The Most Unexpected Culture Shock For Americans In Germany! 🇩🇪

Before going to Germany the first time, my grandfather tried to warn me about something Germans do that still took me by surprise the first time I saw it...after moving to Germany and living in Germany for over 3 years now, we still don't understand. 😅😊

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INSTAGRAM: @passport_two

TWITTER: @PassportTwo
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❤️Aubrey was a Speech-Language Pathologist and Donnie was a graphic designer, but we both had a dream to #travel the world and experience cultures. After three years of being married and dreaming about if something like this great adventure would be possible, we decided to quit the rat race and take on the world. We sold everything we had, quit our jobs, and took off! After 9 months of aimless and nonstop travel, we now get to fulfill our dreams of #LivingAbroad as #expats as we move to #Germany!

00:00 - Introduction
1:41 - Chapter 1
5:34 - Chapter 2
12:07 - Chapter 3
14:28 - Bloopers

[harenterberge]

Americans: drinking carbonated water is weird.
Also Americans: drinking liters and liters of carbonated water with an extreme amount of sugar and some artificial flavourings.

[Tilumbus]

European restaurants make their major income on the drinks and not on the food. In return you can hang out there as long as you want, given you order new drinks. And not given our bill before you are done with your meal. Like in the US. Free drinks would break that system.

[thomasbrutting]

I see you have adopted another German custom related to drinking water - repurposing used mustard glasses as drinking glasses 😀

[Aelsenaer]

As a Dutchy I personally think carbonated water as a real German thing.
Your skin cracking has more to do with the soap you use then with the temperature of the water. I have problems with the soap they use at my office (cracking skin guaranteed). At home I have been experimenting a lot to find soap types that don't cause that issue.

[AndreasOKleutgens]

Given that Americans love all kinds of sodas, I’m surprised it’s a culture shock to them to leave out the sugar and the flavor 😉

[ronja]

Growing up in Germany I had several friends who claimed that water that was not carbonated (tap or still bottled) made them gag and was simply undrinkable. I've lived abroad for over 20 years now and can't fathom the idea that something as basic to humanity as drinking water could be made so complicated...
BUT I have to say, as a German living in the US, asking for water in a restaurant always needs to include the word's "no ice" for me. I realized quickly that even saying "light ice" ended up getting me about 4x more ice in my glass than I'd like! Can't take the German out of me after all I guess...😄

[holger_p]

Even the term "Soda" is known in Germany only for Sodawater. Nobody associates the term with anything else. (unless today, and you speak engl. etc). It's the same as the term Lemonade (Limonade) is not associated with lemons at all. It's a term by itself. Sprite is Zitronenlimonde, french: limonade au citron, english: Lemonade from Lemons. So Sodastream does not advertise to make lemonade.

[tommysellering]

If you go to a natural spring with mineral water that is available in many places around europe, there is several places where the water is "Naturally carbonated" straight out of the mountain spring.
This is many times considered to be the best tasting mineral water.
Possibly that is the reason why sparkling water today is considered to be "The best"!

[gottfriedneuner]

Soda technically just refers to the carbonation. Soda water (or just soda) used to be a thing before someone put syrups into it. By now it largely has been supplanted by mineral water in parlance.

[p.s.]

German here. I prefer cold water to wash my hands - costs less and feels refreshing. Only when I am really dirty or really cold do I use warm water. I also use cold water for brushing my teeth. But I guarantee you there are many many germans who use warm water for both.

With drinking water I much much prefer still water right from the tap. No ice, no carbon. Don’t like the bubbles and really don’t like the somewhat stale taste of the carbonic acid.

And only (naturally boneless😜) tofu wings for me.

[blackforest_fairy]

just as you said: german restaurants are not required to give out free tap water. i have been working at a hotel in the restaurant before and my boss even went as far as to ask for an official writing from her lawer explaining why she does not have to give out free water which we were sopoused to give out to guests if they wont exept the fact that they have to pay for tap water too. the reason one even has to pay for tap water is: bringing something to someones table is a service... even if it is just tab water. plus filling up a cup and bringing it to you takes time which the waiter could have used to serve a guest who is actually willing to pay.

[hatvielehobbies]

Warm water is expensive. Building heaters into building or warm water lines is even more expensive. Especially in Buildings where warm water isn't needed (e.g. sheds, public toilets, graveyards, parks) you will not find warm water installed just to wash your hands.

[twinmama]

Try ph-neutral soap (5.5). Normal soap is too high in ph and destroys the natural and slightly acidic layer on your skin.

[der_vogel]

To your random question: It depends on what part of the chicken I eat. Half Chicken or a chicken leg normally with bones, chicken breast without bones.

[Samcaracha]

Well, well: First, there is the "Trinkwasserverordnung" in Germany, which states basically, that the tap water everywhere must be drinkable without any additions. If that is not the case, there is usually a sign near the tap saying "Kein Trinkwasser!" But that leads to that the fontains or taps have to be maintained at a higher rate than in the US, I guess and that sets up highter costs.

I have heared of some verdicts, where the restaurant served specially spicy or salty food and in those few cases they HAD to serve free tap water.

Try carbonated water with juices. It tastes almost like a soda, but has less sugar. I for myself only dring still water, if I have to, or as tea or coffee.

[KrisThroughGlass]

I don't think I've ever seen a drinking fountain in Germany and honestly I don't think I would use it. As you suspected: I think it's disgusting to drink from the same fontain as a complete stranger. Even my German dogs don't want to drink from a water bowl a strange dog used before 😂
Boneless chicken??? I don't get it.

[kgspollux]

Well, when you are familiar with the fact that New York is about the same geographic altitude as Barcelona, you may recognize Germany in a more temperate zone obviously situated more northern.
This indicates less requirement of preventing people from dying of thirst (public fountains with drinking water) and the necessity of soothing the thirst of potentially dehydrated customers - to make them ready to enjoy your excellent restaurant meals . . .

[jlpack]

The trend that I'm seeing in the US is an increasing number of free bottle fillers in addition to water fountains. These allow you to avoid the possibility of exposing yourself to those who might spread germs on a shared fountain.
Interesting during the early months (even 2 years) of the pandemic, I mostly saw closed drinking fountains to prevent the spread through their use.
As for chicken I like it both ways, but there is something particularly satisfying when eating bone in chicken wing flats.

[joachimschwabe]

Tap water in Germany does in fact contain a small amount of chlorine, however it is much less (typically 0.03-0.05 mg/litre, max. 0.3 mg, US max. 0.8 mg) and a different formula (chlorine dioxide instead of hypochlorous acid), which altogether does not affect the smell or taste.

[laillabethm]

Fun fact: in Hungarian the word "soda" means carbonated water. Every other carbonated drinks are "refreshers".

And boneless. Every kind of meat.