10 Things We Love About Our German Home 🇩🇪 that We Didn't Have in Our Home in the USA 🇺🇸

[@JW-nh5or]

For all non Germans. One more practical thing most people don't realize about these German windows is that you can clean them easily from both sides on any floor you live in . 👍

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

Yes! I should've mentioned that in this video. That is a HUGE bonus. American style windows are very hard to clean on the outside.

[@steffenrosmus9177]

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife how about rain in the US😉

[@jeroenrat6289]

And do you use insect screens in your windows? I'm so glad I have them to keep pesky bugs out, and be able to let fresh air in when I'm asleep, even in winter. I hardly ever close my bedroom windows, only to keep hot air out in summer or freezing cold air in winter.

[@JW-nh5or]

@@jeroenrat6289 We do have outside roll down shutters which transforms your place into a panic room when fully closed. Opened up a little bit and you have tiny slots unveiling which keeps the bugs out and a bit of air in. 😊

[@na3044]

...wait, you mean you can't with yours? Then just how... wtf?!

[@nickatbasel]

A German friend of ours who lives in Scotland went to great lengths to insulate his house in Scotland to German standards. The Scottish neighbours thought he was crazy until he showed them his energy bills.

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

Wow that’s awesome! The houses here are so solid and well insulated.

[@JH-xo9sy]

For German understanding, your house is high standard in a beautiful vacation environment. So, count your blessings!

[@grandmak.]

absolutely !

[@MichaelMacAllister]

Not just high standard, you have to be pretty rich to afford something like that. Definitely not typical for Germany. Still a nice vid, though.

[@LaurieMag]

Michael MacAllister Is it really that special in Germany? Here in Austria I know lots of people living in houses similar as this and none of them are rich. The only thing that‘s really unusual is the pool, otherwise it seems like a normal house in the countryside (not to say it‘s not nice though, it is really beautiful and the area too!)

[@deinvater2299]

@@LaurieMag For the German country side its also quite normal. It depends on the area but also normal people can own such houses. In the north eastern part of Germany you can buy big houses and a lot of land really cheap compared to maybe Bavaria. The prices for houses in Germany depend on the region your in.

[@matthewrandom4523]

Definitely! Sieht nach Bayern aus. Superschöne Landschaft!

[@carohendo8577]

Having a Pool in germany is actually very unique

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

Yeah it's not all that warm here in the summer to be using it! We were surprised the house had a pool when we found it.

[@JuliettaLia86]

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife Well it can get very warm. A lot of other Americans living in Germany KZbinr are complaining a lot about the lack of ac's.

[@henningbartels6245]

Actually, pools becoming more popular in Germany or at least have a small one for the kids to paddle and slash. What I found not very common are Bidet. Well, it sometimes exist at some people's home, but it is not standard.

[@karl-heinzgrabowski3022]

@@JuliettaLia86 everyone from abroad is complaining about the lack of ac's, people in projects from Romania told me even their grandma in some remote Romanian village has an AC in her house

[@pinkhope84]

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife this Summer is very cold but the last 3 summers were hot. 2018 ist was warm from april till September. Like 25-30 degrees at least in north Germany. My son was born so i don’t forget this especially hot summer

[@wantokamerica4105]

They craziest thing I saw in the US was people in the Arizona desert using clothes dryers in the summer when it's 40C outside and even jeans dry in less than an hour. Really unnecessary.

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

Yeah, what a waste of electricity! It is not common in the USA to do things that are good for the environment.

[@lindaraterink6451]

There are areas where you are required to join a HOA (homeowners association) when you buy a home in the U.S, some of these have (to Europeans) some crazy rules. One of them is that you can't hang your cloths out to dry.

[@mindyzuckerman936]

I'm in Arizona and yes people use their dryers all year round 😩 Today my cat peed on my down sleeping bag so I had wash it and use my dryer for the first time in months. Only because the down requires the heat and tennis balls to fluff it back up. I was grateful to have the dryer in this case! But normally I'm annoyed when I walk past a neighbor's house and smell their dryers running when it's 40º and above.

[@FernandoBowen-78]

I'm 54 and my wife and I are VERY worried about our future, gas and food prices rising daily. We have had our savings dwindle with the cost of living into the stratosphere, and we are finding it impossible to replace them. We can get by, but can't seem to get ahead. My condolences to anyone retiring in this crisis, 30 years nonstop just for a crooked system to take all you worked for.

[@EleanorMabel]

I feel your pain mate, as a fellow retiree, I’d suggest you look into passive index fund investing and learn some more. For me, I had my share of ups and downs when I first started looking for a consistent passive income so I hired an expert advisor for aid, and following her advice, I poured $30k in value stocks and digital assets, Up to 200k so far and pretty sure I'm ready for whatever comes.

[@FernandoBowen-78]

@@EleanorMabel That's actually quite impressive, I could use some Info on your FA, I am looking to make a change on my finances this year as well

[@EleanorMabel]

@@FernandoBowen-78 My advisor is Victoria Carmen Santaella;

[@YinusaSaheed]

@@EleanorMabel The crazy part is that those advisors are probably outperforming the market and raising good returns but some are charging fees over fees that drain your portfolio. Is this the case with yours too?

[@EleanorMabel]

Nah I Can't say I can relate, Victoria Carmen Santaella charge is one-off and pretty reasonable when compared to what I benefit in returns.

[@beemanxxx8090]

While staying overnight in a hotel in Oregon I wanted to breathe fresh air from the surrounding forest. Just like I do home in Germany. So l lifted the window part of what looked like a window-A/C- combo. Then the whole A/C unit fell out and down 6 meters because the only thing holding it was a closed window. On the way down to bring it back up I told the hotel manager what happened. He told me this repeatedly has happened with German guests and he wanted to know what was wrong with us (in a nice way). He brought beers and we laughed about some "cultural differences" :-)

[@IgorRockt]

@Andrew_koala Not only that - EVERY window A/C unit comes with the small metal L brackets which you screw into the window frame once the window has been closed enough to hold the unit, so that nobody can lift it up (read: open it) by accident. Obviously the hotel didn't install those, either... Btw: Since I'm German, and living in an apartment building, I'm not allowed to screw those into the window frames, so I got myself some 1" dowel (36" inch long) from Canadian tire, cut two pieces in the right length off (left about 1/8" space to stick some round felt pads on both ends), painted them white (the color of the frame), then "squeezed" them between the window top and the upper lower window part (which holds the A/C) on both sides (they neatly disappeared behind the window frame when looking from outside and are nearly invisible from the inside, too, thanks to them being painted white ;-) ), which has the same effect: nobody can open the window even the slightest without removing them, so the A/C cannot fall out by accident (and nobody from the outside can get into the apartment just by pushing/pulling the A/C out of the window). Works like a charm for two years already (and it's easy to remove the A/C for winter storage, too)! ;-)

[@molchmolchmolchmolch]

That most definitely would have happened to me too. Wtf

[@seb_yt6695]

It's not necessarily concrete in walls. Quite a lot of houses are built with bricks (Mauerziegel). Don't ask me about the specifics and don't quote me on that, but I think the air inside them also serves as insulation.

