I'm an American and I have visited Germany half a dozen times and my experience is that Germans are very friendly people. Germany has the best gothic and industrial music festivals in the world, and I never have a problem getting to know people as I usually travel by myself. I know living somewhere is different than being a tourist, but I hope to someday call Germany home.
The friendlyness depends on the region as well 😂 Not that some regions are friendlier than others. The kind of friendlyness is just different. Where I live, we tend to be very direct and don't waist our time with friendly phrases. But people tend to be warm and sincere - and gruffly ;) I hope that you can call Germany home one day :) Where do you want to live?
I also lived in Germany while in the University. I never ran into the germans not opening up to me. But I lived with a German family while studying, so my german knowledge increase a lot. I also did not live in a major city which helped. My University in the U.S. also had an International Studies Program there for many years. So they were used to students coming each year. Ich vermiße Deutschland!
@@BlackSun404 I love how it says like "oh yeah, about that.. we decided to not write it like that anymore" xD I mean its technically true but it still sounds funny xD
Stimmt leider nicht ganz. Es gibt Menschen, die unabhängig von Charakter und dem Wesen, Menschen einzig und allein nach der Herkunft oder äußeren Merkmalen beurteilen und in Schubladen stecken. Da wird viel pauschalisiert und mit stereotypen gearbeitet. Ist Gott sei Dank nicht bei allen so aber bei einigen.
3:33 that advice applies to Germans as well, join a club, a team, a gym, or even a Verein. Something that interests you and you will make friends in no time.
I spent some time in Great Britain and thought its people where unfriendly. I discovered they were being polite and did not want to impinge on others. Beneath the reserve was real integrity!
Oh same experience! I started working for a London based company and i could not understand why people in shops did not ask you if you needed help. or co workers that saw issues but did not say anything and than said, its rude to mingle in the situation ....
You’re an EU citizen, Nalf. If you get mail from The Man, relax. You’re an Italian, as far as the German government is concerned. You can choose your EU country of residence freely as long as you register, and pay your way and taxes.
I lived in Germany seven years and my wife is German and I can't remember one German person being negative towards me for being American. Of course I was in the military and most of the Germans lived around the base and saw Americans as neighbors and not just "foreigners" like NALF. Even when I traveled around Germany I was treated real well as an American. Of course I wasn't filming them all the time and taking my shirt off in front of them NALF style. 😝😝
Actually, I cannot imagine this to be different anywhere else in Europe. Is it already an American fear not to be loved ? Americans in Europe are just treated like anybody else, like fellow people.
My experience as a naturalised Swiss originally from the US: people in Switzerland as well as in Germany may have their disagreements with America concerning politics, sociology, economics, BUT they do not confuse America with Americans. They allow the American to kind of identify him/herself as to their own qualities and accept (or not, as the case may be) according to those qualities. I've had many, many discussions on this side of the pond concerning America, so in agreement with my Gesprächspartner, some not. But they never devolved into a lack of respect for the other individual - something (here it comes) I cannot say about conversations with Americans. This ability to agree to disagree is something I greatly appreciate here. And now, looking forward to my next trip from Switzerland (my home) to the Odenwald area of Germany in a couple of weeks.
I'm a German living since over 25 years in France and I can tell you that administrative and bureaucracy hassles in Germany are a piece of cake against the french habits. At least bureaucracy is a word with french roots and they know how to do it. As France is the country of egality they treat the native french and foreigners the same bad way. Also the French are quite reserved and stay with familiy or very, very close friends. You can be neighbor for 10 or more years on a very good relationship and you will meet with them in a Bistro or a Restaurant but they will never invite you to their home.
French from the east of France aren't so different from south German, the real north east french not the "new" french addition from an other part of France. In the mountains with a more hostile climat, people are very reserve because the new incomers could only stay some months, then no need to be less reserve. But in case of real bad time, they will be there, use to stay together towards adversity. If the new incomers stay some years, they will open their houses and tables and integrate you. Real coconut people ! South of France is more friendly but in fact after some years you will discover that you're not so integrated, more peach people !
@@E85stattElektro with school exchange you spend most of your time at school with your friends or on day trips with your teachers and school friends, not a lot of time only with your host family and alone with your french exchange friend. The exchange I made in my youth was during holidays with only 2 or 3 day trips or meeting, the other days of the fortnight was with the family. My family, my German family and my brother German family were a bit strict, we weren't allowed to meet the other of the exchange apart the organized activities, in order to create a link, to " bath" in the culture. The families have to integrate and "educate" the young foreigner. My brother and I were very happy with our families. That exchange turned to a school exchange, it wasn't the same. My kids did school exchange too, and we had the German kids home. As they left home early to go to school and came back around 17-18 :00 it was difficult to create a link and there was only 1 weekend free but with a party on Saturday, then Sunday was a rest day, they were to tired to do something. I was very frustrated, feeling to be only there to feed them and give them a bed ! And only during 2 years as the kids change schools for the 3 last year's in France ! I understand well why my kids didn't have a link with their exchange friends. I did 5 years of summer exchange plus continue to see my German friends after the baccalauréat.
Oh yeah, that's right. The most unpleasant thing that happened to me once was that I received a "Förmliche Zustellung" from my partner personally! Well, he works at the post office and our apartment is in his area. And he actually had to fulfill the protocol, ask me my full name (which came across as pretty weird) and then confirm that he personally delivered the letter to me. It really was the weirdest thing that ever happened to me.
I was born and grew up in Germany and it was so terrible for me. I encountered so much racism. My family moved to Germany in the 60’s. Now I live for 18 years in California and the people were so kind and helpful to me even I couldn’t speak English. I am glad that you had a good experience. Maybe it changed.
Living in the U.S as a German - I can pretty much sign off of all the things you mentioned. 1. Getting things in the mail is usually negative (medical bills 🤯 etc) or an enormous waste of ads that I can’t cancel or stop 2. Probably the hardest thing is making actual friends in the States which in-Tales some sort of loyalty or is more in depth than a coffee grab once in a quarter 😅 Let’s go deep Americans, stop trading in shallow waters (I am a dual citizen by now) 3. Driving?….haha the rules are guidelines at best on the streets hahah - this German-Autobahn-using-paid-thousand-of-dollars-for-the-license is amazed why these people just get their license handed to them for $15… Lol, just a few - I command you being in Germany and dealing with all the good, bad and ugly. Your videos make me miss home a lot but thankful I have the opportunity to also live in this great country which has tones of things easier,faster and better than Germany when it comes to jobs etc. Keep up the good work.
Why do you get medical bills? O.o If you have a public health ensurance you only get bills if you stayed in hospital (10 € a day or so) and if you got special treatments not covered - but they inform you about the cost beforehand and you hqve to sign for it. So it can never happen to get medical bills without knowing about them and hoe much you have to pay beforehand.
I workout at a local deutsch gym and I find it is either they stare and keep distance once they smell the Ami on you or overly smile at you until i go up and talk with them 😂
As a foreigner in any country you always worry about mail from the government. It's never a discount voucher on your next income tax bill or something.
@@HelloOnepiece The small variant of Volkszählung? The Mikro-Stichprobe? it is like in the US, they do micro surveys on randomly selected residents for the census (called Micro-Census) and every X years they do a complete census.
