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Anywhere outside major cities you absolutly need a car. In fact one was Not enough in quite some cases. To our climate...It has changed a Lot. I can remember having -20°Celsius Winters when i was a child. And i miss them.dearly.
@@grimdawn9843 definitely need a car outside the larger cities! I’d almost say even when you’re living in a city, but on the outskirts of the inner city.
Jeans are considered to be casual clothes in Germany. Jogging pants or even worse pyjama pants are looked at as something being worn by antisozial people who don't care for anything other than being lazy and dirty. So I really want to back you up on that point. Other than that I have to say that it is absolutely OK to wear a nice sweater or whatever you like here in Germany.
There is one and only one occasion on which it is considered fully appropriate in Germany to wear jogging pants (sweat pants) outside the house ... when you are actually jogging or doing similar highly exhausting sports outdoors.
You know, growing up in America we also see people in sweatpants and pjs and think “ I guess they’re tired/not well” but it doesn’t like shake anyone haha. But we don’t think “ wow! They look AmAzINg in their pjs!”. I found a lot of kids in high school would do this as a rebel like “I don’t care what you think!” Phase.
I am pretty confused about that. Don't know about Canada, but I spent 6 month in Norway. And honestly around 0 degree in germany feels way colder than -20 in Norway.
@@wintertrine I know someone who went to Norway in Summer and got terribly sun burnt at 20 degrees Celcius because the sun was just stronger and always shining, so for the same reason German winters feel colder: they're really dark
So about the sweatpants thing: In Germany these are only worn inside or when you are doing sports like in the gym or when you go running. In all other cases the quote from Karl Lagerfeld applies: "Wer Trainingshosen trägt hat die Kontrolle über sein Leben verloren." (People who wear sweatpants have lost control over their lifes.)
Greatly dependant on social circles. A lot of people my age or lower mostly wear sweatpants everywhere. Same applies to older age brackets aswell though, it's honestly nothing shocking or uncommon.
I (german girl) went to university with sweatpants on sometimes and I got a lot of stares 😅 so we DO exist but its really not something you do. But this was a couple years ago. Fashion changes and probabaly this is "style" now 😂
I actually always thought that we are very casual in Germany especially compared to what people dress like in the rest of Europe. But now that I'm thinking about it, I would hardly ever go out in yoga pants and if I do I feel very underdressed and subconsciously try to make it look like I'm going to the gym so people don't think I'm a slob 😂
When I was a kid in the 1970s and 1980s my Austrian grandfather hated it when I wore jeans. He called them "Jimmy Hosen" - "Jimmy trousers", meaning American trousers, Jimmy being a typical American name. It was much too casual according to him, even for me, being primary school age, being on vacation at my grandparents.
Native babyboomer German here, I would underline every point of your advice on the clothing part, but I missed the one word that seems to be the one and only solution for us Germans the "Allwetterjacke". A great job is done so far pls keep on.
Ich denke, ich brauch mal'n heißen Kaffee an diesem eiskalten, weißen Sonntag Morgen.. Thx für das interessante Video, Jenna. Have a nice Sunday und bleibt gesund, du und deine kleine Family Ben
You only describe the life in large cities. Where I live in Germany, a car is a must have for example. Also you should do a video and tell about living outside the city. Lg
Absolutely - yeah, I try and mention that a lot of these things (like a car) only apply when you live in a big city, because you’re right! Small town life in Germany is entirely different! Would be REALLY REALLY cool to hear more about how small town life it like in Germany!!
Yeah, I have my driver's license, but I always have been living in bigger cities like Berlin and Dresden, where the public transportation takes you everywhere. I never needed a car, I even took the tram to the hospital for a knee surgery two years ago. And after the stay, I also took the tram back home... on crutches. It was completely normal to me ^^
Coming from america and living here in Germany for 34 years and seeing alot of changes here over the years most of the german people have become more relaxed but i do like your videos i find them funny keep them coming.
Holy crap. Friend of mine was kicked out of international business class for not having a tie to his siut... PJ would probably end in Professor having a stroke...
