So interesting to hear as a German I just wanted to drop a little lifehack if you can't keep up with the cashiers at the supermarket: put your fruit and vegetables last on the checkout tape because these take longer for the cashiers to scan because they often have to type in a number first and weigh them so you got a little time window to pack up your other groceries before you have to pay :)
@@Sophie-cm2un I pack first before paying too lol. I dont wanna get rushed/stressed just because someone behind me doesnt have patience. It's actually a great way to practice patience. When I was traveling abroad in australia one time an old lady had like a life conversation with the cashier and I just had like 3 items. Those moments are perfect to see the humor in life. And if you really have to be quick because of emergency or appointment there is always the way to open the mouth and ask politely with respect :)
One remark with regards to the "Pfand" thing, just to clarify, because this seems to be an issue also many germans don't get: you don't need to bring back your bottle to where you bought it. You can claim back your Pfand/deposit from any shop, that sells the same brand or item. It's a zero sum game throughout the whole trading chain. That's the beauty of it ;)
To make it more precise, any store that sells One Way bottles (25 cents) needs to take any of those kind back, no matter the brand or item. The only exception here is stores under 200m². They are only obligated to take back what they actually sell. Multi-Use bottles, however, are different the store only needs to take back those they also sell, though most big chains just accept anything with the symbol on it.
It’s always so funny and interesting to hear other people talk about your own country. It makes you see „normal“ things from a different perspective😁 And I think I can speak for most Germans, when I say that no one really ever gets used to the lightspeed at supermarket checkouts😄
I’m so glad it’s not just me being slow !! 🤧 I feel you with reflecting on what you’ve taken to be “normal”! I’m excited for my international friends to show me new sides to England x
It's funny, all the things Jade mentioned is the same as what happens in Belgium 😂 Aside from the rap music or dark rooms maybe. I never knew our nationalities were so alike.
5:15 as a german you would have written an angry letter to the Bus-Service and explained your situation and of course the incompetence of the "Kontrolleur" in detail :D if it was not intentional there is still the chance to not pay the 60€ .. happened to me also you are not the only one
Deutsche Bahn Eskapaden, die gefühlt jeder durchmachen müsste 😂 hab's damals einfach nicht bezahlt und 2 Jahre Post vom Rechtsanwalt bekommen, war dann bei 543€, irgendwann bekam ich keine Post mehr 😂
oh yeah, I was fined for apparently buying the wrong ticket (the same I used for months without problems), but since I was late for work I didn't have the time for explanations, after work I went to the customer service but I couldn't even pay the fine because the fine lady decided she doesn't know English, tried in German with no success. so I said fuck it and paid via bank transfer. such pitiful people
Was as a student in Berlin. I had no idea how the Fahrkartensystem worked and I basically bought tickets for each day, but I did not devalue them. The Kontrolleur was nice enough to explain to me how it works and make me devalue the cards for the days I had already stayed.
Im german, and this felt like a love letter. Thank you for the kind words on this country. I'm also from Berlin and its great to have / have had you here. ☀️
I'm from Frankfurt. I've never heard of those dark rooms. But I've never been to Berlin before.. I've been to England and Ireland a couple of times and at first it was so weird to me that shops were open on sundays (it still feels wrong to me). I actually avoided buying anything on sundays there cause I felt bad for people that had to work :'D
People do work on Sunday in Germany too, so do you feel sorry to buy something in Cafe? I used to work every other week in Germany on sunday, because people like to get their online bought packages on monday ... not to spaek of hospitals, police, restaurants & cafes.
@@n_other_1604 I know I didn’t want to elaborate. I work on sundays myself. It just felt wrong getting my groceries on sundays when I could’ve gotten them on any of the 6 days before. I just think about the debate of opening shops on Sunday in german too. I just think like “let them have their day off”. I admit it might not make sense to other brains. But it does make sense to mine 😅
As a german I can confirm that most things are true almost everywhere, except the dark rooms in clubs and the putting your stuff on the street, I think that's more a Berlin thing or a big city thing. Also Berlin is quite different from the rest of Germany. And yes, German Rap is pretty cool and also quite diverse
Denkt man... aber dark rooms gibts auch in anderen Städten Köln,Mannheim etc. .... Nur die Kombination zwischen Darkroom und Technoclub ist in Berlin einmalig. Dark Rooms sind in der Schwulenszene sehr verbreitet.
german rap is cringe af and full of muslims, not diversity. Muslims. Diversity would be if there were a few asian or black rappers too, but 90% of "german" rappers are inmigrants or the children of inmigrants from the middle east.
