10 Things I'd Never Done Before I Came to the US | Feli from Germany
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- Опубликовано: 22 май 2024
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0:00 Intro
0:51 1. Water filters
3:07 2. Tampons
4:06 3. VPN
6:08 4. Checks
9:55 5. Drive-thru ATM
11:03 6. Hole in the wall
12:03 7. Shooting
16:01 8. Turn right on red
16:50 9. Disposable dishes
18:06 10. Store hours
19:15 Outro
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ABOUT ME: Hallo, Servus, and welcome to my channel! My name is Felicia (Feli), I'm 27, and I'm a German living in the USA! I was born and raised in Munich, Germany but have been living in Cincinnati, Ohio off and on since 2016. I first came here for an exchange semester during my undergrad at LMU Munich, then I returned for an internship, and then I got my master's degree in Cincinnati. I was lucky enough to win the Green Card lottery and have been a permanent resident since 2019! In my videos, I talk about cultural differences between America and Germany, things I like and dislike about living here, and other experiences that I have made during my time in the States. Let me know what YOU would like to hear about in the comments below. DANKE :)
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The tap water thing is very different by region. Some places have great tap water, others, not so much.
It really depends on the water system. I live in Maryland. When I was on the Baltimore water system I would drink the water from the tap but not water from the DC water system.
The tap water in Keizer, Oregon (just north of Salem), was very good when I grew up.
The tap water in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where I went to college, was not as good. It could have been the old pipes in my dorm though; it was built during WW I.
In the Seattle area, the tap water isn't bad, but I still prefer to filter it for taste.
Areas in and around downtown Cincinnati generally have great tap water.
Bad water is often from high mineral content in ground water, and hard to filter. Some of the worst water in the country is in the Silicon Valley (San Jose, CA). Looks bad, tastes bad, and will ruin your toilet in 5 years.
My father got a water cooler for his home in Las Vegas, Nevada. He took the plastic tank to the grocery store to fill at the water distiller. He said that the ground water percolated through a layer of clay known as caliche. It makes the water alkaline. My local Walmart has a similar machine, but I use a pitcher filter. I use it to remove a metallic taste to my water - which I think are from the 1944 pipes in my house and not from the Portland water system - which is one of the best in America.
I’ve lived in America my whole life and I think it’s strange to use disposable plates in situations other than a picnic or maybe an open house. The thought of using paper plates at a holiday meal is just weird.
I think it seems a bit weird as well, but I have been to parties at peoples houses that have used paper plates - especially if it's barbeque. It may have more to due with ease of clean up after the party in that case. I personally don't have that much dinner ware, so I'd have to purchase paper plates if more then 3 guests arrived. :-)
Used them all the time growing up no one wanted to do dishes. So after cooking it was like a buffet line grab a plate then throw it all out no muss no fuss.
Maybe..MAYBE…I could see if it were like a big holiday party event? But using paper plates for a holiday meal with only family? Huh? No.
@@seandelevan why not? When you have the whole family there it’s easier to just use paper plates so once it’s all done throw it way same with paper table cloth and napkins. Remember not everyone grew up with a dishwasher and not everyone had a stepford wife to clean up everything.
I do my grocery shopping around 9-10pm on Sunday. Few people, it’s quite and quick at checkout. Used to do checks all the time, but I was first on board with PayPal to ApplePay. I drink the filter water from the fridge, but no problem drinking tap water. It really depends where you live. Sone is better than others. The east coast area I hear was not the best water compared to the west coast. It all has to be safe and legal to drink. But some states have more minerals and other things that can give water a strange taste. It’s not unsafe to drink, but still taste funny. A water filter will help with that.
I don’t have a dishwasher, it’s just easier to use paper plates. Toss out, done!
One of the most striking differences from Europe (I’m from Italy) is the price tags. I remember how dumbfounded I felt when I took an item labelled 1 dollar, went to the cashier with my 1 dollar bill in my hand and I was asked 1 dollar something.
Here in Europe the first law of consumers right is “the final price of an item must be clearly stated on the price tag”.
All prices in Italy include all applicable taxes (since one cannot not pay them, might as well include them in the price tag…) so if it’s written 1 €, well, that’s what the cashier will ask you to pay.
I agree it can be confusing sometimes but less of an issue now that we don't use cash as often. I could be wrong but as an American I wonder if we do this for a couple reasons- one is that sales taxes are different in different states so if an item comes with a price on it, then it can be sold to any state. Another reason is our view towards taxes here is a little different and we want the tax pointed out and obvious so we don't forget we pay taxes to fund things. I once went on vacation to another state and was shocked by how high the taxes were, including a hotel tax, and had they just included it, I would be ignorant to that. The hotel wants you to know that they are not that expensive, it's the state's fault for adding that tax on. If money was tighter, I may not be as likely to go back to that state, I mean people literally move to other states sometimes because of the difference in taxes. Another reason is itemized receipts. Some people who pay a lot in sales or hotel (or other) taxes because they bought a lot and traveled a lot, can do this thing at tax reporting time to show how much they paid to get money back. I don't know if that's a thing in Europe.
Another reason is that when sales taxes change you don't have to update prices. In some areas school supplies or other items can be tax-free only during certain times.
@@kellypat125 I figured something like that. Still, we in Europe consider way more important to know how much we are going to pay for an item BEFORE we decide to buy it, and this is only possible if the price tag shows the final price. We too pay taxes, and they are different for different categories of merchandise (beauty products vs. hardware vs. food etc.) but since we cannot escape paying taxes, we don’t really care how much they are. Anything that shows up only at checkout which was not shown on the price tag is frown upon and seen with a lot of suspicion, because we start wondering if the seller is trying to rip us off. This is the reason why tipping is not a thing in Italy (and in Europe in general): first, because waiters are considered normal workers who are hired for a pre-agreed remuneration, and second, because if I order a $20 steak and a $5 coke I expect to pay 25 dollars. Hell, if you want 35 dollars for a 25 dollar meal, just raise the steak’ and coke’s price, instead of putting me through the annoyance of having to decide whether the service was worth 10 or 22%.
Just a little insight on the average European Italian customer. ;)
@@giuliobernacchia1848 fair enough, I see a reason to do it that way of course. I remember being about 9 years old and buying ice cream by myself and I did not consider tax and was short a few cents. Luckily the adult behind me in line pulled out some change and came to my rescue. Never happened again! However, about tipping- I have only been to two European countries, England and Croatia, and was kind of bummed to find out tipping is still a thing there at restaurants, although a smaller amount. The internet had me fooled with all the complaining about tipping in America!
@@kellypat125 it’s all your fault, dear American friends! Many places where tipping was not a thing got “americanized” with time. After all, nobody will refuse some extra money…
Here in Italy, I NEVER tip or ever have I seen other Italians tip. Usually we just round up the change, so we talk about 50 cents or one Euro at the most. And nobody ever complains, because as I said, the prices everywhere in Italy include all service charges and taxes. Obviously if the waiter is dealing with a tourist, he/she will behave as if tipping is compulsory, especially if the customer is American…
So, caveat emptor, as Latins would say! Nice chatting with you, by the way, civility is indeed possible in the cyberworld!
In Canada we typically use disposable plates when having a picnic or perhaps when hosting a garden party, but they are not generally intended for every day use.
