The difference between Europeans and Americans is that Americans think 100 years is a long time, while Europeans think 100 miles is a long distance.

@nathan7627

2 жыл бұрын

honestly so true

@mandelorean6243

Жыл бұрын

Uh, tell that to Germany.

@darrylrichman

Жыл бұрын

@@mandelorean6243 Der Unterschied zwischen Amerikaner und Europäischer ist dass, Amerikaner 100 Jahr eine lange Zeit ist, während Europäischer 100 Meilen eine lange Strecke ist. 😆

@antonboludo8886

Жыл бұрын

Very true!

@leftdsantiques7926

Жыл бұрын

@Darryl Richman there is another diff. Europeans don't know 100 miles .

When I was stationed in Germany for four years, I ended up not coming back home for two years and it was a shock to me as an American to be back in America so I understand. I loved Germany and all the countries in Europe being so close and look forward to the day I can return on an extended vacation. I miss the food and festivals and all the sites, sounds and smells!!

@waelfaraj6705

2 жыл бұрын

Do you find people friendly there in Germany ?

@machinesofgod

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your service! I also understand having been in Asia for a while then returning to the States.

@johnrogan9420

2 жыл бұрын

Blacks stood out as too integrated in 🇺🇸 America when I returned from Europe.

@johnrogan9420

2 жыл бұрын

Staring...German sprechen test von der Bahn hof riders.

@markirvine1947

2 жыл бұрын

Same for me. I was stationed in Augsburg (lived in Munich) for five years. I got “the stare” on the Straßenbahn in Augsburg by an older woman shortly after I got there. I took it as an opportunity to practice my German and asked her what she was looking at. She quickly turned her head. The funny thing is I don’t remember anyone staring after that. While in Germany, I embraced the culture and the people and had a wonderful experience. I’ve been back in the States for 30 years and I still get homesick.

My husband and I visited Germany and France 30 years ago and we both enjoyed our stay in Germany. The one difference we both noticed was the difference in scale between the US and Europe. Although everything felt smaller in Germany, we enjoyed the narrower streets and older Architecture. Also while traveling in Europe I was extremely sick and I had the nicest experience with a German restaurant owner. We were looking through the windows to see if he was open, and he came running out to invite us in to eat. I told him I was not feeling well and he made me a hot apfelwein and a bowl of stew. I felt like I was in heaven! I will always remember his kindness 🍻❤

@RendezvouDoo

Жыл бұрын

💚💜💙

@netgnostic1627

Жыл бұрын

This is very sweet.

I lived in Germany for 11 years. My wife was born there. When we moved to the states, we moved close to East St Louis and with all the high crime and all we thought America had really gone down hill. So when we moved to Ohio we were like oh so it's not that crazy everywhere, just near St Louis. Ya culture shock can even be in your own country.

@dacrosber

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah there are some bad parts of the US but most places are very safe

@steveshin820

2 жыл бұрын

@@dacrosber pretty much all the big cities are messed up. People tend to lose their ability to care about others the more the population density grows.

@Jpeg13759

Жыл бұрын

Remember "Easy Rider" ? I love that part of America. Fuck the Rest.

@karlakirk9274

Жыл бұрын

Well yeah East St. Louis! Go 40 miles out to farm country where all the Germans are and it is great!

@Jpeg13759

Жыл бұрын

@@karlakirk9274 As long as you don´t dance "Polka" in stupid Leather Pants...;-) Let me introduce you to some cool German Punk Bands... I prefer "Die Ärzte", but "Die Toten Hosen" or "Knorkator" ain´t bad either... Hey from Germany (21. Century) ;-)

100% reverse culture shock is real. As an American living in Amsterdam for the past 3 years, I completely agree with you! Especially on the driving part!

I was stationed in Germany and then worked for the US Army after I got out of the military, so we were there about 12 years. I think my kids had the worst culture shock because they had never really spent much time in the States except for a few vacations. In school, my daughter was introduced as "the new girl from Germany." She had to explain that she was American and she could speak English.

@barryfletcher7136

2 жыл бұрын

My father worked for an oil company and we moved around a lot overseas. I also went to high school in Switzerland and my first year of college was in Spain. When I applied for university in the USA the Admissions Office sent my application to the international Students Office, who sent to me the paperwork to apply for a student visa and to take the TOEFL. That was despite them having copies of my US passport, state driving license, and birth certificate. I had to go in person to the Admissions Office on my next trip to the USA to fix the issue.

@uliwehner

2 жыл бұрын

@@barryfletcher7136 you should have just aced the TOEFL and impressed everyone. I was 97th percentile when i did my exchange in the US, so there have to be at least a few that ace it.

@barryfletcher7136

2 жыл бұрын

@@uliwehner I appreciate the sentiment, but US citizens cannot apply for a visa to the USA.

@uliwehner

2 жыл бұрын

@@barryfletcher7136 understood, i was only talking about taking the TOEFL.

@uliwehner

2 жыл бұрын

@@barryfletcher7136 ph.ucla.edu/%5Bquicktip%5D/i-am-us-citizen-educated-outside-us-do-i-have-take-toefl-exam

I've also experienced culture shock in reverse a few times. I remember the first time returning to NY after having lived in Austria for a few years being very surprised at how much wider the streets were. The cars were also bigger, sleeker, quieter and didn't make that annoying noise when idling. It also took me a day or so to switch back into NY-mode, i.e. getting re-used to a much faster way of life and navigating through the general chaos that is NYC. Riding the subway again however was a real eye opener - you grow up riding the subway thousands of times as a teenager, but then you realize after living for some time abroad just how dirty the cars are, or you see for the first time the filthy, run-down and chaotic conditions of the subway stations. In Austria all the subway trains are clean, orderly, efficient and they all run on time. The subway stations are so sparkling clean that you wouldn't hesitate to eat off the floors. Imagine then, my embarrassment at the sorry state of transportation in the "greatest city on earth". Next day I went next door to our local deli for some cold cuts (sliced ham, American cheese) and then made myself a ham and cheese sandwich with mayo, mustard and lettuce at home. I've made this sandwich so many times growing up that I've lost count. However I was so disgusted after the first bite that I was ready to throw the whole sandwich in the garbage can! What the hell! It tasted like crap! I gingerly sampled the two slices of "cheese" - they looked like wax-covered pieces of plastic and tasted like an unholy concoction of salt and oil. WTF! My mom then reminded me that I'd been eating American cheese all my life, so what's the problem? I answered in a contemptuous tone that even the cheapest cheese in Austria had more depth and flavor than this abomination! I then made my way to a gourmet shop in Manhattan and bought myself half a pound of imported Dutch Gouda. My new and improved ham and cheese sandwich that evening was a DEEPLY satisfying experience, to say the least... By the way Feli, "vollgas geben" means: 1. step on it! 2. pedal to the metal 3. flooring it

@andyreznick

2 жыл бұрын

Yup. We come back with new eyes. The "We're number one!" thing seems a little hollow and maybe arrogant thereafter.

@salbuda6957

2 жыл бұрын

@Andy Reznick. Arrogant and ignorant.

@mcburcke

2 жыл бұрын

The Brit translation would be "put some Wellie in it!"

@MasterSandman

2 жыл бұрын

@@andyreznick And then you realize why most European countries view America not so much as "number one" and indeed more like hollow, arrogant and ignorant. America is pretty good in a lot of ways, could be so much better in others, but certainly not as great as they often proclaim to be. "Humble Pie" would be a beneficial addition to the daily menu for a lot of Americans and to strive for other countries in the world to call them "great". Not that any European countries can make the claim to be "the best in the world", every country has their downsides and less than favorable quirks. The best thing we can do (no matter what country you're from), is being aware of the pitfalls and how actions, opinions or claims can be perceived by other countries. Make sure our words and actions give others reason to look up to us, instead of assuning they do. (Because of our shiny toys for instance.)

