have to do with the fact that nothing is uniform throughout a country--for every rule in a culture, there are plenty exceptions. In that spirit, I'd remind you that while it's a very good point that Germany is very densely packed, some places in America are as well. For instance, my home city of Philadelphia has a population density higher than that of Berlin's (4.4k people/km^2 vs. 3.9k people/km^2), and yet even in my apartments, I've always had a closet.
I loved the fact that while in Germany I didn't need an air conditioner (they're not exactly good for the environment, and they're quite expensive) and understood why, but I have a feeling you would certainly come to appreciate them more if you stayed in the US during the height of summer, where temperatures can (with regularity) go up to 39, even 40C! I can't really excuse the windows not opening, though. One supposes some architects built them for the aesthetic rather than the functionality, which is unfortunate.
I lived in Germany and have been visiting for 30 years. She is correct about moving the kitchens. I know because I helped people move in and out and the kitchens went with them or as she said you can sell it to the landlord or buy it from the previous tenant. Most of what she said is true fridges are smaller. When I first moved there in the 80's the average fridge was even smaller than what she showed. NOW you can purchase even bigger ones but that is not standard. Visiting and setting up a household are two different things. And besides her focus was the difference between America and Germany. I live in both worlds.:)
Maby I'm region specific since I only ever visited Berlin once my dad is from Munich but thanks for the comments I'll ask my dad about the kitchen thing but the fridge my grandmother has is pretty large and then she's has a large cold room 8n the basement for storing food.
If you want to show the apartment don´t show your face the whole time!
Thanks for the critique! I filmed a part 2 quite differently so that you can see more of my apartment: I will be posting it soon!
as promised, here is part 2! ua-cam.com/video/DglW6F3BRJ0/v-deo.html
Yes it was annoying.
Eppu63 better looking at her face than looking at a seal.
maybe she was doing her thing
It would have actually been nice for you to use the camera to pan around the apartment instead of just keeping it on your face the whole time. Couldn't really get a good idea of what the flat looks like.
i just filmed a part 2 where you can see way more of my apartment so stay tuned
Yea I have seen nothing and I'm off...
Yes, agreed! I didn't really get to see apartment, just a toilet, window and a tiny bit of fridge with a lot of face talking.😉
as promised, here is my part 2 which i filmed very differently - ua-cam.com/video/DglW6F3BRJ0/v-deo.html
As a German I am getting so angry at all of these negative comments. Uff. I have lived in so many apartments and I have been to so many apartments, and generally speaking your observations are true. Ofcourse not every single apartment is the same, but generally the things you noticed about typical apartments are true. Isn‘t this obvious to people? We don‘t carry around house shoes, but I thought that since not wearing any shoes and walk around with socks is a weird thing for you, you figured you’d bring your house shoes, or someone offered you house shoes. why are people so angry at another persons perspective? Right now I‘m moving and hoping that the people that are moving into my old flat will buy off my kitchen^^
I didn´t notice negative comments, but it´s the same with taking off shoes at home in the Czech Republic, foreigners often mention it as something different... Nevertheless, I NEVER ask a VISITOR to take off their shoes... A visitor is a king at my place.. I find it impolite to make them take thir shoes off.. It is up to them what they prefer, keeping their shoes on, walking around in socks... I do have like two pairs of crocks which I can offer as "slippers" if they want to wear something inside.. But I myself just walk around the house in socks..
Well, I don‘t have to ask people to take off their shoes, they do it anyway. However, sometimes, when the floor isn‘t clean, I tell them, they can leave them on.^^ but, to me, a guest is not a king, but usually a friend of mine, and I love to offer food and coffee :) and just make them feel comfortable, but since they are my friends, I don‘t have a problem telling them to take their fucking shoes off :D
@@pennyjane9906 Well, exactly..Make them feel comfortable.. so I leave it up to the guest.. :). Might have been a long day and they might be worried their feet are sweaty and smelly, so I try to avoid any discomfort they might feel by letting them choose :).
I think we‘re on the same page here. I just think sweaty and smelly feet should be something to laugh about among friends^^ but I don‘t ask strangers to take off their shoes (like someone who fixes something in the house) but anyway, I don‘t recall ever asking a friend to take off his shoes, because they do it anyway, just like I do when I visit a friend.
we take off our shoes in our house and expect eveyone else too, socks are fine and preferable.
Hard water depends on WHERE in Germany you live. Plus you can actually drink the tap water because we do not use chlorine like in the US where you pretty much have to filter every single glass or otherwise everything will taste like chlorine. At least when I lived in Texas for 6 years it was pretty disgusting, especially when you took a shower - because you could smell the chlorine in the water :-/ Regarding the bed - another plus is that you do not have to fight for the blanket ;-)
a few people have mentioned the chlorine in US water now and maybe i just never noticed it. i'm curious to back to the US and see if it sticks out to me now that i've been away from it for so long...but honestly, everywhere i've lived, i thought the water was great. and YES to the not fighting for the blanket!!
