7 Things About Germany That I Can't Get Used To
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- Опубликовано: 20 июн 2024
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0:00 Intro
0:48 What My Brother Thinks
1:35 Number 1
3:08 Number 2
5:08 Not A Sponsorship
6:09 Number 3
7:47 Number 4
9:24 Number 5
10:31 Number 6
12:22 Number 7
This "little woman" was simply using you as a windshield, saving energy. They do this on the "Tour de France" all the time.
and Formula 1
For her it was idling behind him and was about to overtake him 🤣
This is the "german efficiency" Nalf often refers to ;-)
I prefer fat men ... they are cozy and warm in winter and cast more shade in summer .....☺
Maybe she just liked your cologne.
Number one rule for the Autobahn: No matter how fast you are driving, there are always someone faster.
Check your mirrors all the time, and use the left lane for overtaking only.
beware of the AUDI KOMBIS xD
To me it was the other way around, going to stores in the US. Not even completely inside a store, and the clerks where already in your face, trying to help. It really put me off to the point of not wanting to go shopping at all. 😅
I totall agree. For me it was a hard experience to deal with this feigned friendliness and over-politeness. Of course sometimes I liked it, because it felt differently and if I was in the mood to chit chat it could make my day. But if I was in a hurry or not in the mood, this was annoying and not helpful at all, but slowing down my errands.
Yeah as a German you always face a high level of politeness and friendliness with a high level of suspicion. 😄
You just tell these people you are only looking. If they ask if you need help finding anything, simply say no. Body language helps too. You don't have to be rude, but coming across as closed off keeps these people away.
@@hoguho3588 ... and you never return to USA ever again ..
@@smilingbandit4975 yes when you are rude, everything is clear right from the beginning.
The trouble you're experiencing with your banking is because you're a non EU foreigner. It took me about an our to set up an account at a Sparkasse and maybe 2-3 days until I had my card and got my online banking access. For foreigners it's harder because of regulations against money laundering, and the fact that you're US-American makes it even worse, because the US is one of the only countries to tax their citizens abroad (I know you can avoid double taxation and stuff but it adds another level of complexity for German banks dealing with Americans)
Mikey is the US-foreigner btw. Nalf has an Italian passport.
@@knownothing5518 my understanding is that Nick has both US and Italian citizenship. The US taxes based on citizenship regardless of what other citizenship one holds. My experience as a tax lawyer for clients with US citizenship in the Netherlands is the same, takes ages due to money laundering and FATCA compliance regulations.
@@jeanpierreviergever1417 oh goodness
@@jeanpierreviergever1417 Thanks for the info. If I may I will relay that to others complaining how long it takes in Germany, especially for Americans, to set up bank accounts.
ich liebe Nalf und seine Sichtweise. Es ist das erste Mal das ich bei ihm Nestbeschmutzung aus Ignoranz feststelle. Schade und enttäuschend.
I recommend train rides in India or the subway in Tokyo to get used to proximity. Afterwards, Germany feels like endless expanses. 😃
Train rides in india are actually awesome. They are super cheap and since Sleepers are pretty much the standard for longer distances, they are a way more efficient and comfortable way of travel than the boring german ICE's. If you want to get used to small personal space, you have to take local trains in Mumbai during rush hour.
Well I was in Tokyo Subways during Rush Hour and ever then nobody touched me
Geez, I bust laughing - you are awesome --- and so right 😂🤣
@@Disturbed666METAL 信じられないですよ。
You claim to have been on a subway in Tokyo in rush hour - and yet nobody touched you? That is like saying that you went for a swim in the sea, and then claiming that you didn't get wet.
@@user-kh1lh3kj5t well in Germany every time a Train, Bus and so is full someone will touch you. Even when you are not moving. In Japan I had the feeling even on Rush Hour there was no one touching me. That was my Experience July 2017
Fun fact about the Autobahn: When the USAF tested their then brand new AWACS planes in germany the radar picked up strange and numerous low and fast flying objects, which were in deed just cars on the autobahn. So they needed to adjust the settings in order to ignore average guys just commuting to work or driving to leisure activities to distinguish them from enemy intruding aircrafts.
😂thx great story
Died laughing!!! 😂
joke, radar does not see low flying objects.
@@proislam1447 this Radar does.
@@proislam1447 You probably have some acutal sources for your statement, as one of the main advantages of flying radar dishes is that the high altitude actually enlarges the field of view massively (on usual flight levels of 20km the horizon is approx. 500 km away before the earth curvature hides objects) where ground based radars dont see any low flying objects beyond approx 30 km due to the curvature of the earth.
And using the doppler effect to distinguish "flying objects" from underlying terrain enables identifying targets.
We only had a brief introduction in high frequency technology at the university, but you might have deeper insights from an electric engineering diploma (nowadays called master), but I think I have a pretty good understanding how radar technology works.
But besides that there are several source available on the internet mentioning that problem (e.g. a report on congressional hearing in 1975 on spending for the armed forces, or the archives of the seattle times from 1991)
Regarding number 6 at 11:06: I am aware that NALF doesn't mean "everything" when saying "eyerything", but foreign viewers might get the impression, that really everything is closed on Sundays. In reality, most of the businesses are closed on Sundays, but restaurants, cafes, cinemas, sports centers, public swimming pools, hospitals, gas stations (including their integrated supermarkets), bakeries, museums and basically all leisure facilities are open.
I'm a Finnish dude, and have lived in Germany about a year now and I have to comment about that bank thing.. I just went to my local Sparkasse bank, opened an account there and at the same time got all the info and what app to download and in less than 30 minutes my banking was in order. And that was like super-easy and barely an inconveniance.
Because you are a European, I am not sure about his case. But as soon as you'd mention "AMERICAN" with the double taxation treaty going on and what not, you're essentially in for an administrative hassle. I know his other nationality is Italian, but not sure if this dominates his American identity seeing as his other address is in the States?
Things that are super-easy and barely an inconvenience... are tight!
you can have bad luck.
