There is a reason one of the highest compliments you can get from a German is "Da kann man nicht meckern" (There is nothing to complain about).

@lieschenmariechen

3 жыл бұрын

just wrote this under another video of hers xD

I am a German and I wholeheartedly agree with you. We do like to complain. A lot. It's a national pastime.

@LS111AT

3 жыл бұрын

I’m going to fit riiiiiight in when I get into University. (from SF Bay Area)

@infofuralle2201

3 жыл бұрын

Yes, we love to complain about anything and we think if one is not able to see a problem in something, this person is superficial.☺️

@hereandabout

Жыл бұрын

. i used to get one month vacation in Germany . and think it was well deserved . in Canada we should have 3 weeks for sure . as for complaining some Germans don't and they learn to just ignore this behaviour . sometimes it is even entertaining .

@jdd5886

Жыл бұрын

It's actually annoying, I stopped making small talk with people 😒

@wilmeraderbertflorezlopez6991

3 ай бұрын

It's not fun to be around you. It's so boring! Do you know that. It's not cool!!!

You need to understand, complainig is our kind of small talk.

Publicly complaining is the german equivelant to smalltalk. 😉

I am german and I tend to say "a good neighbour is silent and invisible, unless you want to see him e.g. for a chat 😂"

@lifeingermany_

3 жыл бұрын

🤣🤣 well said! And so so so different than Canada hahah... we’d probably complain that the neighbor was rude and unfriendly if they were silent and invisible 😝😝

Joke: A middle-aged married couple in Germany won a three-weeks, all-expenses-paid trip to Hawaii. For 21 days, they enjoyed warm weather and blue skies, they were waited on hand and foot by always-friendly, brightly smiling staff with impeccable politeness, they were served scrumptious local delicacies and drinks of outstanding quality. Their hotel suite was bright and roomy, their balcony faced towards the nearby beach, where they would often swim and sunbathe. After their vacation was over and they were back home in Germany, all their family and friends would ask: "Well, how was it?" And the couple would share a glance, sigh deeply and answer with a pained expression: "Oh, don't ask! You wouldn't believe it: Three whole weeks without any proper German bread!" (I am German, I'm allowed to make this joke!)

@lifeingermany_

3 жыл бұрын

🤣🤣🤣

@LEbackstage

3 жыл бұрын

But where's the lie? I don't care where I am - I need my bread 😂😂😂

@birdslovingplace3802

3 жыл бұрын

Ohne deutsches Brot - ohne mich ;)

@steemlenn8797

3 жыл бұрын

I once went with a group to the Netherlands for 2 month. When we got back in the train everyone agrred the first thing they would eat was good German bread. White toast bread and hagelslag every morning brrrr

@lifeingermany_

3 жыл бұрын

@@steemlenn8797 hahah couldn’t agree more!

We just bond by complaining 😂 I even have a colleague at work I just couldn't bond with until we found something to complain about together 😂

@mikuschwarz7192

3 жыл бұрын

That's so true! Nothing bonds more than a good complaint. 😂

100% true! I’m from New Zealand and like Canada it’s not part of our culture to complain. This was definitely a bit of a culture shock for me when I first moved to Germany but at the same time I found the honestly quite refreshing 🤣

@lifeingermany_

3 жыл бұрын

Haha I can totally agree 😝 PS: I’m in love with your channel! Found you when I was pregnant with my little one and it helped me so much! 🥰 THANK YOU!!

@tasminoben686

3 жыл бұрын

Hallo Babymama! Hoffe, du bekommst g inzwischen genug Schlaf! LG Ben

@AntoinetteEmily

3 жыл бұрын

@@lifeingermany_ Thank you so much! So pleased my videos have been helpful. I discovered your channel recently and absolutely love your vids 🤗

@lifeingermany_

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you!! 🥰🥰🥰🤗🤗 that means a lot! Total newbie here, but hoping to share some more “technical” aspects and inspiration for expats wishing to move to Germany! 🤞🤞

In many apartments you even have to "lüften" (ventilate) at least once/twice a day according to your rental contract because the humidity buildung up can lead to mold

@lifeingermany_

3 жыл бұрын

We have that in our contract 🤣🤣

I absolutely love to complain! And yes I think this is a national sport

@dr.sekarhealthcare.6047

3 жыл бұрын

May be so because sunlight is less on Germany. Those who have Vitamin D3 more than 50 ng/dl never complain about anything even they are to be in great sorrow😔

@julianumbarila8867

3 жыл бұрын

@@dr.sekarhealthcare.6047 Sr, is this true? the lack of sun would affect people in that way? are there other countries with similar conditions?

When I went to Canada for work as a German the nicest thing for me personally was actually that people weren't complaining about irrelevant things all the time 😅 there's no need to waste energy by being in a bad mood all the time 🙏🏼🤗

@angelikabatwoman

3 жыл бұрын

I agree!! I think the complaining is just annoying...

I need to complain about you putting the weather on the #7 spot - the ultimate icebreaking way to start a conversation with strangers is to complain about the weather. That person will either complain about you complaining or agree with you.... C'mon, this is GER :-) You're welcome to complain.... Nice topic, very well observed!!!

