Americans tend to take bavarian culture as pars pro toto for the culture of entire Germany. This goes back to the time of the American occupation zone. But if you say "I know German culture because I know bavarian culture" you couldn't be more wrong. It is like saying "I know about rodeos therefore I know America".
That is very true!! Thanks for making that point. 🙌🏻 If I’m being honest though, I have to say that Bavaria is my absolute favorite place in Germany and when I go there it feels like I’m going home. So while I know it doesn’t represent the entirety of Germany, it’ll always hold a special place in my heart. 💙
Came across your video after trying to find out what Weisbaden looks like now. I'm an Army Brat who went to W. Germany when I was 9 months old. '77-'85. Your culture shock items seem so normal to me. It was a culture shock to come to the States. Germany was all my sister and I knew. We were stationed in Philly when we came back. It was the worst. We eventually learned the American way. Cried to go "home" to Germany at first. Sadly, many Americans feel like you when traveling/living abroad at first. Greatest thing between when we were there and now, the internet. I know international calls were expensive for my parents all those years ago. Great videos
zeisselgaertner yes!! Definitely a huge difference. Although I think in the US *technically* we aren’t supposed to pass on the right lane but everyone does it anyway..... 🤦🏻♀️ Most people are very good about obeying traffic laws here!
Malori Mayor Perhaps it veries from state to state. For sure it makes it even worse when you sometimes have to merge from the left in areas like Miami. So you automaticly have slower traffic on the left lane.
@ Hauke Holst "and the police doesn't enforce the rules in this case." Ok, THAT's weird. I knew about americans don't really giving 2 shits about passing right, but the cops not stopping them either is just... weird. They seriously fine you for driving more than 80mph but won't do a thing about the probabbly most dangerous thing after driving in the wrong direction? Lunacy!
small correction. you are allowed to pass on the right lane in Germany under a few conditions. Your speed is not higher than 70km/h and the difference in speed between your car and the car in the lane to your left is not higher than 20km/h.
Communities are very involving in Germany, my village had lots of festivals throughout the year and little gatherings. My town here in the us I don’t even know my neighbors names. No stop 🛑 signs, AC or ice are some different things too. Also the roads are VERY narrow and I loved that their are bike/walk trails EVERYWHERE lol if I want to take my dog to a trail the nearest one is a 20 min drive, where as my home in Germany their were 2 different trails just a little off my door step 😋 I miss beautiful Germany so much!!
I as a German HATE the checkouts at Aldi. Go to REWE, tegut or Edeka instead - they have a bit more of a "run out zone" left, sometimes even with a divider for the next customers items not to mix up with yours. At Aldi, stuff all things in your cart, then back up as there's usually a zone where you can get rid of excess packaging, and bag your items there.
you can turn right with a red light on in Germany , if there is a little greensign with a wihte arrow on the traffic light, in high of the red light, that allows you to turn ,as you use the traffic light as an Stop sign
Yep, it's always that way at Aldi. Aldi cashiers are legendary for their speed...Germans like to joke about it. In general, the best way to deal with Supermarkt cashiers is: Ensure that your stuff is already basically sorted when you put it on the conveyer belt: Heavy stuff first, breakables last. Put what you have bought back into your card as fast as possible after it got scanned, pay as fast as possible and then go to the side to the packing area. There you can take as much time as you need to put everything away properly, without holding up the line.
You can also place some vegetables or fruits at strategic points on the belt and when they are weighed you gain some time to pack your things. Or you do the following: Don't get stressed! Just pack the groceries as fast as you'd like to. See the speed of the cashier as an offer to handle your shopping quickly and efficent but they won't be angry with you if need some more time. They are not angry with Oma Else also.
Malori: 7 years El Paso as a teenager in the 70s. Several vacations in Houston when my brother lived there (NJ now). Oh and : 100% Kraut and proud of it !!! Moin aus Hamburg.
That's Aldi though which is a discounter. In other supermarkets like Rewe it's usually not so extreme. They also have chit-chats sometimes with customers they know, depending of course on how busy it is.
I am a German who spent 3 years in America. The cultural and linguistical nuances were my greatest problem. For example, I realized that I had said something wrong, but I did not understand what the problem was. Speaking quite understandable English does not guarantee detecting the subtleties which sometimes are hidden in a language, so people really got upset and I wasn't able to relate to them that I did not understand. I really struggled a lot the first half year. Not thinking about culture shock isn't arrogant, I think it happens to everyone, because even if you know many things, it feels differently to experience them. In my opinion, you cannot avoid culture shock, but you need to have had this experience once to know that you can't.
ElinT13 thank you for sharing your thoughts and experience in America! Language can be such a barrier, and in America there are many things that are colloquial or unique to a certain area of the country. Even my parents when moving from Ohio to Texas years ago, had a hard time sometimes understanding what people were saying! We definitely don’t speak perfect English. ;) And yes I agree, the experience of culture shock is an important thing to experience.
I am very lucky to have an Aldi near me where they do have time for a little chitchat and don't rush you with extreme speed, BUT if there is a long queue, they will speed up a little and will not be able to have a real conversation. If you want to have a more relaxed shopping experience, choose times when the store is almost empty. When that is depends, but usually Tuesday or Wednesday morning or late evening, because not many people will shop then.
I felt a huge amount of relief watching your video. Yikes, I'm so glad it's not just me that experienced culture shock moving to Germany. Whilst I wasn't familiar with the language or the culture as you were, I also thought it would be a lot easier to integrate into a new country because I had moved countries before. I moved from Australia to the U.K when I was 25 and though, 'Oh hey, I've done this moving country thang before...it'll be a breeze'. I was so wrong! The cultural differences between Australia and the U.K versus Australia and Germany are VERY different. I just wasn't prepared for how much of a shock to the system it would be. I too love the way Germans celebrate Christmas and love the quality of fresh produce here :) I really enjoyed your video, keep up the good work!
Hey Jen! Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment! :) Yes it's not just you! It's hard to imagine what it's like until actually experiencing it. What a challenge but also what an amazing opportunity we get to have!
Language: Germany has different "language zones". I`m originally from hessia and people from the north often couldn`t understand what i was saying either because i pronounced words different or/and because i used words they didn`t even know. Saw it with people from the north, in the east, middle and south as well. I even have family who live around 20 km from where i grew up and when they don`t want me to understand them i can`t. Red light: You can turn right on a red light if the way is free and there is a green sign (i think white arrow on green) which states that you can turn right. A lot of people don`t know that. Shopping & trash: It depends on the state how long the shops are open. The same applies to trash.
One thing: You aren't expected to bag your groceries for any kind of bigger haul. You are expected to have a basket or folding box (available at many markets) into which you can pack your goods very quickly. And naturally you are supposed to have to good sense to check your stuff out in order from cans and jars to soft, squishy things to make the packing efficient. Then you just need to lift the box up to pack things into the car or out of it. Plus the occasional carry packs of bottles or toilet paper. I found plastic bags to be unreliable and annoying at best, myself. Stackable folding boxes are a very efficient way of handling daily groceries and to carry them right into the kitchen.
Always put your fresh groceries, vegetables and fruit, especially rare ones in the middle and at the very end of your stuff. This slows the cashiers down considerably and gives you a little more time. Also don’t put them in plastic bags, a cashier that has to put six single oranges together to weigh them is even slower plus you didn’t use a plastic bag ;)
Oh that speed at the checkout, I hate it, and I'm German. Aldi is particularly bad, but it can also be so at Rewe. I keep thinking "Ich bin hier zum Einkaufen, nicht auf der Flucht!" lol
In 2007 I was in the US on a business trip. Customs were very unfriendly. But ok, the citizens were (mostly) open-minded and very friendly. Unfortunatly it was f***** cold (february) so in New York City it was a bit hard - when i was on the Empire State Building, I just spent a few minutes outside, then went back inside again. But to be on Broadway was a great feeling, somehow. Also, we (my US colleague and me) met two Police officers who were very friendly. NYC is an amazing town :-)
NYC is so fun! Very unique place. Also remember that Americans' personalities vary based on region. So the stereotype is that southerners and Texans are the most friendly. ;)
Yep but they are mostly Trump supporters I think. Hmmm... not my cup of tea, like most people here in germany I guess. BTW, you look very lovely in the Dirndl :-)
@@blackriflehomestead Yes that's absolutely right, please don't get me wrong Recently I saw a TV report about a german police officer somewhere in Texas, who is very well respected and loved by the community. Pleasse, if you are also a Trump supporter, I did not want to bother you.
I don’t know about Germany but in Austria Aldi staff gets a provision, depending how much money per hour was spent by customers. Also it means they dont have to open many checkouts which saves them money. Even as an Austrian every time I’m in awe how quick the are. As a customer you really have to prepare your check out. Hard items that don’t crush will be put first and so on. You have your card or cash ready. 😂
mahue171 thanks for watching and leaving a comment! Those are interesting points about Aldi. And Austria! I love your country! 🇦🇹 Can’t wait to visit it again. My ancestry includes great-grandparents from Austria-Hungary. They spoke German (their last name was Fuchs, was my maiden name) but also spoke Hungarian.