@MasterSandman

2 жыл бұрын

@@mcburcke Or "get on with it!" 😊

I know my Russian friend says that her grandmother will tell her to stop smiling when she is back in Russia. “People will think you are insane”!

Thank you for the post. I am a 79 year old English Brexit refugee living and 'at home' in Leipzig a beautiful city with so much culture. It also has an integrated - bus, tram, train - public transport system. And I am happy to live in a city where seven year old children can safely go to school on the tram, on their own.

I'm from a small town in the Midwest and when I was in high school, my French class took a trip to France and I was shocked when the girl I was staying with told me to stop smiling at/greeting all the people we passed while walking. It was always something natural that everyone did where I grew up, and it felt really cold at first until I learned that it was just a cultural difference.

@Lotschi

2 жыл бұрын

It is a cultural difference but I think most people are happy about it. I always try to be really friendly to other people, although they might not be used to it.

@salsadip7453

2 жыл бұрын

in my country this differs from small villages to small towns, everything with lets say >100 citizens greets everyone on the street, above people find it weird (also depends on the region, there are some regions where people just dont care, with very private people and with very friendly or only friendly to their own, haha...)

@ahwhite1398

2 жыл бұрын

I have no issue with such cultural differences, but I will always be bothered with people demanding someone change to be _less_ friendly. I could see warning someone that something might appear rude, but to demand a change just to "fit in?" Nope.

@robetheridge6999

2 жыл бұрын

Haha, I’m from the South and had my girlfriend from upstate NY told me not speak to the cashier when I visited her family.

@klauskruger6187

2 жыл бұрын

It is O.K. to smile at people and say hello. Also in Europe in smaller villages. But if you do this in big Cities to everyone it becomes fake. Never ask a european you don't know: "how are you?" This is something you can ask people you know. For us this is a real question and you will get real answers like ..."well, my stomach isn't that well" or "my wife has left me".

I don’t travel to Germany all that often any longer. When traveling back in the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s, the initial culture shock after arriving in Germany was a lot greater than it has been since 2000 or so. A lot of it had to do with language. As a German living in California it was nearly impossible to find anybody to speak German with, other than on the phone. Phone calls to Germany were very expensive in those days. Books and newspapers were available, but nothing like nowadays. The Internet changed all that. Now I download a fair number of German books on Kindle or watch German channels on KZread. But yes, when I first traveled back to Germany after I’d been living here for a couple of years, I felt like I stepped into an alien world. It was a world that I felt had changed on me. I couldn’t wait to get back to California. One thing I do notice every time I go back is like something you said… having developed an appreciation for older buildings and history. All of that was a normal part of my life growing up in Germany, no big deal. That attitude has changed tremendously. I now enter those buildings with reverence and awe. Thank you for another great video!

@Jpeg13759

Жыл бұрын

Home is, where your Heart is ;-) Coming from me, living in Germany...

This young lady is a joy to watch. Enthusiastic, but well-tempered and clear-headed. She makes me squirm a little when I compare her to some of our own youth, but in truth, our kids are just fine. Feli shows genuine good humor about American foibles and follies, and some very insightful thinking about the differences and similarities between our two countries.

The best approximation to reverse culture shock was when I returned from doing mission work. It was a shock for me to see grocery shelves so full of things that I knew would be thrown away, when stores in the countries I visited were small and contained only what someone needed. Everything that we take for granted in the US is a luxury elsewhere.

@craftpaint1644

2 жыл бұрын

Inflation in the US will change that here. Shoppers will do without some things or buy a store brand of an item they used to buy the name brand of.

@mel-nq6re

2 жыл бұрын

Germany is attempting a kind of de facto economic alliance with the revisionist autocratic powers, China and Russia, while at the same time it is allied politically with the foremost defender of the democratic West, the United States. Its' defense spending is still short of the 2 percent of GDP pledged by NATO countries. This is an economic powerhouse that has been shirking its responsibilities, in part because it has been able to rely on the United States and its vast military might as a crutch. Germany has tethered itself to Russian gas over the long-standing objections of its allies. They warned that this would inevitably increase the geopolitical sway of Vladimir Putin, and so it has. Germany has to be calculating that if it participates in harsh sanctions against Russia, it makes itself vulnerable to Russian countermeasures.

@craftpaint1644

2 жыл бұрын

@@mel-nq6re Who should share responsibilities with the US if leading by example it drove it's national debt to 31 Trillion dollars? 👩‍💼🇺🇲⚒️🇷🇺

@edzanjero353

2 жыл бұрын

I still don't get how Europeans could possibly buy the Mormon myth, much less anyone else.

@deanbianco4982

Жыл бұрын

​@Craft Paint :What are you babbling on about? The US sucks when compared to Germany and most of the rest of Western Europe.

It's like going back to your hometown after being gone for years, not just a different country!!

@LaureninGermany

2 жыл бұрын

I haven’t been home for years. I’m almost hesitant to go, after so long, being so germanised by now!

@ZER0ZER0SE7EN

2 жыл бұрын

The old saying "you can't go home" if you have been gone for a long while.

@samael7867

2 жыл бұрын

Truth

Oh Feli, you just comforted me so much, when you said that it ruined your mood when you were friendly and got the kind of response you did in the bakery. I just can’t get used to it, despite loving Germany, and always somehow think it must be me being strange. I need to visit my home country and be „normal“ more often, maybe, to put it in perspective.

Also, I have to comment and say that Munich helped me out when I visited Germany and I was feeling homesick for Seattle. It rained heavily (Seattle is a notoriously rainy area) when we were scheduled to do a bike tour. Our teacher said that she would cancel the tour, but we asked her not to; and just got some garbage bags to poke arms and heads through in order to wear as make-shift ponchos. The tour guide was also originally from the U.S. and was happy to practice English since he mostly gave tours in German. It was so much fun, and as weird as it sounds, the rain really helped it to feel more like I was back home. But the temperate climate mixed with the green of the trees overall, really made Germany seem like a cousin to Seattle. I definitely want to go back. I need to eat more Spätzle and drink more Weiß Bier...

I was in Berlin and Munich for a month last summer, and it really took me awhile to get used to the cold service I received at every bakery, coffee shop, and restaurant. But, I realized that was just the way it is, and I didn't let it bother me. Germany is a spectacular place to visit. I can't wait to go back.

"Acceleration lane" is maybe what we would call the "On-ramp"?

@K__a__M__I

2 жыл бұрын

Nope, the on-ramp leads onto the acceleration lane, which merges into the normal lanes.

@justme_gb

2 жыл бұрын

Yes.

I lived in Germany for 14 months and really enjoyed it. For me it was the spiritual atmosphere that was so different. It was like a 14month adventure

Welcome back! There's an old saying about fly fishing: You can never go back to the same river twice. It's not the same water, and you're not the same person.

Yes about the Autobahn. It's been over 30 years since I lived in Germany, and New England roads are not as 'planned' as the midwest -- yet I STILL find myself irritated every time someone drives slow using highway on-ramps, or putt-putts in the left lane. My friends and family are sick of hearing me say "Everyone should have to drive in Deutschland before they get their license - the left land is for PASSING!". LOL, with hugs from Maine.

@stephenkammerling9479

2 жыл бұрын

It intrigues me why German autobahn has no speed limits while US interstates have speed limits with maybe a few exceptions like Montana. On balance, Germany is much more densely populated than the US.

@maikotter9945

2 жыл бұрын

@@stephenkammerling9479 ~ 7 Mal so hohe Bevölkerungsdichte Man könnte die gesamte lebende Weltbevölkerung gleichzeitig auf Mallorca unterbringen! 2,2 m² pro Mensch ...