It's any US citizen outside of the US, it's a bitch sometimes to open bank accounts because of a few US laws that foreign banks with US clients have to comply with. France is notoriously difficult to open a bank account when from the US, a lot of banks there don't wanna deal with nor agree with the US laws. It doesn't matter what other citizenships a person may hold, if they have US citizenship and are liable to the US tax office/IRS (which is every US person is no matter where in the world they live), this US citizenship trumps other nationalities in the case of taxes and banking. And it absolutely sucks
For EU citizen (and I think Schengen too) it’s easier
I still lost my online Banking informations somewhere in the few (alot) of archives we have at home
You do know, we Germans need to download holiday-calenders and integrate them into our personal calenders, so we won't forget a single holiday (I highly recommend that for you, too). After that we need to plan our vacations throughout the year. It is very important to build some holidays into the vacation in order to extend our free days in a row. Then we need to plan and book our travels for every single vacation. Once we are done there is not many time left for work. So we work REALLY HARD during these remaining 4 weeks. Almost every year. 😎
Life is hard 😃
Guess its time for ME to take an actual vacation. Last one was in 2007.
Isn't this common sense? Maybe it's just because I'm german, but seriously, you want to get as much out of your holiday time as possible. Don't scatter them around like you are sowing on a field. Nicely group them together to get as much rest out of a single holiday row as possible. You can't fully rest and relax, if you don't take at least one week in a row off.
An elderly German lady can keep up with this pro-athlete while walking the mean streets of Schwäbisch Hall? Make her a running back for the Unicorns :)
Yeah because being an athlete means you always gotta be running...
German grandmas are banned from all professional sports. And if you have ever seen one, carrying bags of potatoes, carrots, salad, etc. running around the farmers market, you understand why. She would push through a defense like through string curtains.
Yeah, those mean streets of Schwäbisch Hall are being talked about even in Stuttgart and even in Ulm they know about those streets. So this old Lady is just blending in to her suroundings plus ,as explained bevore , she is just doing the sensible thing using him as a windshield to Konserve energy. 🙂
I am German and agree with you on two things I've never gotten used to. 1) I find it very annoying when strangers don't keep an appropriate distance. There are actually German psychology studies about the proper distance between two people, and they match what you showed in your video. I don't understand why so many people get too close for comfort. 2) Every time I enter a bakery, the smell puts a smile on my face.
"get too close for comfort" - maybe because it's not too close for comfort from their perspective ? Not saying you're wrong in your perspective, but it's really easy to see why others would differ
@@NoName-tr3vs That is precisely the problem - they see things just from their perspective, and there is no consideration for others. When you feel a stranger literally breathing down your neck, they are definitely too close by any standards. And this happens quite often when shopping or standing in a queue somewhere in Germany. People always seem to be in a hurry, and then they feel entitled to crowd you. It's not just a different perspective on distance. It's also a powerplay. I am here, so hurry up and get out of my way. People get angry when you ask them to step back, even if you ask very politely. I've actually seen people attacking the one in front of them when asked to keep a distance.
An American complains about Germany banking. America, a country where it is normal to write checks on paper for a lot of things, even in the grocery store. I'm not sure if this is still the case but a few years ago some companies where still handing out paychecks to the workers each week.
It is also strange, that the concept of the Giro-account where you get all your money in and pay your rent, credit card and a lot of other things automatically, is still not a common thing in the US.
The last time I filled out a check on paper was in the late 1980's.
They still do..
Americans also have to use Apps like Zelle to transfer money to each other cause the simple concept of direct money transfer from one account to the next doesn’t exist..
Cheques are still used to pay for regular things like electricity or rent…
I was baffled when I saw that..
Im 35 and have NEVER SEEN an actual Cheque before I traveled to the US
@mat s. Totally agree. Still Lots of tenants have to pay their rent with cheques. Unnecessary paper mail is also a problem in the us, due to sending cheques by mail.😂
I wanted to write the same. Okay, I haven't been to the States in recent years ... but I still remember this cheque culture: having to go to the bank to cash a cheque or sending a cheque to the landlord to pay the rent.
@@mats7492 yeah. Direct transfers can be done between two accounts at the same bank, but there's a fee (usually only like 2% or so) if you transfer money to a different bank. Zelle will do it for no fee. IBAN is definitely superior, but zelle is pretty much exactly the same, no big deal. Type name- send money.
Checks are similar. I've only ever seen them used for utilities and rent because many places have a "convenience fee" to pay online or by credit card. Rent is already high enough without adding $25-$50 for the non-check option. However, most grocery stores have stopped accepting checks since around 2005 or so. I've never seen anyone try to use one at a store since little old ladies in the 90s.
Hi NALF, LOL. Love your videos. However, the first one with the banking is way OFF. I live in the US and I used to work for a German online only bank 20 years ago where there was no online banking in the US. And still to this day, checks are used to pay for rent in the US, send via mail. Yet, the US online banking is pretty much just to look at your bank account but nothing else. In Germany I can easily set up transfers to anybody in Europe and the money is there in 24 hours or less. When I transfer money from my German Bank Account to a Credit Card that I have in the UK, the money is on that card in seconds. Also, in German online banking, you usually can do your stock trading right in there, depending on bank of course. You also can have easy transactions where you can allow the "E-Werk" to charge your bank account directly. In US I still have to go in every month to water, electricity, gas... and do that myself.
In the US, if I want to send money to my friend in Arizona, not having the same bank as I do, we go to Walmart and do a transaction, paying an insane amount of fees so he can go to a Walmart there to pick it up. I think that is like 19th century.
I am sorry that the setup of the account was a drag, but once you have it, it is way better than ANY US bank account, online or offline.
As a U.S soldier in Germany we got both German & American holidays off so I didn't mind all the German holidays. It was great!
So funny to hear how you feel about physical distance or the lack of it in Germany!
As a German living since many years in Portugal and travelling African countries I can only advice you to never explore the South when German habits are suffocating to you already...