When I first visited my boyfriend in America (I am also from Germany/Munich) I walked around like a kid in a candy store, even in the supermarkets. I can relate to every point on that list😂😂😂
Has your fast food rate increased 😂
@@PeakApex On the first vacation drastically but even like premade food on the supermarket I was just like wow, but now not so much I prefer to cook fresh stuff at home😂😂😂
@@littlebutterfly4512 so you were able to get over American Guys being more forward/aggressive in pursuing Hot Chicks? Feli has not gotten over that.
@@kevincryan7220 I usually go to most places with boyfriend so for that reason I'd say it hasn't happened that much to me. I am more bothered by random people wanting to talk to me everywhere especially the supermarket, you can barely grab a product with someone commenting or starting a conversation and sometimes I just want to be left alone😂😂😂
@@littlebutterfly4512 if you give short answers people will get the hint... but sometimes Small Talk can help you with local food, where to find things, or you could meet somebody random who knows some of your friends. Did you meet your boyfriend in Germany ? Army?
The reason checks are still used here in the U.S. is that many small family businesses still prefer checks is to avoid service fees that credit cards incur.
And they will never get my business. I don't carry checks on me. As someone who has worked retail - it's really a gamble whether a check with actually go through. It's much safer for business to use plastic or cash as pay methods. Tons of options exist to pay through apps now.
After working at Costco I hate checks because of the elders who would spend 10 min writing a check….
I hate the situation at the gasoline pumps. They add 10 cents a gallon to use a credit card. I could see adding a quarter to the entire transaction like some fast food places do. I don't like to use my debit car to avoid my bank account being drained, there are more safeguards for fraud with the credit card.
@@Anon54387 If you use 'tap to pay' (Samsung, Apple or Google Pay) with your phone, that is by far the safest way to pay. The retailer and network never actually get your real card number because the phone only sends out a one time use 'token' card number. And most gas pumps are now equipped for tap to pay.
The US are in the dark ages when it comes to banking. I might write 2 cheque a year for some obscure transaction. The last time I purchased cheques was 2002.
They often have you sign credit card receipts! A totally useless exercise. I sign George Bush but still get the bill.
When I was in the US for the first time I found out that I didn't have a pain in my back after sleeping in a "boxspring bed" as they are normal in big hotels.
At home in Germany it was a big problem for me, because in the morning I usually woke up with a pain in my back.
So I bought a "boxspring bed" for me at home, and since then it feels like sleeping on a cloud and I don't have a pain in my back anymore when I wake up in the morning.
The one about the right turns made me laugh. I spent 4 years in Germany while in the Army (Baumholder) in the 1990's and got use to the no turn on red. When I came home I would stop at a red light and everyone would start honking their horn at me, and my family was always asking why I don't just turn.
Love your Channel though you do make me miss Germany a lot.
I was in baumholder 84-86.. with 293rd engineers .. was weird seeing people eating Burgers with knife and fork, but getting beer at McDonald's was cool.. I really do miss Germany.. especially the bier😊
I moved to Germany in 2016 and for a short time had a car (before I knew about the reliability and accessibility of the public transportation system)....I was turning right at red lights for like MONTHS and eventually noticed people were always staring me down and giving me the stink eye when I did it so I googled it and realised the law is totally different here
I lived in a rural area in Connecticut, US and we had a well - no treated city water - and it was delicious, but when I moved to Florida, US we've only had City water and most of the time the chlorine is overwhelming.
I live in a kinda rural place in CT. Note to others, CT rural is not rural as you know anywhere else in the US. It is that place where suburbs give up until the next suburb. It is not “100s of miles from nowhere”. It is less a hundred & fifty miles from Boston or NYC. And a lot closer to smaller cities.
It is great because you do have wells and quiet without the remoteness of the really rural.
Hell I lived in Glastonbury a suburb of Hartford CT and always loved our well water!! Now in Colorado some places don't taste great
The well water in ct is bussin
Florida water is horrible. In many places, the sulfur has to be gassed off before you can drink it.
No the Sulfur was.
The taste of water in the US can vary quite a lot from place to place. As you mentioned, the chemicals used in water treatment can also taste bad. If you are lucky enough to live in a place with great tasting water it’s probably more common to drink water that comes directly from the tap. 50 years ago, that’s what everyone did, but filters have gotten much more popular over the years.
I grew up always drinking water out of taps in NH and when I traveled some place as a teen I went to another city or some places can’t remember and they had to tell us not to drink the tap water because we where not used to that.
Some reservoir water can have an unpleasant taste at certain times of year. It's not dangerous, but it's certainly unpleasant.
I stumbled across this video channel over the weekend. And I have to say, I’m really enjoying these videos. My mom side of the family is from Germany. I’ve never been there myself but I am enjoying learning about the differences between Germany and the United States.
Yes, the United States is convenient. I don’t do a lot of my shopping in the middle of the night but I have done a little bit of it.
Personally, I have a checking account but I do not write out checks anymore. I am now totally blind. And that is something that is really hard to do with your blind. You can but it can be complicated. Are use a debit card for all transactions. And paying my rent I just do a transfer from my bank account using bill pay.
I also find that writing checks might be a generational thing. My parents who are in their late 60s early 70s use a lot of checks. With younger people depending on the situation do not.
Fun fact. In France cheques are pretty common, too and you pay the monthly bill for kindergarden or your electricity bill via cheque. Very strange as a German....
Do they still use cheques in stores in France? That was quite common here in the Netherlands before about 2000.
Cheques for payments like electricity bills were not common here, one used bank transfers either manual or automatic (direct debit).
@@Rob2 AFAIK (German), no - France is plastic card country. But they use cheques to pay something on a distance, where we (both NL and DE) would use direct banc transfer, because this seems to be complicated in France. I visit a yearly meeting with friends in France (100 people) with a dinner that has to be prepaid. They ask to do it by cheque mailed to them (until 2019). I get a special permission to pay on site ;)
@@Rob2 Yes they do n France. For us, Dutch, it's very strange to see. We pay with our debit card and Apple Pay everywhere, but when you do groceries in France and you want to be quick, big chance someone in front of you is paying with a cheque. Raar he?
Almost never use checks in the U.S. anymore. Though I admit 5 or so years ago I was still using them for bills. But now even though my supply of checks is almost run out, I never write checks anymore, so they haven't run out. Trump and Biden's silly briber... I mean stimulus checks don't come by check either. They go right to my bank account.
I'd say it's been well over a year since I used one. Maybe multiple years. I pay everything online now, preferably with credit card.
Well, Cheques (first the "bank cheque" and later "eurocheque" which does not mean it is in EURO, it was a system accepted across europe) were common for store purchaces here, but they never were common for other purposes as formally they were only valid when presented in-person. Still, sometimes they were mailed, but not to reputable companies like electricity companies.
They silently went out of use when payment terminals appeared everywhere.
I work at a dmv in the u.s. and any card transactions have an additional fee. Its a percentage, so if your total is 2000 dollars, you'd pay an extra 50 bucks or so just to use the card. We have a lot of people write checks to avoid this fee.
The same occurs with the credit card fee when paying property tax in my state. Property tax is one of the very few times I ever write a check. I only write two or three checks in a year.