Hahahaha I did... you think my father would allow me to drive if I didn’t know how to parallel park?! Haha he was so strict about it! However, I haven’t driven in 5 years 🙈🙈 so now.... I don’t really know! Haha
There is this denglish sentence: You are a real German, if you have an Allwetterjacke because man weiß ja nie. (You are a real German, if you have an all weather jacket because you never know) This descripes the weather just perfect. 10°C with rain you can get all year, doesn't matter if its january or august. And the next day you can get -5 or 30°C with sunshine. Everything is possible
1. Theft protection gear: I don't remember the details, but I've seen a comparison of crime in Germany and the US and pickpocketing was more of an issue here in Germany. Not significantly, but noticeable. I don't wear protective gear, but it really depends on where you are and what you are doing. I've had my wallet stolen once in the almost 50 years I am alive and had another attempt. Those were in a crowded trainstation and another time when a child tried to grab my wallet on an very crowded tram. So if you're doing train travels throughout Europe, sleeping at stations etc. Those protective measunres might be for you. In general, I agree, not necessary. 2. Heels: You are breaking my heart! I love seeing women in high heels! Luckily for me the trand seems to be more towards those shoes with younger women. Please tourists, pack your heels for me! =;-)) I agree that they are impractical on cobble stome streets, but there aren't so many left. But if you go to an Altstadt (old town) you might want to take your hint and wear flats /even if it makes me cry =;-)) ) 3. Winter PArkas: I think that's a bold statement! It can get down to -20 degrees Celsius (whatever that is in Fahrenheit) in Cities like Cologne or Düsseldorf! It'S rare, but -5 is quite common and for somebody from California or Florida thats arctric. I can't weigh in on Canada Goose, because I don't have the money to buy a 1000€ Coat, but it looks comfortable!
Pickpocketing is also seasonal. During the tourist season it happens more often and then especially in shopping areas (yes, even in the grocery store), older people are usually robbed. Down coats: I owned and wore my only down coat from around 1983 to around 1988/1989. At that time we actually had sub-zero temperatures quite often (check out when the Alster was last frozen over). In addition, the coat kept you warm on the sports field (soccer), while the obligatory hot drinks kept you warm from the inside;) High heels: Why do young women carry large bags around with them? -> Well, so that they can take a change of shoes with them. :)
As a German who has been robbed by pickpockets a few times and who has also been broken into, I cannot confirm that you don't need a moneybelt. Especially in busy places where there are tourists or at the university (library, cafeteria) people have often stolen. We also have experienced pickpockets. I had a very special experience in Italy. A friend and I were standing in line at the post office. When it was finally our turn, my friend wanted to take off his backpack and only had the shoulder straps in his hand. The backpack was cut off and stolen.
I think you needn‘t bring too many clothes with you, because you can buy everything you need over here. If you wait for the sales in January or August, you can find loads of stuff at a really good price. Depending on which city I was living in, I used to spend a couple of weeks looking at what colleagues or people in the city were wearing to get a feeling for the fashion. There are quite some differences between cities like Munich, Berlin or Düsseldorf, you won’t need a winter parka in Düsseldorf, but go to Berlin in January and you certainly will.
Theft gear, (Money belt etc) you won't need in daily life, but still recommended if you go to crowded tourist places or public transport in major cities all over Europe (not only Germany).
Actually they are not necessary in Germany, since this is one of the countries with the lowest crime rate in Europe together with the Scandinavian countries. Which doesn't mean that you couldn't possibly encounter a pickpocket at all, but it is very rare here. If you go to touristy places in some southern or eastern European countries though, anti theft gear is definitely a good idea.
Speaking of fashion and local chique in GER: you can actually tell the city people live in by just looking at their clothing. Munich vs Berlin, Cologne vs Hamburg, etc.... easy call :-) By rhe way: my favorite brand for functional clothing, especially during winter, is Mammut (from Switzerland). In most places, high heels and stilettos are refered to as "Sitzschuhe" by women (personally, I like the word "Hausschuhe" as well)....
This is different in Germany: we don't speak 10 minutes about anything what you can say in 30 seconds. We get bored very quickly, if someone explains one issue five times.