Regarding the banking procedures in Germany, just a little statistic from a somewhat already old study (DiFranco, 2011): Identity theft resulting in fraudulent use of bank accounts was above 11% in US and below 3% in Germany. This covers stolen credit card data and online bank account access. With the recent boom in online banking and cashless payment here in Germany (because of Covid), I guess, the numbers are higher in both countries nowadays :-(
another reason for that problem in the US is the social security number. its soooo easy to find, and people going through your trash, or mailboxes. yeah its a big problem. I agree, its nothing to cry about that it takes a bit longer for a foreigner to open up an online banking system because they have to verify a person . Hell, i know a french girl who when she was still illegal in the states just made up a random number, it always worked. Of course me a german i would never think of doing such a thing. And i cant believe it worked and she got away with it.
I'm German and about 20years ago, have been in Wales UK, had a rental car and was late to go to the airport in Birmingham. Drove 140 (it was summer, about 5.00 am) and only when I was already in Birmingham did I realise the speedometer showed miles! So I did 140 miles where 70 miles is legal and didn't notice, so used to speed on the autobahn.
I lived abroad for 30 years. I returned to Germany, and it took me 10 minutes to open up a bank account with online access. At a Sparkasse! So.... guess you chose a strange kind of Bank
do you still have a german passport?
Was about to comment the same. There are very quick and efficient ways to open bank accounts, but it should be a bit more difficult if you are a foreigner. That is due to very stringent requirements banks have to follow reg. money laundering.
They probably chose an online only bank.
Lol wish this was true for everyone but def not for foreigners
I think that has to do with the Post-Ident-Procedure to identify yourself. If you go to a bank without an office near by you need this special procedure. If there is an office, you can walk there an open an account. I'm not sure if this is that easy for people from outside the EU and if they need additional paperwork.
A lot of your observations regarding work and time off is the European understanding of work-life balance. A concept that is entirely absent in the US. I live in NJ and am expected to be available 24/7 via email, text, phone and even during vacation time and of course it is never paid for but "built into your salary"... it is ridiculous.
Within Europe we Germans have a reputation to be workaholics. A common saying is: Germans live to work, French work to live. But ever since I came to the US I realize that we figured this whole balance thing out pretty good. I also believe this is a factor in lower crime rates, less teenage pregnancies, lower drug use, it creates a higher "Volksgesundheit". Even so I am in the medical field I never found an equivalent term here in the US. "Volksgesundheit" describes (admittedly somewhat vaguely) the general health and wellbeing of the entire population and work - life balance is an essential part of it.
Germans enjoy more time to take care for themselves, to decompress, enjoy lower stress levels and especially parents have much more quality time with their kids when compared to the US. Now every German will bitch about the ever increasing stress levels over the years but we Germans just like to complain and deep down we know how good we have it.
As a german, smelling a freshly baked loaf of bread is like the first time every time for me as well.
The malty, yeasty aroma of the hard crusted bread.
The buttery sweet smell of milk bread.
The soft earthy whiff of buns fresh out of the oven in the background.
It's nice, it feels like home.
Damn. Now I'm hungry
I was an Army brat who grew up as a young teen in Munich in the early 60s. Your observation about German bakeries is spot on. I walked into the French bakery at Epcot Center once and the smells were so similar and familiar that I had an intense memory rush, decades after leaving Europe. I'll never forget it.
I still don't understand the personal space argument, because if anyone has been following you within inches of touching they are deep in your personal space even if your german. Germans might not loudly complain and instead move away, but they do not appreciate that either.
You are never fully Germanized if you still fail to structure your activities correctly around holidays. It’s part of the people’s mentality to plan things far ahead and in details. Every time I meet someone new the one question I get asked is “what do you see for yourself in five/ten years”, as if I already know what I’m eating this weekend.
Hold on, the bank stuff got me. It is much more difficult for US citizens to get a bank account than for other non-US citizens because of US restrictions. If one is a US citizen, another (EU) citizenship doesn't matter. If a German resident in the US wants to have a bank account in Germany, it is the same for him. Whenever the states are involved somehow. It is not even possible to open an account online. So the bottleneck is with the US. I was working for a bank (EU).
Because the US is one of the only countries in the world which taxes their citizens when they live abroad and changed their tax allegiance. Even when abroad, they have to file a return back home. So banks are aware of this, and always double check this.
the way you talked about sunday fundays was so sweet. really made me re-appreciate that part of our day to day life.
Im quite happy that a bank needs my actual signature to open a bank account in my name
There’s a reason that stolen identity is a huge issue in the US but pretty much unknown in Germany
Also.. usage of cheques in the US..
case closes
you have NO idea !
Usage of checks in the US meaning you wish there was more or? Checks are seldom used & most stores won't take them. But they're more common person to person like for weddings or birthdays.
another reason for that problem in the US is the social security number. its soooo easy to find, and people going through your trash, or mailboxes. yeah its a big problem. I agree, its nothing to cry about that it takes a bit longer for a foreigner to open up an online banking system because they have to verify a person . Hell, i know a french girl who when she was still illegal in the states just made up a random number, it always worked. Of course me a german i would never think of doing such a thing. And i cant believe it worked and she got away with it.
@@HomeWorkouts_LS I went to my bank and got a bunch of checks (that I had to cut out myeslf from normal paper, they looked so fake!). Because where we were staying there were no banks nearby and we often needed home repairs/service people and otherwise we couldn't pay them. Checks make life so convenient, much less trips to the bank/cash machine.
@@LythaWausW Well if you have to pay companies in Germany who did work for you (on your house or car or something like that...) they usually give or send you an invoice and you pay via bankwire to their bank account within the next 14 days. There are exceptions but not many. No cash or check needed. Have not seen a check for the last 3 decades.
There's a book called "The year of living Danishly" be an English couple that moved to Denmark for a year. They had a whole chapter on how they almost slipped into depression because the sun was beginning to set between 4 and 5 pm in winter.