[@meplays5269]

Old style brick buildings are built in 2 layers with air as insulation inbetween. Nowadays that is often enhanced with blow in insulation or wall insulation. Newly built houses like ours are mostly built with "Kalksander". big stuff, but easily stackable and yes, they are porous. Another common house type is built from wooden framework like American, but much sturdier. We heated one winter without further insulation. It was manageable, but not very pleasant. The insulation on the outer walls on our house is more than 20 cm thick and now our heating costs are quite low because we can manage with a small oven. In germany all new houses must meet a energy Standard that includes how much heat must be used to keep it warm. You must have gotten an energy pass when you bought it and it will tell you the estimated heating requirements for your house. To meet the required Level, houses must be insulated, otherwise they are not up to the legal standard.

[@HS-wp5vb]

Interior walls are oftentimes made of YTONG stones. These are porous concrete stones (Gasbeton) that insulate well and are very light.

[@FFM0594]

But most houses have at least retaining walls built of concrete.

[@monikarauch301]

Yes, I agree. I'm Austrian and by the way I'm an Architekt as well. Most of the family houses are built with large bricks (Hochlochziegel). Older houses are build with small bricks. Old farm houses or houses in some regions where there are a lot of woods, the houses are constructed out of massive wood blocks.

[@majisafe]

​@@FFM0594not in Germany. Bricks in two layers are very common and "Kalksandstein-Stones for the inner walls. But all this depends from the area. In the south much more use of wood, while in the north you will find historically "Reed" in the roof. In the south wood is offen used for heating, in the west historically they used charcoral. All depends from the area.

[@IIIOOOUS]

The good thing about the thick walls is, that they not only keep the heat in during winter, but also out in the summer.

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

I can see that! German houses seem to be very well insulated.

[@uwep.7531]

if you let your window tilted ("angekippt") the whole day in the summer you need a "Schutzgitter für Fenster Seitenelement/Seitenteil", because the cat could try to leave the room through this small space and could be pinched.

[@florianzschocke4253]

Yes. Just to stress this point again, tilted windows can become dangerous traps for cats. So please watch out for that.

[@BlowShootera]

When that happens to cat's (whats really more often then you would think) the Cat can get what we call a "Kippfenstersyndrom" and that often ends deadly.

[@blackpulsarproductionofficial]

Some for against flys and bees.

[@ssm445]

That is so important (being a cat slave myself): it's a neck breaker for cats :( I never tilt the window. Either open it or put the handle in a 45° up angle. It's a bit like tilting, but the gap is much smaller and no danger for cats.

[@nucername]

also, dont leave your window open all day during summer. youll easily get mold that way.

[@mamabear3428]

As a German living in America, the first thing that threw me off was the greeting of people passing me. They would say how are you doing but before I could answer they were already gone. Why would they ask me but not stop ? Is was explained to me later that it's mostly just a phrase. I felt bad for all the people I actually made stop and told them about my day when they didn't really wanted to know 😂

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

🤣🤣🤣 that’s true! You’re not really supposed to answer, which is weird!

[@Danisachan]

When my father and I watched American house renovations and we saw men literally run through walls to demolition them we could only shake our heads in disbelieve. No way is that possible in Europe with our concrete walls! :D They are made of sterner stuff!

[@holgerlanz1431]

Das machen Amis auch nur einmal bei uns. Will sehen - Slapstick pur!

[@jessicaely2521]

You can't take that and say all homes are like that. Florida have concrete homes (*Edit I should say outter walls are concrete). I never stepped foot into a home where the outer walls were wood or drywall. Homes in Florida are made out of stone or concrete (this doesn't include manufactured homes). Some wood homes are popping up in Florida, but they aren't as popular because people don't believe that they will withstand a Catastrophic hurricane. The only thing that's wood on a house is the roof and sometimes you will have a covering over the concrete wall to make it look "prettier" (I hate this look). My parents had a car going 80kmh crash into their home. I remember this very distantly. It was 2 am and it sounded like a gigantic explosion happened. The only damage to the house was the wood covering the concrete. My parents were getting rid of the wood a week later anyways. Now inner walls are made out of drywall in Florida. People like the ease of busting a wall to make a room bigger. I moved to Switzerland and the apartment above us was being renovated. The people were knocking walls down. It was a fucking day (8 hours) of hammering and drilling. You couldn't hold a conversation with another person in out house. After about an hour of this crap my daughter and I left. US it's done in a few minutes if you dont have any issues.

[@alice73333]

@@jessicaely2521 as a german I must say I think it's so much smarter to only have the outer walls out of concrete for the reason you mentioned and also because I'm sick of drilling stuff into the wall

[@evamg21]

@@alice73333 modern homes are built like that in austria and germany as well. Ony outer walls and walls/columns needed for structural support are made of concrete/bricks nowadays. It's cheaper too.

[@sagichdirdochnicht4653]

@@alice73333 Yesn't. I mean it's a quick, cheap way to build walls, and it's certainly easier to get anything screwed or hammered into that wall. But there are certainly disadvantages. One thing is noise. Very important. I'm living in a small Appartment with my girlfriend, and since I'm a baker, I'm going to bed pretty early. It would be impossible for me to sleep, when she's still awake, watching TV and do whatever. I'd hear anything and I certainly wouldn't be very happy about that. Also neighbours might ring the door, and in the Bedroom that noise is quite slim, but with those Paper walls, it would wake me up. Also, it's just a lot more sturdy. Think about Children. I've read more then one story of children breaking US walls. Try that shit with our brick walls, good luck, lol. I'm sure as shit, that I would have broken a wall or two as a child in my parents home. This is also a benefit, when you got to fix something heavy to the wall. I've recently installed a Pullup Bar to do a little training with that and I shure as hell wouldn't trust a Paper wall to hold my weight or to support a rather heavy wall cabinet in the living room. The only benefits I could see: It's just cheaper and quicker to built. You can rearrange Walls, if you like or need to, again rather cheap and quick. And you may have a TINY bit more Space. But meh, if was about to build a house, that shit is allready SO expansive, that I'd just add some proper walls while I'm at it. I'd only concider those walls, when I had to devide a Room. Or at my parents house, they built a new Room in the until then unused, uninsulated attic, because they got a third child. Those where pretty much those paper walls, but with insulation of course. Other then that, I really can't figure out a Reason, why you wanna have those types of walls, they just don't make any sense.

[@furzkram]

Man, you really found a part of paradise there.

[@althelas]

I live near their area and the sadest part is if you spend your whole life there it is nothing special and it is sad in a way. I see the mountains when I look out of the window or when I sit on my balcony, but it has been at least 10 years since I went on a hike. You push it back and back and back, because the landscape will still be there tomorrow, next week next month etc.

[@richard--s]

@@althelas well, visit other countries, fly for a week for your holiday to Fuerteventura - and discover how beautiful green the landscape at home is ;-)

[@Akkaren79]

Usually walls in Germany are not concrete but brick. The bricks have hollow parts, which is great for insulation. Concrete is mostly used for warehouses or modern stylish houses where they are often left as is without any Plaster

[@pizdara]

yes, I wanted to say the same...

[@Psi-Storm]

Actually many homes at least in northern Germany have a two wall build to protect against driving rain and because it looks good and stores heat for a long time. The outer shell is usually red brick and the inner is aerated concrete.

[@Akkaren79]

@@Psi-Storm oh I didn't know this. We don't have a lot of Backsteinhäuser in the south. I still would say the "standard German house" nowadays is a Ziegelhaus. But thanks for the addition!

[@Bongdon]

Am meisten freut mich das für eure katze.... sie hat endlich ein richtiges Leben. Liebe geht raus

[@MyR12S]

Great Video. I love your story and how opend minded your are! I hope you will enjoy your time here in Germany.