When I went on exchange one of the things I missed the most was complaining about school or similar things. I think it is a good way of dealing with aggression while you have fun, because complaining with someone else is just so much fun!! It normally can be really funny and its not meant in a bad way. You just get to laugh so much.

I'm an Italian living in Germany with my American husband, and yes, both Germans and Italians love complaining much more than Americans :D

I love your videos.I'm german and it' s so funny to hear what is 'typisch' for us. BUT I hate the fact that everybody is always complaining! That' s the only thing I complain about. And yess. Germany did well during Corona Pandemic. Even though I lost my job (Chef of a food trailer for events). It' s always easy to say what could have done better. And hey...we have a lot of rain. But water is life! And fresh air in the house is a must. All the best for you. Alice

My grandmother used to say: When there is nothing to complain about anymore, it means you are dead

I am not from Germany, but my German great-grandparents immigrated to the U.S. I complain constantly about the same kinds of things and would probably also be complaining about the the things your mentioned if I lived in Germany. Maybe it’s genetic.

@raymondmiller5098

3 жыл бұрын

I'm an American (50% German, ethnically) who lived in Germany for a year in the mid-1990s. I've ALWAYS been told in the US that I complain too much, am not optimistic enough, etc.. When I lived that year in Köln and Berlin I really felt "at home". My conclusion: It is indeed genetic!

Complaining is the best kind of team building exercise imo. At my company we work in language teams covering all European languages. The German team is the only one that is united in our hatred for management and a hundred other infuriating company things. The other teams are stuck in rivalry among the members and all kinds of petty interpersonal stuff. The German team however gets along just fine. Because all our gossip and disapproval is directed at a common enemy, lol. I like all my coworkers, even if some of them drive me crazy. We're also the loudest team by now. It used to be the Italians. But these days the only team laughing all day is the German team since we actually like one another. We trash talk one another, it's a sign of affection. We're Team Sarcastic. Personally my number one topic is the weather. Our grey German winters are killing me. I should be used to it as a native German but apparently I'm not. And ever since I visited a friend in Arizona, it's SO much worse. Never seen blue skies like that... I suffer half of the year in Germany. I'm always cold too. Sun is a precious fleeting thing I treasure like gold. My coworkers seem to love the cold. And yes, they'd leave the windows open in winter all day if it wasn't for the Spanish (and me) whining about how cold they are, closing them within five minutes. So there's a fresh air feud going on!

Complaining about taxes is probably more of a topic non-germans do while living in Germany :)

@lifeingermany_

3 жыл бұрын

Hahaha yes that too! I think everyone complains about taxes here 🙈

@Thiesi

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah, none of my German friends or co-workers have ever complained to me about taxes, at least not that I can remember. Personally, I don't feel I'm paying a whole lot of taxes at all.

@katablume2276

3 жыл бұрын

I think younger germany who have to learn how to write a "Steuererklärung" often say thinks like: "We should have learned THAT in school." So we do complain about how complex the system is. Also my mother complains how much taxes she have to pay compaired to my father. She spends almost half her income on taxes and insurence. So I would say it is a thing. But it might depend a little on how open you are on finances. I've heard that we as germans tend to not talk about that to people we don't know

@Thiesi

3 жыл бұрын

@@katablume2276 True, but luckily, there are software products available which cost a low two-figure amount that ask you very simple questions in plain German ("Did Thiesi have any income from renting out an apartment or a house in 2020?", "Did Kata Blume receive any money from the BA in 2020?", ...) and which then "translate" that into the information tax authorities ask for. It's become really simple - the most time-consuming part about filing taxes for me these days is compiling a list of all the books and other stuff I bought at least partially for work throughout the year and then remembering where I and when I bought it, logging on to the the website I bought it through, finding the receipt and copying the figures over to my tax software.

@katablume2276

3 жыл бұрын

@@Thiesi that's right. But for example if you buy a new computer for work and you want to get money back for that, you would have to wirte a diary with when and why you used it. Otherwise you can only get back half the money. So you have to prove that you only use it for work. There are those little things that can drive one insane xD

9. Radfahrer 10. Autofahrer 11. Fußgänger 12. die Bahn ;-)

@brittariedel3446

3 жыл бұрын

Und 13. Der Fussball-Bundestrainer 😉

@fifimariafifi

3 жыл бұрын

Misanthrop?😅

Loved it!!! Thanks for this, it made me laugh about us Germans...! Next challenge: not to complain about anything for three days... it will be so hard 😅🙈

@lifeingermany_

3 жыл бұрын

Hahaa would be such a cool challenge though! Even for me as a Canadian!

Das sind ja wohl alles gute Gründe, sich zu beschweren! Und Urlaub kann man nie genug haben! ;-)

You're so right. Great observations!

Funny I left Germany at 6 years old and have lived 55 years in Australia. I love the fresh air. My husband thinks I’m nuts as the heater/air conditioner is going inside and I tend to sit on our back patio in the heat or cold. I also love light and our blinds are wide open from sunrise to sunset, I hate a dark house.

We need the weather here, otherwise we wouldn't have a small talk topic (If we ever have to)!🤣

@tasminoben686

3 жыл бұрын

Schönen Sonntag zam Bodensee!

