10 things I HATE about Germany! (plz don't hate me German ppl x)
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- čas přidán 18. 09. 2020
- I have a feeling this video may cause some controversy so imma just leave it here and go... but be sure to give this video a like if you do want a 10 things i love about germany !! :)
Twitter: @evebennettx
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20
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Final Cut Pro X
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Canon Rebel t3i or my Canon G7x (if I'm vlogging) :)
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Why do you say mom if you're British?
Everyone where I live says it ok glad we have cleared that up x
i am so so so grateful for you, yes you! right now! reading this! you are amazing! have a great day! :) - Krátké a kreslené filmy
when i went to germany when i was in year 10, i put a plastic bottle in the wrong bin and a man took it out, chased me down in Lidl and gave it back to me lmao
Woaaaahahaa OMG that's intresting😂😂
😂😂😂
lmao thats creepy
Yeah, that happens in Germany. My aunt told me that the workers who collect the trash will take the wrongly sorted trash out of the bins, and leave it there for the person to find it again.
The swiss are even more serious. If you make noise while recycling your glass bottles on a Sunday, you can and probably will land in jail for two days.
I should probably mention that Germany had the highest percentage of recycled trash (70%)
Oh my 😂😂
No small talk??
This is an introvert heaven!!
They like to have meaningful conversations. So, I've been told and read.
Yep I totally love it and had a culture shock moving from Germany to the UK. I totally hate the small talk here!
The supermarket scanning... is the most stressful thing EVER like I can't even cope with the speed!
What's wrong with you? Shopping is one of the household chores you don't want to spend more time than necessary. I always us the self service check out at Tesco as I hate being talked to by the cashier. Why can't they just do their fecking job and do the socialising bit in their spare time? If I'd like to have a chat, I'd go to the pub or social club.
Sven Beckendorf because we are all human and this reminds me of robots.
@@Randomgirl866 yes!
Omg YES! Our groceries fall DOWN on the ground and get smashed if we don't take them fast enough after scanning sooooo often (TT - TT )
Try out the self-service checkout.
When I went shopping. - or every time I go shopping - I ALWAYS use this; I like to be early or on time to catch my bus route back home... so, the last thing I want is to be in a line of people who are taking longer than usual in getting their groceries checked out.
Concerning the „guten Appetit“ issue: as far as I was raised and educated by my parents (lived my whole life in Germany, both parents German) it is more a thing of courtesy rather than superstition. It’s about acknowledging that everybody is sitting down at the table and is ready to eat and appreciate the meal that was prepared and the company you share (family, friends, colleagues etc).
Same in Poland :)
Same in Spain haha
Yes! It's like bon appetit in French or Eet smakelijk in Dutch. It's honestly quite weird that there's not really an English translation for it (I'm half German, half Irish and live in the Netherlands). With my Irish family we always just say bon appetit (at formal/bigger family dinners) when we're just at home with the family no one says anything, not in German, nor English, nor Dutch.
Same in Italy|| We say "Buon appetito"
Possibly the most pointless thing ever, just wanna eat my food tbf
Me, as a Polish person, I cannot understand having a small talk with the cashier, I literally go, pack my stuff as fast as I can and leave lol
I always feel weird when I’m in the UK and I hear a full conversation at the checkout
I think here the cashiers are the ones who are being rude, so maybe that's the cause
@Caramel Cupcake Giving them a smile and wishing them a good day is totally fine and doesn't bother anybody in line behind you. But telling them your whole live story is something different.
@@nachtaktivster A small talk never consists of your whole life story...
Honestly, when I lived in the UK for six months (I am German), I was surprised at how pain meds are almost treated like candy there, how you can just buy a big amount (and strong ones at that) without anyone telling you about the side effects. In my opinion it's important to know what you're taking and that it can actually be dangerous! For higher dosages you need a prescription here, which makes much more sense to me. Then again, I understand that it's annoying if you're used to the English way 🤷🏼♀️
There’s a piece of paper with all the information in the box but obviously it’s not as direct as being told
You can only buy up to two packets of medication in a supermarket in the uk in one transaction.
*British way
@@adriennesamantha Didn't want to overgeneralise without knowing if Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland do it the same way 🙃
@Nicky L Thank you for specifying, I wasn't aware of that, since I didn't have to try while I was there. I however still stand by my opinion, that it is best to be informed about every kind of medecine before taking it, no matter how harmless it might seem. Not everybody will take the time to read the leaflet inside.
