13 things you NEED TO KNOW before going to Germany! | Feli from Germany

++Reason for blurs/muted audio: This channel was renamed in Oct 2021. All references to the old name have been removed.++
As a German native, I hate seeing people visiting or moving to Germany and having a bad experience because of a few German-specific things that they weren't aware of. That's why in this video, I'm sharing all the things that I think you should know about German rules, customs, and people to make your stay in Germany as much fun as possible. :) If you have more tips and things to know before coming to Germany, please feel free to share them in the comments below!
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0:00 Intro
0:46 Currency & units
2:16 Store hours
2:48 Cash culture
5:05 Driving
06:39 Drinking in public
7:06 Restaurants
8:40 Customer service
9:17 Paying to pee
09:46 German rules
10:33 Dubbing
11:10 Small talk/friendliness
11:49 Speaking English/German
12:42 Housing differences
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ABOUT ME: Hallo, Servus, and welcome to my channel! My name is Felicia (Feli), I'm 26, and I'm a German living in the USA! I was born and raised in Munich, Germany but have been living in Cincinnati, Ohio off and on since 2016. I first came here for an exchange semester during my undergrad at LMU Munich, then I returned for an internship, and then I got my master's degree in Cincinnati. I was lucky enough to win the Green Card lottery and have been a permanent resident since 2019! In my videos, I talk about cultural differences between America and Germany, things I like and dislike about living here, and other experiences that I have made during my time in the States. Let me know what YOU would like to hear about in the comments below. DANKE :)
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[FelifromGermany]

Which of these points surprised you the most and which ones did you already know about? Let me know in the comments below! 👇 Also, if you have more tips that you wanna share with people who plan on visiting Germany in the future, please feel free to share those as well! 😊 Let's help everyone have an amazing time in Germany once it's possible to travel again! 🇩🇪❤️

[MrPaddyF]

about jaywalking. I (german) was in colombia and in the middle of the night I stopped at a pedestrian light. then a stranger stopped beside me and we waited for the light turning green. no cars in 2 minutes. then we realised that we are both germans :D

[animesuchti]

Uno reverse card:
You're watching this as a German to get to know what's different in America

[herrunsinn]

Some years ago while visiting Germay, I decided to take a walk through the city after dinner. I got a little disoriented on the way back to my hotel, so stopped in front of a large hotel that I was sure my German speaking friend would know... I phoned her so she could come and pick me up. She asked me which hotel I was standing in front of, so I looked up and read her the name of the hotel printed on the archway over my head. I told her I was in front of the "Hotel Eingang". ... Which made her laugh because the sign meant, "Hotel Entrance". 😅🤣😂

[Locomotivebreath]

Definitely learned about cash culture in Germany the hard way. I ordered a coffee and they only accepted cash. The guy gave me the coffee. So nice! I felt so bad I took a train a half hour to the ATM and back and gave him a big tip for me being a doofus.

[billythehut]

About 30 years ago my parents visited Germany for a vacation. I'm unsure of what city they were in, but after arriving at their hotel, they went out to see the town. They were careful to note down the name of the street their hotel was on, copying it off a street sign. Anyway, when ready to find their way back to the hotel they realized several of the streets had the same name as they'd marked down. Later they learned they'd copied down a German sign that said "one way".

[sykerin]

When Feli said: Don't be thrown off if you speak to someone in German and they reply in English. I immediately thought of one of my upstairs neighbors. He's from the UK and is learning German and I'm from Germany and trying to brush up on my English (especially when talking). When we talk with each other, he talks in German and I in English, which is quite funny when other people hear us with our accents 😂

[nibzee]

As a frequent traveller to Germany I would agree with everything you have said.

I would also add learning basic German words like please, thank you, hello etc. Yes Germans are very good with their English, but greeting in German, they'll pick you arent and will help in English.

When you are at a busy place like a train station and you want to buy food, for example, stand back from the crowd, work out what you want so you dont delay others, then once you know what you want, i simply greet them with "allo" (hello) point at the item and say "Ein Stück bitte" (one piece please) and place the cash on the plate in front of the server, take your change and item and leave with the item and change and a wave and "danke" (thanks).

To Americans out there reading this, dont complain that things in Germany are not like they do things in the US. Most hotels do not have ice machines, AC is not as common as it is in the US, sodas are not bottomless and are often more expensive than beer. The reason to travel is to experience new things and the different ways that people live. So embrace it.