Mark Twain once said, "The German language should be gently and reverently laid down with the dead languages, for only the dead have the time to learn it." And the German writer Erhard Blanck said, "Because the English language is altogether less expressive than German, it may also simplify everything."
Hm, I disagree with Mr Blanck. I'm bilingual, I wonder how deeply he has immersed himself into the English language? I totally love his aphorisms, though, and thus, I must disagree with Mr. Twain also :)
As if English would be simple if you look closly enough... By the way German is not exceptionally complecated. Articles and cases exist in most European languages and some have even more. Also Slavic languages are complicated and I would not call French an easy language. Hungarian or Finnish are also not simple as they are quite distinct from other European languages and hard to imagine to learn a language with completely different background like Arabic or a Chinese language. Compared to that German should be rather easy for English natives as it has much in common. Maybe only Dutch is easier.
Fun fact: "umbrella" is not a "random word", it's Italian/Latin for "little shade" - so also something very literal, except it refers to the sun, not to the rain. 🤓
The cashiers are often actually pressured by their bosses to speed things along for various reasons. One of the main ones obviously being profit. They also frown upon employees opening too many tills at once since these supermarkets are often very understaffed. A friend of mine works at a well-known supermarket chain and has told me some unbelievable stories 😅
YES! I work for Netto and we need to reach a certain amount of items in a certain amount of time AND reach a certain amount of Profit in a certain amount of time
@@strongpowerty9377 sooner or later you leave. Same in Callcenters. If you cant get to the numbers in the first place, its very likely to not even get over the try-out period (6 month most often; can be prolonged if both parties think it might work with some extra training-time). After that you just change the employer and start "over again" until you find something that sticks/got enough training to make it work.
@@veronika6173 Which is all well and good, but it's not your speed that defines how fast things go, but that of the customer. So you can only ever work as fast as they pack their stuff.
As a German myself I feel like Germans are more work-driven, hence have their Sundays of otherwise they would all be workaholics! Having studied for 4 years abroad, Germany does feel like a culture shock to me again I must say. My outlook on Germany might be a bit negatively distorted by now 😆 But I am glad you enjoy our country!
@@yukidoit if you don't mind me asking, was studying there expensive? i'm from Lithuania and currently trying to decide where i want to study. the Netherlands and Germany are both options, but i'm worried that i won't be able to afford it :/
@@ilikegreenteaverymuch4173 it’s around 2000€ per year. But studying in an international city is well worth it in my honest opinion. Groningen is also pretty cozy, people call it the small Amsterdam.
The ticket checkers scammed you here, and it pains me to say that there's a good chance they only did that because you're a foreigner and they thought they would get away with it. If their own machine is broken, they are only allowed to charge you the regular ticket price and certainly not throw you off the train. I do generally avoid buying any tickets on the train myself because what you describe happens disturbingly often (they don't take care of their vending machines) and I would much rather not go through the stress of arguing with a**hole employees...
They officially abolished the option to buy tickets on the train last year, so the ticket checkers don't have to give you a ticket, even if the machine is broken. They can say you could have bought it online or from the "Schalter" etc. Of course you can argue with the company afterward to reopen the case but they are allowed to charge you the same way as if you didn't want to buy a ticket and are illegal on the train. That's also exactly why, because people are trying to use the broken machine-thing or "I wanted to buy a ticket on the train" as an argument to take the train without a ticket, every time until they are caught.
@@Staronatyou're wrong when the Machine in the train is broken,you must only pay the regular price. When you dont have a option to buy a Ticket on the station,you must search for the conductor. That is for Trains.Maybe the S-Bahn handle this a little bit different.