Isn't the pharmacy thing pretty much common in all of Europe? (except for the UK apparently haha)
Judith Sallinger no! I’m from the Netherlands and we sell the standard medication in pretty much every supermarket too!
I’ve lived in Hungary and Sweden and I think you can buy paracetamol in supermarkets but I’m not 100% sure. In Sweden they also sell them there but you need to be 18 for some reason to buy them. Also much more things require prescriptions from the doc in Sweden than in Hungary and they are also more reluctant to prescribe a lot of stuff, especially antibiotics. I mean understandable bc antibiotics are often overused and that’s dangerous bc of bacteria resistence but the thing is that they don’t even want to give you when you need them. You’ve just got to walk around with a UTI until it becomes a full blown kidney inflammation. Like why tf do they do that
In Italy it's the same as in Germany.
Nope! You can get most meds in a supermarket almost everywhere apart from Germany apparently.
@@littlegloomybear1 u guys sell my standard medication in places you refer to as Coffee shops
To be fair it's not just Germany where you have to go to the pharmacy. It's the same in Ireland. I was shocked when I saw it in uk supermarkets!
It's the same in Italy, Czech republic and as far as I know everywhere else in Europe.
Same in Spain
Australia is the same as the UK, you can get things like allergy and cold and flu meds too
In Ireland you can get paracetamol in supermarkets
You can buy paracetamol in all Irish supermarkets..
I'm from Germany and I agree with almost all of these except for the cash thing. I don't know how it is in Berlin but I live in a relatively small city and technically you can use card everywhere, it's just that a lot of people choose not to for some reason. I've lived in the UK for two years(and absolutely loves it) and returned to Germany earlier this year. I can't wait to get back to England at some point.
Ok I am German (don’t live there rn) and I agree with most of this. BUT firstly never pay more than like 2 or 3€ for paracetamol, it shouldn’t cost more than that. And I actually think the lecture is kind of important simply because whilst u may be responsible with it I know so many people who do stupid shit like taking 4 at one time or drinking and then taking one, which can end up pretty badly
I might add it is the phamacists Job to professionally advice you in medication... As a German have lived for some time in the UK the opposite experience did actually freak me Out far much more... 😁 But as you said cultural differences.
@Caramel Cupcake you could say the same for heavier drugs tho? If all adults are responsible themselves. Any kind of medication could then be sold without any prescription. I don't think that's a good idea, haha. People could then buy morphine over the counter.... doesn't seem like a great idea. People take paracetamol, advil, ibuprofen etc like it's some kind of multivitamin. They are still drugs and people should be more careful about taking them. People can and do die taking too many.
When I take paracetamol, I already know you're only meant to take 2 every 4 hours. Its kinda common sense?? Unless someone cant read then the lecture is annoying and pointless
That can also happen when you buy them from a pharmacy 😂
I lived in Germany for 20 years and I never got a lecture at the pharmacy, when I bought ibuprofen, paracetamol,etc. Only get that when I buy drugs that need to be prescribed by a doctor.
Haha I definitely had some reverse culture shock when I went from London back to my small Dutch hometown and I got fully questioned when buying some simple medicine + got extra advice from the person in the QUEUE BEHIND ME. Forgot that that's what it's like...
Eyyy im from Germany:/
I've gone to Germany twice now, and I relate so hard on the "no small talk"!! :) Love the video!!
I‘m German and it’s sooo funny to watch 😂😂😂 everything is so true
saw this title and the first thing I thought was how annoying it is that you have to go to a pharmacy if you want painkillers here .... and they interrogate you at the pharmacy and offer you the most expensive brands uhhhh (i'm in germany too) Also I recommend just getting your parcels delivered to DHL packstations and shops/garages nearby - much more reliable but remember to bring your passport because sometimes they reject your driver's license!
The superstition of staring into someone's eyes after saying cheers is the same in the Czech Republic as well as the other two, the Birthday thing is the same in Italy as well...
It’s also a thing in France 😂 and when in a group, you can’t cross drinks either
Serbia too..
It's not a superstition, it's politeness. You show respect to your fellow drinkers in that way.