@arnodobler1096

3 жыл бұрын

@@tasminoben686 dir auch

@lifeingermany_

3 жыл бұрын

Hahaha I’ve actually forgotten how to “small talk” myself after having lived in Germany for so long! I go home to Canada sometimes and have NO idea what to say to someone!

@arnodobler1096

3 жыл бұрын

@@lifeingermany_ 😂

I also complain about the holidays, especially in 2021. Labor Day - Saturday; German Unity Day - Sunday; Reformation Day - Sunday; Christmas - Saturday and Sunday. You should have added number nine: how the Bundestrainer (Germany national football team manager) acts.

@lifeingermany_

3 жыл бұрын

Hahahaha true! Would have been a great addition! And yes - Hhaha my husband complained about how many holidays fall on the weekend this year too 🤣🤣🤣

Düsseldorf is one of the rainier areas in Germany, so I think it's valid to complain about the weather here. I don't understand how people in the southern areas can complain about their winters, though. They usually get a good amount of snow, Iove it. I miss it dearly in the west. Winter without snow is just terrible.

Haha, great video!

Spot on in every point haha

"How are you?" - An American, just dying: "Thanks, fine!" A German, who has just won the lottery: "Na ja, geht so." (Well, not so bad), or: "Ich kann nicht besser klagen." (can't be translated without loosing the wit, I think)

@lifeingermany_

3 жыл бұрын

Hahaha so true! Well said!

I am German, but I have lived and worked in Toronto downtown for 2 years so I really enjoy your videos and seeing all the similarities of what I experienced. Love your videos :-)

I am a German who has been living in New Zealand for many years. When I am back home to visit friends and family, it baffles me what Germans are (and how often) complaining about. Free education, lots of vacation days, pretty decent social security, excellent medical system, properly insulated housing and and and- that are things that we in NZ can only dream about haha.

Canadian: Germans complaining sooo much! German: Canadian complaining about tooo much fresh air? 🤣🤣🤣

@lifeingermany_

3 жыл бұрын

Hahaha right? Though... I do have to admit for the most part... I LOVE THIS about German culture haha

Schön gelacht > DANKE !!! :D

The vacation thing is absolutely hilarious I guess six weeks here without even negotiating for it. A lot of people don’t think that’s enough plus we have all the special holidays, I would never complain about that in my life

@lifeingermany_

3 жыл бұрын

Hahaha right?! 🙏🙏🥰

@markfalkingham590

3 жыл бұрын

@@lifeingermany_ I love your videos and your easy going Canadian sense of humor. < This I Miss

@lifeingermany_

3 жыл бұрын

@@markfalkingham590 🥰🥰 sometimes i miss it too... I have actually been having a lot of fun filming these videos - it kinda helps me keep a little bit of “Canadianess” running through my blood, you know? 🤗🤗

@markfalkingham590

3 жыл бұрын

@@lifeingermany_ I get it, I haven’t lived in Canada for 27 years but I have always tried to maintain my Canadian identity, it’s one reason I watch Canadian TV here

THANK YOU! I’m German and I really feel all of this 😄 especially since I have a bunch of friends in other parts of the world I realise how nit-pick and unrelaxed German folks can be... I used to work in hotel management for some years and must say, the attitude and yes, also the whole complaining culture of some people would always drag me down... one of the reasons why I quit this job 😅 I’m no untypical German, but a true introvert and don’t even complain when someone does me injustice, always staying polite even if people aren’t 😐 sometimes I’d love to be able to rant about things for hours too 🤓 well and... here in Stuttgart the ‚Kehrwoche‘ is such an important thing, I’m sure I’d get into trouble now and then if we didn’t have a ‚Kehrwochendienst‘ that cleans the stairs for us every week 😅

Being German myself I could'nt agree more. We have a tendency to complain. And it seems to me the older the people get the more they have to complain about 😉. Our view of the world is mostly defined by pessimism because we truly believe that "optimism is just a lack of information" and that, I think, is the main reason we're grumpy at times. Jenna, don't apologize for holding a mirror to our face. You're stressing the fact that these are your personal experiences. Why would'nt you be allowed to do so? Oh, and one could argue that you complaining about how much we Germans like to complain about everything are on your best way to becoming a true German yourself, like it or not...😉🤣🤣

Yes so true....i see that every day as a canadian living in Germany

I (German ;-) )really like all of your videos - they tell the truth, are absolutely entertaining and you do it with your heart and big humor! Very refreshing! Thanks a lot!

@lifeingermany_

3 жыл бұрын

Ahh 🥰🥰 thank you so so much! It means a lot to me to hear that!

@AlexandraStenner

3 жыл бұрын

@@lifeingermany_ ♥

The e-scooters are only a problem in bigger Cities. I live in a smaller town and we have no e-scooters lying around at all....

Love your videos 🥰

@lifeingermany_

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you 🥰🙏🤗

#6 is so true 😅 i always have to get "fresh air", sometimes i even don't close the window all winter long (i know it's a sin in regards of co2-output, but i'm ok with it, i like it cold and don't heat, it's enough for me if the neighbor under me heats)

Also ich habe mich eben darüber aufgeregt, dass mir mein Duschkopf auf meinen eigenen Kopf gefallen ist und ich nun Kopfschmerzen habe...

