Anton Boludo she is from the french part of Switzerland so would have been taught German in school as the first national language. In the italian and german part they are taught french alongside english.
I've been living in Berlin for over 40 years and I love it. But I so agree with you...100%. Ecxept about being dirty. I don't think it's that much. And I don't consider Graffity as dirt. Many of them are even art.
Alright, I watched the video because it popped up in my feed and being born in Berlin and living here for almost all the time of my life, I'll comment your points from a "Berliner" perspective: 1) Bureaucracy: Yes, it's stressfull if you don't speak German, you'll need someone who helps you with it. Sometimes Germans themselves don't get it. You'll get used to it though quite quickly though. 2) Dirt: Depends hugely where you live in this city. Some districts are rather unpleasent, but if you consider the parts of Berlin outside the S-Bahn-Ring a city as well (which they are), you'll may change your view. Most of the time it's really, really clean. And don't forget the more official sites of Berlin with museums and ministeries. These are spotless. The Ubahn is no exception from this, it really depends on the area. Get out of the late night districts and it's a very different story. Generally speaking, Berlin is really clean in my opinion. 3) Rude people: That's just plain wrong, I'm sorry. Berliners are often not rude, but more direct, which may come of as rude, but it's never personal. We just don't like dancing around the hot pot. If you're not a German speaker by nature, it may depend, but I made the experience that the major part of Berliners are normal city people - each to his/her own business. Most of them are really helpful fi you're nice to them, again this hugely depends on the area you life in from my point of view at least. 4) The language: Well, that's just personal preference. If you move abroad, you'll have to deal with another language. If you don't like German, that's not the issue of Berlin. When I lived in Warsaw for a few months, I tried to learn Polish asap and mostly got great responses from people I didn't even knew briefly. I guess the same applies to this city, please don't expect to not have to learn German. The arrogancy of many people that come here and expect not to have to speak German is just annoying, it's not their own place. 5) The Weather: It's just what you're used to. But Berlin in the summer is one of the most beautiful capitals in Europe, and I've been to a lot of them. There's so much to do outside, parks, lakes, recreational activities, there are endless possibilities. We didn't have had proper snow in the last few years, so rain might be the only complaint, but it's not especially much. Except if you're from California I guess. 6) Nature: Well, it's a city, what did you expect? Besides that, Berlin has so many parks, almost every road is lined with trees, and you've got many lakes to swim in. Riding around with a bike is just so nice because of those aspects. Personally, I don't consider this a valid point. 7) The rules: This is one of the huge stereotypes which float around, and in my opionion it's by far no reality. People regulary cross the road on red lights if there are no cars around, speed limits are a mere recommendation, and so on. Second row parking is a mess, and the laws that are important are the same as in many other countries. Berlines especially are quite lax regarding rules. 8) Customer service: There's a saying in German which roughly translates to: You'll receive the echo of what you said immediatly (Es schallt raus wie's reinschallt). Customer service is annoying if you treat people disrespectful. I'm not saying that you do that, I have no clue about that, but if you complain about no English service in a German speaking country, that's (again, as mentioned above), your issue. The package delivery though sucks ass, you're right. But please consider that most of the delivery guys are just majorly stressed out and work 12hour shifts to get your Prime delivery to you asap. Just give them a break, it's a fucked up business. So in conclusion, I guess most of it boils down to your personal preference, which is obvious because the video is about 8 things YOU hate. But somethings are just a little bit too harsh and more of an issue on your behalf than on the Berlin side. The great thing about this city is that almost everyone can make it his or her place, regarding to what is important to you. My personal suggestion is, that if you learn German properly, to move to a place a little bit more outside of the city centre. With a good connection by public transport, close to half of your issues will simply vanish. I didn't take this video personally, and living here most of my life gives me another perspective, that's for sure. I'll just wanted to make a few things clearer that may turn off some people from getting here. Berlin is not for everyone, but if you get over some things you're used to from your hometown and get used to a broader perspective of different realities in a place which holds 4 million people, it's lovely. Berlin for me is sometimes literally hate love. And that's my it'll always hold a special place in my heart.
"The arrogancy of many people that come here and expect not to have to speak German is just annoying, it's not their own place." Since when do you own the city of Berlin and you are gonna define that?Does it say in the state law that people who come to live in Berlin are obligated to speak german?? It is up to someone who lives here if they want to learn the language or not..and when it is forced to them, that is plain arrogancy not the other way around!
du hast so recht mit deinem kommentar! wie oft stößt man im internet auf leute, die in andere länder ziehen und nicht mal auf die idee kommen, die sprache zu lernen! das würde ich machen, noch bevor ich hinziehe! nirgends kann man erwarten, dass alle englisch können. surreal.
I know a girl from south america, she spoke spanish and english only before she moved to Berlin. It took her just 1 year learning german in Germany and now she is absolutely fluent in speaking german.. so obviously there are big differences in skills people have by learning another language. As I saw proofed german can not be so hard to learn if she managed it in just one year..
Ich habe in Paris gelebt und war oft in London und dort war es vieel schmutziger als in Berlin. Berlin ist soo eine große Stadt und dafür finde ich es sehr sauber. Graffiti ist an sich ja kein Schmutz, manche mögen es, manche nicht aber es gehört halt dazu.
Graffity ist schmutz, ob man es mag oder nicht. Wenn ich mit nem Edding auf Eigentum von dir rum Kritzel kann ich ja auch nicht sagen "Das ist noch ok, manche mögens, manche nicht" :D
I am German and annoied by paperwork, the GEZ and rude people... love the Graffitis in Berlin, though... And Germans don‘t understand Germans (too many dialects) :-D
agree to everything being said in the video. I've been living in Berlin for more than 10 years. I will add another point here and the comments under this video only prove it to be right. Germans love rules and also if you don't stick out, say your opinion, have your own mind. Even here in the comment section some are not ok with this girl having here OWN, PERSONAL opinion on living in Berlin. Why you germans care so much about other peoples opinions, way of expressing thoughts and emotions that don't allign with yours, you always have to deevaluate someones experiences if they don't happen to be just like yours.
Ha! Sorry but Berlin is one of the greenest cities I’ve been to! Ever been to NY? Been to Paris? Compared to Berlin it feels like other cities don’t have any green at all. I think you’re really doing Berlin injustice here
Been here for 3 years and have some to add: 1. Demonstrations and strikes. Protesting is a huge thing here, honestly if you check around the city at least once a week there is one. This complicates movement around the city ESPECIALLY when BVG is on strike. 2. If you are allergic or have a fear of dogs - then bad news...people let their dogs roam without leashes when they take them on walks. They are insanely well trained but when the dogs run into each other - they likely might fight. They are widely disregarded and just accepted as a normal thing to be in public places you wouldn’t normally see them say - in the USA. 3. This is my last but it’s hard to succeed - to make a real life. In the states I had a decent career about 10 years of experience in the medical field, a little college, and only spoke English. If you are that way here to find a job - you are royally screwed. You need to have IT skills, advanced degrees, wealthy enough to start your own business, or have many connections already. Speaking 5 languages is normal, so if you only know one - it’s hard to not feel like an idiot. I was doing decently in my career back home. I’ve been unemployed for 9 months here. This is NOT the land of opportunity so please be aware.
true dat, it is so sad and when you find a job, you are even mobbed for a ridiculously low amount of money, we know Berlin is in a big debth but the rudeness that comes with makes it almost torture to be living here. And graffiti is not the problem, its the actual dirt on the streets. Berlin is good for a weekend trip when you go party and thats it. Living here is a nightmare. I just cannot get over the fact that everyone pushes you in the streets and screams at you constantly and the mobbing at workplaces. Even if you speak more languages and do not have driver license and every single IT skill you are screwed truly.
I could be moving to Berlin for work in one year and am petrified to do so. I have much experience with Germans, around the world, and I have always found they are generally cold and unfriendly. I also have traveled to other cities in Germany ( I have never been to Berlin) and the graffiti is simply terrible. And of course the weather, you don't need to live there to see weather reports and notice the winters look horrible. I tried to learn German years ago, and I can tell you first hand, it is really difficult. I might have an option to live in London, which might be a better option. Do not underestimate the impact on your life if you live in a society that is not friendly. I have lived and worked around the world for 30 years and the simple fact is some cultures are friendly and some are not...this is just a fact. And it is sooo much nicer to live where the culture is friendly.