As a French person who just moved to the UK two weeks ago, I find it so interesting how certain things you hate about Germany are just part of my day-to-day life. Especially the supermaket part. It amazes me that you're supposed to chat with people in supermarkets in the UK (and scares me a bit too, I must admit). It's really not part of our culture in France! Same with the "Prost" bit. I was always told to look at people straight in the eyes and we just do it kind of as a joke now. We all know it's awkward but we still do it.
I lived in Germany for a bit a while ago and yes!!! I so feel you regarding the Lunch bit. Lunch there is just... Almost not a thing? Especially on school days! It took me so long to get used to it.
This is so funny to me as a german, I wasn't offended at all :D about the package delivery thing where they bring it to a post office that's far away from you, I've experienced the same thing when I moved to a bigger city in Germany (in my small hometown I never had a problem) but you can solve the issue by telling them which post office they should bring the package to if you're not home. When you order online it usually shows up at the step "Versandbestätigung" :)
So nice to hear someone say something nice about India as an Indian myself ,just made me smile ❤️🥰
Absolutely. I am also an Indian, Bengali from Kolkata. Now, for education I am living in UK and I still really love Indian food. ❤️
@@arunima_official nice!! Which uni do u attend?
@@irene_johnson I am studying in a school in London now. ☺️
@@arunima_official ooh nice ,even I hope to study abroad some day ☺️
@@irene_johnson I hope that your dream comes true and may God bless you. Best wishes and regards.💕
Love how you find the shopping experience so stressful 😂 I’ve never felt stressed haha. I’m now moving to England for uni so I’m excited to compare and contrast haha
No small talk?
*moves to Germany*
It varies from region to region, so make sure to be careful when you decide where exactly to move to :D
You could just use the self service checkout :D
@@lenamoser3888 no only the village people (dumb fuckers) do that dont give out false information
Oh Eve, habe you ever been to Aldi here in Germany? All the other supermarkets are super chill in comparison to their cashier speed. Feel you with the small talk❤️
as someone who despises small talk I think Germany is the country for me haha
but I do hate eye contact...
As someone who loves talking about politics and history, Germany sounds like a better option for me.
@@laurarose6024 omg get ready for the constant angry stares everywhere you go! I don't know why but Germans have this horrible habit of staring... And if you look at them, they will stare even more!
@@sumimaind yeah true and it is difficult as a woman to wear smth beautiful like a sexy or elegant dress in bright colors , they will stare at u . They wear usually black ,gray colors and almost no dresses , so boring
You all sound boring as hell
It might be different in West Bromwich but at least here in Wolverhampton cashiers scan groceries at the speed of light at Aldi 😅
But I do agree that at other shops the shopping experience is very pleasant and cashiers are always super friendly.
Speed of scanning in the supermarkets - I remember that being a big criticism of Aldi and Lidl in their early days in the UK, although it’s not so bad now. Also re toilets, I had to smile. Up here in the wilds of North Wales, we are thrilled when we can actually find a toilet that’s open! Having to pay, which we often do, is irrelevant. 😃
Seems like we made pretty similar experiences. I'm German and I grew up here, but I'm sick of those "inconveniences". I made a pretty similar video on my channel, describing the problems I have with Germany.
I have a hack for the parcel issue! You can request a Zweitzustellung and they have to go get it from where they dropped it off and deliver it to you again. you have to google it, DHL doesn't offer the feature on their site (presumably so you don't see it and they don't have to do it) but it's very helpful
agree with most of the stuff, especially the trains, the state just needs to subsidize it and make it a feasible alternative to flying. it's absurd that it'd be cheaper to fly to munich than to take the train.
however i do need to defend stores closing on sundays/in the evening: it's in the arbeitsrecht so that people don't get exploited having to work around the clock
The supermarket thing is why I can't go food shopping a lot cause it makes my anxiety so bad
Same here! Horrible... They get so angry for no reason!
I went to berlin for the second time last year and found the toilet tipping system really strange. It was also weird that there was always someone in the toilet making sure that you had paid.
The first point made me laugh. I live in the uk but I’m Spanish. When I migrated to England (3 years ago) I found it so frustrating that I had to do things online instead of doing them face to face 😂❣️xx
Also when I came I found uncomfortable having small talks in the supermarket with the cashier. 😂😂
Ans I also was surprised that shops were open in Sundays 😂 x
I think Sainsbury's started that off if I remember correctly, they made more profit from opening on a Sunday than what the fine was when shops weren't supposed to be open.