Malori Mayor so hope you can visit soon again! I live in Vienna, so if you need any tips don’t hesitate to ask! So you know your name means fox and is quite common in Austria. And if you need some prep talk on Aldi checkouts! LOL I’ll help right away! Andoverthehill on instagram
Do you get American shows in Germany? I remember living there in 1993 and American shows were very limited. I use to watch this British show all the time called DJ KAT And Inspector Gadget in German...lol. I was about 8 yrs old. Would love to experience Germany as an adult.
We get AFN (Armed Forces Network) that gets us a few American channels. For example, the AFN News channel rotates between CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC every hour.
Nothing wrong with a small talk. I do that frequently as a German. From the body language you can tell wether they are happy about it or not. If they are happy, then 3-4 sentences while packing your groceries is totally fine.
Biggest proof of that is the fake "Hi, how are you"..and their mind explodes if you honestly tell them how you are. Never ask a question if you dont expect an answer.
comparing Austrians with Germans is one of the biggest insults in Austria, and btw the Germans from the North are very different from the Germans in the South having the same language doesnt mean you have the same culture you Americans arent the same as the English but you speak the same language
bianca albakar I am fully aware of all those points. I have noticed those differences and I actually enjoy Bavarian and Austrian culture better than the northern German culture. I was merely using that comparison to illustrate a point.
Gruesse zurueck aus Amsterdam (meine Mutter war aus Kaernten, mein Vater Aus Amsterdam so ich fuehle mich beides und beide hassen es verglichen zu werden mit Deutsche)
Better don't imagine what it would have been like to move to Germany as a civilian. Here the US Army looks after you, helps you with housing or furniture from the pool. The American military community is smaller than before 1990, but you can still stick to your fellow Americans. The Americans I met did not really try to learn German - they did not need to.
I do understand that we have an easier time integrating into a foreign country than non-military expats. I don’t take things like the military community, commissary, PX etc for granted. Just sharing my experience and perspective.
Hi great video, you were on my suggested video list. i'm a Brit who recently moved to Switzerland and the way the cashiers check you out at the supermarket is so stressful... especially at Aldi and Lidl! They way they throw them at you and you don't even have time to bag them, I used to get so anxious and sweaty at the prospect haha!
I’m a German from Stuttgart. We have AFRICOM & EUCOM here. But I rarely see or have contact with Army people or their families. That’s sad. They live on the base& don’t leave it that often anymore. Has it something to do with 9/11 or fear of terrorist attacks? Because it was definitely different decades ago. I would like to interact with Americans but I can’t find them🔎
"CULTURE SHOCK," really? A culture shock was maybe this: I was invited to a feast in Mongolia and sat as a guest of honor next to the patriarch of the clan. They served mutton, as usual and I already suspected what was coming up to me. Besides the patriarch I got an eye served directly from the head of the mutton! Already while serving, I wanted to run out of the yurt to puke. I stood firm and looked at the slippery eye offered to my honor, with all its "appendages" (optic nerve, veins, muscles). The patriarch nudged me and I saw how he laughingly let the eye served him disappear into his gold-toothed mouth. Now I should do it, he looked at me grinning and still smacking. I took the eye, threw it into my mouth in a swift motion, and swallowed it in the same second. Hastily I drank the already served vodka and shook myself because of both things. The Mongols laughed so loudly that I thought I was sitting in a bell, for laughter came from everywhere. Later, the interpreter told me that it was just a joke and that I did not have to eat the eye. But I was too fast. Then I laughed in a strange way, still the sweat of fear on my forehead. NEVER AGAIN! NO WAY! Lolol
Thank you, yes it was. Our Mongolian friend (she was studying with my then girlfriend in Germany) invited us to her BIG wedding. The whole thing was very familiar and unforgettable for us. Apart from this eating "incident" (terrible and funny at the same time) the stay (1 week) on these summer pasture was a gigantic experience. It's another world that I really enjoyed. The people were very, very nice and took care of us with a lot of warmth. No one spoke German or English (except our friend Aynur) but we understood each other anyway. You can find friends anywhere in the world if you are open hearted and ready for it. Good luck in Germany,go out and make friends Malori!
@@blackriflehomestead No it's not, eat the eye is a usual Joke in nomadic cultures. Had this sometimes, and earned respect by not eating the whole eye...
Watching this video I learned the word: "culture shock" is less less meaningful than I thought. I figured out Mrs. Mayor is just talking about differences between the US and Germany she experienced. So what ? If I travel to a different country I wouldn t expect that there is everything like at home. Things might be strange, weird or just surprising but not shocking. A different country is a different country, so deal with it. In the later 80s and the 90s I was often in the US, I was just curious and often wondering about the differences. Some things I liked very much, sometimes I preferred more the german way of living because I m used to it. But I was never shocked.
Wol Sch I guess it depends on your definition of being “shocked.” Also, I am dealing with the differences. ;) Like I said at the beginning, the hardest part for me was that I wasn’t expecting it to be difficult to integrate into a new country, because I thought I had a fairly good grasp on what it would be like. So, I’m putting this info out there so that other military spouses don’t have as hard of a time as I did. :) I don’t want any other spouse to feel like there’s something wrong with them because they are struggling, and that it’s okay to have difficulty adjusting!
Malori Mayor Yes You are right ! In my opinion cultural shocks are severe cruel things, not the banalities You are describing in the video. But You know Your compatriots and military spouses better than I ever could and therefore Your video is probably right.
From my personal experiance i would say the small things are emotionally more exhausting. I have worked in Africa and Asia and things there are really different, sometimes even disturbing. But it was so strange it was more interesting than shocking. I had an emotional distance, culture shocks i experienced living in Poland and the Netherlands. Not because of big differences but because of a delucive familiarity.
Thanks for your comment! Yes the small things can be very emotionally exhausting. As a fellow expat friend told me, moving to Germany from America is like being a toddler again: your surroundings are new, you're trying to learn a new language, and just doing normal everyday things makes you want a nap! Everything everyday at first isa learning experience.
Wol Sch this is different for the average American compared to the average European because most of them never have been abroad, and the USA itself has been fairly uniformised after WII (due to the Interstate program, zoning laws and suburbanisation) to suppress stronger local differences. So even if they have moved around a lot in the past, a move to Europe will be qualitatively different from their previous movings.
The easiest thing I did is to buy German English dictionary,In Mannheim I was studding the German language so to help with my machine shop studies,in 1969 in Mannheim.
Aldi is the same here in the US about speed bagging and i do not like being rushed so lately either i am asking the cashier to hand the groceries back to me so i can place them back in my reusable bags (if i have few items) or when they place the items in the buggy i immediately start putting them in my bags before paying, i loathe the buggies since the cashier will place the groceries in the seat where little kids seat (i also seen kids sit inside the buggy too) and cannot stop thinking about cross-contamination
stpaley ooooh yes sometimes I try to not think about how disgusting grocery carts probably are! And stores here do not have disinfecting wipes like in the US. But maybe that is a good thing. The medical community is starting to say that we (Americans at least) are TOO clean. So maybe Germans are onto something with not having disinfection wipes.
i agree with that, i think studies have proved that children are less resistance to bacteria today, but then again there is a worldly phrase about "eating where you defecate" (sorry, that is disgusting but i am sure you know what i mean) oh as for those disinfecting wipes, i am never sure how many i should use for those buggies, would only one work for those buggies? and i never seen those wipes at Aldi here in the US
stpaley Aldi is that low priced because the processes are optimized. In consequence the employees are paid for work done (which means refilling the shelfs and check out) not for their bare presence in the shop. So when you slow down the process to raise your comfort it's at their costs or they have to hurry up afterwards while refilling.
stpaley Sorry, you didn't get the principle of Aldi and Lidl. Read topic #3 www-walesonline-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/shopping/how-aldi-cheap-insider-reveals-14800571.amp?amp_js_v=a2&_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQCCAE%3D#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=Von%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walesonline.co.uk%2Fwhats-on%2Fshopping%2Fhow-aldi-cheap-insider-reveals-14800571
If you mention "Aldi" for good food quality, i wonder how bad the quality must be in the US. Aldi is definitly not known for selling high quality. Nice video by the way!