@teddysmith8725

Жыл бұрын

@@stephenkammerling9479 It's because of trying to limit fuel consumption during WW2

@janaaj1an889

Жыл бұрын

I try to get up to the posted speed by the end of the ramp...but occasionally, you get behind someone who eases onto the highway so that the closing speeds are 50-60 mph, which makes it very hard to get onto the highway safely.

Thanks for sharing your experience - I felt that it was a lot like mine. I spent a year and a half in South Korea teaching English. My biggest culture shock happened when I arrived back on American soil. There were a myriad of people everywhere (white, black, Hispanic, Asian) - felt weird not being surrounded by mostly Asian faces. And English was EVERYWHERE. It was kind of overwhelming. In Korea, if you heard English while you were out, your head snapped in that direction to see who was talking English. When I got back everyone was talking English and I just felt a bit "attacked" by it - I know that doesn't sound right but that's how it felt. I also felt like I didn't quite belong back in America yet. I kept making comparisons back to Korea and realized how in many ways they were so more technically advanced than we were here in the States. It was odd and took a while to assimilate back to normal.

@ElainetheGARugrat8815

2 жыл бұрын

@@MichaelTheophilus906 i get that. I grew up as a Puertorican in Bronx, NY and when I was in the neighborhood English wasn't the predominant language. But at the airport it was A LOT of English all around me when I got back. lol

@MTimWeaver

2 жыл бұрын

I had a similar experience spending about the same amount of time teaching English in Tokyo in 1989-90. Also, when I came back after a year to renew my work visa and visit my mom, my friend asked a question about New Kids on the Block...and I asked what/who that was. He stared at me for a few minutes wondering if I was joking.

@ElainetheGARugrat8815

2 жыл бұрын

@@MTimWeaver Yep, It's a different world when you spend a decent amount of time out of the States. What was your norm became odd when you first got back.

I went home every year until my mother died so I didn't have a lot of culture shock. I had more culture shock in the states even though I am American. Growing up in Germany was amazing.

We’re in the military and only have been stationed in the US, but I experience culture shock every time I move. I also have experienced reverse culture shock going home to my home state. Everyone’s more friendly and neighborly there (Utah) compared to the rest of the US, the freeway speed limits are so much faster there, and there’s so much growth it’s sometimes like going to a new place that I’m unfamiliar with. It’s been long enough I don’t have that shock anymore, but like your enjoyment of the walk-ability/cycle-friendliness of Germany, I miss that about my home state. I could bike or walk 140 miles from the northern part of the state to the middle of the state without a problem. Compare that to where I lived on the East Coast or Midwest where there either aren’t sidewalks or sidewalks that don’t extend past the neighborhood, it’s still hard to be so confined by safe walking/biking paths. I look forward to moving back to the Rockies.

My experience as an American with reverse culture shock are simply that people walk differently (I can't explain it, but at the airport I find myself having to consciously avoid bumping into them), they take up more space (you actually have to ask them to move if they're blocking your way), and their personal space is bigger (you have to say excuse me if you reach in front of them to grab an item at a shop).

@slsthewriter1299

2 жыл бұрын

I feel this and it ain't even culture shock for me. It's just introversion. Lol

@inotoni6148

2 жыл бұрын

I'm from Germany but lived in Spain for 5 years. I had the same experience there. I've been to Barcelona many times and often had trouble walking the streets without bumping into anyone. I've also noticed that Spaniards stop in the entrances of supermarkets and cinemas, for example, to talk. They don't even notice that they're blocking people, but somehow they don't bother them because they grew up with it. It always drove me crazy because I never experienced anything like that in Germany. At first you get very upset, but you learn to accept the differences, because they are mainly cultural differences. For example, staring in Germany annoys me a lot, but that's kind of a cultural thing, I think

@dnocturn84

2 жыл бұрын

@@inotoni6148 Germans in smaller villages and towns do that one too. At entrances of supermarkets, at the shopping cart space, etc.

@renshiwu305

2 жыл бұрын

Europeans walk invertedly. I can spot a group of Europeans from a mi- kilometer away. The Americans have a John Wayne mosey walk. Must be the big packages 😜.

@gemoftheocean

2 жыл бұрын

@@MichaelTheophilus906 you can, but it's de rigeur to say "would you excuse me, I just need X" before you reach across

so what you're saying is, the more you travel, the easier it is to readjust to the environment you find yourself in at any given time. I need to find this out for myself. Thank you, Feli!

I moved from southern Wisconsin to Germany 22 years ago and I still have massive reverse culture shock every time I visit home. It's a very strange, alienating feeling since no one can unterstand my horror at certain things.

@rranka8293

2 жыл бұрын

did you mean to spell "unterstand"?

When I was fifteen, I was in England for six weeks. After travelling back, when I was at the Viennese airport again, it was also weird to me to hear German all around! At the age of 22, I was in The Gambia for about one month - when I came back to Austria, the world here seemed to run so much faster than there and I really missed the serenity of Gambian people.

I was born in Peru and grew up in New York. I did study in Paris for a little. I feel like I did feel a little bit of culture shock while traveling, but not a lot because living in New York and being exposed to so many cultures, that it’s nothing out of the ordinary.

Super interesting. Thank you 😀

Hi Feli! I love your videos. I am an American who works for a German-owned company, and I've noticed large differences in corporate work culture between the two countries, as I regularly work with my German counterparts. Could you perhaps do a video on corporate work cultures? I'd be happy to give you my experience if you want. Thanks!

My wife and I have travelled extensively. We lived in England for a while and, of course, we drove a rented car almost every day. It was, as you might imagine, at first a bit disconcerting to drive on the left, but we soon got the hang of it and became well-customed to it. Upon returning home, we found that driving on the right, as we had all our adult lives, was now strange and required some extra care and thought. Of course, once we were back at home here in the States, after a short while all was back to "normal", but those few days being disoriented in our homeland was eye opening. We humans are so good at quickly adapting that those things which we were formerly unaccustomed to become ordinary and comfortable in a short time, and the old, familiar ways are now the strange ones. Oh, and I distinctly remember when we were living in München (yes, it is such a beautiful city) we used to say "Entschuldigung, bitte" all time when we squeezed onto a crowded trarm or had to pass someone closely in a store, or whatever. People would give us that Deutscher Stil stare as if we had committed some kind of strange act. We didn't figure it out for a while until we noticed that no one else ever said "Entschuldigung, bitte" except us. Cheers, mein Schatz. I love your vids.

I was in the Army for 4 to 6 years (4 years of Regular Army and 2 years of reserved) that means I spent close to a couple years in Germany. What I remember is difference in the vehicles as compared to the U.S. and the taxi drivers drive really fast (but in reality, where going by kilometers and not by mph). But it became a routine to catch the train to any city in Germany. In the meantime, my hometown has increased a lot in populations. And when I went to Zonic Drive in for a hamburger, the car hop called me "Sir" I felt like a stranger in the town I grew up in.

@maikotter9945

2 жыл бұрын

Why your family is equal, to President Richard Nixon?

@hydrolito

2 жыл бұрын

I was in Navy and stationed in Iceland and people there drove slower. City near where I grew up had Dog N Suds restaurant and carhops also that were friendly. So that would have been normal to me and familiar with Dog N Suds, A&W and Sonic drives in but what is Zonic Drive in?

Even though it's been almost 30 years, I can still vividly remember the day I came back home to Germany from my half-year long high school exchange to the U.S in 1992/3. The differences start with the airports. In the U.S. back then they had carpeted floors and everything smelled strongly and artifically of cinnamon. Arriving early in the morning at Frankfurt airport I immediately noticed the sterile smell of polished stone floors and lots of metal in the halls, but there was also a cosy, homey smell of morning coffee and bread rolls from the bakeries in the terminal. That felt a lot like coming home. But being back at my parents' house, there was some reverse culture shock from feeling like a giant in a doll house. Every room felt so incredibly small - almost like in a fever dream. But most other differences did feel good - most of all being more free again: as my host family in the U.S. lived on a farm many miles outside of the small town I went to high school to, I was trapped in having to use the school bus or having to find someone to take me by car if I wanted to meet friends outside of school - while from back home in Germany I was used to being very independent with riding my bike and lots of public transport options. Back home I could plan my free time to my liking, go whereever I wanted, and feel more self-reliant again.