In Belgium we had to pay an additional fee when you used checks because it required manual processing. All card transactions are free even credit cards payments in stores, you will pay only a small monthly administrative fee that's automatically deducted from your bank account and is about 5 dollars when you have a regular bank account.
Same in Germany. If you use online banking and tranfer money via your online account, it's free. Anything that needs to go through the hands of an actual person at a bank is costly.
I just discovered your videos about a week ago. You are engaging and interesting, so thanks. The fact that you have actually lived here for several years adds to the quality of your observations. You're qualified to make real comparisons. I'm of an older generation, so I know today you can do all of this on RUclips or in podcasts, but you deserve your own show on the Travel Channel.
I have to say, being served on paper and plastic in a quality hotel seems very odd. If the hotel has restaurants or its own dinning room, I would not expect paper and plastic. If had been your experience once I might think their industrial dishwasher was down but, that experience several times does not seem normal. That is what I would expect to experience with a courtesy breakfast at a motel along the interstate.
As a senior citizen I notice a lot of little things you describe more attributable to generational differences than being from another country. The checks and check writing is one of them. My generation used checks constantly and by the hundreds each month. I like it much better now and don't write hardly any checks ever anymore.
I'm from the same generation. I'm gradually switching over to electronic payment. The postal service is so poor, I've had bills get lost in the mail and incurred late fees. I've had a payment check get lost in the mail and payed to stop payment and a late fee.
.
Checks aren’t an “Ohio thing”. It’s all over the US thing. You can still sometimes see old grandmas using checks to pay for food in the grocery store.
Truth is, not everybody has a computer or smartphone.
I very, very rarely write checks. I pay my mortgage online, car tags online, use debit or credit cards for gasoline, groceries, almost everything. I don't even know which presidents are on what denominations. The only things I write checks for usually are my house insurance and my property tax, and the only reason I do that with my property tax is that they charge 3% extra for use of a credit or debit card on that. I can do a direct bank transfer e check on my property tax, but that's one thing I like to make sure it's done and get the receipt in hand in case of error. I go to the court house once a year to pay the property tax. My auto insurance premium is automatically taken out of my checking account every month.
So basically I write two or three checks in a year.
I work at a grocery store in PA. We still get older folks that write checks. About 2 people a day through my register use a check.
You can go shopping the night before your payday by paying with paper checks. lol So still use checks.
I still write one or two checks a month. I have bills, usually landlords or storage unit rentals, that won't take an electronic payment like a credit card or debit card. It is ether cash or check or a postal money order!
Old school gangster for writing checks. That’s funny
I did have a checkbook back when I was living in Dubai, fortunately, I never had to use it. Still have it lying around somewhere. The only checks I ever used were written by the bank itself and intended for a car dealership to pay for the car.
Writing checks are the only reason I still have for learning to write English in cursive. I have trouble remembering how to write a capital Q, and have to practice a few before writing a check to someone or some company who's name begins with q.😆
@@Hans-gb4mv Hory shet , we got a rich one, Dubai! What you need a car for, to drive back and forth to Abu Dhabi?
Yeah, I didn't know old school gangsters wrote checks. I thought they just robbed banks... And spun away in cars.
Old school gangster in the US is opening the suitcase full of cash. My last car dealer says its still done a lot to buy cars.
Feli - I think people could interpret there aren't "sporting" firearms present in Germany. In 1999, I had the opportunity to take the train between Ulm and Munich several days in a row. I was amazed at the number of deer stands - for hunting deer. I may not have seen them while driving due to speeds at which I drive keeping focus on the road. My friends in Ulm told me yes, hunting is very popular. Same thing where I lived in France - hunting popular but sporting firearms.
_Very popular_ is definitely not true. And in Germany you need a licence not just for your weapons, but also for the hunt itself.
On the other hand hunting deer and boar is necessity to regulate the population.
@@mariokringsIn every state in the United States a permit or (Hunting license) is also required. Each states regulations may differ as to what is required to obtain this license but they are still needed to hunt. Just like a concealed carry permit in most states is required to carry a concealed firearm. Again regulations from state to state differ, however these concealed carry permits (licenses) all require filling out paperwork and a criminal background check before those are granted.
Having lived in Germany, I can attest to their remarkable, and often very innovative construction.. This applies not only to homes, they build their roads with the same thoroughness. That's why their roads last.
Water filters depend on where you live. Some places have good tasting water, others are more heavily filled with minetals, etc. Also chlorine processing varies.
Agree! Denver, Colorado has very good tasting water in general without the need for filtering. However, not the case in the surrounding communities.
@@larryirons8746 i think that the west has better water than the east from my experience
@Badatallthis Stuff my water tastes really good and thats consistent around my state and neighboring states, while the states more east taste more like chemicals
@Badatallthis Stuff "most water"
The north west is laughing
Only place I've spent some time in the US was in Cleveland, Ohio and I didn't really enjoy the taste of tapwater there.
Feli. I pray your family and friends are safe during the floods in Bavaria right now 😔😔🙏🙏
There is no flood in or around Munich. We have a bit more rain than usual, but nothing to worry about. The disaster is happening in a few spots in the mountains. Please pray for the people there.
It's funny... This is international. My parents have called me once to see if I am OK in Atlanta after a several tornados in Kansas. Apart from that.... Flash floods are rare. I only ever experienced this once and it swept away some cars and flooded basements to the ceiling. One old lady in a basement died. But that was once about 30 years ago. Lets hope this is a one time thing too but I fear it is not.
@@roncenti Until now 159 fatalities in Germany; this number may still rise. But the problem is in a few spots only, where small rivers grew within a very short time to large torrents. Sometimes their level was 6 ft higher than ever before (and we measure since at least 100 years). In one place they had to open the exit of a reservoir to avoid damage to the dam, and this caused the flood. - The big rivers like Mosel, Rhine have high level but no danger of flooding. Where I live - 150 miles south of the damage area - we had nice sunshine the whole Sunday, and just some heavier rain on Thursday, but nothing uncommon.
Actually, North Rhine Westphalia, Rhineland Palatinate and Baden Württemberg currently have more problems with the flood than Bavaria.
@@DarthG3nesis Baden-Württemberg? - there was some minor damage in the area close to Lörrach on Thursaday, but noone injured. Today was sunshine. - While in Bavaria (Berchtesgadener Land) there is rain now, a lot more will follow tomorrow, major damage including at least one fatality.
Thanks for mentioning expressVPN, says this German living in the UK ☺️and I remember when we flew to Florida 3 years ago: Upon arrivel we went to a dollar shop first thing and got us some nice drinking glasses (which I still use) and glass plates and some metal cutlery before we bought food (among other places) from Mazzaro's Italian Market. Love your channel, Felicia and dass du "kein Blatt vor den Mund nimmst" 😉lol.
... arrival* ...
#9 is bizarre to me, too. I'm 75 (live in Utah) and have never seen paper plates used except at backyard gatherings, or for an extra large grouping of family, or while traveling (as in a picnic in the mountains). Any in home "sit down" meal is on real, hard dinnerware, glasses and "silver".
I just watched a video of yours where you answered questions in German with English sub titles..loved hearing you speak your native language!!!! I hope you will again soon...hooked on your videos !!