Hard water = Large hard erections
Soft water = weak little erections
No wonder americans all have erectile disfunction @40
I drink my tap water in arkansas
Bill Bobaggins you've earned the award for most ridiculous comment. congrats! haha
I take pride in self-depreciation _ See I'm Proud American With a huge house and tiny little erections.
My past time is devoted to guns, gold, slave labor & my cult bible where we all pretend to have an imaginary friend who is super rich giving away mansions in a new dimension. I don't think they like me too much because I proudly Rock my * Zombie Jew Slot machine Tshirt. I luv America, Making things great again No matter how much it impacts the lives of others = freedom & soft water
Why would anyone walk with their shoes indoors in a flat or a house?
very interesting - as a german. but you may have missed one important thing: moving into an apartment with pre-installed furniture is very rare in germany, while it's seem to be pretty common in u.s.
Correction:
When a *European* comes home, they take off their shoes.
As you should. You walk the streets, where is dogshit and piss. Then you enter somebodies home, or home, and lay your feet on the table?
LOGIC.
@@dhr.neuteboom4536 or, you walk *around* the dog poo and dog pee.
@Bobby Brady So is america
@Bobby Brady I'm not anti american I just find it funny because the USA is the equivalent of a country in euopre calling itself "united states of europe" even though they're only a small portion of it with many other countries around them that would also have the right to call themselves that but prefer to have unique names.
@Bobby Brady I can tell that you're quit triggered. Spout your nonesense somewhere else since I don't care. America is a country like every other country, it has positive and negative things. But I can sense that just will fly over your head so I won't reply anymore. And fyi the UK isn't the most important member of the EU. The EU will be just fine without it. Learn to research before claiming things.
As a Canadian, it's custom to take off footwear at the door, and walk round in socks. Whether it's home, or visiting. Is this not how it is in the States? I am curious!
I think I’m going to do a whole video on house shoes :) I would say that taking off your shoes is not a cultural norm and it really varies based on the individual. Also a lot of Americans don’t like to make their guests take their shoes off which I feel like is different from many other countries
As a Brit you take your shoes off
If you don't off your shoes at my house, your not coming in. Simple
90% of US households will walk in dog sh*t, then wear those same shoes right across their living area floors. That 90% takes offense when going to someone else's house, they are asked to remove their shoes (probably because they are embarrassed about how badly their feet stink). Yeah, nothing says, "As classy as Trump" as seeing someone curl up on your sofa and bury their shod feet into your throw pillows. This is also the land where people let their 80lb dogs out to "do their stuff" and then when the dogs return to the inside, watch them jump up and plant their bums and genitals into your bed pillows --- and then brag about how cute it is.
Yeah, but how true is that, really? I don't recall any people that keep their shoes on inside unless they're coming and going shortly. Otherwise, they're my little brothers, and they are annoyingly lacking when it comes to keeping the house clean. Tracking in everything until we're on the floor with vinegar and hot water.
I've only seen big dogs on couches and beds over the internet. Different with cats though, and tiny house dogs- except us, as we don't allow animals in the house farther than the mudroom. How is it that the country hicks in my family are the ones who stay clean?
What part of germany is that where you have to bring slippers to a party or the host provides them for you? Yes, in a lot of german households you are to take off your shoes but that's it. I was only asked once in 40 years to use "guest slippers".
When it comes to AC i think there might be 2 reasons why they are very rare in germany. For once germany has a very mild climate, we don't have deserts or equally hot places here. The other reason would be that electricity in germany is way more expensive than in america (same goes for gas/petrol, hence why we don't drive V8s that have the weight and fuel consumption of an aircraft carrier).
i'm living in Mainz and the host didn't have enough house shoes to provide for all of his guests which is why he asked some of us to bring our own.
That is actually strange! I would never even ask someone to take their shoes off (mainly everyone does is anyway) and I have never been asked to bring my own slippers 😂
Maybe it's a local thing (i've never been to that region) but it's hillarious to me 😆
AC is rare in Northern California, too. I have never encountered it in a home.
I once stayed in a German’s house here in California for a week and she told me to bring “house shoes” which in my case was just a regular pair of shoes I scrubbed and cleaned. She was from Stuttgart.
on the blinds: blinds on the outside keep the heat out while blinds on the inside only makes sure the light wont blind you
Thats definitely a bonus for having blinds on the outside, especially if no air conditioning!
Blinds on the outside are also mainly used in winter to keep the heat in. You need far less heating with the blinds down at night.
Keep the blinds down in summer during the day, it keeps the heat outside and your flat stays chill
I live in an apartment under the roof, so I have sloped walls and sloped windows. They do have shades on the inside but if the summer is really hot it still heats up a lot in there.
