6 CRAZY REVERSE CULTURE SHOCKS I'VE HAD AS A CANADIAN LIVING IN GERMANY 😖

[@lifeingermany_]

HEY YOU! Yes... YOU! 😉 Scroll on up and hit that 'Subscribe' button if you enjoyed this video! ⬆️❤️

[@holgerrumke6244]

Yes, m´am :)

[@stefanb6539]

I heard an Austrian say, that Germans are usually unfriendly, but rarely mean it, while Austrians are usually friendly, but rarely mean it....

[@wolfgangpreier9160]

😂🤣😂🤣Only to unfriendly foreigners of course!

[@Hanmacx]

I heard the term "brutally honest"

[@ulliulli]

It was Christoph Walz during an Interview at Conan

[@BusyBrainyBody]

Americans are usually friendly and never mean it

[@wolfgangpreier9160]

@@BusyBrainyBody Autsch!

[@Fuerwahrhalunke]

If I smile too much, my "smiling muscles" actually start to hurt. I'm so German, I have to be serious or else I hurt myself😅😂

[@50733Blabla1337]

I know this one haha

[@Rottnwoman]

Good to hear - Americans ate grinning idiots.

[@all_in_for_JESUS]

In Germany I love going to the smaller supermarkets because I hate it when there is too much variety. 😂

[@gwahli9620]

Having too many choices causes stress. If there´s 17 brands of strawberry jam to chose from, it will burn precious time to pick one.

[@Darilon12]

It also increases the likelihood of picking the wrong brand. 2 options gives a 50% chance to pick right. 20 optipns gives a 5% chance to pick right.

[@jansix4287]

I liked Apple when products existed in two colors. 🍎🍏 That’s the amount of variety I’m able to choose between.

[@arnolsi]

@@gwahli9620 And a lot of the products taste absolut identical. I'm sure the most people can't find out their preferred brand if you make a blind test.

[@Rottnwoman]

Maybe you should work on your decision making?

[@Pewtah]

Italy and France are known for their strong awareness of art, e.g. fashion. There everybody looks very well dressed. Every time I came back to Germany from a holiday trip from there I saw mostly bad dressed people, including me German. After a while the way I see it "normalizes" and everybody looks okay. :-)

[@derhinek]

There was a store in my city, that had a pot with paper flowers and a sign at the entrance "Wenn sie diese Blume tragen, wird sie kein Verkäufer fragen." ... when you took one of the flowers an wear it (like out of a pocket or button hole) no employee would bother you, unless you contact them first.

[@TheFreaker86]

There actually is a mildly profane German word for fake and over the top politeness: Scheissfreundlich

[@meisterha8454]

"Scheissfreundlich" doesn´t match it. Scheissfreundlich means being ironically friendly whilst actually being hostile or even as an expression of hostility. The fake friendliness the video talks about lacks the irony and the hostility to be scheissfreundlich.

[@TheFreaker86]

@@meisterha8454 in most cases yes, but not necessarily

[@MichaelSpengler]

@@TheFreaker86 i see it the same.. we germans do not like this fake "scheißfreundlichkeit" that just wants to sell you something

[@hannofranz7973]

As far as customer service in a restaurant is concerned, you don't need to promote anything. It's put on the menu. Apart from that, you can take for granted that a lot of German customers will try to adapt the menu anyway to their individual wishes even if it's only to show how individual and original they are in showing that It also works with cucumber sauce instead of carrot sauce.

[@benjaminlamey3591]

@@hannofranz7973 that´s so german. There are rules, you have to follow the rules ... but it doesn´t apply to me ... typical extrawurst ...

[@karstenbursak8083]

I worked in a restaurant myself ... and of course you are able to customize you menu in Germany ... you just got to ask 😉 Walmart tried to enter the German market with big American style stores. It failed totally ! Beside entering an already saturated market with well established local retailers like REWE, EDEKA, ALDI, LIDL etc., they not only tried their practice of predatory pricing to force competitors out of business, wich is forbidden by german law, they also did not do their research about german Shopping habits. Walmart stores where mostly located in industrial areas and therefore hardly accessible by foot or public transport. Most german grocery retailers tend to open their stores close to the housing areas, easy accessible also for people without cars. Also the Service was a Problem, as germans where annoyed by the overly friendliness and considered it rude and fake, wich also lead to problems with the workers unions in Germany. So they quit german Business After 9 years with an estimated loss of 10bio $

[@111BAUER111]