Oh no, if you think Berlin is dark and grey during winter, you should experience Finland 🙈 especially here in Southern Finland it’s grey for like 4 months straight and during December & January sun is up for only 3-4 hours per day (in Northern Finland sun doesn’t rise at all for 2 months). I agree that Berlin is quite dirty, especially areas like Neukölln and Kreuzberg. I wouldn’t necessarily say those areas are dangerous but there is a weird vibe sometimes especially when I’ve been walking alone as a woman during the night. Also it’s not that fun to see people selling and using drugs all the time in the streets. But I do like all the small restaurants, cafés and bars, the relaxed atmosphere and street art in those areas. Also I love german language even though I don’t know how to speak it. I just really like the way it sounds and I try to learn some new sentences/words every time I visit Germany 😄 Nice video once again, I’m happy I found your channel! ✨
Even as a Norwegian is would say that Berlin is more depressing and feels a lot colder than Norway (or Finland), but it has a lot to do with a the cold wind from Poland and the general vibe in Berlin. I don't know of anything more "warming" than Norway in the winter.
I'm always confused when people are amazed that people don't provide full service in English in a non-English speaking country. I mean, do you actually get taught in school that the world owes you to accomodate you in your native language? Other than that we get the classics: Germans like following rules, they like paperwork and don't do "service with a smile" and there is a lot of truth to it.
5 лет назад+40
I never said I expected them to speak English. I simply expect respect from people no matter what language you speak. If they don't speak English then great, they can kindly pass the phone to someone who does, but hanging up is just rude I'm sorry. Also, I do speak German, it complicated situations I felt limited to explain in German and wanted to make sure there were no misunderstandings.
Sometimes/ most times there is just one person available I guess.. I have never been in a situation where an English speaking person was treated poorly because of them speaking English. I more often feel like they are really respected because well it is an international language and everyone should learn at least one of these idk worldwide dominating languages in school.
well other parts of the world do provide the kind of customer service (not only english, but mandarin too) that she stated in the video. im not surprised that she is "amazed". globalization has come a long way
But you need also to consider in the center Berlin is flat I totally agree, but when you go in the other areas, like Treptow-Köpenick, there you can find mountains, forest and everything green you want.
@@sumimaind could you name a few big cities where it doesn’t happen? Personally I love more mountains and countryside but I’m open to cities if they aren’t like the stereotypical ones.
@@pierinnaph Granada, Spain is a lovely city with accessible mountains! Also cities in Scandinavian countries such as Sweden and Norway are known to have a much nicer atmosphere.
2:25 Yes, every household has to pay for it and never did sign a contract for it! 4:04 So why did you decide to go to Germany, if you don't like the language?
If a Swiss person is complaining about too many rules and a place being too strict... You know it ain't fun and it's serious! :O Polish people also do not cross the street on a red light EVER, and it drives me insane. Relax a bit, sometimes, gosh.
I’m sorry, but as a polish person living in Poland I must disagree. We tend to cross the street the minute there are no cars in sight. Are you polish as well, or you just visited?
@@TheRawBabe I don't know if it's the most friendly city in Germany, but Cologne is known for being very open and friendly, people there are very funny :) Not the prettiest city though ;)
@@qaf19 Do you really believe there is a place in Germany where people are "VERY open and friendly"? If you do you've never been to Spain or South America or South East Asia where people are ACTUALLY open and friendly...
From my perspective Berlin is much cleaner than big cities like Paris or London . And Graffiti is just a Part of certain areas in Berlin :) . Bit cool video!!☺️☺️
I really like how honest you are here, it’s refreshing! Idk why people would get super defensive when a lot of what you said are true. It cant be “everything’s super cool!!!” All the damn time. Thanks for this!
I live, work and study in Berlin for the past 6 years now and I can say that I can speak the language at a very decent level, still I hate speaking the language if it's not necessary. The fact is that most of the international students I met dislike speaking German and after a brief talk we would almost always switch to English even tho we can perfectly understand each other in German.
@Boing Boing Yes. Eat it. My fellow German. Is easy to bash on people who come from war zones. Traumatized from their experiences. But "In Germany, we must Speak German" Your leaders didn't give those sad folks any chance to arrive peacefully. Instead, they got humiliated by the German Media for not speaking the German language yet right. 🙄 But look now how all the other nationalities are criticizing your culture. It is so alien even among the white-skinned race if God would have forgotten you somehow by the creation of this world. Trust me nobody would have minded!!!
It's the same in Switzerland and here it's actually way more expensive but I guess she always lived at her parents home and they payed her bills so she doesn't know how it works in CH
I feel like most of the things you hate about Berlin/Germany are language related. Being French Canadian, I always try to help people went they come here and ask for directions /information. Still, I’ve always wondered why people would move to a country/city/province if they don’t know the language. Maybe I am wrong, but maybe the people who are being rude with you are just loosing temper over the fact that they need to make an effort to speak another language, just because it’s difficult for you to speak German in a German country. I went to Spain for a trip last year and most of the people were only speaking Spanish. I feel like it’s probably the same for many other countries. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not being negative about your video. Just trying to understand their perspective :)
I've lived in many non English speaking countries but I have to say that Germany is one country where if you don't speak the language they are annoyed. In other countries the locals have made me feel warm which makes me want to learn the language more. Here it's like if you don't speak German it's wrong. And then they get irritated that they have to speak English. English is a universal language. Most places that I have gone to people speak English. I know that in Europe it's a bit different. But there is no need to be rude or arrogant about it. Germany is one of the most difficult languages to learn. Even if you know at the intermediate level is still difficult. At least the local people could be a bit more patient. I came to Germany because I am married to a German man. I moved here for him. People could be a bit patient about the fact that I'm trying to learn the language. Integrating here has been so difficult. And I have lived in 6 other countries with no problem. We are thinking to leave this country because of this kind of problem. I have met many nice Germans but the majority are rude and insensitive. I'm looking forward to leaving this place.
June Kirri I feel the exact same way. I moved to Germany because my mom hated her job in Ireland and wasn’t being treated fairly there. She came here hoping for a nicer working environment and a good opportunity for her kids. I came to this country excited and very eager to learn the language and meet new people. However, the locals have made that very difficult for me. They are incredibly rude and aggressive when I’m looking for help with something in English. I know I’m not entitled to have them speak my native language but I think they could be a bit more understanding of a 16 year old. Even why I try to speak German they quickly realise it’s not my mother tongue and again are very rude. Still I want to enjoy my time here in Germany and continue learning the language but I have not felt very welcome here and I find myself longing to leave for college often times
I live here in Germany (Munich) for about 12 years now and I hate it here , totally agree with your points ! The rules , the paperwork and bills, that are growing every year but the salary don’t ....I hate the public transport , it’s always late (always!) and expensive, the internet , the GEZ( which you should pay if you even don’t have a TV or Radio ( it’s much money 17,90€ per month ) , also I hate the government here ... I will definitely move to another country...
A little late to the party here, as i see this video is 2 years old, but I share the sentiments you make mention of here. I've lived in Berlin for 8 months. I moved here without ever visiting before and I regret never checking it out before making the big move. I left Johannesburg in hopes for a better life, but i feel unsafe often (though I live in Mitte), and i left such a pretty country. I (erroneously) assumed that Berlin would be similar to the Netherlands with its charming greenery and pretty canals.... One other thing you may wish to add to the list is the housing crisis: though this may not have been as challenging when you lived here. Thanks for your honesty.
Hey Chloé! I feel you with most of the points! And even as a German native speaker, I also experienced that some people can be incredibly rude in Berlin, no matter which language you speak.
A girl like her, white, German looking, gets treated poorly because not german in Berlin. Imagine what would happen to someone slightly tanned or clearly not german lol . I'll stick to London
Many people feel the same like you. Why someone would like to move to Germany? The weather, the food, or the nice people? You nailed it with this video. You go girl and have fun, because here is super boring
I cried for the first 2 weeks. Never been treated that disrespectful in my whole life before. But it is just how they are, try not take it personally but it is not that easy. Move to Munich, people are way nicer and have lots of lakes and mountains. But I am city girl and Munich is like a village for me...
Amazing how wayyyy behind Germany is in terms of internet. I've lived in Myanmar and Nepal, third world countries, and they had better internet service. And customer service I must add 😂
Haha is scheinbar ja fast alles doof hier... Aber bei eigentlich allen Sachen muss ich dir recht geben. Ist traurig aber ist leider wirklich so. Aber viele Dinge sind einfach Typisch Großstadt. Die Welt ist halt nicht pink flauschig und aus Watte, wenn du verstehst was ich meine.
I am 67 years old and had four years of university German before moving to Hamburg for a year. That was 45 years ago, but your characterization is so spot on I see times may not have changed so much, lol. The good and not so good. Interestingly, I made only foreign friends when I lived there...mostly from Turkey, North Africa, and Italy because they were warm and generous to me. The Germans? Well I wasn't German.
I was in Berlin two years ago and some people were nice but the customer service absolutely sucks. They would be fired if they worked in New York where I am from or any place of employment in the USA.