Now I have a special foil on the glas on the outside, which helps a lot. Also I open all the windows in the morning and at night when it's cooler.
there are blinds on the ouside for those windows as well, just expensive as fuck. a cheap option that helps as well is an insect screen (those you fixate with velcro) with one side beeing silver. according to the package they reduce the incoming sun by 80% due to reflection. that one you install on the outside of the window. wont help with insects but thats not the plan anyway. i did that with my sloped window and it helped alot
Lol ok a few things arent quite correct... Not everybody has shoes in the hallway and I don't know your friends but I have NEVER taking slippers to a friends house... Lol also our fridges are smaller cause we use more fresh food then most Americans and go shopping every week instead of once a month. And when you go to for example media markt you'll see big fridges like in the US. Its just all a preference. 😉 but I'm glad you're enjoying your time here in Germany.
@Lola Montez We need smaller fridges in Europe because we don't waste so much. The average household in USA throws away 40% of it's food...
@Lola Montez I like that you think that anything that support reducing waste, human decency, saving environment is "left-wing", like, the evil of saving the world... BTW: US food waste is true, not myth. Not ALL americans, however on average. Also, gas/electricity etc is more expensive here, cos we don't just rip it out of the ground without thought, and saving energy is a good priority. You can buy large fridges here at decent prices, I have two fridges as I have an allotment, and during the summer we need to store everything. In winter I can turn one off to save power. However it's possible for weekly shops and a family of 5 to have one small fridge. In fact, it's common and preferable. Not sure why you'd celebrate the harm you do.
@Lola Montez Wow, paranoid, and wrong.... The only reason I have two btw, as you didn't seem to understand my English, I have two, because in the summer, my allotment produces copious amounts of fresh fruit and veg. For the winter, this is bottled, dried, or stored in cool places, which don't exist in summer. You talk about energy star appliances like that's some great new thing, instead of the standard for decades... You can't judge when you've only lived in one place. When you go outside, you see the real differences and can make real and valid comparisons. This is what Kelly is doing, with real experience. For example, moving from UK to Italy, I found some things were better, some were worse, and some seemed crazy, but actually turned out to be better, and some not! That's what living in different countries, and different cultures teaches you. To accept many things, and to see the best in everything, and recognise where you're not so great "back home" and accept it and try to change it. You're talk of anti-americanism makes me believe that you're deeply paranoid, defensive, and not open minded. So be it. Don't expect others to be the same.
I think it’s lack of space in Europe. Most kitchens especially in older buildings are just smaller compare to average sized US-Kitchens. Therefore most of them might be smaller. Same with cars, fashion, etc. I am sure it has nothing to do with wasting food! It just depends on the market & needs. Some maybe think of environmental reasons or saving energy.
@Lola Montez lol, no, the English word "allotment" means "vegetable garden" in much of Europe. (American here but my husband is from Ireland).
I'm Canadian and I lived in Maryland for a few years. I never understood why Americans keep their outside shoes on in their houses. You're bringing dirt, fecal matter, etc. into your house. And then if something falls on the floor or if sit on it or a baby plays on it, well, you get the idea.
I'm American and even as a child I wondered about that. And why American women will set their purses on the ground when out then come home and set them on the dining table, eeeewwwwww, gross!
I live in Maryland, and honestly, I feel guilty when guests take their shoes off in my home! When I see them taking their shoes off I go “oh you don’t have to” unless they’re getting comfortable and will be here a while. If the carpets get dirty, I just get them cleaned!
Wow that sounds like youre obsessed with over cleanliness,its home not a science lab.do you give people surgical gloves aswell?
We know how to use vacuums and mops. ;)
German apartments are exactly like Romanian ones. So maybe it's an European thing?
i think it is!
liv ics considering romaniand quick build all of these gernan appartments.. XD
In Norway when you buy an new apartment the kitchen is usually installed when you move in. (so it's not like this all over Europe)
We also use socks only inside the house and keep our floors clean all the time. The only time we wear slippers is during the winter if the floors are cold.
Newer apartments often have heated floors so you might not even need slippers during the winter.
I've been to the US once, in Virginia and I'm pretty sure they used shoes inside. The floors were not as clean as I'm used to in Norway.
In US I felt more like I wore shoes inside to keep my socks clean.
That was just that particular family. Most US households take their shoes off now. Many will not insist on a guest doing it but they themselves do. This has changed over the years. When I was growing up in the 60's and 70's it was almost unheard of to have to take off your shoes. Unless you went to an asian household.
Definitely, it's the same in Slovakia.
Hi! I’m from Romania and the way people live in Germany doesn’t surprise me much, things are kind of similar in here too. In fact, what I don’t understand is why Americans have such big kitchens . From what I know they usually use frozen food so why do they need so much space to prepare it? Also I have noticed that American homes are really big, again why?
hi! thanks for watching! and those are some great questions. so I will say that for whatever reason, there are some Americans who just like bigger of everything - bigger vehicles, bigger houses, bigger kitchens, etc. I don't know if they think it demonstrates success, or if it's simply because they can afford it so why not, or if they're claustrophobic. no idea....but i will say that it isn't really true to say that we all usually eat frozen food. i know of a lot of Americans who looooove to cook and use a lot of space to do so.
it's like diamonds. these have to be big in the usa. the bigger the better. The purity is not so important. the size shows to the outside the success you have.