All of it is also true ,me too also coming from Kenya and learning new culture.It was difficult understanding why people always complaining.Now me too also I’m complaining to all above you have said.And also living in the countryside or village,you will always find neighbors complaining.Example lecturing you you should cut the tree the leaves are destroying the nature and environment,also the flowers should be cut ,because it’s destroying the neighbor fences etc

Okay, Jenna native babyboomer German here, and yes from the viewpoint of a human from Northamerica I understand that we Germans look as we like to complain a lot, but trust me we are "only" Vice world champions" if it comes to complaining (I learned this when I booked a three weeks vacation with a Swiss company). And btw. the love to complain is also a source of quality if you produce technical products like cars. So on one hand we destroy our life quality by complaining and on the other hand, we owe a huge part of our wealth by complaining about every little thing that would make a little noise while driving our cars. I would agree that our Government did handle the Pandemic not that bad, but if we would not complain about that how would they have handle it then? As I wrote above complaining comes with negative and positive aspects.

I know!! I’ve come back to Germany after 30 years in Australia 🇦🇺! And people are shocked that I like so many things and don’t criticize Germany as much as the Germans!

Another thing to complain of , is the offers' price of internet providers.. very expensive compared to other countries

Meine Lieblingsgeschichte über Deutsche die sich beschweren hat mir ein Bekannter erzählt, der in Nord-Hessen wohnt: Er trifft auf der Straße den Nachbarn, sagt ein freundliches "Guten Morgen!" und der grunzt zurück: "Morgen hätte auch gereicht!". Muss eine nette Gegend sein da :)

@ursschnatterfleck6019

2 жыл бұрын

Die Nordhessen sind bekannt für Ihre Sturheit und Stoffeligkeit. 😎

The thing about dog poop is: It is a relatively new regulation that you actually can get fined for not picking up your dog's poop. So especially with older people this new rules doesn't stick quite well or they just ignore it out of stubborn arrogance.

This is cracking me up! :D I am a German living in the US and I have to agree with all of what you said. Haha... However, I would have put "the weather" as number 1. Nowhere else do you get to ask someone "Wie geht's dir?" and they answer with "Das Wetter ist seit einer Woche schon wieder so scheiße!" My mom does that all the time! And I'm just like: I asked you how you're doing, not how the weather is! :D

Talking about the pandemic is really difficult if you are in a position to make rules or apply rules in a company. As a member of a worker council i find it really difficult to discuss about it, we have to set up the rules, together with the employer resp. the HR, and it's a totally different view then. Many people seem not to think when they complain, and dont think of the consequences for other people.

After 20 years of service I had 38 days annual leave plus bank holidays, I also worked a compressed week, perhaps not so bad in the U.K.

Urlaub/Ferientage kann man nie genug haben ! NIENIENIE ....was sind schon 10 tage was ist schon ein Monat ?! ich versuche jedes Jahr soviel wie möglich rauszuholen .... wenn man einmal angefangen wird man süchtig nach mehr freien Tagen ( mehr Freiheit )

@Kessina1989

3 жыл бұрын

Ich habe noch 12 Tage bis April übrig und weiß nicht, wann ich sie mir nehmen kann, aber ich müsste, denn mein Vertrag endet da und ausgezahlt bekomme ich den Urlaub natürlich nicht!

Thank you for your videos, Jenna! I love to see my own culture from a (kind of) outward perspective. I am quite annoyed by the people who complain about the taxes. I work with homeless people and those who have only the least and are living of ALG II. There would be so much more suffering if we did not have such a good social system. Those who always complain about taxes should be aware that if things go bad, there is this safety net that catches them. And it can happen to anyone!

Love your channel. And you are right about germans. I used to work 25 years as German Tour guide. And believe you me most of them complained about everything, mostly the weather. Greetings from " germaican experience " that's our channel

When you started to clean your glasses in the middle of the video you won me over in just that very moment ! Smeared glasses are a pain in the bu** ! On topic: Complainin' is our way to do small-talk - just like talking about the weather, which in Germany (in most cases righteously) comes as a complaint, either. ;-) Greetings from Dortmund!

Ich liebe es wenn schlechtes Wetter ist . Die Luft so dick ist, das man sie mit dem Messer zerschneiden kann.

You need to go to a Stammtisch and.dig deeper into the Nutzen of complaining. There is complaining , welches dir den Psychiater erspart - und Schmerztabletten. And: in order to improve things there has to be complaining too. Und die Deutschen wollen nunmal effizient sein. Ask your husband. 😜

Germans also like to complain about the hedge that hasn't been trimmed for a couple of weeks. The Dutch have a word for: "burgerlijk".