Is it possible that some of the rootness you feel to encounter everywhere is due to your own demanding behavior - everything has to be to your liking, even the weather or the hours of daylight. And people dare not to speak your language in their own country. How rude...
a person can have opinions based on life experiences and preferences... she made another video talking about all the things she loved about Berlin. For the language thing, i think she meant she tries to speak German but German people still don't show any sympathy for her or try and help her
Sad to hear as a German 😩 But I agree with a lot of things 😂
5 лет назад+13
oh wow that's so interesting that as German you even agree on some things. I thought all German people were going to take this video very personally and feel offended. I'm happy it's not the case for you at least :)
Chloé Kian I think every country has some issues :) But here are also really nice persons as you said! I think the problem with the supermarket or service is the pressure. I work in a restaurant and you always have to work fast and hard for little money sometimes that‘s why it‘s not easy to stay friendly always...
@ - it's just a matter of priorities/taste. My mum lived in Berlin. So I've been there "a hundred" times -what makes me an expert (sort of) bc I've kept my outsider perspective and for that reason agree on some of the points you've made. But TBH I love this city. If you wanna get a feeling what Berlin is about, listen to the sublime vibes of U2's "Achtung Baby" (best time for that autumn/winter time). Berlin is IMHO a depressive (a mental state that is commonly known with artists), anarchic, free, impulsive, breathing, great city - for whom a line of the GDR's national anthem hits the nail: "Auferstanden aus Ruinen, und der Zukunft zugewandt ...". A bientot :o)
@ I'm not German (hello from Italy!) but I've studied in Germany for one year and I'm also negatively surprised by how many internationals are moving to Berlin because "it's so cool" (not saying you're one of them, eh eh I don't even know you) and don't speak German or are not learning the language. It's so sad to go to a bar and having to order in English cause the waiter doesn't know German. In my opinion it's strongly disrespectful of the country you're in. But that's just my opinion, sure. I worked hard when I lived in Germany to learn German from scratch, it was exhausting, constant headache, but I was a guest there and if you're a guest you respect the habits of your host. After 6-8 months I was speaking so fluently that some people would think I was a German.
5 лет назад+1
@@WhatashameMaryJane I do speak German fluently (I have been learning it since I'm 6 yo) and I totally agree with your opinion. I think everyone should make an effort when living in a foreign country, it's a form of respect to learn the language.
I remembered on winter I visited Berlin, to my surprise the metro looks very old and dirty ( it was indeed dirty) and smelly... but the streets were quite nice so...
I think concerning the rudeness and this love for following the rules, you might change your perspective after some time. I remember moving to Berlin beeing really shocked of people beeing cold and starting to call you out if you do something wrong (like standing on the bikelane instead of the sidewalk). But this is a part of our culture and also how people connect here. I like the spirit of beeing critical about every change, standing up if something is going wrong - the people in Berlin saw a lot of shit going on so they will stay suspicious and don't fake smile over problems. I really feel like everytime I go to the späti at my corner, I tell the shopkeeper about how shitty the politics/weather/tourists etc etc are and he tells me whats going on in his life - sounds weird but this is a kind of taking care for each other. Berlin is also a very political city, so argumenting and standing up for your rights, calling people out for wrong behavior is important. It took me maybe 1-2 years till I could see under the surface and understand what this behavior actually expresses. And yeah, maybe for foreign people this is not the easiest, friendliest city. I think many people in Berlin are scared seeing this huge immigration of young, educated folks from the global north. Seeing Amazon and Zalando building huge campuses and going to cafés in Neukölln where the waitress can't speak a word german may give people the feeling of their home changing in a wrong way. Nobody wants Berlin to become the next London.....
for someone who is trying to move to berlin in a year, this was such a helpful comment- thank you! i love how you shared how your views changed and how you learned to love these cultural differences. my mom is swiss so i already was raised with a similar love for order and comfortability with blatant callouts, but your comment encouraged me to work even harder than i am at learning german so i don't make native berliners feel frustrated that there's yet another young American coming to berlin without knowing or caring to learn a word of german.
btw: when i moved to berlin from hannover i thought, omg, in berlin people only cross the street when its red, i have to get used to that! and i still think only the tourists wait for the green light. but i also prefer the "dirty" parts of town. i enjoy graffiti.
All of yall are mad about the language thing yet she explained she's been learning german for 15 years! She just requested to speak to somebody in English to make sure there were no complications or misunderstandings and if there was no English speaker then I'm sure she would get by with what she could. I 1000% agree that if you move to a different country, you take that effort to learn that country's language. I'm a language enthusiast! But it just makes me think about how many Hispanics live in the US that make absolutely ZERO effort into learning any English and here we do just about everything to accommodate them. So stop hating on this girl.
5 лет назад+1
thank you Cassie! this means a lot! and i am totally a language enthousiast as well. I can speak 5 languages..
thank you so much sharing all these facts. Ive been leaving for more than 3 years and I totally agree and support all these concerns. I am gonna leave this city soon and I couldn't be more happy than this !!
I fell you. I do live in Germany but glad that it’s not Berlin. Was there for a couple times and disliked it immediately. Still a lot of paperwork to do in Germany ...
you should visit LA or anywhere in southern california. its blue skies 80% all year around, no humidity, very little rain, often goes 10-11mos w/ no rainy days. close to beaches, lots of vegan options and farmers markets.
Yes. Customer service in Germany SUCKS. It feels like they try to avoid you whenever they can. You call, they put you in the waiting line for 3 friggin hours.
Sorry but if that dirt is annoying you so badly you’ve totally not been getting what Berlin’s all about. it’s just nothing new that Berlin is not the ‘cleanest’ city but that is somehow what you have to get used to bc berlin wouldn’t be itself if it was different. the atmosphere is what makes it beautiful, people make it beautiful, music, events, open minded thinking and creativity. maybe you’ll need some more time to love berlin with everything it comes with. berlin is the most beautiful city in the world to me
And omg the rules are so insane! The road crossing is illegal and you get fined if police sees you! It’s crazy. We’re obsessed with rules! I agree with everything you said lol. I guess the weather is just normal for Northern Europe tho.
Agree! And if you point it out the first thing you hear is "go back to your country". As if me "going back to my country" will change the fact that people there are very rude... 😅
be more careful with the word HATE - better use I don't like - paperwork is worldwide the number one in bureaucracy - look to places in New YORK, many dirty areas and buildings - German winter, if you can change him, do it....girl, grow up before you judge other people in other countries
Ich bin in Deutschland aufgewachsen (Düsseldorf) und mit 22 nach Kalifornien ausgewandert. Ich habe Deutschland quasi für genau DIESE Gründe verlassen! I think you are spot on with everything! The difference in German and American supermarkets or German vs. American customer service is just MIND BLOWING! haha...dealt with an intense winter depression every year in Germany, 6 months of darkness and slimy snow, the sky looks like the buildings. Been doing so much better in California! And in 5 weeks I am moving to Hawaii! Love your videos
Hast du dir Greencard Lotterie gewonnen oder wie hast du dein Visum bekommen? Ich kann alle Punkte zu 100 Prozent nachvollziehen - bin aus München. Am schlimmsten sind die Winter und die Distanz zwischen den Menschen.
Hello Chloe!!! I love your content!!!!!, My Girlfriend and I are willing to live there for 2 months this summer... what towns or suburban areas (just outside Berlin) would you choose to live in for two months (July and August) if you want a calm, and relaxing place with great transport to the city that gives you both the freedom to be in the natural outdoors and city centre without needing a car? Thanks 😊
Hi Chloé! I undestand you perfectly. I moved to Berlin 7 months ago, and I felt the same. I come from Brazil and this was my firts winter here and I askeed me every day "why soooo gray?" hahaha But in general I've been liked Berlin :D
5 лет назад
hahahha that's awesome! I only know a few brazilian people here in berlin and they're all called Bruna. is it so common in Brazil to be called Bruna?