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

Thank you! 😊 🙏

[@bernardfinucane2061]

One great advantage of paving stones is less runoff, because the surfaces tend to be water permeable. This makes storm drains much cheaper. In America huge parking lots paved with impermeable blacktop are one of the cause of flash floods.

[@Danisachan]

If your kids ever feel like it you should let them watch the Disney movies in German. :D The German dubs for Disney/DreamWorks and Pixar films are amazing! Even better than the originals in some instances, if you can believe such a thing. And because the voice actors are all trained professionals, their German is excellent for learning German. It only helps that your kids can propably reticite their favorite movie parts word for word, so learning the German phrases will come pretty easily. :D

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

Oh that's good to know! Yes our kids do like some of the Disney movies, but they are, surprisingly, not huge Disney fans!

[@Danisachan]

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife All kids have different tastes, so no worries. :D If they have favourite movies, of course any subject will work.

[@dermetzgerman9041]

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife if you have a library around with a childrens section i woul recommend "Was ist Was" books. They teach kids different topics in easy to suggest german.

[@Muck006]

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife Try to wean your kids AND YOURSELF off Disney, which is a totally evil company that has been part of the destruction of western culture. Just look at what they have as role models ... GIRLS: princess ... and that's how americans treat their daughters (that's a stereotype, but the behaviour of american women, the ENTITLEMENT, seems to support a "haughtier than thou" attitude ... and there must be a reason for the "80% of women are chasing 20% of men" statistic) BOYS: "the joke" ... even Aladdin had all male characters as "funny/incompetent" This obviously creates an attitude of "girls = good, boys = bad", which is represented in company politics ... like "the Force is female" from Kathleen Kennedy, who totally ruined Star Wars ON PURPOSE. tl;dr Politics DOES affect everything ... because certain activists have a motto of "the personal is political".

[@shadowfox009x]

A lot of the cobble stone in Germany isn't actually old but new. Lots of tiny towns are redoing their town center with cobble stone.

[@maireweber]

The wooden shutters traditionally were closed at night for extra isolation to keep in the warmth over night. I used to live in a centuries-old Chiemgau farmhouse and closing and opening those was my kiddy chore.

[@maxmustermann611]

Kind of strange to hear people talking about the great windows and the hidden fridges when that is completely normal for you 😂😂

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

I'm sure it is! LOL

[@muratti72muc]

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife Hi you answers also some of you question by your on. Thick walls and windows helps you to stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer. In Germany the houses are much better isolated like in the USA, also the most have a cool cellar with constant 12-16 Grad Celcius the hole year. This cellar is also a reason why we don't have so big fridges. Back in the day the only constant cool/warm places in the house was the cellar. Potatoes, carrots, onions, apples, eggs, etc. you don't have to put in the fridge. Means you don't need big fridges. A other reason is that you go in Germany more often to the grocery store or markets for fresh products. Thats a reason why Walmart not worked in Germany. You don't buy big packs for a week. In the cellar most houses have a pantry room where you put all your food that not have to be in the fridge and you have there also your homemade stuff like jam or pickled vegetables. Outdoor water pipes are hide in the walls because of the area where you live. They are made from stainless steel and if the water freeze inside it burst. You will find minimum one at your pool technic flap. ;-)

[@tinytinky9975]

Yes, thats why so many Germans watch this videos. We learn, how nice and convenient everything is at home and can a little get the creeps of countries with windows, that can't be opened and cleaned at the outside or once I heard, that even the washing machines are not our standard. And in nearly every country groceries are much more expensive. Seems we live on a nice little paradise island. There was allways the bad weather we hated. But with climate change we can stay here for holidays in our gardens.....;))))))

[@terrygelinas4593]

You are living the life - best decision to move there. Yes, I love the practical, well-built German 2-way windows. On the solid concrete wall construction, I would add that the house stays cool on hot days (yes!), just like my old 100-yr-old double-masonry house here in Toronto. On the food side, your kids are eating better, under stricter EU/German food guidelines (quality + food additives). I wonder if they still have "kinder cola" in Germany - special cola for kids with no caffeine. Also I find the recessed electrical outlets (and associated plugs) safer for kids. I used to live in the mildest part of the country (southwest - near France and Switzerland), and I return for visits to friends/relatives. Thanks for sharing your awesome videos!

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

How wonderful you used to live here! And YES, I love that the food is healthier and safer here because of the EU regulations. Just the other day we bought Fruit Loops and they were naturally flavored with fruits and colored with vegetable dyes. They also had a lot less sugar. Wow!

[@terrygelinas4593]

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife if I were there now - white asparagus in season, and then later the best strawberries (flavorful and completely red inside)! If you make it to Frankfurt, try the "green sauce" specialty with seven fresh herbs. Now I'm hungry. Guten appetit!

[@MAMOM1234]

no there is no more kindercola in germany..we v had it in the 1999

[@susanneharvey4034]

I literally just binge watched your entire story and I love it! You guys very much lucked out BIG TIME with how everything came together... and the House is a Dream! One thing that you definitely also have now that you didn’t have in the USA is Kindergeld and affordable universal healthcare. I saw that you mentioned that you had good health insurance in GA, but I’m sure you guys had a huge monthly premium for it. I can’t wait to go back home to Bavaria. I grew up in the Bavarian Alps. We currently live in CO, but have been talking about returning back to Germany. My husband retired from the US Army in 2015. As you’re car hunting, definitely consider a Diesel or an EV. Gas prices are HIGH in Germany. It’s almost triple to what you’re used to in the US. With Universal Healthcare, you do have dental insurance, but also definitely consider getting a Zahnarzt Zusatzversicherung for the family, so your co-pays aren’t as high (copays for regular medical care is basically non existent, but dental is a different story). You will also want to get a Haftpflichtversicherung (liability insurance), which covers you when you or your kids accidentally break something that belongs to somebody else. These insurances aren’t expensive at all, so definitely check them out. I can’t wait to see how your life in Germany unfolds and develops. I’m super excited for you lovelies! I wish I was home already.

[@susanneharvey4034]

Oh and Kindergarten (daycare/pre-school) is a LOT MORE AFFORDABLE in Germany, compared to the US.

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

Oh my gosh, yes! Kindergarten is FREE for us, wowzahs. So cool you grew up in the Bavarian Alps! I'm so happy for our kids to grow up here. It's just beautiful and we have so many options for outdoor activities. Of course, life in Colorado must be similar. Yeah the healthcare here is so much better and cheaper, and kindergeld is awesome, and free kindergarten, and no "active shooter drills" in schools or worrying that your kids or we could be killed by a shooter while just minding our own business...Homicide rates are WAY less here, too. We just felt that for now, it's a better country in which to raise our children. Plus they'll learn another language or two, get to do international travel and experience SO MUCH more variety.

[@susanneharvey4034]

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife yes!!! 💯 I would love to see a video about all of these topics... a lot of Americans don’t know about all of these social programs/benefits and only see “high taxes”... not realizing that all deductions from a paycheck aren’t taxes, but social program contributions. Honestly, I can’t wait to go home... though I love life here, too... I just don’t feel as safe here as I do in Germany. We’ll see... patience is a virtue.