Ich will als Deutscher etwas kaufen. Mir soll nicht etwas verkauft werden. Ich möchte der aktive Part sein und nur das kaufen, was ich will. Ich mag keine Leute, die in Urlaubsregionen einen ins Restaurant locken wollen, ich mag keine Kelner, die all 5 min. Fragen ob ich noch etwas haben will. Ich will nicht angerufen und über tolle Angebote informiert werden und wenn Verkäufer unangefragt vor der Haustür stehen, mache ich die Tür wieder zu. Ich will aufmerksame Verkäufer, die sich bereit halten, bis ich sie etwas frage und mich dann beraten. Wenn mein Glas fast alle ist, dürfen die auch gerne Fragen, ob ich noch was zu trinken will und wenn ich seit 2m vor dem Regal stehe, darf mir auch gerne Hilfe angeboten werden. Ein bisschen Service ist ja schon schön, man sollte es nur nicht übertreiben.

[@HerrTelef]

Habe deinen Beitrag mit einem Edding doppelt unterstrichen!

[@taniakrause9253]

Sehe ich zu 100 % genau so, es scheint doch typisch deutsch zu sein. Shopping in america kann furchtbar sein, genau wie sie es auch beschreibt über Kanada.

[@Lukaslitty]

Da hast du recht, auf der anderen seite wirst du dann als verkäufer von manchen kunden angeschissen, dass ihnen niemand "in den arsch kriecht" und sie stehen rum wie bestellt und nicht abgeholt, anstatt proaktiv nach etwas zu fragen. Manche deutsche sind echt speziallisten.

[@haaklx]

Der Deutsche ist unbedienbar. Er steht früh auf und ist schon bedient. (frei nach Volker Pispers)

[@HerrTelef]

@@haaklx Wer ist denn bitteschön "der Deutsche"? Diese Verallgemeinerungen sind doch mittlerweile von gestern. Auch wenn es frei nach Volker Pispers ist.

[@martinbraun1211]

Yes, more culture shock videos! I love that! 👍

[@lifeingermany_]

🥰🤗 they’re also the most fun to make!!

[@kerstineisenhut8151]

Me too, you're always so kind, Jenna

[@iwonttellmynametoamachine5422]

Upselling is tought in Germany, too. But as a sales-person you only do this if it makes sense for the customer not to gain profit per se. The German customer has a pretty good feeling about what they want to buy before they come into your place of business. So it's more about building up a long-term customer-relationship based on trust. I need to trust my salesperson not to "rip me off" by upselling.

[@SmartAndy]

as an HR Manager in hospitality I can confirm that 100%

[@mamabear3428]

Ugh I hear you. I used to work 11 years in retail for a well known cellphone carrier and I started to loath that company. I loved working for them when we were still able to help customers out and were known for our great customer service, way before all that upgrade and restock fee nonsense started. As a sales person you were to sell at least 3 accessories with every phone, the value didn't matter as long as it was 3. Then they changed it to dollar value, 1 phone with $50 worth of accessories. Then all these other things as insurance and carrier specific apps were to be pushed on the customer. God forbid you weren't able to sell it to a customer. If you were able to do it, they jumped it up, now $60 then $70 worth of accessories. It became ridiculous. No more tech support or face to face customer service. The greed of that company made me be embarrassed to work for them. I always laugh when a company claims "we're selling with integrity". No wonder american customers always feel like they're about to get ripped off by a sales person as soon as they greet them.

[@Rottnwoman]

Yeah. They are all so smart! That's why they are shop assistants??? They have no clue!

[@furzkram]

Upselling things isn't customer service, it's customer scam.

[@denniswitt1638]

When you walk into a Starbucks and order a small cup of regular black coffee the whole Starbucks will explode.

@@denniswitt1638 When I walk into a Starbucks hell has officially frozen over. (Nope, not *opposed* to Starbucks. But… I never had the urge. Generally, I never bought coffee-to-go. It's not quite my… cup of tea ;-). Oh, and don't get me wrong, I'm "on the other hand" such a fast-food junkie. I love Burger King. :D)

[@iwonttellmynametoamachine5422]

@ "not my cup of tea" Germans making jokes? I guess you can go to Starbucks now. Hell seems frozen over already ^^

[@Llortnerof]

@@iwonttellmynametoamachine5422 I tried, but i couldn't get in. It appears the door is frozen shut and the interior is filled with ice.