@@PascalGienger I mean not unusual, but kinda weird/funny to ask someone who has been there circa a month, what do they think about the city and the criminality here
When I was in Berlin, I was treated very kindly. I had my host family, who were the most welcoming people I could have ever been placed with. All of the people I spoke with, whether I needed directions or was shopping, were kind. I went to a store with my host family and went to the deli. The dude behind the counter had impeccable manners and knew I was a foreigner with crap german. 😅 it was amazing in Berlin.
Berlin was a fantastic social experiment. When the wall came down, Berlin was a beautiful broken toy. We had almost no infrastructure, so we opened stores in our ground floor apartments, and clubs in our basements. In any other country. leaving a city of that size 'unguarded' would have led to the military having to restore order. Only in Germany can you tell the people 'you're on your own... don't go too crazy', and they didn't. We did what we wanted. Empty apartments were everywhere. The atmosphere was the coolest thing I've ever experienced. We had 10+ years of more freedom than I thought possible. People are still moving here searching for that, though it's mostly just shadows and echoes now. Having lived all over the world, I choose to live here, and it's an informed decision. I'm glad your experience here was positive :)
Not A Phobic But Is there a Islam Problem in Berlin or anything, I mean are Muslim immigrants increasing and causing problems/riots and any problem you faced, also Turkish & Syrian population is very much in Berlin. I will be Moving later this year or in start of 2024 to Berlin........
Thanks for the video! I am Brazilian living in Vienna for over twenty years married to an Austrian. When I came to live here, a Portuguese writer told me: you will understand the difference between the Old Continent and the New Continent. And so it is. Good luck!
Often there are also cultural aspects that lead to misunderstandings. We Germans are generally friendly and distant towards strangers and thus get to know the person first, while people from the US approach strangers much more openly and therefore the German behavior could be misunderstood as rejection. This reticence of ours can also be seen in comparison to supermarkets, while in US you are asked by salespeople if everything is okay, in Germany the motto is: "The customer will contact us if he wants something!" - It is the same with expats, many companies think "The employee will contact you if he has any questions" and in the end the expat is unhappy because he does not feel welcome.
So true, this difference also exists in Germany itself. Just compare the Rheinland with people from Bavaria or Baden-Württemberg. In the Rheinland it's so easy to get in contact with other people but it's possible that they do not know you anymore the next day. On the other hand it's very hard to build up a relationship with the people from the south but if this has happened it can last forever.
Nalf, language is a key factor. In case you intend to speak the country language it will open doors. Being part of the society of your town, village, yes, join the sports clubs or another "Verein" to get in closer contact with the people. On countryside its also good to know and to introduce yourself to the neighbourhood. If you want to stay for yourself, you will be alone. Of course, the nationality plays a role but this is also part in any other country.
I don't about that I speak arguably better German than most natives but still know no one from the district I live in because 99.99% of locals are really incredibly reserved and generally to any creature that moves Even my neighbors told me to not bother them because they want to be alone....so I give up officially...best bet ist to live in a major city where u can befriend some niche foreigners espacially those from Asia and Latin america
In Bavaria, it's not only hard for expats to make local friends. Even other Germans have practically no chance. In the Rhineland it's easier for both groups, and in Berlin there are so many expats, you don't need Germans.
Much luv to ya bro! THX 4 your entertainment, and or videos! I,m German, lived 25 years in Florida though, 10 growing up in Germany, and came back to the Frankfurt area 5 years ago. I once again appreciate your content of news, highlights, and plain ol U and Americans alike.... Unfortunately some Germans regarding Americans can be hard heads, some softer, I think all depending on unfortunately if Republican or Democrat... The ever revolving world.... I wish u the best bro, be good, und guten abend.
We just got back from our first trip to Germany and I have nothing but amazing things to say about our experience with the German public. I've been taking German language lessons so I tried my best to speak German as often as I was able. As soon as we landed and got a rental car, we went to the gas station and when observing our struggle, a local woman came over and helped my Dad with the gas pump and when to pay. She also helped us change the indicators in the car to English - just out of kindness, seeing we were visitors. I have been absorbing as much as I can about how to behave in Germany as an American and I also have to say the hospitality is not nearly as terrible as it is reported. We had an amazing time and I hope to go back again very soon! Ich vermisse Deutschland
@J U Hey, hmm ja kann sein, dass es allgemein etwas schwieriger ist in Bayern aufgenommen zu werden als anderswo, da hab ich jetzt keinen persönlichen Vergleich weil hier geboren und aufgewachsen. Aber ich hatte eigtl. schon immer das Gefühl, dass viele hier sehr offen sind. Es kommt wahrscheinlich stark drauf an wo man hinkommt. Hier in "meinem" ländlichen Gebiet sind die meisten heutzutage relativ aufgeschlossen, wenn das Gegenüber freundlich ist. Wir hatten aber auch immer schon Urlauber. Das Problem dürfte eher sein dass es in der Regel zuerst immer irgendeinen Grund braucht in Kontakt zu treten, das glaub ich ist aber in weiten Teilen Deutschlands sehr verbreitet... Also gut wer beruflich oder schulisch schonmal Anschluss hat... oder Club oder Verein... Ansonsten ist es vielleicht etwas schwieriger als beispielsweise in Köln... wie geasagt es kamen Leute begeistert wieder von dort zurück und sagten es wäre so leicht gewesen in Kneipen und Bars mit anderen ins Gespräch zu kommen und die Leute in Köln waren super nett. Hier kann einem das auch passieren, muss aber nicht... je nach Kneipe und Anlass... Von den schulischen Unterschieden hab ich auch schon gehört, die müssen gravierend sein. Ein Bekannter sagte er wäre in Berlin locker im Gymnasium mitgekommen, was hier undenkbar war und er musste die Schule wechseln. In der Realschule musste er sich dann anstrengen um im besseren Mittelfeld zu bleiben... kann man irgendwie kaum glauben solche Unterschiede in einem einzigen Land. Nun ja... so hat jede Region in Deutschland pro und contra denk ich... und wie gesagt, kommt es am Ende immer auf die genauen Umstände an, und auf etwas Glück wen man so trifft. 🙂
One important tip: if you plan to live in Germany or Austria (or any foreign country) for more than a year, learn the language. You don't need to be perfect, people will be understanding. But if you live here for a long time and show no interest in somewhat participating in the culture, it gives a bad impression because it makes you seem ignorant or even arrogant.
There is one point you´re missing in regards we germans cope with foreigners. And that is where they come from and their culture. Most germans will have no issues with foreigners from a "similar" western culture as all the western european cultures or western cultures in general which include the american culture. Where it get´s difficult is the more and more different the foreign culture is. Like it can be really difficult for arabian and north african cultures here in Germany. Their values and cultural habits are far too different (not even saying theirs is worse then ours or anything like that - just different) to get easily and peaceful along. But that´s not just a german issue. It is and was in all history that cultures that are/were similar to each other could get along well, but the farther away and different a culture is the more conflict resulted. That´s why multi-cultural will always cause trubble in the long run. History proves it.
Für ein paar Jahre lebte ich in Frankreich. Wenn man nur ein paar Worte in Französisch spricht, hat man gewonnen. Ein amerikanischer Arbeitskollege wurde von französischen Beamten aber abgestraft, weil er nicht mal ein freundliches "Bonjour" hinbekam. Und versuche mal, auch als Einheimischer einen Schwarzwälder als Freund zu gewinnen. :-) Dafür muss man hart arbeiten!