😂 Maybe you need a secret jar of chilli flakes in your handbag for when you go to restaurants.
yaaaaaaay new video agaaain!! 💖💖💖 stay safe always, Eve!! 🥰🤗
I feel you 🙌🏻 As a German who lived in Spain and Chile for a while, I totally agree with you in almost every point. I never expected that Germany is so far behind regarding payment methods, but I hardly ever used cash during my time in Spain which surprised me a lot. And the struggle with supermarkets, delivery, public toilets and trains is real 🙄
omg as a german it‘s so weird to see that all those things that seem normal to us are so much better (or at least different) in other countries lmaoo, i agree with so much of this
You've obviously never tried to open a bank account in the UK.
@@svenbeckendorf8419 Uhhh Someone got triggered...
Yes Jasmin, once you live abroad for a while you realise so many things about your own country that you never noticed before. I think everyone in the world should live abroad for at least one year of their lives! :-)
Omggg the eye contact one!! I’m currently on a year abroad in Lisbon and most of my friends here seem to be German,, I hate the whole cheers process 😂😭 so much eye contact and it goes round the group as well
Totally get you on the cash thing. Even before corona I always preferred paying contactless
For lunch, go to Kamps. When I went to Berlin with school, we are at Kamps every day for lunch. It's like German Gregg's, and they do pastries the size of your face. streuseltaler is so good
Girl, YES, I agree with everything (especially with the supermarket thing😂). But about the U-Bahn, parcels and cash issues... that’s Berlin. Hamburg is so much more chill and modern. Not perfect, but def better 😂
Berlin is a shithole anyway.
I’m on my year abroad too and I’m currently in Italy and the situation is exactly the same with paracetamol here! I’ve heard it’s because the NHS heavily subsidises things like paracetamol, making it so cheap in the U.K. but at a normal profitable price in most other places! That is definitely something I miss ahah! Also ATM tip: idk if it’s different in Germany but certainly in Italy if you withdraw cash from ATMs outside banks rather than ones in busy places and next to shops which only accept cash, the withdrawal fee is usually free if you have a Monzo card or something similar (if you meet their new conditions 😅). Feel free to let me know if it’s different in Germany though! Apologies for the really long comment ahah! I’m actually moving to Berlin to study at FU in April and I’m so excited! (despite knowing I’ll experience even more culture shocks like this ahah 😅) Viel Glück with the rest of your time there, Eve! ☺️
For an efficient lunch go to a local bakery and get a „belegtes Brötchen“, it‘s the German equivalent to a sandwich. Or just get some baked good from there. That‘s what a lot of people do.
I get most of your points but about the pharmacy’s I actually found that so weird that you could get pain medicine in the shops withput guidance and recommendations? I feel like it has to do woth safety here and I actually enjoy that the pharmacists remind me one negative side effects, intake etc.
I kinda agree but you do need to be over 16 to buy it in the UK!
And you can’t buy loads either x
They are very weak doses in the UK supermarket as well and you can only by 3 packets of each at a time.
@@Latbirget three packets is enough to kill you though...so I think being more careful about it isn't bad. People take these "lighter" painkillers too easily and often, precaution is never bad
Lea Kenny Everyone knows the risks of paracetamol and neurofen though. Being told the risks every time you want to buy it sounds super annoying, especially when you buy it regularly
You mesmerize me every time Eve Bennett. Your vids and refreshing natural beauty are the best part about CZcams for me. Never stop being you or feel ashamed of who you are 😍
A lot of shops in France used to be shut on Sundays, about 10 years ago. In my nearest shopping mall, the only things that would be open would be the food court, the cinema, plus one or two shops like Sephora. Now almost everything is open!
In Berlin I love all the wee sandwich shops, the filled rolls. there's a wee shop in the Alexanderplaz which does filled rolls, fruit salads and a yogurt type pot too. its next too the door at the square next to the Park Inn Hotel xx
the supermarket experience i have found the same even here in Spain its so stressful! also everything is grouped together differently it took me ages to find everything
I'm from Germany and especially the bureaucracy thing is so annoying! Love the vid, Eve!🌸
You better tell us when that vinyl comes in Eve 😂😂
It’s totally disappeared now :(
Eve Bennett fingers crossed it shows up 🤞
Totally agree, and there is more and more. Living here one year only and if not my current situation I’d move out long ago.