[@wora1111]

Many English speaking people translate the word "customer service" in the wrong way. Upselling is not a service for the customer but a service for the employer. There are several other things where literal translation yields results being almost opposites (if looking at it from the European/German side): Health Care instead of Health industry, Democracy instead of archaic voter registration, etc. Although some of these are more rooted in the US

[@HAL-cm2ib]

Right, it is an plain misunderstanding. In Germany service is meant to be there, if you need it, if you don´t need it, it is meant to stay in the background, and never ever, in no case the service should bother or disturb you.

[@skydragon3294]

My wife is from South California, but we are living in Germany now. When we visit her parents there are basicaly two things that creep her out. First thing is the attitude, when talking about something mildly sexual. And we are not talking about sex, but beeing pregnant, or breastfeeding, or even how to find the right bra size. This caused a lot of irritation for with family and friends. Second thing is the polite way people tend to show there disgust. This slight smirking combined with eyes rolling back...

[@AlexanderVollmer]

If Canadians are shopping groceries only every other week, what about fresh fruits and vegetables, even sausages? They are only fresh for a max of two days.

[@judywe4941]

If a service person in a shop comes to ask me if she can help and does not want to leave me alone I feel watched as if they suspect me to steal something.

[@elricvanekimus]

nett grinsen und wenn sie dich fragen:"kann ich sonst noch was für sie tun?" mit "Danke sehr aufdringlich" antworten:D da erledigt sich das schnell von alleine:D

[@mquietsch6736]

@@elricvanekimus 😂😂 Unfortunately this doesn't translate into English... "Is there something else I can do?" --- "Yes, remove yourself" would surely be excessive...

[@elricvanekimus]

@@mquietsch6736 😁yes sadly some snotty remarks in German cant be translated or transformed into English,nonentheless the looks you get after a brief moment are worth it in german imo.And yes "remove your self" sounds not so whitty and a bit rude thats true.😉🖖

[@anna-flora999]

@@mquietsch6736 it would more translate to "thanks, very invasive"

[@tanyajones9325]

Thanks for the video!💫

[@Byesteiners]

A very funny Story: Wallmart failed in germany because of the exaggerated friendly coustomer policy (greeter at the entrance etc.) of which the german people were very confused and felt uncomfortable 😅😂

[@karstenbursak8083]

This was one problem Walmart had in Germany, but not the most important Scroll up, as I laid out some of these problems

[@Byesteiners]

@@karstenbursak8083 Dass das nicht der einzige Grund war, ist mir bekannt. Im Kontext der im Video genannten Punkte zur "Kundenfreundlichkeit" wollte ich diesen einen Punkt in der deutschen Wallmart-Historie aber für den komödiantischen Effekt hervorheben. Und das war nun auch typisch deutsch 😜

[@karstenbursak8083]

@@Byesteiners es ging ja im Video nicht nur um die Kundenfreundlichkeit, sondern auch um die Größe und die Lage von Supermärkten Noch zwei Punkte die direkt auf Walmart zutreffen und die zum Scheitern in Deutschland (und ganz Europa) beigetragen haben *deutschmodusaus*

[@Byesteiners]

@@karstenbursak8083 Ich habe meiner vorangegangenen Antwort nichts hinzuzufügen. Mein Ausgangskommentar bezog sich alleinig auf den Punkt der Kundenpolitik. Dass weitere Aspekte der Firmengeschichte ggf. Parallelen zu diesem Video haben, spielt Anbetracht der gewünschten Wirkung meines Kommentars keine Rolle. Guten Tag!

[@Llortnerof]

Walmart hat sich mit Lidl und Aldi angelegt. Die haben jetzt ein erfolgreiches US-Geschäft...

[@Pewtah]

When I visited the USA (California) I got some experiences like: WOW, sooo muuuch spaaace! During the flight back to Germany the reverse culture shocks started in the plane when I took a look out of the window down to the german ground, seeing the villages, rural areas etc.: OMG, it''s-all-so-tiny, eek! I got two more shocks after arrival because of the higher density of everything.

[@Rottnwoman]

In the USA it's the density of the people that is the problem.

[@Pewtah]

@@Rottnwoman What do you mean?

[@LiebeNachDland]

Haha, I know what you mean about Toronto. I’ve driven through there and through Mississauga many times to go up north, with the hazy view of Toronto to the east. All of those similar homes and brown condos that go forever to the west and off Weston Road. It’s nice to see the beautiful and fairly varied old and modern architecture in Germany.