@ Yes! It's a name very common for people born in the early 90s. I met a brazilian woman here in Berlin, we became friends and can you guess what her name is? hahahaha yes... it's Bruna too :D
I’m German and they’re not only rude in Berlin to foreigners but generally rude. It’s called “Berliner Schnauze” and it’s like “their” thing. I live in Scotland now and people are sooooo nice!
i've been to berlin only once so far but i thought people were SUPER nice. but maybe that's because i'm from poland and people here are more rude than there
I'm surprised to see how many people are giving you shit for the language part. I'm German and even I really dislike the German language. Some love it, some hate it. I guess when you speak several languages like you do you also get to experience how beautiful other languages can be by comparison
Weather? sound to me that you speak about the normal where i come from. Only thing is , we are having it like you said for 9 months a year. In Arctic Norway :)
I don't know where you used to live in Swiss but I can assure you that us genevans ( in Geneva so) don't give a damn about the red light in the pedestrian areas lol . Maybe the frenchies have an influence on us.. could be xD
I will move to Berlin next year from Finland. I disagree with almost everything you say hahah :) I even love graffiti and also I like when it looks a bit edgy and even trashy, it gives character to city. In Finland everything is so bland and super clean it is almost boring. I love Berlin. Great video. :)
Hi Chloe, I wonder where did you grow up in Switzerland, then the most stuff you are saying like weather, is even worse in Switzerland, rudeness is worse too, especially against foreigners:) I live in Switzerland for over 25 years, as a foreigner, I was bullied every day in School, just beeing Italian:) in winter Switzerland is great, especially when you have -15 to -20C with over a meter of snow each winter on the streets:) any City is Dirty, even Zurich, Basel, Bren, etc. I speak fluent German too, yes some people a rude, but most of them do not realise they are, so next time just tell them: sorry I think you are a bit rude, most of them will change their attitude, the ones who don't change their attitude are the ones who have no education, working in a low-level jobs and are not happy with their lives:)
I feel you, im mixed german born and raised but dont get to make too many friends with germans. as a mixed person i make easier friends with foreigners or especially other mixed people somehow lol. I think berlin is okay, but given its our capital its a shame how dirty it is, and how berlin embraces its “dirtyness as cool”. its just meeeh, complete opposite of what a world class capital could be, and it once was (1920s)
I can't imagine learning a language for 10 years and still not being able to understand some things lol. I'm planning on studying in Germany a year from now and I have been teaching myself the language so i do at least 45 minutes worth of German every day. You must really not be practising the language.
shan Franc Only people with low IQ can’t learn German in 10 years. Maybe not without an accent and small mistakes - but not to the point of people being rude. I always found if I tried to speak German to people and they realised I struggled they would happily help me in English as best they could. (Try that in France) if I just spoke in English of course some people thought, screw you... you’re in Germany... at least try. I made the best of friends while I lived in Berlin and moving to the US was the biggest mistake I ever made. I miss Berlin.
I think you should live in a different place then you will be a lot happier?! Try a village outside a big city to benefit from the pros and cons of country and city life?
Thanks Chloé for ruining my excitment about Berlin ;) I like hills and nature too, while staying in reach of a decent sized city, any place you would recommend in Switzerland or elsewhere ? Cheers, Mat
Im sorry so many people are offended with your video! As an American, I hear negative complaints about us all the time but I just laugh it off. There are so many videos about things people hate about cities, and yours is your own personal opinion which is great and exactly how it should be. Whenever you say that you don't speak German well, as you comparing German to swiss german or another language??
I totally understand you!!!!! i cant be more agree, the people here is super rude (obviously not everyone) but the majority, i always have problems in the street because i dont speak german 😐 i heard a lot the phrase “we are in germany we speak in german” and i mean yeah i know where i live and i try but its not easy and the people dont help, and then there is also one more thing that i had experience is that i dont feel really save, when i go to U-bahn or to S-bahn its sooooo free and there are always people drunk, taking drugs and stuff and yeah I dont like that at all, I never see like security and that makes me so nervous
Mam come to Paris and visit Gard du nord, La Chapelle, la couronne than you understand how dirty is it Berlin is far clean then Paris even I live in paris
I've only visited Berlin once and I was there for a week only but I think you are wrong in many aspects. First of all, you can't say you hate German and move to a German - speaking country. I dislike it too, to some extent but I don't expect things to be easy for me just because I don't speak the language, as if someone owes me anything. Besides, when I went to Berlin, the Germans were super nice and understanding about me not speaking German. They were very helpful as well! I later visited 4 other cities and a village and every single German I met was okay with me not speaking German. Maybe that was cause I was a tourist but I've been in countries where, as a tourist, people were super rude when I spoke in English with them. Another thing is that graffiti is part of what makes the city unique in terms of artistic expression. Berlin without graffiti would be empty and average - looking. Please be more respectful towards the graffiti artists because many of them have truly amazing artworks. As for dirtiness, I'd say it depends on the neighbourhood. Given that there are people from 190 countries living there (according to some recent statistics I read), some of those have less respect and education than others. I've seen neighbourhoods where people littered a lot and also neighbourhoods that were spotless. As a person who wants to move to Berlin, I think that we should all go there with an open mind, an understanding of the German culture and mentality and a desire to adapt to the new country.
I live here and the people its not okay with the fact that i cant speak german, being a tourist its a totally difierent experience than being a resident, so yeah and i dont live here bc I want (like most of people) i live here because my dad’s job is here so..
Swiss people are more strict about their rules than Germans, especially in Berlin many people give a shit about the fucking rules. You are right about customer service, there are exceptions for sure..
ene eLe An Arabic speaking Uber driver scared shit out of me! He kept texting and driving super fast on those tiny streets -_- Another Arabic looking but English speaking waiter stupidly to tell me that I have to pay for paper napkins when I asked for some after ordering while sitting at a restaurant inside Galeria near Alexanderplatz. I just walked over to the counter and grab them myself and we stared at each other! Guess the male refugees are problematic in Germany now....
I've been to Berlin on business trips a couple times and I hated it. The city smells of urine at every corner and people there are rude, period. It doesn't matter what nationality you are or what language you speak. In Germany they have a reputation for taking "being outspoken" to the next level.
DISCLAIMER: Ich spreche flüssig Deutsch und habe gelernt seitdem ich 6 Jahre alt bin. Danke!
*...und habe ES gelernt seitdem ich 6 Jahre alt bin. ;)
Chloé Kian are you studying in Berlin?:)
@@Rubyandst yes
@@linus302 klugscheißer
Anton Boludo she is from the french part of Switzerland so would have been taught German in school as the first national language. In the italian and german part they are taught french alongside english.
I've been living in Berlin for over 40 years and I love it. But I so agree with you...100%.
Ecxept about being dirty. I don't think it's that much. And I don't consider Graffity as dirt. Many of them are even art.
👏
Wer es liebt, in Berlin zu leben, der kann nicht ganz richtig sein.
Alright, I watched the video because it popped up in my feed and being born in Berlin and living here for almost all the time of my life, I'll comment your points from a "Berliner" perspective:
1) Bureaucracy: Yes, it's stressfull if you don't speak German, you'll need someone who helps you with it. Sometimes Germans themselves don't get it. You'll get used to it though quite quickly though.
2) Dirt: Depends hugely where you live in this city. Some districts are rather unpleasent, but if you consider the parts of Berlin outside the S-Bahn-Ring a city as well (which they are), you'll may change your view. Most of the time it's really, really clean. And don't forget the more official sites of Berlin with museums and ministeries. These are spotless. The Ubahn is no exception from this, it really depends on the area. Get out of the late night districts and it's a very different story. Generally speaking, Berlin is really clean in my opinion.
3) Rude people: That's just plain wrong, I'm sorry. Berliners are often not rude, but more direct, which may come of as rude, but it's never personal. We just don't like dancing around the hot pot. If you're not a German speaker by nature, it may depend, but I made the experience that the major part of Berliners are normal city people - each to his/her own business. Most of them are really helpful fi you're nice to them, again this hugely depends on the area you life in from my point of view at least.
4) The language: Well, that's just personal preference. If you move abroad, you'll have to deal with another language. If you don't like German, that's not the issue of Berlin. When I lived in Warsaw for a few months, I tried to learn Polish asap and mostly got great responses from people I didn't even knew briefly. I guess the same applies to this city, please don't expect to not have to learn German. The arrogancy of many people that come here and expect not to have to speak German is just annoying, it's not their own place.
5) The Weather: It's just what you're used to. But Berlin in the summer is one of the most beautiful capitals in Europe, and I've been to a lot of them. There's so much to do outside, parks, lakes, recreational activities, there are endless possibilities. We didn't have had proper snow in the last few years, so rain might be the only complaint, but it's not especially much. Except if you're from California I guess.
6) Nature: Well, it's a city, what did you expect? Besides that, Berlin has so many parks, almost every road is lined with trees, and you've got many lakes to swim in. Riding around with a bike is just so nice because of those aspects. Personally, I don't consider this a valid point.
7) The rules: This is one of the huge stereotypes which float around, and in my opionion it's by far no reality. People regulary cross the road on red lights if there are no cars around, speed limits are a mere recommendation, and so on. Second row parking is a mess, and the laws that are important are the same as in many other countries. Berlines especially are quite lax regarding rules.
8) Customer service: There's a saying in German which roughly translates to: You'll receive the echo of what you said immediatly (Es schallt raus wie's reinschallt). Customer service is annoying if you treat people disrespectful. I'm not saying that you do that, I have no clue about that, but if you complain about no English service in a German speaking country, that's (again, as mentioned above), your issue.
The package delivery though sucks ass, you're right. But please consider that most of the delivery guys are just majorly stressed out and work 12hour shifts to get your Prime delivery to you asap. Just give them a break, it's a fucked up business.