[@atconnys8786]

Hi, I agree, gas prices are higher here. On the other hand though, our cars don`t drink so much of that like American cars do and I heard it`s (gas) higher quality and cleaner (please correct me if I`m wrong). But for Diesel-cars you pay an huge amount on taxes more per year. And Diesel isn`t so much cheaper anymore either. As the Greens`d like, we`ll get rid of them sooner or later bc they`re dirty and harm the environment. You should consider what amount of km/year you`ll be driving, a Diesel car only works out if you have to drive very much a lot.

[@grandmak.]

As to garbage disposal : You are not supposed to throw left over meat or bones into the "Biotonne" because Biomüll is used to make compost. Fun fact : I live in a village where the farmers take the manure to a place where it is processed into heating gas for the community ( Biogas-Anlage). Disadvantage : when the wind comes from that direction we are all reminded of it.

[@Astrofrank]

In some regions it is allowed to throw meat or bones into the Biotonne.

[@grandmak.]

@@Astrofrank oh, is it ? I didn't know.

[@Astrofrank]

@@grandmak. Yes, for example in the Kreis Olpe: "Knochen, Fisch- und Fleischreste".

[@richard--s]

Yes, it really depends on the local rules. Just read the info on the city homepage - or ask someone from the city about it. Maybe they have a brochure for that.

[@grandmak.]

@@Astrofrank ok, bei uns auf dem Land fürchtet man Ratten, daher.

[@Der_wahre_C17]

If a cat brings mouse to you at home, she wants to share her food with you and its a sign of great trust.

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

For sure! Our cat loves us.

[@furzkram]

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife kitty shows you what's all edible in your new area :D

[@furzkram]

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife When I was a teen we had several cats that brought birds, mice and even a HUGE rabbit home - but completely unharmed, they carried them carefully. They set them off in our flat - and the chase was on ...

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

@@furzkram OH MY!!! The kids did watch our cat try and kill the mouse, so it wasn't a pleasant experience. They were pretty upset!

[@Torfmoos]

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife its normal. Try to teach them. So its the same with theire food too. Thats nature.

[@andreassumerauer5028]

6:04 The recycling industry is very innovative in Germany. You might have seen the latest Lidl ads where they state that all their bottles are now made from recycled material. That is a very recent thing. It helps of course that we Germans are used to separating our wastes very strictly. That allows to use the wastes as valuable raw products. We also used to ship much of the waste off to India and China where e. g. pet bottles were used as a raw product for the textile industry and also for carpet production. Waste export is however heavily regulated by now and much of the wastes are reused within the EU. Of course we also still have land fills. I believe however the most common waste processing is by 'thermic recycling'. That's a nice euphemism for burning the stuff to generate heat and electricity.

[@kerstineichler3160]

The little Sink made my day 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Thank you for sharing!

[@dorotheaduwel587]

Hallo, ihr seid eine ganz liebe Familie und deshalb belohnt euch eure Katze auch und bringt etwas Leckeres für euch mit ( Maus ) . Das ist eine positive Zuwendung und dadurch zeigt sie euch, dass sie euch sehr gern hat. Sie möchte, dass es euch gut geht. Eure Videos sind super. Vielen Dank !

[@RobTheWatcher]

Kevin and the axe... Didn't think he had that in his bag. I see you, Mr. Lumberjack! LOL

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

Kevin loved this comment! LOLOLOLOL

[@arnodobler1096]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/fKTLhmhuo65jitU Monty Python - Lumberjack Song has reminds me 🤣

[@Danisachan]

That was really impressive!! Like a total pro!! :D

[@Gettingoffthestrugglebus]

It’s so cool that you guys are living in Germany! I’ve always wanted too love there so I get to live it vicariously through your adventures.

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

Oh have you? How cool.

[@nitka711]

You are not warm because of the floor heating per se. It‘s the building (thick walls, isolation...) plus the heating. But not explicitly floor heating. Every German home is warm. Most have fixed radiators under the windows.

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

Okay good to know! Yes the walls are so thick and well-insulated.

[@allimJ]

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife We have norms how to build a house. It’s not just the walls are insulated, as well the roof, the windows(the way it looks you have double Glas windows - it’s a way of insulation), the floor. We don’t have crawl spaces either. This way of insulation thou makes it necessary to air your house/flat daily. Air and dampness can’t in, but can’t out either. Or you get mold in the upper room corners. Lower room corner mold is btw. From wetness in the walls, often caused by some leaky parts in the roof or walls. The magnets - I put mine on the metal extractor hood in my kitchen. I have a glass covered fridge. :)

[@olgakipke3720]

I wouldn't say every German home. But many definitely are.

[@jameszeschke2182]

You guys are so entertaining, with your slightly dorky, yet so lively style, love your videos. I'm German born and there for 8 years then we moved to Australia in 1970, fully Aussie now but can relate to so much Germanity . By the way there was 8 of us going to Australia , 6 kids mum and dad, with little knowledge of the English language I can certainly relate to you guys, but in reverse lol.

[@paolopoempel3048]

I studied English for 9 years at school (British English) then i worked more than 40 years for American software companies. I thought my English is quite OK. But i'm still learning Buttwasher is definitively new on my eternal vocabulary list both of you are so refreshing Greets from Frankfurt

[@pizdara]

😂👍 yes and it's sounds good...

[@Milchdieb]

That Intro... You do live in a part of Germany, where most Germans might want to go on vacation to.

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

Yeah we've never lived in a vacation place before, so we are very grateful. I know it's not possible for everyone. A blessing indeed.

[@walterhof2030]

I love That you are showing what you are Talking about :)

[@d.h.9860]

Thanks for your Video, my english writing is bad, my last english lesson 1981. You are so sympathisch , i hope you have a good time in Germany, and your Kids have this in school too. I am happy to learn a better English with you. Thanks a lot

[@ninchan3]

As a kid I often used the bidet for washing hands or feet or also for brushing my teeth. It's just a low toilet shaped sink. But of course my parents cleaned it 😉 I don't know if anyone of us used it for its original purpose 🤷🏼‍♀️

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

That's so good to know! 🤣🤣 We aren't weird, then!

[@klauskleber5154]

Finally the cat is back! :D

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

🤣🤣🐈🐱🐱 Kevin will be happy you left this comment 🤣

[@karinland8533]

Yes, we are keen on the expat cat storys😁

[@psrfpsrf]

As I mentioned before, your house is really upper class. Bidets are not usual in every house. First it is a kind of history, im France you will find bidets quite more. The second reason not to habe bidets even in moder houses is the additional space you need. The Germans have in average in private houses bigger living rooms and sleeping rooms as for sample the houses in France. And each square meter cost money.

[@antongreimel8437]

It's fun to watch you find out all the differences and maybe even advantages here in Chiemgau. Hopefully when Covid is passed you should definitely visit the Family Park in Ruhpolding. Your kids will love it!

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

Yes! We live close to Ruhpolding and have already been there twice by bicycle! So we are so excited for the Family Park to open up.

[@frankschrewe4302]

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife If you live close to Ruhpolding, you should try the "Bergwald-Erlebnispfad" near Inzell. It's a hiking trail starting at the "Forsthaus Adlgass" and ending at the "Frillensee", a beautiful small mountain-lake. It's a 45-minutes-walk (one way) at my normal hiking speed, but with 4 kids you should plan with at least 2 hours...

[@Terkzorr]

I've never seen people actually get excited about a simple window design that almost every household in Germany has. I'm never looking at my window the same. :-D

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

🤣🤣 it’s like seeing your country through the eyes of kids!

