Interesting point about living in a place vs vacationing. I do agree that intent matters but I don’t think 1 month is enough. The first several months of living in a new city/country you still view everything as a tourist. There is no routine. It is an extended holiday. And you usually don’t have to deal with a lot of life things like finding a long term flat(which is a nightmare in Berlin), registering with the local authorities(which is a nightmare in Berlin) and so on. In Evan’s case the line is a bit blurred because he doesn’t have to look for a job and he doesn’t have a commute or a rigid work schedule anyway. For many people those are big things as well.
Agreed, I think it also depends on how "integrated" someone is there, meaning how much do they interact with locals in daily life (at work/studying, not just bakeries) and how similar is their daily routine to the routine of locals (locals generally don't do touristy things!). Although yeah, a month is pretty much to short for anything. But a 2 months internship in a workplace there or a semester at a local university (4 months or so) I could definitely see as constituting living somewhere - even if it's only temporarily.
@@user-es7ui5mc1m yeah I once stayed in San Francisco for 3 months. I was working remotely so it wasn’t a vacation technically. But I don’t think I really lived there. I was staying in an airbnb and didn’t have to deal with most adult life things locals deal with. Except for driving around in my leisure time and grocery shopping and stuff. But I don’t think that’s enough. It was pretty much an extended holiday. And I do know what’s it like to actually move to a place. I’ve moved countries twice now.
I think that it's possible to 'live' someplace for 1 month (as opposed to staying there). However, I also think that anytime you've got a definite departure date in place, particularly when it's easy to measure in months, you haven't really moved to that area, you're lodging there temporarily. Splitting hairs? Maybe. But for me, moving somplace requires becoming invested in the community, generally from the perspective of a resident interested in long-term outcomes. Sometimes undergraduates really move into a city, especially if they live off campus. Other times, they're just present until they finish their degree.
@@dancing_fig I somewhat agree. But I think you can move to a place and be a part of it even if you have a departure date, but it has to be far away. Maybe you move to study or work and know you’ll leave in a couple of years. That said, 1 or even 3 months is definitely not enough, imo.
@@nicktankard1244 I agree - knowing that you're leaving doesn't give you an indelible 'not one of us!' stamp, certainly! But if you don't consider yourself a resident of the place where you are, then you're probably just staying a while (far more likely when you're staying a few months) For me, one common divider is if you think things like 'all of the rest of my stuff is in storage back home' or 'I'll do X when I get back home,' etc.
Oh my god, the people in the U-Bahn (and the S-Bahn! Any Bahn, really!) that don't let people exit before trying to get in annoy me so much. I'm with you there. I'm German and I do not understand how there are so many other Germans that don't follow that simple rule. It's just so inconsiderate and actually *stupid.* The same with escalators. Stand on the right, walk on the left. That's too difficult for a bunch of people, apparently.
Are there signs asking people to do the procedure? I know we have those in the UK - instructional signs on the platforms and the carriages. I feel like if people are told enough in this way, they should start doing it, especially with a bit of vocal encouragement from station staff.
Even worse are people who stand still right after an escalator or right after the UBahn-door. Please could you move you are not the only person on this platform. Thank you very much.
You mentioned your moustache and long hair. When I was in Germany I visited a barbershop, the owner was really good. His name was Herr Cuts and he had an assistant, Herr Dryer! Thanks for the insight in to your German experience. I'm really pleased that it's giving you a nice change and a chance to practice your German again.
The barber was probably called Herr Katz (similar to Katze = cat), and the colleague Herr Dreier (similar to drei = three - probably coming from "Dreher" which is an old woodworking job). Your joke probably totally escaped them!
The language links are so true. I grew up with English and Spanish, then Italian, then Portuguese and French, they all interrelate but you have to get the feel for the speech and how the accents alter sounds. Also; as an American who lived in the UK for awhile, I can say the loneliness is horrible back in the USA. I can’t drive due to CPTSD and I literally only got out like 3 time in a year to actually go somewhere to an event since it’s so incredibly inconvenient. Being handicapped and having been attacked in the past, needing Uber or stuff is very uncomfortable. I’m trying very hard to get back out of the USA. Plus… healthcare.