So in conclusion, I guess most of it boils down to your personal preference, which is obvious because the video is about 8 things YOU hate. But somethings are just a little bit too harsh and more of an issue on your behalf than on the Berlin side. The great thing about this city is that almost everyone can make it his or her place, regarding to what is important to you. My personal suggestion is, that if you learn German properly, to move to a place a little bit more outside of the city centre. With a good connection by public transport, close to half of your issues will simply vanish.
I didn't take this video personally, and living here most of my life gives me another perspective, that's for sure. I'll just wanted to make a few things clearer that may turn off some people from getting here. Berlin is not for everyone, but if you get over some things you're used to from your hometown and get used to a broader perspective of different realities in a place which holds 4 million people, it's lovely.
Berlin for me is sometimes literally hate love. And that's my it'll always hold a special place in my heart.
Hm...vielleicht ist sie einfach zu jung. :D EDIT: Sie ist die Schweiz gewohnt ahahaha
FoxInWhite you have a lot of time on your hands
"The arrogancy of many people that come here and expect not to have to speak German is just annoying, it's not their own place."
Since when do you own the city of Berlin and you are gonna define that?Does it say in the state law that people who come to live in Berlin are obligated to speak german?? It is up to someone who lives here if they want to learn the language or not..and when it is forced to them, that is plain arrogancy not the other way around!
@@anna-mariatsirigoni266 Dude. It's still a German city. You can be happy if the other person speaks english but don't expect it.
du hast so recht mit deinem kommentar! wie oft stößt man im internet auf leute, die in andere länder ziehen und nicht mal auf die idee kommen, die sprache zu lernen! das würde ich machen, noch bevor ich hinziehe! nirgends kann man erwarten, dass alle englisch können. surreal.
Video starts at 1:43.
I know a girl from south america, she spoke spanish and english only before she moved to Berlin. It took her just 1 year learning german in Germany and now she is absolutely fluent in speaking german.. so obviously there are big differences in skills people have by learning another language. As I saw proofed german can not be so hard to learn if she managed it in just one year..
Ich habe in Paris gelebt und war oft in London und dort war es vieel schmutziger als in Berlin. Berlin ist soo eine große Stadt und dafür finde ich es sehr sauber. Graffiti ist an sich ja kein Schmutz, manche mögen es, manche nicht aber es gehört halt dazu.
@Jane Wonders Graffiti hat eine Tradition in Berlin (Berliner Mauer) und ist wie der Schmuck der Stadt würde ich sagen.
Ich war in Paris mehr als schockiert. Berlin hat definitiv dreckige Ecken, aber so dreckig wie es dargestellt wird, ist rs gar nicht.
@@Kathy_mb ganz schön hässlicher Schmutz teilweise
Graffiti != Schmierereien
Graffity ist schmutz, ob man es mag oder nicht. Wenn ich mit nem Edding auf Eigentum von dir rum Kritzel kann ich ja auch nicht sagen "Das ist noch ok, manche mögens, manche nicht" :D
I am German and annoied by paperwork, the GEZ and rude people... love the Graffitis in Berlin, though... And Germans don‘t understand Germans (too many dialects) :-D
agree to everything being said in the video. I've been living in Berlin for more than 10 years. I will add another point here and the comments under this video only prove it to be right. Germans love rules and also if you don't stick out, say your opinion, have your own mind. Even here in the comment section some are not ok with this girl having here OWN, PERSONAL opinion on living in Berlin. Why you germans care so much about other peoples opinions, way of expressing thoughts and emotions that don't allign with yours, you always have to deevaluate someones experiences if they don't happen to be just like yours.
Ha! Sorry but Berlin is one of the greenest cities I’ve been to! Ever been to NY? Been to Paris? Compared to Berlin it feels like other cities don’t have any green at all. I think you’re really doing Berlin injustice here
Obviously it depends what you compare it too...
San Francisco is even worse, not much grasses for dogs.....
@ for a big city it's not very dirty
Chloé Kian thats right but it makes no sense to compare a big city to a rural area
Probably because she’s Swiss??
Been here for 3 years and have some to add:
1. Demonstrations and strikes. Protesting is a huge thing here, honestly if you check around the city at least once a week there is one. This complicates movement around the city ESPECIALLY when BVG is on strike.
2. If you are allergic or have a fear of dogs - then bad news...people let their dogs roam without leashes when they take them on walks. They are insanely well trained but when the dogs run into each other - they likely might fight. They are widely disregarded and just accepted as a normal thing to be in public places you wouldn’t normally see them say - in the USA.
3. This is my last but it’s hard to succeed - to make a real life. In the states I had a decent career about 10 years of experience in the medical field, a little college, and only spoke English. If you are that way here to find a job - you are royally screwed. You need to have IT skills, advanced degrees, wealthy enough to start your own business, or have many connections already. Speaking 5 languages is normal, so if you only know one - it’s hard to not feel like an idiot. I was doing decently in my career back home. I’ve been unemployed for 9 months here. This is NOT the land of opportunity so please be aware.
true dat, it is so sad and when you find a job, you are even mobbed for a ridiculously low amount of money, we know Berlin is in a big debth but the rudeness that comes with makes it almost torture to be living here. And graffiti is not the problem, its the actual dirt on the streets. Berlin is good for a weekend trip when you go party and thats it. Living here is a nightmare. I just cannot get over the fact that everyone pushes you in the streets and screams at you constantly and the mobbing at workplaces. Even if you speak more languages and do not have driver license and every single IT skill you are screwed truly.
@@VilleGardian living here is not a nightmare lol
Is it only in Berlin or it also happens in other cities (like Munich or Cologne, for example)?
@@danielfgarcia3793 I've only lived in berlin, so I can't speak on behalf of other cities.
I appreciate the honesty! Nice job on this video.
I could be moving to Berlin for work in one year and am petrified to do so. I have much experience with Germans, around the world, and I have always found they are generally cold and unfriendly. I also have traveled to other cities in Germany ( I have never been to Berlin) and the graffiti is simply terrible. And of course the weather, you don't need to live there to see weather reports and notice the winters look horrible. I tried to learn German years ago, and I can tell you first hand, it is really difficult. I might have an option to live in London, which might be a better option. Do not underestimate the impact on your life if you live in a society that is not friendly. I have lived and worked around the world for 30 years and the simple fact is some cultures are friendly and some are not...this is just a fact. And it is sooo much nicer to live where the culture is friendly.
Oh no, if you think Berlin is dark and grey during winter, you should experience Finland 🙈 especially here in Southern Finland it’s grey for like 4 months straight and during December & January sun is up for only 3-4 hours per day (in Northern Finland sun doesn’t rise at all for 2 months). I agree that Berlin is quite dirty, especially areas like Neukölln and Kreuzberg. I wouldn’t necessarily say those areas are dangerous but there is a weird vibe sometimes especially when I’ve been walking alone as a woman during the night. Also it’s not that fun to see people selling and using drugs all the time in the streets. But I do like all the small restaurants, cafés and bars, the relaxed atmosphere and street art in those areas. Also I love german language even though I don’t know how to speak it. I just really like the way it sounds and I try to learn some new sentences/words every time I visit Germany 😄 Nice video once again, I’m happy I found your channel! ✨
surprising to hear. i have never felt weird walking anywhere at night alone. or maybe i just dont think about it. :)
Even as a Norwegian is would say that Berlin is more depressing and feels a lot colder than Norway (or Finland), but it has a lot to do with a the cold wind from Poland and the general vibe in Berlin. I don't know of anything more "warming" than Norway in the winter.
Emma Vestby Johnsen Maybe it’s due to humidity? Higher humidity feels colder in winter! Drier air feels less cold.
TheRawBabe probably, or we are simply spending less time outside and we dress up properly
I'm always confused when people are amazed that people don't provide full service in English in a non-English speaking country. I mean, do you actually get taught in school that the world owes you to accomodate you in your native language? Other than that we get the classics: Germans like following rules, they like paperwork and don't do "service with a smile" and there is a lot of truth to it.
I never said I expected them to speak English. I simply expect respect from people no matter what language you speak. If they don't speak English then great, they can kindly pass the phone to someone who does, but hanging up is just rude I'm sorry. Also, I do speak German, it complicated situations I felt limited to explain in German and wanted to make sure there were no misunderstandings.
Well, you expected SOMEONE to speak English and I wonder what deranged sense of entitlement caused that?
exactly. she keeps listing cliches. its probably what swiss people say about germans :D
Sometimes/ most times there is just one person available I guess.. I have never been in a situation where an English speaking person was treated poorly because of them speaking English. I more often feel like they are really respected because well it is an international language and everyone should learn at least one of these idk worldwide dominating languages in school.
well other parts of the world do provide the kind of customer service (not only english, but mandarin too) that she stated in the video. im not surprised that she is "amazed". globalization has come a long way
But you need also to consider in the center Berlin is flat I totally agree, but when you go in the other areas, like Treptow-Köpenick, there you can find mountains, forest and everything green you want.