The Ticket checkers have a very Bad Reputation in Berlin,they have many Times Problem with the Police. On the other Site the official train staff members in Uniform ,they checking Tickets too are helpful and doing a good Job to 99%
😂 you are correct they cannot fine you but your tactics is wrong. Have à ticket you need to stamp, check if the machine is working, if it is stamp your ticket. If not, don't and enjoy the free ride 😁oh fir additional safety, go ti the driver and say: the machine is nit working - he will tell you you can travel for free..of course that is in rural places where there is no machine in the station
German here. I think you made a pretty good round-up :D - The cashiers are still too SLOW for us Germans. We still complain and look for the fastest queue. - Yes, sundays are holy. I hope that it will stay that way. There are some attempts to change that. - It's true about the cash culture. We Germans always get nervous when we don't have cash in our pockets. - I didn't know that thrifting on the streets was a German thing. I always get some nice and useful things there. - I stopped wearing makeup two years ago and I'm happy with it. - Yes, the tap water thing. We really should change that ASAP. - The fact that Brits and Americans are indirect is really difficult for us Germans. It's confusing. We never know where we stand with you guys.
Supermarkets in the UK are so chill! They even wait for you to place all your items on the conveyor belt before the start scanning. It makes the shopping experience so much better. I am almost worried that I get used to it and will cry in panic the next time I go back to Germany and do my grocery shopping..
Love shopping in the UK, like you said it’s a real chill, no stress at the checkout, it’s a “ alright love how ya doin’ ? “ type thing and then you come back to DE and it’s back to the lightning ⚡️ speed ( BlitzSpeed ) of packing your stuff before the next customer’s stuff is mixed in with yours…
Girl, I’m currently trying to master supermarket packing and I must say it’s a STRESSFUL SITUATION. The day I leave Berlin I hope to be a fast professional packer. That’s literally my goal in life. 😓😂
@@UnJadedJade I’d be lying if I said I don’t tend to go to the self check out section so I can take my sweet ass time and not get bouts of anxiety each time I’m trying to buy groceries 😬😂
@@hovawartfreunde4599 I put the rectangular boxes and cartons first (milk, flour, frozen veggies etc.). Then potatoes and other robust fruit and veggies and sliced sausage and cheese. The last items are delicate fruits and eggs and bakery items. With that order I can pack neatly cartons, and lay anything else in the order it passes through on top.
The trick is putting it on the belt in the right order. Heavy items first then the stuff that will survive being tossed in the cart at the end delicate things (bananas, ...). Take the cart outside and pack there in peace.
Loved this video, this is soo accurate. I'm German and have lived abroad for 12 years now (in Zurich, Dublin, Tokyo, Singapore). This is spot on. Really shows a depth of knowledge and interest in the culture. Great that you went beyond the stereotypes (and yes: many are indeed true :) ).
You're like: German is so hard it has 3 articles. When I was learning German i was so happy that it has only that and that it kind of makes sence, because in my language (I'm Czech) it's like 10 times more comlicated. 😅
6:00: "When they throw in some weird tenses, nominative, dative..." Nominative and dative are cases and you have them in English as well, you just don't often notice them because they are usually all the same.
In my town supermarkets are open on Sundays during the “tourist season” (~April to October). They do this so tourists can shop their groceries even when they arrive on a Sunday and I think this might be pretty exclusive for my area. It’s called ✨Bäderregelung✨ if you want to look it up :)
Coming from a part-time cashier in Lidl in Czech republic... can we also close all shops on sundays? When it was implemented here for a while during lockdown, despite crazy saturday crowds (that weren't really helping with covid 😅) I really liked the idea of a day that actually allows people to rest and focus on themselves. At least a bit. Oh and a great video, as always! I really like watching this kind of content. 😍
But you know all cinemas, restaurants, gas stations etc. are open on sundays? People work there too. Those people are not worse than cashiers in Aldi so close everything or open everything instead of dividing people in groups who 'deserve' it and who don't.
@@AsterFoz Oh I definitelly did not mean to say only cashiers deserve it or something. I was just hooked on the idea of all people having a set day off to enjoy without realizing this... but I understand that some places are open and some just have to be open, like hospitals, hence it cannot really be fair... 😞
For me, It was a shock when I noticed that the inspectores on the train had changed their strategy, wearing everyday clothes instead of their usual uniform, just so as not to attract attention immediately. Because in the past it was always the case that most people who did not have a ticket on the train got off immediately when they saw inspectors, so that they do not have to pay a penalty because they did not have a card with them. But the fact that inspectors now always wear everyday clothes instead of their uniforms has made it more difficult to see who is a controllor and who is not.
