5 Skills I Have Germany To Thank For

[@NALFVLOGS]

Try out CyberGhost! Use www.cyberghostvpn.com/NALF for an 83% discount + 4 months free including a 45 day money back guarantee! Join us on Quiver for free: www.downloadquiver.com/ Our Podcast: www.youtube.com/@nwthepod/featured

[@maikotter9945]

ein Beitrag des Mittwoches, 11. Dezember 2024 Moin aus dem Lauenburgischen [/Elbe]! Ich wohne jetzt in einem Dorf, zwischen Hamburg, Lübeck und dem damaligen "Eisernen Vorhang"! Haben Sie jemals Rugby gespielt?

[@languagepool-germanusingli9902]

What I've learned from living in Germany is how to deal with conflict/honesty. People are unlikely to ghost you here. I've had somebody tell me to my face 'I don't want to be friends with you'. That was a surprise. But I was fine with it. I liked it actually. I think it's we don't want to have conflict (anglos). I am more authentically polite as opposed to being afraid.

[@renerieche6862]

Handschaltung ist der beste Diebstahlschutz in Amerika😂

[@roschue]

Da hab ich tatsächlich mal ein Video gesehen wo sie in Südafrika ein Auto hijacken. Holen den Fahrer mit Waffengewalt raus und 1 Mann übernimmt das Auto. Seine Kollegen hauen mit dem eigenen Auto ab und er rührt sich nicht vom Fleck. Paar Sekunden später steigt er aus und rennt davon.

[@nilsvonbelow]

Dear Nalf: I want to thank you for your vlog: i am german and i have lived in the us for a while so i come from the other side as to looking at a foreign society: what i specially enjoy in your vlogs is your tolerance and your wide perspective. What I also want to thank you is your willingness to build bridges between different cultures: Its the grey areas that are interesting and human: So all in all thanks for sharing and inspiring: yours nils

[@Mechanic44455]

The Sound of Silence 😊 For me, silence is a kind of luxury. Have a good one, Nick!

[@maryhildreth754]

Yes I hear that. It is not silence, it's that damn music.

[@ArmadilloGodzilla]

Yeah that was a massive intro fail. 😂😂

[@kyihsin2917]

Maybe he was untypical, but a German friend of mine used to say "ich kann mit jedem reden, aber ich kann nicht mit jedem schweigen" [I can talk to anyone, but I can't be silent with anyone], meaning he only felt comfortable with silence if he was with a close friend, but silence was awkward with someone he didn't know well.

[@TechSucht]

That's a quite common notion in Germany in my experience.

[@ArmadilloGodzilla]

Wrong translation, the last "anyone" should be "everyone".

[@marcosteger4574]

Its always a delight for me to watch your videos because i always learn about myself and opens my view on different cultures (Americans) and understand them better

[@i.w.9711]

As German I usually line up, but I have to confess not in a bakery. You do not see everything in a line and you should be fast in ordering, so that nobody has to wait too long. So you need to squeeze in to have a quick overview for making a decision. 😊

[@EisteeOhneWasser]

If people dont manage to queue properly in the bakery, it is because they dont know who is the last one in line and who is just standing in there to sniff bread. If I'm not sniffing the neckhear of the guy in front of me (because I as a german like personal space! Weird, I know!), there is always some grandma cutting in line, because she is convinced, I'm not queuing, because there is too much space to the guy in front. So according to that grandma, it is 100% your fault whenever there is a messy queue! People are confused by too much space. Also applies to parking space

[@JouMxyzptlk]

The "Line Up" system :D - Well, we all know who came when and we still keep that order, and no one is breaking it. But yes, we do not (need) to line up for that, it just works without a line.

[@nejdro1]

Yes, it works if you don't give a damn about the little old lady next to you who you just elbowed out of the way. It can actually be dangerous at times. I remember once being in a crowd going to see the fireworks behind the castle in Darmstadt. Unfortunately, the entrance to the park was through a gate which had two brick walls angled toward the gate. I literally feared that I and my two small kids would be trampled if we fell!

[@singingsanja167]

Until it doesn't, because someone is just rude, °_°

[@SorikaaMusic]

Efficiency over structure. And linining up in a bakery is not that efficient, because you can't see the whole sideboard, where all products are seen.

[@JouMxyzptlk]

@@singingsanja167 Yes BUT then German Directness comes in. We do open our mouths on such people, at least one. And it is so rare I cannot even remember when that happened last time, must be > 10 years ago.