[@alesandro5880]

live long and prosper (Star Trek) is translated here as "Lebe lang und in Frieden" which means "live long and in peace" may the force be with you (Star Wars) is translated exactly word by word "Möge die Macht mit dir sein" You both are so cute, good to have you here :) just subscribed to your channel stay healthy, hugs from Stuttgart

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

Thanks for subscribing! So good to know - Lebe lang und in Frieden."

[@tanjavancour7496]

...and from Augsburg...

[@MichaEl-rh1kv]

6:25: Glass, paper and metal are recycled within Germany or at least within Europe. But plastics are still a problem. The "Green Point" system (invented not by Greens, but by the Conservatives unter the Kohl administration) has led to more packaging waste (mostly different kinds of plastic, but also composite material) instead of less, and the sorting and recycling capacities within Europe did never suffice. So much was exported, e.g. to Indonesia, Africa and also China. Todays a big part is "thermal utilized" which means burned up in garbage-fueled power stations. Only a smaller part is "material" recycled, and another part downcycled to pressed compound plastics.

[@sarahhampe7159]

What will be really interesting is, when Ella starts school in Germany, because the first day of school in Germany es extremely different to the US. Also the school bags.

[@Milchdieb]

I am looking forward to the "Schultüte" they make.

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

Well she has started going to a kindergarten already! But they haven’t had much school because of the c-virus 😫. So how is the first day different?

[@sarahhampe7159]

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife They get the "special" german schoolbag as well as a big coneshaped "Schultüte", which is filled with small toys, books, nice/special pencils, snacks and sweets (the new first grader usually doesn't know whats inside). The Schultüte usually gets made by the parents and the children together in kindergarten, a few weeks before they finally leave kindergarten for their last summer holidays before becoming first graders. It is quite a sight to be seen, with the fancy clothes, the new schoolbag (that more often than not seems to be way to big😂) and the colorful and huge Schultüte. Parents usually are allowed to go into the classroom with the first graders on that day. After school, when everyone is home, the Schultüte gets unpacked by the new first grader. Often the entire family goes to a restaurant to eat lunch or dinner (it is not rare for grandparents to join).

[@franhunne8929]

@@sarahhampe7159 That is a trend that has come up after I started school. Not the Schultüte, of course, but I am pretty sure we did not have a family gathering and no restaurant visit - in the mid 70s. (Yeah, I am that old). I had a Schultüte and a "satchel" (nothing like the new, light-weight thingies now) and photos were taken. Not sure if parents were allowed in the classroom that first day (it is over 45 years since then). But I know I hated all that posing for the photos. In the years since then it must somehow have evolved into a huge family celebration/gettogether.

[@ravanpee1325]

@@franhunne8929 They are allowed to go to with the kids to school, but the kids will take their class on their own. After the first class they will come together for photos etc.

[@kerstinklenovsky239]

Oh my goodness, you guys are lovely people. 🤩 Once you speak decent German you are going to be so well-integrated! 👍

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

Awe thank you! We are working hard on learning German. Our kids are learning faster than us since they are in school!

[@kerstinklenovsky239]

It's a shame you are being held back by all those Covid restrictions, but better days will come and then you are going to have such fun checking out our quaint and hilarious Deutschland. 😉

[@oleurgast730]

Actually recycling is done for paper, glas and compost. The yellow bin is not a recycling bin. The content might partly be reycled - or not. It does not be for special material, but for product packaging (exept paper and glas of course) only. The producer (or importeur) of a product has to pay for recycling or deposing, so it is collected seperatly (and the collection of the yellow bin is also paid by the manufactureres). So if you buy something, the price includes not only the packageging, but also the deposing/recycling of the package. So an easy to recycle (or deposing) leads to a lower price of a product. You might already noticed some differences in product packaging design in germany and the US. As an easy to recycle product packaging cost less - and less material for packaging also cost less - the total principle about the yellow bin is not recycling but force manufactores to use less packaging material or at least an easy to recycle design. So while the content of the yellow bin is pre-sorted and some material like metal is actuall recycled, much of the matrial is not recycled but "thermal used" (euphorism for burning it). But as said - the manufactures have to pay it, so they optimice the packaging further (and due to CO2 taxes this will become even more important in future). The system is far from perfect, but it is a first step into trash avoiding (wich is better than recycling of course). As paper is a seperate system, costing the manufactorer nothing for recycling/deposal, it use in packaging increases, while plastic is reduced (or at least it increases less than without this system). The effect is still smal, but noticable if you compare product packaging in different countrys. So there is no magic recycling methods in germany, but simply a system that (shoud) reduce the amount of hard to recycle product packaging. There are two other systems with the same approach: Manufactorers have to take back old elecric products (like washing maschines, TVs...) and pay for disposal/recycling (but I see no effect there; german market is much to small to force the asians to build easyer to recycle products). And the Pfandsystem for bottles (as it is one material which can easy recyled, its a well working system; ironicly it wasent invented to reduce use of plastic bottles but reducing littering - but the sideffect of recycling is there nonetheless).

[@emmasly123]

I am happy your cat apparently still has her claws which are inevitable for hunting and climbing. I know that it is still common in the US to declaw cats, so they wouldn't be able to scratch. In Germany, cat owners have scratch trees for them.

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

Yes it’s illegal to declaw cats here, which is a good law. One state in the US just passed a law to outlaw the declawing of cats. It’s a start…

[@emmasly123]

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife Even without a law, the people can make a difference. You are making a difference. 😊

[@emmasly123]

Oh, btw: If you haven't already noticed, vet charges are much lower compared to the US thanks to GOT (fee schedule for vets). 😊

[@DUDA-__-]

Our family primarily closes the "wooden shutters" when it gets stormy to protect the windows. It's probably not needed but it comforts a little.

[@thalazimmermann4761]

as little children we washed our hands in the bide as well or our feed after we ran around outside. To be honest i use it still today for the latter. Its just so much more practical than handeling the shower or the largness of a bath tub. Our family never utilized it in its original usage though.

[@simstat9502]

metal roll shutters was one of the first things we installed when we moved to Canada LOl, couldn't imagine doing a night shift and live without that to black out the room. Great for t.v room as well.

[@Teatime-mq6bv]

What’s about German pillows and covers? When I am in the US I really miss my „kuschelige“ and soft pillow. But even worse is that you only have one large cover for two. It’s always a fight during the night between my husband and me when one of us rolls to the other side. Well…, although I really love to share the bed with my husband, I am glad to have my own cover, especially as he always wins the fight…😉. Great to have you here! Bavaria is a wonderful place to live…, enjoy the time! 💕

[@vattenpoel1328]

OK there are things missing that you will notice when this lockdown business is over. The main one being #11: The Biergarten

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

YES! I know all of Germany is waiting for the lockdowns to end...

[@Dutch1961]

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife #12 clean mountain air #13 great quality tap water #14 direct access to every country in the EU

[@robertd9928]

Regarding this, I recommend a trip to the Müllner Bräu in Salzburg. Or of course to Munich, where there are many Biergärten (beer gardens). The difference between the normal Gastgarten (guest garden) which many restaurants have and a real beer garden: in the Biergarten you can bring your own food, but have to buy drinks there.

[@mijp]

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife ahh, no. Go to Traunstein and do a breweries tour with the "Hofbräuhaus Traunstein". Also extreamly good US beer from Winninger. And Flötzinger from Rosenheim. You do not need to go to Salzburg or Munich, but you need to go to the Franconian Beerfest next year!