I have a bit of the opposite experience.. I went from Germany to study in the uk. Was absolutely amazed how slow supermarket’s can be, actually relaxing… and it needed some getting used to paying with card all the time.
@@davegl9305 If I was ever unfortunate enough to experience going through a German check-out, I would be just like one of the people from the Balkans or who happen to belong to the Muslim faith. I would be extremely slow and therefore a cause of stress for anyone with your level of patience. New Zealanders are fairly laid back and aren't inclined to be hyperactive at checkouts. To the contrary, we often smile and may have a few pleasant words to say to our checkout staff. They are valued and have fairly uncomfortable, monotonous jobs. They are ordinary people, just like the rest of us. The least we can do is to be a friendly face, to smile, or to say "thankyou". We can think to comment on their names, ask them how their day is going, or something else. Interesting little conversations occur in those few seconds. We don't think of it as smalltalk. We know it is aroha. Nothing fake about our korero. As Jacinda describes it - it is being "kind". Standing in line sometimes takes longer when an elderly person pays for their groceries. Elderly people are precious members of our communities and receive respect and patience as they are the slowest ones among our people. Where you buy groceries do you have elders who move slowly or is it truly Muslims and people from the Balkans who are slow? We know that just a few friendly words can help us all feel good. Supporting others is a Kiwi thing more than efficiency of time. Kohahitanga helps our unity and manaakitanga is how we care for others. I am just describing some values in NZ. "E tu" means "Stand up". I am standing up against your racism, Bro. Many of us are still dumbfounded, and are still recovering from the superiority, entitlement, dehumanization, loss and horror in our pasts. Please people, whoever you are, please press like if you know that none of us are part of any superior group. E tu. Respect others who are different to us. Enjoy diversity. Our borders are open now. We will do that for any of you.
It's really interesting how other countries see Germany, but I have to say that Berlin is really like another world in Germany. I'm from Bavaria and there are some things that are even for me strange to hear :D
In my opinion, the Fahrkaftenkontrolleure (the people that check your ticket) were taking advantage of you being a foreigner. The machines in the Ubahn are there for a reason and if they're not working, it isn't your fault and you shouldn't be held accountable. I would've argued with them for eternity if they were making me pay 60 Euros for something that wasn't my fault. Also a little tip for german rap: Nura She raps about political issues, at least from the songs I know of. And German love the song Bruttosozialprodukt for parties haha About recycling: You can get penalties of up to 80€ if you don't sort it correctly :D Never heard of the Darkrooms before though, lol.
yeah, you're supposed to buy them from the Kontrolleur if the machine isn't working - although it is possible that she couldn't explain the situation well and they thought she was doing it intentionally.
Wenn der Automat nicht geht musst du halt zur nächsten Station gehen. So ist das und nicht anders. Behinderte und Senioren sind nicht ohne Grund vom Fahrpreis befreit bzw. Haben eine Monats oder Jahreskarte.
Well going to the supermarket is like real life tetris to me. When i put my stuff on the belt i already plan ahead for packing. So i put the heavy, large stuff first and the small and delicate things last. So when everything arrives in the correct order you just quickly put the stuff in the bag and bob's your uncle!
your first story = true story! my sister and me always got into a little fight when it came to pack the groceries. so, I invented a system that makes it easier for me to throw the groceries into my bags AS FAST AS I CAN while being able to sort them. the system requires 100 % concentration - no interference (helping hands from my sister) is allowed! happy grocery shopping!
that's why I like supermarkets with a separate bagging area, so I just throw everything back in the cart or basket, pay and can sort it into my bag while the next customer is at the register.
@@mathephysikutz2961 what does that even mean? Ahaha. I never let other people's stress become my own. If they have stress they should just open another till or have more selfcheckouts. I'm not going to get involved in their little game of efficiency. Been in Germany 6 years, yet to have any issues with people stealing my food.
We are planning to move to Germany from the States...my daughter will love this she is 12, competetive natured and takes over my bagging haha! It will be amusing to watch .
Hi Jade! I'm moving to Potsdam, Germany (this Sunday!!) to start my PhD in Astrophysics after doing my master's at Bath University (I'm originally from France ), so this video has GREAT timing. It was great listening to your insights, it has made me excited and scared and I can't wait to discover German culture myself :) It was also really interesting to hear your experience as a Brit in Germany considering I've had my own culture shocks moving abroad to England haha!! Also, I can relate to your way of viewing the world and life so it was comforting to watch this!!