[@nejdro1]

That is why many stores have "take a number" tickets.

[@jc_1856]

Great stuff! And I think your observations are spot on.

[@rbrendel1302]

There's this line in a song from the german Hiphop group Blumentopf: "Ich kann mit jedem Menschen reden, aber nicht mit jedem schweigen."

[@ChristineHogan-t5r]

Learning to drive a stick has been on my bucket list for years. I can’t even find a driving school in my area of New England that offers lessons on a vehicle with a manual transmission. 🤷🏻‍♀️.

[@erdbeereintopf]

if you can ride a motorcycle, you can also drive a manual car.

[@Zeyev]

The French have an expression for an unexpected lull in conversation: Un ange passe (an angel is going by). It's more commonly used when the silence is awkward but perhaps a native speaker of French could clarify if it's used for any pause.

[@melonenkopfchen6318]

Germany made him: -structured in daily routine -learned that the world is not black and white only -able to drive manual cars instead of automatic -having multiple sources of news not only two parties of government -silence cause not everyone is doing small talk your welcome

[@Zlotac]

May the gods prolong your life for 8 minutes, thanks! :D

[@ArmadilloGodzilla]

Language police says "you're welcome"

[@melonenkopfchen6318]

@@ArmadilloGodzilla Am I Free to Leave?

[@AntjeDebus]

Thank you! Couldn't listen bc of the ding-ding-bing-bing in the background. Messes with my brain 🙄

[@RickTheClipper]

As a German: Only speak if You have something essential to say, humans survive without talking nonsense. AND for our American friends, the most dangerous people speak with a low voice

[@gordondry]

What's that with the low voice? Real men are dangerous? Toxic feminism cult? I don't get it.

[@tibor1234]

Im 44 and have a 6 year old son. Silence is luxury and i enjoy it every second.

[@stuerhoermer]

Didn’t watch you videos for quite a while but i still like the way you look over your german habits and behavior… reminds me of why i still like living in germany without ever lived in a foreign country… but i still love to see different countries for vacation and i’m still looking for getting in contact with locals to learn something new and to change my mind and sight of being german ;-)

[@christiankastorf4836]

People in shops play a game, like "Memory". They try hard to remember who was there before them and who came later. That gives them room to wander around and have a look at the displays at the counters and at the same time "know" when it is their turn. It works -sometimes.

[@herb6677]

Talking of silence and playing music all the way through the vid is a bit confusing.

[@friedrichstock6377]

Great analytical video, Nick, as usual! Perhaps one of your future videos could be titled: "5 skills I have Laura to thank for"?

[@paelzermaedche-px4qd]

Yes, Laura is a gem. She is the typical good German, and they're going fast in Germany. Too much outside influence.

[@Mephistosoos]

Great Video! But I feel like the background music is way too loud in this video.For me its hard to follow what is being said.

[@robinsonhauser883]

Next skill: Kaffee kochen ? 😉

[@uhoffmann29]

In my mind and experience, silence is a powerful thing ... especially in conversations, interactions, negotiations ... if you can "shut up" in a conversation or interaction, you learn a lot more about the other person. In negotiations, the person unable to endure the silence is usually at a disadvantage. 🙂 Glad to hear you learned something in Germany. 😉

[@PierreMullin]

I lived there for two years, and the line thing baffled me as well. If you leave the slightest gap, someone nonchalantly slides in.

[@singingsanja167]

I am german, and I don't get tit. It's so annoying.

[@thomasfranz6467]

I very rarely see people cutting in line, you guys must know a different Germany than I do lol.

[@Kjartan1975]

@@thomasfranz6467 Me neither...I am quite surprised that this is a topic...even if someone is doing it, it is considered as rude in Germany as well but I would never argue with someone about it but I am silently annoyed and would do a face.

[@adambriest5257]

not an exageration, for me being able to be silent next to each other..sort of just enjoying company with the other..is the ultimate proof of you (me in this case) being just comfortable in the presence of another person. mind you 20 minute staring and being silent contest is not what i mean :D

[@lv518]

Love your channel and always look forward to a new video from you, BUT I'm surprised you didn't include learning German. Not many of us Americans really learn a 2nd language. And unfortunately that includes a lot of expats.

[@mojojim6458]

Why would an American need to learn a language other than English? Look at all the comments here.