[@lifeingermany_]

Hahaha right?!?! Im so glad you get what I mean! It’s a strange thing to try and explain!

[@Mayagick]

These suburbia are all single homes? Doppelhaushälfte, Mehrfamilienhäuser too German? No variety in architectural styles, but not as crazy misch-masch mix as in the US? For all the green along the Autobahn, just consider any of it would be gone, what a grey world this would be. Also there is some discipline not to block the left lane to have 2-3 different paces to your taste and everyone wins.

[@marrykurie48]

@@lifeingermany_ Do you know "Plattenbau" here in Germany?

[@lifeingermany_]

@@marrykurie48 yeah! Most of what we have is single homes! Plattenbau is very German in style! We have some lower income housing in Canada like that in the bigger towns though! 🙃

[@marrykurie48]

@@lifeingermany_ There are a lot of single homes here too, that are built in a similar way along a whole street. But we made them "unique" by giving them another facade, since we mostly have paintable plaster ;-P. Some of us even insulated our houses further by adding clinker facade.

[@ixiwildflowerixi]

Being up-saled is a reason for me to just leave the place straight away without buying anything. Makes me feel like the shop isn't seeing me as a competent human customer but rather a walking imbecile moneybag. Also, in what world is that considered customer service? How are the interests of the customer being served when someone is trying to push unwanted/unnecessary goods on you? Unfortunately it seems to work on enough people that it's seems to be on the rise.

[@lifeingermany_]

It is true! But it took me a few years in Germany to see it myself!

[@denniswitt1638]

You´re basically a walking purse.

[@jeromemckenna7102]

Good customer service is good for both the customer and the company. I went to a craft store to buy some supplies to help decorate for Halloween and the woman who helped me didn't upsell, but she knew the store and the products.

[@fatdad64able]

The first two points you mentioned made me sad actually when visiting the US. I felt that the clerks/waiters were forced to act this way. Like as if they would get fired if they weren't overly friendly.

[@Rottnwoman]

They are overly dumb! In South Dakota I asked for a Scotch and Dry (Ginger Ale) and was told they don't have Ginger Ale but "can mix it from coke and lemonade"! WHAT????

[@tammycaouette8678]

I think I literally "yes"d and "absolutely"d and air high-fived you, as I listened to this! You're hilarious and hit all the things I realized in my reversal culture shock going from our move back to Canada from Sicily. I miss the smaller supermarkets, the having a beer on the beach (the beach clubs mostly), the lack of 'overly friendly' fake customer service, and the driving! Driving in Sicily was organized chaos but it wasn't as blah as it is here back in Canada. Also you nailed it in the description of our cookie cutter homes and the vast sea of blah they visually give to the human eyeball. I miss the beautiful homes of Europe, all of them their own character. You only find that in the much older communities in Canada. Thanks for the laugh and the goofy grin you landed me today. Keep it coming!

[@selectthedead]

Why question to you would be: How do you like it in Germany to not always have to use the car to get anything done? Like grocery shopping at a small corner shop or skipping the traffic around Düsseldorf by hopping onto public Transportation in comparison to 16 lane highways?

[@martinsvideos7556]

We Germans love good Customer Service, but, friendly or not, we know what we want. Otherwise in a Restaurant a fast and correct delivery of Drinks and Food will Guarantee a good Tip for the waitress. No matter if superfriendly or not, good Job, good Tip.

[@Slippy6582]

What you are talking about this overdose of "friendlyness" is the reason Wal-Mart was so unsuccessful in Germany. Just leave us alone and stop this fake smiling and get asked every 50 meters you are walking in the store: How can i help you? What are you looking for? It´s really not polite IMO, it´s distracting and it´s annoying! Germans are really direct, they need A REASON to smile, so it´s just an honest and genuine face expression and not a mask you are wearing. Sounds harsh, but i am raised that way and i am proud of it :)

[@lifeingermany_]

Hahaha I 100% agree with you! BUT one thing I would like is a friendly smile on the street when someone walks past. It doesn’t have to be fake, but I find it rather nice - I still do it and some Germans think I’m strange, but some stop to actually say how nice it is to see a smiling stranger pass by. It always brightens my mood when someone is smiling!

[@Slippy6582]

@@lifeingermany_ I greet every person i meet on the street with a Good Morning or whatever.. That´s something, right? :D I think it´s friendly, i don´t have to smile to being friendly. It´s just a thing of culture and how you are raised i guess. But of course i like it when people are friendly or smiling, but just not during my shopping from an worker there... People on the street, totally different thing at least for me :) Have a beautiful weekend!