I can not agree more! I lived in Berlin for 2,5 years and moving back soon but what you mentioned is exactly what I experienced too!!
I was born in berlin and also live here so I need to say that berlin is a very dirty city compared to Hamburg for example.
Lou Adorerieva Berlin reminds me of San Francisco! Hamburg to Chicago!
Sounds like a lot of it is anti-city more generally rather than anti-Berlin!?
There's plenty of cities around the world where these issues are not happening, so I think it is about Berlin...
@@sumimaind could you name a few big cities where it doesn’t happen? Personally I love more mountains and countryside but I’m open to cities if they aren’t like the stereotypical ones.
@@pierinnaph Granada, Spain is a lovely city with accessible mountains! Also cities in Scandinavian countries such as Sweden and Norway are known to have a much nicer atmosphere.
@@MJ-hb8sk thank you!
2:25 Yes, every household has to pay for it and never did sign a contract for it!
4:04 So why did you decide to go to Germany, if you don't like the language?
I came here for school
Chloé Kian you confused us, did you regret to go to school in Berlin or Germany in general?
hahahahah the germans are kinda delicate right? She is just saying her opinion
I left Germany because of all the same reasons you mentioned in this video!
If a Swiss person is complaining about too many rules and a place being too strict... You know it ain't fun and it's serious! :O
Polish people also do not cross the street on a red light EVER, and it drives me insane. Relax a bit, sometimes, gosh.
I’m sorry, but as a polish person living in Poland I must disagree. We tend to cross the street the minute there are no cars in sight. Are you polish as well, or you just visited?
You are right about the rudeness in Berlin. Berlin is known for that. It's not like that throughout Germany.
De Chalon please list the most friendly city in Germany :)
TheRawBabe yes we are waiting
@@TheRawBabe I don't know if it's the most friendly city in Germany, but Cologne is known for being very open and friendly, people there are very funny :) Not the prettiest city though ;)
@@qaf19 Do you really believe there is a place in Germany where people are "VERY open and friendly"?
If you do you've never been to Spain or South America or South East Asia where people are ACTUALLY open and friendly...
@Kasandrou Crew I wouldn't. I prefer to sacrifice a bit in infrastructure and have a good quality of life and be happy!
From my perspective Berlin is much cleaner than big cities like Paris or London . And Graffiti is just a Part of certain areas in Berlin :) . Bit cool video!!☺️☺️
Olivia Drl San Francisco is the dirtiest so far.....
I really like how honest you are here, it’s refreshing! Idk why people would get super defensive when a lot of what you said are true. It cant be “everything’s super cool!!!” All the damn time. Thanks for this!
“ I don’t like living in a place, that like, speaks German”
**lives in Germany** 🙄
well German its not a beautiful lenguage and its not easy at all so
@@nanigrogrofor2154 boom...
I live, work and study in Berlin for the past 6 years now and I can say that I can speak the language at a very decent level, still I hate speaking the language if it's not necessary. The fact is that most of the international students I met dislike speaking German and after a brief talk we would almost always switch to English even tho we can perfectly understand each other in German.
@@Schweppese and then others do not like English and switch to Chinese
@Boing Boing Yes. Eat it. My fellow German. Is easy to bash on people who come from war zones. Traumatized from their experiences. But "In Germany, we must Speak German" Your leaders didn't give those sad folks any chance to arrive peacefully. Instead, they got humiliated by the German Media for not speaking the German language yet right. 🙄
But look now how all the other nationalities are criticizing
your culture.
It is so alien even among the white-skinned race if God would have
forgotten you somehow by the creation of this world.
Trust me nobody would have minded!!!
About the radio/tv thing, is it not the same here in Switzerland? I mean you have to pay billag, so I assume it's the same kind of tax in Germany.
It's the same in Switzerland and here it's actually way more expensive but I guess she always lived at her parents home and they payed her bills so she doesn't know how it works in CH
I feel like most of the things you hate about Berlin/Germany are language related. Being French Canadian, I always try to help people went they come here and ask for directions /information. Still, I’ve always wondered why people would move to a country/city/province if they don’t know the language. Maybe I am wrong, but maybe the people who are being rude with you are just loosing temper over the fact that they need to make an effort to speak another language, just because it’s difficult for you to speak German in a German country. I went to Spain for a trip last year and most of the people were only speaking Spanish. I feel like it’s probably the same for many other countries. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not being negative about your video. Just trying to understand their perspective :)
thanks Helin
I've lived in many non English speaking countries but I have to say that Germany is one country where if you don't speak the language they are annoyed. In other countries the locals have made me feel warm which makes me want to learn the language more. Here it's like if you don't speak German it's wrong. And then they get irritated that they have to speak English. English is a universal language. Most places that I have gone to people speak English. I know that in Europe it's a bit different. But there is no need to be rude or arrogant about it. Germany is one of the most difficult languages to learn. Even if you know at the intermediate level is still difficult. At least the local people could be a bit more patient.
I came to Germany because I am married to a German man. I moved here for him. People could be a bit patient about the fact that I'm trying to learn the language. Integrating here has been so difficult. And I have lived in 6 other countries with no problem. We are thinking to leave this country because of this kind of problem. I have met many nice Germans but the majority are rude and insensitive. I'm looking forward to leaving this place.
June Kirri I feel the exact same way. I moved to Germany because my mom hated her job in Ireland and wasn’t being treated fairly there. She came here hoping for a nicer working environment and a good opportunity for her kids. I came to this country excited and very eager to learn the language and meet new people. However, the locals have made that very difficult for me. They are incredibly rude and aggressive when I’m looking for help with something in English. I know I’m not entitled to have them speak my native language but I think they could be a bit more understanding of a 16 year old. Even why I try to speak German they quickly realise it’s not my mother tongue and again are very rude. Still I want to enjoy my time here in Germany and continue learning the language but I have not felt very welcome here and I find myself longing to leave for college often times
I live here in Germany (Munich) for about 12 years now and I hate it here , totally agree with your points ! The rules , the paperwork and bills, that are growing every year but the salary don’t ....I hate the public transport , it’s always late (always!) and expensive, the internet , the GEZ( which you should pay if you even don’t have a TV or Radio ( it’s much money 17,90€ per month ) , also I hate the government here ...
I will definitely move to another country...
Which country do you suggest
A little late to the party here, as i see this video is 2 years old, but I share the sentiments you make mention of here. I've lived in Berlin for 8 months. I moved here without ever visiting before and I regret never checking it out before making the big move. I left Johannesburg in hopes for a better life, but i feel unsafe often (though I live in Mitte), and i left such a pretty country. I (erroneously) assumed that Berlin would be similar to the Netherlands with its charming greenery and pretty canals.... One other thing you may wish to add to the list is the housing crisis: though this may not have been as challenging when you lived here. Thanks for your honesty.
Come on you can't judge a country's official language! This is ridiculous! You either learn it or try English
Ich spreche flüssig Deutsch und habe gelernt seitdem ich 6 Jahre alt bin. Danke!
Chloé Kian dafür ist dein Deutsch aber echt schlecht 😅
Hey Chloé! I feel you with most of the points!
And even as a German native speaker, I also experienced that some people can be incredibly rude in Berlin, no matter which language you speak.
so many people crossing the road when it is red ! some may try to look after kids ... but so many people do that 😅
lol I recently moved to Northern europe and it is easy to tell who is a foreigner. Whoever crosses a red light haha
hahahahha so true!!
A girl like her, white, German looking, gets treated poorly because not german in Berlin. Imagine what would happen to someone slightly tanned or clearly not german lol . I'll stick to London
Metropolitan cities are always a safe harbor for minorities/foreigners
do not worry, everyone gets treated poorly regardless where you are from. we hate everybody equally :) can't be racist that way
Many people feel the same like you. Why someone would like to move to Germany? The weather, the food, or the nice people? You nailed it with this video. You go girl and have fun, because here is super boring
I agree with the rudeness! At some point, I just got fed up with the rudeness and decided to leave...
@@byclaudia8451 are they really rude?
@@zaki6548 unfortunately yes
Me too. @ v o r in north Germany is completely different. People are very friendly and welcoming here.
Dirty? Come to NYC 😂
wow! that helped me take the relocation decision! thanks much!!
I cried for the first 2 weeks. Never been treated that disrespectful in my whole life before. But it is just how they are, try not take it personally but it is not that easy. Move to Munich, people are way nicer and have lots of lakes and mountains. But I am city girl and Munich is like a village for me...
Oh I’m not a fan of cities for that reason haha. I lived in a city my whole life but love love nature and small villages
thats cause u surely live in middle or east part of Berlin, go to the west - or better the southwest and the people are much more friendly
@@Spielelobby I was living in Nollendorfplatz so that’s quite center west. I got pushed while walking for no reason...