[utrinqueparatus]

I visited the Schwartzwald with my family, some years ago, armed with my school German language learning. Every time I spoke German in the shops and restaurants, I could make myself understood. Then we met another English family at a swimming pool and I remarked on how few Germans spoke English. The husband said he spoke no German but had no problem being understood in English. Puzzled by this, I asked a young waitress who spoke faultless English and she told me it was a matter of courtesy in Germany to reply in whatever language a visitor used. Lesson learned!

[justme_gb]

One lesson I learned in Frankfort, when they make a long announcement in German and EVERYONE gets off the U-bahn, get off the train!

[pierrotm]

I don't understand why, as french who lives in France, I like watching a german girl talking about differences between USA and Germany. 😁😁
It makes me feel I am traveling during the lockdown. Moreover as many french I love Germany. Vive l'amitié entre la France et l'Allemagne !! 🇨🇵🇩🇪❤

[timheavrin]

As an American soldier who has been to 5 different nations (including Germany) thanks to military service NEVER forget that YOU are the foreigner in the host nation. Show the same respect for the hosts that you expect of others visiting the States and you'll get along fine. It'll even be a fun adventure.

[girlsrnotwimps]

I lived in Munich for 3 years, from 1986 to the end of 1989. I miss it terribly. I recall how overwhelmed I was when I returned home, even having a panic attack in a store because the experience was too much. Things are done so well in Germany, with respect of others and quality of life being primary, that it felt chaotic to me to be surrounded by so much over the top *everything* that is here. I had my first child in a German Women’s Klinik and even the maternity care was so superior to the U.S. that my mother (a maternity and NICU nurse) was impressed and stunned by the difference. She said if she spoke German she’d move there in a heartbeat. The country is stunningly beautiful—so much so that it takes your breath away. I remember the first spring there as if it was yesterday. Every window had a flower box, every street filled with beauty. Even the cemeteries are cared for and treated as gardens by loved ones. Bicycle paths everywhere, everyone seemed to hike, people of all ages enjoyed the outdoors. Public transportation is amazing, clean, and plentiful. There was always something to do, somewhere to go. I never wanted to leave. I want to go back more than anything. We were there during the Cold War and our 3 years were up shortly after the wall came down. What a time that was! I would so love to see the entire county now that it is whole. I’d love to know how it feels to be there now. Oh, how I want to explore it fully! Though I remember very little of the language since I hadn’t used it for so long, when I hear someone speaking German I get a little closer, close my eyes and smile. I’m always surprised by realizing I have a lump in my throat and I feel a bit homesick. Germany is part of me. ❤❤❤

[onnieduvall]

The first time I went to Germany, 1973, I was in München and looking for with the post office. I saw a couple of Polizei and asked them for directions auf deutsch. They answered me in perfect English. The experience made such a favorable impression on a then 16 year old American boy.

[Brett.McMillin]

I loved the customer service in Europe. I’m from Canada which has basically the same customer service style as the USA and I hate the constant annoying fake-friendly conversations and they never leave you alone. Germany was great because they did what I needed and left me alone and when I needed them again you just wave them over

[Weezy-zyqy]

Been living in Germany for a while. Once I got all the paperwork and bank details done, I wanted to buy a membership for the gym so I can work out and stay in shape.

I saw this place near my Uni and it had a big board that says ‘Gymnasium’. I thought to myself, how convenient, I can workout right after the lectures are done for the day😅

Only thing that put me off about that place was that I never saw anyone coming out of it who looked like they work out. They all looked like school-age kids and there were lots and lots of them. And I was like ‘that’s odd’ 🧐

Now that my German has drastically improved, I’ve come to realize that ‘Gymnasium’ in Germany means High School 😂😂😂

Viele Grüße aus Schweinfurt ❤☺️🇩🇪

[janamuller]

As a German I can say: Very good tips, nothing to complain about.
While watching your videos I learn more and more how much German I really am 😂

[voaks]

One experience I'll never forget was when I was in Germany for work. We went to a Chinese restaurant for lunch. Hearing a Chinese person speak english with a german accent is something to wrap your head around. Tschüß!

[not-a-theist]

Am already in Germany. Just feeding the algorithm

[pclayton]

My favorite thing about houses in Germany is the Rolladen (window blinds). The windows in general are awesome as most windows open two different ways. Probably the thing I remember most about shopping is having to have your own shopping bags with you as they don't provide them in most stores. Also, in the area we lived the stores were all closed a couple of hours in the afternoon which took a while to get used to. Love Germany.