[@lumina9995]

@@lifeingermany_ Depends where you are though. In a city, do you smile at everyone that crosses your path? There are hundreds of people in the street. You'd get a cramp in your cheeks from smiling all the time. 😜

[@charlesharrison4077]

Thank god Walmart failed

[@PalmyraSchwarz]

To be honest, I didn't notice such intrusive friendliness in a German Wal-Mart back then. The people who worked there were also Germans. In the beginning the selection was relatively large, but soon the range was evaporated pretty quickly and then no longer differed from e.g. a Rewe. Wal-Mart has done away with the only feature that distinguishes it from other stores itself.

[@TomsDoItYourself]

I taught english here in Germany while studying, and did a role play of me being a server in a restaurant, and my students being the guests. They HATED all the attention I gave them as their pretend server (I was a bartender in college, so I knew the whole 'spiel'). I was surprised they didn't like it, and that is when I realized they thought our nature was too "in their face."

[@mquietsch6736]

You are right there. I am a German, and whenever I go to the US I really hate the intrusive servers. What I hate most is: 1. They interrupt you mercilessly when they arrive at your table, even if you are in deep conversation with each other. 2. They are loud. 3. They don't think. For instance, when you go into a restaurant, often an employee comes up RUNNING at you. Wow, hey, what's up? I automatically step back when someone starts running in my direction. To me this is aggressive behaviour. Next, the employee will shout (really loudly) at me "HOW MANY PEOPLE?" --- and I go "wait, now, er, we are standing in front of them. Surely they can count?" But they don't. Once I was in Manhattan somewhere in Soho (I think it's called), and this happened. I had just answered and been assigned a table, when an elderly man came in and the show was repeated. This is the one and only time that the customer talked back!!!! He grumbled: "Just one. Can't you see? Can't you count? Are you the stupid one in this place? Eh? Are you the stupid one?" And I was absolutely stunned. It stunned me still more that the employee said NOTHING to this absolutely impolite fella and just showed him to a table. Wow!!!! --- Looking back, I think he must have been what's termed an Italian American -- at least, he gave me that impression. What I also hate is that the servers become utterly unavailable as soon as they think they've got their routine over and done with. It often turned out to be next to impossible to get hold of a server for ordering another beverage or something. Occasionally servers run by and shout (interrupting us, of course): "Is everything OK?". But when I actually need something they aren't to be found. And lastly, as soon as they've taken the empty dishes away they plonk down the bill in front of you by way of saying : "OK, you've had your food. Now pay and get out." Remaining at your table after eating, perhaps ordering another drink, perhaps another dessert? Nah. You pay and get out. smh....

[@HerrTelef]

German here....for me a good service in a restaurant is not, when the waiter come every few minutes and ask us "Alles gut?" What is this question? What should I answer? "No, I lost my job" or "No, my wife leaves me for another guy" or "No, there's a little scratch in my car" But if you need them it takes a quarter hour they notice you (this happened last time). More consciousness to the guests what they really need, or make an interesting offer. To be honest I had a really good service only a few times. A good service in a clothing store may should say to me: please, don't buy this. This doesn't fit to you.

[@TomsDoItYourself]

@@HerrTelef Hey guys, well this is how we were taught to serve. Everything is ALL about service in the USA. Maybe we come to the tables too often, but it is better than having to wait 20 minutes to pay the bill. It just shows what differences there are in expectations between cultures 😉

[@pauly5418]

@@mquietsch6736 Keep in mind that in New York, especially Manhattan, people are typically rough mannered and are unlike most other people in North America. I believe it's the product of living in a very dense urban environment. I wouldn't assume that the person you described is Italian American.

[@franhunne8929]

@@TomsDoItYourself It is also that restaurants in the US need a huge turnover of guests - while in Germany guests can stay for quite a while - having an occasional drink after the meal. In the US you have to move away to a bar - but then you meet too loud music so you cannot really talk. And as young women you also have to fight off the guys which would not press themselves on you in a restaurant.

[@nordwestbeiwest1899]

Danke schön

[@yasminesteinbauer8565]

If you compare the population density of Canada and Germany, you would expect Germany to have more lanes on the highway.😅

[@lifeingermany_]

Hahaha good point!