@@diaryocta960
I guess some kickboxing lessons would be appropriate. And the Berliner Schnauze - big mouth
Another reason Berlin sucks...It took over 1 year of living here before I had wifi...
true story hahhah
Amazing how wayyyy behind Germany is in terms of internet. I've lived in Myanmar and Nepal, third world countries, and they had better internet service. And customer service I must add 😂
'Hate' is a bit of a strong word, is it not?
Haha is scheinbar ja fast alles doof hier... Aber bei eigentlich allen Sachen muss ich dir recht geben. Ist traurig aber ist leider wirklich so.
Aber viele Dinge sind einfach Typisch Großstadt. Die Welt ist halt nicht pink flauschig und aus Watte, wenn du verstehst was ich meine.
I am 67 years old and had four years of university German before moving to Hamburg for a year. That was 45 years ago, but your characterization is so spot on I see times may not have changed so much, lol. The good and not so good. Interestingly, I made only foreign friends when I lived there...mostly from Turkey, North Africa, and Italy because they were warm and generous to me. The Germans? Well I wasn't German.
I had the same experience when it comes to international friend but during this time I had no german friend
I was in Berlin two years ago and some people were nice but the customer service absolutely sucks. They would be fired if they worked in New York where I am from or any place of employment in the USA.
I really liked your honesty. Been here for two months and I can relate to everything you said
Is it possible that some of the rootness you feel to encounter everywhere is due to your own demanding behavior - everything has to be to your liking, even the weather or the hours of daylight. And people dare not to speak your language in their own country. How rude...
a person can have opinions based on life experiences and preferences... she made another video talking about all the things she loved about Berlin. For the language thing, i think she meant she tries to speak German but German people still don't show any sympathy for her or try and help her
T S someone said Swiss and German dislike each other, true?
Sad to hear as a German 😩 But I agree with a lot of things 😂
oh wow that's so interesting that as German you even agree on some things. I thought all German people were going to take this video very personally and feel offended. I'm happy it's not the case for you at least :)
Chloé Kian I think every country has some issues :) But here are also really nice persons as you said! I think the problem with the supermarket or service is the pressure. I work in a restaurant and you always have to work fast and hard for little money sometimes that‘s why it‘s not easy to stay friendly always...
@ - it's just a matter of priorities/taste. My mum lived in Berlin. So I've been there "a hundred" times -what makes me an expert (sort of) bc I've kept my outsider perspective and for that reason agree on some of the points you've made. But TBH I love this city. If you wanna get a feeling what Berlin is about, listen to the sublime vibes of U2's "Achtung Baby" (best time for that autumn/winter time). Berlin is IMHO a depressive (a mental state that is commonly known with artists), anarchic, free, impulsive, breathing, great city - for whom a line of the GDR's national anthem hits the nail: "Auferstanden aus Ruinen, und der Zukunft zugewandt ...".
A bientot :o)
@ I'm not German (hello from Italy!) but I've studied in Germany for one year and I'm also negatively surprised by how many internationals are moving to Berlin because "it's so cool" (not saying you're one of them, eh eh I don't even know you) and don't speak German or are not learning the language. It's so sad to go to a bar and having to order in English cause the waiter doesn't know German. In my opinion it's strongly disrespectful of the country you're in. But that's just my opinion, sure. I worked hard when I lived in Germany to learn German from scratch, it was exhausting, constant headache, but I was a guest there and if you're a guest you respect the habits of your host. After 6-8 months I was speaking so fluently that some people would think I was a German.
@@WhatashameMaryJane I do speak German fluently (I have been learning it since I'm 6 yo) and I totally agree with your opinion. I think everyone should make an effort when living in a foreign country, it's a form of respect to learn the language.
Yup forgot sank u for travelling wis deutsche Bahn!
I remembered on winter I visited Berlin, to my surprise the metro looks very old and dirty ( it was indeed dirty) and smelly... but the streets were quite nice so...
yes absolutely some areas are very pretty!
I think concerning the rudeness and this love for following the rules, you might change your perspective after some time. I remember moving to Berlin beeing really shocked of people beeing cold and starting to call you out if you do something wrong (like standing on the bikelane instead of the sidewalk). But this is a part of our culture and also how people connect here. I like the spirit of beeing critical about every change, standing up if something is going wrong - the people in Berlin saw a lot of shit going on so they will stay suspicious and don't fake smile over problems. I really feel like everytime I go to the späti at my corner, I tell the shopkeeper about how shitty the politics/weather/tourists etc etc are and he tells me whats going on in his life - sounds weird but this is a kind of taking care for each other. Berlin is also a very political city, so argumenting and standing up for your rights, calling people out for wrong behavior is important. It took me maybe 1-2 years till I could see under the surface and understand what this behavior actually expresses. And yeah, maybe for foreign people this is not the easiest, friendliest city. I think many people in Berlin are scared seeing this huge immigration of young, educated folks from the global north. Seeing Amazon and Zalando building huge campuses and going to cafés in Neukölln where the waitress can't speak a word german may give people the feeling of their home changing in a wrong way. Nobody wants Berlin to become the next London.....
for someone who is trying to move to berlin in a year, this was such a helpful comment- thank you! i love how you shared how your views changed and how you learned to love these cultural differences. my mom is swiss so i already was raised with a similar love for order and comfortability with blatant callouts, but your comment encouraged me to work even harder than i am at learning german so i don't make native berliners feel frustrated that there's yet another young American coming to berlin without knowing or caring to learn a word of german.
btw: when i moved to berlin from hannover i thought, omg, in berlin people only cross the street when its red, i have to get used to that! and i still think only the tourists wait for the green light. but i also prefer the "dirty" parts of town. i enjoy graffiti.
Desutoroyalove Are people in Hannover less or more friendlier than Berliner?
All of yall are mad about the language thing yet she explained she's been learning german for 15 years! She just requested to speak to somebody in English to make sure there were no complications or misunderstandings and if there was no English speaker then I'm sure she would get by with what she could. I 1000% agree that if you move to a different country, you take that effort to learn that country's language. I'm a language enthusiast! But it just makes me think about how many Hispanics live in the US that make absolutely ZERO effort into learning any English and here we do just about everything to accommodate them. So stop hating on this girl.
thank you Cassie! this means a lot! and i am totally a language enthousiast as well. I can speak 5 languages..
Agree, she at least tried to learn local German! In USA, Spanish became an unofficial second language -_-
thank you so much sharing all these facts. Ive been leaving for more than 3 years and I totally agree and support all these concerns. I am gonna leave this city soon and I couldn't be more happy than this !!
I fell you. I do live in Germany but glad that it’s not Berlin. Was there for a couple times and disliked it immediately. Still a lot of paperwork to do in Germany ...
Miss Rose Which German city is the best for foreigners? Clean, safe, English is convenient....
TheRawBabe probably cologne... it’s a very tolerant Place where people don’t get annoyed by foreigners... it’s also a really open minded city :)
TheRawBabe Berlin.
you should visit LA or anywhere in southern california. its blue skies 80% all year around, no humidity, very little rain, often goes 10-11mos w/ no rainy days. close to beaches, lots of vegan options and farmers markets.
...actually sounds a bit boring the way you describe it.
Yes. Customer service in Germany SUCKS. It feels like they try to avoid you whenever they can. You call, they put you in the waiting line for 3 friggin hours.
Sorry but if that dirt is annoying you so badly you’ve totally not been getting what Berlin’s all about. it’s just nothing new that Berlin is not the ‘cleanest’ city but that is somehow what you have to get used to bc berlin wouldn’t be itself if it was different. the atmosphere is what makes it beautiful, people make it beautiful, music, events, open minded thinking and creativity.
maybe you’ll need some more time to love berlin with everything it comes with. berlin is the most beautiful city in the world to me
It gets dark around 3pm? not really..
And omg the rules are so insane! The road crossing is illegal and you get fined if police sees you! It’s crazy. We’re obsessed with rules! I agree with everything you said lol. I guess the weather is just normal for Northern Europe tho.
someone expected Berlin to be California somehow ..... but she has some good points regarding the Ubahn and rudness i.e.
But it's worse in the east of berlin
Really appreciate your honesty ...👏🏻👏🏻
yes THEY R VERY RUDE :( UGHHH
Agree! And if you point it out the first thing you hear is "go back to your country".
As if me "going back to my country" will change the fact that people there are very rude... 😅
did she say it gets dark at 3:00 pm
be more careful with the word HATE - better use I don't like - paperwork is worldwide the number one in bureaucracy - look to places in New YORK, many dirty areas and buildings - German winter, if you can change him, do it....girl, grow up before you judge other people in other countries
Being grown up means being able to take in and handle constructive criticism.