There is no point in bringing a BMW or Volkswagen from America to Germany, they are built here. Cars from the USA also require European approval, which means that cars have to be converted, for example yellow rear indicators. Or they need a special permit. Then the exhaust gas values have become stricter in recent years. Then it's cheaper and easyer to buy cars here. Or if you only need one for a short time, you can rent it.
there are about 50 countries in europe...saying anything about safety in europe is very difficult...there are countries that are very safe (generally speaking the north, the west and the middle incl. switzerland and austria), there are other areas where you have to be carefull especially around touristy sights (mostly the south of europe) and then there are areas I do not travel to anymore because I got robbed so.many.times. (East) And I mean I am sorry for putting it this way because this is very unfair to some coutries...but saying something about europe like safety is the same is just not true. I would go to norway and leave my wallet in any the city center and I'd get it back ASAP...would not do the same in russia or even ukraine About dressing nicely...jeans and tshirt will be ok for 90% of the situations so you don't need to dress nicely...and sweatpants are ok as well but you should make sure it looks decent (just a basic black one will do - I wear them allll the time to uni and stuff...just not around the city center or at work (where you get paid and represent a brand...uni doesn't count))...yoga pants however are indeed very stange if you are not in a gym...
Huge caveat on the tip about the car: this is only true if you are going to live in a really big city. If you are going to live in a smaller town, you could still use public transport, but it will dictate your time schedule, you can't expect to be able to get a bus or a tram to where you need to go at any time. If you are going to live in the suburbs or a village on the outskirts of an urban area, not having a car will make your life a lot more difficult. I live in a village that is only 8 km away from the next medium sized city. It is possible to get to work or to school and back by bus (if you have a regular work schedule during daytime only, that is), but during the week, last bus back to my village goes at 8 pm (only on Saturdays there is a later one), so forget going downtown for the evening or just visiting a friend in town for dinner if you don't have a car (well, or if you are a sports enthusiast and enjoy hiking or cycling the 8 km, but don't rely on public transport). And don't get me started on actual rural areas far away from the major cities.
The point of cars really depends on where you live. You of course dont need one in a city like Berlin but in small citys or villages you won´t be able to do anything without a car.
My mom sewed a pocket on my undershirt and made me keep my money and passport in it and it was awkward.... Every time i wanted to pay for something i had to literally lift my shirt and unzip my money pocket...
Some european countrys have well organised pickpocket organisations, the skipatori in rome are famous. They used to drop of the wallets once a day at the police... without cash of course but at least you got your cards back. Robbery , especialy armed robbery is really rare.
Vielleicht vertragen wir nicht so viel Kälte wie Leute aus Kanada, weil es eben nicht so kalt wird. So gut wie jeder hat einen Wintermantel/Parka und ich friere im Winter trotzdem manchmal, auch schon bei minus 10 Grad. Tolle Videos, hab dich erst jetzt entdeckt und finde du stellst deine Rankings immer sehr diplomatisch dar. Du weißt, dass nicht jeder mit dir übereinstimmen wird und bringst das gut rüber.
As someone living in the north of Sweden I agree with your last point... I don't even bother with my real winter gear if I go to the south of Sweden so Germany is in my eyes at most like a fall season all through winter.
I've been to multiple big cities in Europe and yes - theft is a big deal - but I've never have witnessed anything or had anything ever stolen from me. Maybe the secret is to look young and broke lol.
I went to school (around 2000 +/- 5 years for a rough idea, rural area of Germany, lots of farm kids, trades kids, etc) our older teachers strongly disiked us wearing jeans to school. We didn't had to go home or change, but we did get a 5min lecture on respect, appereance - for reasons similar to the idea of being on time.