I spent my exchange in Germany 9 years ago and funny to see that not being able to pay with card thing hasnt changed a bit. 😅 Was also hard for me as a Finn, as our country was highly electrified already then, and I forgot about carrying money with very easily.
As a german.. I HATE our gorcery shopping experience like guuurlll im tryna have a chill late night shopping time but NOPE my items go WOOOSHHHH as soon as they touch the conveyer belt 😭😭😭😭 then again I worked as a cashier myself and they tell you to be fast 🤡
Omg Jade I'm an English teacher in Germany (I'm German teaching it as a foreign language) and one big goal is to have students learning intercultural competence. A really common example for that is how us Germans have to be SO careful with how direct we are when we travel to the UK or the USA (shoutout to the Americans who will get an honest answer to their constant "how are you". We don't know you don't actually wanna know 😭) 😂 This always ends up being an example in class of something we have to be mindful of during a school exchange. So hearing you say that made me giggle
When I, as a German, go for shopping, I prepare myself: - bringing several big bags, at least one for foods, one for cosmetics and cleaning products and a cooler bag. While shopping, I put all cooled foods in this bag, so they don’t warm up - at the checkout, I put all the heavy items first on the belt (bottles or tin cans), so they will be the first ones to be put in the bags - emptying the cooler bag all at once onto the belt, that saves time and you can easily put the items back in the bag without having to sort them - lightweights are the last ones to be put onto the belt - when the cashier starts, I now can easily sort my groceries into the bags, the heavy ones will not smash the delicate goods, the cooled ones will all be in the cooler bag and there is no need to repackage them in the car. Tataa! Pure efficiency! Besides: never heard of those dark rooms before. Gross!
Put your sh...t in the trolley and sort it at your car outside. We dont have time for a thousand different bags being diligently filled by people with time on their hands.
OMG I'm from Germany and I have never heard about a dark room in a club :D I'm from Bavaria and we definitely would not have that here. I've also been to Berlin in a few clubs and never seen it but probably it's been the most touristy clubs so they wouldn't have it I guess. That is just so weird, I would feel so uncomfortable hahaha :D I've also never seen a ticket checker being dressed normally and closing all the doors in the bus. I guess they know what they are doing up there in Berlin :D it's really funny though, to hear about the culture shocks and to see Berlin from your perspective :)
ich glaub sie meint wenn die türen schließen wie sie es immer tun, wenn der bus/ die bahn losfährt und omg teilweise sind die so casual unterwegs und so jung ich oder haben wie nh pärchen gewirkt was weiß ich
When I was watching ur video I had a feeling like I was listening to my friend after a long parting. My mood has lifted because of ur emotions and their influence to me
✨The German rap✨ gotta love it Saying this as a German I needed some time to get into it but now I’m really feeling it and I love seeing foreigner‘s reactions to it hahah
growing up in berlin taking the metro every single day and i’ve probably been checked less than ten times in my whole life lol and i feel like ppl form berlin will recognise the “ticket checkers” the second they see them despite them dressing civil ahahaha and it’s not trust in the german people it’s just lack of ability to actually control 💀💀 we stan berlin tho
its ridiculous to pay these prices for their so called "services" the fucking busses are omega full, the fucking trains and busses are always late, some even arrive at completey different times and some of these fucking workers/drivers are rude and dumb as shit, i will never pay for this as long as the situation doesnt change and everyone should do the same and boycott this bullshit
Hey Jade :) You are a real inspiration in what you do and how you conquer your life but maybe even more outstanding is the fact that you just seem like someone you would want to have in your circle. You are nice and friendly but you also want to achieve something in your life. And on the other hand you are so amazed by this life that you just send out beams of positive energy. I think that's what makes your videos so Special ;P Greetings from a German studying Psycho & Philo in Vienna😘
its so interesting to watch this as a German because all the things you´ve talked about (except the dark room lmao) seem so normal to me but seeing you talking about it form your perspective is so refreshing! It makes you look at the things differently :) I also have to recommend you my favorite German singer Lina Larissa strahl, her lyrics are so wonderful and touching :) lots of love to you jade!!
I would love to hear about your experience finding an apartment in Berlin. I'm moving to Germany soon and the idea of finding an apartment is quite daunting (especially since i'm currently in a different country).