This is so interesting. We were actually scheduled to take our first trip to Europe early in 2020 when Covid canceled the whole trip. We are still anxious to experience different cultures ASAP.
Very funny and you're very upbeat and smiley about it all. Good on ya!
Thumbs up 😎
The great thing about the Euro area is the SEPA, providing standardized bank transfers and debit authorizations across countries, using the international IBAN for addressing. Thus both intra and cross border transfers are easy and possible without any other service, even though some online shops use third parties like klarna to implement it.
Please do a second part. I lived and went to highschool in the US for two years and can relate to almost all of your experiences. It's always nice watching your videos!
Thank you!
@@FelifromGermany Another thing. I've seen a few people say they are done watching your channel over your lack of support of our Bill of Rights, and it IS a lack of support of our rights. Gun ownership is so common here and people feel very strongly about it. And for everyone saying they will no longer watch your channel there are more who won't even though they aren't saying it. The same person who has been watching your channel and saying no more is also someone who might've bought some of your merchandise but now definitely will not.
@@Anon54387 Then they can go watch something else. I own over 20 myself but I'll say straight out that If their entire universe is defined by guns they are defective human beings.
@@JGW845 Not personally no. War is hell. This isn't exactly news. So what's your point?
@@petercollingwood522 Apologies. I intended to reply to Anon54387 but somehow it went to you. Please ignore.
I still think you're calling is in diplomatic service. You are committed to building warm and sincere relationships among people which the world is in great need of.
I think many grocery stores allow shopping late at night because they have people working there restocking anyway, so they might as well let a few people buy things.
Have an amazing rest of the week, take care and God bless you 🙏 😊
In NY we have the best tap water. It comes from nearby reservoirs. You can drink it from the faucet but many people will add a filter that attaches to the faucet to increase quality. As you said I also had refrigerator/ freezer with built in water/ice that come with their own filter.
Come to germany and taste some REALLY good water :D
Agreed, although I believe you are referencing New York City (not New York State) .
@@robertmonroe3678 In which case he should have said NY, NYS!
@@mannmanuel7762 NYC does have excellent tap water, better than Germany's IMO.
@@mannmanuel7762 One of the oddest bits of trivia about "filthy" New York City is that it has some of the best tap water in the entire world. And it arrives completely unfiltered. They've just got a really pristine water source from upstate. Much of the state shares that source as well.
Thanks for you fine video and your interesting observations. I grew up in Dayton Ohio, born there in 1953. Mein vater war in Bremen aufgewachesend und hat nach America ausgewandert in 1925, ab 15 jahre. He worked as a machinist and would take me along on trips to Sharonville and Cincinnati to machine shops and foundries where it was far more useful to speak German than English. There were so many German people in my life growing up in Dayton, and many German clubs and organizations. I learned a bit from my dad and opa, then a bit more wann inch war in Bamberg mit US Army, 1973 durch ‘75. (aber mein Deutsch it’s jetzt ganz eingerostet)! There was even an FM station in Cincinnati that broadcast “ The German Hour” hosted by Hermann the German. He played German music and announced where various clubs were holding dances, concerts, dinners and gatherings, Alles auf Deutsch. So, here I am at age 67 at home in Northern California having fun watching your fun and informative channel, and remembering German culture in Ohio 50 years ago. I also remember the many differences between American and German culture in 1973, some of which were baffling indeed.
Here in Adelaide, South Australia (which also has a high-level history of German-speaking migrants, mainly Prussian from before WW1) we also have a lot of chlorine in our water. However, anyone who doesn't like it only has to fill a large jug with water from the tap/faucet and, as long as the lid is left off, the chlorine will usually evapourate after about one hour.
Tap water quality varies a lot by region in the US. Here in western Washington, we get a lot of it from the Cascade mountain range, so it's of very high quality and filters are rarely used.
Ich komme aus einem Dorf in Deutschland. Die Läden schließen hier alle schon zwischen 18 und 19:30 Uhr. Samstags haben die oft nur den halben Tag offen, also schließen die dann meistens zwischen 12 und 14 Uhr. An Sonn- und Feiertagen sind die Läden komplett geschlossen 😅
Ja, als ich ein Kind war, war das bei mir zuhause auch noch so. Aber die Zeiten haben sich geändert und in den Städten ist es doch eher normal das die großen Supermärkte und Diskounter bis 20 Uhr offen haben. In Kärnten (Österreich) hab ich es sogar erlebt, das in den Sommermonaten die Supermärkte auch an Sonn- und Feiertagen offen haben. Wenn es ein Touristengebiet ist.
Aber wer 24/7 haben will, braucht eigentlich nur nach "Osteuropa", dort gibt es die UK-Kette Tesco. Ich war 2005 zum ersten mal mitten in der Nacht in Ungarn einkaufen. Und 2008 in Tschechien. Es sind aber nicht viele Kunden um die Uhrzeit unterwegs und in manchen Bereichen ist kein Personal anzutreffen zB. bei der Theke und Umkreidekabinen waren damals auch abgesperrt.
@@petergarber1423 ich habe mein ganzes Leben lang nur auf dem Dorf gewohnt, deswegen kenne ich das gar nicht, dass Läden abends oder Nachts noch so lange offen haben
Quality of tap water varies by region in the U.S., at times significantly. Here in Chicago suburbs, we get our water from Lake Michigan, which is excellent. In rural areas from a well, the water might need to be run through a water softener to remove minerals that can discolor white clothes in the wash, and perhaps the smell of sulfur.
I've learned recently that well water should also be tested for radioactivity. Sometimes there's an unknown natural deposit of uranium or some other radioactive mineral.
@@kylechalve Please, do not be paranoid. With modern lab equipment some substances can be traced in ridiculously miniscule amounts. So the substance is there but you'd need a dose hundred of thousands times as big as was found of it to cause any effect. Which is the case for uranium.
You may not have ever used a water filter in Germany, but Brita is actually a German company.
Wikipedia says : "Brita GmbH is a German company which manufactures water filters. The company headquarters are in Taunusstein near Wiesbaden in Hesse, Germany. Manufacturing facilities are in China, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and the United Kingdom.[ Brita products are distributed in 69 countries." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brita_(company)
I lived in France 10 years ago and they use checks similar to US checks.
I just discovered your channel a day or two ago and have really been enjoying it. I spent nearly 4 years in Germany while I was in the US Army from 1991 - 1995. I started in Frankfurt am Main (Höchst) and my unit moved to Kitzingen about a year after I arrived. I did find some of the differences quite striking. I will say that I was surprised to hear you say that a higher end hotel served a meal on paper plates. I've not encountered that before. As for tap water, I happen to have a deep well rather than municipal water, so I don't have that issue.
I lived in Germany from 1962-65 (about 30 years before this guy I'm poaching on (I'm bald, too!). Never got that fluent. Rare to find a German who could n ot get by in English (much English-language media then). Giessen, Frankfurt, Babenhausen, Darmstadt. Hard to practice your German on folks who wanted to practice their English on you...sigh...
This story goes back to 2001. I was going to attend a conference in Melbourne, Australia, and stay in university housing. They would only accept payment by check. I had to find the one bank in my area that offered foreign bank drafts. This means that they wrote a check for me from an Australian bank, denominated in Aussie dollars. I had to bring in enough cash to cover the amount of the check plus a fee. Then I had to put enough postage on an envelope to mail the check to Australia. A credit card would have been much easier.