[@peterheinrichs7634]

@@Dutch1961 You cann't compare #12 with the clean air of american mountains... It's unusal for europeans to have clean air, not for american mountain folks. ;-) But: you cann't argue with #13!!! We are very keen for having clean water in germany nowadays! True! :-)

[@marenslife8181]

I love the cobblestone streets. I love the sound it makes when you drive with your car on it! ❤️

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

Me, too!

[@atconnys8786]

My Grandma used to say: "Could we drive this route, along the cobblestone street? It`s tingling ever so nicely "down there" then. lol, sorry but... lol

[@millionsparks96]

Not only do we have the 4 trash cans that get picked up regularly, there's also drink bottles of the Pfand system that you take back to the store to be recycled and glasses that you have to take to a special glass container to be recycled!

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

Yes! You're right, we left that part out! LOL

[@millionsparks96]

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife I can understand that it's a lot, I guess it takes some time getting used to and figuring out what to put into which bin. Even as a German I'm sometimes not sure what to dispose of where 😅

[@ninan9650]

Many cities still have waste incineration plants, where the non recyclable waste is burned. Unfortunately some of them also burn plastic ( gelber Müll) . This is very energetic and cannot be recycled to such a high percentage as we all want to believe. Many of those plants use the gained heat for district heating.

[@thomasbucher5311]

Don't forget to mention the refill-bottles. All glass bottles you have to pay "Pfand" for are carried back to the producer, cleaned and refilled! With PET bottles it's a bit more complicated: There are refill-bottles and recycling-bottles. You can mainly tell them apart by how much deposit you pay/get for them. PET-recycling: 25 ct. , PET-refill: 15 ct. (in most cases). Generally refill-bottles are to be preferred. A number I do remember from very long ago is that the average glass-refill-bottle is refilled 37 times. I don't think it's still that high, because breweries and producers in general tend to have their own bottle-designs instead of sticking to the standard designs that could be returned to many producers. This makes the system more and more complicated. I still do have some uncommon refill-glass-bottles (in german: Mehrweg-Flaschen) in my cellar and don't know where to return them...

[@heidioerlemans8333]

I miss my home so much. Have been in us for 42 years now.

[@ireyonmoya]

In the US I missed single lever mixer, it has driven me crazy to mix the cold and warm water separate, especially while there is just a fixed shower head. Cold Too hot Coooold...

[@stefanweigl4608]

I think the wooden shutters you showed in your video are more common for houses specifically in your area (Oberbayern) and are Installed at older houses. You can See this wooden shutters Just rarely or never on new build houses..

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

Yeah I was thinking that, which is why I mentioned that many German houses have Rolläden and not wooden shutters (Fensterläden).

[@stefanweigl4608]

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife your German seems to become perfect when you wrote rolläden and fensterläden. Happy for you, my Life getting worse and more worse every Single day.

[@Chara_Lar]

In Switzerland you need even more places to collect stuff for recycling: Paper, cardboard, glass, metal, aluminium, batteries, PET-bottles, plastic bottles, water filters, bulbs, electronics, garden waste and kitchen scraps.

[@1982malena]

Hi there, Welcome to Germany! I love your videos. We also live in your area btw ;) about 10 km from your place. Don't worry about bidets. We had one as I was four. It wasn't in use. So I also brushed my teeth there ;)

[@christiankastorf1427]

It is interesting to study the history of kitchen design. Back in the very, very old days the center of the house was its open fireplace. The smoke went up to the hams, pork sides and sausages that were cured there before it left the roof through the "wind eye", the "wind oog", near the top of the gable. Yes, that is where the English term "window" comes from. In the late middle ages came an arched brick stove under a smoke uptake. That was especially important for houses in the growing cities where the risk of fires had to be reduced. Farmhouse kitchens were huge. The entire family plus all the maids and farmhands would gather there to have their meals. That was an iron rule that was kept under all conditions. I have heard about a farmer who got into trouble with his local nazi-party leader during WW II as he objected to sit his Russian POWs at a separate table. When he was forced to do that, he put a long table cloth over the gap. Here in the north where I grew up it was customary till the 19th century to have two kitchens, just to show off when you were prosperous. The impressive one would be stuffed with pots and pans in polished copper and brass, but those items were hardly ever touched. Cooking took place next to that show kitchen in black cast iron cooking vessels. Life in the towns was different from life in rural areas, and that had its consequences. Space was limited and people lived in cramped conditions. But even so the kitchen was often bigger than the living room. The term "Wohnküche" was coined. To save heating costs only the stove in the kitchen was fired. There may have been a sofa along one wall, the kids did their homework at the kitchen table. The sink ( cold water tap only) was often placed in one corner of the room, warm water for washing the dishes was heated in a kettle and the washing-up was done in a round basin that "lived" in a drawer of the kitchen table. Those things were still made in the 1960s. That was the time when electric refridgerators became affordable. They would usually be painted or enamelled in clinical white, just like washing-machines. The same thing was true for gas and electric cookers that slowly replaced coal-fired stoves. These objects were bought individually and there was neither the wish nor the need to style them in the same way as the rest of the kitchen. Suppliers of electric household items speak of them as "Weißware", white wares, even when they are sold in other colours. In the 1920s a group of architects and designers that had to do with the "Bauhaus" school racked their brains about the ideal kitchen. They analyzed the movements and steps of housewife to the in the same way engineers had analyzed industrial procecesses in factories to optimize efficiency. They quickly came to the result that an enormous amount of time was lost in walking about in huge kitchens. They ignored aspects like claustrophobia and the psychological problem that small rooms are an indicator of poverty and came forward with the "Frankfurter Küche", the prototype of our modern kitchen where everything is in easy reach and everything is functional. And all cabinets were look-a-likes, same colour, same fittings, same surfaces. That was the end of the "Wohnküche", but not everybody liked that concept. From the 1960s on kitchen suppliers have styled the entire kitchen in one go and "hide" cooker, fridge, dishwasher and freezer behind doors that do not interrupt the unitary optical effect. It says "this kitchen is custom-made" and not "this kitchen came together bit by bit as soon as we could afford it". But the "Wohnküche" never died out. A kitchen is more than a place for food processing, it still has the old function of the fireplace that warms the entire house. Very often you will find that the kitchen is the room where a house-party gets really "gemütlich". The American concept of uniting kitchen and living-room and separating them with some kind of bar counter only found many friends in Germany. And that, too, meant that people want to regognize stoves, fridges and dishwashers as pieces of furniture.

[@clausmayerhofer2780]

a) your fridge is frightening empty and deserted for a six person household! b) why do you freeze whiskey? That bottle in the freezing compartment of the fridge looked to me like a whiskey bottle. c) yes, separating trash has become kind of a hobby for the germans over the centuries. And, most important: have you noticed that there are basically no plastic bottles and and tin cans flying around in and out of towns and villages? They are like the pestilence in other countries. This is the greatest achievement of all in this country, that we have to pay a deposit for plastic bottles, beer and softdrink cans.

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

Yes I love how you get money back for recycling bottles here! People are motivated easily with money.

[@iscadean6038]

Alcohol doesn’t freeze at freezer temperatures. It’s still liquid down to C-40. Freezer is at -18 or -20. Drinking spirits at freezer temps is great too.