Nobody is perfect and complaining is our way to confirm that. And although we know that perfection is an ideal and therefore can never be reached, that doesn't keep us from working on it (or at least to try). Plato may have been greek, but he thought like a german. It's that kind of mindset that makes great engineers. ;-)

Moin Jenna, hab gerade gelüftet.. Obwohl wir hier -10 Grad draußen haben. Weil die MINNA mit spülen fertig war und der Wasserdampf ja raus muß.. Könnt ich stundenlang drüber referieren... XD Und was die Pandemie angeht: Bleib cool, noch zweimal LOCKDOWN, dann ist wieder Weihnachten! LOL Lustiges Video, hat Spaß gemacht! Ach, noch was: Ich bin blind und die 'abgestellten' E-Roller sind für mich manchmal ein Graus! LG von der Elbe an den Rhein, bleib negativ, denk positiv! Ben

@lifeingermany_

3 жыл бұрын

Mein Mann hat heute auch 10 Mal alle Fenster geöffnet - obwohl es extrem kalt ist! 🙈🙈 ahhh ich kann mir gar nicht vorstellen, wie schwer es mit den E-Scooters sein könnte, wenn man blind ist. Ich würde wahrscheinlich versuchen, die Firmen zu verklagen 🙈. Es ist wirklich ein Horror! LG! Jenna

@tasminoben686

3 жыл бұрын

@@lifeingermany_ Die Firmen verklagen? He, du bist ja schon richtig Deutsch, mien Deern! Lach! Zum Glück habenwir hier, in der Siedlung kaum E-Scooter. Dafür steht hier oft eine der 4 Mülltonnen draußen. Die leer oft nicht gleich wieder hereingeholt werden. DIE MÜßTE MAN ALLE VERKLAGEN! Zum Glück bin ich inzwischen Rentner und meistens in Begleitung unterwegs. Übrigens apropos Kälte: Bei unseren Friends in Thundebay ist es kalt! Aber dies weißt du ja. Jetzt muß ich lüften.. Gab 'bratkartoffeln, der Dampf muß raus! LG Ben, freu mich schon auf dein next Video!

@lifeingermany_

3 жыл бұрын

@@tasminoben686 🙈🤣🤣 das stimmt! Und jaaa! Thunder Bay ist echt Kalt! Viel Kälter als Toronto! 😥😝

@tasminoben686

3 жыл бұрын

@@lifeingermany_ Jupp! Unsere Freundin schrieb mal im Februar, nach 8 Weeks mit -40 Grad hätte sie langsam genug! 🤪 Wir waren im Herbst dort, da war es noch warm genug. Haben FORT - Irgendwas besucht. Und waren im MONTANA'S und im SWISS CHALEY essen. Alles sehr nette, freundliche Menschen dort, hat uns gut gefallen!

I'm German and I haaate the complaining honestly... It's very draining

I used to live in canada NB for like 3.5 years and i find that a lot of the Canadians dont train there dog. The dogs usually didnt even have there Shots from the vet or were not fixed. I seen a lot of them get treated as property as to germans they are Family members. A dog should behave in germany and should know when to listen and when to Play. If a dog jumps up to a random Person or whatever its not uncommon that they gonna go to the police haha. It would Sound like " das gibt ne Anzeige " 😂😂

If English speaking Nations have not enough Vacation Days then think about that. I think there is something wrong in your social System and as a citizen of those countrys I can agree or I disagree. Here in Germany we disagree it was a very long fight to get what we want but we had it. Back in the Days our social System was even better but more and more we adapted from North amerika so every decade it get's more worsed. And if Germans get's (angry) about that then there are absolutly right. If you think good Things are funny ok! I think there is no reason for Fun to make a social System better and better. But Thoughts are free thx God for that.

@barbarapeck5804

3 жыл бұрын

In America a lot of people not even taking the few days they got offered! Here it is all about the mighty dollar! For people with a minimum wage you have to have two and three jobs and if you don't work you don't make money. In the US “Social” or “Socialist” is a curse word.

@thomasbach8723

3 жыл бұрын

@@barbarapeck5804 That's what I say something very wrong in your social System and as long Dollar is the Religion nothing will be changed for the people but that is not my buisness. I'm a citizen from a country that have an aceptabel Social System and I'm very happy with it. There must be a reason why Germany is so popular in the US and I think our Social System is one of the Reasons ( Education Healthcare) only two examples from a List of Examples.

The taxes are between 14% and 45% or taxable income. Which means you have an allowance and deductibles (flat amount Werbungskosten, Kindergeld, certain insurance payments) which can reduce the income to which these rates are applied. Hence the effective tax rate is always even lower. As an example, a yearly income of 52.450 € will be taxed by 25 %. That's what a teacher gets or other graduates from university when starting their jobs. And if you compare that to the US where there is no nearly free university education you have to put a handsome sum aside to make your kids able to attend college. In addition to health care which can bankrupt or kill you in the US.

Complaining about too less vacation days? Yes! I want more, too! Of course, I'm retired now and I have 365 vacation days a year, but I want the year to have more days! =;-) Other than that I only could complain about the weather (that's actually the only german smalltalk-topic). That might have something to do with the fact, that I'm living in a little village. We don't have the problems with scooters or dogs or any others of the typical city-problems.

20 years ago, my husband started a job with two weeks vacation plus ten holidays and two floating holidays. Today he’s up over five weeks now. However, he’s unable to take time off whenever he wants without the threat of losing his job. He feels he’s safest taking time off in December. Employers in the USA now-a-days think you’re not committed if you take any time off!

@lifeingermany_

3 жыл бұрын

I had that exact same problem in my office in Canada too 😖 it’s a terrible feeling!