Damn
Yes, very annoying.
@Brent Lofgren: twenty years on you would find it very different in Australia. I haven’t written a cheque (sorry, I have to spell it this way) in a decade. It’s all direct debit, automatic payment, B-Pay (like PayPal for banks) etc. You’re actually more likely to find that rental payments are only acceptable in some form of electronic transfer, not cash or cheques.
@@Barrysautospares Cheque is actually the way it is is written.
@@antonboludo8886 Check!!!!
9: The family a friend of mine stayed at in the US would get take out food, put it on a one-time use tablecloth (paper), add some plastic cutlery and then eat. Afterwards, grab the 4 corners of the paper, bundle everything up (often including leftovers), and just throw this whole thing into the bin. Every freaking day. And it was 100% normal to them. This REALLY freaked me out! And I'm not even some hardcore environmentalist, just casually aware as you are. Or so I thought.
That isn't normal. It costs too much.
@@court2379 This was ~20y ago. Maybe pricing has changed, or the family was wealthy enough to just not care.
@@fonkbadonk2957 I don't think so. It has been more expensive to use disposable dinnerware for as long as I can recall (at least 30yrs). It just takes less effort to clean up, so of your live a life in a hurry or are lazy and have the money I guess spend the extra. Most only use it when it would be inconvenient to use normal ware, like when traveling, camping, a picnic, when away from home, having large parties where you might not have enough normal ware, etc..
I believe the US does use it more than others though. It's just not the normal everyday method for most people.
@@fonkbadonk2957 I've seen that in Puerto Rico (US territory) not so long ago. It was nuts.
No, that’s weird. I literally don’t know anyone who doesn’t use normal ceramic plates and metal cutlery in day-to-day use.
The best tap water that I've ever drank was when I went to Europe (Norway, Denmark, Germany). I guess that glacier / snow water really is the best. Here in Florida our tap water comes from springs (if you're lucky), wells, rivers, or now desalinated ocean water. I wont drink our tap water without a filter.
In my country it's mostly mountain spring water, and that thing tastes like heaven. You'd be an idiot to drink bottled crap here.
The paper plate thing is a mystery to me, too, and I’ve seen it forever. Great video. Every time I look at one of your videos it convinces me more and more, that I would make a wonderful German lol
Yes, please. Do a part two. I love your energy in this video.
Ahh, Bavaria. I was in the US Army and stationed just outside of Ansbach from 93-96. Loved it.
I was stationed in Ansbach in 89-91... I too loved it, would love to go back.
Lot to love in Bavaria! My father is from there, both of my parents are German.
grocery shops in austrian villages are normally open from 8am to 12pm and from 2pm to 5pm on weekdays (mon-fri) and on saturdays only 9am to 12pm
In Louisiana as a kid stores were all closed on Sunday, I remember when that changed in the 1980's.
When turning right on red, most importantly, look for pedestrians!
Yes for a part two. :)
Although we know about most of the little differences, it’s entertaining to learn what YOU have experienced.
When i grew up stores in Germany closed at 6 pm during the week and 2 pm on Saturdays. Sunday has always been closed.
Nowadays in my state (Hesse) supermarkets have to close at midnight, but most close already at 10 pm. (Monday till Saturday)
Sundays it's still closed. But unlike when I was a child, nowadays you can get everything you would need at airports, train stations and filling stations. The law except those places, because they sell _Reisebedarf_ (travel supplies). The understanding of this term however changed a lot.
40 years back it was possible to buy light bulbs, wipers, motor oil, magazines, ice cream, drinks and food like meatballs or sausages. Today you get everything imaginable. They present themselves like mini-supermarkets and look more or less like those in the US.
Hello. I'm new to your channel and this video left me in laughter over the "Writing of checks". I'm 73 years old and have worked with, in and around computers since the 1960's so as society progressed into the era of debit cards and online banking, I transitioned with great ease. When you spoke of writing checks, I took a moment to think about the last time I wrote a check and as far as I can remember, my last check was written in the early 1980's as a down payment on a home. My expenses are all paid through my bank (electronic transfer) each month, however, a couple of the payments are still doing business by the "Old School" method so my bank cuts them a check every month and the funny thing is that these two businesses expend the time and postage mail me a hand written receipt every month. I still keep a small amount of cash on hand but suffice it to say, I seldom have to replenish that supply of cash. Sounds like I would adapt fairly easily in Germany LOL.
Large cities in America are much different than rural areas in terms of business hours.
Very true. I’m from LA and say, Target for instance, is open till midnight.
Where I'm from, we call the rural area business hour limitation as "rolling up the sidewalks after [x] PM".
Yes, do a part two, always very enjoyable.
Loved the video!
Please make a part two. This video was interesting
Really surprised how much Australia is more like Germany than USA in all these ways!
It's crazy how much America varies. I grew up in Oregon (west coast), moved to Arkansas (part of the south), and now live in Germany. In my experience Germany and oregon are way more similar than oregon and arkansas were even tho they were both in the US.
I was just thinking exactly the same thing, until we got to the "turn right on red" item. But then again I'm from Melbourne where we do hook turns... ;-) I mean, using cheques? What the hell? And drive through ATMs? American banking seems weird.
@@juthan0 NSW has right turn on red when there's a sign permitting it, like Germany.
I think they've taken the fun out of hook turns with all their extra signs now! :-)
@@peterwilliams6289 What is a hook turn?
@@NadaEspamo It's to keep cross-turning traffic clear of tram tracks that run down the middle of the road. Keep in mind we drive on the left. To make a right turn, you pull all the way over to the left (!) and wait there until the lights on the road you're turning into go green. Then you make your right turn from the extreme left side of the road. Here's a short video: ruclips.net/video/Yh92LirlCf8/видео.html
I've seen motorbikes do something similar in Taiwan, so they don't get knocked over in the middle of frantic intersections.
The little green arrow sign for German traffic lights, that makes you turn right on red is much more common in East Germany. It didn't exist in West Germany before the reunification of Germany happened in 1990 and was adapted to the Germany traffic law.
This sign does exactly work like in the US. You are supposed to drive to the stop line, wait a few seconds and check visually, if you can go and nobody is on that path with priority. If everything is clear, you are allowed to drive. I wonder if Feli knows that, because of her strange comment on how you are supposed to deal with it in the US. Did make it sound for me, like you can just turn right on red in Germany without stopping. That wouldn't be the case.
Interesting!
Can you turn left on red in Germany? Here in some areas if the red arrow is flashing you come to a complete stop, and if the intersection is clear you can turn left just like you would making a right turn on red.
The check thing is something that surprised me as well when I moved from Germany to France. Big thing there, even when paying in supermarkets.
Checks are definitely uncommon nowadays, but still a bit too common for my tastes.
Very similar to what Feli said, at my first apartment, they not only required checks for rent, but I had to mail it (despite the office being in the same development).
One thing that baffled me while staying at a roadside motel in Iowa was an automatic pancake machine at breakfast. Before going there I didn't even know such a machine exists.
I don’t know what that is…but now I want one.
as somebody from the US, I never heard of that either and now I also want one lol
I think you mean a waffle maker, not a pancake maker.