Look for WGs/Wohngemeinschaften. The housing situation in Germany, especially in bigger cities such as Berlin, is not easy at all at the moment. (Or hasn't been for years, rather) It's hard to find an apartment and often quite expensive living on your own.
German way of doing things: Auf den Punkt kommen. Edeka is a supermarket, not a discounter. The cashier will drop your stuff at the end of the conveyor-belt into a "slot", if you're slow he/she can move a sliding bar so the following customer will get his/her stuff into a separate slot. Well, not often used bc each and everyone is used to packing their stuff AFAP. Different thing at ALDI/LIFL/Norma AKA discounters. There you can drop your stuff back into the cart and move it to a desk that is placed in the background. There you have all the time in the world to arrange your stuff in an-obviously-someone-from-abroad-kinda-pace.
Thanks for your perspective... Directness comes from the notion of honesty and being true - right in the face. The other way around is like Cornish people we met are very friendly and warm. Londoners seem to have no time and are "anonymous"... Stereotypes - I know... You have to visit Cologne! Cologne people are loud like Italians, very warm hearted and relaxed.
the ticket thing is sooo true. I got off at Alexanderplatz recently and they had a guy pinned to the ground because he bought the wrong ticket and refused to buy a new one. In the UK you could easily just walk away and they wouldn't do anything - its a little scary that they will do stuff like that in Berlin to be honest!! I'll never risk not buying one because I'm too scared hahaha
This seems to be a very charming place, I hope I can visit sometime in the future when all this is over. Seeing and sharing places like this is why I love traveling and make videos so much! And please keep up the great job! Subscribed!!
As a German, I'm always really grateful when I have a fast cashier in the supermarket. They're usually more than twice as fast as the slow ones, meaning there's usually isn't a long queue forming towards the back of the supermarket. It also helps, of course, that you're getting cashed out much quicker.
I still don’t see how any one could have a problem with directness.. wouldn’t life be so much simpler if everyone just stated what they want? Not only in relationships, but in any interaction
@@npineapple3077 If everyone would be direct no one would think it's rude. Also, it doesn't really depend on your social skills whether you understand indirect communication but more world and especially cultural knowledge.
actually to me and my culture we are indirectly direct. So you know what people mean when they are indirect but there is a difference: you dont have to be blunt. I sometimes see the directness of germans almost as being verry raw and unrefined/ lacking ettiquette. I dont need to hear my haircut is awful if i didnt ask for your opinion for example.Peopke are so entitled that they think their oinion on everything must be said bluntly even without being asked
@@e.5239 yeah I think it's 2 things. Being direct when discussing a topic - that's a good thing. But Germans can be super annoying with things that are none of their business and then it's just rude
@@TheFren yes I like constructive criticism and clear direction but criticism on my personal being is only appreciated if we are very close or if I actully asked you for your opinion. For example if i come in with a new haircut there is no need to say its awful if i didnt ask and even if I did you can say it in a more refined way. I hate north europeans trying to sell their lack of etiquette as✨ high culture✨ or ✨modern ✨ no you just need to learn how to be direct while having decency that can be enabled by empathy.
Just a small correction: Pfand is not for all Bottles, but: Plastic any size: 25ct - Glass like beer is 8 ct and Glass Wine Bottles are without Pfand. But we recycle them after Colour: Green - White - Brown :)
I hope you can go to Bayern some day! It's quite different than other parts of Germany (though you could say that about every region, Germany is so diverse!), and it's insanely beautiful and interesting! Lovely video
Keep Sundays #entspannt. That Sundays everything is closed is the MOST IMPORTANT THING ever. I would fight so much to keep it this way. German Sundays are the best.
Umbrella is related to umbra, meaning shade (diminutive, so little shade in this case). Just saying, most words look random until you get to their origin, then suddenly it's "aha!"
The great thing about the Pfand is that it doubles as a way to pay someone else to recycle the bottles for you. If people can't be bothered to go return a single bottle and just leave it somewhere, you may have noticed there are those who pick them up and return them for a living. Also there are sometimes special racks next to trash cans where you can put such bottles for that purpose, so others don't have to go dumpster diving for them. Or even if not, people place them next to the can. (That especially some older people have to live like that is another issue, but regarding trash and recycling this reward system works well.)