But England is only a little lower on the latitude than Denmark? Kopenhagen is very similar to Glasgow.
I'm a german and i completley agree with you on the whole personal space thing. I actually get kinda stressed from people entering my bubble so i started to avoid supermarkets etc. from around 3:30 pm 6:30 pm because just EVERYONE is shopping during that time due too working hours ending around 4-6 pm.
Many times these are not people from germany who are sticking to your back. There are soooo many different cultures in germany. And sometimes it is also an education thing of people how don't respect you space!
hate that too, but have a simple solution. i just stand sideways and put one foot towards the person behind me. since I have long legs and big feet, anyone who comes too close falls over it. So far, everyone who stumbled apologized and then kept their distance. If you have a shopping cart, just stand in line with the cart behind you. If none of that helps, just open your mouth. Depending on your preference, point out that they're not your type, or ask if they're coming that close because you're supposed to invite them for a coffee. If not, they should keep their distance. it actually happened twice that the coffee was chosen. :D
In 8 a.m. the supermarkets are full of pensionists.
I totaly agree.
@@hansberger4939 hm, i am never in a supermarket at 8 am. normally in the evening around 6-7 pm, the time when all the lonely ladies get their daily single buffet. like half a sliced bread, one yogurt, one pack of cheese, 2 oranges ect, all in tiny potions. easy to scout. :)
As a German i absolutely agree with one point of your brother: Many people think they are the epicenter of the universe. The amount of people who decide to have a talk in a doorway or any narrow space is astounding! You have to constantly ask people to get out of the way or just walk around people because they will just stop and occupy as much space as possible for no logical reason.
Second point to everything being close on Sunday: That is actually a stretch. Many things are open on Sundays like cinemas, libraries, zoos, restaurants, bars, clubs, bakeries, museums, etc. It's mainly supermarkets and shopping halls that are close on Sundays.
Germany doesn’t really have more holidays than the U.S., it is just that a holiday in Germany isn’t just a suggestion but that it is legally treated like a Sunday (with all its legal requirements). There are 11 federal holidays in the U.S. (plus a few state ones). In Germany, except for Bavaria with 14 holidays, you have between 10 and 12 holidays (depending on the Bundesland). In addition, a good deal of U.S. holidays that fall on a Sunday get moved to the next Monday, in Germany that never happens, so some holidays that fall on a Sunday in a particular year are effectively lost.
Another interesting difference is that in the U.S. all but two holidays (Christmas & New Year) are secular. In Germany it is exactly the opposite, all but two holidays are religious/Christian.
That's why I'm all for that Muslim immigration... Come on, get in here until there are enough Muslims that we can justify having another set of holidays out of equality
Interesting to hear the amounts! Yeah we call them "bank holidays" in the US because people they're the only ones who get all the holidays off haha
But most Germans do have like 6 weeks of vacation, usually taken in 3 blocks or so, as opposed to 2-3 weeks in the U.S. (or even less at the beginning of employment).
I was going to mention about many of the holidays being religious, and as such, things are closed. A real difference between America and Germany is the separation of church and state here in America. Americans really, really don't appreciate what this means. When I did my internship in Germany in the 90's, I was asked what religion I was. Since I didn't think they would understand Methodism, I did not claim a religion. Just as well, because if I had claimed one, there would have been money AUTOMATICALLY taken out of my pay and given to the church of my choice. I wouldn't have been asked if it was ok or not, it just would have happened. In America, church donations are voluntary, but not in Germany if you claim a affiliation. Also, small shops just close when the owner is on vacation. They don't necessarily get someone to cover during that time. They're just shut until the owner's vacation is over.
@@be6715 I mean separation of church and state isn't really a thing in america either...both countries and their laws are heavily influenced by Christianity
I remember as a kid that it was never fully dark in Ireland. I felt like I was being put to bed in the afternoon! Now, I miss that long light as I live in the northeast US. I miss being a kid, too.
I don't know if it's just me and my family but everyone I know has a calendar at home with the holidays on it. Maybe that could help you as well? 😁
The calender in my phone does show them as well...
My favourite time of the year are the warm and endless summer evenings. Add friends and beverages for an optimal result😊. They are such a nice contrast to the perpetual darkness of winter. In addition, I’m an owl (evening person), so this rhythm suits me very well. However, I can see how it might be different for a morning person.
And bakeries are amazing, both with the varieties of bread and delicious pastries. I would miss them, if I went to live somewhere else.
As a fat kid, I totally fell in love with the smell of German bakeries. And I totally dug the bakery truck that came around my village a couple of times a week.
"People walk around as if they are the only people on earth"
That from an US American is hilarious
In Finland, for about two and a half months in summer, it never gets fully dark (and that is in south like Helsinki).
As a German the "personal space" thing is ofc normal for me, but on the other side, I can also tell if there are americans around. It seems like that bigger personal space bubble also comes with the need of speaking MUCH LOUDER ALL THE TIME!
Also thanks for not doing sponsorships. I mean some of them are perfectly fine, but for example all the VPN adverts just feel silly and harm the flow of the video. So if you get a sponsorship by Ferrero then don't hesitate, just dont overdo it. ;)
Knoppers is Stork
@@matekochkoch That would be another option of course. ;)
Was thinking of the video "The German Candy That Changed Everything", but probably we might just generalize it to "food manufacturer"...I mean being sponsered by a local Bakery would also be kinda cool ^^
I actually think, you should be sponsored by the city of Schwäbisch Hall, because you have basically been doing free PR work for them for years now! I never had any desire to visit that town in my life. It was just a random name I knew from commercials of the famous Bausparkasse with the fox. That changed on the day, I stumbled across this channel. Now I really want to check out the place. So as I said - the city of Schwäbisch Hall should definitely sponsor you!
@@ani2701 Haha, absolutely. Good point!
Btw, sorry for posting with 3 different accounts. Currently managing my channels and switching around. Commenting with different ones wasnt my intention though. ^^
Don't you have those wonderful German blinds that makes your room pitch black no matter how light it is outside?