Da ich selbst in Frankreich lebe und vorher kurz in Baden-Württemberg lebte, kann ich nur zustimmen. Manchmal ist es sogar gut, wenn man nicht dauernd auf Menschen trifft, die einem sofort Freundschaft anbieten, obwohl man sich im Prinzip überhaupt nicht kennt. Echte Freundschaften beruhen immer auf Vertrauen, gegenseitigem Respekt und einer gewissen Liebe im platonischem Sinne. Unechte Freunde erkennt man immer daran, dass sie sich selbst einladen, Geschenke mitbringen aber im Gegenzug ebenfalls Geschenke erwarten und fast nie zu erreichen sind, wenn man tatsächlich mal ihre Hilfe benötigt.
Nothing bad, don't worry. Germany is the #8 of the most visited countries in the world, just behind Mexico and ahead of Thailand. We are used to tourists!
Nice advice to get a flat, but may be, sometimes you just have to find the right place, where there are free appartments, as some regions have only few free spaces. And try different web pages and may be local newspapers. but yes, best option is to have your ear around.
The question: "How Germany treats Foreigners" is like sitting on a horse upside down and asking why horses are always upside down. It always comes down to people first. What experiences has he made, what is his character like and of course also to the person opposite and the respective situation. And of course it also plays a role where I grew up. But my behavior towards others only reflects what kind of person I am. And what kind of person I am is partly influenced by where I come from. But my background does not determine what kind of person I am
Nalf, what do you need to understand is that you are a foreigner with a first class passport. this is unfortunately still a big difference compared to someone coming from let’s say Malaysia, or no mostly any other part of the world, other than Europe, and do US.
Thanks for this video. It's always so interesting to get outside perspective on things that are not al to me as a native here. I love your content and I am happy that u decided to stay here even after your active career ended. Welcome, we're glad to have u
In the former East Germany it is often easier to find an apartment. Apartments are also more reasonable than in the West. You can root for American football teams there! The East Germans are really friendly too.
lived in Finland 6+ years...easier to make friends, but pretty reserved, although that depends on beer, too....food is more expensive than Germany, salaries lower, but, Finns find satisfaction in life, in other ways. very, very calm place, except Helsinki, but compared to USA, positively glacial. no tire screeching, no horn honking, but, fast driving folks, too...very direct people, even more than Germans...btw, no "pronoun" issues, since they have no gendered words, and no gendered pronouns! "Han" works for anyone.
I am American and live in Italy. Here it is the registered mail that is terrifying. Signing for that envelope is the worst. Chances are it is going to cost you, and chances are you didn’t see it coming.
The yellow envelope he showed was exactly such an official letter. (I think it was the one when he got fined for flying a drone where it isn't allowed.)
Oh, the german letter. I dont even live in Germany and I have received a letter from Germany...a fine...from a time I went to Germany for a vacation :D
I've lived in many countries and I have to say that you are right. The experience of living in Germany is generally good. What I feel is particularly negative though, is the bureaucratic inefficiency which plagues the country. From Docs' appointments to trying to get documents' updates, the German bureaucracy machine works like snails on Valium ...
I have applied to over 50 rooms in the town I'm going to study in. Heard back from 2 got denied by all of them. Not quite sure what I'm going to do now...
We are traveling to Germany. My first time in Europe ever. We are visiting my wife's mother near Munich. I get to drive there too lol. How bad can it be, right....great videos though, I've learned alot so far
Another reason why it may be hard to find an apartment are the laws in Germany. Once the tenants are in the apartment it is not easy for the landlord to get them out again. That is why the landlord is looking for people with a good reputation and why speaking German is so important. He wants to get a clear picture of the people that are going to rent the apartment. There are cases when the tenants fvkked up the apartment and payed no rent and it took months to get them out again. Those are called Mietnomaden (renting nomads) and are the nightmare of all landlords.
You really must not fear to be thrown out. What you may get, is called " Ordnungsstrafe ". Thats just a fine, not a criminal record. You will not be thrown out for fines. Having a italian passport, you are a inhabitant of the EU. You can travel, work and live in 31 countries. Its called freedom of movement.
Don't worry about breaking rules the first time as a foreigner in Germany. As long as you have a good track record with the law, you get the benefit of the doubt and will just get updated on the laws in question. Not knowing is at least a partial defense in such a case as long as the breaking of that particular law did not require true malice on your part. If you do not understand something pertainig to a governmental letter of some kind just visit your local "Rathaus" or "Bürgerbüro", either of which can either immediately help you or refer you to someone who can. Our burocracy is convoluted but we are generally very inclined to help others figure out what they need to do in any given circumstance of burocracy. Asking for help is not a shameful thing here in this case, many natives do just that after all.
Well meaning and positive video as is NALF'S way. But foreigner isn't foreigner. I won't go into this here but there are very different species of them. And Germans tend to react differently to them.
As an American also living in Germany, when I moved here 4 years ago. What a nightmare trying to find a place to live. Germans don't respond to their own ads. I got a place I really like 1200sm 2 baths. But I was so pushy to the point landlord asked me to stop, even then she was scared I was going to flee the country in the middle of the night. I asked a older Germany land at my new office to speak with the landlord, G on G. Finally I offered about 500€ more than any German would pay. Then & only then did she accept. Making friends, especially as an older (50) single guy is impossible. My joke is by the 5-7 years my contract is up in Germany, maybe a German will want to be a friend and invite me over to their home or our fir a beer. Don't get me wrong randomly meeting a German at a bar is great super fun, but don't cross the line and offer your number or ask for theirs to get more beers in a few weeks or something!!!!
While asking for a phone number might seem creepy for Germans, asking for another time for a beer is not. My suggestion would be a to join a Verein. There you will make „acquaintances“ which can grow into friendships. That is the easiest way for 50+.
About housing the sad thing is that letting a flat has become at least as difficult as leasing one. Possibly the only ones actually getting an advantage from that situation are estate agents, lawyers and courts. BTW, it doesn't matter whether your foreign or not.
@@Andreas_Cologne I think my concerns a going a little bit deeper. Look at the number of law people in parliaments in Germany. They are significantly over-represented. So the same people earning their living by applying law are making the law. Honi soit qui mal y pense. I think there's a situation brewing. And so far it doesn't look as if we're solving the housing problem but rather we're aggravating it.
"Complain is a national passtime in Germany." 😅 Well, I do have a nighbour with whom I only talk about the weather and we always agree on that it is shit 🙈
I noticed, that your sound mixing is way off. Music is WAY louder at certain points when there is no one talking. I have to adjust multiple times during your videos.
Wow, if you discriminate like that with Housing in the US the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice could come after you and you will probably also get sued for discrimination!!! Interesting Nick! 🤔
"Join a club or a team" is the magic potion of making friends in Germany but it is far off course. If I go to a concert of a band I love and I'm in the front row dancing next to someone who loves the band and knows all the words as I do, singing along....what are the chances they are a potential friend? We have one common interest, that is it. There is no consideration for personality or conduct or upbringing or chemistry. There is that one beloved band/club/team, that's it. I have exactly two acquaintances in Germany based on a club. We have zero+eins in common but we hang out twice yearly to maintain the acquaintanceship based on the single shared interest. American Expats? None here in my city of 35,000.