Your money or handbag or purse can be stolen in every city worldwide no matter where you are, but some European countries are more dangerous like Italy or Spain. And nobody who lives here wear moneybelts other than young children ( who would loose it otherways) or tourists. And I would recommend that only in big cities in tourist spots. I think the poorer the country the higher the change. I think there is not much difference on the chance if your money will ever be stolen or not, maybe once in your lifetime I would say. My grandma had her purse stolen with 86 for the first time. And yeah in cities you don’t need a car at all, but on the countryside you do need one. In cities you could rent a care or pay a taxi. But I am from north Germany Hamburg and here everyone needs a winter jacket with federn. But you here definitely need a good fleece rain jacket for spring and autum and a fleece sweater jacket you can wear under, in the north we wear Schichten and when it gets warmer while your outside you can put off one Schicht of clothes. So I normally in winter when going outside wear a under shirt, a long arm shirt or double neck shirt and a sweat jacket with my winter jacket with Daunen on top plus a hat, a scarf and gloves than your good to go. For being long outside you can actually need thick socks in your winter boots or a legging unter your normal pants, so no wind gets through. And you can also buy here rain jackets plus rain pants, every child in Hamburg has both because it nearly can rain everyday in spring or autumn or winter and also in summer often, so for nicking you can need those, but you can also buy in sport shops wind and rain proof pants and jackets especially for going to the North Sea in winter you really need that, trust me. That’s the reason why so many stores at the North Sea go so good, because tourists from everywhere come often not aquipped for the bad weather and especially the cold wind and rain, so you need even in summer rain jackets, because it can happen that you have 14 days holiday at the North/baltic Sea or Ostsee where it actually rains every day, what even people from south Germany often don’t think and expect and don’t bring the Right clothes. So rather buy a cheaper rain jacket in our city or town than spending hundreds of Euro for one over priced at the North Sea and ost sea. When you have the money you of course can do that, but many people regret they didn’t bring a rain jacket or warm enough jacket and a fleece jacket, because in north Germany you need every evening a thicker jacket even when there where 30 degrees Celsius during the day in can get really cold in the nights and often you wanna also do something outside in the night, have a walk at the ocean, go to a restaurant or just sit outside at a cafe or your garden, balcon or terraces. That’s what at least I say every person not from the north who visits me and foreigners need a bit more explanation how the weather is in north Germany. We often get cold weather from Russia or Sweden and it didn’t make a difference in how cold it Fells than actually being in sweden. We have family in Sweden and it was actually warmer with -20 degree Celsius in Sweden than zero degrees in my home. So I was riding there a bicycle in that weather without getting really cold. But north Sweden is probably different also.
Thanks very much for the video. I always assumed the ladies with High Heels come from Russia but now I learn they may also come from the US. And definitely from the US when they wear a pyjama. How sweet 🤗 Ahh, BTW: I need my Canada Goose jacket whenever I visit my friends in Canmore, AB.
In northern Germany, between the seas, we need a warm parka sometimes. Because even -5 can feel like -15 because of the humidity. And beeing from Sibiria, I know how -15 or even -40 feels. Fur (can be fake fur) is also nice to have because of the wind.
I wear sweatpants whenever I want when I go outside, I do get some stares but at the end I don’t care. Except in school, we do have a rule that we‘re not allowed to wear them.
If you walk out in sweatpants or go to school in them, people will think you don't have your life together. We would probably offer to eat ice-cream and see a movie with you.
Winter here can be very different to your short 6 year experience. There had been very cold and long winters, lot of snow even far north of Dusseldorf and of cause up to -20° C when car gets issues starting except inside a garage. 2010 had a long cold snow season.
Depending on the region you are from. Even in the Eifel, we had this year the first real winter in many years. The last three years I would think, were not so cold and almost no snow at all. Difficult to make a definiate point.
Hahahah! How ironic that I JUST posted this video and then the temperatures dropped MEGA! A big slap in the face for me hahaha. Yes! My goodness! I’m so thankful I brought it! Hahaha
@@lifeingermany_ Dont't worry too much though. It doesn't get this cold here very often. The last time I remember it being this cold and snowy was about 10 years ago
@@lifeingermany_ Nah, it's still relatively warm. I remember being in Montreal in the -30's where a bottle of water froze on me as I took it from one store to another down the block. That'll never happen in Germany, even with a temp drop--OK maybe some exceptions--like the winter in 2006 was in the -10s or -20s in Berlin, but, man, it still felt warm compared to Montreal. Nice video, btw. Thanks!
Good morning ☕🥐, usually i bring a minimum of things with me no matter what i do. And if i like to live somewhere abroad, there are shops as well with the local stuff to complete the things i need to live there. Girls do a lot of funny things to look nice and sexy and it's nice of course, but not always necessary. Cobblestones are not the ladies best friend. By the way, the picture was nice 😁 That must be a funny sight to see someone in his pyjama pants at school or college. Everyone would think, does she not wash the clothes and has nothing else except Berlin maybe. There is everything possible and nothing really shocks you.
If you live in a smaller city or a small city. A motor vehikel is needed. If you are young (Mofa) and if you are old enough a car. Living in a city with 5.000 people i know that is is needed :-)
Hey, i like your videos really, but today i wear a Winter Parka, because we have -10°C...brrrr.. I live in East Germany and in the Winter it became really cold... 2011 we have -25°C....