God bless and aid you with all that. I feel like the US is being made more and more inhospitable to human life, and sooner or later there will be a breaking point and revolution or whatever.
21:27 as an actual British person, I can indeed confirm this comment definitely does not come from one of us! 😂 Too flipping funny! What makes me smile is from time to time I can definitely hear the British/English accent just kinda dropping in every now and again in casual conversation, as opposed to when you do it as part of a gag like here.
Re: living vs visiting, I agree with you. When my Mother travelled all around the world, that was a holiday, even though it took her almost a year. But when she stayed in London for six months, that was living there.
That Bertrand Russell quote about wasted time is a good one. A similar one (don't think it's attributed to any famous thinkers) I like is "only boring people get bored".
The finnish high court has made (way back wgen in 60's) a resolution that wasting time is a meningful action and normal human behavior. Eg. loitering laws should not exist. Hence loitering is not unlaful in Finland. Any business can prohibit loitering on their premicses thou (shopping malls anyone).
"Es tut mir ... light !? " 😅 It's great to hear a young person playing with puns, plays of words, whatever, with language(s)😄 You're more dedicated to your German learning than I will ever be, congrats 👍
I think I still wouldn't consider this a "move" but I get the intention that this isn't a vacation, and I actually would agree by saying you have "lived" there. The term "moving" for me is much more appropriate for something that is for an indefinite period of time. Unfortunately I don't think there is a single word (in english at least) than can accurately describe your situation but I'd say Temporarily Living Abroad would suffice
Yess about the difference between travel and living. If you would move without a purpose or just to look at places, that's a trip. Moving with a purpose to "work" is moving, even if that work is "just" learning/relearning a language. If someone would move to work in a different city or country for like 1 month no one would call it a holiday. I've been a summer intern in Vienna for 2 months when I was younger and I definitely considered it living there, even if most of my internship was just following a photographer around to cool places and carry cameras and have fun😅
You're absolutely right, that last comment made my British skin crawl! You answered it like a total Brit! V proud of you 👏🏻😁🇬🇧 Re the "why do/don't you..." questions, the answer is, in today's vernacular, "You do you." If what you do makes you happy, it's the right thing to do. I personally _must_ learn _something_ in a day. If I don't, it's a day wasted. _But,_ that's my philosophy. I don't expect everyone else to follow it. I learned German (many years ago) and am now learning Dutch. It is definitely easier to pick Dutch vocab up if you have German, but I'd imagine that for German-speakers, Dutch is easier if you have English! The grammar seems to be a mix of both (with its own twist, of course). Weirdly, I've found that some elements of Dutch are easier to understand because I have learned French. Go figure 🤷🏻♀️
Not living in a car-dependent place is pretty much a requirement for me at this point. Which leaves only NYC on this continent. I would like to try living there for a while. Currently, i'm in Vancouver, which is better than most NA cities but still pretty car-dependent for many things. Prior to Vancouver I was living in Berlin. It's a great city and I miss it a lot.
@@evan it’s nice for a NA city. It’s nowhere near the European level of urbanism. And It’s rather boring. There not much to do except for all the amazing nature around. But I’m not an active guy. Also it rains all the time and kinda cold.
I was so much like you when I was in my 20s! Always wanting to do and learn and improve. But now the 9-5 (in my case it’s more of an 8-8 atm xD) has ended that for me. I am trying to get my hunger back and you really motivate me to do so.
I second what Evan says don't think you can't still grow and learn! I'm 37 but present 28?! I'm an Imp type person and find that giing back to uni and liking languages means I will go to Italy to do a language course in the summer possibly :)
Yes! Another Laugenecke lover! The only thing topping it is a specific herb bun that is only available in the grilling season over the summer. Mm, I need to find a recipe for Kräuterlinge.
Seriously I wish I at least had the OPTION to use public transit. At least if I have something go wrong with my car, I could use that until I got things fixed. I do like to fix things myself (bringing it to a mechanic always feels like giving an arm and a leg), but there's always that fear that if I can't get it done I'll be without a car. An Uber or a cab is pretty expensive where I live.