He meant, whats called a "Verein e. V." in Germany. These are registered Clubs with special interests: bowling, shooting, football (Soccer), Baseball and all kinds of sports clubs BUT much more: history clubs, singing, architecture, flying models, railway ..., In a small town with 1200 inhabitants, we have 30 clubs. There are clubs with more social interaction like gun clubs, choirs, bowling and some with less social interaction like fitness studios, soccer (if you are not a player).
well a concert is not a club. and of course it depends on the club, Clubs were you meet regularly and people are mixed usually works best. Problem is of course, as you get older, the sports clubs are usually no longer possible
You will make friends there, if you are reliable, weekly visitor, who likes to communicate. Reliability, trustworthy, being active and helpful are the keys to learn about the German Culture. In these clubs, even it is a tennis or golf club, you will find very different people. In our hometown tennis club, the facility manager of a bank and the bank director sat at the "Stammtisch" without any conceit. In my gun club, there are entrepreneurs, all kinds of craftsmen, teacher, rich people and not so rich people, young and old ones.....intelligent ones and quite simple minded ones.
Id say most Germans nowaday like the USA less then lets say 10 years ago BUT that does not include its people. When i see a random american walking down my village im gonna be hyped and wanting to talk to them.
As regards hostility against foreigners, I guess it depends on where you're from. People from the "western world" are probably facing less difficulties in being accepted than people from Eastern Europe, Africa, the Middle-East or most parts of Asia, even if they're born here and it's just their (grand-)parents who are/have been foreigners. There's this more or less unconscious mechanism separating "bad" or "real" foreigners from "good" or "not really" foreigners, seeing some people as "more foreign" than others. Especially refugees are often met with distrust and rejection. Yeah there's hardcore nazi scum who hates all foreign-looking people, but most Germans are not that way obviously. But still - to a big part of society "foreigner" doesn't equal "foreigner".
Just like all other people all over the world, Germans come in all shades and sizes. It all boils down to respect for each other. If you address Germans in your typical American slightly arrogant way, than don´t expect to be a welcomed person.
it is not difficult to find an apartmen, even in mUnich or Berlin..it is difficult to find cheap one...most people expect to find a flat in the city center for 500 bucks...not gonna happen
One of the things many Germans don't like about stereotypical Americans is a disinterest in the world beyond their borders. Wether it's true or not, Americans abroad are automatically more well regarded :)
7:59 you´re an Italian = EU member state citizen, i bet the government won´t be able to kick you out since this would conflict with eu law regarding free movement and the schengen agreement ;)
Russia is actually the nation with the second largest population of foreigners, at about 20 million out of a population of 145 million. The vast majority of those foreigners are from Central Asia and the Caucasus, so people who don't tend to immigrate to countries like Germany in large numbers. They also were all nations of the former Soviet Union, so leaving home for work in Russia is not that unusual for them. Germany is thus the #3 nation when it comes to the size of the population of foreigners.
Learn the Language and dialect where you live. The Germans love that. Pronause a german word a bit different as a joke and they will laugh their head off.
I don’t know if it will go through or not but I’ve heard the current administration is wanting to shut down, making it illegal to have a VPN. Just keep an eye on that. Thanks for the great videos and sharing information. I started learning German for something to do while my wife was in Hospice. My mother was born there after the war and the family immigrated to the US soon after. I’ve been watching German content videos and getting the idea of maybe making some time to come stay there. Thanks for all that you do.
With the mail, even as a German, I'm afraid of every letter. And if you aren't and asshole and don't meet a Nazi, yes sadly there are people that still believe in this nonsense, we will welcome you. Mabey at first with a litlte hostility, but it's not because of you. It's just, that we have clearer boundaries on our definition of friendship. But after some time we know you and found you sympatic, we'll stand by your side no matter what happens. Even if you do dumb shit, we will take a little distant, but we are the friends, that will even visit you frequently in Jail. And even if we don't get along we are "professional", we will greet each over and do small talk. We're just shitty, if you insult our friends or family and are a shitty human beeing, but I think, that's the same in all countries in the world.
I'm an American and I have visited Germany half a dozen times and my experience is that Germans are very friendly people. Germany has the best gothic and industrial music festivals in the world, and I never have a problem getting to know people as I usually travel by myself. I know living somewhere is different than being a tourist, but I hope to someday call Germany home.
@@JU-pq6qu WGT is the one I was referring to. I'll be there again next month.
@J U Junge, auf diesen LGTV- kann man sich selbst doch nicht feiern🤦🏻♂️
Friendly people? 😅 I live in Germany for 3 years and friendly is what they stand out the least. When you live here is totally different.
The friendlyness depends on the region as well 😂 Not that some regions are friendlier than others. The kind of friendlyness is just different. Where I live, we tend to be very direct and don't waist our time with friendly phrases. But people tend to be warm and sincere - and gruffly ;)
I hope that you can call Germany home one day :) Where do you want to live?
I’m German. There are friendly people and not so friendly just like everywhere I think.
I also lived in Germany while in the University. I never ran into the germans not opening up to me. But I lived with a German family while studying, so my german knowledge increase a lot. I also did not live in a major city which helped. My University in the U.S. also had an International Studies Program there for many years. So they were used to students coming each year. Ich vermiße Deutschland!
Hi! That's not how we write that anymore. We decided we'd spell it "vermisse" instead from now on!
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
-Germany =P
@@BlackSun404 I love how it says like "oh yeah, about that.. we decided to not write it like that anymore" xD
I mean its technically true but it still sounds funny xD
In Germany we say: "Wie man in den Wald rein ruft so schallt es zurück". Nette Menschen sind immer willkommen ❤
I wish I lived in your city
Niemand ist immer nur nett. Mit sind ehrlich Menschen lieber, die dürfen auch mal Launen haben und nicht i mer nur positiv lächelnd rumlaufen.
Das sehen viele Menschen in unserem Land leider anders.
Stimmt leider nicht ganz. Es gibt Menschen, die unabhängig von Charakter und dem Wesen, Menschen einzig und allein nach der Herkunft oder äußeren Merkmalen beurteilen und in Schubladen stecken. Da wird viel pauschalisiert und mit stereotypen gearbeitet. Ist Gott sei Dank nicht bei allen so aber bei einigen.
@@notnolz haha troll
3:33 that advice applies to Germans as well, join a club, a team, a gym, or even a Verein. Something that interests you and you will make friends in no time.
I spent some time in Great Britain and thought its people where unfriendly. I discovered they were being polite and did not want to impinge on others. Beneath the reserve was real integrity!
Oh same experience! I started working for a London based company and i could not understand why people in shops did not ask you if you needed help. or co workers that saw issues but did not say anything and than said, its rude to mingle in the situation ....
You’re an EU citizen, Nalf. If you get mail from The Man, relax. You’re an Italian, as far as the German government is concerned. You can choose your EU country of residence freely as long as you register, and pay your way and taxes.
the guys american….
@@nelsonvh3033 with an Italian passport as well as a US one.
thats why Eu cool
@@nelsonvh3033 je has an italian passport, its complicated.....