@@iluvmusicals21 they also have pancake ones, they are interesting to watch, the ones ive seen, dont see them often, but you basically pour the batter on a small conveyor that cooks it and puts it out. lol :)
@@iluvmusicals21 No it was definitely a pancake maker.
Im in the Pacific Northwest and most of what she talks about isnt that common out here. But Im originally from the Midwest where what she says brings back memories.
Maybe that's why so much of this video sounds so strange to me. Maybe they're Midwestern things...?
Yess PNW yayy
I moved to Ohio for undergrad, I had culture shock after growing up in California.
As she said in another video she moved to the US at age 22. She speaks perfect English, like a native. It makes me be sure how age is an important factor in language learning. By the age of 20 it is easier to acquaint the language and learn to speak it fluently as the brain assimilates everything almost automatically. After 30, the memory is no longer the same and to learn it needs to be dedicated, as the assimilation of the language is not so automatic and is almost impossible to speak without accent. After 40 you need to pay more attention to the speech of others, read a lot, watch TV in the new language and it is not so easy to memorize the words in another language even if you hear them many times.
Part of it is whether one stays in the habit of learning after one gets out of school or not. People that stay in a habit of learning can readily learn things later in life.
Most Germans start to learn English in 3rd grade. I came to the US from Mannheim, Germany in 1984 at the age of 18 and already spoke English fluently as well.
@@Siggy4844 Nowadays it's even common to learn English in kindergarten already. In a playful manner of course. Most Germans have an advanced level of English when they leave school. After school there is often a lack of practical exercise.
Wow, great video. You made me think about my time at Ramstein AFB.
Here in The Netherlands I’ve been to many catered BbQ’s where we had real dishes, silverware and glasses. No plastic or paper… it was a BBQ for 100 people… And that’s pretty normal here.
It definitely tastes better on real dishes in my opinion!
Exactly. You can just rent tablewear at rental companies lol.
Key word - catered! YOU don't have to do the dishes!!
@@ekim049 even bbq’s with 20 people that wasn’t catered. Here it’s completely normal using paper (or worse, plastic) plates and utensils. Either use real plates and silverware, or don’t throw a BBQ, parry or whatever! Not when you’re around here.
I'm 37, and I still have my original checkbooks from when I got my account when I was 16. They are the only checks that I've ever used. So it's not like using checks is super common here either, at least not everywhere.
The guy next to you at the range may have been military. His haircut certainly seemed to fit, and he was firing what looked to be an assault rifle at a human-shaped target. If he was indeed military, he's got a good reason for doing it.
Shooting at a human shaped target does not mean one is set to actually go out and shoot humans. I think her reaction there was an emotional one, TBH.
Exactly...it is way less common today for people in the US to use checks. It depends on where you live. They are some small Southern states (in particular) that are behind.
When we visited the US for the first time I guess one of the strangest things were crossings with 4 stop shields. When I visited the US later together with my boyfriend, he did not believe me until he saw one himself 😆
They don't have crossroads that aren't circles where you're from? The 4 way stop sign has each driver taking turns, typically starting from the right. A lot of these are being replaces with circles.
Please Feli make as of these as you can I just love you and I can’t believe just how precious you are Steven Mills
I think you may have misunderstood the reason behind people saying "let me take you to the gun range." It was not likely meant to insinuate you're incapable of going to a range to go shooting. (Anyone who follows you ought to know someone strong enough to move across the world and start a life in a foreign country can certainly figure out how and where to do shoot a gun.)
Within the gun community, at least in the shooting sports community, we prefer to introduce someone to shooting in a very controlled manner and environment stressing safety, proper grip, trigger discipline, stance, etc... We like to teach about gun safety and responsible use of firearms as part of the introduction. Just going to a range, picking up and shooting a gun, while legal, isn't a proper introduction to responsible use of firearms.
That being said, even if we don't see eye to eye on gun control, I am glad you were open minded about it and went an experienced it firsthand. I just wish you had done so with an experienced firearms person or instructor to have a proper introduction.
I’ve noticed many Gun control opinions neglect answering how they will stop a criminal with a gun.
@@enfynet I think we assign this to the Police or other officially body, how right war one and make everything that thy are not use it. We want not that it be a contest who have the big, the most or shoot first.
@@enfynet I think it is sort of a chicken/egg problem ... the more access to guns is restricted the harder it is for criminals to get their hands on them either => less armed criminals lowers the need to carry defensive arms. The challenge would be to find a way to break this cycle since criminals probably won't be the first ones dropping their guns just because of possible new restrictions ;)
From an non-US perspective the whole debate about gun control seems to be taken way too personal and emotional in the US - I recall some weird discussion about why assault rifles are called assault rifles since they are mainly used for defensive purposes while hand guns are used by criminals for real assaults ... as if renaming things would solve any problems ... completely ignoring the facts that perfoming any crime needs some level of concealment where rifles are just impractical and defense benefits from having something to show off :D ...
@@andreasbraess3759 your assumption is that police will arrive in time to make a difference. Plenty of the US has extremely limited law enforcement.
Also, some parts of the U.S. the only gun ranges that are nearby are private clubs (must be accompanied by a club member to go there, and be sponsored by a current club member to join). Or there may not even be any sanctioned range nearby at all, so sometimes "going to the gun range" means going to someone's ranch (private property, so by invitation only) or to some informally designated location out in the public woodlands that is "open secret" to the locals, but otherwise doesn't have any public information on how to get there.
we definitely need a part 2!
As far as I know (and I do it every month) you can send payments from your online bank account anywhere. It can be a real or electronic check or money transfer
With regard to VPN's, you can also save money using TOR which usually ends up using a server in Europe. TOR jumps from several different severs in order to hide your IP address which tells the internet where you are searching from. It is also autonomous which means your search data is not tracked. TOR is free and updated frequently. TOR stands for The Onion Router which means it uses TOR servers around the world like the inner peelings of an onion.
I've never been to Germany but have been to Ireland and UK and but I can understand how differences can bring you closer to the people and natives you are involved with and it's fun talking about the differences.
I agree
It might be because I don't watch enough of Felicia's videos but, I often find her openness refreshing.
The gun issue i kinda agree but you have to take into account that pretty much every crime committed with a gun, the guns themselves were acquired illegally that’s why you call them criminal. I’m from the Philippines who is now residing in the US, and i wish we have the same gun culture as the US because no matter how “strict” gun control we have in the Philippines it doesn’t deter criminals from committing said crime.
If that is true, how come countries that used to have relaxed gun control laws, but later changed them, like for example Australia, saw a massive decrease in then umber of gun related violence and most importanly deaths after they got strict on guns?
In the small town I grew up in Mountain View Missouri most stores close at 5 PM And are closed on Sunday. Walmart however is open till about 8 PM and is also open on Sunday.
There are gas stations that are also open 7 days a week. One of Mountain View gas stations never close.
I used to shoot all the time when I was in Germany. There was a neat little range not far from Ansbach.
The best thing about drive through ATM is the Braille on the ATM keys... Apparently blind people are driving cars to the ATM in America...
I used to work for an ATM maker. It's a standard feature on all machines. And it's by law regulated that they have to have it. You can walk up to them and use them. They get fined if the audio guide is not working.