Anthropologist here. Culture is a performance. You live it. You do it. It's not something you have. So when you travel, even back to your original home, it's like you're an actor who doesn't have the current script in hand. You need the revisions so you can act accordingly, even if you've played the part before. Once again, great insights, Feli!

The bakery which I attend 3-4 times a week always, ALWAYS says `Thank you`and wishes me a `good day`or `have a nice weekend`. Literarily EVERY TIME!!!

Feli, thanks for explaining the "German stare" and how Germans are to-the-point. If I'm ever in Germany, I'll now know that's just German culture and nobody is being rude to me 🙂

@alexanderullmann1441

2 жыл бұрын

And Feli comes from Bavaria - in northern Germany people talk a lot less, with us southern Germans are considered garrulous. A typical North German conversation (roughly translated): A: "Well!" B: "Well!" A: "How is it?" B: "Yeah" That's it.

@fredashay

2 жыл бұрын

@@alexanderullmann1441 I thought she said on one of her other videos that she comes from southern Germany.

@alexanderullmann1441

2 жыл бұрын

​@@fredashay Yeah indeed, in the intro she tells she is from munic, that is what I meant.

@fredashay

2 жыл бұрын

@@alexanderullmann1441 Oh, okay 🙂

@arturobianco848

2 жыл бұрын

Hmm i'm dutch and spent a lot of time in germany, i still don't know what a german stare is we probably do the same thing here. We are probably even more rude then gemans so i always think of them as friendly wich is probably weird.

Thanks for being our German girl in the USA! Love your perspective and narrative on things! “You’re from Germany? That’s so cool!”

When I am at a store I will pretty much always say to the cashier "Tschüss, schönen Tag noch", "Tschüss, schönen Feierabend" or "Tschüss, schönes Wochenende" or so and most of the time I at least get a "Tschüss" or an "Ebenso" or something like that.

Ya, my wife noticed she experienced reverse culture shock returning to Finland after living in the US for three years. She noticed how she enjoyed the small talk done in the US, while Finns are very publicly reserved as well as other differences.

When my initial three-month study abroad period in Japan came to an end, I also was NOT ready to go back to the States. When I did, I fell into a serious state of depression, feeling like I didn’t belong in the States anymore. I took daily trips to the Japantown in Sam Francisco just to be around the culture and use the language, even though I lived about an hour away and had no other reason to go to the city. I ended up scheduling a longer study abroad period (basically 2 years), then when I went back to the States after that, I knew it was only going to be long enough to get my degree so I could get a working visa in Japan. 18 years later, and I’m still here.

When I went to Mexico to become a TEFL teacher, I had no culture shock at all, though other students did. Six weeks later I returned to the US and had massive culture shock. Go figure.

When i came back from the UK, it was a weird experience not to hear "sorry", thank you", "have a nice day" or even "good morning" and "please" all the time. I felt all the time that I did something wrong because it was different in the UK. But after a while, a adopted again to Germany. And I felt so sad that no one smiled at me and thought that Iooked horrible until I thought it over and remembered, that nobody smiled at no one because Germans do not smile a lot.... Thanks for sharing your experience, Feli.

My first husband was navy and we were stationed in Italy. I embraced the culture difference with open arms, once the jet lag had worn off, but I know there were a lot of Americans who had a hard time adjusting to businesses actively closing between the hours of 11:00am-4:00pm for "siesta". I was surprised that the Italians use this term also for taking a nap in the middle of the day. But even though it was pretty rough in the language department I still loved the open air markets and the majority of the people were friendly and really patient.

@LaureninGermany

2 жыл бұрын

We always thought about living in Italy one day. My husband definitely still wants to as out of the two of us, he‘s lived almost all his life in his own country. I hope we go for it one day!

@lp.shakur

2 жыл бұрын

11am is a lil early for siesta 😅 1pm

@iqtslovenia1291

Жыл бұрын

It’s actually just lunchtime in Italy, usually between noon and 3 or 3.30pm

@deanbianco4982

Жыл бұрын

@Patricia Dorio: Italy does NOT CALL IT "SIESTA." They call it "Riposa" or "Pausa." And a riposa and a siesta ARE NOT THE SAME!! In Hispanic countries, a siesta can last for four or five hours, and often includes a lengthy nap. In contrast, Italians rarely nap, and the length of their midday is closer to two/three hours. They have a large meal and spend time with their families, instead of napping. But this tradition of the midday riposa is dying out. In Northetn Italy, it has become a relic of the past.

Great description on this strange feeling. When I spend my year in Delaware as an Aupair I was shocked how big everything was. But since I just received my drivers permit a couple month earlier I really enjoyed the wide streets and huge parking areas. When I went home for a family reunion the narrow streets, closed stores on Sunday, the fact that nobody wore sweat pants for shopping and that coffee to go was not such a big deal yet blew me away. I instantly wanted to go back. But the good bread soothed me easily🍞😋

i studied abroad in copenhagen for 5 months and experienced more culture shock than i expected when i came back (im american). the feeling of things being so familiar but so different is so accurate. i found it weird that everyone had an american accent, which like you said, feels stupid but while abroad, you get so used to hearing other languages or accented versions of your own. i didn't learn enough danish to hold conversations, so i was hearing a lot of english with a danish accent and british english. i also had customer service-related culture shock. i noticed how friendly service people were, from the moment i landed back in the US and bought a snack at the airport. like you said, things seemed exaggerated. it felt like service people were so in my face and i wanted them to chill out haha. but of course when i first got to denmark, i was wondering why the waiters didn't see that i was done with my food and bring me the check. speaking of restaurants, i was thinking the same thing about how it annoyed me that i always had to pay for water!

In the 1970's I wa stationed in Berlin for 4 1/2 years. When I came back to the US, I ddn's even realize that I had experienced a culture shock coming back to the US until I needed to use the telephone. There was no price on the phone so I asked the airline attendandant, "Excuse me, What costs the telephone?" It wasn't until the words were out of my mouth that I realised I was speaking in English but using the German words.

@melindar.fischer5106

2 жыл бұрын

I have done the same thing, repeatedly, with one particular phrase. I am from the USA, but I have lived in Germany. When speaking English in the USA, I almost always ask, "is this seat free/available?" instead of, "is this seat taken?". The answer I get is often the opposite of reality, because the English speaker automatically thinks I am going to finish the question with "taken", so they answer accordingly - with whether the seat is "taken" - before they hear me say "free (available)". I don't know why I have trouble using the English word "taken" in that English language sentence, but I almost always use the wrong word! 😂