Medicines are much more expensive in Portugal, too. I always pack that sort of thing in my case if I'm going there for a while. Especially things like Strepsils...
I found this video so much fun to watch 😆 I live in the UK and havent been to any other European countries so all this was news to me. I'd be frustrated by these things too! But really enjoyed learning about how different things are and it was also funny 😂 I can imagine this video would be quite useful too to anyone moving to Germany from the UK!
Wait! You can buy medication in supermarkets in the UK. In Bosnia Herzegovina we also have to go to pharmacies to buy anything health related.
I totally relate to this! Recently moved to Frankfurt as a student from the UK and the supermarket experience is totally different over here!
Omg the paracetamol thing was so relatable in italy on my year abroad - except its even worse theyre closed ALL WEEKEND😥 and sometimes they close from midday on fridays honestly i just prayed any pain fell on weekdays lmao
This was so interesting to watch as someone who is from Berlin. I loved it! It's so fascinating what people think or how they experience things/rituals which are super normal to me. :) Also I'd love to have meal deals here! I feel like most European countries don't do them. You'd usually find them in England or like English stores around Europe like M&S. Which we sadly also don't have here hahah
Hey Eve, as a German, this video was really funny and interesting to watch :) for spicy indian food I can really recommend the restaurant "Bahadur". It's next to U Blissestr and I really enjoyed it there. I ordered a dish that should be "pikant" (you know, just a little bit spicy) and it was soooo spicy, but very delicious. So I bet you'll find something there. And it wasn't that expensive! :)
Oh and the trains are really expensive. I would recommend booking it a few weeks in advance to get a cheap ticket. I think they have limited seats for the cheaper tickets. Or you could get special offers like the "Sommer-Ticket" (4 rides of your choice for 90€) but this ends in a week.
I hope you'll have a wonderful time here!
I love your content you make. You are one hardworking person!
The British complaining about bureaucracy? What times we live in!
There's a video of an American woman talking about it as well czcams.com/video/1-daraJ5jKw/video.html
Is the UK bureaucratic? I’ve been living here for 4 years and I think it’s quite the opposite...Everything has always
been efficient and straightforward. And most things can be done online as she said so it’s super convenient. Then again I’m from Spain so I might be biased 😂
But Germany is known for bureaucracy... I've lived here my whole life and it freaks me out, that I have to apply for the same thing every 6 months.
AND I have to do it three months before...because the freaking civil servants
"kriegen ihren Arsch nicht hoch" (can't get their asses up
).
Have you been to England? Forms are very rare.
I lived in Austria for my year abroad and a lot of these are true. Especially the thing about paracetamol. When I arrived, I asked my friend where I could buy them and he said a pharmacy... also bearing in mind a box is like 5 euros whereas in the UK, you can get a pack for like 30p. I always made sure to get medicine when I went back home so I wouldn't have to pay such high prices for painkillers.
The supermarkets being closed on a Sunday bothered me at first but after a month, it was fine and relaxing. I always had cash on me in Austria because I was too awkward to use card. I always took out like 200 euros at time or so (but I did have an Austrian bank account) and just left some of it at home. But I get it, people would always be withdrawing like 1000 euros at one time. It made me anxious paying with cash because I would have so much change and I didnt wanna keep people waiting so I would always just pay with notes and I had so much change in my purse it was so heavy.
For the supermarkets: I guess it depends where you live and to which supermarkets you go. Yes, at Aldi or Lidl you have to be very quick and i find that stressful too. I dont like stuffing everything back in my cart just to move literally 1,5 m away and pack it in my bags. It may be faster for the cashier but for me it takes more time. :( One of the reasons i dont go there if i dont have to.
But in other places the cashiers are usually a bit more relaxed and especially in smaller towns there is always time for small talk if you want to. :)
It can be like night and day and isn't smth that is in general terrible in germany, i'd say.
Loveeee your videos! Am learning German at the moment and would absolutely love to live in Berlin for a while
The Belgian recycling system ( in early 2003) was incomprehensible. No-one could work out which bin yoghurt pots should go in!