[@gaurigatha]

The german houses including windows are built so much better. This has really been frustrating here in the US . Also I always thought there is not so much difference between the 2 , living wise as well as culture wise. After 20 years here and a kid going through the school system, I can honestly say the differences are much more than I had thought. Love both countries and can live in both, feel at home in both and still say boy they are intensely different.

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

That's really cool that you've loved both countries and feel at home in both places. You are truly open-minded! So what would you say are the differences between the school systems? Obviously a BIG difference is the 3 tracks we have here in Germany. I can see the pros and cons of it.

[@gaurigatha]

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife I think the biggest difference is that there is no choice really. Either you go through high school or you loose. Germany as a whole gives kids the opportunity to make different decisions about schooling. You can learn a trade, go to trade school or business school without a high school diploma. Schooling and college education are much less expensive and in general teach kids much more independence than here. Then again here we can choose to home school or unschool at any time which is totally against the law in Germany. The way kids are talked to or taught in school is also very different. Here ( obviously it depends on the school and the state you are in ) kids are taught to respect their teachers through strong discipline and words. In Germany you have to earn the respect as a teacher. Here the emphasis is on learning and performance also in sports and not giving kids the freedom to explore the world but keeping them busy all day. In Germany especially the younger kids get out of school early and then have time to play and just be. And so on. Since I worked in the german education system I know my way around it pretty well and I must say in many ways it is so much better because it teaches kids to be independent spirits and thinkers.

[@JustSara93_]

When I was little I really did use the BD as a "kid sized" sink, washing my hands and brushing my teeth for as long as I was able to, growing up :D Saw it as my own sink. My parents had theirs and I had mine :) So funny your son thought of that, too. I don't even know if my parents used it as a real toilet. I only know that they washed their feet in it and so did I :) Found your channel today and have been loving your videos of moving here! greetings from northern Germany

[@mathiasgebhart]

Same

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

That is SO cute! Hahaha, glad our son wasn't the only one!

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

Ooo and tell us where we should visit in northern Germany! We are excited to go north and visit the sea (once hotels and Air bnbs are open).

[@johansilwouden3403]

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife I suggest that you visit the island of Rügen. It is the largest island of Germany. In the old days, the rich & famous went there to take a Kur, wellness it is called nowadays.

[@marjanpel1563]

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife Sylt, Amrum, Föhr, Kiel, Lübeck and of course Hamburg!

[@kraftandre5538]

nice vlog.nice landscape.nice house.you must have a very good payed job.keep it up and stay safe.

[@jorgmichels6213]

„Live long and prosper“ from Star Trek is translated in the series/movies into: „Lebe lang und in Frieden“. „May the force be with you“ from Star Wars is: „Möge die Macht mit dir/euch sein“. I like your Videos to see how you are dealing with the process to switch your life into another country. Welcome in Germany and keep up with those nice videos.

[@karstenbursak8083]

kommt drauf an, ist von Serie zu serie und Kinofilmen verschieden, je nachdem wer die synchronisation beaufsichtigt hat heisst es auch "Lebe lange und erfolgreich"

[@jorgmichels6213]

@@karstenbursak8083 Ja, richtig. Ist auch eine Variante.

[@bigernie9433]

Great to see even your cat seems to enjoy Upper Bavaria now ! When watching the point about the swimming pool, another consideration sprang to my mind, namely that your kids will possibly notice a difference when they attend 3rd or 4th grade at school, namely that they will have mandatory swimming classes. (I am not sure about whether this is going on during Covid, though) That is not a common occurence in US primary schools as far as I know. They may thus be able to do some homework in the pool back home to improve on this subject.

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

Oh wow! That's so cool! I'd love for them to have mandatory swimming classes. We haven't come across that yet, maybe it is because of COVID.

[@jacobmarquard4766]

The outer concrete wall has insulation inside - they are a 2 layered sandwich construction. And there are norms for new houses, ensuring they are well isolated

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

That’s so smart!

[@te0nani]

Floor heating is more efficient in specific heating systems, because you have a bigger surface area. So you don't need a high circulation temperature to keep the room at ambient temperature. Imagine a house with a hot water storage tank and a vacuum tube sun collector on the roof. If you can heat with 25°C (heated floor) instead of 60°C (normal radiators), you can pull more energy in average from the collector, even in diffuse lighting conditions. Because your storage tank mustn't be kept at a high temperature and the energy transfer from the collector to the tank depends on the temperature delta. And the concept of these thick walls is isolation with multiple layers in the wall structure. When it is cold outside, we want to lose as little energy as possible through the outer walls. In summer condition, it keeps the heat outside. We basically air the house in the night to cool it of, so it remains cool throughout the day. Fensterläden or Rollläden can be utilized to dim the sunlight coming from outside through the windows, heating up the rooms. That way, we don't need an ac at all.

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

It’s such a smart system!

[@philippbrogli779]

If you are interested in what the difference is between american and european (mainly Swiss&German) architecture then I can recommend a series by Matt Risinger. The Playlist is called European build show trip. This is both informative and entertaining. As far as I'm aware Europa isn't much better when it comes to recycling. China doesn't take it anymore and now it's just some other asian country. If I'm not mistaken then Switzerland just burns the non-recyclable stuff with the respective filters and makes either electricity or heating power for the closeby city out of it. But I've heard others say that Swizerland also just sends it to Asia where it gets burned on an open air dump. Who really knows. Let's just try to reduce and repair it while recycle doesn't work reliable.

[@ShenLong991]

Try your refrigerator magnets on doors or door-frames. Sometimes they have magnetic metalsheets just beneath the surface.

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

Oh cool!

[@AGWittmann]

You got Kaffee und Kuchen-Zeit too :D And the Vulcan Greeting goes in german: "Lebe lang und in Frieden"

[@sarahmichael270244]

hi, i think the warmth comes from insulation from buildings in germany. it was/ is a big issue since 80's in germany, because it saves money. That why airing out is so important because of black mildew on the walls that will occur if you don't.

[@ramona146]

Your kids are so cute

[@pega17pl]

(8:30) The pool is an advantage for your children that should not be underestimated to make friends and to be integrated into the children's "village community". - Greetings, Heinz

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

Yes! We had such a cold summer we didn’t use it that much. Maybe next summer will be warmer!

[@pega17pl]

(10:00) This size of cobblestones are named "Katzenkopfpflaster" in Germany. - Heinz

[@TheScarvig]

the weird thing is that here in germany the "einbaukühlschrank" is usually the cheap version and if you want to splurge on a fridge/freezer combination you get a standalone one

[@hei7586]

Love your cute bavarian accent in pronouncing german words!

[@janedoe4586]

the shutters are storm protection ;)

[@denisephillips5845]

For the magnets try the door frames

[@vbvideo1669]

This was very fun to watch! :)

[@neophytealpha]

Tilt and turn windows. Rare in the US, but very common in Germany for a long time. You can find them. Rouladen can be found in the US, but used as storm covers rather than as regular covers.

[@Noperiety]

Windows are also multi-pane constructions. The middle of the window should contain air which works as insulation.

[@MrBenedictus25]

about those magnets for your fridge. i bet you can stick them on the wooden thing the freezer is hidden behind. most of the time they are magentic too.

[@conbertbenneck49]

Re-windows Your windows have two panes of glass for better insulation. If you open your window into your room, and look at the casing; you'll fine that you can unlocke the two window parts, and now clean four window surfaces while standing on the floor - no ladders! When you are finished cleaning the windows; put the two halves together, and close the locks. Then close your nice clean windows normally.