A few thoughts on what you said: The thing about cashiers being "unfriendly", might very well be a Munich or Southern Germany thing (or a big city thing) because where I live in Germany (at the North Sea coast), it is completely normal to say "hello" and "bye" and sometimes even have a small chitchat with the cashier - even at ALDI. And the thing about merging on the Autobahn: The acceleration lane is called like that because you have to accelerate as quickly as possible to enter the Autobahn with as little speed difference to the flowing traffic as possible. It's about safety. What I witness more and more, though, is that many drivers immediately join the right lane on the Autobahn without accelerating at all, sometimes even forcing truck drivers to brake for them. Needless to say that it pisses them off big time and that they will absolutely HATE the drivers when they have to brake for someone who is unable to use the acceleration lane correctly - which, by the way, is to accelerate as much as possible and use the FULL LENGTH of it before you merge 😉 I don't know when or where you made your driver's license but I clearly remember my driving instructor telling me that it's okay to even use the emergency lane for acceleration if you're still not fast enough or if there isn't a gap yet. Never ever slow down when merging on the Autobahn and never ever force anyone to brake for you when merging into their lane, because it might lead to a really terrible accident. Normally, drivers will move over to give you the space for merging - but never take it as granted because it's just a nice gesture and sometimes they simply can't. In the end, YOU are ultimately responsible for merging safely onto the Autobahn without getting in anyone's way. Fun thing is, though, I talked to many Americans who explained to me the reason why Americans usually drive cars with a lot more horsepower than the average German car has, is because their acceleration lanes in the US are shorter than in Germany and that they need to accelerate more quickly in order to merge into the traffic. Maybe it's different in different states in the USA? Or maybe a difference in driving style in different regions? 🤷🏻‍♂ I repeatedly heard from Germans living in America (but also from Americans who've been to Germany) that there are much, much more bad drivers in the US than in Germany, especially in states like California or Florida, and that traffic is often chaotic and erratic compared to Germany, because usually people here know the traffic rules better and stick to them. Anyway... one thing that I noticed immediately when I returned from a trip to the USA (I was in Texas twice for several weeks each time), is that arriving back here, it felt like everyone was trying to bump into me, for example at a train station. Americans give each other much more room when they pass each other by, while Germans often seem to think, "If you're not going out of my way, I will walk into you!". And yes, in general, Germans respect private space a lot less than they do in the US, especially in supermarkets or anywhere where there are crowds. People push past you without saying a word, sometimes even bumping into you or complaining when you don't move out of their way immediately. Even in these times of COVID-19, I sometimes have to remind people to back off a bit and not breath into my neck at a supermarket cashier.

@thatguy8869

2 жыл бұрын

I've only ever driven on US highways, but still I get annoyed when entering the freeway and the driver ahead of me tippy-toes onto the freeway at 10-15 miles below the speed limit (when there is no good reason to do this). Very dangerous; gets vehicles all jammed up together closer than they need to be. If I ever go to Germany I do not plan on driving, but it might be fun to get on the autobahn with a German Uber driver. Didn't see that coming with the Munich tellers being less friendly than tellers from Schleswig-Holstein; I would have thought it was the opposite. My stereotypes of Germans both as a nation and regionally need calibration. I'm looking forward to going sometime in the next few years and plan on mostly keeping my mouth shut and my ears open.

@uliwehner

2 жыл бұрын

yeah, the carolinas have those suicide exit and entry ramps. 20mph speed limit on the ramp, and the acceleration lane ends in the deceleration lane. So you try to get up to 65 or 70mph while the traffic you are merging into is trying to slow down to a 20mph exit ramp. and, no, i am not kidding. I usually drag a 28 foot camping trailer, it is quite an adventure to make those super short ramps with a vehicle that is almost a long as the ramp....

@socrarim2292

2 жыл бұрын

I have more positive exerience with cashiers, too. And I live in Munsterland, the part in NRW, wich is say that everyone is grumpy :-D. Sure, there are always busy days for a cashier, but normally they give their best for a smile a "Hallo" and a "Tschüss". And I wouldn't say, that I have such trouble with other costumers in a supermarket. I got never bump away from my place or something else. And besides me there are lot other people who apologizing, if they want something in front of you or need some extra space between you and a shelf to go through^^ (Sorry for my bad english by the way^^")

@leojuggleo9757

2 жыл бұрын

What you said about north germany is so true. I was in Kiel for a few weeks last summer and live in frankfurt and was travelling a lot to bavaria, swiss and austria im 2021. In Frankfurt the people are very unfriendly but in bavaria it is even worse. Swiss is also very unfriendly. I mean not everyone, but it's easy to recognize. But in austria they are suddenly super friendly and it almost reminded me like it was in Kiel, where basically everyone is trying to do a smalltalk. It was really hard for me to order a coke at the kiosk, without having a nice conversation and I liked that tbh. :D

@thatguy8869

2 жыл бұрын

@@leojuggleo9757 Schleswig-Holstein is definitely on my radar as a German state I'd like to visit, hopefully before I'm ancient.

I was so happy when the cashier at my local ALDI treated me as if I wasn't even there after returning from Japan. No elaborate ritual of quasi-codified pleasantries, just...money for stuff, get out. Surprisingly, buying things in a japanese store is still faster, despite the hubbubb.

@h.g.wellington2500

2 жыл бұрын

IRASSHAIMASE!!!!!!!! 😉

@powerviolentnightmare5026

2 жыл бұрын

I get that. I just wanna get in, buy what I need, say hi and goodbye and then leave without unnecessary small talk.

@K__a__M__I

2 жыл бұрын

@@powerviolentnightmare5026 Hi _and_ goodbye? Today I got by with a nod and a non-descript grunt. I love Germany so much.

@XX-bn9sf

2 жыл бұрын

How can that be faster in Japan? In Aldi (in the US), the shopper is the bottleneck. It's as fast as you are. The card is already processed before all the food is finished scanning, so once you are done throwing it all on the conveyor belt, seconds later you get the receipt and a new shopping cart full of stuff. Are there helpers in Japan, who help you throw things on the conveyor belt or how does Japan make this faster?

@nole8923

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, every time I get take out at the Chinese restaurant it’s like pay, get food, get out. They don’t do pleasantries

My reverse culture shock experience came when I returned to the US in 1985 after almost five continuous years in Germany. The US is so big and, let's face it, self-centered. I didn't realize it, but I'd gotten used to the international feel of Europe. All of that was suddenly gone. I felt so out of touch and disconnected it was like being buried alive. I missed hearing German every day, hearing real international news that isn't watered down, no more fests, no more wurst, no more decent chocolate, the list goes on. I even missed those idiot mo-ped gangs. I was also struck by just how out of it US citizens are compared to Europeans. Europe is small and close. It's a two hour drive to the next country, language and customs. In the US you can drive a week and all you get is a change of accent, if that. Europeans pay attention to things in other countries; US citizens don't. Europeans almost always speak more than one language. Americans sometimes act like everyone should learn English to the point of snobbery. The US is big and Europe is far away, confusing, and they don't care. It took a long time for me to get my American blinders back on and I felt kind of lost until I did. I'm not saying in the least this makes US citizens "bad", just overly self-involved, and even unaware that they are because the country is so big and isolated.

@kata5182

2 жыл бұрын

Yes, you are on target about how you felt reverse culture shock coming back to USA after spending 5 years in Germany. Every year I spend a few months in the UK and Europe and I always feel the same way when I get back to Colorado. I still think this is true about American‘s being out of it because they are programmed to.

@redwolfmedia1276

2 жыл бұрын

Yes we'll perhaps you can enlighten us dumb brutes? Surely your sophistication and Worldly views are so superior to ours. Have you ever considered that's what makes us who we are? We're not bogged down with world events and stressed out. So we're caring,optimistic,hard working,positive people 🤔 Perhaps as well that's why Germans aren't so openly happy,hospitable? Maybe their constantly overwhelmed feeling as if their somehow being judged or watched? There's pros & cons about all Societies but I'd like to think Americans are open,honest,caring but also believe people are free to do as they please and as long as your not in our business or hurting others,it's all good. Americans are fiercely independent so we do not like to put our nose in other's business and as we can see this is the way it should be!