Ahhh yes okay haha that’s cold!! Sounds more like Canadian temperatures! We have -3 in Düsseldorf today, but my winter parka is TOO warm for this weather 😝
Also ich bin in Düsseldorf-Benrath geboren und zwischen D, Köln und Leverkusen aufgewachsen. Ist Düsseldorf eine 'schickere' Stadt bezüglich der Kleidung? Naja, nicht ganz Düsseldorf ist die Königsallee...der typische Düsseldofer neigt aber leicht zum Hochmut und zur Angeberei. Aber alle 5 Sachen sind gut nachzuvollziehen und auch aus meiner Sicht völlig zutreffend. Neben München soll Düsseldorf die schwierigste Autofahrerstadt sein- nicht nur das Parken kann herausfordern. Gut gemachtes und sympathisches Video: Daumen hoch und bitte weiter so!!!
Naja, habe in Ddorf meinen Führerschein gemacht. Wenn man es nicht anders kennt, passt das schon. Zudem ist in der Altstadt meist leichte Trinkerkleidung angesagt.
It's really interesting to hear the things from the view of a non-german. I never thought about the combination of cobblestone and High Heels before this video. :D
well as a german I can say, I do appreciate if people look decent outside, I would never think about going outside in my sweats... except for maybe sports but actually those are way to warm for sports so no...
Berlin actually gets some colder temperatures (not exactly Canada cold) compared to more western cities, because when cold weather is coming in winter in Germany it's coming from the east.
I‘m German and I agree 99%. The 1% goes to what you said about parking your car in 2nd row: not allowed, you could get a ticket or be towed. Other than that: well said about where you need a winter jacket and where a raincoat. 👍 Love from me❣️💝☺️ PS: German’s are commenting all over videos like this, because we tend to do quality management on everything - especially when it’s something about our place... 😂😘
Haha thanks so much for the comment! And totally true about the quality management haha - but I love it! Ahh you’re right about the parking in the second row! It drives me nuts when people do it (or when my husband does it and I tell him not to haha)... but I don’t think I mention anything about second row parking in this video particularly... mostly talk about parallel parking - something you NEED to do in German cities but not very often in Canada 😝 it’s a skill not many Canadians have haha
@@lifeingermany_ Oooh, now I understand - apologies! This was clearly a language misunderstanding, but I know now what is meant. It’s the skill to park into small parking spaces by driving parallel to the front car of the empty space in the parking row and then move into the slot backwards. ...Glad we solved this. 😅 Thank you for clarifying! 😘😊
Looks like you are living in Unterbilk. I am living in Erkrath and without a a car I would be lost. So it definitely depends on where you are living. Of course, here in Erkrath, parking is no problem at all and it is free everywhere.
Yeah that mention of mine definitely refers to the more central parts of any German city 🙃! But the infrastructure from Erkrath is still EXCELLENT compared to smaller towns in Canada where I’m from, that’s for sure!
To any grown-up man I recommend NOT to wear a baseball cap, sneakers and shorts in shopping malls, restaurants, churches, museums or the old quarters of cities. They are "socially accepted" only at the beach and with out-door activities. For sure you won't be arrested for committing an aesthetic crime, but people's first impression of you might be "what an uncultivated person, what a dumb-ass". Men and women should remember that in some churches you should, or even have to, cover your naked shoulders. Just a sign of respect to these "holy houses".
What is wrong with you. I haven't worn long pants since June this year and I go to malls and restaurants regularly. I also go to these places with Flip Flops.
My kids are not allowed to leave the house in sweat pants. It would be almost the same as leaving the house in pajamas: A NO GO! You'll only see 2 kinds of people in sweat pants at the supermarket: People with a low social standard (who don't care) or people from Eastern Europe (where this ist very usual). To me (and I'm not alone) sweat pants in public are neglected and shabby. Especially when they are dirty. The only acceptable exception is when you're outdoors for sports.
I worked in Bilk many years ago and the lowest winter temperature I remember was -15C. I also thought that whatever clothes you wore would not be regarded as unusual. People seemed to wear all sorts of odd things, particularly in the Altstadt.
Manchmal liegt es aber auch daran wer es trägt. Eine Leggings in Größe m oder l in einem dezenten Farbton kann bei jungen Frauen durchaus gut aussehen. Aber nicht in Größe 5XL in irgendwelchen neon Farben mit Flip Flops. Meine Frau fragt mich dann immer. "Haben die Zuhause alle keinen Spiegel?" Vor einigen Jahren hat mal jemand gesagt:" wer in Jogging Hosen rumläuft, der hat sein Leben nicht im Griff "
Haha I guess it depends on how far you intend to travel! The rainy weather can put a damper on motorcycle travel through the winter months, but otherwise it’s great here in germany!