In Germany, purity is more important. The less inclusions a diamond has, the better and the more expensive. Size doesn't matter.
Hey, It is very interesting to see a person who is wondering about things, that are actually normal for me. Go on like this☺
STOßLÜFTEN!! :D (opening all the windows for a limited amount of time, usually in the winter to get all the ccondensated water out of your cr/bathroom in order not to breed mold)
MARSOC MANIAC Durchzug
Monkera Durchzug ist schlecht . Stoßlüften gut. Da gibt's Unterschiede
durchzug is the poor man's stosslueften 😂
In English it's called airing out a room XD
Danke
I live in Germany and we do wear slippers around the house, but we never make guests take off their shoes. It's an individual by individual basis- not a general thing. Also- yeah moving their kitchen is really weird!
exactly the same here! On partys we often leave shoes on (cleaning the next day solves the problem) or we take off the shoes if the ground isnt to cold (thanks for underfloor heating) :)
Yes, I agree. When you have guests you just make them comfortable, and sometimes they feel like at home and take off the shoes bc they want too ;D But I am just the Polish neighbour to Germany :P
exactly. not a general thing
Moving kitchens isn't weird at all because they might be very expensive. Some costs more than a car.
Yep. We certanly dont take a 200€ Ikea kitchen with us...
Well, I don't know where in Germany you're living - but there are a lot differences between the regions in Germany.
I think the bigger the town - the smaller the appartments - the smaller the fridges are - but you may also find real big ones; if the available space allows it.
And about the water: that absolutely depends where your water is coming from - I know some regions where the water is so soft (and therefore extremely aggressive to the water pipes) that you have to add calcium to it to make it harder (it's really hard to wash yourself with water which is too soft - the soap doesn't get away when you rinse out)...
So don't say "this how the Germans do things" - better say "that's how it is in my German appartment" - there's no such "all Germans do..."-thing
The shoe thing! In America it's house rules; on or off varies by family. Generally, wipe your feet on the mat before entering, then do what your host does. If it's important, they will ask you to take your shoes off. I went to a college where students kept their muck boots in the hallway so their rooms would stay clean, but other shoes were worn wherever. My father wears his shoes in the house for stability, my mother for warmth, and I take mine off immediately because they keep my feet from warming up. We have a dog, there's fur on the floor, not poop.
I'm from Germany. Wrong information.
Wish you panned out.. like take the camera off yourself for 5 seconds to flip around and to show the kitchen and bathroom in a single shot. Cuz that fridge looked neat but couldn't see it in its entirety
thanks for the critique! i filmed a part 2 quite a bit differently to show more of the apartment and will be posting soon :)
My own experiences being grown up in a most of the time "normal german way".
1. We dont wear house shoes. You take of you shoes and walk with your socks. Only my father sometimes wear house shoes. When we invite family they are in socks (most of them ), same goes for friends. Shoes are only wearn if a stranger is coming or if a party is happening and there will be a mess anyways.
2. Kitchens are expensive af :D I dont get why americans dont take them with them if they move. If I have a nice kitchen and move to a house where the kitchen seems cheap, I dont just leave my good kitchen for a cheap, old, dirty one :D
The rest I pretty much agree on.
I always use house shoes, it is easier to slide through the house that way.
In some museums and castles tourists are expected to wear slippers, it reduces the shoe rattle, polishes the parquet and prevents holes in the floor.
This has also been the practice in Canada for decades.
I don't know anyone who wears socks inside. Houseshoes rule here :D
I heard in the US the kitchen is build in the House/Apartment, its not your kitchen. So you move from one place with a build-in kitchen to antother with a build-in kitchen. Sometimes you get that in germany too.
"Durchlüften" cause we are "Frischluft" fanatics ;-)
Or "Durchzug" if you open windows in different rooms while leaving those room's doors open. ;)
Stoßlüften :P
Querlüften is another word. So we even have 4 words for it
OMG there's four words for what happens after "Fenster auf Kipp"! I love German
@@alexlockwood8996 no, these four words are for opening at least two windows wide for a couple of minutes to get a lot of air flow without letting the walls get to cold. Much better, energysavingwise ;-) than Fenster auf Kipp...
I have been to Germany a couple of times and I was really surprised by the use of two blankets on a double bed, but I loved it! It makes so much sense. It's not easy do do in the us because twin blankets are too big to put side by side. If anyone has figured this out, let me know. I also love that when they clean your hotel room in Germany, they open the windows, even in winter. So refreshing! And very few carpets. I don't like the look of plain floors everywhere but it's very clean.
same - i love the two blanket thing haha it was surprising to me at first as well but i'm a huge fan now :) my boyfriend also isn't good at sharing a blanket since he's always used to having his own so i sort of don't have an option lol
wait so 'closet' actually refers to the ones built into the wall, the ones that you can walk in like a mini-room???
i always thought that it was just another word for 'wardrobe' and i think it's also the way we learned it in school? xD
to me, a wardrobe is a piece of furniture and a closet is built in to the building. i googled it and found that "fitted closet" is the term that more appropriately addresses what i'm just calling a "closet". i think with most americans, if you were to say "closet" they would think of built in storage with a door whereas germans think of a wardrobe haha language differences are so interesting
ah okay thanks for the explanation :D
forgot to say that I'm german when saying I learned it in school xD
and yeah i agree about the language differences ^^
for example: I also didn't know that 'apartment' is american while 'flat' is british xD
the more videos I watch about americans coming to germany, the more I actually learn about the american culture and english language ^-^
Yeah it's the same for me
@@Selvadja -come to the USA and we'd happily show you around. If you do please stay away from the big cities! It will be cheaper and you'll see and learn more if you go to smaller cities.