@josephabellojr

2 жыл бұрын

@@redwolfmedia1276 haha seems like they hit a nerve. As always a sarcastic/snobbish American, cool theory about Germans being snobbish/mean because of too much knowledge... until u realize almost everyone in most countries read world news on a daily basis and have cultures of all types... u would not consider Italians, Spaniards, Greeks, etc mean and yet they read about world events just as much as Germans... So now, being cultured does not make u pessimistic, it just makes u a wiser and less full of yourself type of person :)

@debbylou5729

2 жыл бұрын

The US is about the size of all of Europe. East state is its own. If you knew this you would've been right at home

Yep, I agree with everything you mentioned and my experiences moving between cultures are very much as you describe. I was stationed in Germany with the US Army for eight years after majoring in German in college so I spent as much time enjoying the local culture as I could. Of course, driving in Germany just makes more sense to me. We’re not nearly as diligent about following the rules over here and my wife will tell you that merging onto the highway is still something I complain about after almost 15 years! By the way, there are plenty of ways to say “Vollgas geben” in American English. Floor it, punch it, drop the hammer, and mash the gas (for those of a more Southern persuasion), among many others all mean the same thing. 😜🏎🏁 Great video and thanks for bringing back so many good memories for my family and me.

I flew in to Frankfurt and after having multiple issues with trying to find the right train track, I jumped into one without buying a ticket. Everyone stared at me. Like, everyone. I also hadnt slept in almost 36 hours so I was kinda fried and wondering if somehow they all knew I didnt pay and were contacting the authorities.

My most devastating culture shock was returning at 17 for a summer after having permanently left Germany as a 10-year-old. Germans could not believe I was German, given my American accent. And frankly, I had also missed out on a lot of Fachausdruecke and other language learning in Germany. Worst perhaps was trying to rekindle my childhood girlfriend. It was sad, but even after 60 years in America, I have always loved Germany most: Heimatland is a real thing.

I would translate "Vollgas geben" as, literally, "Give it the gas" or more idiomatically, "Floor it," meaning that you push the accelerator pedal all the way to the floor.

@gammondog

2 жыл бұрын

Perhaps, "Step on it!"

Feli, as a German living in the UK I can only confirm that I have experienced EVERYTHING that you have described in the same way. Especially the native language thing is interesting. The reason might be that for us expads our brains need to work a bit more complex because we are constantly translating as a background task. If then surrounded again by our native language this additional task is missing, and our brains get confused by this. It is similar with the time difference, you might have had the same experience. Whenever I talk to friends and family in Germany I need to consider the time difference of 1 hour between UK and Germany. I'm already so used to it that I don't have to actively think about it anymore, it is like I'm now used to think in a 4th dimension. Whenever I'm back in Germany it fells very weird to be in the same time zone as everyone else again.

@ktkee7161

2 жыл бұрын

Is the staring, apologising, service difference, driving, the same between the UK and Germany as she describes between the US and Germany?

I'm happy that you feel well enough to produce and post this video on an interesting topic!

Oh... And I have to add... I understand the "Everybody speaks German" thing. My buddy (also German) and I used our language as a secret code language in the US. Back in Germany I had to be really careful not to say the wrong thing cause everybody could understand me. And yes... pulling the "I am German" card helps very often. I excuse a lot of my weird behavior with "Sorry it's a German thing.". That works most of the time.

@czajla

2 жыл бұрын

Having a secret language is very useful in asian countries, where bargaining is really a thing. It is great to be able to exhange opinions without being understood by the seller.

I lived in Germany for the last 7 years, and moved back to the US in August. I experienced extreme reverse culture shock. I miss sidewalks and walking paths. And everyone going for daily walks. I miss tschüss when I leave a store or restaurant. I really miss German drivers - way better than American drivers. I miss the history, the culture and the cuisine. I miss Christmas markets more than I ever imagined. And strassen schaden. American roads are so bad, at least in the Midwest. The fact that there are no real bakeries really bothers me. The concept of going to an Aldi on Sunday was strange at first. Shopping carts where the rear wheels don’t turn. Being able to take a weekend driving trip to a different country. Now, one of the biggest culture shocks I experienced was the difference in COVID precautions. Germany was very strict and people mostly follow the rules. Not so much here. It just felt wrong.

@debbylou5729

2 жыл бұрын

We don't have US drivers

@lexpox329

Жыл бұрын

Thats because COVID precautions were unnecessary by august 2021. Omicron was not something we should have had any precautions around.

You have a great personality and presence it's always a pleasure to watch your videos thank you

Thanks, Feli. It is interesting to hear your "progress" in experiencing culture shock. I really enjoy when you revisit your past comments and feelings with how they have evolved over time.

I worked for a German company for about seven years. I recently started working back in an American company and it’s almost like a different world. I definitely got used to the German way of doing things, and it was tough making the switch. It was a surreal feeling that really nobody was wrong I just had a different experience they couldn’t relate to.

Going home. It helps you remember who you are and why you do some the things you do. Cultural differences are interesting even here and in the States like Northern States compared to Southern States.

Cool. Great video. Glad you feel better

Nice story! I lived in China for 12 years and while there I traveled all over Asia and loved it. I came back once a year for a few weeks to visit family and friends but always felt like I was going "home" only when I returned to China. Have been back in USA for almost 3 years and still do not feel at home here - part of that is likely because USA changed so much while I was gone, or at least seems that way to me. I worry about the country my grand kids will live in. Another year and I will go back to Asia for retirement, to the Philippines.

I felt the same way you did when I returned to America from studying in Ireland. It was weird seeing so many flags and I had gotten used to crossing the street with people driving on the left.

@arrow1414

2 жыл бұрын

I hope you don't through what Winston Churchill did when he was crossing the street in the US! ;-)

I live in the UK but have been to Germany quite a few times (love it there) I found everyone surprisingly friendly, I think I had that perception that Germans were rude or blunt but that wasn’t my experience thankfully x

@pashvonderc381

2 жыл бұрын

As a Brit living and working in Germany, the Germans can be very blunt at times, it does take awhile to get used to it..

@thebunnydiaries

2 жыл бұрын

@@pashvonderc381 I must have had a really good experience then, which is nice. I wonder if it’s different in different parts of the country… I usually go to the Frankfurt area x

@szeddezs

2 жыл бұрын

​@@thebunnydiaries Frankfurt is huge and super international, being Germany's main banking hub and all that, so Germans there may be way more used to adapting their style of interaction to the cultural sensibilities of whomever they're talking to, unlike say Germans from some mid-sized town. Or you were just lucky to meet people who are aware of how offputting German directness can be to other cultures xD

@pashvonderc381

2 жыл бұрын

@@thebunnydiaries greetings from down in Munich..

@thebunnydiaries

2 жыл бұрын

@@pashvonderc381 nice to “meet” you

Always enjoy your videos. I can listen to you for hours ☺️

Great video, Feli so glad you feeling better today. 😊

So glad you're back and feeling better! Great video as always. That thing about the acceleration lane was pretty interesting. I never thought about how long these were in the US. Thanks for this--great to wake up to! P.S. I'd love that video about cross-cultural training!

I don't know if this counts as a "culturshock", but my family and I went to a tour around Australia in 2001 and we happened to have a farmstay over there for one night. And because we all were able to speak english (more or less) we talked the whole evening long in english to our "farmers". The next day the trip continued and I really had to translate the english sentences in my head back to german. Another thing I noticed back then when we returned was that you were allowed by that time to smoke in Germany at the airport which was really annoying to me after two non smoking weeks. I'm not a smoker myself but I never realized how much that was able to bother me...

@user-sm3xq5ob5d

2 жыл бұрын

That same feeling about smoking came up on me when I returned after a longer stay in the US. I felt like being in eastern Europe when I entered Germany again.

@phnelson033

2 жыл бұрын

@@user-sm3xq5ob5d Wait, is that still the case? How widespread across the Eurozone is indoor smoking still permitted/accepted anyway? I gotta say I find that a bit disappointing. I typically regard most of Europe as having an overall better/more advanced handle on public health, environmental concerns, etc than here in the US. I mean c'mon...EVEN THIS nation of Wal-Mart hot dog enthusiasts disallows disgusting poison being emitted in enclosed public spaces.