When I say the food quality is really great in Germany, I don't mean that the food quality in the US is terrible. It is good and especially wonderful if you buy from local farmers etc. It's just that with German food, there's this subtle difference that I can tell and it might be because there are less pesticides used on foods in the EU due to the strict regulations. OR, it could all be in my head! haha
Malori Mayor germany as you see it today is a federal republic, so a combination of 16 you might wanna call it counties, which are: Baden-Württemberg, Bayern, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Niedersachsen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland, Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein und Thüringen. This might explain why there are at least 16 diffent dialects, not encluding the sub dialects for example between Düsseldorf and Köln( Not Cologne) So yes there is a gerneral language called Hochdeutsch ( Highgerman). Do not be frustrated, me as a native german, i do not understand all of them,depending where you were raised. So i certainly understand your culture shock. Shutting down your car while not driving is an enviromental need. We germans love our country and its only right to protect our enviroment, So please whats the big deal of shutting down the engine if you are not driving?? One move but if 40 Million german drivers do this , a big deal. Plastic bags: Plastic does not rotten, so its a serious threat for the enviroment. Is it a big deal of bringing your own bag??????????Beeing fast in a Supermarket is not so much an issue as you posted it. There is always a place where you can take your buyings into your bags. The only reason is that the cashier is working effectefly to avoid a long waiting line. I like it not to wait. Bavaria is by size the biggest county!!!!! in germany by far the most conservative(Nazis where rising in bavaria) and by far not the most productive. So please do not mix up bavaria with germany, thank you
AAAwww I miss the German food.. I had no clue healthy food is sooo hard to get and 4 times more expensive than in Germany... Some days I feel like starving... don't care for 99 cent burgers.... Yes, gas if 4 times more there but food is way more important. Also I feel Germany is a lot more modern and international. You have an entirely different picture of the States when you only know it from movies.. wooden houses, broken streets, homeless people, crime.... it's a shock to see how middle class ppl here are so much poorer... I love that most Americans have a lot bigger heart and are super friendly and compassionate .. in Europe it is rather cold.. and the weather is better.. though I always wanted to come here and thought I'd never look back... I would go back for the food and safety alone!!!
I think that the most important reason for the culture shocks for Americans in Germany is that Germany is not like America. Germany is as big as Texas and is located in the middle of Europe. People from all over Europe, Africa and the Middle East meet here. And that's the "shocking" difference to the US, because in the US you only meet Americans.
Actually in America we have a lot of cultural diversity, and one meets many other people there than just Americans. Also, Germans coming to America would probably experience culture shock there, because as you said: America is not like Germany in many ways! Americans are not the only ones who experience culture shock. It happens to many people who move to another country to live, and I would not have fully realized it had I not experienced culture shock myself. I am very grateful for the opportunity to live in another country for several years.
Hopefully you got over a few of your instances of culture shock by now. Driving: yeah, it is certainly quite more regulated in Germany. It takes a lot to have so much traffic in such a (relatively) small country without total breakdown. I suppose the signs (the Schilderwald, the forest of signs) will have been pretty daunting, I assume. Aldi, Lidl, Penny, and other discounter stores are based on the lowest price and moving their products very quickly. The cashiers there even have a company directive to be fast. Yes, this can be a little daunting, even for me, who believes myself to be a fast packer. I agree, I wish sometimes the cashiers wouldn't rush so much. In other stores it can be a little more laid back, but only if the check out lines aren't crowded. Some rare stores attempted packing help a long while back, but it kinda flopped in Germany. Why, I don't know. Yeah, the bags (either paper or plastic) have been mostly banned by the stores due to the *HUUUUUGE* amount of plastic waste that makes its way into the oceans. There are areas of the ocean where plastic aggregates float that are as large as some countries. That it also wastes oil is another problem because most people use plastic bags only once, then throw them away. The best way to shop is to have a 'Klappkiste', a folding box. These fold down into flat rectangluar shapes easily stored in the trunk of your car. I have two in the trunk of my car. One for normal shopping, and one as a spare, should I do some larger shopping. I always take one into the store, and have it unfolded in my cart and place my purchases into it. Check out the more solid ones, they might be a bit more expensive, but they last a LOT longer. There is virtually no danger of the bottom cracking out, even when fully loaded. That can happen with the really cheap, flimsy ones. The good ones easily store up to 50 kg weight (around 110 lbs) without straining. I rarely ever fill them with products that are that heavy. With these folding boxes you also see if your carrying capacity is almost at its limit or not while you are shopping. The large opening at the top allows very quick storing of your purchases, not fiddling with the opening of a plastic bag, even with larger packaging. At your car you can lift out your whole purchases at once. As you already came into contact with the German bureaucracy I hope you haven't been too shocked. But it really can be horrible (this from a native German ;-) If you have problems with the bureaucracy hopefully you have someone competent helping you. Registering your business should be helped with a lawyer you trust. German laws tend to be difficult to understand even for lawyers. Again, hopefully, you have overcome some of your (negative) culture shocks.
Hi. (I am German) I like how honest you say what is difficult and people, who say "what are you complaining about, that's all normal, when you are going into a new country" they are saying it, despite they never had the experience of moving into a new country, they where only in other countries for holiday. Because you are very right, the little things, that are different - even if it's logical, that they are different and it was clear before, that the difficulties come up - this little things makes it really arduous/demanding, and this can be a bit disappointing, because you thought before it's a mostly happy time, but it's more often frustrating. What many people do not understand what is difficult, it's not the fact, that this and that and that is different but that you don't know in advance, what little unexpected thing are then actually different, AND how they then are really or correct. This difficulties you can easily see in all this RUclips Videos of people who moved to Germany like you and they say "I didn't know, that this ........ is a rule" but what they don't know is, that they are again wrong: they see that people do something unexpectedly differently and then you think, "oh, that's a rule, a must here, I need to adapt in this point", but what you don't know: just by accident you saw a couple of people doing this, but despite you saw some behaviour/acting, it might be neither a rule nor do all people love to do it. For example turning of the engine if there is a long red traffic light for example at a train line: it might be a rule or you should turn of the engine, but when it's hot summer and you want to keep the aircon running, you can leave your engine on, SURE, PLEASE, (maybe not if you have an old car that stinks and the wind blows dirty car fumes directly into the faces of people waiting beside you, if so). Or the way how the check out is at ALDI, I hate it so much that I try to avoid to go to Aldi, many or all Germans hate it, and if you have seen investigative reports why this is at Aldi, then you hate it even more AND I love when the till girl in England starts a short friendly chat and it's not that lukewarm, how many Germans claim, Germans who claim this just don't understand how it's meant or are cold and arrogant like the one dude who is writing here below, some comment writer even don't know that language phrases like "how are you doing" should not be translated directly. I hate all Germans check-outs, how cold or even rude it's going on there sometimes. You don't need to adapt to everything in Germany or think, that everything here is "normal" or even loved by the Germans, even if nearly all do it.
GerD Ne This is such valuable information! Thank you for your thoughtful and understanding comment. I’ll add this: there is even a difference between the “niceties” of people from the north and the south in the USA. Come to the south or Texas and you’ll get all sorts of sweet, nice, polite comments from total strangers, very different than in the northeast. So even among Americans things like that differ. Being from Texas, I really notice the difference!
I'm just curious: have you ever taken public transport while in Germany, and have you consumed German culture in some form (including TV)? Have you been to an off-base doctor, had any interaction with police or other authorities (beside the ones you got in contact with for your small business)? Listening to you, in comparison to some other US vloggers in Germany, made me feel you are still only skimming the surface, I mean you are still in for some more culture shocks.
Daneelro yes I am very familiar with the local public transportation (bus, rail), have taken DB to other places in Germany, do most of my grocery shopping on the Germany economy, go to other non-grocery stores on the economy, have seen a little bit of German TV (I generally don’t watch a lot of TV to begin since most of it is crap anyhow, plus we only get 1 German channel living on base), I’ve taken our dog to a couple German veterinarians but have not gone to a German doctor myself (haven’t had the need yet but if I get pregnant and have a baby here I certainly will), we go to local restaurants, we’ve gone to fests, I’ve gone to the local farmers market and farm for fresh food, I’ve taken our car to a German mechanic, I’ve visited a car dealership several times to order a part for our car .....I’m sure there are things I’m missing but that’s what I can think of off the top of my head. This video mainly addresses how I felt the first few months here. I have now been in Germany for almost 9 months and feel much more comfortable than the first couple months. But the reason I made this video is for other military spouses who are NEW to Germany and feeling really flustered, confused, and overwhelmed - I want them to know they are NOT alone in those feelings and that those feelings are okay! So yes perhaps this video appears that I just skim the surface, but one has to do that sometimes in RUclips videos. I tend to be a very detail oriented person and I can easily ramble on, but to hold viewers’ attention one must have a specific and semi-narrow subject matter for each video. I hope this is a good explanation.
Indeed you mentioned trains in your very next video I clicked after writing the above, and some other stuff, so my sense of something missing was a bit hasty. If you've taken public transport, did it have any effect on your sense of personal safety and - separately from that - sense of personal space? Also, here is a weird thing that I never noticed when in Germany but almost every American vlogger in Germany mentions: do you ever feel people are staring at you for no reason?
Daneelro interesting question! I usually feel very safe on public transportation and I also can’t recall feeling like my personal space was being violated - at least not intentionally! Sometimes it’s crowded so of course it’s impossible to not have one’s personal space invaded. And yes I have been stared at sometimes! I came to figure that’s just part of the German culture, not rudeness. But yes I have noticed that!