[@StrategosKakos]

Yes and no: Less people per square mile means more space for multi-lane roads. Think about how difficult ist is to add lanes to an autobahn in a densely populated area like Greater Berlin, around Hamburg, around Munich or in the Ruhrgebiet. So while there are less people travelling you have the space to spread the roads out. Also, Canada does not have old settlements with small roads from medieval times that you have to accomodate in your planning. The First Nations simply did not usually build lasting stone edifices ;) Hence road planning (i.e. for actual graded roads) in Canada started in the 1800s at the earliest meaning they had only a few roads yround when the automobile started to take over traffic in the early 1900s and yould optimize your layout for that purpose.

[@mariokah2426]

We have upselling things in Germany only in Mc Donalds. If I just want a Big Mac to go they always ask if you want it as "Menu" if you want something to drink, if you want.....that annoys !

[@wolfgangpreier9160]

Yes, its the US way of thinking. You can not be content with a 1,-- Cheeseburger. I understand them i would not be happy with a 1,-- Cheeseburger too.

[@tobiascichy5034]

The your second reverse shock: I worked the last 12 years as a cook in a german Restaurants and everywhere I worked your point wouldnt be a problem. For example, if you dont like tomatoes on your salad (like a normal human being 😋) than ask for it. We germans are awesome but we cant read minds. "Nur sprechenden Menschen kann geholfen werden." (Only talking people can be helped) We have a really well known german sentence: "Der Kunde ist König." - The customer is King. And 99% of german stores/Restaurants/hotels/etc. know that.

[@JW-nh5or]

WOW ! WOW ! 9 minutes of brutal bombardment. Not taking a single breath it seams. Well done. You are germanised. Luv Ya

[@KJ-md2wj]

Your 4th point reminds me of Pete Seeger's "Little Boxes" song from the 60's.

[@keltoi8357]

When I order a salad I'd allways ask to pick out the tomatoes which never is any problem. I guess it depends where you are eating.

[@claudiakarl7888]

I‘m allergic to onions. When I explain I ask to leave them from my meal I never had negative reactions.

[@Malakina1964]

01:36 This was in farmer times in Germany, too. Exactely the same. But now only in very expensive stores.

[@sandrabugler9813]

The story about the store is corporate mandated. You have to greet, help and in smaller stores if you can walk the customer to the door.

[@neokerman659]

"Wegbier" - kannte ich noch nicht. Klingt super!

[@MsLeipzigerin]

Also know as "Fußpils", if you don't see how it's written and only hear it being said, it sounds like "Fußpilz"

[@21MEPHISTO01]

Ich bin in Düsseldorf geboren und kenne den Begriff ebenfalls nicht

[@neokerman659]

@@21MEPHISTO01 Gut zu hören. Liegt also nicht daran, daß ich "Ausländer" aus BaWü bin. :-)

[@benjaminlamey3591]

@@MsLeipzigerin denn kenn ich nicht, aber super. wegbier war mir bekannt in bremen.

[@-----9182]

Your pronounciation is very good!

[@lifeingermany_]

Thank you so much 😊

[@goblingoddessgaming608]

About traffic, the worst I've ever been stuck in was L.A. That was insane. Took us 3h just to get through the city and AWAY from this stinking place. That said, my daily 20km commute to Frankfurt on the Autobahn is a battle each morning and stresses me out a lot, I feel tired before I've even started work. Before the pandemic there was at least one accident almost every day. My record is driving by three accidents in short succession! Every single day I see half a dozen near accidents in front of me because people drive like maniacs. Everybody wants to get to their destination a split second before everyone else and will fight you for every inch. I'm always super tense trying to stay alive. It's so exhausting... And I send a prayer of thanks every evening when I arrive home unharmed. The Frankfurt traffic gets worse and worse every year. It's horrible. And it's not even a big city. My mom went to work for 40 years in a office a five minute walk from home. She never knew what a blessing that was until she started working part-time 10km away. Even the ten minutes on the freeway stress her out. And we exchange stories of asshole drivers and near accidents daily. The greatest thing about pandemic home office for me is not having to risk my life and sanity driving to work. I'm so much less tired at the end of the day. And no, taking the subway is even worse than that. Takes twice as long, requires to change trains twice, often running to make it. Often missing the train and having to wait 30min. If I hadn't switched to a car I would have quit the job in the city years ago. The train situation is total nightmare too now. Used to be fine when I commuted to college. Now every train is late or cancelled altogether. It's faster by bike than train for me! Might have to get an e-bike. Regular bike I can't do daily. Lots of uphill...