In England we tend to differentiate by saying 'wardrobe' and 'walk-in closet'. Wardrobes are more common but you do get walk-in closets, especially in more expensive homes. Sometimes there's storage built into the wall or the corners of attic conversions as well which can be used for clothes. Built-in wardrobes are a thing, too.
You mean in the US people don't open the windows to air out the house? Seems something weird to be surprised about...
Yeah it’s not a cultural norm in the US
Depends on where you are. In a lot of places in the US, opening all the windows simply lets MORE moisture in - it can be a very humid place here, and if you don't want mold or other odd things growing, keeping your windows closed is a good idea. Most of the east and south areas can feel almost tropical, especially in the summer months.
I live in California, which is a pretty mild climate without a lot of humidity... but once I found a small speck of "dirt" on the window sill of my shower (where I kept my shampoo and whatnot). I went to work, and 9 or so hours later I came back and there was this massive florescent orange blob of fungus growing on the window sill. It looked like an alien creature from a movie. I shut the window and sprayed it with some horrible smelling fungus killer chemical, and the next morning it was just brown slime which I washed away.
I only let the window open while actually showering, and then closed it afterwards ever since that time. Who knows what will drift in through the screen!!
Well glade and fabreeze products
Have to sell somewhere
Yes, we do open windows. The United States is a huge country with over 300 million people in it. We don't all do things the exact same way. I open my windows a lot in the spring because the house feels stuffy after a long, freezing cold winter. In the summer, it gets hot and very humid where I live. We keep the windows closed and use the A/C most of the time in the summer.
It's true, it depends on where you live. In the pacific northwest, it's much easier to keep windows open for fresh air, it doesn't get hot as often, and it's not humid like other parts of the country. A lot of homes don't have air conditioning, the hot days are fewer and less frequent, although we do have a portable ac just in case it does get hot for a few days. I have family in Arizona and Oklahoma, and the heat in the summers is near unbearable at times so the houses have to hold in what cool air they have and stay closed up.
I never understood what I would need an American-sized fridge for: even with a medium-sized family, a huge fridge only leads to food rotting in there because of a low turn-over rate (e.g., what would you buy fresh vegetables or dairy products for, if you then have them sit in your fridge for weaks and only eat them the last moment before they expire or rot?) plus a big fridge uses more energy, and supermarkets are just around the corner, anyway.
hey Peter! I think that Americans like the flexibility to be able to have more/variety of condiments, and to be able to store lots of food in prep for an event, or leftovers from a big Thanksgiving meal, etc. We also love cold drinks so we need space for them in the fridge too! it's all a matter of preference, and one thing i've certainly learned from living in a few different countries is that we all have different preferences and none of them are right or wrong :) it's just a matter of trying to understand the context behind them
Oh! And I should add that super markets are definitely not “just around the corner”. You must’ve visited some cities in the US where that’s probably true, but in rural US, this is not the case. The supermarket closest to my parents house is 5 miles away and they’re actually pretty lucky for that!
Next time please focus camera on the room and not you ...
the important issue is HER, not the apartment. She makes her money with her performance, not with her knowledge.
I agree with you 🤣🤣🤣👍👍👍
Americans are very self-centered, especially the women - me, me, me - what else did you expect?
I hardly got to see the flat. Didn't see any of the living room "Ikea" furniture or kitchen at all, except a quick peek inside the small freezer.
“I’m going to show you this cool dishwasher!” *CAMERA DOESN’T MOVE OFF HER FACE* “Ok, on to the bathroom!”
This was interesting. German flats look more or less the same as Norwegian ones. But the slipper/shoe thing? I'm so baffled right now...
First of all, do Americans really wear their outside shoes inside? And why? Doesn't it get dirty on the floor? And isn't it a bit uncomfortable to wear shoes inside all the time? You guys have shoes on when you eat or sit in the sofa watching TV too?
Here in Norway we wear shoes outside, and when we go inside our home we take them off and just walk around in our socks. Some people like to wear slippers when it's cold and some go barefooted inside when it's hot, but socks are definitely the most common, the norm. I always thought that was the way it was done all over the world, wherever people lived in houses. Now I'm curious about shoe/slipper/sock habits in other countries.
The thing with bringing with you your own slippers when you visit someone is also new to me. Bringing your slippers when you're visiting friends or family for a weekend or longer? Sure. Bringing your slippers whenever you go on a small visit? Never heard of.