[@0oMichiko0]

Ok, in addition to the other video with things you don't have in Germany, I guess with radiant floor heating you don't need carpets :D The thing with the hidden fridge, that's normal here when you have a kitchen that is like one whole construction, where everything fits together. But it's also common to just have your stove and cupboards and fridge separated. I'd say your pool is quite unique in Germany :D I don't know, obviously I haven't lived everywhere in Germany but most homes I know don't have a pool :D funnily though, my picture of US homes especially in the south is always with a pool xD Good to hear that your cat also loves living in Germany :3 Bedets are like.. I don't know... old house things? :D I only know them from my grandmas' house. Not sure if they exist in new houses. Gotta say, your house and location are like really awesome. Most German people (that don't live in the countryside) would consider your house a vacation place.

[@silviaw.3379]

Great funny video. Your pool is really cool and not common in Germany. We live in an area with a lot of lakes, and most kids learn swimming (Seepferdchen) as soon as possible. (And I was still with them till my daughter and their friends have all the next level "Bronze") There are also swim lessons in school instead of the regular sportlessons, but most teachers are happy if the kids are able to swim. --- I love your killer cat and Kevins enthusiasm about it..-D If your cat eats the mouses too, don t forget to buy some worm treatment at the vet. And I recommend something against ticks too. Looking for your next videos!

[@franhunne8929]

Yes, an outdoor cat has to have worm treatment and will need something against ticks (particularly with children in the house!) and fleas. Consult your vet about that - vets are not as forbiddingly expensive here as they are in the US!! (Don't you just love living in a country where health care for humans and animals is regulated, so you don't have to break the bank to afford it?)

[@Tom-hz1kz]

5:30 The remaining waste usually does not go to a dump but into "thermal recycling" = it is burned to produce heat and/or electricity

[@Henning_Rech]

Yes, since 20...30 years (?) we burn our waste ("Restmüll") instead of landfills, but to be honest, this does not produce useable thermal energy. On the contrary, one often has to add other fuels to the waste to be able to burn it at a sufficiently high temperature that no toxic gas is produced.

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

That sounds good! But I guess maybe not since it produces air pollution...

[@o0OAnnamariaO0o]

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife There's very effecient filters and technology in those trash burning facilities. Not much pollution coming out of there. Vienna for example has one right in the city and you don't even notice it.

[@patrickschindler6781]

I'm not sure if I've already mentioned that. But we have had this tilting window technology since the 1970s. At that time, this was mandatory for every house because otherwise the household contents insurance would not pay for the damage. I think that when we were children, we were first shocked when suddenly, during a tilt demonstration, the window came towards us. The technology had been refined over time. But the basic system is the same. Over the course of 40 years, this has been normal for us with quite a few window changes. The front doors are developing more and more into a safe.

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

Oh how interesting! Cool to know it was introduced in the 70s.

[@patrickschindler6781]

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife Well, since that time, several generations of windows have been replaced. Although it is very surprising that it appears modern to others. This is less due to arrogant thinking and much more to the assumption that everyone has it.

[@S_Black]

It's not always just a brick/concrete wall. With newer or renovated houses there is often an outer layer of insulation between the wall and the paint. The quality and thickness of that varies. And new windows have two panes with a vacuum in the middle as that's a weak point. So when you heat it up the heat stays inside for a while. Floor heating or not. That works with cold too. In summer you can open the windows during the colder nights and then close the shutters during the day. Then it will slowly heat up over the course of the day. That is also by the way the reason you're supposed to air out rooms regularly. It has nothing to do with people liking fresh air as some ignorant people like to claim. But to lower the humidity in order to prevent mold growth. The wooden shutters are a regional thing and a stylistic choice to make the house look more traditional. Probably to make it fit with those typical alpine style houses. Floor heating for example is relatively modern and if they had wanted Rolladen they could have installed them

[@Astrofrank]

No, there is not a vacuum between the panes. Air was used until the mid nineties, nowadays it is often a gas with low thermal conductivity, always a noble gas. Flat glas wouldn't withstand the air pressure and just implode. New windows often have three panes, four panes are possible.

[@joewright9400]

You guys are super friendly! Love your red sweater with the matching earrings...we are currently in South Korea but moving back to GER soon.

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

Thank you! Are you the guy who just emailed us to offer us help on our car? Such a nice email, thank you!

[@joewright9400]

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife oh no sorry I am not :) I am a female jo is short for Jonna but I am German, if you need help with translations , anytime: [e-mail]

[@grandmak.]

I love your intro and how you captured all the beautiful impressions around you ! About the floor heating : I wish I had one right now because my feet are cold, but when I had dogs we rented a vacation home once and the dogs were uncomfortable with the floor heating. It's funny how all Americans enjoy German windows ! They really offer different possibilities of little or much fresh air and we Germans are fans of airing our rooms several times a day . Wooden shutters are more common in southern Germany and they are also very useful during the summer to keep the heat out ( as you might have noticed AC is not a thing here due to high energy costs). Hahaha, the bidet story is really funny but I'm sure many, many German kids would make the same mistake since bidets don't belong to the average bathroom appliances here. So, your home is not only situated in the most beautiful area, it's also well equipped ! Have fun exploring more about your new life in Germany ! I'll be looking forward to more videos to come !

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

So glad you liked the intro! I know, us Americans always do comment on the windows because they really are THAT cool! Haha

[@tinoj9661]

floor heating is also more energy efficient. you do not need to heat the water running thru to 70°C like in old heating systems. otherwise you would play "the floor is lava" all day every day.

[@Otte74]

7:40 fun fact: after a huge renovation ten years ago (our house was build in 1967), we don't have any curtains. Nowhere - although our house is close to a Landstraße, a pavement and a bus stop (3 - 5 meters away). Only this milky glass in our bathrooms. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

Oh that's much more practical! Do you like the milky glass?

[@RainerChris1]

Thanks for your videos! sincee my mom back in Tennessee is watching your videos , she start to realize that all I've ever told her About Living in Germany is the truth.she left germany 1955 so she has no idea,how almost everything changed here

[@arkg8597]

Very lovely couple....

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

Thank you!

[@thomasp.5057]

You are mixing up Star Treck and Star Wars! Möge die Macht mit Euch sein! 😊

[@andreassumerauer5028]

9:47 Cobble stone is often used as a measure to slow down the car traffic. Driving on a road that is paved with cobble stone will generate much more noise and also make the car vibrate . That's why people tend to go much slower on cobble stone than on asphalt. Also it is just beautyful. The downside is that folks with impaired mobility can have a hard time walking on it.

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

Yeah not good for those with impaired mobility, very true.

[@johncook2765]

Just wondering if you guys have seen the videos on youtube by Nalf. He is an American who plays American football in the German football league. I try to watch him an now you guys. I lived in Germany as a kid when dad was stationed in Berlin. We would vacation in Bavaria

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

Yes I have seen some of his videos! He's entertaining.

[@insider9796]

The Walls are mostly not out of concrete but out of bricks and you can easily hammer a nail into it.

[@MyMerryMessyGermanLife]

Yeah that's a language difference here in the video - when we say concrete, we mean concrete cinderblocks, which are like big concrete bricks.

[@kevinweber5129]

My favorite Schnitzel is called Budapest Schnitzel at a local German. American restaurant that has a pink cream and Paprika sauce. Oh delicious.