[@lifeingermany_]

Ahhh I totally understand you! I spent so much of my days worrying and stressing about how much of my time I had to spend in traffic getting to/from work while not making money and not being able to spend time with the ones I love! That’s why I started working for myself 😝 couldn’t do it anymore!

[@AugenblickPodcastUSA]

So, the jokes US americans do about canadians are kinda true when it comes down to politeness? That's super interesting! Very good video, we love to see people experience the country we grew up in! Greetings from the Virginia Germans Rick and Tamara

[@xcoder1122]

Being talked into something has nothing to do with customer service. It isn't a service for the customer as it isn't for the well of the customer, it is for the well of the business owner.

[@patrickscottmathews1457]

I went back to the States to visit my dad. I went grocery shopping with my son and after paying for the groceries I loaded them all into the cart without any bags and when I got to my dad´s truck, I realised that I didn't have anything to put the groceries in. I sent my son into the store to get some bags so we could bag up the groceries. its the little things .LOL

[@wolfgangpreier9160]

I use OBI Kisten for all shopping in my cars.

[@wmf831]

The example you give when in a store I wouldn't even call "overly polite", to me it usually feels very pushy, like I NEED to buy something, which puts a lot of pressure on me. "Not going shopping for a couple of weeks"? Sounds like a big time saver, BUT which vegetables and fruits (except apples) keep fresh for weeks? No salad, strawberries, tomatoes, cucumber or broccoli (etc.) would last a couple of weeks. Drinking in public: 1) it doesn't mean you have to b) by no means does it mean getting wasted, it is supposed to be enjoying a sip socially without getting intoxicated. I am no t saying that this does NOT happen, I am sure it can, me personally I have been lucky enough to never have seen it.

[@lifeingermany_]

We tend to buy frozen fruits & veg for the later weeks & fresh for the first week! Very different here!! 😄

[@wmf831]

@@lifeingermany_ Salad? Grapes?Strawberries? Raspberries? Bananas? Frozen? 😉 I don't know about Canada, I've only lived in Germany, the US and Italy, but I guess I've always only bought fresh, even in the US. On my way home, to the subway or bus, I would always pick up something fresh (in the US). At the time (late 80's early 90's) there were very big supermarkets but probably not like today. It was a different time and people were different.

[@Andrew_-nr7zt]

As a native californian I would love to drive on the autobahn because La traffic is a complete and utter nightmare

[@ralfmeyer9086]

Hallo, i come from northern Germany, i love Düsseldorf, live there for 12 years..my fav location in the Oldtown, was the Auberge. In the Bolkerstrasse. 🤗👍😊great stream. Thanks 🌹

[@EK-gr9gd]

Upselling is considered very negatively in German "food/drink hospitality". Its associated with "adult entertainment establishments". In hotels it's not uncommon, to get "special offers", for they want to cover their costs.

[@lifeingermany_]

Haha I had no idea that something they do more often in adult entertainment establishments! Interesting! I wonder why there though

[@denniswitt1638]

@@lifeingermany_ Because one drink is 20 bucks there. And they#ll maneuvre you straight into the champagne direction where for the mere cost of a bottle you could buy plenty of sex somewhere else. ;)

[@janheinbokel3969]

I laugh me broken watching each of your Videos

[@lifeingermany_]

Hhaha 🥰♥️ thank youuu so much!

[@flamedealership]

Hahaha - and I laughed myself a twig off about your comment 👍👍🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@joeaverage3444]

A friend of my parents emigrated from Germany to Chicago, and even after 40 years, she would still tell us that she felt caught in the middle. Not really German anymore, but also not completely American. But she was okay with it.

[@arnodobler1096]

Hi Jenna! I've almost always been in the service industry. What is seen as good service in other places, like America, would be seen as a nuisance here. Friendly, attentive but never pushy was my way, and that paid off in the long run - regular customers! Hi Jenna! Ich war fast immer in der Dienstleister Branche. Was anderen Orts, wie zum Bsp. Amerika, als guter Service gesehen wird, würde man hier nur als Belästigung empfinden. Freundlich, aufmerksam aber nie aufdringlich war meine Art, und das hat sich auf Dauer ausgezahlt - Stammkunden!

[@Rottnwoman]

American "service" is seen as good ONLY in the USA!