[@emeles7853]

Moments of silence after talking about something also often mean that the people are reflecting on what has been said. So in my opinion (if it's not a completly trivial topic) theses moments of silence before jumping to the next topic are even necessary so you can get something out of a conversation and not just be talking for the purpose of talking.

[@alexpond648]

Depending on the room in the bakery we wanna see what attracts our appetite and make a decision before it's our turn, to speed things along. The polite customer knows and respects, who was there before them. I said the polite customer! We're not thinking silence means something is off. Americans come across as if you're always a little afraid of each other and overthinking. Always expecting things to escalate or the other person absolutely not liking you, if the void isn't filled.

[@nejdro1]

That stick shift thing is generational. We older folks had little choice when we young and learning to drive. Automatic cars then were rare and expensive. Learning to drive the VW Beetle I bought in Germany back in 1962 was no problem as I had learned to drive on a stick shift car. I will admit that it takes a couple minutes to get used to the stick when I occasionally have to drive a stick. I usually forget to put in the clutch at a stop light and have the car jerk on me!

[@elkevera]

Hi Nick, I am probably the only German who doesn't know how to drive a manual, it is even stated on my drivers license: Nur zum Fuehren von automatischen Getrieben (on the old gray one). I got my license in '78 and when my teacher picked me up, I took one look and told him: There are 3 pedals, I am not going to drive this car 😂😂

[@AnnetteLudke-je5ll]

Here is German No 2 driving only automatic cars.I never learned to drive a manual because I was not able to handle it. My. Driving teacher gave up after one driving lesson.😊

[@usbxg3474]

I am a little bit confused. When you got your drivers licence in 78 and are still allowed to use the "graue Lappen" you must be born before the year of 1953? Also I am totally stunned by the fact that your driving school had cars with automatic transmissions in their car pool back in 78. Congrats to you, still driving around at the age of 72 and watching youtube videos, japanese superstars and commenting videos! I really do adore your skills and hope I will be as healthy, fit and interested as you when I reach that age!👍

[@rkalle66]

In Germany discipline varies. Car drivers are building emergency lanes at autobahn in a jam but people rushing at supermarket checkouts or sport arena entrance gates. It's annoying how many people don't respect "stop lines" for privacy inside hotel or bank counter desks. This leads to number drawing system even inside a supermarket at butcher's counter.

[@sabinemuc6259]

More likely someone wants to know how many customers lined up and ended up with/out any purchase.

[@bcool9104]

I miss your videos that focused on German life outside of your apartment. Listening to you pontificate is boring but seeing you live life in Germany and Europe is interesting.

[@friedrichstock6377]

Exactly, and I we don't get to know anything about Nick's friends any more. I really miss them! Experiencing their interactions was always interesting as well.

[@AltIng9154]

We still do the line up at the bakery! 😀Where I live we do it even in the Corona Style!😊 2 m distance and out to the parking 🅿️ yard!

[@Lisa-sr9xn]

Awe, that's why I never truly understood the concept (probably not the best word) of awkward silence 😅👍💖 thank you for this video and greetings from next to Berlin 💖

[@josephwise7060]

I was driving a stick at 16. I amazes me that so many Americans can not drive a stick.

[@sylvie797]

I was born in Germany and lived there until my early 20s. I 1000% agree with you re: what's up with the lack of respecting any kind of line/ "first come, first serve" in bakeries. It drives me nuts every time I go back to visit. Also because it shows such disrespect - when Germans are in general pretty respectful. I guess except for that and smoking everywhere, including around kids.

[@sarahmichael270244]

Sorry Nalf, who needs the doctor? The guy , who talks about silence or me hearing music instead of silence?

[@MichaelBurggraf-gm8vl]

Keeping in line in a German bakery: in a few bakeries employees are actually trying to pay attention to the sequence of appearance of customers. But most don't. Actually, I do as a customer. I register who's there already and who's entering after me. And I'm intervening sometimes - as politely as possible and it's working most of the times really nice. Silence. I'd rather feel a bit embarrassed realizing that I'm telling the same story a second time to the same person than about falling silent because of suddenly not knowing what to talk about - although the latter can be uncomfortable sometimes.

[@mojojim6458]

Yes, we can't help but hear it! You will never be able to correctly balance the music loudness on here. By the way, what happened to the hornets/wasps that used to infest your balcony?

[@markusfrick6883]

I think the bakery issue is not the same in northern Germany. I come from somewhere around Hamburg and I have never experienced this.