Hey Eve so I just got to your video and wanted to explain some of the things you find weird or annoying here:
1. German efficiency and bureaucracy: The stereotype that Germans are efficient is a little misunderstood maybe. Germany is a process-driven country and a regulation heaven. Basically everything has a rule or process that you are supposed to follow to get what you want. Which on the outside seems like "efficiency" when everything goes smoothly but more often than not, when your society is so process-driven, it can be quite inflexible and some of the processes are very outdated and some don't even make much sense in a couple of years
2. Digitisation: As you clearly noticed, Germany is really behind in the digital world. Germany is a country known for mechanical and material stuff, like engineering with actual physical things. It's definitely not a country known for its digital economy. And it frustrates me too. Government offices sometimes literally print out emails on paper.
3. Germany's financial and banking system is very...antiquated and fractured. So a lot of stuff like paying processes via credit cards or mobile/contactless is just very expensive for the parties involved, like how much do vendors need to pay for every transaction, the payment conditions of VISA/MasterCard. And Germany has this weird parallel system of Girocards in addition to VISA/MC which makes everything very complicated. If you ever open a bank account in Germany, you'll quickly notice. So Germans prefer cash. The thing though is that while it clearly does have its downsides, there's also an upside: A lot of the convenience of easy non-cash payment is basically bought by selling your data to third parties and also leave a trace for governments with access and also making your country depend on systems outside of its control (because most banking and financial things internationally are not under German control)
4. Yeah shopping can be a hassle here at times but tbh, why would you need to get to know your cashier? They are there to provide a service to you and you are paying for it
5. The spices thing...yeah I give you that. German food is pretty bland. Especially in northern Germany. The South is more spice land but only by so much. But tbf, the UK only got spices because of colonial history, classic British food is pretty bland too lol.
5. The parcel system: DHL is basically the default carrier, it has the overwhelming market share. And usually DHL delivery is a lot more quick, dependable and predictable than anyone else. That being said, the thing with "I'm at home but they don't bother to ring" is very real. Sometimes it's because the parcel service subcontracts a lot of the actual delivery people out as cheap "self employed people" to avoid costs and these delivery people are then pretty shoddy and without oversight. A lot of them have little experience and some of them don't even speak proper German, they basically do a shitty job and the big parcel companies don't care as long as they are cheap.
Other times it's because the delivery schedule is actually too tight, they basically don't bother because they run late a lot and overtime is payed very poorly.
6. The train system: Yup. It's actually hilarious because it used to be quite good compared to others but Germany has been sitting on past accomplishments so long that other countries have started to get better at their train fares and train infrastructure that now Germany is really struggling with it. It's very expensive and DB is known for being unreliable.
7. Recycling: The system is indeed a bit complicated. The thing is it's actually not all that "recycling friendly". It's better than nothing but really, a lot of things in the yellow bin is unrecyclable. And its this weird catch-all bin for everything that "might be recyclable but idk". The bottle recycling scheme at least keeps the streets and rivers and parks clean, a lot of those plastic bottles never get recycled.
I love small talk with random strangers, too!
With the cash thing I can relate so much 😂 It's probably because we are generally lacking like 10 years behind concerning everything that has to do with the internet 😅
Now, almost everything has the option to pay without cash, besides really small businesses and generally asian food shops. Some shops also don't have the option because of some illegal stuff they're doing 😅
Such an interesting video !!👏🏻
Toilet trick: when I'm in a large city and need to find a toilet, I just find a hotel. Walk in like you belong; don't ask for a restroom. But find their conference center, meeting rooms or ballroom. There are always toilets in that part of the hotel.
omg the cash thing stresses me out at just the sound of it! carrying cash always makes me so conscious about where said cash is on my person
the cashiers are not paid to have small talk . this is what they r trained for. years and years ago we had tills where u had your time to pack. hence time is money, the tills u know from today have been designed to be more efficient to get the customer faster out and generate more money. there is even a documentary about that.
another tip the pharmacy at „Berlin Hauptbahnhof“ is open 24/7 and always ask for the cheapest brand of paracetamol or ibuprofen or whatever u r looking for. they are more than helpful. i always get my ibuprofens from the brand A1, cuz the ones from Ratiopharm cost more, cuz of the ads ( u see that brand name on tv and co)
about the spicy food thingy : i dont know which level of spicy do you like, but as a person who also loves very very dearly spicy food, there are Chinese restaurant here in berlin called good friends in kantstr and shaniu house of noodles near kudamm, which serves very delicious food and spicy food that reach my standard of spiciness! About indian restaurant here I often go to maharadsch near turmstr & there's also agni, which is very delicious. (ps if you do love spicy food I recommend you come to Indonesia restaurant called nusantara & order ayam geprek which basically chicken with chilli sauce)
Excuse me which supermarkets are shut at 8 p.m.? 😂 They're open till at least 10 or even 12 sometimes. And yea as a German I never questioned why shops are closed on Sundays but you just get used to it. It's nice that you can count on Sunday being so much less busy everywhere (except restaurants, cafes etc.)