@user-sm3xq5ob5d

2 жыл бұрын

@@phnelson033 Germany lagged considerably behind because our government is scared like hell when it comes to regulating the industry. But then look at the lobbying power of US tobacco. And the public was not that much into health if it concerns bad habits followed by a large part of it. Leadership in that regard is not a thing here. See also catalysts in cars, seat belt, safety features. California is always years ahead.

@marrykurie48

2 жыл бұрын

@@phnelson033 No, it's no longer allowed to smoke indoors in Germany. For God's sake not. ;-) I don't know the other european countries' rules though.

Interesting observations. Thanks for sharing.

Feli, i am American who lived in Germany and returned to the US. Same thing happened to me. Thanks for your videos. They make my day. You're awesome.

Great to see your smile again, Feli! I lived many different times in Japan, and when I'd return to the U.S. getting onto a freeway was a bit uncomfortable for any of my passengers. One of the places I lived in Japan had quite small roads and going 50 kph was uncommonly fast, 80 kph was rare and felt downright speedy. Driving those speeds in the U.S. may get you run over.

This installment was delightful! Feli, you've found a very fun point that I personally have experienced just here in the U.S. I'm from Kentucky and have been living in California for quite some time and I feel you've hit on some points that just within this country, are easy to be surprised, and even, un-easy about, now and then. Never the less, this was a great topic and point of view...Thank You!!! Oh and do you have any interesting 'Deutsch' food dishes or recipes, that you love and can't seem get here, that you'd like to share?

What I miss most about my time in Germany was my early morning walks through the altstadt, the smell of fresh bread and diesel delivery trucks permeating the air - it gave me a sense of comfort and commerce and a joy of walking through it. I've been to quite a few cities and towns all across the U.S., and I've never experienced the like here on my home soil.

Welcome back :) Another fun video!

I miss old buildings. Spending a semester at Uni. de Caen Basse-Normandie there were castle ruins built by William the Conqueror right off campus, we would eat lunch near the ramparts and it felt so magical all the time. I visited the British Isles a lot too when I lived in Normandy and it was so incredible to walk by Tudor houses in a random town. I miss that so much. The closest I have been is visiting colonial houses in Philadelphia here in the US

I was actually surprised by the lack of culture shock I felt in Germany. That said, I’m from the upper Midwest, which was settled by Germanic and Scandinavian peoples. There were a lot of places that had the same feeling as home or reminded me specifically of somewhere.

@flyflorida2001

2 жыл бұрын

I’ve traveled all over the world as an Airline pilot. I’ve never felt more “at home” out of the US as Bavaria. The vibe of the people there is just my kinda vibe.

@JassBo83

2 жыл бұрын

I grew up in Berlin. NYC makes me homesick. 😂

@Rufio_Cristiforus_Tucarus

2 жыл бұрын

Scandinavians are Germanic.

@kokofan50

2 жыл бұрын

A minor correction, Germanic refers to Germanic tribes, the languages they spoke, the culture they practiced, and all the people languages, and cultures that descend from them. While what’s now Germany (and parts of Scandinavia) is the ancient home land of the tribes, the English, Dutch, Scandinavians are all Germanic.

@kokofan50

2 жыл бұрын

@@koschmx the only thing that more French in it than Germanic is English vocabulary, but even then the grammar and most of the basic vocabulary are Germanic. As for genetics, the English are very much a mix of people from northern Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark. Moreover, the Normans were the descendants of the the Norse who settled in France, and Northern France was settled by the Franks, a Germanic tribe and who the country is named after.

I think this is my favorite video of yours, because it takes us inside your mind more than any other. I love your analysis of your thinking and reactions in these situations. Thank you.

Another interesting video. Great work!

I spent 3 weeks in Columbus Ohio for job training. Coming back home to Central California I had a bit of reverse culture shock as Ohio is much less ethnically diverse. Weather differences were also shocking to me. Weather gradually changes here in CA, in Ohio in early spring I got every kind of weather imaginable.

@be6715

2 жыл бұрын

Wait 5 minutes....

Can we get a video about ignorant questions Germans have asked you about the US?

@papagigo1

2 жыл бұрын

That would be fun to hear

@missano3856

2 жыл бұрын

I suspect the main one is that people just don't realize how big the US is, the state I live in is bigger than Germany.

@maikotter9945

2 жыл бұрын

@@missano3856 Europe is "slightly" bigger than "the States".

@jessicaely2521

2 жыл бұрын

@@maikotter9945 ummmm. No one was talking about Europe. Everyone was talking about Germany and only Germany. There are quite a few states that are bigger than Germany. Texas alone is 2x the size of Germany. Its true some (not all) Germans don't understand how huge the US is. I had 2 Germans sitting next to me and they thought they could drive to Los Angeles from New York in 8 hours. They were going to make stops along the way to LA. I burst their bubble when I told them it was a 40-45 hour drive (depends if you hit traffic and how often you stop). Richard Rawlings was the fastest driver to go from LA to New York at this time (this was in 2007. People have broken Richard's record). He did it in 31 hours and 59 minutes. This was with speeding (his average speed was 88 mph. Average highway speed is 70 mph), not stopping to pee, not stopping to eat, and not stopping for sight seeing. All he did was stop for gas. Also Europe isn't a country. It's a continent 🤦‍♀️. The only thing that remotely resembles a country is the EU. If the EU was a country it would still be smaller than the US.

@missano3856

2 жыл бұрын

@@maikotter9945 Oh yeah, as a whole and with a much milder climate given it's high latitude(which is something Americans don't realize).

This was a very sophisticated take on the subject. Much appreciated.

Just so overwhelmingly positive, in every video! I love it!

I lived in Japan for six years but when I returned to the US I experienced reverse culture shock. So many things were different compared to what I remembered

@searchingforfoodonyoutube2500

2 жыл бұрын

Like no bullet train 🚄🚅🚝in 🇺🇲

I'm... a bit bewildered. I've lived in numerous countries for 3 or more years at one time. Germany is the 6th where I've lived for an extended amount of time (I'm originally from the US), and much of what this German girl is saying has not been my experience here at all. Everyone says "schöne Tag" or "schönes Wochenende" at shops and bakeries, and nobody stares at me or anyone else. I also do not find Germans to be that efficient. I believe this is a myth, or they have a different definition of efficiency, perhaps. Also, I find them more conversational with strangers than they're given credit for. They're not over the top (like Americans), thank God, but they will make small talk when the situation allows for it. I was in a department store this week buying a lamp, and as I stood in the socially-distanced line, an older lady at the counter was making small talk with the cashier about something to do with showers (or maybe a shower curtain... my German is only A2-B1). The lady at the register engaged with her for a while, but as the line behind me started to grow, she politely told the woman it was time to pay and move out of the way so that other customers could be served. The older customer just said something like "Of course, yes. Thank you." Then they both told each other to have a good day. Then, it was my turn. When I handed the lamp to the lady, she actually said "Gute Wahl" (good choice) and let me know it was the last one they had in stock (probably because there was no box). Anyway, I digress... I just feel that I came to Germany expecting all these things Felicia talks about on her channel because I watched her before I moved here. However, I'm experiencing quite the opposite. Perhaps it's the pandemic? I moved here in 2020.

@Molly-3510

2 жыл бұрын

German here. Thank you so much for your comment. That‘s exactly how I experience it.

@salbuda6957

2 жыл бұрын

@Summer West. A2 B1? 🙂

@summerwest3099

2 жыл бұрын

@@salbuda6957 A2 (elementary)/ B1 (low-intermediate)

@justme9801

2 жыл бұрын

German here also....where I grew up everybody greet evevybody. The bigger the city the less you will experience this. But when you have eyecontact they always great or nod. Overly friendly people are strange to me also here in the US. Being friendly is one thing but one can overdo it also.