Now I feel really weird never having experienced The Stare myself. Either it's because I'm that uninteresting, or because it's an all-European thing but on a semi-conscious level that doesn't register with me when I'm stared at (and which then I must also be guilty of). I mentioned public transport because it has been something to get used to for virtually every American I have known. From the above, you may already be aware of all of this, but I write it down anyway because I have some stories to tell (maybe it'll inspire a future video of yours if you have some experiences of your own!). One thing is the practical aspect: here it is assumed that passengers are familiar with how to use public transport, and do everything quickly for efficiency (like boarding/unboarding). But someone from afar can get stuck at tasks as simple as opening a window on a non-air-conditioned train (well on this one I'm remembering when I helped out some Chinese tourists on a Swiss train) and locals may get impatient with foreigners if say they stand in the doorway trying to figure out something. One American RUclips vlogger even told about how she got stuck on a train because she didn't leave it at the terminal station quickly enough, before it left the platforms for a stabling track. When new to Europe, most Americans I met seem overly concerned with the potential of violent crime, and co-passengers on public transport heighten those fears. (This fear always passed.) The first time I saw this was my American guest English teacher in highschool. She was white but had a black boyfriend. Just before he came to visit from the US, she read of some incident with skinheads on a bus, and asked us whether it would be a good idea for him to bring a gun. We had to explain that that would have lead to trouble with a much much higher probability, and told he would have nothing to fear in broad daylight. But she settled on the solution of using a taxi. Personal space factors in in two ways. One is being in crowded vehicles with people bumping into each other, especially in the summer when lots of people in air-conditioning-averse Europe have body odour. The other is awareness of other people overhearing you: in Europe, most people automatically tune down their conversation or don't talk at all on public transport, but many Americans don't have that reflex and talk at their normal volume, and may be called out on being loud by locals. The last one is related to another cultural difference: in most of Europe (but AFAIK not Russia), people keep to themselves on public transport and don't start conversations with strangers, very unlike Americans. I myself gained awareness of this from two awkward incidents. Once I was travelling on a long-distance train with an American friend, who tried to talk with the co-passengers in our six-seat cabin, which (in my eyes naturally) died down. Afterwards, I was surprised to find out that he was incensed that I didn't help keeping the conversation alive. Years later, on another train ride from Munich to Salzburg, an older American couple tried to start a conversation with me. I tried to engage only because of the cultural awareness from the previous incident, but in the end it went nowhere because I just couldn't do American-style smalltalk. I fear many Americans who have been in similar incidents but at the other end come away with feelings that Europeans are cold or hate them. Sorry for the length, I didn't expect I'd ramble this much...
being rushed at the check out in shops: do the thug thing an just ruin the bar code label on one of your shoppings and put this on the belt towards the end of your pile. this will slow things down enough for you to bag your stuff.
Hallo, liebe Malori, ich wundere mich sehr, daß Du die vielen positiven Dingen, welche Du aufzähltest auch als "Schock" bezeichnest, denn ein angenehme Überraschung und ein freudiges Erstaunen kann man doch nicht allen ernstes als "Schock" bezeichnen, oder? Ein Schock ist ja doch immer etwas negatives, bedrohliches oder gar verletzendes und diese Bedeutung hat das Wort ja doch wohl auch im Englischen, oder? Wie ich überhaupt festgestellt habe, daß die Amis in Sachen Wortwahl oft höchst oberflächliche, eigenartig, ja oft sogar gegensätzlich zu der Grundbedeutung des Wortes - verfahren!
Thanks for leaving a comment! I ran your comment through Google translate so forgive me if my response isn't completely accurate. :) "Shock" might generally be thought of as something negative, but it can be applied to something positive or neutral as well. Example: let's say a mom and dad have a son serving in a combat zone overseas. They don't expect their child to be home for Christmas, but somehow he manages to come home for Christmas and surprises them. When they see him show up at their front door, they definitely will be "in shock" but it is clearly something so good and happy! So no, "shock" does not always mean something negative. Culture shock is a tricky thing emotionally. It isn't necessarily bad. It just means that a person is having a difficult time emotionally adjusting to a new culture. They may love the culture! But it takes time to adjust and anyone who has moved to a new country probably will understand this. :)
as a german citizen I would not be so damatic to call your experiences "culture shock". we are europeans and used to travel to different countries where things are totally different than in germany. I´ve been to London when I was 18 years old..."They ALL drive on the wrong side of the road? Crazy as fuck! But ok...no big deal once you get used to it.! " the french eat snails and frog legs??? gross! But somehow tasty!" "they sell weed in Coffeeshops in Amsterdam"? "How crazy is that!!!" And so on and so on. The world is a huge and beautiful place and the USA are/is not the navel of it! Be open minded and glad that you are in a democratic country where they worship your god and eat cows and pigs. :) Love your channel, have an american stepfather who used to be in the airforce and served at sembach AB. He retired and lives in Germany now because he preferred the "calmness" of the germans compared to the Americans.
I can imagine that Korea would be an even harder transition than coming to Germany! Honestly, if my husband was offered Korea we'd rather him do a 1-year unaccompanied tour there instead of a 3-year accompanied (with dependents) tour.
Hi Russell! We made a brief stop in Heidelberg once and it was lovely! I want to go back and spend more time there. I didn't know it was called the cake capital of Germany! Very cool.
It's not just the spoken language: it's having to navigate most things being in German. For example, at the grocery store. Grocery shopping was very tedious at first because I had to do a lot of translating into English, especially since I have certain foods/ingredients I do not/cannot eat. Now it's much easier because I know the words to look out for, but at first it's very time-consuming and takes a lot of energy/brain power. Then there's my personal hesitation when making a phone call or even approaching someone when out and about and I have a question - what if they don't speak English or what if I know how to ask the question in German but can't understand the answer? This is not an unfounded fear because I have been in situations where a German speaks little to no English. These are just a few examples of how language plays into culture shock.
I am german. These culture shock videos especially from Americans are so entertaining and educational. Sometimes i feel like 🙄🤔oh really germany is on another planet.? These americans from planet earth must have traveled far from their home galaxy. Just to meet us germans on planet germa. 😊😊😊👾ok lets scare them and eat some raw cow meat👻🤣🤣🤣🤣😂or drive 150mph on our roads. That they get adrenaline in their blood after an exhausting travel. Or maybe a cup of tea🤔😚😚😚
Your hubby's in the miltary, you ain't. You're just married to a guy employed by the military. No rationally thinking person would ever define themselves through their spouse's occupation. Agency, madam!
Orca Flotta but a person who is married to a military member is expected to behave in a certain manner. It is a throwback to ways that are largely defunct in normal society. It is a unique culture of it’s own. I am a wife to a retired military man, so have an insiders view. Although we are not the military member ourselves, we frequently have to attend military events . It’s expected. Think women’s roles as they were in the 1950’s. I know some military wives will disagree with me, however, this has been my personal experience. Lastly, I enjoy it. It’s a good way of life.
@@cynthiastinson7059 I will never understand the Americans' fascination with shooting and killing and occupying and supressing of other countries/nations. But please, if you think you must, do your thing.
Americans tend to take bavarian culture as pars pro toto for the culture of entire Germany. This goes back to the time of the American occupation zone. But if you say "I know German culture because I know bavarian culture" you couldn't be more wrong. It is like saying "I know about rodeos therefore I know America".
That is very true!! Thanks for making that point. 🙌🏻 If I’m being honest though, I have to say that Bavaria is my absolute favorite place in Germany and when I go there it feels like I’m going home. So while I know it doesn’t represent the entirety of Germany, it’ll always hold a special place in my heart. 💙
Bavaria is basically the Texas of Germany ;-)
Yes it truly is!!! Maybe that's one reason why I love it so much!
Bavaria is the German Texas and Merkel ist the German Trump. Of course. What else?
I learned everything about Bullriding and was well prepared for my trip to New York and Los Angeles...
At Aldi: You put your grocery ond the "Kassenband" in the order you want to pack them in your bag. Heavy things first, eggs and yogurt last. 😅
Came across your video after trying to find out what Weisbaden looks like now. I'm an Army Brat who went to W. Germany when I was 9 months old. '77-'85. Your culture shock items seem so normal to me. It was a culture shock to come to the States. Germany was all my sister and I knew. We were stationed in Philly when we came back. It was the worst. We eventually learned the American way. Cried to go "home" to Germany at first. Sadly, many Americans feel like you when traveling/living abroad at first. Greatest thing between when we were there and now, the internet. I know international calls were expensive for my parents all those years ago. Great videos
Thank you so much and thanks for leaving a comment! Love hearing from people who lived in Germany way back when. Everyone's experience is so unique!
Great Video! I love your enthusiasm! My Sister and I are Americans living in Germany! We love it here!
Hey, there is a major difference to US highways : no passing on the right lane in Eurppe !
zeisselgaertner yes!! Definitely a huge difference. Although I think in the US *technically* we aren’t supposed to pass on the right lane but everyone does it anyway..... 🤦🏻♀️ Most people are very good about obeying traffic laws here!
Malori Mayor
Perhaps it veries from state to state.
For sure it makes it even worse when you sometimes have to merge from the left in areas like Miami. So you automaticly have slower traffic on the left lane.