[@bryanspringsteen761]

Absolutely right about the media and the US election. What I saw most here in Germany were the things Harris did well and Trump did badly blown out of proportion. Plus my European/German mindset plays a significant role as well. So,of course,to me it was obvious that Harris just HAS TO win. Oh how wrong I was.....again!🤷🏼‍♂️🙈

[@guillel9838]

Hi Nalf good video

[@Bob_Roy_03]

😘 welcome to Germany

[@Marcus_Aurelius_1978]

Hey Nick!? Germany here... You're welcome!

[@EndloseLeere]

6:36 its silence? ohh than its only me who's hearing the background music^^

[@dieterwtm8941]

Silence is the new gold;-)

[@tanpopo03]

Any structured lining up and courtesy here breaks down into anarchy when there's a) deliciousness to be had, b) a train/bus door opens and free seating must be secured, c) a new cashier opens up in the supermarket or at DM and the person before you is too slow on the uptake, d) you need that Glühwein NOW, e)... actually... we've never heard of a line we didn't try and jump before. ("Ich lass dich vor wenn du mich auch wieder vorlässt" anyone?)

[@sp7873]

nice screensaver

[@SH-mz8ie]

What about the skill of opening a beer bottle properly? 🤔

[@joannunemaker6332]

I enjoyed this video. 😊❤

[@nejdro1]

The inability of Germans to form a line is nothing new. i experienced it 60 years ago when i lived their. I always thought it was odd that Germans could, when in public, be guite abrasive, yet on a personal level be quite warm and friendly. At least one was - I was married to her for 50 years! :)

[@tuneskramer69]

Nalf when are you gonna make a video about the Netherlands?

[@johnlabus7359]

I walk everywhere and drive a stick shift. Am I secretly German?

[@Soulfood22]

Maybe you should do a DNA test to find out more about your ancesty. A german might be in there somewhere ^^

[@holger_p]

@@Soulfood22 Thats a money making spam. Lifestyle is socially aquired anyway.

[@edwood7741]

Do you cut in line?

[@i.w.9711]

@@Soulfood22This reminds me of the french movie „Oh la la“. It is sooo much fun to watch how people find unexpected ancestors from different countries. It plays with all kind of cliches and as German I found it very amusing to get judged. 😊

[@Mr138tomhall]

That group silence is special and bonding. 5 good German influenced skills, good vid. Thanks.

[@DanTheMan3194]

Learned to drive a stick shift at 10!

[@Rsama60]

I’m German, well also kind of americanized. Why? I worked for a US company for 30 years and, lived in the US got a couple of years and beside living there spend a good portion of my work life in the US. Still have good friends there. Abou small talk. As a German I can deal with silence. Doing smll talk for me is highly dependent on the language I use. Very easy doing it in English, regardless where I am in the world. A bit more difficult im my mother tongue German but not impossible.

[@diydad7704]

I know a lot of people who think that a good friend is one you can be silent with - for longer than 30 seconds. 😉

[@Why-D]

We may not line up in a bakery, but we recognize who was there before us and who entered after. And we are so polite until it is our turn. Who does not is unpolite!

[@malcolmjacquard4689]

That may be the way in villages. Move to Hamburg and see for yourself.

[@Arndt_DC7OT]

Bei der Stille sind wir in Deutschland noch harmlos. In Finnland kann es am Tisch schon mal eine halbe Stunde komplett still sein, wenn die nichts Wichtiges zu besprechen haben. Smalltalk findet dort gar nicht statt. Das würde selbst mir merkwürdig vorkommen. Und ich bin normalerweise auch nicht so der Small Talker.

[@androlsaibot]

"5 Fähigkeiten, die ich Deutschland zu verdanken habe" - Und ich dachte, das wäre ein deutsches Video. Aber beim Laden kam ganz kurz in der Titelzeile der englische Videotitel "5 Skills ..."

[@klbriceno1]

I really enjoy your channel but I'm starting to wonder how many more times are you going to cover the same thing? lol.. I mean no disrespect, and I'm sure you are meeting an algorithm of sorts, but I feel like this is the same thing covered using different language.. but it's still the same thing. Still love your channel and support you.

[@marionmuller7801]

I ( 64 ) learned to drive manual , never owned an automatic 😂

[@baronvonklik7159]

Rely on the sun to give you the truth, nothing but the truth, the whole truth.

[@cherylbrooks7005]

Interesting

[@maddin9703]

Silence? I hear your backround Music.