Money belt is practical when you travel with backpack or you visit tourist places in Europe. Don't have your wallet in your back pocket in your pants, this is an easy place to loose your wallet because there are trained pickpocket thieves in Europe. I always have my wallet in a front pocket in my jacket or pants
Agree with all these points! Especially about how people dress - yes generally Europeans even Germans, tend to dress nicer than N. Americans. They're not all like Parisians, but nowhere near as casual as most places in N. America. And so true about the parka/coat/jacket situation!
Very nice tips Jenna. You are so correct about the wet weather gear over the big parkas. I am a Columbia brand fan and I have several winter jackets as well as Columbia fleece rain gear. I will (hopefully) be taking my wife and kids to Germany in December 2021 and we will be visiting the Christmas markets. I am also planning on taking a group of friends to Germany in September 2021 as well.. :) :)
@@lifeingermany_ Ohne Witz! Hab morgens nur ein paar Minuten, um vom Bus in die Bahn zu kommen und das im Dauersprint! Bin da schon mal selbst umgeknickt und das in meinen Sketchers!
In meinen 20ern bin ich in eine Großstadt umgezogen und hatte meinen ersten Bürojob. Wollte besonders schick sein, und hatte daher fast jeden Tag Absatzschuhe an. Keine Higheels, eher so 4-5 cm. Zum Bus sprinten kann man schon in denen😉. Aber irgendwann hat dann doch die Vernunft gesiegt. Jeden Tag 10 Stunden in Absatzschuhen und dazu noch schwere Einkäufe nach Hause tragen (ohne Auto, mit Bus) da tun die Füße doch sehr weh.
I do keep my pyjamas on every morning when I drop my kid in the kindergarten, get a coffee in my favourite café and go to the supermarket afterwards. But I live in Kreuzberg, Berlin... Düsseldorf truly is a completely different world!
Ich lebe in Hessen, in einer kleinen Universitätsstadt. Pyjama ist ein Nogo. Und Jogginghosen trägt man außerhalb des Hauses nur wenn man wirklich Sport treibt oder "wenn man die Kontrolle über sein Leben verloren" hat. 😎😉
Unfortunately, North Americans are so paranoid about daring to venture abroad although Canadians much less so. Life is so much more secure, free and safe in Europe. We also have a more developed sense of style, this side of the pond, which is where so many of the great fashion houses are.
Hi Jenna! We were introduced to your channel through Darion yesterday when you live-streamed with him. Very insightful video, and we would have to agree with so many of your points as expats coming from the US. Especially the car, although we do have 1 car, and at one point had 2, simply because we like to travel and bike in germany, and getting to those more rural locations is where we find the public transport to suffer quite a lot...oh well. We hope we get to interact with you more!
Hey there! You guys have an awesome channel! I just subscribed 🤩🤗 I also agree about the car situation - we are actually moving a bit outside of the city Center and I’m excited to get my independence of having a car back 🙈 sooo nice!
1:06 „no theft in Germany?“ ... it happens... more often in tourist areas (sightseeing/ airport/ (Oktober-)fest/ ...) but decades ago my mothers purse was cut the the side and wallet was stolen ... in the Subway... soo, it CAN happen, once in a while... so please: keeps your passport apart (hotel safe) from your credit-card and separate from your cash. DO NOT INVITE thieves... and yes, You also find honestly people, that bring your wallet in case you have dropped them... but do no rely on your luck... what a TOURIST. in GERMANY can do: ask Polizei 👮♀️walking of the street... a)if they have a short time for a chat, and if so, b) WHAT THEY suggest for Tourists and what they KNOW other people had called them. ALWAYS: better be safe, then sorry.
Thiefs exist everywhere, of course. but there a way more Thiefs in mass tourist hotspots. And european countries arent the same. And usually you dont need those expensive thiefaware equipments in Germany. in common
I don't understand how fur around the hood is supposed to keep anyone warm. The only reason to put it there is to make a mediocre looking jacket look luxurious. An attempt that fails because I find that look cheap and ridiculous. Fur coats are ideal in very, very cold weather and look good but I don't live in Siberia or Alaska. I also suspect that it sometimes is cat fur when it says it's artificial fur and I love cats. So I would never buy that kind of jacket. Live animals look much better.