@ Hauke Holst
"and the police doesn't enforce the rules in this case."
Ok, THAT's weird.
I knew about americans don't really giving 2 shits about passing right, but the cops not stopping them either is just... weird. They seriously fine you for driving more than 80mph but won't do a thing about the probabbly most dangerous thing after driving in the wrong direction? Lunacy!
small correction. you are allowed to pass on the right lane in Germany under a few conditions. Your speed is not higher than 70km/h and the difference in speed between your car and the car in the lane to your left is not higher than 20km/h.
Communities are very involving in Germany, my village had lots of festivals throughout the year and little gatherings. My town here in the us I don’t even know my neighbors names. No stop 🛑 signs, AC or ice are some different things too. Also the roads are VERY narrow and I loved that their are bike/walk trails EVERYWHERE lol if I want to take my dog to a trail the nearest one is a 20 min drive, where as my home in Germany their were 2 different trails just a little off my door step 😋 I miss beautiful Germany so much!!
armywife1-4 yeah it’s amazing how many festivals happen in the summertime alone! Always something going on.
I as a German HATE the checkouts at Aldi. Go to REWE, tegut or Edeka instead - they have a bit more of a "run out zone" left, sometimes even with a divider for the next customers items not to mix up with yours.
At Aldi, stuff all things in your cart, then back up as there's usually a zone where you can get rid of excess packaging, and bag your items there.
I love Edeka! It's such a nice shopping experience there. I wish I could shop there 100% of the time but Aldi's prices are pretty hard to pass up.
Oh, timedifference is a culture shock. I'm impressed.
Yes when you are dealing with the time difference in communicating with close family, that is a very big thing to get used to.
you can turn right with a red light on in Germany , if there is a little greensign with a wihte arrow on the traffic light, in high of the red light, that allows you to turn ,as you use the traffic light as an Stop sign
Tell the truth, there are no red lights in Germany, except on the Reeperbahn.
Yep, it's always that way at Aldi. Aldi cashiers are legendary for their speed...Germans like to joke about it.
In general, the best way to deal with Supermarkt cashiers is: Ensure that your stuff is already basically sorted when you put it on the conveyer belt: Heavy stuff first, breakables last. Put what you have bought back into your card as fast as possible after it got scanned, pay as fast as possible and then go to the side to the packing area. There you can take as much time as you need to put everything away properly, without holding up the line.
Great tips, thank you! :)
You can also place some vegetables or fruits at strategic points on the belt and when they are weighed you gain some time to pack your things.
Or you do the following: Don't get stressed! Just pack the groceries as fast as you'd like to. See the speed of the cashier as an offer to handle your shopping quickly and efficent but they won't be angry with you if need some more time. They are not angry with Oma Else also.
Malori: 7 years El Paso as a teenager in the 70s. Several vacations in Houston when my brother lived there (NJ now). Oh and : 100% Kraut and proud of it !!!
Moin aus Hamburg.
Wolfgang, that's wonderful! Houston has so much to offer. I hope you got to visit the beach! :)
Klingt verdächtig nach bodengebundener Luftverteidigung :D
That's Aldi though which is a discounter. In other supermarkets like Rewe it's usually not so extreme. They also have chit-chats sometimes with customers they know, depending of course on how busy it is.
I am a German who spent 3 years in America. The cultural and linguistical nuances were my greatest problem. For example, I realized that I had said something wrong, but I did not understand what the problem was. Speaking quite understandable English does not guarantee detecting the subtleties which sometimes are hidden in a language, so people really got upset and I wasn't able to relate to them that I did not understand. I really struggled a lot the first half year.
Not thinking about culture shock isn't arrogant, I think it happens to everyone, because even if you know many things, it feels differently to experience them. In my opinion, you cannot avoid culture shock, but you need to have had this experience once to know that you can't.
ElinT13 thank you for sharing your thoughts and experience in America! Language can be such a barrier, and in America there are many things that are colloquial or unique to a certain area of the country. Even my parents when moving from Ohio to Texas years ago, had a hard time sometimes understanding what people were saying! We definitely don’t speak perfect English. ;) And yes I agree, the experience of culture shock is an important thing to experience.
I am very lucky to have an Aldi near me where they do have time for a little chitchat and don't rush you with extreme speed, BUT if there is a long queue, they will speed up a little and will not be able to have a real conversation. If you want to have a more relaxed shopping experience, choose times when the store is almost empty. When that is depends, but usually Tuesday or Wednesday morning or late evening, because not many people will shop then.
We are moving in November, your videos have been so helpful :) thank you Malori!
Sarah Ehrlich yay you’re welcome! I love hearing how these are helpful. ❤️ And I can definitely do a video on starting a business here! Great idea 💡
I felt a huge amount of relief watching your video. Yikes, I'm so glad it's not just me that experienced culture shock moving to Germany. Whilst I wasn't familiar with the language or the culture as you were, I also thought it would be a lot easier to integrate into a new country because I had moved countries before. I moved from Australia to the U.K when I was 25 and though, 'Oh hey, I've done this moving country thang before...it'll be a breeze'. I was so wrong! The cultural differences between Australia and the U.K versus Australia and Germany are VERY different. I just wasn't prepared for how much of a shock to the system it would be. I too love the way Germans celebrate Christmas and love the quality of fresh produce here :) I really enjoyed your video, keep up the good work!
Hey Jen! Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment! :) Yes it's not just you! It's hard to imagine what it's like until actually experiencing it. What a challenge but also what an amazing opportunity we get to have!
Language:
Germany has different "language zones". I`m originally from hessia and people from the north often couldn`t understand what i was saying either because i pronounced words different or/and because i used words they didn`t even know. Saw it with people from the north, in the east, middle and south as well. I even have family who live around 20 km from where i grew up and when they don`t want me to understand them i can`t.
Red light:
You can turn right on a red light if the way is free and there is a green sign (i think white arrow on green) which states that you can turn right. A lot of people don`t know that.
Shopping & trash:
It depends on the state how long the shops are open. The same applies to trash.
One thing: You aren't expected to bag your groceries for any kind of bigger haul. You are expected to have a basket or folding box (available at many markets) into which you can pack your goods very quickly. And naturally you are supposed to have to good sense to check your stuff out in order from cans and jars to soft, squishy things to make the packing efficient. Then you just need to lift the box up to pack things into the car or out of it. Plus the occasional carry packs of bottles or toilet paper. I found plastic bags to be unreliable and annoying at best, myself.
Stackable folding boxes are a very efficient way of handling daily groceries and to carry them right into the kitchen.
Always put your fresh groceries, vegetables and fruit, especially rare ones in the middle and at the very end of your stuff. This slows the cashiers down considerably and gives you a little more time. Also don’t put them in plastic bags, a cashier that has to put six single oranges together to weigh them is even slower plus you didn’t use a plastic bag ;)
Ah thanks for the insider tips! ;)
Oh that speed at the checkout, I hate it, and I'm German. Aldi is particularly bad, but it can also be so at Rewe. I keep thinking "Ich bin hier zum Einkaufen, nicht auf der Flucht!" lol
In 2007 I was in the US on a business trip. Customs were very unfriendly. But ok, the citizens were (mostly) open-minded and very friendly. Unfortunatly it was f***** cold (february) so in New York City it was a bit hard - when i was on the Empire State Building, I just spent a few minutes outside, then went back inside again.
But to be on Broadway was a great feeling, somehow. Also, we (my US colleague and me) met two Police officers who were very friendly. NYC is an amazing town :-)
NYC is so fun! Very unique place. Also remember that Americans' personalities vary based on region. So the stereotype is that southerners and Texans are the most friendly. ;)
Yep but they are mostly Trump supporters I think. Hmmm... not my cup of tea, like most people here in germany I guess.
BTW, you look very lovely in the Dirndl :-)
Thanks so much!
Well, even if most are Trump supporters it doesn't change their friendliness. ;)
@@blackriflehomestead Yes that's absolutely right, please don't get me wrong Recently I saw a TV report about a german police officer somewhere in Texas, who is very well respected and loved by the community. Pleasse, if you are also a Trump supporter, I did not want to bother you.
I don’t know about Germany but in Austria Aldi staff gets a provision, depending how much money per hour was spent by customers. Also it means they dont have to open many checkouts which saves them money. Even as an Austrian every time I’m in awe how quick the are. As a customer you really have to prepare your check out. Hard items that don’t crush will be put first and so on. You have your card or cash ready. 😂
mahue171 thanks for watching and leaving a comment! Those are interesting points about Aldi. And Austria! I love your country! 🇦🇹 Can’t wait to visit it again. My ancestry includes great-grandparents from Austria-Hungary. They spoke German (their last name was Fuchs, was my maiden name) but also spoke Hungarian.
Malori Mayor so hope you can visit soon again! I live in Vienna, so if you need any tips don’t hesitate to ask! So you know your name means fox and is quite common in Austria. And if you need some prep talk on Aldi checkouts! LOL I’ll help right away! Andoverthehill on instagram
Do you get American shows in Germany? I remember living there in 1993 and American shows were very limited. I use to watch this British show all the time called DJ KAT And Inspector Gadget in German...lol. I was about 8 yrs old. Would love to experience Germany as an adult.