I'm old enough to remember when shops were closed all day on a Sunday in the UK too (the law only changed in 1994). We also have "ticket checkers" in the UK. They're called ticket inspectors both on the busses and trains.
the supermarket situation: I can relate!! I live in Vienna, and it's almost the same here, my fear of the situation grows as I advance to the cashier ;) Funny sidenote: I tend to pay in cash at the supermarket also because I can use the time the cashier spends on sorting the money in for grabbing my items :D
Just take & keep the basket or shopping cart & throw it in there to pack your bag afterwards & also put the stuff they would have to weigh at the end. I actually thaught grocery shopping in the UK was stressfull too because I felt weird to say yes when thes ask if I wan't it to be packed so I did it myself & you even have to be quicker as far as I remember.
Ergh, the supermarket thing is the worst! I just pack first and when they say Karte oder Bar I just say 'Kommt sofort' and carry on packing anyway. Then I pay afterwards. Stay strong.
Yes, Germany loves paper work 🙄 Our favourite thing is to staple and to file. I think you nailed the description of German bureaucracy. It is a joke, so annoying and inefficient😂 Had the perception that it’s the same in every country but no Germans love to make the lives of people even more difficult. „ Wo keine Arbeit ist, macht man sich welche.“ 👌🏻
The supermarket thing is not just German, that is the way it goes in many European countries. Also if you delay with paying you get the extra time you seem to ask for, as soon as the products are scanned you can put them in the bag, don't wait till everything is scanned before putting it in your bag. We don't have baggers; paper of plastic. We can do this ourselves, the way we want to do it. UK - not sure if you live some place special, but the times I've been to the UK, I didn't notice a difference... they also go on to the next customer if you are not done packing everything.
ooooh I'm so excited for what you're gonna say about this xD greetings from Bamberg, Germany edit: damn, so many true things, I know exactly what you mean! Also, I loved the Hamburg scenes, I used to live there and I love the city :)
Yeah, that thing about politeness is funny, for we germans sometimes offend british and french people with our direct and honest talk - it is seen as friendly though in germany, for it shows you, someone cares about you, and doesn't just make up something polite to please you -- he wants to help you. If he would never say that, it means, he doesn't care about you.
Great Video! I really respect, that you said, that Berlin is only a small part of Germany 🇩🇪 Many people see all parts of Germany as Bavaria… and I think that’s said, cause our capital isn’t even in Bavaria and we have a quite different culture I the north , different Events and also a different language, apart from high German … Love you all !! ❤️
I mean tap water is virtually free in the amounts you would drink it, but in the end you do / the restaurant does pay for the water from the tap twice (the freshwater delivery and wastewater disposal). In your flat that's usually part of the Nebenkostenabrechnung.
As a German I felt the pain when you spoke about the cashier speed anxiety. Don't get me wrong, I do have a system figured out where I know which pieces will go to the bottom of my grocery bag so I put them on the checkout band first, but if I buy more than five things at a time (which happens more often than less) this system fails me. My mom's strategy was always to take one of us with her when we were still at home (certainly a strategy I will take up in the far away future :D). Edit: I loved what you said about Germans wearing less make up. That is actually something that always threw me off with the average American and British women because everything I wear (not even on a daily basis) is Mascara and occasionally a bit of lipstick and that's literally it, never was interested in putting on more and I always loved my freckles showing through (the concept of Make-up was long quite foreign to me :D)
A little fact about the water: Especially as a kid or teenager (also possible as an adult, but results may vary) you can easily go inside a café or restaurant, straight to the bar and just ask nicely. They never refused to give me a cup of water when I was younger. But as soon as you sit down it is expected that you pay for your drinks, because it's actually the main way restaurants make money, so just offering free tap water would greatly reduce their income. But if you are ever really in need of water because it's hot outside or you aren't feeling well and you didn't bring anything to drink, normally every store/café/restaurant is going to help you out and give you a cup of water.
2 года назад
The key is always to take a 🛒 so you put everything there quickly, and you reorganize things quietly afterwards.