🤣
NY stories. I got a good laugh out of that one.
Why would they make an ATM specific for the drive through ones instead of just using a normal ATM? Seems like an unnecessary extra cost.
There was a news story here in Louisville about people who had statutory blindness but kept renewing driver licenses to use as a photo ID The DMV didn't seem to care.
I still write about 3 checks a year mainly for taxes. My parents still won’t use credit cards so they will go grocery shopping with cash or if it’s big enough stand there writing a check and you can hear the groans of people standing behind them as it does take a few minutes to fill it out.
I live in Canada, we have drive through for many things before drive thru fast food restaurants.
For example, buying gas you drive right to the pump and their is a small booth were a gas attendant would pump your gas and collect payment. Drive through beer stores. Drive up to the window, hand them any empty beer bottles as you get payment for returning them, tell the attendant what kind of beer and the quantity, then drive up to the next window were you grab your beer (our beer is always kept in coolers) and pay for the beer. Any return comes off your bill. FYI if you have recently had a house party, it is customary to leave your bottles for your host. So if you have a large amount of returns and you just want to purchase a 24 of beer (a case of 24 bottles of beer) you may not have to pay anything for the beer and not only that, they give you money back sometimes as much as 10 to 20 dollars.
As soon as their were debit cards, drive through atms were everywhere. Some cities had them later removed from certain areas as there were too many incidence of people chaining up the atm and pull it off with their trucks. True story. Most atms are not freestanding anymore most are attached to buildings for you to drive up to. There are other examples but these are the ones we had in the 1980s or earlier.
Why so many drive through options?
- 35 to - 40 degrees in the winter, need I say more. :)
I'd do my best to not go anywhere on a night that is 40 degrees below zero. But I live in a climate where 28F is a cold night.
In Switzerland guns are also a lot more common and every swiss person has one at home ( but not the ammo which is kinda weird and funny ).
The difference is : They learned it in the army and learned how dangerous guns areafter the army they are allowed to keep them. Not every idiot can buy one.
And when was Switzerland last invaded or oppressed by a dictator? That is why the US has the 2nd amendment and that there are more guns than people in the US. Enough for every man, woman, child and baby.
@@JustMe-fz7xn When was the USA last invaded or oppressed by a dictator?
Not everyone in Switzerland, but people who serve in the Swiss army are required to store their gun at home, in a locked closet, without the ammo. And there have been several attempts at banning these weapons from homes.
No ammo makes sense. You'll be issued it if you need it. I get the sense that Swiss feel more comfortable if someone brings a fully automatic rifle onto the city tram because they know that person is trained - as opposed to me if someone were to bring one on to the Portland MAX city train. I would be very nervous because of the crazy gun culture in America and lack of universal mandatory gun safety training. I am speaking as someone who served in the US Military for 5 years, had a mandatory hunter safety course at 14 in Oregon, and earned a Marksmanship ribbon. I don't own a gun - I don't see a reason for it.
@@DontPanick January 6th, 2021.
Until about 1985 or so, check writing was way more common than now in the U.S. My 80+ year old mom proudly writes checks for most everything. I write an average of less than one check per year.
Making a right turn on a red traffic light is not generally allowed anywhere in Europe, not just Germany. This is because most traffic signals were installed long after the cities were built and so it is not possible to verify for conflicting traffic because the buildings are in the way. That is, there almost always restricted visibility at European intersections.
Right on red is forbidden within the City of New York (all 5 boroughs) , unless there's a sign saying it's allowed.
The thing that got me more surprised in my first months in the USA, was how casual people dress at work. In my country of origin I was used to wear a suit and tie for office work, except on Fridays, where we could wear polo shirts or a regular shirt with no necktie. (It might not help that I came to work in California).
The first time I was walking toward the office building, I heard a loud voice shouting my name. From the other side of the building, another person who I knew before working here, and he was working at this same company called me and I was wondering how he identified me from such distance so quick. Later I realized I was easy to detect, because I was the only one dressed formal. Casual Fridays at that company included Jeans and regular t-shirts, something that was a no-no in my previous work.
When I went to a bank to open an account to deposit my salary, the account manager was a lady wearing jeans with holes in them and a wrinkled shirt, I was doubting if she even worked at the bank. Apparently that year, holes in the jeans and wrinkled shirts were the style for the influential people in California, so the account manager was apparently, at the top of her game in Casual Saturdays at the bank.
California does tend to be more casual than many other states.
Your comment on the use of checks is correct. I get frustrated at times because I can’t send money to a friend unless I use a check or something like Zelle. I have a checking account and write about 5-6 checks A YEAR!
I haven't written a check in decades. Our rent is paid in cash, paychecks are direct deposit and most bills paid online. For transfers between family and friends we use CashApp. I mostly pay with debit/credit card to buy stuff in stores or online. Sometimes I use cash in local stores.
Getting my popcorn ready for the comments about #7 hahaha
Thanks for explaining the thing with the houses.
I've always wondered how there can be such big holes so easily when they like only "touch" it in movies... it feels like it'd be paper watching it. 😂
Hahaha. I just moved from Canada to Austria. And it’s funny to see these things you noticed versus what I noticed when moving the other direction. 😂 (or course different countries but both have many similarities to your counterparts)
What's really great is going to the grocery store at 2:00 am Sunday, July 4th.
I'm 74 and bought my first gun about 8-9 years ago. My first trips to the range were with well-versed, competent teachers of the practice of owning and using a weapon. One of the first things I was taught was the establishment of a routine - a safe routine. That was followed by the insistence on becoming familiar but absolutely not complacent with that weapon, regardless of the routine and familiarity - in fact, perhaps because of the the routine and familiarity. My weapon teacher/mentor is also my good friend - my good Austrian friend - who has also tried to teach us German. He has also taught us there are generally two purposes in owning and discharging a firearm. First, is target shooting. And, while target shooting can be fun, it's primary function is safety and proficiency. That brings us to the second purpose - self defense. Most of us will never have to aim and fire at a person. But, if the time comes, we should be proficient. We should have thought through the process long ago against the day it is required. But, those targets you disliked are also used to teach us. Also there are some who advocate shooting to wound when that awful time comes., Shooting to wound is exactly what a gun owner should not do. In fact, that would simply cause even more shooting and becomes an even more dangerous situation. Shooting should be the absolute last resort. And, if you are not prepared to shoot to definitively end the threat, then buy a new pair of shoes instead - seriously. Gun ownership is an awesome responsibility. Like owning and driving a car - another dangerous weapon when used improperly - we're finding that neither are for everyone. Would that many car owners and drivers understood that circumstance better. Your attitude on the subject sounds healthy.
My first shooting experience was when I was 11 years old as a Boy Scout at summer camp, Camp Sequassen in Ct. My step-father took me out to shoot clay pigeons at about 14. My next experience was when I served in the Air Force for 20 years as a Security Police technician. I learned how to shoot various weapons. Some for daily use, such as the M-16 and the .38 revolver. Also learned how to shoot an M-79 I think it was called, it could fire 40mm rounds. We transitioned to the Beretta M-9 in the mid 80's. Retired in 95, then worked for the Navy as a civilian police officer and carried the M-9 there until we transitioned to the Sig P-226. I worked at a gun store for close to a year, and bought several guns over the years.