We get AFN (Armed Forces Network) that gets us a few American channels. For example, the AFN News channel rotates between CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC every hour.
We don't need that fake talking with the cashiers. Or do you really believe that the cashier in the supermarket is interested in your daily feelings?
America is a fake society, so everyone is like that there! :(
Nothing wrong with a small talk. I do that frequently as a German. From the body language you can tell wether they are happy about it or not. If they are happy, then 3-4 sentences while packing your groceries is totally fine.
Biggest proof of that is the fake "Hi, how are you"..and their mind explodes if you honestly tell them how you are. Never ask a question if you dont expect an answer.
comparing Austrians with Germans is one of the biggest insults in Austria, and btw the Germans from the North are very different from the Germans in the South having the same language doesnt mean you have the same culture you Americans arent the same as the English but you speak the same language
bianca albakar I am fully aware of all those points. I have noticed those differences and I actually enjoy Bavarian and Austrian culture better than the northern German culture. I was merely using that comparison to illustrate a point.
Malori Mayor Good to hear(read)!Greets from Austria!
@bianca albakar Gut gebrüllt Löwin....sehr gut gebrüllt!
Gruesse zurueck aus Amsterdam (meine Mutter war aus Kaernten, mein Vater Aus Amsterdam so ich fuehle mich beides und beide hassen es verglichen zu werden mit Deutsche)
Stell Dich nicht so an, Spinnerin!
Better don't imagine what it would have been like to move to Germany as a civilian. Here the US Army looks after you, helps you with housing or furniture from the pool. The American military community is smaller than before 1990, but you can still stick to your fellow Americans. The Americans I met did not really try to learn German - they did not need to.
I do understand that we have an easier time integrating into a foreign country than non-military expats. I don’t take things like the military community, commissary, PX etc for granted. Just sharing my experience and perspective.
Hi great video, you were on my suggested video list.
i'm a Brit who recently moved to Switzerland and the way the cashiers check you out at the supermarket is so stressful... especially at Aldi and Lidl! They way they throw them at you and you don't even have time to bag them, I used to get so anxious and sweaty at the prospect haha!
Danm21 Healy haha yes I can totally relate!! Thanks for stopping by.
I’m a German from Stuttgart. We have AFRICOM & EUCOM here. But I rarely see or have contact with Army people or their families.
That’s sad. They live on the base& don’t leave it that often anymore.
Has it something to do with 9/11 or fear of terrorist attacks? Because it was definitely different decades ago.
I would like to interact with Americans but I can’t find them🔎
Holyfox wow that is too bad! Stuttgart is a big community.
"CULTURE SHOCK," really? A culture shock was maybe this: I was invited to a feast in Mongolia and sat as a guest of honor next to the patriarch of the clan. They served mutton, as usual and I already suspected what was coming up to me. Besides the patriarch I got an eye served directly from the head of the mutton! Already while serving, I wanted to run out of the yurt to puke. I stood firm and looked at the slippery eye offered to my honor, with all its "appendages" (optic nerve, veins, muscles). The patriarch nudged me and I saw how he laughingly let the eye served him disappear into his gold-toothed mouth. Now I should do it, he looked at me grinning and still smacking. I took the eye, threw it into my mouth in a swift motion, and swallowed it in the same second. Hastily I drank the already served vodka and shook myself because of both things. The Mongols laughed so loudly that I thought I was sitting in a bell, for laughter came from everywhere. Later, the interpreter told me that it was just a joke and that I did not have to eat the eye. But I was too fast. Then I laughed in a strange way, still the sweat of fear on my forehead. NEVER AGAIN! NO WAY! Lolol
Andreas Kreissl wow what an experience!! That is very unique.
Thank you, yes it was. Our Mongolian friend (she was studying with my then girlfriend in Germany) invited us to her BIG wedding. The whole thing was very familiar and unforgettable for us. Apart from this eating "incident" (terrible and funny at the same time) the stay (1 week) on these summer pasture was a gigantic experience. It's another world that I really enjoyed. The people were very, very nice and took care of us with a lot of warmth. No one spoke German or English (except our friend Aynur) but we understood each other anyway. You can find friends anywhere in the world if you are open hearted and ready for it. Good luck in Germany,go out and make friends Malori!
Pfeife!
Wie soll man Pfeife denn sonst schreiben?
@@blackriflehomestead No it's not, eat the eye is a usual Joke in nomadic cultures. Had this sometimes, and earned respect by not eating the whole eye...
Watching this video I learned the word: "culture shock" is less less meaningful than I thought. I figured out Mrs. Mayor is just talking about differences between the US and Germany she experienced. So what ? If I travel to a different country I wouldn t expect that there is everything like at home. Things might be strange, weird or just surprising but not shocking. A different country is a different country, so deal with it. In the later 80s and the 90s I was often in the US, I was just curious and often wondering about the differences. Some things I liked very much, sometimes I preferred more the german way of living because I m used to it. But I was never shocked.
Wol Sch I guess it depends on your definition of being “shocked.” Also, I am dealing with the differences. ;) Like I said at the beginning, the hardest part for me was that I wasn’t expecting it to be difficult to integrate into a new country, because I thought I had a fairly good grasp on what it would be like. So, I’m putting this info out there so that other military spouses don’t have as hard of a time as I did. :) I don’t want any other spouse to feel like there’s something wrong with them because they are struggling, and that it’s okay to have difficulty adjusting!
Malori Mayor Yes You are right ! In my opinion cultural shocks are severe cruel things, not the banalities You are describing in the video. But You know Your compatriots and military spouses better than I ever could and therefore Your video is probably right.
From my personal experiance i would say the small things are emotionally more exhausting. I have worked in Africa and Asia and things there are really different, sometimes even disturbing. But it was so strange it was more interesting than shocking. I had an emotional distance, culture shocks i experienced living in Poland and the Netherlands. Not because of big differences but because of a delucive familiarity.
Thanks for your comment! Yes the small things can be very emotionally exhausting. As a fellow expat friend told me, moving to Germany from America is like being a toddler again: your surroundings are new, you're trying to learn a new language, and just doing normal everyday things makes you want a nap! Everything everyday at first isa learning experience.
Wol Sch this is different for the average American compared to the average European because most of them never have been abroad, and the USA itself has been fairly uniformised after WII (due to the Interstate program, zoning laws and suburbanisation) to suppress stronger local differences. So even if they have moved around a lot in the past, a move to Europe will be qualitatively different from their previous movings.
The easiest thing I did is to buy German English dictionary,In Mannheim I was studding the German language so to help with my machine shop studies,in 1969 in Mannheim.
A bit too much "culture shock" in my opinion 😉 but an interesting view of living in Germany , thx for posting👍
Aldi is the same here in the US about speed bagging and i do not like being rushed so lately either i am asking the cashier to hand the groceries back to me so i can place them back in my reusable bags (if i have few items) or when they place the items in the buggy i immediately start putting them in my bags before paying, i loathe the buggies since the cashier will place the groceries in the seat where little kids seat (i also seen kids sit inside the buggy too) and cannot stop thinking about cross-contamination
stpaley ooooh yes sometimes I try to not think about how disgusting grocery carts probably are! And stores here do not have disinfecting wipes like in the US. But maybe that is a good thing. The medical community is starting to say that we (Americans at least) are TOO clean. So maybe Germans are onto something with not having disinfection wipes.
i agree with that, i think studies have proved that children are less resistance to bacteria today, but then again there is a worldly phrase about "eating where you defecate" (sorry, that is disgusting but i am sure you know what i mean)
oh as for those disinfecting wipes, i am never sure how many i should use for those buggies, would only one work for those buggies? and i never seen those wipes at Aldi here in the US
stpaley
Aldi is that low priced because the processes are optimized. In consequence the employees are paid for work done (which means refilling the shelfs and check out) not for their bare presence in the shop.
So when you slow down the process to raise your comfort it's at their costs or they have to hurry up afterwards while refilling.
stpaley
Sorry, you didn't get the principle of Aldi and Lidl.
Read topic #3
www-walesonline-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/shopping/how-aldi-cheap-insider-reveals-14800571.amp?amp_js_v=a2&_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQCCAE%3D#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=Von%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walesonline.co.uk%2Fwhats-on%2Fshopping%2Fhow-aldi-cheap-insider-reveals-14800571
stpaley :
What am I supposed to answer :))
If you mention "Aldi" for good food quality, i wonder how bad the quality must be in the US. Aldi is definitly not known for selling high quality. Nice video by the way!
When I say the food quality is really great in Germany, I don't mean that the food quality in the US is terrible. It is good and especially wonderful if you buy from local farmers etc. It's just that with German food, there's this subtle difference that I can tell and it might be because there are less pesticides used on foods in the EU due to the strict regulations. OR, it could all be in my head! haha
@@blackriflehomestead got it.