The woulden boards on the outer side of the house ? That's more swiss.
I think he is talking about "Rollläden".
@@tnit7554 Yes, Thats what I'm talking about.
True story. Back in the early 80s I had a sales job on a newspaper in Los Angeles and had got so used to the anti-holiday vibe that I thought that I wouldn't get paid when I took my first 2 weeks vacation. My boss was certainly offhand about me wanting a few weeks camping in the Sierra Nevadas. Anyway first week back I got my weekly paycheck for the usual amount. Then several months later just before Christmas, I needed to clear out the big sliding drawer on my desk. There were two envelopes addressed to me with two full paychecks...a happy surprise!
About a Butterbreze: I live in Nürnberg where walking through the city you can buy another Butterbreze before you even finished the first one. And they have the fancy stuff as toppings like cheese and peppers and salami and ham … you name it. The best are to be found in Munich though. They are really crispy. Quite the opposite: New York . Pretzels on 42nd street and 8th. Served hot out of a mobile charcoal oven but smooth as chewing gum. They lost something crossing the Atlantic.
Things I can't get used to in the States:
1) sugar is the main ingredient in everything
2) you can't walk from one store to the other, you are forced to take the car
3) there is a pill/treatment/ medication for everything
4) almost every house is made out of sheetrock
5) chlorine is the common smell in every (public) building
6) American smalltalk
7) American bread and cakes
8) America, the great, while most cities are run-down
9) US gun law
10) extremely OVERSIZED People
11) how poor US People are educated when it comes to other nations
12) US Restrooms and bathrooms
You are welcome to leave anytime
Come on those are all stereotypes everyone's said before. What are some more personal/unique things.
I'll use the next holiday and "Brückentag" to visit Schwäbisch Hall and a football game with the SH Unicorns. I'm so excited!😍
Enjoy!
I live all my life in Germany and still, this smell of a German bakery sets me in this special mood of a "happy, cozy homeliness" 😇... I've realized it as I came across a German bakery on a journey in Canada 😋
As a Brit living in Schleswig-Holstein, i can confirm that the personal space bubble in northern Germany is pretty much the same as in the U.K., which is similar to the US. Come to the north and you can enjoy a bigger bubble, and no one stares here either!
I was stationed for 3 years in the UK back in the 90s. Good times! I found Brits in the north friendlier than in the south. It seems to me like the London culture dominates the south. So, that might be like comparing people from NYC to those in Wisconsin.
It's really funny to see all this from an outside perspective. Makes me ask, are you sure we're talking about the same Germany here? xD
"Everybody's always on vacation": an American discovers what a functioning labour rights movement can accomplish xD
9:04 Just when I was about to say you should visit Northern Finland😅
Yea, the next sunset is on July 7th where I live, and night isn't really a thing until late July. And there's still over 400 km of Finland further north - and a bit of Norway after that.
Even I was a bit freaked out, when I was in Kilpisjärvi one summer, and the sun was so high even at midnight.
In winter, however...
I just came back from Canada. I on the other hand could not get used to AC. Our host was well-meaning and put on the AC full blast even when it was only 22C/72F. It was uncomfortable until we turned it down/off.
AC is ore wide spread in Canada & the US in general - But for 22°C. is really exaggerated. I have experienced some hot summers in Toronto before where it easily got over 30°C . Then AC` s make sense.
Btw, more Germans are using them now which is a good thing for food stores .. I remember a time this was quite neglected and stuff went bad.
Canadian here living in Munich. Lots of AC in Canada. It's more humid in summer than in Germany and AC is needed for the hot summer months. At 22c, I would not be putting the AC on.
I kinda feel called out on the vacation thing, as i am watching this video in the sun in portugal on my 2 Week Vacation.
Have you been to the Oktoberfest in Munich? That's what really dense crowds feel like. Honestly i think it's kinda funny that Americans have problems with the physical distance in Germany while German have problems with the hm what to call it, emotional distance? in the US (small talk with strangers, some stranger calling you honey and such)
And being on holidays as a German no matter where you go, you're guaranteed to meet other Germans, from Austria to the Congo, doesn't matter. As kids we met multiple teachers of ours in Italy...
It is probably best in the USA to have a distance as far as a bullet can fly.
Perhaps one could call this emotional flattery/flat-tery, because the behaviour surely flatters while getting sometimes somewhat hypocritical and therefore just emotionally flat.
Canadians have the same. I am always surprised at the Germans lack of personal space.
You Germans look like sad depressed people 😂 small talk is good , you know you only live once right ?
@@HB-bl5mn Sad but true. You can get shot to death any where anytime in the US. Always watch your back when at the supermarket.
Yes, that's true with the light in summer.
Schwäbisch Hall is located at 49° north latitude, for comparison the border between the USA and Canada is also approximately 49° north.
By the way, Berlin is 52° north, which is the same as Labrador.
The only reason the temperatures are so mild here (especially in winter) is because of the Gulf Stream, which warms the whole of Europe up to Murmansk, which is why the Russian port is ice-free even in winter.
I was in the military so i don't notice the space bubble thing. The biggest thing that gets me is how much everyone smokes. I feel like i can never get clean air and my nose is always irritated!
I don't get this thing with physical distancing...there are countries where its so much worse e.g. Southern Europe, Japan... I need my personal distance but all my life this has been no big deal in Germany...
I'm Italian and worked and drove in many other countries including USA (Colorado, California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Florida) and Germany. If you haven't still get used to people flashing from behind at 200 kmh you should notice that we Europeans find dangerous and crazy driving on six or more lanes American highways where people pass you either on the right or left side drinking coffee or shaving while talking on the phone.