Visiting vs. living is so true. I lived in Rome for some time and would be back for a week or two in Germany once a month and and friend of mine was always gushing about how she envys me that I get the italian experience, but without knowing what living there means.. It was good, don't get me wrong, but the mentality of doing stuff whenever can get to you or waiting for a bus that should've arrived 15 minutes ago and when it arrives, the driver turns of the engine as it is time for a break. xD
I completely get the being productive thing. I get really antsy when I'm not able to do any crafting for a few days (eg. Sewing, knitting, book binding, learning a new craft skill etc). I have 4 small children so that time is often squeezed but its great having the chance to be creative and "achieve something"
Big fan Evan and have been for years but I’m also in the camp of “you haven’t moved to Germany, it’s a holiday” I think the main reason for this is that you haven’t given up your home in London and you aren’t actually participating in German society because you aren’t paying taxes. I highly doubt you have a German tax number and bank account and phone number or are paying bills in your own name in Germany. I think phrasing staying somewhere for a month as living there sort of takes away from the actual hassle and struggle that people have uprooting their life and moving away. Still admire what you’re doing and live your dedication to keeping the language you’re learning but I don’t think you’re living in Germany, you’re staying in Germany for a few weeks.
Loved this chill video vibe! Honestly what you said about temporarily moving to Berlin in your last video really resonated with me. So much so that Im looking to do a mini relocation to Amsterdam for a while to sort my brain out! Thank you for your influence 😅
I totally agree with your definition of living somewhere, Evan. I lived in Byron Bay, Australia for a couple of months. My home was a car and a tent on a pitch in a caravan park. I had not intended to stay there that long, it's just where I ended up while job hunting. It. Was. Great! Sure, it was winter, so it got down to 0°C at night, but it was 22°C during the day! I shopped at the local supermarket, I went to local events, I got to know the local restaurants, the local birds, the beach... I'm not sure I have ever felt quite as alive anywhere else, so if that wasn't me living there then I don't know what would have been!
If you count "being in the same place for multiple weeks and getting groceries there" as living somewhere then all of our camping trips to Germany (I'm from the Netherlands) count as us living there! I think we in Europe dont do the American "travelling" thing for holidays that much, we don't go to an area and hit up all the touristy hotspots, we just (or at least my family) pick out a nice camping in a quiet area with lots of nature and just stay there for 3 weeks. But that's just my experience and of course there are lots of people who do travel for their holidays!
My family does the camping thing, and we do call that a holiday or vacation but some people consider it 'work' or uncomfortable. They prefer hotels and soft mattresses. I do both. Also, I originally had no interest in learning Netherlands, but then I found De Regels van Floor show in German on youtv, and now am going to try and learn Netherlands next year. I also own some of the DvDs of that show in Netherlands and in German. I blame Floor! 🤣
if you ever wanna explore a different part of germany (maybe after going to vienna?) I strongly recommend either some place in the Ruhrgebiet, or Düsseldorf or Cologne. It's a bunch of cities all interconnected kind of like one bigger city, but with a bunch of surprisingly diverse cultures.
I really enjoy your content, and especially your drive for balance and self improvement. I have Atomic Habits on audiobook and have listened to it twice, so can second your opinion on that. I don't really know much german though I took a class years ago, so I would like to see the German language content as well. 😊
As for that last question. I’m British, I don’t feel the need to sing the national anthem at 7am every morning and I don’t get teary eyed over the Union Flag…
It's a challenging wank, in the words of the late great Sean Lock. I prefer the union flag to the England flag, because I identify with the multinationalism of the UK more than with England, but I'm still not getting excited about it.
love your videos, been watching for a few years now. I've been learning french lately, day 635 consecutively lol. when you flashed the question about your inspiration to learn German on the screen, I was blown away by the fact that I could actually read it. cuz I knew the french. cool! languages are cool!
I traveled around Southeast Asia for 5 months this year. For one of those months I lived in Cambodia, in my mind that was living, because it was different to the other three weeks I’d been there, I had a job, I lived in one village, i learned some of the language, I had friends there. Some people have told me they think it was just part of my travels but to me it was definitely living!
I'm someone that has moved from a small town where I did most of my growing up to a larger area that I feel better suits me. Ive seen so many of my peers and family sucked back into that smaller area despite their own self expressed negatives in what I call 'small town syndrome'. Its really nice to me seeing someone like you do your thing, grow, and be unapologetically fulfilled by it. So I'm neutral on the hometown video. The all german video though.. I'll totally watch that!