Malori Mayor
germany as you see it today is a federal republic, so a combination of 16 you might wanna call it counties, which are: Baden-Württemberg, Bayern, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Niedersachsen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland, Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein und Thüringen. This might explain why there are at least 16 diffent dialects, not encluding the sub dialects for example between Düsseldorf and Köln( Not Cologne) So yes there is a gerneral language called Hochdeutsch ( Highgerman). Do not be frustrated, me as a native german, i do not understand all of them,depending where you were raised. So i certainly understand your culture shock.
Shutting down your car while not driving is an enviromental need. We germans love our country and its only right to protect our enviroment, So please whats the big deal of shutting down the engine if you are not driving?? One move but if 40 Million german drivers do this , a big deal. Plastic bags: Plastic does not rotten, so its a serious threat for the enviroment. Is it a big deal of bringing your own bag??????????Beeing fast in a Supermarket is not so much an issue as you posted it. There is always a place where you can take your buyings into your bags. The only reason is that the cashier is working effectefly to avoid a long waiting line. I like it not to wait.
Bavaria is by size the biggest county!!!!! in germany by far the most conservative(Nazis where rising in bavaria) and by far not the most productive. So please do not mix up bavaria with germany, thank you
AAAwww I miss the German food.. I had no clue healthy food is sooo hard to get and 4 times more expensive than in Germany... Some days I feel like starving... don't care for 99 cent burgers....
Yes, gas if 4 times more there but food is way more important. Also I feel Germany is a lot more modern and international. You have an entirely different picture of the States when you only know it from movies.. wooden houses, broken streets, homeless people, crime.... it's a shock to see how middle class ppl here are so much poorer... I love that most Americans have a lot bigger heart and are super friendly and compassionate .. in Europe it is rather cold.. and the weather is better.. though I always wanted to come here and thought I'd never look back... I would go back for the food and safety alone!!!
I think that the most important reason for the culture shocks for Americans in Germany is that Germany is not like America. Germany is as big as Texas and is located in the middle of Europe. People from all over Europe, Africa and the Middle East meet here. And that's the "shocking" difference to the US, because in the US you only meet Americans.
Actually in America we have a lot of cultural diversity, and one meets many other people there than just Americans. Also, Germans coming to America would probably experience culture shock there, because as you said: America is not like Germany in many ways! Americans are not the only ones who experience culture shock. It happens to many people who move to another country to live, and I would not have fully realized it had I not experienced culture shock myself. I am very grateful for the opportunity to live in another country for several years.
Hopefully you got over a few of your instances of culture shock by now.
Driving: yeah, it is certainly quite more regulated in Germany.
It takes a lot to have so much traffic in such a (relatively) small country without total breakdown.
I suppose the signs (the Schilderwald, the forest of signs) will have been pretty daunting, I assume.
Aldi, Lidl, Penny, and other discounter stores are based on the lowest price and moving their products very quickly.
The cashiers there even have a company directive to be fast.
Yes, this can be a little daunting, even for me, who believes myself to be a fast packer.
I agree, I wish sometimes the cashiers wouldn't rush so much.
In other stores it can be a little more laid back, but only if the check out lines aren't crowded.
Some rare stores attempted packing help a long while back, but it kinda flopped in Germany.
Why, I don't know.
Yeah, the bags (either paper or plastic) have been mostly banned by the stores due to the *HUUUUUGE* amount of plastic waste that makes its way into the oceans.
There are areas of the ocean where plastic aggregates float that are as large as some countries.
That it also wastes oil is another problem because most people use plastic bags only once, then throw them away.
The best way to shop is to have a 'Klappkiste', a folding box. These fold down into flat rectangluar shapes easily stored in the trunk of your car.
I have two in the trunk of my car. One for normal shopping, and one as a spare, should I do some larger shopping.
I always take one into the store, and have it unfolded in my cart and place my purchases into it.
Check out the more solid ones, they might be a bit more expensive, but they last a LOT longer.
There is virtually no danger of the bottom cracking out, even when fully loaded. That can happen with the really cheap, flimsy ones.
The good ones easily store up to 50 kg weight (around 110 lbs) without straining. I rarely ever fill them with products that are that heavy.
With these folding boxes you also see if your carrying capacity is almost at its limit or not while you are shopping.
The large opening at the top allows very quick storing of your purchases, not fiddling with the opening of a plastic bag, even with larger packaging.
At your car you can lift out your whole purchases at once.
As you already came into contact with the German bureaucracy I hope you haven't been too shocked. But it really can be horrible (this from a native German ;-)
If you have problems with the bureaucracy hopefully you have someone competent helping you.
Registering your business should be helped with a lawyer you trust. German laws tend to be difficult to understand even for lawyers.
Again, hopefully, you have overcome some of your (negative) culture shocks.
Hi. (I am German) I like how honest you say what is difficult and people, who say "what are you complaining about, that's all normal, when you are going into a new country" they are saying it, despite they never had the experience of moving into a new country, they where only in other countries for holiday. Because you are very right, the little things, that are different - even if it's logical, that they are different and it was clear before, that the difficulties come up - this little things makes it really arduous/demanding, and this can be a bit disappointing, because you thought before it's a mostly happy time, but it's more often frustrating. What many people do not understand what is difficult, it's not the fact, that this and that and that is different but that you don't know in advance, what little unexpected thing are then actually different, AND how they then are really or correct. This difficulties you can easily see in all this RUclips Videos of people who moved to Germany like you and they say "I didn't know, that this ........ is a rule" but what they don't know is, that they are again wrong: they see that people do something unexpectedly differently and then you think, "oh, that's a rule, a must here, I need to adapt in this point", but what you don't know: just by accident you saw a couple of people doing this, but despite you saw some behaviour/acting, it might be neither a rule nor do all people love to do it. For example turning of the engine if there is a long red traffic light for example at a train line: it might be a rule or you should turn of the engine, but when it's hot summer and you want to keep the aircon running, you can leave your engine on, SURE, PLEASE, (maybe not if you have an old car that stinks and the wind blows dirty car fumes directly into the faces of people waiting beside you, if so). Or the way how the check out is at ALDI, I hate it so much that I try to avoid to go to Aldi, many or all Germans hate it, and if you have seen investigative reports why this is at Aldi, then you hate it even more AND I love when the till girl in England starts a short friendly chat and it's not that lukewarm, how many Germans claim, Germans who claim this just don't understand how it's meant or are cold and arrogant like the one dude who is writing here below, some comment writer even don't know that language phrases like "how are you doing" should not be translated directly. I hate all Germans check-outs, how cold or even rude it's going on there sometimes. You don't need to adapt to everything in Germany or think, that everything here is "normal" or even loved by the Germans, even if nearly all do it.
GerD Ne This is such valuable information! Thank you for your thoughtful and understanding comment. I’ll add this: there is even a difference between the “niceties” of people from the north and the south in the USA. Come to the south or Texas and you’ll get all sorts of sweet, nice, polite comments from total strangers, very different than in the northeast. So even among Americans things like that differ. Being from Texas, I really notice the difference!
I'm just curious: have you ever taken public transport while in Germany, and have you consumed German culture in some form (including TV)? Have you been to an off-base doctor, had any interaction with police or other authorities (beside the ones you got in contact with for your small business)?
Listening to you, in comparison to some other US vloggers in Germany, made me feel you are still only skimming the surface, I mean you are still in for some more culture shocks.
Daneelro yes I am very familiar with the local public transportation (bus, rail), have taken DB to other places in Germany, do most of my grocery shopping on the Germany economy, go to other non-grocery stores on the economy, have seen a little bit of German TV (I generally don’t watch a lot of TV to begin since most of it is crap anyhow, plus we only get 1 German channel living on base), I’ve taken our dog to a couple German veterinarians but have not gone to a German doctor myself (haven’t had the need yet but if I get pregnant and have a baby here I certainly will), we go to local restaurants, we’ve gone to fests, I’ve gone to the local farmers market and farm for fresh food, I’ve taken our car to a German mechanic, I’ve visited a car dealership several times to order a part for our car .....I’m sure there are things I’m missing but that’s what I can think of off the top of my head. This video mainly addresses how I felt the first few months here. I have now been in Germany for almost 9 months and feel much more comfortable than the first couple months. But the reason I made this video is for other military spouses who are NEW to Germany and feeling really flustered, confused, and overwhelmed - I want them to know they are NOT alone in those feelings and that those feelings are okay! So yes perhaps this video appears that I just skim the surface, but one has to do that sometimes in RUclips videos. I tend to be a very detail oriented person and I can easily ramble on, but to hold viewers’ attention one must have a specific and semi-narrow subject matter for each video. I hope this is a good explanation.
Indeed you mentioned trains in your very next video I clicked after writing the above, and some other stuff, so my sense of something missing was a bit hasty.
If you've taken public transport, did it have any effect on your sense of personal safety and - separately from that - sense of personal space? Also, here is a weird thing that I never noticed when in Germany but almost every American vlogger in Germany mentions: do you ever feel people are staring at you for no reason?