I lived in Germany seven years and my wife is German and I can't remember one German person being negative towards me for being American. Of course I was in the military and most of the Germans lived around the base and saw Americans as neighbors and not just "foreigners" like NALF. Even when I traveled around Germany I was treated real well as an American. Of course I wasn't filming them all the time and taking my shirt off in front of them NALF style. 😝😝
Actually, I cannot imagine this to be different anywhere else in Europe. Is it already an American fear not to be loved ? Americans in Europe are just treated like anybody else, like fellow people.
My experience as a naturalised Swiss originally from the US: people in Switzerland as well as in Germany may have their disagreements with America concerning politics, sociology, economics, BUT they do not confuse America with Americans. They allow the American to kind of identify him/herself as to their own qualities and accept (or not, as the case may be) according to those qualities. I've had many, many discussions on this side of the pond concerning America, so in agreement with my Gesprächspartner, some not. But they never devolved into a lack of respect for the other individual - something (here it comes) I cannot say about conversations with Americans. This ability to agree to disagree is something I greatly appreciate here. And now, looking forward to my next trip from Switzerland (my home) to the Odenwald area of Germany in a couple of weeks.
@@holger_p Indeed, we Germans don't love other Germans either, we hate us with a passion!!!1 ;-)
I'm a German living since over 25 years in France and I can tell you that administrative and bureaucracy hassles in Germany are a piece of cake against the french habits. At least bureaucracy is a word with french roots and they know how to do it. As France is the country of egality they treat the native french and foreigners the same bad way. Also the French are quite reserved and stay with familiy or very, very close friends. You can be neighbor for 10 or more years on a very good relationship and you will meet with them in a Bistro or a Restaurant but they will never invite you to their home.
@gunter hagendorf. 👍
Passierschein A-38
French from the east of France aren't so different from south German, the real north east french not the "new" french addition from an other part of France. In the mountains with a more hostile climat, people are very reserve because the new incomers could only stay some months, then no need to be less reserve. But in case of real bad time, they will be there, use to stay together towards adversity.
If the new incomers stay some years, they will open their houses and tables and integrate you. Real coconut people !
South of France is more friendly but in fact after some years you will discover that you're not so integrated, more peach people !
@@brigittelacour5055 I had multiple exchanges with France during school, but somehow never really connected with the people there.
@@E85stattElektro with school exchange you spend most of your time at school with your friends or on day trips with your teachers and school friends, not a lot of time only with your host family and alone with your french exchange friend. The exchange I made in my youth was during holidays with only 2 or 3 day trips or meeting, the other days of the fortnight was with the family. My family, my German family and my brother German family were a bit strict, we weren't allowed to meet the other of the exchange apart the organized activities, in order to create a link, to " bath" in the culture. The families have to integrate and "educate" the young foreigner. My brother and I were very happy with our families.
That exchange turned to a school exchange, it wasn't the same.
My kids did school exchange too, and we had the German kids home. As they left home early to go to school and came back around 17-18 :00 it was difficult to create a link and there was only 1 weekend free but with a party on Saturday, then Sunday was a rest day, they were to tired to do something. I was very frustrated, feeling to be only there to feed them and give them a bed ! And only during 2 years as the kids change schools for the 3 last year's in France ! I understand well why my kids didn't have a link with their exchange friends. I did 5 years of summer exchange plus continue to see my German friends after the baccalauréat.
Believe me Nick, a Förmliche Zustellung in a yellow evelope is as unplesant to you as it is to us Germans. Keep up the good work. I love it.
Oh yeah, that's right. The most unpleasant thing that happened to me once was that I received a "Förmliche Zustellung" from my partner personally! Well, he works at the post office and our apartment is in his area. And he actually had to fulfill the protocol, ask me my full name (which came across as pretty weird) and then confirm that he personally delivered the letter to me. It really was the weirdest thing that ever happened to me.
@@Freakyboss but that's just the professional way to do it, finally the best way to do it for both of you.
I was born and grew up in Germany and it was so terrible for me. I encountered so much racism. My family moved to Germany in the 60’s. Now I live for 18 years in California and the people were so kind and helpful to me even I couldn’t speak English. I am glad that you had a good experience. Maybe it changed.
Hat alles seinen Grund.
Changed meanwhile. Meanwhile there is so less tolerance for racism. 20% of Germany as immigrants history
Get a dog and walk it 3 times a day, you will meet a lot of other dog owners really fast.
Living in the U.S as a German - I can pretty much sign off of all the things you mentioned.
1. Getting things in the mail is usually negative (medical bills 🤯 etc) or an enormous waste of ads that I can’t cancel or stop
2. Probably the hardest thing is making actual friends in the States which in-Tales some sort of loyalty or is more in depth than a coffee grab once in a quarter 😅 Let’s go deep Americans, stop trading in shallow waters (I am a dual citizen by now)
3. Driving?….haha the rules are guidelines at best on the streets hahah - this German-Autobahn-using-paid-thousand-of-dollars-for-the-license is amazed why these people just get their license handed to them for $15…
Lol, just a few - I command you being in Germany and dealing with all the good, bad and ugly. Your videos make me miss home a lot but thankful I have the opportunity to also live in this great country which has tones of things easier,faster and better than Germany when it comes to jobs etc.
Keep up the good work.
Why do you get medical bills? O.o If you have a public health ensurance you only get bills if you stayed in hospital (10 € a day or so) and if you got special treatments not covered - but they inform you about the cost beforehand and you hqve to sign for it. So it can never happen to get medical bills without knowing about them and hoe much you have to pay beforehand.
You probably just have an easy time getting jobs because of your german reputation.
I workout at a local deutsch gym and I find it is either they stare and keep distance once they smell the Ami on you or overly smile at you until i go up and talk with them 😂
As a foreigner in any country you always worry about mail from the government. It's never a discount voucher on your next income tax bill or something.
Same here in the US. You absolutely want to open letters from USCIS or court and tax (IRS) letters....
My first letter from the government was a survey in Germany
@@HelloOnepiece The small variant of Volkszählung? The Mikro-Stichprobe?
it is like in the US, they do micro surveys on randomly selected residents for the census (called Micro-Census) and every X years they do a complete census.
@@PascalGienger I mean not unusual, but kinda weird/funny to ask someone who has been there circa a month, what do they think about the city and the criminality here
Try to find an Appartment in the USA communicating in German...
In some areas that shouldn't be a problem at all.
@@Andreas_Cologne even so for english speaking people in Ramstein, Wiesbaden, Grafenwöhr, Ansbach and Kaiserslautern.
;-)
@@Andreas_Cologne Dutch Texans don't understand modern German all to well...
If you want to be guest anywhere you cant avoid local specialities incl language. Isnt that the point of travelling?
yellow envelope ist important, because that means you get a deadline. You have to react fast or the problem stays with you.
„Complaining is a national pastime of Germany“ 😂😂
The advice with joining a club is the best advice you can get, it removes every cultural barrier and you instantly make friends
When I was in Berlin, I was treated very kindly. I had my host family, who were the most welcoming people I could have ever been placed with. All of the people I spoke with, whether I needed directions or was shopping, were kind. I went to a store with my host family and went to the deli. The dude behind the counter had impeccable manners and knew I was a foreigner with crap german. 😅 it was amazing in Berlin.