Mate I think spending your days speaking German has reset your English speaking brain a little cos you sound significantly more English than you did in the 2 month old suggested video I clicked to check. It's really cool, I love hearing peoples accents shift, I have a friend who travels a lot and always returns home with a new accent for a few days until my rough Black Country accent drags him back down into the muck with the rest of us.
Haha Evan, be sure you never tell a Dutch person that their language is very similar to German! 😂Little clue for you, Dutch has double letters in place of the umlaut. And Van Gogh? Yeah, we've all been saying his name REALLY wrong.
I'm Dutch, and I can tell you it's true, but Dutch has also a lot of similarities with English and a lot of influence from French. You're right about Vincent's name ;o)! My local dialect has even more similarities with German, including a difference between male and female words for example.
@@KeesBoonsHet is vooral lastig/irritant dat de Duitsers net andere Franse leenwoorden hebben dan wij.😂 Maar ik ken een mini beetje achterhoeks en dat is al genoeg om voordeel te hebben met Duits. Mijn familie komt uit dorpen uit half Nederland en ik doe een agrarische opleiding, dialecten zijn gewoon deel van mijn leven. Het heeft zo z'n voordelen. Alleen worden dubbele betekenissen soms verwarrend.😂
Evan spread those wings and then just fly baby fly wherever the wind may blow you. Enjoy don't worry about Trolls be you and that's why we follow you. Fellow Gloucester County resident 🙃🎃🇺🇸 Happy Halloween!
I’ve heard it called ‘slow travelling’ which I think encapsulates the long holiday/ short time living somewhere? I personally wouldn’t say you’ve moved to Germany, but I would never argue with you that you hadn’t 😅
I love DW documental. It's all the DW content but with a Spanish narrator. People find it funny when I say I'm watching a German documentary in Spanish...often with English speakers being dubbed over. 😁
This sentence actually comes from a Dutch learning book from Germany: "Ik zal de bromfiets van de buren opknappen." If you don't know any Dutch, you just don't understand it.
I feel the same way about Runescape! Spent many days of my life as a teen playing it, and still think very fondly of the game. Probably wouldn’t play it in the same way anymore.
Hey Evan. Love Berlin. Spent a few weeks there in the summer near Treptower park. I do wish more youtubers would not sell out to sponsors. As a 30 year marketer I get you need a sponsor but I saw a lot of youtubers promote the Scottish title scam and now some are promoting Temu.
@@evanI've got to an age where I do what feel is right for me, I've gone with the group in the past and it's not sat right with me even today, think your the same go with your gut.
I still maintain after listening to your explanation that you have NOT "moved to Berlin." Yes, you're not on vacation and are working while there, but only because you have a portable job. If you had an office job you'd have to have taken vacation time to do your month in Berlin. You still have your house in London. All your paperwork says you're a British citizen. You're visiting Berlin - you haven't moved there. But I hope you're having a great time anyway.
Define “moved”. Is going to a place for 3 days to speak more of the language “moved”? Technically you move to a place even for a day sure. I think he is visiting Berlin for a month to improve his German. That’s not “moved” by my definition
I’m not too fussed by his use of ‘moving’, but I personally consider moving to mean living, working, paying taxes, paying rent/mortgage. Generally being somewhere long enough that you consider it home.
In reality, it is City people who can seem rude. Any largish city. I've lived in NY, LA, Hong Kong, Beijing and London. Spent lots of time in Shanghai, Rome and Tokyo and all are busy busy places but Tokyo being Tokyo it's the only one I would not classify as full of rude people.
Just finished reading Atomic Habits today. As I was watching this video I thought maybe you may have also read this book, turns out I was wrong. You've read it twice.