@summerwest3099

2 жыл бұрын

@@justme9801 Overly friendly becomes tedious and irritating very quickly. The US is not the only place where you find these people, but the country does have them in abundance. Conversely, I feel that Germans strike a healthy balance between friendliness and aloofness, but I am obviously coming from a society that celebrates shallow and spurious chit chat as a social grace. You're right about the eye contact here too. Strangers won't just look you in the eye and completely ignore you if you say hello or smile at them. It's a civilised and grownup society, I find. The US really is quite the opposite in this regard... for me at least.

As always, delightful!

I second everything you said. In the beginning when I had to travel back and forth, I did not notice much but then came a period where I was gone for 3 years. I flew back to Germany to visit my parents and I just hated every minute of it. All the little conveniences I was used to were gone. The narrow streets were insane. In my village it was impossible to fit 2 cars into the street. I had to stop to let the opposite car pass. The tiny soft drinks with ONE ice cube. What really irked me apart from the incredibly high gas prices was that I had to go inside to pay for gas. I could not pay at the pump. Then the top of it all was when I went to a huge Department store (Kaufhof) and tried on clothes. It was 5:45 (17:45) and they apparently closed at 6pm (in the US they closed at 9) and the salesperson came up to me, showed me his wristwatch in a rude manner and said "we want to go home too". I mean...... What!!. I remember back in the US a little later, I was at a Men's Warehouse and looked at coats. I noticed it is 9pm. I looked at the sales person, apologized and he said: "Take your time, no rush. We want you to be happy when you buy something." Of course I bought the coat just because of that. I can never go back to Germany. I would be miserable and unhappy. I am gone for 24 years (this February) now. I doubt that will happen.

@be6715

2 жыл бұрын

Maybe wrong for me to say, but as an American, I appreciate that you love my country so much. It isn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination but has many good points.

Hi Feli, I can relate so much to what you are saying. Great youtube channel also! :) I am German and also lived in California and Texas. The cultural differences are quite huge and I have changed my opinion several times. In terms of friendly people, the housing market , and huge space, the US is much better. But when it comes to health care, public transportation, and traveling to other countries, we in Germany have it a lot better. I am not fully sure, but I feel somewhat closer to European culture and sights than to America. What about you? :)

Very fun, Feli! Reverse culture shocks for me coming back to America from being a student in Germany: I’ll never forget seeing ice cubes after 11 months! In America found it was Ok to be quieter than most people around me - hadn’t felt that way before- and to be more reflective. US weather more extreme and everything bigger of course. Cheers thanks

@kar460

2 жыл бұрын

There's no ice cubes in Germany?

@lilrejct

2 жыл бұрын

@@kar460 Iced drinks are generally an American thing

@kar460

2 жыл бұрын

@@lilrejct so no blended drinks😳😳. Interesting This mess needs to clear up!

@alexanderullmann1441

2 жыл бұрын

@@lilrejct One of my culture shocks in the USA: red wine with ice cubes made from chlorinated water :o

@ChildofFlames666

2 жыл бұрын

@@kar460 sure we have ice cubs, but you have to say that you want them in your drink xD

Feli you have a nice personality,that's why people relate to you so easily.

My first time abroad was for an Erasmus year in Strasbourg in the late ‘90s. Had SO many culture shocks, but the biggest was everything being closed on Sundays and grocery stores (in the city) closing for lunch and at 6pm during the week. I was so used to 24/7 stores, even then!

Vollgas geben can translate to "Step on it." On the subject of the lovely older architecture in Germany and other parts of Europe, I've been to I've learned the major difference between a European and an American. For a European, 100 Miles is a long distance. For an American 100 years is a long time.

@CChromatic

2 жыл бұрын

Also "Floor it" (press the gas pedal to the floor)

@BigOldScout

2 жыл бұрын

@@CChromatic You know, I've been living in Germany so long, I forgot about "Floor it." :-D

Great video. I feel the same way going back to Germany. By the way: Vollgas geben = floor it ....oder step on the gas. Also loved your video about Chicago. It's where I live and you did some good research there. Way to go!

@kazumekku

2 жыл бұрын

Assuming that anybody can perform the action implied by the German phrase: vollgas geben, in what context does she mean there's no translation for that? In what context does a German use that phrase anyway? Should I assume that it means to press the accelerator pedal to the floor of your car? (yeah, just "give it the beans" lol; if the car goes fast then it has a lot of beans) Do German pirates yell, "Vollgas Geben!" when they go, "Full speed ahead, Captain!" or is it purely a road vehicle contextual phrase? So many questions >.

I have been enjoying your videos for quite some time now. When I was about your age, I was in a similar situation: I am Germany and went to medical school in Würzburg but spent the last year of medschool in Cleveland, Ohio. That was back in 1990. Before that, in 1988 to be exact, already spent a few months there doing an elective at a hospital in Euclid, Ohio. Mind you - those were the days before internet and cell phones. So the isolation was kind of more severe. While I ultimately returned to Germany, I did go back and forth quite often for many years. I also spent some time in San Francisco on a research scholarship at UCSF towards the end of my specialty training. My experiences were quite similar to yours and I can very much relate to many things you say. This video rang especially true for me and when I returned to Germany after having spent almost one year in Cleveland without social media or anything that would keep me more connected to Germany, my reverse culture shock was considerable and very much along the lines of what you report. Let me just share two funny occurrences from back then: When I arrived back home at Frankfurt airport, naturally I had a lot of luggage. I had bought myself one of those oversize trunks to fit all my stuff for the way home. This and my skis did not come out at the regular baggage carousel but I had to pick it up at the oversize baggage delivery. So I went there, got my stuff and in order to move it more easily, I asked the guy who worked there for one of those oversize baggage trolleys they have. Well, he denied my request for one and when I turned around dragging my stuff over the floor, I could hear him say to his colleague: "Scheiß Amis, sollen nicht so viel Zeug rumschleppen! Was will der damit?" I thought to myself "welcome home" and really wished I could board the next plane back to the U.S.! Two days later I was driving in my car and got to a red traffic light. There was a police car behind me and I was so used to making a right turn on red, I just did so. Of course I was pulled over seconds later. I apologized and explained to the police officer that I had gotten so used to that during my year in the U.S., that I did not even think about it. Luckily, I had my passport with me and could prove that I had just gotten back to Germany. The guy was nice and let me go without a ticket! Just like you say, later on I got so used to going back and forth between Germany and the U.S., I did not experience much of a culture shock anymore. So, keep up you videos and enjoy Cincinnati. I suppose you also travelled a lot throughout the U.S.? If so, maybe you could share some of those experiences on future videos? At least I have used my time off there and travelled to almost all the states, except Hawaii and Alaska. I actually drove across the country from N.Y. to Seattle, down to San Diego and back as well as several other trips coast to coast and up and down both coasts.

@gemoftheocean

2 жыл бұрын

The ultimate road trip!! Glad you made it down to San Diego. I live there. :)

@wolf-guntersteinmetz194

2 жыл бұрын

@@gemoftheocean I love San Diego. Over the years I have been there a number of times. One of my favorite areas would be La Jolla with those beautiful cliffs and beaches. 😃😎

Hey there beautiful. It's great to hear your voice and see your videos once again...🇩🇪 🇺🇸 🇩🇪 🇺🇸

I think this is the most I’ve ever related to any video here on KZread.😂👍🏻 It’s been over 2 years since I returned to Germany and I am still overly polite when passing someone in a store here. I just can’t help it.

After spending 2 weeks vacationing in Germany and staying/hangout with friends living there, I suddenly found our transportation system in my hometown (San Francisco Bay Area) so slow. I got spoiled by how fast vehicles travel on the Autobahn and the ICE trains were fast too. Upon coming home, the trains and vehicles on the freeways felt so slow when compared to my experience while traveling in Germany. Not directly a culture shock but it did affect my way of life for a while as a rider of public transit then.

Funny, introspective and enjoyable...as per usual, Feli!

Thank you for sharing your experiences