I find it interesting and wonderful to hear your perspective. I grew up in Berlin (yes one of those) and moved to the polar opposite of Berlin life in my teens (the Appalachian mountains of Virginia), I must have moved back in time an entire century as I learned to use an outhouse, drew water from a nearby spring which we carried to the home, and drank from a dipper. There are some things I still cannot get used to, thankfully outhouses are much more rare in America now (though my business travels took me from Alaska all the way to Antarctica and so in many South American countries, it’s still a thing outside cities). I appreciate the humor of your vignettes and sometimes see Germany with the same eyes you do when I return. It is alternatively refreshing and at times disappointing (Some of my Berlin is indeed ghetto and hipster now). Luck on your goals and I look forward to seeing you continue adventuring and giving us light in a world that takes itself all too seriously.
The easiest way of opening an online banking account is just physically GOING into a bank, open an account and, well, some days later you should be good to go. Hillarious, isn't it?
4:45 Its very funny to hear that. When I studied in the states many car enthusiasts told me they could easily go fast if it would be allowed. My max speed was 340 kmh/h in a 918 Spyder when i worked at Porsche.
7:48 "I understood that reference"
Insomnia by Christopher Nolan is a great movie about an investigator with sleep deprivation in Northern Alaska partly due to the fact that at the time in the movie the sun never sinks.
I do experience the same issue with it not being dark in summer evenings. I bought an eye-mask at DM (drugstore) - it was only 2.99 and since then i do sleep better :-). By the way: you are the best of all the american-in-germany-video-channels. Thanks!
Holidays in Germany. This mentality is especially true for Swabia. You work hard and save money for a reason: to be able to enjoy the good things in life.
I moved to a small mountain town in the US. I had to get use to most everything being closed on Sunday. There is 1 gas station convivence store that is open from 9am-6pm and the grocery store (there's only one in this town) that is also open from 9am-6ish pm. Both will be closed on the 4th of July which is a Monday this year. lol
I was born in Germany and I also hate it when someone comes so close to me in the queue in the supermarket that I can feel their breath on my neck. I think it's probably not quite as bad here in northern Germany as in the south because fewer people live here per square kilometer.
I totally agree to your brother, saying that a lot of people behave as if they were the only person on the planet. Especially in Berlin this is ridiculous. We have wide walkways, so when 5 people walking next to each other approach you and do not at all leave any space for you. Then, about 50cm before colliding with you, the outer person turns her shoulder just as far, that you may slip through ... at least if you turn your shoulder as well. And it's like everybody, man, woman, young, old. I hate that!
It's exactly the same way in Poland with the spacing and people thinking that they're the only people in the world yes the sidewalk thing what I do is I stop and just look at them I don't move I'm already on the side of the sidewalk they have plenty of room I'm not moving and then I usually say something in English to them which always gives them a shock
In general all correct observations.
All have their reasons that won't change any time soon.
Just one comment about service: after having lived in the states imho the main difference is the expectation of the customers. In the states people mainly expect service quantitiy, basically an ubiquitous babysitter, that tries to guess your desires before you even know them.
In Europe that's mostly perceived as intrusive and rude. Here the expectation is more towards service quality, that service personel stays invisible until proactively requested, never bothers a customer or barges in uncalled, but when approached handles the matter in a personal way and swiftly, avoiding smalltalk or other meaningless verbal expressions, expecially scripted ones.
The personal space thing is funny, because when I ride the bus to university in my town, it's so full that you're basically almost cuddling with random people. Public transport kinda sucks sometimes. 😂
If you’d try to implement a distance of a at least 12 ft in German supermarkets, depending on the size, people would be standing all throughout the store haha. The 6 ft were already causing a lot of traffic
so right, imagine trying that in India :D Not everyone has as much space and huge buildings as the US.
It's not a wonder you feel the german vibes like it is your first time. We germans do also after two summers in a pandamic.
If you want extreme daylight hours and have nothing to do the next few weekends, go up to the coast, places like Kiel or Flensburg. They have actual sunshine, not just daylight, until 10 pm in late June/early July.
Have u beign in the north of sweaden.
Summer:the sun doesn't get down.
Winter:the sun is like never get up
not evern for an american it is hard to remember all the holidays. the bakery I'm going to every day are so nice to remind me every time that there is a holiday day, that I can get enough baked goods to survive this ^^
That is so sweet!
I can relate to all of this (and more) except for the personal space. I never noticed that. I do notice that Germans really really want to shake hands, but I don’t think that’s what you mean.
Very much appreciated the cameo from radical living! Who knew he was such a wild boy on the Autobahn?!
I am german, born and raised, but I also HATE HATE HATE when people stand so close to you. It's the worst and I usually tell them to back off (which itself probably is very german :D)! Also I felt in heaven when the stores were open on Sundays in the US, Sundays get so boring and lonely around here sometimes but I guess it also has its advantages cause Sunday really is restday here - i never really thought about that. Nice and boring sometimes :)
Great video- thank you
You and your brother are so right when it comes to the behavior of people in public. I get angry so often cause of people pretending their are the only person in the world + disrespecting personal space
If only Nalf would take a more educated look into interpersonal space than just his personal experiences. There are even studies to be found that show american "bubbles" to be slightly smaller than german ones. Depends heavily on the region where you are living. Even in Europa there are extreme differences between north and south. Once again, have a look at germans filling up a public space with seating arrangments. Like beer gardens, public transportation and so on. Nobody will get close to you as long as there is enough space with distance left. The queues in supermarkets are a fascinating exception, just because of the fear of line jumpers. Give just an inch and you will wait forever. A very strange fear in a place with lightening speed checkout.
Also, let's talk about cheques when talking about banking. *snicker* To much letters? But how would paychecks work in the us without the us postal service. *giggle* I'm kidding. There are many problems with the german banking sector stuck in the past. But the us isnt really a model to be followed.
Talking about lines at the check out - the number of times somebody shoved their shopping cart against my Achilles heel was exponentiell higher in Florida compared to Germany. But I guess those were the rude New York retirees.... 🤣
Most paychecks are automatically transferred into your account these days with all the technology available! Even retirees on Social Security have there checks automatically sent directly to their account through direct deposit.