But Norwegians do wear shoes inside on some occasions. Like when in school or other public buildings, then we just wear our outside shoes. Or when we go to fancy parties, like weddings or anniversaries, we have "fine shoes" to go with our "fine clothing".
Thanks for sharing all of this :) yeah the shoe thing in America is nuanced...a lot of Americans take off their shoes but it isn’t a cultural norm like it is in a lot of countries. I would venture to say that nobody really wears their shoes in their furniture but of course there are exceptions to every generalization. When I filmed this video, I was completely unaware that a lot of non-Americans think Americans are dirty because they wear shoes inside otherwise I would’ve given more context as to why I brought it up. I want to do a video just about house shoes now haha
I live in the Colorado Rockies. Up here at altitude, the climate is quite a bit rougher than it is down in the flatlands. We have mostly dirt roads, and things can get pretty muddy, especially during the Spring thaw. All the people I know up here remove their shoes when visiting a friend. My friends who live down in the paved city find it odd, but up here it's practical and courteous to remove your shoes.
A lot of Americans take their shoes off at the door and 3/5 of us will ask guests to take them off as well. This especially true if you have carpet installed in your house.
I'm German and no, being required to bring your own indoor shoes to a party is not normal. Normal is just as you've described: taking your shoes off and wear socks. Sometimes you're offered house shoes by your host, especially when it's rather cold. But bringing your own shoes? No, just no.
My entire extended American family removes their shoes at the door. I have a large built in shoe rack in the garage next to entrance into the house. We do not though ask guests to remove shoes.
Not German = European All doorhandles and Windows etc. are under ISO Standards to conform to a singular building quality
Problem with lever handles is that the cats learn how to open them fairly quickly. Sometimes they can't get enough grip and leverage to operate them, but that doesn't mean they don't know *how*. Unfortunately, all the handles in our house are lever ones. So we keep doors locked. :-)
Are you sure? I found that for example in Denmark the windows, especially the older ones, work differently.
Very differently....No levers in most older homes and you can't open them on the horizontal axis. But i havent lived in a home that was less than 100 years old since i was 14.
Very low standards, though.
The water aspect seems very strange to me as when I visited the US I had to shower in chlorite water every day! I never felt clean always like I just left a swimming pool, while in germany you can drink the water anywhere right from the tap!
You can drink the water straight from the tap everywhere in the US.
Flaming June Maybe you can - but you wouldn't if you knew german water. Like Jan Weide said, for us the american water is like the water from a swimming pool...
@@FlamingJuneRuns lol like fr
Wow, I'm shocked at all the negative, defensive comments! She's not saying the things she noticed are negative or bad in any way. She's just noticing what's different, compared to what she's used to. Interesting how so many assumed she was being insulting; I didn't take it that way at all. Also, she's not claiming to be an expert on German apartments, it's a personal vlog and her personal observations. I lived in Germany for a year, and I found most of what she said to be true. Appreciating the differences is part of the fun of traveling.
Thank you Maria! It’s a breath of fresh air to read a comment from someone who understands what this video is lol thanks for taking the time to write this
I feel like many people in Germany believe that there is always only one correct way of doing stuff. And the Germans always do it the correct, perfect way 🤓. How dare you Kelly, acting like the Germans do something differently or odd? They just do everything PERFECTLY. 😬😆 So, to avoid hate comments, you need to always express, that the German way is the perfect way...and, of course: the American way is not just different.. it is wrong! By the way.. i lived in Germany for 34 years and Kelly is totally right with her observations.
Nico Jacobi 😂😂😂
@@nicolasjacobi9404 LOL :D
Germans have a complex about everything!!!!
honstly, I am german, and I would also consider it strange, if I was told to wear slippers at a house party xD
Was about to write the same. I never brought slippers with me to a party. And to be honest, i don't even own slippers.
Snooze Button neither do I haha :D
Same here. It may be pretty common to take your shoes off and wear slippers or just socks in your own or a friend's home on a more or less regular day, but I've never been at a house party that wasn't an exception of that rule (since the host would have to clean up the whole apartment the next day anyway...). You must have found yourself a very special kind of peer group during your time in Germany... ;)
Last house parties I went, we just left the shoes at the door and moved around on socks.
At home I generally move barefoot (praised be the carpet) or got my old shower slippers. They are comfortable enough and have no issues if something drips onto them.
My entire life I have worn shoes in the house. My home is squeaky clean and no one is getting sick because of shoes. Inviting someone go your house and telling them they have to take their shoes off to come in is so inappropriate and an imposition as well as just over the top germaphobia. Besides, I'd rather be spared people's ugly smelly feet.
In 27 years in Germany, i never "installed" or "uninstalled" a kitchen in an apartment. That bit was hilarious.
We installed our kitchens in every apartment we were in "on the economy. "
I thought from the video that Germany (if it applies to the whole country) would be more like Norway and less like Sweden. In Norway you move everything that isn't nailed down. So no, you wouldn't bother to take down kitchen shelves, but you would move stoves, fridges and appliances, but also any movable furniture.