3:00 In Köln wirst du direkt beklaut... 3:25 Möchte mal sehen, wie man damit seinen Kindern hinterher rennt, wenn die mal nicht hören und über die Straße laufen... 7:25 Ich wünschte, ich hätte ein Auto, dann müsste ich nicht vier Stunden am Tag pendeln...
8:14 „Winter Parker“ ... for longer wander-tours in the cold, yes... going 200m to the heated shopping area, no :-) Also being outside for some hours without a roof, with the rapid changing weather (sunny/rain/ wind) you might want to use different layers, you can adjust easily: t-Shirt, pullover, windbreaker/Rainjacket with hood...
Best advice on shoes (imo): Get yourself a pair of shoes that are A) waterproof and B) fit you well. The warmth can be regulated by the socks. For example I got myself a pair of hiking boots that I love to wear all year long, whenever I go for longer walks (unless it's like 30°C). Last winter I took them on a trip to Iceland (as you can imagine, Iceland is freezing cold during winter). I wore thermo socks in my boots and didn't get cold feet in the snow (and wet feet only once, because the snow was too deep/higher than my boots).
If you go to a smaller city or a village ( oder einfach aufs Land *wie sagt man's auf englisch 😅*) you NEED a car. Because public transportation SUCKS out here.
Actually the parkas aren't to keep you warm in the snow. More likely you will see them to be worn in flat terrain where it tends to get windy, like the coastal regions. The wind can be so bad there that -2°C feel like -20°C because it's the biting wind coming from the east like Siberia and blowing over the flats. But for cities like Düsseldorf i agree with you. They mostly are populated dense so that the wind cant really make its way through the streets. Then it doesn't get as cold usually.
Well, in winter in Berlin, it can get quite cold. Not happen too often anymore, but the weather comes from east there, so - 15 is easy possible. In Rome, I would always wear a money belt. Paris and Barcelona as well.. and of course they are picpockets in Berlin as well.
Often cars from the US or Canada do not meet the strict regulations in Germany and need to be "adapted" to those, which can be very expensive. Also the dimensions of American cars are different (they can be ways too wide or high) and you maybe can not enter or leave parking garages / parking decks with them.
Yes parking in Düseldorf is horrible.A winter parka is not wrong to have here in germany,cause -5 digrees is even cold (at least for me) keep it up and stay safe.
I totally agree especially with the car thing. My parents never had a car, I don't have a car and will never get one. I live in the city and I usually use public transport or bike or I go by foot. I use car sharing though.
Sweat pants are a no go, unless you want to train. Sweaters on the other hand are fine, unless it seems to be a totally sportive sweater. Cars: if you really, really, REALLY believe you need a car in a city, don't even think about buying a huge Dodge Ram or something silly like that. You will NEVER find a parking space in the inner cities. Period. Heck, even parking garage slots might be too small for something like that. Unless you got allocated parking at your apartment building, or a car port, or a garage, you will find that the search for a parking spot in larger cities may easily take more time than the actual commuting distance takes to drive. Sure, if you intend to live in a more rural area, you may find that it is useful to own a car. But trust me, once you see German gas prices, you WANT, nay, NEED a very mileage efficient car here. In essence, the gas prices equal roughly THREE times what it costs in the USA. Sorry, can't compare to Canada, as I don't have any experiences with Canadian gas prices. Filling up one of the typical fuel guzzling American monster cars here will cost you around a tenth of a standard monthly wage. No, I am NOT kidding; this is a real thing. $130-$140 for a full 25 gallon fuel tank is easily in the normal price range. A liter of super fuel (that's what 95 octane fuel is called in Germany) will cost (depending on varying daily prices) between 1.25-1.45€ per liter. So, the gallon is roughly 3.8 liters, then you have to multiply it by roughly 1.1 to get the price in US$. So 25 gallons * 3.8*1.25*1.1 = $130.65 And that's at the cheapest price range you can find. Winter parka in Germany, with a (fake) fur hood, is definitely a fashion statement and not practical. Unless you intend to visit the higher regions during the winter. Otherwise that is a total waste to bring. Standard somewhat warmer clothes is enough. Rain jackets are probably a better investement.
