7 WEIRD THINGS in German Culture I Experienced as an American Living in Germany

In this list I go over 7 things that shocked me or surprised me about German culture when I first moved to Germany and from things I learned from youtube and from talking to other people. (I talk about drinking culture, beer, holidays, birthdays, body parts and traditions and norms around the body, hair, healthcare and education including university stories.

Hi! I lived in Germany for 2.5 years where I studied a masters program and took intensive German classes. I am on youtube to share my love of learning about other cultures: specifically, German culture. I plan to make many videos where I compare American and German culture, including some videos where I will practice German. Please subscribe, like the video, and follow along every week for a new video. :)


0:00 Introduction
1:18 ARMPIT HAIR
2:53 ] Birthday Cake Tradition
3:54 WEIRD DIFFERENCE #3
5:09 ] Baby/Body Modification
6:28 WEIRD DIFFERENCE #4
7:51 WEIRD DIFFERENCE #5
8:35 ] Bachelor Parties
9:34 ] Free School & Healthcare!

[pawoo]

You don't bring a cake "for yourself". You bring it, to share it with the people around you.

[pucksberger]

Only in University: knocking instead of clapping is due to the fact, that you are not able to clapp with one hand, because often you have to note something in the end.

[philipschulze]

You have to cover alcohol, but you can wear deadly guns in public? I do not understand it.

[Ranr]

The cake thing is related only to the work environment. Can't expect your colleagues to keep track of everyone's birthday in a company. In private you will get a cake from those who care for you.

[blotski]

No country in Europe routinely circumcises its boys unless it's for religious reasons (Jewish and Muslims boys for eg) or if there is clearly some medical problem. In fact I think that's the same throughout the world.

[mikebegonia]

Healthcare isn`t free, youpay an insurance. But it's affordable and everybody is covered.

[sickerOr]

I think the US should start acknowledging the fact that performing circumcision without medical reasons is child mutilation.

[nikaf]

I really like how calm and relaxing your voice and vlogging style is. Since I'm from the northern part of Germany, I appreciate your experiences from Hamburg and Oldenburg a lot. Most of the Americans in Germany vlog from the southern part.

[ekkekristo]

30 years of watching american movies and I've finally found out why the hell they cover the bottles with paper bags.

[cwardziegler]

In my region in germany the 'spending time with your father' and 'drinking' are usually combined and quickly turn into three generations of german men with beerbottles in their hand, chilling somewhere outside

[hanssen]

I am German and am still shocked by our father's day tradition even after living here for 30 years :D

[lauratolsdorff]

In my school in Germany we also do the knocking thing instead of clapping (mostly the higher classes not the youngest)

[Koffer]

Hey there, you forgot to mention the 350€ fee (for 6 months) to go to university is including a ticket for busses and trains, so you never have to pay for it. Such a ticket costs like 90€ - 100€ a month for non-students. They it is a very fair price in my opinion.

[hihi-bdjm]

As a german I can say that I always received a cake on my birthday from my family, but when I was younger, i always baked a cake for school too
(Sorry for my mistakes)

[RobinSentell]

Regarding paying for dates: I am American, but I am Gen X. We were raised at men pay for the date. You made a remark about paying equally means that you’re taking care of each other rather than being taken care of. I would like to challenge that point of view. You can take care of each other by bringing your strength. You don’t have to do every thing equally so long is the sum total of taken care of each other balances itself. So an example would be that one person does all the cooking and shopping, but the other person pays for it and cleans up after dinner. There are countless examples of this.

[Quotenwagnerianer]

I have done some research in the past on why circumcision is so widespread in the U.S. and where the usual arguments for it come from.
While nothing is conclusive there are hints towards the fact that the usual reasons for it are all ostensible reasons and the core idea behind it came from, you guessed it puritans, who wanted to make masturbation less pleasurable for men and all other reasons were just invented under that pretext.
As usual, there is a reason why men are born with a foreskin, it has a function.
And there is not one good reason to remove it prematurely. Not as a sacrifice to any god, not for hygiene (unless you are too stuck up to show a boy how to properly wash himself). And I think it should be just as outlawed as female circumcision.

[ACAB]

We shave our arm hairs? This Trend i have missed, all the persons which i saw too.

[ikw]

Think knocking on the table is a variation of applause, but more often usde in "academic" circles or if the applause is for good serious official work/performance if that makes sense. Clapping the hands is more common in matters of amusement. So if you clap your hands for someone who performed a serious lecture might be misunderstood him/her as a standup-comedian? In the end they would not bother you, just do as you feel.

[markusheld]

It's great to see you making YouTube videos again, especially in these times. I strongly enjoyed your old channel and wish you great success with your new videos.

[lassezoellner]

In my school we knock on the table as well sometimes. If we clap or knock depends on the first person who starts either clapping or knocking and everyone follows xD