You are right, gun safety is the primary focus when carrying a gun. Remember the 4 gun safety rules and you should never have a problem. A gun is just a tool, that you use properly. I have been a CCW holder since 1996 and still carry today. I don't show off or brag about it. I only mention it now, because we have a Constitutional right to own and carry a gun for self defense. We also have a right not to own or carry a gun if we so choose. I applaud Felicia for at least going to a range and shooting. I hope whoever took her took great care in explaining gun safety rules to her and checked to be sure she understood them, and corrected her if she became distracted as to keeping the barrel down range. That she still has a fear of guns and wants to restrict them more, on that last point, I respectfully have to disagree. But, that too is her right to feel that way. I still enjoy watching her videos and her explanations about the difference between Germany and the US. Very enlightening. And while Germany may not be much of a gun culture now, pretty sure it was more of a gun culture before WW I and WWII.
I’m so glad you mentioned the tampons! I would have been so confused seeing tampons without an applicator in Europe. But I totally agree about the applicator being wasteful. I wish the U.S. would take notes.
The applicator is very necessary for some of us. But I am totally in favor of there being both types available.
The UK has always had them, think you can get both types.
The US has had a well known non-applicator brand for years -- 'OB' -- since the 80s. There are other organics brands without applicator as well - Natura and Seventh Generation and so on. Yes, some need the applicator, some don't.
@@sadee1287, o.b. is actually a German brand, established in the fifties (though owned by Johnson & Johnson now). The abbreviation means "ohne Binde" = "without pad". "O.b." ist often used as a generic term for any tampon in Germany.
I had the same experience as Feli as a German exchange student in the 90s in the US. But without the internet or the courage to ask anyone about those strange contraptions! They really should have told the girls about that. It was also shocking how expensive tampons were back then compared to home. So I bought the cheap ones which probably did not help. I never got comfortable using the applicators during my time is the US.
Something you said in passing caught my interest - you mentioned getting paid once per month. I've only heard of that once in my adult life. Every other job I've had or heard about got paid twice per month, and when working through a staffing agency as a temporary employee, it was once per week. I think I would quite like getting paid once per month and knowing exactly how much I'm going to have for the month to pay all my bills in one instance.
I'm impressed with your English without an accent pretty rare moving here from a different area
I have the bank that does my mortgage take it out directly from my checking account (I own a two bedroom condo outside of Cincinnati but on the Kentucky side of the river), but I provide them with my checking account information and they take it out. When I was a landlord, I accepted cash, as my tenants preferred cash payments. I now live with my sister, and with utilities, I’ve noticed there is an option to pay via credit/debit card online (however, please don’t pay with a credit card, as interest can be as high as 23%).
I put all my gas and groceries on the credit card and pay the credit card off every month and don't get charged interest. Credit cards are useful but you have to be diligent and disciplined with money. If that's not you then you can get into trouble. Also, for every $5000.00 I charge on the card $50 is deposited in my savings account.
I use my bank's bill pay for my mortgage and utilities. I do like direct deposit but I don't like automatic withdrawals. Everything that gets paid out, I like to manually do the transaction. I feel that it keeps me aware of what I'm paying for every month. I've got a spreadsheet that I use to track my expenses and deposits and plenty in my checking account. At the end of the month, if it tells me that my spending outpaced my income I make damn sure that I know why and that I take steps to recover it in the future. Anything over and above a predetermined balance in the checking account is put in my savings. If I want to take a vacation or indulge in a "want" instead of a "need" I treat my savings account like a credit card. I set up a payment schedule and charge myself 10% interest. It took me years to wise up and do this. I wish I had done it in my 20's. If I did at 57 I would have been retired now.
Out on the rural areas, you will see or hear people shooting outside in their yards.
I've shot squirrels out my back door before.
@@tomgallier7245 what sort of calibre do you need to shoot squirrels?
@@charlestaylor9424 22 caliber. However, you should be responsible and know what is in the direction you are shooting like parks, houses, stores, etc because the 22 can travel up to a mile if you miss.
Stop murdering squirrels.
@@charlestaylor9424 I had a 22, but I usually hunted squirrels with a 20 gauge or 16 gauge shotgun. Out the back door was always done with a shotgun.
In most states in Germany its pretty legal to open stores 24hrs from Monday to at least Friday. Only Sundays and on public holidays it's mandatory to close the stores (except from stores in train stations, airports, and gas stations) by law. In some states there are reduced opening times on Saturdays. Several stores tested late night shopping or 24hrs-shopping, but most of them discontinued it, because there was not enough request.
On the other side, its possible in most states open stores on sundays occasionally. There's a limitied opportunity to do so. This "open sundays" are quite popular. Cause they are something special. Mostly they are in connection with festivals, fairs or they extend opening times for christmas shopping. If there is an "open sunday" usualy there are special offers, raffles and often a special program with music, shows and presentations.
Yes but she is right with Bavaria. They have to close at 8pm. And if you ask me that's long enough. A few years ago the stores closed before 7pm!
Very interesting stuff! Great vid! I was in Bavaria staying at Hohenfels Army Base. I got to travel to Munich and visit the Olympic area and saw an Elvis statue. It really surprised me to see an Elvis statue like that in Germany.I had no idea that was statue was there or the space needle looking tower (which I took the elevator up and saw the BMW museum). I did get to visit the BMW museum. This is more like a reverse: things I had never done until visiting Germany. I was able to take the train all the way to my destination and some friendly locals had some beer and shared it with me. That's right, I had never had beer on the train! Never happened to me before or a two-level train either. I had only been on rail system in San Francisco or the Elevated train in Chicago both of which looked like they were falling apart compared to the modern or very well kept German trains. I had never had a Gyro before, let alone one that was just available to order nearly everywhere. What German or European foods do you miss? I did have a Gyro from a street vendor in New York City but Germany was my first. I had my first taste of absinthe Germany as a store dedicated to it in Nuremberg. I had only heard about absinthe's existence in movies. But, to think that an entire store dedicated to it was mind blowing.
The food was the best thing about Germany for me everywhere I went. Granted I am a foodie but as far as Army Bases go they had the best food at Hohenfels.
Growing up in that area, how often did you run into US Military personnel? How much American influence was noticeable for you in that area? The Elvis statue for instance was a shock to me. Elvis was big, but I didn't know that he was internationally big like that. Isn't it strange that the US has military bases around the world but other countries don't have military bases here (in the US)?
Years ago in Austria (I think Germany too) all stores closed at noon on Saturday. Still all are closed on Sunday.
I LOVE doing my grocery shopping late at night! Less people and it definitely feels different. Tap water is a weird thing... I agree with everyone else, it really does depend on the region. I live in a rural community in the southern US and a lot of us have well water attached to our homes instead of "city" water.
Yeah, the city of Tyler, TX has an excellent water system. But I moved to the edge of town, and now I get water from the nearby small town. So I have to use a filter.
16:06 In East Germany it was standard to turn right when red light and changed in the mid 1970's to the use of the extra sign.
Maybe 10 years ago I got a check from my insurance company. I thought it was just advertising and almost threw it away. First check in my entire life and I didn’t knew what to do :D
Because I wasn't a customer of any of the locals banks (and they did not accepted checks if you where not) I had to drive to another city to cash it in.