[@NicosLeben]

Why has your video such an extreme aspect ratio? Is it meant for the cinema? :D

[@RickTheClipper]

Where is Your kitchen ta|ban?

[@Nithrade]

Sorry, but that music is super distracting. Might be my current state of mind, but I had to stop watching. 🤥

[@jjjjj-y2d]

Weil jeder sein Brot schnell kaufen will lol.

[@MrDslacker]

Given the conclusion of the days topic I find it hilarious that the entire piece had rather loud background music ;) Also the silent pauses in conversation is well known all over northern europe (I'm danish)... Either some kind of conclusion has been reached and you know that if the discussion is taken further you will step on somebody's toes or the topic just doesn't merit any more talking, so somebody better find a new topic. As for your bakery conundrum, I bet that if the bakery has a problem with inadequate cueing, then implementing a numbers system will solve it... however most small vendors (like bakeries etc) prefers the more personable approach, which might elicit extra sales when talking to the customer. A cueing numbers system is more efficient, but it will limit the time that the "bakery" has with each customer due to the "push" from the next in line... Ergo if your sales team are any good then they probably can move more product without a cueing system in place... win-win.

[@andrebrammer2214]

Due to the title I thought you would start to speak german kind of fluently...😅

[@thommes07]

i like you and your videos but something germany should teach you is to use a refillable/reusable cup for your daily dose of coffee or make your own coffee at home. i can't understand, why americans give a sh*t about the environment...

[@mojojim6458]

Caffeine is a drug. Drugs are bad for you.

[@BrandonLeeBrown]

You have to figure in the percentages what percentage don't drive at all. German conversation is more structured. If somebody says something unexpected, it throws off the others and they don't know how to respond. American conversation is not so structured and just about anything is accepted and rolls along.

[@tombats6428]

Nope!

[@Netzjargon]

die 70-80% für Harris waren keine meinung aufgrund von informationen sondern eine hoffnung das sie gewinnt!

[@ndie8075]

🤔... to be inpolite.....no patiences......no sense of humor...😅

[@corneliuhaiduc4048]

Nothing bout learning how to live without air conditioning ? 😅

[@axel-von-watchmaxe]

I really wanted to watch the video to the end. But the music made me quit at 50%.

[@Patrick-on2ty]

✌️

[@marinaab7276]

Some people are complaining about the background music. I don't see any problem with it. I like your videos the way they are.

[@McGhinch]

Your background music annoys me. Others may like it, I don't. I don't believe your content is so bad that I must have an aural distraction. Edit: Especially when you want to make us listen to the sound of silence.

[@Mimlou]

True. This video did not need the background music

[@johnlabus7359]

Maybe you need silence?

[@wernerclarssen2939]

Yeah, you need no backtrack, dude We also dont🫡

[@chipdale490]

Plus, the background music is just waaaayyy too loud. Which is actually quite funny considering the subject of this video. 😉

[@novemberkind319]

Ja, sehe ich auch so. Ich dachte, er wolle uns sagen, dass er jetzt musikalisch geworden sei, aber warum er das Deutschland zu verdanken hätte, war mir unklar.

[@holger_p]

Prefering structured does not mean, everything is structured, it means you complain, when it's not structured. So actually quiet often. You don't feel well. You dislike the world.

[@BeWeRo]

I was very interested in the video, but the music was too loud for me. Sorry - I had to quit after some minutes...

[@marmotarchivist]

Granted, the media I consumed before the election had me thinking Harris could win. But personally I had also just hoped that you guys wouldn't botch this a second time.

[@detlevschultz8742]

After about 2mins I quit this video because of the annoying backgrund sounds and music.

[@TheDerwisch77]

I'm german, I'm a football fan, I didn't know Jakob, so I looked him up...and I'm rooting for Washington...so I went: Ohhhhh nooooo! 😀

[@rosshart9514]

No matter if Erdogan or Trump or Netanjahu or AfD is covered: Most German journalists mix the facts with their personal sympathy. Lot of wishful thinking transferred to the public. ARD and ZDF on the way to be FOXish.

[@thomasfranz6467]

To be honest, any German believing that Kamala would win was just delusional, I, as a German, was very sure that Trump would win, unfortunately. But I somehow felt the democrats were sure of their win, too.

[@nitabe6723]

Hi there, am I the only one finding the loud background music highly annoying and distracting? Can't make it till the end of the video, sorry!

[@Nils.Minimalist]

Reden ist silber, Schweigen ist gold 🫣