Having moved to Berlin from Poland, I had all the same culture shocks. In first months I was often going hungry as I also forgot to do my shopping in time (in Poland supermarkets were opened not only on Sundays but often till 10pm on workdays) or not having cash to pay for a breakfast 🤦🏻♀️😉 but I absolutely love it here. Great video by the way :)
My culture shocks :) 1. My roommate offered me a beer, and 'a beer' in Germany (Berlin) isn't just a beer, it's half a liter?!?! Haha I tried to act normal when my roommate offered me this giant bottle. So yea if you order a beer here, you got to prepare 2. There live like foxes here, just on the streets? Pretty cool I guess For the rest almost all your culture shocks / first impressions where mine as well haha
like damn your supermarkt packing stress feel you haha they are so quick!!! I went to a supermarkt today and oef I almost died again, I tried to be speedy conzales but I guess nobody can win from the cashiers here
What i find interesting is that many people from different countries are like Germans where close minded, unemotional and in general not interested in you while one of the first things we do is inviting you into our homes and make you feel like you're at home too
Suggestion: Get shopping bags that you can attach to the inside "walls" of the shopping cart that STAY OPEN. Toss your goods into that open bag just as fast as the cashier shoves them over the scanner. Then you are finished, before they are. Some get really flustered by that - and you just stand there grinning casually. Great fun.
I totally agree, it should be offered more, however, to clarify: the restaurants don’t get their tap water for free, same as you don’t in your apartment. Obviously one cup of tap water costs next to nothing, but giving it out for free in general wouldn’t be free for the restaurant in total 😉😬
BTW just for info - the English word umbrella must derive from Latin, „umbra“ and that means shade…..so there is more logic to English than you think 😉 Regarding the packing in the supermarket you are right: Therefore I go by weight and put the heavy items first on the belt so I can throw them in in order of „arrival“ into my bag = German efficiency!
The supermarket-cassiers are so slow today - because of this scanner things.. back in time, at ALDI you havent had tha chance to get all your grocerys on the table, because they knew all the prices by heart, and had put them in faster than you can put your things out of your shopping cart.. :P (for me - it was a culture shock in spain, waiting in a supermarket for the cashier to end her phone call, but everyone in the row was just relaxed.. )
The Sunday culture in Germany 🇩🇪 used to be the similar here in the 🇬🇧 Uk! We even used to have early closing on a Wednesday! I guess if you’re a millennial this would be a culture shock, but I admired the German work/life balance culture whilst I was there! In fact I would say moreover the German system is far more socially advanced than its British equivalent.
Regarding your experiance with the ticketvendor. They say: you have to buy the ticket bevor starting your ride, a vendor in the bus or tram is just to be nice ^^
There is a great song from a german musical, which plays in the Berlin Underground Line 1. The song is about an "army" of ticketcheckers, that enter the train. Very humoristic.
im moving to germany (Wiesbaden) in 2 weeks and this video made me less anxious about it :) i can't wait to experience the same culture shocks you had!
In Spain Sundays are like this too. In fact on a trip to Berlin I found the people didn't seem too different from the Spanish. Which will probably sound like a surprise. They take their new year's Eve fireworks seriously, even crazier than Valencia. It was like being in a war zone, but a very fun and colourful one 😄
Oh dear you should have gone shopping at Aldi in the nineties. They didn't use scanners but typed a code for every item they knew by heart. And they were so mind-boggling fast there was actually an obligation to use a caddy because even shoveling your purchases with both hands into it the conveyor belt would outrun you any day. Their advantage was that they didn't have to take any item in their hands unless they were stacked.
Two notes, one the stuff put out on the street is open for people to take but it is also picked up by the city, every household has a one day free curb pick up that they can arrange with the city. Two tap water is expensive in Germany, it´s not like the UK, the water is highly taxed.
I fully agree, as German I find the supermarket conveyor race also very annoying. Thus I shop half an hour before they close, usally its not so busy. Been 2 yers in Australia and many times in the US and enjoyed supermarkt shopping there as it is much more relaxing.
Nice video! My brother studied languages at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center in California. The pace of study was intense. Students had to master the language course in 36-64 weeks. Psychologically it was very difficult, but fortunately he was helped by Yuriy Ivantsiv's book "Polyglot Notes. Practical tips for learning foreign languages”. The book " Polyglot Notes" became a desk book for my brother, because it has answers to all the problems that any student of a foreign language has to face. Thanks to the author of the channel for this interesting video! Good luck to everyone who studies a foreign language and wants to realize their full potential!