Daneelro interesting question! I usually feel very safe on public transportation and I also can’t recall feeling like my personal space was being violated - at least not intentionally! Sometimes it’s crowded so of course it’s impossible to not have one’s personal space invaded. And yes I have been stared at sometimes! I came to figure that’s just part of the German culture, not rudeness. But yes I have noticed that!
Now I feel really weird never having experienced The Stare myself. Either it's because I'm that uninteresting, or because it's an all-European thing but on a semi-conscious level that doesn't register with me when I'm stared at (and which then I must also be guilty of).
I mentioned public transport because it has been something to get used to for virtually every American I have known. From the above, you may already be aware of all of this, but I write it down anyway because I have some stories to tell (maybe it'll inspire a future video of yours if you have some experiences of your own!).
One thing is the practical aspect: here it is assumed that passengers are familiar with how to use public transport, and do everything quickly for efficiency (like boarding/unboarding). But someone from afar can get stuck at tasks as simple as opening a window on a non-air-conditioned train (well on this one I'm remembering when I helped out some Chinese tourists on a Swiss train) and locals may get impatient with foreigners if say they stand in the doorway trying to figure out something. One American RUclips vlogger even told about how she got stuck on a train because she didn't leave it at the terminal station quickly enough, before it left the platforms for a stabling track.
When new to Europe, most Americans I met seem overly concerned with the potential of violent crime, and co-passengers on public transport heighten those fears. (This fear always passed.) The first time I saw this was my American guest English teacher in highschool. She was white but had a black boyfriend. Just before he came to visit from the US, she read of some incident with skinheads on a bus, and asked us whether it would be a good idea for him to bring a gun. We had to explain that that would have lead to trouble with a much much higher probability, and told he would have nothing to fear in broad daylight. But she settled on the solution of using a taxi.
Personal space factors in in two ways. One is being in crowded vehicles with people bumping into each other, especially in the summer when lots of people in air-conditioning-averse Europe have body odour. The other is awareness of other people overhearing you: in Europe, most people automatically tune down their conversation or don't talk at all on public transport, but many Americans don't have that reflex and talk at their normal volume, and may be called out on being loud by locals.
The last one is related to another cultural difference: in most of Europe (but AFAIK not Russia), people keep to themselves on public transport and don't start conversations with strangers, very unlike Americans. I myself gained awareness of this from two awkward incidents. Once I was travelling on a long-distance train with an American friend, who tried to talk with the co-passengers in our six-seat cabin, which (in my eyes naturally) died down. Afterwards, I was surprised to find out that he was incensed that I didn't help keeping the conversation alive. Years later, on another train ride from Munich to Salzburg, an older American couple tried to start a conversation with me. I tried to engage only because of the cultural awareness from the previous incident, but in the end it went nowhere because I just couldn't do American-style smalltalk. I fear many Americans who have been in similar incidents but at the other end come away with feelings that Europeans are cold or hate them.
Sorry for the length, I didn't expect I'd ramble this much...
It will be a culture shock if you see the hospital bill for giving birth in Germany. (0 Euro)
being rushed at the check out in shops: do the thug thing an just ruin the bar code label on one of your shoppings and put this on the belt towards the end of your pile. this will slow things down enough for you to bag your stuff.
Hallo, liebe Malori,
ich wundere mich sehr, daß Du die vielen positiven Dingen, welche Du aufzähltest auch als "Schock" bezeichnest, denn ein angenehme Überraschung und ein freudiges Erstaunen kann man doch nicht allen ernstes als "Schock" bezeichnen, oder?
Ein Schock ist ja doch immer etwas negatives, bedrohliches oder gar verletzendes und diese Bedeutung hat das Wort ja doch wohl auch im Englischen, oder?
Wie ich überhaupt festgestellt habe, daß die Amis in Sachen Wortwahl oft höchst oberflächliche, eigenartig, ja oft sogar gegensätzlich zu der Grundbedeutung des Wortes - verfahren!
Thanks for leaving a comment! I ran your comment through Google translate so forgive me if my response isn't completely accurate. :)
"Shock" might generally be thought of as something negative, but it can be applied to something positive or neutral as well. Example: let's say a mom and dad have a son serving in a combat zone overseas. They don't expect their child to be home for Christmas, but somehow he manages to come home for Christmas and surprises them. When they see him show up at their front door, they definitely will be "in shock" but it is clearly something so good and happy! So no, "shock" does not always mean something negative.
Culture shock is a tricky thing emotionally. It isn't necessarily bad. It just means that a person is having a difficult time emotionally adjusting to a new culture. They may love the culture! But it takes time to adjust and anyone who has moved to a new country probably will understand this. :)
@@blackriflehomestead Danke, liebe, hübsche Malori, ich gebe Dir recht, daß hast Du wirklich gut erklärt!
I am a small business owner, I would love more information on getting registered and whatnot :)
Introduce yourself just with : "Ich bin Ehrlich."
as a german citizen I would not be so damatic to call your experiences "culture shock". we are europeans and used to travel to different countries where things are totally different than in germany.
I´ve been to London when I was 18 years old..."They ALL drive on the wrong side of the road? Crazy as fuck! But ok...no big deal once you get used to it.! " the french eat snails and frog legs??? gross! But somehow tasty!" "they sell weed in Coffeeshops in Amsterdam"? "How crazy is that!!!" And so on and so on. The world is a huge and beautiful place and the USA are/is not the navel of it!
Be open minded and glad that you are in a democratic country where they worship your god and eat cows and pigs. :)
Love your channel, have an american stepfather who used to be in the airforce and served at sembach AB. He retired and lives in Germany now because he preferred the "calmness" of the germans compared to the Americans.
Your man with JAG in Stuttgart?
I am surprised I like it here. I had massive cultural issues in Korea.
I can imagine that Korea would be an even harder transition than coming to Germany! Honestly, if my husband was offered Korea we'd rather him do a 1-year unaccompanied tour there instead of a 3-year accompanied (with dependents) tour.
Guess you are based in Ramstein, based on your description of time to borders. Go visit Heidleberg, for me, the cake capital of Germany
Hi Russell! We made a brief stop in Heidelberg once and it was lovely! I want to go back and spend more time there. I didn't know it was called the cake capital of Germany! Very cool.
Guess this is your first station in Europe. Get used to cheap flights and interesting weekend breaks in different countries and cities.
95 % of Germans speak and understand English. And do not have the heavy accent as austrians. How could the language come as the culture shock?
It's not just the spoken language: it's having to navigate most things being in German. For example, at the grocery store. Grocery shopping was very tedious at first because I had to do a lot of translating into English, especially since I have certain foods/ingredients I do not/cannot eat. Now it's much easier because I know the words to look out for, but at first it's very time-consuming and takes a lot of energy/brain power. Then there's my personal hesitation when making a phone call or even approaching someone when out and about and I have a question - what if they don't speak English or what if I know how to ask the question in German but can't understand the answer? This is not an unfounded fear because I have been in situations where a German speaks little to no English. These are just a few examples of how language plays into culture shock.
It's probably more naive than arrogant.
It's best known that Germany looks like a copy of Disneyland !
But in fact Disneyland is an attempt of a copy of Germany
It´s called dialect. :)
come to australia , get to know real jet lag.
Pin this here and see what happens
Your right...Germany is NOT Austria!
2 minutes into the video and still hasn't gotten to the topic... @thumbs down@ on to the next video
Man sieht das Heimweh in Ihren Augen. Das tut mir leid - über Weihnachten sollten Sie wirklich bei Ihrer Familie sein.
I am german. These culture shock videos especially from Americans are so entertaining and educational. Sometimes i feel like 🙄🤔oh really germany is on another planet.? These americans from planet earth must have traveled far from their home galaxy. Just to meet us germans on planet germa. 😊😊😊👾ok lets scare them and eat some raw cow meat👻🤣🤣🤣🤣😂or drive 150mph on our roads. That they get adrenaline in their blood after an exhausting travel. Or maybe a cup of tea🤔😚😚😚
PU CK 😂😂😂 LOL
@@blackriflehomestead 😁i have a video on my channel on our favourite hobby here on planet germa. 🤖👾have a visit 🛸
I never stop my engine while waiting. I dont think its illegal. A grey law zone i think. 😉
You ve got a beautiful mouth.
Your hubby's in the miltary, you ain't. You're just married to a guy employed by the military. No rationally thinking person would ever define themselves through their spouse's occupation. Agency, madam!
Orca Flotta but a person who is married to a military member is expected to behave in a certain manner. It is a throwback to ways that are largely defunct in normal society. It is a unique culture of it’s own. I am a wife to a retired military man, so have an insiders view. Although we are not the military member ourselves, we frequently have to attend military events . It’s expected. Think women’s roles as they were in the 1950’s. I know some military wives will disagree with me, however, this has been my personal experience. Lastly, I enjoy it. It’s a good way of life.
@@cynthiastinson7059 I will never understand the Americans' fascination with shooting and killing and occupying and supressing of other countries/nations. But please, if you think you must, do your thing.