In Sweden all kitchen appliances and furniture is generally left as is. That saves you a lot of work, on the other hand it is possible that you are downgraded in your new apartment.
My friends live in Berlin and they have this issue with having to buy a new kitchen when they move in because the previous tenant took it with them. So maybe it is a Berlin thing? I have to say I found it to be a really crazy concept.
The USA varies from region to region and city to city with what movable appliances comes with a rented apartment or house.
When we moved to Los Angeles 40 years age we found that you had to provide your own refrigerator.
A house would not have a washer or dryer either. (apartments like many or most had/have a shared communal washing and drying room or area with coin operated appliances) After a few years renting we bought a house and 10 years later moved overseas and rented out the house. I left a large refrigerator and a washer and even a fire extinguisher in it for use by tenants... all stolen eventually. Not the case in at least some other cities back then... from our experience the bring your own refrigerator was only a California feature but who knows what was or is normal in each state... Have lived in Ireland for the past 30 years and a lot of continental "European" ways have crept in... the windows for instance.
The video did not mention the wall plugs in Germany are all placed high on the wall to keep the 220 volts in them beyond the reach of little children. Ireland has them low down like in America but are the British design... huge three pronged plugs and sockets but the plug has an inbuilt safety feature where the holes are covered inside and only inserting the plug opens them. The ground pin is longer and pushed a spring loaded mechanism that retract the covers on the live socket holes. So no wires hanging down the wall from the mid wall sockets... like in some European nations. But in those older people with less mobility do not have to stoop down to plug or unplug things.
It does happen a lot. Many people do it tbh.
Lots of camera on you, not a lot showing the flat?
The thing that struck me most about buildings there [coming from Britain] was the sheer quality of their build. Everything was solid and well built. I spent a few minutes just opening and closing my bedroom door [and this was in social housing] because the sound was so good. Thunk!
LOL, don't give a German a shovel, or he'll feel obligated to find some place to dig up.
@@JoeZyzyx Yeah, lets just hope its not another mass grave....
too soon?
@@potcha idiot.
hahaha, lol. nice to hear that ^^
@@potcha dark humor as we call it in germany
Pretty cool video. One thing that I found interesting: the heaters were described as 'old school.' I think they're a logical choice: you can heat up one room instead of a whole apartment or house. Makes perfect sense, especially these days where we are, or should be, concerned about the environment, burning fossil fuels etc. Being Danish and married to a German - and having lived in the US for 25+ years, I am still amazed by how much energy people in the US use to heat up rooms that nobody uses. 'Old school' seems hip and 'with it' in a way that forced air systems don't.
I was in Germany for 2 years, my wife is German and i was never asked to bring "slippers" to any ones house....and my mother in law never moved her kitchen.....what?
The slipper thing was strange and uncommon...the kitchen thing though, where does she live? I hear northern Germany doesn’t do this as much.
it depends on the person. some people never move their kitchens, others (like my mum) find it 'nasty' to cook on other peoples kitchen or spend a lot of money for their 'dream kitchen' and dont want another one
The kitchen moving thing largely depends on the apartment owner too. Some apartments do have preinstalled kitchens, but lots don't so you have to get your own. Sometimes the next person to rent the apartment will buy the kitchen from the previous renter if they don't want to take them to their new apartment.
Kelly does her thing the kitchen thing depends on the person. For example i have moved in to a new apartment and i decided to renovate the kitchen. And of course i will pay for it. So when i moved out either i will bring my kitchen with me or sell it. It really depends to a person. I live in Copenhagen. So they do that not only in Germany.
Oma wants you to call her. You filthy animal.
Most hosts at parties will not ask you to remove your shoes.
The toilet bowls are suspended above the floor to facilitate easy cleaning underneath.
The windows are vastly better than the US windows, both in terms of function as of quality.
The two separate mattresses are king size put together.
LOL I have lived in Europe and have had some pretty shoddy windows. Like everywhere, it depends on how much money you have to spend how good the quality will be. Also building codes are different too.
You may have missed we are talking about Germany here, not Europe.
First time I opened a German window, I turned the handle one way and it opened inward, like a door. Then while it was still open, I turned the handle the other way; I was lucky enough to catch it before it hit the floor.
That is because you did not know that you have to lock it before you go into the tilt position. It would not fall to the floor, though.
FlyDocO6 if it really fell when you opened it like thst ig probably was broken. I sometimes accidentally open my window like that too, but the windows never fell it just tilted at an weird angle 😂
The Houses in Germany are very good isolated so it most of the time stays the temperatur it is even if outside temperature is raising
and we dont have these heate in the wall we just rely on floor heating
In roof top apartments this usually leads to overheated apartments because the isolation is that good, that it also stops the apartment from cooling down in summer time.
It's also true that isolation helps to keep the higher temperatures outside for a couple of days, but if the weather is too nice for weeks you will definitely get the high temperatures inside your apartment and then rule number one i mentioned in my first sentence applies.