Vienna would be a very different type of German. What about Hamburg for next time? Will you stay in Berlin for the whole 4 weeks or visit other cities as well? (I know you've been to Potsdam :) )
I feel you with the English and non German speaking workers . I went to a bar in Berlin (admittedly next to the wall so 🤷♂️) and attempted to order 2 beers. The bar tender looked confused even though I had made a 2 symbol with my hands and said “beer”. Not perfect pronunciation but it was obvious what I wanted. Eventually in the most Irish accent ever they said “I don’t speak German sorry” 🤣
About the speaking english in berlin, I stayed in a hostel as german that has lived in Ireland before so I'm pretty good in English and german. When talking to the people in the hostel I was honestly wondering if I should just switch to english to make it a easier conversation xD... found that quite funny
13:54 if someone moved to a new place, lived there for a month, then an issue (health, work, family) meant they had to move on we wouldnt tell them they had to call it a vacation because they werent there long enough. You arent vacationing in a new place until you pass a threshold. Likewise if you had to go live with family for a little while to uelp them during a hard time that isnt just a visit. So yeah. Im on board with Evan. The approach and what you're actually doing decide it its living somewhere versus traveling through versus vacation.
Hey evan, I was born and raised in vienna and have been watching your videos for a couple years and have always enjoyed your insight. I visited berlin recently and i thought it was a nice city but in the end i enjoy vienna more because its just smaller and you can get to places really quickly :D so it would be interesting to have your insight if you ever move to vienna! There is also probably more people who can't speak english so that's better for your german :D If you ever have a question about Vienna or austria in general, feel free to contact me :D
When you go to a place and stay there in the same location ( e.g. apartment) for a month, not 'site seeing' by traveling from one tourist magnet to the next, then you are still not living there, instead you are 'culture-seein' or 'people-watching'. In my opinion you have to stay in a place for two to five years, get involved in local activities and politics, make friends , then you can claim to have lived there. Let me stress again: in my opinion! I'll gladly accept that you do it your own way!
Have a great time in Berlin! I really like the city. Still, it's too bad you didn't choose Hamburg. I would have enjoyed having a drink or a meal with you and meeting you personally.
I would argue that you're studying in Berlin - which does tend to involve temporarily living there -, not holidaying in Berlin, but maybe that's just my interpretation. Kudos though, on taking such a step.
Ich mag das tschüssi nicht so :) Allerdings lebe ich im alemannischen Süddeutschland und wir sagen "Ade". Eine Freundin kommt aus dem Rheinland und ihr "Tschö" hat was. Vielen Dank für deine Gedanken über Wünsche und Ziele... und den Weg dorthin. Tatsächlich hat es mich nachdenklich gemacht, ob ich wirklich besser kochen lernen möchte. Also ob ich mich da rein üben möchte und die kleinen Frustrationen des Weges aushalten möchte. Danke 🌸
Ich war mit deinem Deutsch wircklich begeistert, ich hoffe, auch bald so fließend zu sprechen! I'm Ukrainian living in Germany for the last 1,5 years, and I can attest: nobody spoke German to me in Berlin even though I stuck to it😄
Please, can you give me a list of Ukrainian pop and rock bands to follow? I'd like to support them through spotify. Thanks! If you can only give the band names in Ukrainian, that is fine as I can type in Ukrainian, even though I don't know many words yet. Its a language I want to learn in 2025. I won't have time until then, but can at least play the music while in the car. Thank you!
@@tpkyterooluebeck9224 Oh, gladly! And no worries, I'm confident that most of our bands spell their names with Latin letters for Spotify. So here we go: Okean Elzy, Boombox, ONUKA, Jamala, Kalush, Latexfauna, The Hardkiss, Antytila, Odyn v Kanoe, AlyonaAlyona (earlier stuff). Try all of these and then you'll probably be recommended a ton more
Great watch! I think the grumpy stereotype is true but not to a specific country it's just usually with regards to big cities coz everyone is always on the go in big cities 😂 coz I see the same in Toronto and New York. It's the same vibe that that question was asking with regards to like a London for example. There isn't that slower laid back pace we see in smaller cities.
I get what you mean and intention in a place. There's a fuzzy line somewhere, and I actually think it more has to do with local relationships than intention. The shortest time I've spent in a place I consider myself to have lived in was Galway for about 8 weeks. I had roommates who were permanently there, and I was looking for work (left because I didn't find any), so my interaction was very different from places I've travelled to. A month is pretty short in any event, and if you don't have situations where you actually develop local relationships (work, roommates, a community organization or something) it does feel a lot more like traveling.