@@joekhatib3798 our landlord came by every month to pickup his check for the rent. Every single month, for 4 years straight. We asked him wether we could transfer the money to his account but obviously that's not been possible. It somehow worked with the water and electric company, but other than those, check.. . For all the bills.
@@rakischmidt7032 That is interesting because most people in the US do all their payments via direct deposit so you never worry about missing a payment!
Everyone's paychecks are direct deposit (not snail mail). The only time I've gotten a real check was as a new employee in 2008 because the direct deposit hadn't gone through yet, and I picked up the check from the boss' office...Germany is known to be bureaucratic & not very technologically forward - surely this isn't news.
HI Nalf! 55-y/o NJ guy here. Not sure what your childhood town was like, but your personal space might feel violated bc you didn't have lots o' folks around as you do now. I grew up outside Binghamton, NY, 3 hrs from NYC in a rural setting, & folks "got" why NYC folks had no personal space when they finally visited there (sidewalks cramped w/ppl). I learned this after driving back home after living in NJ for 15 years & a cop pulled me over late at night. Took me hours to figure out "why," but it was likely b/c I was driving "too close" to the car in front, which felt normal to me, but would've been intimidating up there. And this was on a back road going up thru Susquehanna, Pa., which was quite rural (1 stop light, if you can believe it). You do get used to it, & now I think nothing of it. I hope this helps! :-)
Great video.
You are making some excellent points.
But you love us anyway. 🥳
Thank you so much.
What did you think about the personal space when you visited Finland? They are quite known for keeping a lot of distance between people. Also, I visited Germany in April and I wholly agree about the bakeries. I really wish we had the same where I live.
As a German I am sometimes surprised by a holiday too :D
Love your channel.
As a kid growing up in NJ right outside NYC in the summer the sun set close to what you said it did in Oregon., but speeding time with my grandparents in Boise, ID it sets really late like Germany because of the way the time zone is stuctured. As a kid I loved that, more time to play outside. As an adult I agree, it messes with your sleep pattern.
I think the personal space bubble depends on the situation. In crowds or in tight spaces (like a busy grocery aisle), Americans understand that others will get close, and they do. But when given the option, it is seen as VERY strange to stand near or pass by another person closely when it is not necessary, as in NALF's example of a woman following him on an empty street. It can certainly be perceived as a threat because only a person who means harm would deliberately get that close to you. Or it can seem like the person is trying to eavesdrop or has taken some sort of lewd interest in you.
@Nalf, for everyone complaining about the personal space in Germany, i recommend a trip to Shinegawa train station in Tokyo. just walk through it, any time really, but especially during commute hours. everyone is quiet, but there are 5 japanese guys where 2 germans would go, and americans are so much louder than the Japanese. Got that feeling? ok, now get on the train! :)
Thank you for sharing these, especially the last one. It brought up nice memories from when I was living in Germany (middle Franconia).
Your Videos help me to appreciate my own country more than I already did. Thank you 🙂
I’m going to Germany soon and I hope to experience that German bakery smell you described. It sounds amazing! Going to have to try a butter pretzel, of course!😁
I live in Germany and have never had a butter pretzel cuz they don't exist here. I guess you have to go to Nalf's town.
pretzels are more of a southern Germany thing. The north is more known for their seafood etc. But you can find bakerys all over the country
What about Hesse? I’ll be visiting there on my trip. Would they have butter pretzels?
South Hesse, that is
@@timeformore yes there will be. I guess some better than others. Try out a few and go in the morning when they are fresh made. Also I recommend visiting Heidelberg since it’s just a few km south of Hessen.
In the south of Germany especially in Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Rheinland-Pfalz we have more holidays than the rest of Germany cause this countries are mostly catholic and most holidays here are catholic based.
When I first moved to the States from Bavaria and found out I had FOUR holidays (Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year's Day) and 10 vacation days I cried my eyes out... Yay, capitalism!
It is fairly easy to detect the advent of a holiday in Germany: the supermarket will be packed full and most foods and some other household items sold out about 2 hours before the store closes, at least. Aaaand there will be huge lines in front of the checkout because lots of people feel they will never be able to buy anything ever again after the holiday.
Austrian here: when there is a holiday after a Sunday, not even newspapers come out! 😂 I think that may (partially) apply to Germany as well.
Ne, Zeitung kommt immer. Vielleicht fallen ein paar Klatschblätter aus
I always find myself smiling when you mention the things you find strange about Germany, in 99% of all cases because I totally agree. I am a German living in Asia since almost thirty years and this is probably the reason why I will never understand the physical distancing part. I felt exactly the same when I moved to Asia and nothing has changed since. If you are uncomfortable with the personal space un Germany you will certainly have the shock of your lifetime in Asia. Top of the list: the Indian subcontinent. On my visit to the US in December I had the opposite experience. A friend and I were walking down a path in the woods which was 4 if not 5 meters wide and a runner slowed down behind us asking if he may pass and only did so when we both moved to one side of the path. Really? Does that make sense? A small car would have fit easily. Apart from that, spot on and I could go in and on about the mail topic. I have never been able to vote because the „Briefwahl“ doesn’t work and waiting for passwords usually takes three weeks or more and by the time you have them they expired. Keep up the great content. One final question: why don’t you pronounce the Hall in Schwäbisch Hall as „hull“. It would be correct then. I know, typical German, always correcting others…
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passenger_pusher :D
@@hartmutfeige548 das dachte ich mir auch, weder in Japan, noch in Indien usw gibt es eine Bubble..
@@bastelwastel766 Andererseits ziehe ich beim Einkaufen an der Kasse den Einkaufswagen hinter mir her, um den Absatand zu Dränglern zu vergrößern. Meine Privatsphäre hat so ziemlich genau einen Radius von 75cm. Wer dort eindringt, befindet sich in Reichweite meiner flachen Hand ;) Vor Corona habe ich Leute, die mir zu nahe gekommen sind auch manchmal spontan in den Arm genommen und sie gefragt, ob sie sich in meiner Nähe so wohl fühlen.