@MrIvanka110

3 жыл бұрын

Thats crazy! Wow, I couldn't think of having less vacation days! I changed my job and now have only 25 days instead of 30 like before..Thats not enough if you like to travel a lot and explore.. how do people in the US manage this? You work for living and you don't live for work .. I even think that 6 weeks out of 52 weeks per year are pretty little vacation days...how do working parents manage? I think the best would be to have as many vacation days as there are school vacation days. If you can't take any time off without being afraid to lose your job must be awful....you are stuck in the same place the whole year....without any "Vorfreude " to any travels or holidays ...Nd you'll never be able to explore and travel and visit all the beautiful countries in the world 🌎...nooo this wouldn't be for me...

@sherievaughn6475

3 жыл бұрын

@@MrIvanka110 unless your in a Union job ie: teachers, steel workers, tradesmen etc., there’s not much in the way of government enforced labor laws. The employers tend to “find” infractions that go in your record. Once a year, they are supposed to give you a review, and if you’re lucky, they might give you a raise. There are good employers but they are few and far between. You can be fired for no reason but if you think it’s an age/race/gender/religious based firing, you could go after them but you’d have to be able to prove it. This is why they keep a close record of any negative thing so they can use it against you. We are hoping to retire to Europe in the future though!

But you have these "Karens" 🤣

About the pandemic ... Watch the swedens, they have no huge restrictions like other european countries including germany and it seems to work. No matter how good the govemment plan against the pandemic is, people dying further. About the vacation days in germany ... when you take all vacation days in a row, you get more as you have cuz sundays and feast days will be subtracted from them. 20 vacation days in may or december are very recommended cuz the months have a lot of feast days. Example for northrhine-wesfalia: 20 vacation days plus sundays and feast days in may 2021 (01.05. Saturday, 13.05. Thursday and 24.05. Monday) are total 27 vacation days. ; -) Good for me cuz i'm born in may. ^^

You want to start small talk with a german? Start to complain about something 😅 It's true we like to complain. Maybe it's because we are so honest and direct. Or maybe we like to do things right and perfect ... I don't know.

Hello Jenna, you looked pretty hard on us Germans, if you don't know what to talk about, you can always complain. Very well observed and kind of amusing too.

My German husbund play the same game. He opens and I close the windows 😂😂😂

The only thing we Germans are angry about is that we can't complain about the content, it's all true!

@lifeingermany_

3 жыл бұрын

🤣♥️

Hm, actually I often heard people complaining that they still have to get rid of their holidays before the year end deadline.

Jenna, how dare you complain so much about us Germans complaining too much? That is... sputter... totally ... I just don't know what to say... That requires a complaint, in written form, triplicate at least. On the national complaints board vs people complaining too much about Germans complaining too much... So basically... True... :D Oh, and btw, for those people who still don't get it, this was sarcasm. Don't you dare and complain to me about it. Unless, well, you like to complain... :D

Complaining is the second name of most Germans. 😂 And BTW you speak good german. 👍🏻

Liebe Jenna, dieses Video habe ich bereits mehrfach mit großer Freude und viel Spaß geschaut, aber erst jetzt ist mir aufgefallen, dass Du das Wort Nachbarn "neighbours" geschrieben hast. Schreibt man das in Canada tatsächlich auf die britische Weise? Wenn ja, warum? Ich hatte in den US (Idaho) gelebt, dort schreibt man es noch immer "neighbors". Es ist nur ein Detail, aber ein interessantes, wie ich finde. Ich habe noch eine weitere Frage an Dich: wachsen kanadische Bürger zweisprachig mit englisch/französisch auf - zumindest in den Grenzregionen der beiden Sprachen? Sorry für die ganzen Fragen, aber das Thema Sprache an sich interessiert mich sehr stark. Liebe Grüße aus MTK an Dich in D :-) Bitte einen extra Knuddler für Deinen Sohn von mir!

@lifeingermany_

3 жыл бұрын

Jaaaa, in Kanada schreiben wir tatsächlich Neighbours mit “U” wie in 🇬🇧. Genau wie andere Worte wie colour zB. Wann man Auto fahrt dann achten wir auf die KM Stand und nicht die Milen. Und beim kochen und backen machen wir alles mit “Cups” und nicht “Grams”. Warum, kann ich dir nicht sagen. Ich weiß selber nicht. 🙈 Aber ich finde es ganz interessant! In Kanada, eigentlich sprechen wir in Englisch überall außer in Quebec. Ich glaube alle Kindern muss in die Grundschule 4 Jahre Französisch lernen, aber nachher haben wir die Entscheidung ob wir das weiter lernen will oder nicht. Da gibts auch Französischen Schulen überall in Kanada, wo die Kinder studieren viele Kursen auf Französisch, aber die meisten aus Kanada sprechen nur Englisch würde ich sagen. 🙈 Ich kenn leider nur Englisch.

Gegen schmierige Brillengläser hilft Spüli und lauwarmes Wasser...