Nah... If you 'move' somewhere short-term for work, holiday or whatever, especially if you know you'll be returning after such a short period, then it's not really living there.
@@Bunnybananabunny I feel like there's a difference between moving somewhere for work and moving somewhere and being able to work from anywhere, so it just so happens you're working from somewhere else, if that makes sense. Plenty of people nowadays work on one week or even weekend trips, doesn't mean they lived there for the week(end). I would just call what Evan is doing slow travel.
@@Bunnybananabunnytechnically not a holiday. But if your work is completely remote and on a free schedule it’s different from going to work in a new country. It’s kinda like a working holiday. Lots of my friends who work in tech do that. They fly to Thailand or something and “live” there for like 3 months. I did that several times. I don’t think that qualifies as moving to a place
Hi Evan, German person here: I'm very proud of your latest decision to move to Berlin, Evan. Heard Laugeneck and mega in your video and was positively surprised. Without any doubt, the Laugeneck (or Laugencroissant) is megagut. Oh by the way, if you want to sound even more German, just throw in some ultra-, mega- or voll before any adjective and your German peers will instantly know you're one of them.
Oh boy… waiting to let those out before you get in.. we were in a lift in Germany and it was full. The doors opened and yes, they pushed to get in, even though most if not all of us wanted to get out. Bizarre.
As someone who re-immigrated from California to England (after living in the US for 20 years) I don't recommend landing at Heathrow with no accommodation booked and with one family member in a wheelchair LOL. We survived!
Vielleicht liegt es am Englisch, aber im Deutschen ist Moving = Umziehen und die Voraussetzung dafür ist, würde ich jetzt einmal sagen, dass man 1. seinen vorherigen Wohnort aufgibt und damit 2. länger bleiben will. Nur für einen Monat irgendwo sein wäre für mich nicht Moving. Man kann irgendwo leben ohne umgezogen zu sein.
I think the difference between production based and just wanting to game and relax is that nerds tend to want to learn everything, do everything and be everything where as non-nerds just don't care. Meh, it'll be there tomorrow. And the nerds are more like "Why wait for tomorrow when I can learn this today and then that tomorrow!" I'm more of a nerd without-a-clue, due to shaken baby syndrome. I homeschool-unschool myself. I've been doing it for years. I don't remember much of what I learn, if I remember anything at all. Which is why.... This year, I'm just doing planning stages. I am hoping to get done the "worksheets' created that are based on my own algorithm for learning and then next year, use them to learn German better, to learn Dutch, Modern Hebrew and Japanese. The point being, to prpove that my algorithm works and to see if I can reverse the randomness my brain works. However, Modern Hebrew and Japanese I won't be going as fast on. Dutch I'll try to get it caught up with German. I was able to get Mondly life-time subscription (el cheapo cost) and I was gifted pod 101 classes life time subscription for the whole ball of wax. This means I can learn 43 different languages. But, the sentences are different between the languages, where Mondly keeps them mostly the same, except where a language just wouldn't have that concept. My whole goal in life is to get better at something other than swearing at the TV and the government who stole all my chances to be able to guarantee keep a roof over my head, appliances replaced only when they can't be fixed any more, and pay deductibles on insurance. I can't even get my van fixed. Being on disability is a nightmare, all thanks to my evil mother (the abuser) and father (assesory to the crime only) and a thieving government.
I think you are totally justified when you say you lived somewhere if only for a month or whatever. During the lockdowns, I had lived in London. I was there for 10 months the first time around. We own a flat in London however it had renters in it those first ten months so I lived in an Airbnb. As you said I did most everything I would do in my own home, Cooked, ate, slept. I lived there. Then I went to my actual home outside of the UK before returning to London 6 months later to spend another 11 months, this time mostly in my own flat. So I say I lived in London for the Lion's share of two years. You can't begrudge someone saying they lived someplace, If they felt they were at home wherever they were then yeah, they lived there.
Here is my criteria for a move to count as living somewhere: 1. You must be there for at least 30 days. 2. You must have accommodation that isn’t a hotel or other holiday lodging. 3. You must have a purpose there beyond sightseeing.