Love you so much Eve ❤️
I'm german and I've NEVER EVER heard the happy birthday thing. Moreover, I've never heard anyone freak out over the looking in the eyes, it's more of a jokey thing. The Guten Appetit thing is also something we just say (especially at formal events) to be polite, but I've never had anyone be mad if someone didn't say it
Girl your first point hit home. I have applied for a German Student Visa and I'm crying at the slow pace of the process.
i’m so against paying to just go to the toilet
They used to ring the bell when delivering a parcel… i have also noticed them stopping that. I think the delivery people are given too tight of timelines!
I'm going to the Technical University of Berlin in a couple of weeks for a Bsc in Computer Science while my gf stays in Madrid to study Art History at the Complutense Uni. Some of this info is really interesting as someone who is going to be there for the next 3 - 5 years. My biggest impression of Germany and Germans as a whole is 'you do you and I do me' sort of mentality.
I find it so funny that you complain about germans not liking spice 😂 you might be right with indian food but that has to do with the huge Indian population in the UK, however when i was in england with my exchange programm I literally wanted to put spices in all the food as it all tasted sooo bland to me 😭 edit: pk just finished watching and you mentioned this later so don’t mind me haha x
Hi,
To be honest most of the things you said are definitely true (I’m German). But for the medication issue, there are online pharmacies that work quite well. My mom enjoys ordering there. You can buy more than one package at once and most of the time they have discounts. So you may want to try that. Just keep in mind they only sell nonprescription drugs.
PS: I always had problems with DPD; they don't ring and if you are not ”there” they either try to deliver your stuff at the same time on a day later. (If I'm not there at 10 am on Monday, there is a good chance that I'm not there at 10 am on Tuesday either.🙎). Or they deliver it to some parcel station which can be really far away from you. That’s why we always choose DHL (though you also have to be quick at your door to get your package or tell the Postman a place to deliver your package to in case you are not there. Like a specific neighbor or just a specific place. That works quite well for us. )
Hope that helps a bit, sorry for any spelling/ grammar mistakes. 🍀
Haha I really enjoyed that video and hearing your points lol. As a german girl who's been living in the uk for the last couple years I totally get your points in comparison. Made me laugh! I know how strange Germany can be at times lol xx
As far as I know all bigger retailers in Germany take card. The reason smaller shops and restaurants etc often do not is because they have to pay a commission for the transaction. It's honestly really unhandy though that you do need cash for so many things, but as you said, it's also because people feel more in control of their finances and that the government cannot track what you are spending your money on. I still prefer the way it is in the Netherlands though, where there are loads of shops that only take card. It's so much handier
7:12 Paracetamol may be expensive in Germany, but I feel literally most other drugs are cheaper than in the UK, where you have to pay a 10-quid NHS charge every time you get medication from the pharmacy. In Germany, the prices are often lower than 10 quid for medication, especially when you choose the generic non-branded version.
I’m on my year abroad in Paris and the paracetamol one I agree! So more of these are the same here it’s honestly crazy!!