Berlin is like another country
Berlin was a fantastic social experiment. When the wall came down, Berlin was a beautiful broken toy. We had almost no infrastructure, so we opened stores in our ground floor apartments, and clubs in our basements. In any other country. leaving a city of that size 'unguarded' would have led to the military having to restore order. Only in Germany can you tell the people 'you're on your own... don't go too crazy', and they didn't. We did what we wanted. Empty apartments were everywhere. The atmosphere was the coolest thing I've ever experienced. We had 10+ years of more freedom than I thought possible. People are still moving here searching for that, though it's mostly just shadows and echoes now. Having lived all over the world, I choose to live here, and it's an informed decision. I'm glad your experience here was positive :)
Not A Phobic But Is there a Islam Problem in Berlin or anything, I mean are Muslim immigrants increasing and causing problems/riots and any problem you faced, also Turkish & Syrian population is very much in Berlin. I will be Moving later this year or in start of 2024 to Berlin........
You were treated nice in BERLIN! That must be a parallel universe Berlin. 😄 No one is treated nice in Berlin, not even Berliners.
@@eily_b
I live in Berlin and this is FAR from accurate, it's the nicest people I've met in Germany.
Yes, I thinks this was the best advice. Come here at least five years before seeking a place to sleep and everything will work out fine.
Thanks for the video! I am Brazilian living in Vienna for over twenty years married to an Austrian. When I came to live here, a Portuguese writer told me: you will understand the difference between the Old Continent and the New Continent. And so it is.
Good luck!
Often there are also cultural aspects that lead to misunderstandings. We Germans are generally friendly and distant towards strangers and thus get to know the person first, while people from the US approach strangers much more openly and therefore the German behavior could be misunderstood as rejection. This reticence of ours can also be seen in comparison to supermarkets, while in US you are asked by salespeople if everything is okay, in Germany the motto is: "The customer will contact us if he wants something!" - It is the same with expats, many companies think "The employee will contact you if he has any questions" and in the end the expat is unhappy because he does not feel welcome.
So true, this difference also exists in Germany itself. Just compare the Rheinland with people from Bavaria or Baden-Württemberg. In the Rheinland it's so easy to get in contact with other people but it's possible that they do not know you anymore the next day. On the other hand it's very hard to build up a relationship with the people from the south but if this has happened it can last forever.
Nalf, language is a key factor. In case you intend to speak the country language it will open doors. Being part of the society of your town, village, yes, join the sports clubs or another "Verein" to get in closer contact with the people. On countryside its also good to know and to introduce yourself to the neighbourhood. If you want to stay for yourself, you will be alone. Of course, the nationality plays a role but this is also part in any other country.
I don't about that
I speak arguably better German than most natives but still know no one from the district I live in because 99.99% of locals are really incredibly reserved and generally to any creature that moves
Even my neighbors told me to not bother them because they want to be alone....so I give up officially...best bet ist to live in a major city where u can befriend some niche foreigners espacially those from Asia and Latin america
2:30 Having a RUclips channel is probably actually good advice because this way they can get to know you before giving you the apartment
"This is one of the best countries to life in"
As a German, all I have to say to that is:
How dare you!
In Bavaria, it's not only hard for expats to make local friends. Even other Germans have practically no chance. In the Rhineland it's easier for both groups, and in Berlin there are so many expats, you don't need Germans.
Much luv to ya bro! THX 4 your entertainment, and or videos! I,m German, lived 25 years in Florida though, 10 growing up in Germany, and came back to the Frankfurt area 5 years ago.
I once again appreciate your content of news, highlights, and plain ol U and Americans alike.... Unfortunately some Germans regarding Americans can be hard heads, some softer, I think all depending on unfortunately if Republican or Democrat... The ever revolving world.... I wish u the best bro, be good, und guten abend.
have to say, your ending credit music always makes me happy
its about time the dogs get some camera time
Hi Nick, thanks for reminding us how lucky we are to live here. Germans often tend to forget that as they are natural born complainers 😅.
No complains ... no positive change❣
We just got back from our first trip to Germany and I have nothing but amazing things to say about our experience with the German public. I've been taking German language lessons so I tried my best to speak German as often as I was able. As soon as we landed and got a rental car, we went to the gas station and when observing our struggle, a local woman came over and helped my Dad with the gas pump and when to pay. She also helped us change the indicators in the car to English - just out of kindness, seeing we were visitors. I have been absorbing as much as I can about how to behave in Germany as an American and I also have to say the hospitality is not nearly as terrible as it is reported. We had an amazing time and I hope to go back again very soon! Ich vermisse Deutschland
Im from munich but traveled extensively so I love seeing how people experience the German culture 😊❤
you should see foreigners "enjoy" German racism, that's a sight!
@J U Ich bin aus Bayern und hab bisher nur Gutes über Köln und die netten zugänglichen Menschen dort gehört 👍🙂
@J U Hey, hmm ja kann sein, dass es allgemein etwas schwieriger ist in Bayern aufgenommen zu werden als anderswo, da hab ich jetzt keinen persönlichen Vergleich weil hier geboren und aufgewachsen. Aber ich hatte eigtl. schon immer das Gefühl, dass viele hier sehr offen sind. Es kommt wahrscheinlich stark drauf an wo man hinkommt. Hier in "meinem" ländlichen Gebiet sind die meisten heutzutage relativ aufgeschlossen, wenn das Gegenüber freundlich ist. Wir hatten aber auch immer schon Urlauber. Das Problem dürfte eher sein dass es in der Regel zuerst immer irgendeinen Grund braucht in Kontakt zu treten, das glaub ich ist aber in weiten Teilen Deutschlands sehr verbreitet... Also gut wer beruflich oder schulisch schonmal Anschluss hat... oder Club oder Verein... Ansonsten ist es vielleicht etwas schwieriger als beispielsweise in Köln... wie geasagt es kamen Leute begeistert wieder von dort zurück und sagten es wäre so leicht gewesen in Kneipen und Bars mit anderen ins Gespräch zu kommen und die Leute in Köln waren super nett. Hier kann einem das auch passieren, muss aber nicht... je nach Kneipe und Anlass...
Von den schulischen Unterschieden hab ich auch schon gehört, die müssen gravierend sein. Ein Bekannter sagte er wäre in Berlin locker im Gymnasium mitgekommen, was hier undenkbar war und er musste die Schule wechseln. In der Realschule musste er sich dann anstrengen um im besseren Mittelfeld zu bleiben... kann man irgendwie kaum glauben solche Unterschiede in einem einzigen Land.
Nun ja... so hat jede Region in Deutschland pro und contra denk ich... und wie gesagt, kommt es am Ende immer auf die genauen Umstände an, und auf etwas Glück wen man so trifft. 🙂
Germans: VERY good and friendly 😊
German Bees 🇩🇪🐝: .... well, they just believe in attack.
4:33 As an austrian I pay for your "free formula 1 experience" with my taxes. You're welcome. 🙂
One important tip: if you plan to live in Germany or Austria (or any foreign country) for more than a year, learn the language. You don't need to be perfect, people will be understanding. But if you live here for a long time and show no interest in somewhat participating in the culture, it gives a bad impression because it makes you seem ignorant or even arrogant.
PREACH!