That with the dog poop is real. For some time somehow these damn four-legged creatures loved shitting right in front of my house when I got out of my home the first thing I whiffed was dog poop. And you have to keep the sidewalk in front of your house clean it isn't fun to do that. Besides I hate dogs to the bone since I was attacked by 3 dogs when I was 10 or 11. So I complained about it every week to the city bzw the Ordnungsamt and that they should do something against it. After half a year I gave that up. And started to search for a smell we humans can't pick up but dogs can and that makes them want to leave. And now every week when I sweep the sidewalk I spray this stuff, never saw dog poop in front of my house again.

A complaint here: Bridge days are _not_ vacation days. You have to put in a vacation day to have it off. Bridge days (1-2) are workdays between a public holiday and the weekend. If one wants a long period of days off the bridge days come in handy to spend a day of vacation to get a longer time off. But you are eating into yout vaca account. I know that in the US a public holiday that happens to fall on a weekend will be given as day off on Moday. So there is a kind of bridge day off work not counting to your holidays in the US. Conceptually as an additional day off due to a public holiday happening at a certain day of the week. Not so in Germany. If a public holiday falls on a day free of work you're out of luck.

@lifeingermany_

3 жыл бұрын

Ahhh I know, haha and that’s what my husband likes to complain about 😝 - when a holiday falls on a weekend and he doesn’t get the holiday time out of the week! However, I do know a few companies who sometimes give their employees the bridge day free (without dipping into vacation days) or allow home office days which is nice 🥰.

@user-sm3xq5ob5d

3 жыл бұрын

@@lifeingermany_ I am not into any company that does that. Albeit I know of e.g. Volkswagen which has a "compny Vacation" where everybody is sent home or into holidays. But those are taken out from the allotted vacation days. During those days the factory is shut down to install new tooling for a new model. So they have time to work on that instead of producing cars on a specific line.

Everyone complains about the rain, but nobody mentions how precious that water from the sky really is! Some regions in Eastern Germany are probably beginning to understand in the last couple of years... Habe das ewige Gejammere einfach satt! Es braucht mehr positives Karma für das deutsche Volk!!

Weather being bad all the time may be true for northern parts of Germany (especially NRW, regions around Dortmund/Aachen), but check the annual hours of sunshine for southern Germany. And still we like to complain about the weather. 6 weeks of sunshine and heat, and one week being cloudy and rainy: Mistwetter! Dog crap has always made me upset, but especially since my daughter started investigating strange brown piles of mud aside our walking route. Disgusting, especially when there's nothing but some puddles of rainwater to wash it off.

To complain is our Volkssport. If we can't do that we get sad and die of depression. 😄😄😄 But you can whine and you can complain. Both is common here and it might sound bad but to whine about something also eases the soul. When I am sick I tend to whine and complain but I feel better then. It helps me getting along with stuff. It is the same with anger. Let it out. Then you will get over it and can move on. It helps. Also I don't think there is someone hating ever complaining Germans more than Germans themselves. Some people just take stuff too far. 😑😑😑

Great video Jenna and you are so right lol. The German people are upfront and don't beat around the bush about anything. In some ways, I wish that more Americans were upfront and don't beat around the bush as well. Great topic :).

@neshmalifestyletv2737

3 жыл бұрын

🤣🤣 you don’t know American Karens?🤣 USA tales the cake for people who complain.

It is so true. Touché. We complain ALL of the time :-). Good to know though we don‘t really always mean it, it‘s almost like a wide-spread ‚way of talking‘ :-) But yes, it can be very disturbing to a non-German. Hang in there!

Those taxes sound reasonable. I am Australian.

As for the dog I had the contrary experience, people let us close to the dogs, especially my son, they are even too friendly..... and dog poo is really annoying!!!! I complain eve more than Germans about dog poo 😁 (btw Im Hungarian).

Weather: the weather is insufferable (i.e., rainy / drizzly or cold) - the girlfriend complains. The weather is beautiful (i.e., warm or hot and skies are clear) - she complains and opens the windows to invite flies, mouths and other insects in, for otherwise she'd die from his weather. Same is the case with our dog: he pants like a claustrophobic in a doghouse when the weather is beautiful (i.e., 20° - 50°) and is desperate for a shade. He isn't happy to have his walk when the weather is disgusting (i.e., rainy or drizzles), either. As an Armenian, I'm deeply averse to rain. Can't stand that 💩! Love ambient temperatures between 20°C and 50°+C. I'm also particularly averse to people who throw temper tantrums when the weather is nice (meaning: temperatures that Germans struggle to survive, by their own admission).

You Simply are a very beautiful and adorable Young Person

@lifeingermany_

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much, Jan! 🥰

Oma hat immer gesagt ich soll nicht alles „in mich rein fressen“ man soll es raus lassen sonst belastet es die „Seele“. Also meckern wir und regen uns auf, das befreit, das ist als würde man auf einen Boxsack hauen wenn man wütend ist, das befreit. 🤷‍♂️ Also denke ich wir machen das richtig, wir nehmen unsere Umwelt war und wollen siebenen möglich verbessern. Besser so als das niemand was zu bestimmten Zuständen sagt, und es dann einfach liegen bleibt! „Let out the German in you!“ wir machen die Welt ein wenig schöner (aufgeräumter) 😁

We cannot do anything better than complaining... The stereotype with the highest "true" factor