@evan I completely understand and agree with your thoughts on living somewhere for a month vs just traveling. I am hoping to rent a place for 2-3 months in the summer in Italy so I can sample what it would be like to live there. Too bad that also is peak season so I am having a hard time finding an available apartment. Alto Adige / South Tirol is where I am hoping to land.
I think you should have (or could have) answered the last question. You went to Britain to be British and now you're in Berlin. I think your answer could have been something like, "I'm still British, and I'm not staying here forever. I intend to go back to Britain in the future." I don't know, I get that you're considering it "living" there since you're there, and you're working. I would personally consider it only an extended stay. It's all preference I suppose. You have a rich and wonderful life, and I am impressed and inspired by your desire to learn.
r.e. Your comment on Dutch v. German: I speak a bit of Spanish, and was able to read and comprehend a scientific journal article in Italian. So the written form is similar enough, but the spoken form is rather different.
yes living vs holiday is all about intention. i moved to mexico and only stayed for two months because my grandma got sick and i came back to care for her, but people would be like “oh so it was like a vacation” like no i literally moved there like i packed up all my belongings and moved there and lived and was going to stay way longer than i did
I speak some German (I lived in Munich for just over a year in the late 80s) and I describe my limited ability to read Dutch as 'shampoo Dutch' - i.e., I can read the instructions on a shampoo bottle (and as an aside, why do shampoo bottles even need instructions? I mean, if can't figure out how to use shampoo, you probably shouldn't be living alone) in Dutch.
I found people in East Berlin where I stayed (admittedly as a tourist) really friendly, the graffiti was apocalyptic, but the city was really nice. Admittedly we didn’t ‘live’ in West Berlin aside from the tourist stuff, so I don’t have the same comparison - and tourist is as a tourist does - but it was really fun.
Ich finde es sehr interessant, dass vielen Sprachlernen so schwer finden. So einen „Hürde” zwischen B1 und B2? … 🤯So was habe ich nie erkannt. Irgendwie habe ich Deutsch zu B2.3 „ganz allein“ in den USA bei High School gelernt. Meine erste Deutschkurs in Deutschland war für B2 beim Goethe Institut, und ich habe es auch mit dem ZMP vollendet. (Was jetzt mit ~C1 Prüfung ersetzt.) Ich habe ja 36 Jahre schon in den USA verbracht, und trotzdem hat mein Deutsch nie wirklich „verrostet“. Und auch meine Akzent ist nicht perfekt, und klingt etwas fremd, aber es klingt gar nicht „typisch amerikanisch“… nochmal: alles davon ist in den USA verwickelt! In der ’90er! 🤷♀ Trotz alles davor bin ich stolz auf dich, du wolltest dein Deutsch erneuern, und bin ja da gegangen um genau das zu tun! Und ja, man _kann_ Deutsch in Berlin gut benutzen… man muss es einfach wollen. 🤷♀Ich arbeite als Programmiererin also die Menge meine Arbeit ist auf Englisch, und Arbeit ist ja ein große Menge das Leben, also… 🤷♀ Ich bin selbst nach Bayern umgezogen, weil… na, ja, ich wollte mehr Deutsch sprechen. Und das Hausmarkt Berlins ist ziemlich schlecht. Also, ich musste umziehen (ich habe den Mann geschieden), also warum nicht irgendwo ein bisschen weiter weg, und mehr Deutsch… 😉 Na ja, alles Gute. Ich bin ein bisschen (ok etwas viel) umhergeschweift…
I am a native English speaker, and can speak pretty good German. I have been trying to learn Dutch on duo lingo and I wish they had a section to just learn the alphabet and sounds. The vocabulary isn't too hard but I am still struggling to figure out the pronunciation of the characters.
For that, you could watch youtube videos or something similar. Yeah, they'll usually be for children, but that's just how it is with things like the alphabet
I just finished my masters degree in France and once I find a job I really want to this. I want to just go live in another city for a month, meet new people, try local cuisine… a month is perfect for that
About the grumpyness of the Berliner .. it highly depends on where and how you encounter them xD If for example you are lost and just want to ask for direction ... almost everybody is willing to help you out. If you meet them im private yep no problem ... at the subway ... it depends highly on the station/line/time of day xD At least in my experience
