5 Random Things Germans & Americans do differently | Feli from Germany

▸It's not a secret that there are plenty of cultural differences between Germany and the US but some of those things are just SO RANDOM and there seems to be no obvious explanation as to why Americans and Germans do those things differently. In 2020, I actually dedicated a whole video series to those random, little differences (see playlist link below) but since then, I've come across so many new things that I just HAD to share with you! So here are 5 MORE random differences between Germany and the US! :)

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Cincinnati, OH 45219
USA
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0:00 Intro
1:03 Difference #1
3:04 Difference #2
5:10 Cooking at home (w/ HelloFresh)
7:21 Difference #3
9:33 Difference #4
10:31 Difference #5
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ABOUT ME: Hallo, Servus, and welcome to my channel! My name is Felicia (Feli), I'm 28, 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 topics I come across in my everyday life in the States. Let me know what YOU would like to hear about in the comments below. DANKE :)
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[FelifromGermany]

What other random differences between the US and Germany (or another culture) have you come across before? Share it with the rest of us in the comments! 😁👇

[cubbance]

Those folding rulers were definitely more common when I was a little kid in the late 70s and early 80s. I haven't seen one in at least two decades though. I got a rush of nostalgia seeing one in this video, in fact.

[shelbywoo]

The 2 origins of crossing fingers is very interesting.

When you tell someone you’re crossing your fingers for them you make the gesture in front of them.
When you are lying you cross your fingers behind your back (it’s more the act of a child than an adult, like telling a lie to your siblings because you need to keep the truth a secret).

[JoshNieporte]

I'm also German, and also in Cincinnati. Those rulers are just called "folding rulers" here, and are rarely used. Tape measures have been the go-to since the early 1980s. Apart from classes in Construction, I've never seen the folding rulers in use.
A yard stick is one long ruler, and it's a yard long. It doesn't fold.

[andrewbauer]

When I first started dating my wife, she thought I might be the one, she changed her phone number to the spelling of her name so I wouldn’t forget her phone number. I guess it worked. We will be married 34 years this year.❤️

[erictaylor]

12:30 It's easy to know the difference. Crossing your fingers for luck is done openly, while crossing your fingers for lying is done with the hand hidden.

[estat]

I came across your videos by accident and have thoroughly enjoyed your enthusiastic take on cultural and infrastructure differences. I've noticed that traveling to Canada, Bermuda, the UK and Iceland. I hope to travel to Germany and your videos have helped me better understand how NOT to stand out. Vive la differences! Keep up the great work, Feli.

[garylshelton]

As for the crossing of fingers being used for two different meanings in the US, one thing Feli forgot is that the deceiving meaning of the crossed fingers is understood when the fingers are crossed behind one's back as one ostensibly promises something.

[GermanyTechno]

11:34 “crossing your fingers on the other hand” literally.

[jensschroder]

In Germany it is frowned upon to make contracts via telephone number. Only companies that have a bad reputation or want to trick you do that. You never know who's calling.
Someone called recently and wanted to sell an electricity contract over the phone. When I asked how much it should cost, it was answer "half of what you pay now".
When I persistently asked how much half the money was, the caller hung up.

[anthonysheehan]

Regarding business phone numbers, when growing up in Chicagoland in the 70s and 80s, the 3 phone numbers I absolutely knew were home, 911 for emergencies, and 588-2300 for Empire Carpeting.

[KristianKumpula]

I recall one of my German teachers saying something about how talking with Americans is more animated and louder than what she's used to, at least in NYC. If I understood her German correctly, I think she compared it to a theatre performance.

[pablodelsegundo]

1 - I remember doing the Mr./Ms. <letter> thing as a kid a lot, but not much at all as an adult. As for calling people by their initial, it's not common in my area (Texas) but you do hear it occasionally. I generally use given names or approved nicknames, even as a kid.
2 - I'm more German in this case. Picking your nose is unacceptable, but blowing your nose is fine...though I find people who have sneezing fits (like, 4-10 or more sneezes in a row) to be nasty if they don't leave the room, especially so once the pandemic hit.
3 - I've never encountered that outside of advertising.
4 - 😆
5 - hm, maybe it's an alternate influence on my part, but I normally do the knock wood thing.

[bob_._.]

#4 is a "folding rule" they were common back when your older viewers were kids. Yardsticks are a single strip of wood 3 ft long.
#5 Crossing your fingers only means you're lying when you do it behind your back so the other person can't see it. Actually it's a child's thing and the other person is usually a parent.

[dm]

I do not know how or when using the first letter of a person’s name to identify them started but the first time I heard it done was on a TV show called “Happy Days” when Henry Winkler as the “Fonz” called Marion Ross, playing Mrs Maron Cunningham, Mrs C. The show ran for 11 seasons starting in 1974 and as many of you know is still being shown as reruns to this day. I have also hear it used in the “Welcome Back, Kotter” TV Series that ran from 1975 to 1979 from time to time but not as much as on “Happy Days”.

[denis]

The calling each other by an initial may be a generational thing. My friends and I have never done it (I'm mid 50's). If you cross your fingers behind your back, that means you're telling a lie, where I'm from. It's been years since I've seen one of those measuring things! In my group of friends we only use numbers, not words for our phone numbers. I've learned a bunch of new things today. Thanks, as always!

[robertwilson]

When I was kid in the 80's, the use of MR. P or MS. P was always reserved for teachers and parents you really liked, it was form of shown affection and respect. I don't know how kids use it today. American slang and language changes so quickly with the meaning from decade to decade and generation to generation. I hear new words and meanings of words all the time. Sometimes I will use the urban dictionary to try and understand what someone is talking about. But take the urban dictionary with a grain of salt.

[chrysippus]

That folding ruler is so nostalgic. I haven't used one of those in decades!

[The_Dudester]

4) The last time I saw a "folding ruler" was the late 1960's. From 2002 to 2011 I ran a high rise complex for a large oil company and as part of my duties I inspected work sites. Measuring tapes were the rule, but I did see the laser measuring device once as we had a major water leak and the engineer needed to know how far the pipe went before the pipe went horizontal.

[fusion]

The single letter usage is a popular culture trend from the 70s like the show Happy Days character Fonzie calling his surrogate family Mr and Mrs C Also the character Mr T from the A team tv show was very popular