Not really crazy considering the amount of people/homeless people with painkiller addictions in the uk.. because they are so cheap and easy to get
Didn't want to comment originally on this, but then you mentioned pharmacies. As a pharmacist myself I have to say I think it is really good that in Germany you have to buy all medication at a pharmacie and not at the supermarket. It is way easier than you might think to destroy your liver or kidneys with paracetamol or ibuprofen. And this medication can possible interact with other medication or even food you might consume . Just as a tip always ask for the cheapest one they have than paracetamol shouldn't cost more than a few euros. Otherwise you will often just get paracetamol from a more popular brand that is more expensive. This is true for a lot of medication. I know I may be a bit biased on this topic, but I have
actually seen examples of patients destroying their health by taking apparently harmless medication. Enjoy your time in Germany and stay healthy
I definitely get that, I just find the accessibility of it a bit prohibitive when you need it quite urgently - in supermarkets there are limits on how much you can buy so it’s not like you can go in and buy loads of boxes, it just means you’re not having to haggle for prices haha
As an Italian living in the UK, I found the way you deal with medicine (especially painkillers) absolutely fascinating 🤣 On one hand, you can get 20p paracetamol tablets in Poundland (and to be fair, it's good and fair to have a cheap, non-branded option). But on the other hand, if you need a painkiller that is actually strong, you are pretty much fucked :") it's an epic quest to get something that vaguely resembles a Tachipirina. But I totally get the emergency situation, I remember crazy nights looking for an open pharmacy back home (because of course the one on duty when you need it is on the other side of town). Speaking of paracetamol, in Italy the big issue is that the majority of the meds are branded, that might be a reason? Funny you say that about toilets, in London you have to pay for most of them, only recently they've removed the fees from the ones in some central station.
This was a very interesting video, I've traveled a lot in Germany but I've never lived there, it was fun to get some insights :)
Hey I am coming from Greece and I was living in Germany for my Erasmus studies and I can totally relate to almost all of those things ! 😂🤟🏻
You have to pay for most public toilets in the UK too, so many childhood memories of jumping the barriers 😂 €5 and a lecture for paracetamol is a absolutely insane!
Super interesting as someone who learnt German and always had a German teacher saying the trains are great!
Love the content
post!!! i swear half the delivery people don't ring my doorbell (in the uk) and just knock on the door, and one time they just left a £50 worth parcel on my doorstep without ringing the doorbell
After doing a bit of travelling in Germany pre-covid, I have to say I agree with all of your points haha 😂 but I also love it lol
In Spain you cannot buy medicine at the supermarket either, just at the pharmacy
I knew you were going to say the bureaucracy first! I was there in 2018 and gosh moving there and leaving made me tear my hair out. The bürgeramt and setting up the bank account bullshit 🤣 and the post going missing because I didnt have my name on the door. I could write a whole essay about this.
I moved to the uk from Germany a year ago and everything you hate about Germany is why I love living here in london! Things are much more efficient here I swear
So much easier to have painkiller addictions
@@maneskinnnnn7190 not really. If you are not sure how many to take you would read the box. I hardly ever take painkillers. I'm pretty sure in English schools you get taught about different types of drugs and the side effects.
Germany - where even the crows stare at you!
Haha, brilliant video.. please more!
Even though there are 10 that you hate about germany, is still want to go there... Someday... I will.. :-)
I also moved to Germany from England & I can agree with every point you’ve made 😭😭😭 especially the eye contact when toasting 🙄
I find looking someone dead in the eye and being stared at is so stressful
I think I know the answer to the pharmacy thing. I lived in Austria for 5 months and was shocked when I couldn't buy paracetamol or flu meds in the drugstore or supermarket 😭 Once I went to the Austrian equivalent of Boots and asked for flu meds and the cashier pointed me to the vitamin shelf! And when I finally went to a pharmacy I was interrogated and had to pay €12 for flu meds! I asked my Austrian friend why and she said that a few pharmacies have the monopoly (since they're the only places you can actually buy meds) so they can charge what they want.
Only talking about Germany: We have three types of drugs: Those that have to be prescribed by a doctor and than can be gotten at an Apotheke (pharmacy), those that do not need a prescription but may only sold by somebody with a certain qualification (Apotheker) and the rest, which can be sold everywhere. And the physician usually does not prescribe a brand but only some ingredient. Usually we have several brands with this ingredient and the Apotheker will recommend the one with the lowest price. In order to do that he/she needs to know whether you know this drug/brand already or which combination of drugs you are taking.
Prices: With prescriptions (and a German health insurance) you pay a fixed price (=Rezeptgebühr), independent of the cost of the drug.
Okay one more thing I'm German and I literally never have cash with me. But where I live almost every place accepts cards? Sometimes you can only pay with card if you pay more than 10 euros or so. That's because the owner of the restaurant or shop or whatever has to pay fees if you pay with your card
Always eye contact when shaking hands too!
I‘m German and I think „Smalltalk“ is awful. And I personally prefer cash over card, the government doesn’t need to know what I eat for dinner.