Haha, another fun NALF video! Settling in also goes with some ranting ... Bravo, dear NALF! 👏😀
There is one point you´re missing in regards we germans cope with foreigners. And that is where they come from and their culture. Most germans will have no issues with foreigners from a "similar" western culture as all the western european cultures or western cultures in general which include the american culture. Where it get´s difficult is the more and more different the foreign culture is. Like it can be really difficult for arabian and north african cultures here in Germany. Their values and cultural habits are far too different (not even saying theirs is worse then ours or anything like that - just different) to get easily and peaceful along. But that´s not just a german issue. It is and was in all history that cultures that are/were similar to each other could get along well, but the farther away and different a culture is the more conflict resulted. That´s why multi-cultural will always cause trubble in the long run. History proves it.
Für ein paar Jahre lebte ich in Frankreich. Wenn man nur ein paar Worte in Französisch spricht, hat man gewonnen. Ein amerikanischer Arbeitskollege wurde von französischen Beamten aber abgestraft, weil er nicht mal ein freundliches "Bonjour" hinbekam.
Und versuche mal, auch als Einheimischer einen Schwarzwälder als Freund zu gewinnen. :-) Dafür muss man hart arbeiten!
Da ich selbst in Frankreich lebe und vorher kurz in Baden-Württemberg lebte, kann ich nur zustimmen.
Manchmal ist es sogar gut, wenn man nicht dauernd auf Menschen trifft, die einem sofort Freundschaft anbieten, obwohl man sich im Prinzip überhaupt nicht kennt.
Echte Freundschaften beruhen immer auf Vertrauen, gegenseitigem Respekt und einer gewissen Liebe im platonischem Sinne.
Unechte Freunde erkennt man immer daran, dass sie sich selbst einladen, Geschenke mitbringen aber im Gegenzug ebenfalls Geschenke erwarten und fast nie zu erreichen sind, wenn man tatsächlich mal ihre Hilfe benötigt.
Joing a club / team is also good to get an apartment. It is pretty much good for everything.
what would a visiting tourist expect to experience vs. someone who is moving there to live?
Nothing bad, don't worry. Germany is the #8 of the most visited countries in the world, just behind Mexico and ahead of Thailand. We are used to tourists!
Nice advice to get a flat, but may be, sometimes you just have to find the right place, where there are free appartments, as some regions have only few free spaces.
And try different web pages and may be local newspapers.
but yes, best option is to have your ear around.
6:50 ... the leftover of our cultur - the parts that were not destroyed
Is "NALF" the short for Not Alien Life Form?
We complain... AND Germany is one of the best places to live. Coincidence? We think not! :D
The question: "How Germany treats Foreigners" is like sitting on a horse upside down and asking why horses are always upside down.
It always comes down to people first. What experiences has he made, what is his character like and of course also to the person opposite and the respective situation. And of course it also plays a role where I grew up.
But my behavior towards others only reflects what kind of person I am. And what kind of person I am is partly influenced by where I come from. But my background does not determine what kind of person I am
Nalf, what do you need to understand is that you are a foreigner with a first class passport. this is unfortunately still a big difference compared to someone coming from let’s say Malaysia, or no mostly any other part of the world, other than Europe, and do US.
I fully agree with you...a good workout changes the mood for the better
They just served you the beer in plastic?! OH-OH-....🤣
Thanks for this video. It's always so interesting to get outside perspective on things that are not al to me as a native here. I love your content and I am happy that u decided to stay here even after your active career ended. Welcome, we're glad to have u
In the former East Germany it is often easier to find an apartment. Apartments are also more reasonable than in the West. You can root for American football teams there! The East Germans are really friendly too.
lived in Finland 6+ years...easier to make friends, but pretty reserved, although that depends on beer, too....food is more expensive than Germany, salaries lower, but, Finns find satisfaction in life, in other ways. very, very calm place, except Helsinki, but compared to USA, positively glacial. no tire screeching, no horn honking, but, fast driving folks, too...very direct people, even more than Germans...btw, no "pronoun" issues, since they have no gendered words, and no gendered pronouns! "Han" works for anyone.
same in the US. "Hon" short for honey, works for everyone :)
I am American and live in Italy. Here it is the registered mail that is terrifying. Signing for that envelope is the worst. Chances are it is going to cost you, and chances are you didn’t see it coming.
The yellow envelope he showed was exactly such an official letter. (I think it was the one when he got fined for flying a drone where it isn't allowed.)
Lol. So true about the mail. 😂
What was the mahnung for?
Oh, the german letter. I dont even live in Germany and I have received a letter from Germany...a fine...from a time I went to Germany for a vacation :D
Hey if you complain about Germans complaining... I mean you already learned how to be German to the core :D
I've lived in many countries and I have to say that you are right.
The experience of living in Germany is generally good.
What I feel is particularly negative though, is the bureaucratic inefficiency which plagues the country.
From Docs' appointments to trying to get documents' updates, the German bureaucracy machine works like snails on Valium
...
What was inside the yellow envelope?????
I have applied to over 50 rooms in the town I'm going to study in. Heard back from 2 got denied by all of them. Not quite sure what I'm going to do now...
We are traveling to Germany. My first time in Europe ever. We are visiting my wife's mother near Munich. I get to drive there too lol. How bad can it be, right....great videos though, I've learned alot so far
Welcome to Germany.
@@elipa3 thank you
Another reason why it may be hard to find an apartment are the laws in Germany. Once the tenants are in the apartment it is not easy for the landlord to get them out again. That is why the landlord is looking for people with a good reputation and why speaking German is so important. He wants to get a clear picture of the people that are going to rent the apartment.
There are cases when the tenants fvkked up the apartment and payed no rent and it took months to get them out again. Those are called Mietnomaden (renting nomads) and are the nightmare of all landlords.
as a german: Best way to find friends is to get a child and join a german pregnancy course
You really must not fear to be thrown out. What you may get, is called " Ordnungsstrafe ". Thats just a fine, not a criminal record. You will not be thrown out for fines.
Having a italian passport, you are a inhabitant of the EU. You can travel, work and live in 31 countries. Its called freedom of movement.
germany has a complaining-cultur because: "if you know what is wrong, you can change it"
I was in the army in Germany and I never had any problems😂
Don't worry about breaking rules the first time as a foreigner in Germany. As long as you have a good track record with the law, you get the benefit of the doubt and will just get updated on the laws in question. Not knowing is at least a partial defense in such a case as long as the breaking of that particular law did not require true malice on your part. If you do not understand something pertainig to a governmental letter of some kind just visit your local "Rathaus" or "Bürgerbüro", either of which can either immediately help you or refer you to someone who can. Our burocracy is convoluted but we are generally very inclined to help others figure out what they need to do in any given circumstance of burocracy. Asking for help is not a shameful thing here in this case, many natives do just that after all.
Well meaning and positive video as is NALF'S way. But foreigner isn't foreigner. I won't go into this here but there are very different species of them. And Germans tend to react differently to them.
I see a lot of videos/channels of foreigners in Germany
The funny thing is: Even I, being a German, are terrified of getting official mail because I don‘t understand the official language 😩🤯😵💫🤬😭
On top of it: when you have a German friend you will have a loyal friend different to US
Gelber Brief ... au Weia!
As an American also living in Germany, when I moved here 4 years ago. What a nightmare trying to find a place to live. Germans don't respond to their own ads. I got a place I really like 1200sm 2 baths. But I was so pushy to the point landlord asked me to stop, even then she was scared I was going to flee the country in the middle of the night. I asked a older Germany land at my new office to speak with the landlord, G on G. Finally I offered about 500€ more than any German would pay. Then & only then did she accept.