Ich bin in Deutschland aufgewachsen (Düsseldorf) und mit 22 nach Kalifornien ausgewandert. Ich habe Deutschland quasi für genau DIESE Gründe verlassen! I think you are spot on with everything! The difference in German and American supermarkets or German vs. American customer service is just MIND BLOWING! haha...dealt with an intense winter depression every year in Germany, 6 months of darkness and slimy snow, the sky looks like the buildings. Been doing so much better in California! And in 5 weeks I am moving to Hawaii! Love your videos
Hast du dir Greencard Lotterie gewonnen oder wie hast du dein Visum bekommen? Ich kann alle Punkte zu 100 Prozent nachvollziehen - bin aus München. Am schlimmsten sind die Winter und die Distanz zwischen den Menschen.
Hello Chloe!!! I love your content!!!!!, My Girlfriend and I are willing to live there for 2 months this summer... what towns or suburban areas (just outside Berlin) would you choose to live in for two months (July and August) if you want a calm, and relaxing place with great transport to the city that gives you both the freedom to be in the natural outdoors and city centre without needing a car? Thanks 😊
wheres your scrunchy from?:)
Hi Chloé! I undestand you perfectly. I moved to Berlin 7 months ago, and I felt the same. I come from Brazil and this was my firts winter here and I askeed me every day "why soooo gray?" hahaha But in general I've been liked Berlin :D
hahahha that's awesome! I only know a few brazilian people here in berlin and they're all called Bruna. is it so common in Brazil to be called Bruna?
@ Yes! It's a name very common for people born in the early 90s. I met a brazilian woman here in Berlin, we became friends
and can you guess what her name is? hahahaha yes... it's Bruna too :D
I’m German and they’re not only rude in Berlin to foreigners but generally rude. It’s called “Berliner Schnauze” and it’s like “their” thing. I live in Scotland now and people are sooooo nice!
I think it's cool and helpful that you made these videos. I watched all of both pro and con videos. Thank you + well wishes for your adventure!
thank you for the video, very insightful!
i've been to berlin only once so far but i thought people were SUPER nice. but maybe that's because i'm from poland and people here are more rude than there
I'm surprised to see how many people are giving you shit for the language part. I'm German and even I really dislike the German language. Some love it, some hate it. I guess when you speak several languages like you do you also get to experience how beautiful other languages can be by comparison
I agree on ur first point but if you live in a big city there isn’t a lot of nature like ever been to New York
Man, this put me off so big time about going there
Weather? sound to me that you speak about the normal where i come from. Only thing is , we are having it like you said for 9 months a year. In Arctic Norway :)
the disclaimer gives me anxiety 😅😁
hahah
@Chloé Kian I was thinking "OMG what she is going to say 😱"
I don't know where you used to live in Swiss but I can assure you that us genevans ( in Geneva so) don't give a damn about the red light in the pedestrian areas lol . Maybe the frenchies have an influence on us.. could be xD
I will move to Berlin next year from Finland. I disagree with almost everything you say hahah :) I even love graffiti and also I like when it looks a bit edgy and even trashy, it gives character to city. In Finland everything is so bland and super clean it is almost boring. I love Berlin. Great video. :)
Is clean bad or something?
Hi Chloe, I wonder where did you grow up in Switzerland, then the most stuff you are saying like weather, is even worse in Switzerland, rudeness is worse too, especially against foreigners:) I live in Switzerland for over 25 years, as a foreigner, I was bullied every day in School, just beeing Italian:) in winter Switzerland is great, especially when you have -15 to -20C with over a meter of snow each winter on the streets:) any City is Dirty, even Zurich, Basel, Bren, etc. I speak fluent German too, yes some people a rude, but most of them do not realise they are, so next time just tell them: sorry I think you are a bit rude, most of them will change their attitude, the ones who don't change their attitude are the ones who have no education, working in a low-level jobs and are not happy with their lives:)
Lorenzo Marrollo Why didn’t you react to the bullies? Why you thought it’s because you’re an Italian? (you do speak local German fluently)
I feel you, im mixed german born and raised but dont get to make too many friends with germans. as a mixed person i make easier friends with foreigners or especially other mixed people somehow lol.
I think berlin is okay, but given its our capital its a shame how dirty it is, and how berlin embraces its “dirtyness as cool”. its just meeeh, complete opposite of what a world class capital could be, and it once was (1920s)
Wow... i experienced the same thing...
Same experience here!
I can't imagine learning a language for 10 years and still not being able to understand some things lol. I'm planning on studying in Germany a year from now and I have been teaching myself the language so i do at least 45 minutes worth of German every day. You must really not be practising the language.
shan Franc Only people with low IQ can’t learn German in 10 years. Maybe not without an accent and small mistakes - but not to the point of people being rude. I always found if I tried to speak German to people and they realised I struggled they would happily help me in English as best they could. (Try that in France) if I just spoke in English of course some people thought, screw you... you’re in Germany... at least try.
I made the best of friends while I lived in Berlin and moving to the US was the biggest mistake I ever made. I miss Berlin.
I think you should live in a different place then you will be a lot happier?! Try a village outside a big city to benefit from the pros and cons of country and city life?
Thanks Chloé for ruining my excitment about Berlin ;) I like hills and nature too, while staying in reach of a decent sized city, any place you would recommend in Switzerland or elsewhere ? Cheers, Mat
I am 100% with you on all of it
For some reason this is more interesting than the things i love one😂
Im sorry so many people are offended with your video! As an American, I hear negative complaints about us all the time but I just laugh it off. There are so many videos about things people hate about cities, and yours is your own personal opinion which is great and exactly how it should be. Whenever you say that you don't speak German well, as you comparing German to swiss german or another language??
I totally understand you!!!!! i cant be more agree, the people here is super rude (obviously not everyone) but the majority, i always have problems in the street because i dont speak german 😐 i heard a lot the phrase “we are in germany we speak in german” and i mean yeah i know where i live and i try but its not easy and the people dont help, and then there is also one more thing that i had experience is that i dont feel really save, when i go to U-bahn or to S-bahn its sooooo free and there are always people drunk, taking drugs and stuff and yeah I dont like that at all, I never see like security and that makes me so nervous
YES!totally agree!
Mam come to Paris and visit Gard du nord, La Chapelle, la couronne than you understand how dirty is it Berlin is far clean then Paris even I live in paris
Yeah I'm glad I don't live in that part of Germany, I don't take that garbage from anyone. My right hook would get a lot of exercise.
You should make a video where you teach us basic German 🇩🇪
lol, please no german videos!
Chloé Kian 😂😋
I’m actually learning German 🤗 und ich liebe Deutsch! Wie geht’s? Guten abend ❤️
Wie sich die ganzen Berliner hier angegriffen fühlen, herrlich.
I've only visited Berlin once and I was there for a week only but I think you are wrong in many aspects. First of all, you can't say you hate German and move to a German - speaking country. I dislike it too, to some extent but I don't expect things to be easy for me just because I don't speak the language, as if someone owes me anything. Besides, when I went to Berlin, the Germans were super nice and understanding about me not speaking German. They were very helpful as well! I later visited 4 other cities and a village and every single German I met was okay with me not speaking German. Maybe that was cause I was a tourist but I've been in countries where, as a tourist, people were super rude when I spoke in English with them.
Another thing is that graffiti is part of what makes the city unique in terms of artistic expression. Berlin without graffiti would be empty and average - looking. Please be more respectful towards the graffiti artists because many of them have truly amazing artworks.
As for dirtiness, I'd say it depends on the neighbourhood. Given that there are people from 190 countries living there (according to some recent statistics I read), some of those have less respect and education than others. I've seen neighbourhoods where people littered a lot and also neighbourhoods that were spotless.
As a person who wants to move to Berlin, I think that we should all go there with an open mind, an understanding of the German culture and mentality and a desire to adapt to the new country.
I live here and the people its not okay with the fact that i cant speak german, being a tourist its a totally difierent experience than being a resident, so yeah and i dont live here bc I want (like most of people) i live here because my dad’s job is here so..
Swiss people are more strict about their rules than Germans, especially in Berlin many people give a shit about the fucking rules. You are right about customer service, there are exceptions for sure..
Last year I visited Berlin and I loved the city but people were just too rude for my liking. I don't think I will ever go again, to be honest. 🙅♀️
ene eLe An Arabic speaking Uber driver scared shit out of me! He kept texting and driving super fast on those tiny streets -_- Another Arabic looking but English speaking waiter stupidly to tell me that I have to pay for paper napkins when I asked for some after ordering while sitting at a restaurant inside Galeria near Alexanderplatz. I just walked over to the counter and grab them myself and we stared at each other! Guess the male refugees are problematic in Germany now....
I've been to Berlin on business trips a couple times and I hated it. The city smells of urine at every corner and people there are rude, period. It doesn't matter what nationality you are or what language you speak. In Germany they have a reputation for taking "being outspoken" to the next level.
Insightful video