In such apartments ACs are the much better way to deal with these temperatures.
Yep thats true i also have a roof top apartment and i can get very hot in here and i have some vents standing around to cool the rooms down but in winter the isolation is extremly handy
7:25
We sometimes have those knobs, but they aren't movalble so they basically restrict the door to only be opend from one side. For everything else we use handles.
What do you mean they only open from one side? They are less likely to snag or get in the way, nicht wahr?
Almost all the things you think are strange are normal everywhere in Europe. So I think American houses/apartments are strange.
Which I would expect anyone whose not from America to think :) I don’t mean strange in a negative way, but just that’s it’s different from what I’ve been exposed to
here (Norway) we take off our shoes and just walk around in our socks... Ive never understood the point of having shoes on inside your own home (or someone else's home), designated "house shoes" or otherwise.
same in Sweden
In Finland we usually take off our shoes and wear socks or slippers except at fancier parties where in the winter ladies bring their high heels to wear instead of boots and gentlemen use galoshes until inside. In the summer just clean the shoes well before entering as these usually don't have any pattern underneath to gather dirt.
I'm American and everyone I know does this too. Sure some Americans might leave their shoes on but the vast majority don't. I don't know why people think that's a thing here
Just use google many Americans find it weird that Europeans don´t wear shoes inside
Originally to stop wearing holes in your socks.
Some native German input here
0:56 I have never heard of a party where you are supposed to bring your slippers. On house parties you usually leave your shoes on. But maybe it's some hipster millennial thing, I don't know :D
2:16 The size is smaller, that's pretty much accurate but the height is normally not below your shoulder. I think you might just have an exeptionally small refrigerator even for German standards.
3:17 Senseo is also pretty common in Germany
3:42 Many households do still have older models of toilets which are seated on the ground and/or have their installment ON the wall instead of IN the wall. But whoever builds a new house today would never install those.
4:24 Modern homes have waterfilters installed into their water system so the chalk won't do THAT much damage. For the most parts it's sufficient to occasionally clean the shower walls with an anti-chalk fluid.
5:09 Two separate mattracces are not the only option. There are also king size versions and they are pretty standard. The sizes are usually 1.4m by 2m for a double sized mattrace. Or you can use 2 smaller ones. It's completely up to personal preference. But yes, it is absolutely standard that everyone in the bed gets their own sheet :D
6:03 Correct. I don't think I have ever seen a closet in a German home. What has cought on though is a "begehbarer Kleiderschrank" which loosely translates to "accessible wardrobe". It's a part of a room (mostly the bedroom) which is seperated from the main room by a wall that's not closed completely. Try to google it and you will know what I mean.
8:15 Again this is a question of how old your place is. There are many types of heaters in Germany. So called "Nachtspeicher" are blocks of (I think) brimstone stacked on one another with pipes that lead hot water betweens them. It will take a while to heat up but stays warm for a long time. You hardly see those anymore. I wouldn't be shocked if some environmental law now prevents them from being installed. Then there are the classic heaters you just showed. Though there are models which are much more functional and don't care about design and all. Google "Rippheizung". Again modern homes and newly build houses generally have in floor heating. Air Conditioning is a thing in Germany but it's rather expensive to have it installed so not many homes have it.
Michael Linke lots of awesome information! Thank you for taking the time to write all of that
Nachtspeicheröfen were a thing in the 80s I believe, when people expected the price of oil to skyrocket in the future. You have to turn the heater on the night before to charge it, so you can heat with it the next day. They made use of electricity being cheaper at night, but nowadays it doesn't make financial sense to heat with electricity.
I thought this was going to be a tour of a German Flat and not a tour of Kelly walking around in her apartment.
Just an explanation for the double mattress thing.
1. Usually men and women are different weight and therefore need different mattresses to sleep well. (softer or harder). It's also down to preference.
2. Movement does not transfer to a separate mattress as much as if it's only a single mattress, which is why wake up less often if your partner moves at night.
3. There are medium size (140 cm wide) and large mattresses available, they are just less common.
Hawaii people take shoes off when you enter home . You step on all kinds of things outside why track it in your house ?
it's just not a cultural norm in the continental US like it is here in Germany. everyone seems to have their own opinion/way
mjgarrett9885ify we take our shoes off in Canada especially in the winter. You don’t want to drag snow all over.
i just did a whole video on Americans wearing their shoes inside - ua-cam.com/video/sPnqjK4k02A/v-deo.html
Mochi_DingDong, not me. I remove my shoes as soon as I walk in the door. I am American, my grandparents were born in Europe.
Hilde Platz apparently that effects your cognitive ability to write.
Kelly did not mention that the tilting window adds security as it cannot be further opened from the outside and that the external blinds are to keep the sun from the glass and offer a small amount of light penetration if desired and when fully down offer a great deal of security to the home.
I thought your apartment video was more of a face video. I didn't really see hardly any of the apartment. Can't wait to see your visit to the dentist video! Keep up the good work.