Making friends, especially as an older (50) single guy is impossible. My joke is by the 5-7 years my contract is up in Germany, maybe a German will want to be a friend and invite me over to their home or our fir a beer. Don't get me wrong randomly meeting a German at a bar is great super fun, but don't cross the line and offer your number or ask for theirs to get more beers in a few weeks or something!!!!
While asking for a phone number might seem creepy for Germans, asking for another time for a beer is not. My suggestion would be a to join a Verein. There you will make „acquaintances“ which can grow into friendships. That is the easiest way for 50+.
About housing the sad thing is that letting a flat has become at least as difficult as leasing one. Possibly the only ones actually getting an advantage from that situation are estate agents, lawyers and courts. BTW, it doesn't matter whether your foreign or not.
No landlord likes lawyers.
@@Andreas_Cologne I think my concerns a going a little bit deeper. Look at the number of law people in parliaments in Germany. They are significantly over-represented. So the same people earning their living by applying law are making the law. Honi soit qui mal y pense. I think there's a situation brewing. And so far it doesn't look as if we're solving the housing problem but rather we're aggravating it.
"Complain is a national passtime in Germany." 😅
Well, I do have a nighbour with whom I only talk about the weather and we always agree on that it is shit 🙈
I noticed, that your sound mixing is way off. Music is WAY louder at certain points when there is no one talking. I have to adjust multiple times during your videos.
Wow, if you discriminate like that with Housing in the US the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice could come after you and you will probably also get sued for discrimination!!! Interesting Nick! 🤔
It is the same in Germany. But you are allowed to chose the best renter and the definition is up to you.
"Join a club or a team" is the magic potion of making friends in Germany but it is far off course. If I go to a concert of a band I love and I'm in the front row dancing next to someone who loves the band and knows all the words as I do, singing along....what are the chances they are a potential friend? We have one common interest, that is it. There is no consideration for personality or conduct or upbringing or chemistry. There is that one beloved band/club/team, that's it. I have exactly two acquaintances in Germany based on a club. We have zero+eins in common but we hang out twice yearly to maintain the acquaintanceship based on the single shared interest. American Expats? None here in my city of 35,000.
He meant, whats called a "Verein e. V." in Germany. These are registered Clubs with special interests: bowling, shooting, football (Soccer), Baseball and all kinds of sports clubs BUT much more: history clubs, singing, architecture, flying models, railway ..., In a small town with 1200 inhabitants, we have 30 clubs. There are clubs with more social interaction like gun clubs, choirs, bowling and some with less social interaction like fitness studios, soccer (if you are not a player).
well a concert is not a club.
and of course it depends on the club,
Clubs were you meet regularly and people are mixed usually works best.
Problem is of course, as you get older, the sports clubs are usually no longer possible
You will make friends there, if you are reliable, weekly visitor, who likes to communicate. Reliability, trustworthy, being active and helpful are the keys to learn about the German Culture. In these clubs, even it is a tennis or golf club, you will find very different people. In our hometown tennis club, the facility manager of a bank and the bank director sat at the "Stammtisch" without any conceit. In my gun club, there are entrepreneurs, all kinds of craftsmen, teacher, rich people and not so rich people, young and old ones.....intelligent ones and quite simple minded ones.
Yellow envelope means trouble.
While Germany has a higher number of foreigners, I believe Canada has a higher percentage of foreigners. I would argue that's a more relevant stat.
Id say most Germans nowaday like the USA less then lets say 10 years ago BUT that does not include its people. When i see a random american walking down my village im gonna be hyped and wanting to talk to them.
Great video 📷📸
As regards hostility against foreigners, I guess it depends on where you're from. People from the "western world" are probably facing less difficulties in being accepted than people from Eastern Europe, Africa, the Middle-East or most parts of Asia, even if they're born here and it's just their (grand-)parents who are/have been foreigners. There's this more or less unconscious mechanism separating "bad" or "real" foreigners from "good" or "not really" foreigners, seeing some people as "more foreign" than others. Especially refugees are often met with distrust and rejection. Yeah there's hardcore nazi scum who hates all foreign-looking people, but most Germans are not that way obviously. But still - to a big part of society "foreigner" doesn't equal "foreigner".
Just like all other people all over the world, Germans come in all shades and sizes. It all boils down to respect for each other. If you address Germans in your typical American slightly arrogant way, than don´t expect to be a welcomed person.
it is not difficult to find an apartmen, even in mUnich or Berlin..it is difficult to find cheap one...most people expect to find a flat in the city center for 500 bucks...not gonna happen
One of the things many Germans don't like about stereotypical Americans is a disinterest in the world beyond their borders. Wether it's true or not, Americans abroad are automatically more well regarded :)
7:59 you´re an Italian = EU member state citizen, i bet the government won´t be able to kick you out since this would conflict with eu law regarding free movement and the schengen agreement ;)
When it comes to "treating foreigners" we have a long way to go in Germany... sadly
Russia is actually the nation with the second largest population of foreigners, at about 20 million out of a population of 145 million. The vast majority of those foreigners are from Central Asia and the Caucasus, so people who don't tend to immigrate to countries like Germany in large numbers. They also were all nations of the former Soviet Union, so leaving home for work in Russia is not that unusual for them. Germany is thus the #3 nation when it comes to the size of the population of foreigners.
Not percentage wise. Germany has over 25%
I THINK THAT'S NOT TRUE. I n The Netherlands there are more. all those people from SURINAAMS. AN. INDONESIA. ETC. !!!!!!!
....what a rant....😂🤣
We ❤ u nalf!
Learn the Language and dialect where you live. The Germans love that. Pronause a german word a bit different as a joke and they will laugh their head off.
So it’s so easy to get a flat 😅
tbh for me its almost to much...
if i moved to Germany to live first thing i would do is to learn and speak German....simple
I don’t know if it will go through or not but I’ve heard the current administration is wanting to shut down, making it illegal to have a VPN. Just keep an eye on that. Thanks for the great videos and sharing information. I started learning German for something to do while my wife was in Hospice. My mother was born there after the war and the family immigrated to the US soon after. I’ve been watching German content videos and getting the idea of maybe making some time to come stay there. Thanks for all that you do.
agree 100% beschde odr nichts!
again great.
6:25 the "american cultur" is a european one, because nearly all settlers of (north)america came from europe. whats your family-roots ?
He has an Italian passport, too...Alfieri is Italian
@@josefv-y8m for an italoamerican he dont know much about europe and its history, but he seems to be young - much younger than me
With the mail, even as a German, I'm afraid of every letter.
And if you aren't and asshole and don't meet a Nazi, yes sadly there are people that still believe in this nonsense, we will welcome you. Mabey at first with a litlte hostility, but it's not because of you. It's just, that we have clearer boundaries on our definition of friendship. But after some time we know you and found you sympatic, we'll stand by your side no matter what happens. Even if you do dumb shit, we will take a little distant, but we are the friends, that will even visit you frequently in Jail. And even if we don't get along we are "professional", we will greet each over and do small talk. We're just shitty, if you insult our friends or family and are a shitty human beeing, but I think, that's the same in all countries in the world.
yeah for foreigners its the best country to life in, thats the fking problem