Vacation: Yes we say "whining on a high level! But for the numbers: It should be at least 24 days, elderly have 30 sometimes Saturday, always Sunday excluded. "Bridge days" - that are days in a week were Thursday is a holyday, Friday is that bridge day. That's attractive for a short trip. But in the office there is often a fight about who may be off and who holds the office. Taking that Friday cost a vacation day! Complaining about for me seems to be more at wealthy people. A normal worker eventually cannot affort all vacation out on a trip. But they use it for example to have some home projects. Taxes: Yes there is whining. But either you have a good tax advisor or you pay high taxes. OK - employed people have less opportunities to reduce tax load but freelancer or business owner have a lot of ways to keep the tax load low. Yes there is a tax of nearly 50% - but who pays that? Complaining about neighbors - I'm absolutely unsure were it is worse in town in a multi apartment building or in a small village. Dogs not touch - in training? That seems to be a Düsseldorf thing. I more complain about people NOT training their dogs. On the other side - my daughter had a dog for some years and I was dogsitting. It was famous for me- Germans seldom greet strangers on street - but both with a dog - there is ALWAYS a small talk. Fresh air: For me there seem to be at least 2 types of Germans - those who pretend on fresh air and those who are freezing. This according to my school time.

Good morning ☕🥐🍳🌞 With 83 Millionen citizens in Germany, we have also 83 million chancellors, 83 million national coaches and 83 million high educated doctors and a lot more in Germany. For a very long time kids and people with kids were the worst enemies of Germany and probably the end boss in our video game. Fight and complaining about and with the neighbor's is highest level to achieve on your way to become a real German. And if they have a dog and kids, jackpot and everything is prepared for the world cup, especially if you have something like a garden with you. Complaining at the fence is perfect for a usually boring afternoon with your own family 🤭🤫😉 If you like you definitely need to watch the TV shows -SketchUp with Diether Krebs, Iris Berben or Beatrice Richter, -Loriot and -Ein Herz und eine Seele (Ekel Alfred) maybe your husband nows what I'm talking about. It's so funny, highly entertaining parodies about all our German behaviours, stereotypes, the good and bad ones. Sometimes really deep dark humour, what shows you how diverse German humour can be.🤣🤣🤣 Be the way, your clothes didn't fit straight!!🤨 😂😂😂😉

@dr.sekarhealthcare.6047

3 жыл бұрын

So you complain about dress fantastic.

@tasminoben686

3 жыл бұрын

sich vor Lachen auf dem Boden wälzendes Gesicht In jedem Deutschen steckt ein Polizist.. Kurt Tucholski Moin Robert, wahre Worte, seine und Deine LG Ben

@lifeingermany_

3 жыл бұрын

😝😝 well said!!! And I definitely need to check out these shows, thanks for the tips! Haha and yes - this sweater is always falling to one side... what can I say ... lockdown has brought the best out of my fashion statement 🤣😎

@robertzander9723

3 жыл бұрын

@@dr.sekarhealthcare.6047 it's something we call a joke, that is something a lot of people are calling humour. Something a lot of people say Germans don't have. But on many times it's the total opposite 🙂👍😉

@robertzander9723

3 жыл бұрын

@@lifeingermany_ don't worry be happy now 😁☺️

Deutsche beschweren sich am liebsten über alles, was so typisch deutsch ist. 😁 Logischer Knoten

Ok so how do I convince my wife to move to Germany. I watched a bunch of your videos and you sold me. My plan was to move my family to Switzerland but I think Germany would be better for us. So how to convince her?

I have Lived in Germany for 10 years , Beautiful Country, but sorry guys the constant complaing and back bitting , Drains your Soul , virtually no customer service , haha. please germany become a bit more welcoming & fluffier ! Because you are amazing when you are ! Big Hug frustrated Manc ;)

Viennese here...our biggest immigrant group in Vienna are Germans..And I confirm everything you said. But when they start complaining, we just ignore them by saying "Is scho guat, Deitscher" (meaning "Everything is alright, German") and we turn around leaving them alone for giving the opportunity to complain for themselves. We have simply better things to do than listen to mainly ridiculous complaints about mainly things which has to be as like as they were still in Germany..But different countries, different manners.

Talking about the weather and complaining about a lot of things ist some kind of german small talk :-)

The minimum of vacation days is actually 20 per year. Which is okay... but as soon as your kid starts school and you being a single parent ... you‘ll be screwed... because you can chose between paying for a babysitter and taking unpaid days off work. Both ways you‘ll lose money.

@lifeingermany_

3 жыл бұрын

I know 😖 my mom raised 3 kids as a single parent on a low income and it was soooo hard with the lack of vacation days in Canada 💔

Well, I am German and I have to admit it is in general so true. Even I can't stop sometimes to complain, but often try to rethink about it and just take it as it is. But I was thinking why it is such a cultural thing. Probably, and this it as well something I realised in watching videos from Expats, that the German culture is very direct and open. People are used to say what they think, nut used the 'polite and indirect way' and so it may come that people directly shout out what they think. It could be that also with complaining people are just used to tell everyone what could be better or improved and want to express that they just have an opinion. And Germany offers all opportunities to express yourself without any hestitations for being punished or restricted in being open. I don't know, just a thought why it could be. Sometimes I am annoyed by myself of all the moaning :-)