At least you're self aware! I have a question: is correcting people like a game to Germans?
I'm an American living in Germany for over 11 years and that's probably what drives me up the wall the most: how often Germans offer uninvited "corrections", tips, and explanations for all sorts of random things I couldn't care less about and/or are wildly false but I don't care to debate about.
I do recognize there might be some sort of social bonding occurring in such conversations, e.g. people competing to be 'the most correct', almost like a game or fun banter; but as I didn't grow up with it I have yet to understand the appeal or how to participate in it without feeling needlessly criticized or intrusively observed. Why should I have to defend the way I cut my vegetables when what I'd like to do is relax and have fun? A number of Germans have "corrected" the way I cut vegetables, among maaaaaaaaaany other things that have no one correct way of being done or simply don't matter at all. I, personally, feel like a jerk if I observe others and nitpick at random things they do. I just don't understand this German tendency.
I'm moving back to the United States soon and look forward to seeing all the weird things Americans do that I've forgotten about. I'm sure I'll miss this interesting German banter someday - once my self-esteem has been restored.
@@AceofRoses510 don't worry about it. I guess we are a nation of teachers. There used to be hardly any political blogs just a lot of blogs teaching things. Maybe we get a few political blogs now over time. I am quite relaxed about getting or giving advice. As long as I get to decide what to do I don't mind advice. In fact I love getting advice. But I know some people don't like to get advice and I try to leave them alone. Not sure I succeed.
There are other things I hate though. I don't mind paying separately at all or invite people or get invited. But I hate if people pay together in the restaurant and 1) everyone puts their part on the table and there is this one person who takes money back from the table because he feels the waiter got enough tips already reducing my tip that way. (so I refuse this method now) 2) one pays and there is the plan to split the amount later wasting ages of my time trying to get the amount right. A friend once told me she thought this was highly entertaining while I had felt my life got sucked out of me when we did it once. So I try to avoid this method now too. If the restaurant doesn't allow to pay separately I calculate the amount immediately and everyone pays his share. Usually the tip doesn't get big that way so the waiter would be stupid to insist. I hear this problem does not exist in the USA . Perhaps there are other mechanisms in place.
I totally disagree with what your brother said about germans thinking they are alone in this world and the space thing. I feel it is the other way around. When you think nobody can pull out a can of coca cola from the shelf because you are standing there, looking around, in my opinion you are the one who thinks he is alone in this world :D :D
ehhhm nope... in the USA they look to each other. this is humanity! but here in europe, my GOD its ridiculous how the ''persons'' here behave.... ich weiss was ich rede. bin hier in der schweiz geboren und lebe immernoch da seit 30 JAHREN! i feel so unconfortable when i enter coop or migros or whatever and have to deal with these zombies/robots walking into each other XD
@@leandrodosul6407 alright with me, it is just how I feel about it ;) Hätte ehrlich gesagt gedacht in der Schweiz sei es angenehmer als in Deutschland in dem Zusammenhang, aber ich denke es kommt halt auch immer auf den jeweiligen Supermarkt an.
The expectation in the US would be to say "excuse me" and let the person back up before you grab your soda or whatever.
What a beautiful soul you are, dear Nalf! ❤️☀️
Nalf, i like your channel, keep up the good work.😊
Pollution by paper? LOL a piece of paper yes maybe pollution, but digital infrastructure needs a lot of energy too. All the servers arround the world need energy to work. Every click you do consums energy. Just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it doesn't exists. The internet is energy intensive - belive it or not. ~_~ (Snail mail lol - we are not in a hurry.) Like your vids. ♥
That is suprising to hear 2 months. That seems to be a very slow bank. For non-eu even the Sparkasse was much more faster to set up all things.
i like this format on my super widescreen , nice!
A Vehicle Traveling at 85mph/137km uses 40% more fuel than one traveling at 70mph/113km. The most fuel-efficient speed for most vehicles is 55mph/89km.
I would argue that....there are so many factors involved in fuel efficiency. Some cars use more at lower speeds because the engine is not running at its optimal range....just one of the factors.
My boss from my company was on vacation in the US recently. And when she came back, she was very disappointed with what had become of the American service. It was the last time 10 years ago. Not only are the prices much higher, you get wine in paper cups and a lot of it is served on plastic plates and then just thrown away, she said. So I would not be too critical with the topic "service" as far as Germany is concerned.
Remember that Nalf is from Oregon, one of the nicest, smartest and most eco-friendly parts of the country. Can't compare that to the swamp dwellers of Florida, e.g.
I've never been to a restaurant with alcohol in paper cups!? that's really weird. In the US, servers mainly come back alot more often / check on you. It's usually just a faster pace which some people like, some people don't.
never had paper plates/ cups.. probably depends where you are. one absolutely amazing thing in the US, returning a bought item. Now i am not a person who likes to do this, but i have. certain stores.. you bring it back after a year , no questions asked. I bought something in germany, it was not working with my phone, i returned it.. had to go to manager.. he that he cant sell it anymore.. told him he should not. i eventually at least got store credit i was not able to use.
and restaurant service, well they are working for Tip, which now is easily up 20-25%, so yeah, they are very friendly here. In Germany they barely smile.
@@Nabend1402 Oregon has Pfand!
Don't you have curtains? Problem solved with it. So at my bank it takes less than two months to open an account and set up online banking. I have no idea which bank you chose. It's actually not common in Germany for people to get so close. Sometimes that happens and I don't like it at all
A calendar is helpful with the holidays.
The public holidays are marked in almost all calendars and also the special ones of the federal states such as Bavaria.
The best smell you can get around a bakery is in the early morning when they are actually baking fresh bread and all the stuff that is sold during the day (a baker's workday usually starts at 2 a.m.). If you are around a bakery (not just a storefront, I mean the real bakery - the Backstube) you will smell the baked goods all morning and it is glorious.
Right when I go into a bakery, the first thing I do is a deep breath because of the wonderful smell.