[@avis911]

Very insightful, I moved to Berlin and felt some of the same things but I was primed a little bit by Austria. funny thing I went to Sheridan at Oakville, so I know Oakville pretty well!

[@lifeingermany_]

No way! Haha I lived right down the road 🥰

[@TomsDoItYourself]

I too feel like I don't belong in either country now...I have adopted many German values, but most friends and family are still in the USA...when I am back in the USA, most people have moved on with their lives. So it's kind of a weird feeling. So I can get what you mean.

[@BryantHH]

The places i go to are always cool with side orders and all that... so to me that happens quite often, since e.g. i dont eat cucumbers in salads ;)

[@BryantHH]

Regards to Canada from Hamburg ;) i got family over there!

[@gruen13]

Oh ya! On the rare occassions I go to back to Canada, I hate going to restaurants for all the reasons you mentioned! (And I was a waiter/bartender also... horrible). I love the 'Road pop' allowance in Germany, I admit that it took me a year or so to get over the impulse to palm my beer when I saw a cop or something... But ya, finish work, grab a beer at a Kiosk and walk home with a smile- It's the best!

[@blabla-rg7ky]

dang, that's one beautiful woman! Her husband is so lucky :(

[@gigibenea3529]

That's why I love Montreal and Québec versus Ontario and GTA😁😀

[@nancyrafnson4780]

I live in Winnipeg, Canada (you’ll knock where that is - everyone else: Get a map!). To me it is the perfect sized city - about 800,00+. I rarely if ever shop at the huge stores. I understand what you mean about having to take a couple of minutes and a deep breath when you go in. I find them overwhelming. Also I agree with you about the bland suburbs. I think they are ugly. I grew up in the heart of the City, an older area with lots of big elm trees actually creating a canopy over the roads. Beautiful. A river in my backyard, etc. Way better than the suburbs. Would love to see Germany too.

[@kristoffbeutler8882]

Greetings from Saerbeck, Germany. I was 1989 in Shilo, near Brandon and visited Winnipeg several times. The last visit was 1996. We were on honeymoon and made a train trip to Churchill to spot polar bears. I like Canada very much!

[@nancyrafnson4780]

@@kristoffbeutler8882 Hello. So glad you enjoyed it. We used to get lots of German soldiers at Shilo but I don’t know if they do it anymore. I don’t think so.

[@robertzander9723]

Sitting in a nice area, beside a lake or a river bank with some friends, a couple of beers or a nice bottle of wine and a few snacks is so amazing. I love and enjoy that feeling and the conversation. We don't drink to get drunken as soon as possible and we take our garbage with use. Huge countries like USA or Canada, with long ways and big city areas, having these big grocery stores is definitely necessary. But seeing the distance to every city, you can see the Rhine-Ruhr area as one huge city complex. And with the beginning of school holidays in NRW the traffic jam season starts. I don't know if you have ever seen the movie Superstau/ super jam from 1991, every German stereotype, every cliché about Germans and they make fun about people from every part of Germany. are in that movie.

[@lifeingermany_]

Never heard of that film!! But now I’m definitely going to watch it!! 🤣🤩

[@matthewrandom4523]

Some of you Canadians speak French - that's what I really like, as a German man :-)

[@kaypee1972]

As an “immigrant” I can say Germany is a freaking nice place to live in!

[@vbvideo1669]

Nice video! :)

[@PalmyraSchwarz]

Hi Jenna, how do you say it, the dose makes the poison. When I'm in a restaurant, I would sometimes like to be asked if I would like another dessert or coffee. It doesn't have to be an artificial and intrusive shit friendliness. There are some who can do it, but many others don't.

[@herthamari5106]

We have the same selling techniques in South Africa, having to upsell a sauce, coffee, or tea (these types of sales suggestions are fine though, as long the server doesn't bring attitude when their suggestions are denied). The only 'sales' techniques I have noticed in Germany, are from companies who try to keep you as their customer, where they try to guilt you into staying with them. What I do miss about larger supermarkets, is that one doesn't need to go to multiple different shops to get what you need (eg. get some things at Rewe/Lidl, then having to go to DM/Rossman for the rest. Most of the time these shops are usually not directly next to each other).

[@StrategosKakos]

Well if you need a "one place to get everything" go to a "Real" or one of the big "Kaufland" stores. They will usually have the drug store items and even some clothing, biking supplies etc.

[@Winston.S.1984]

Customer Service? Ähm, we don't do that here :D

[@denniswitt1638]

Cross- and upselling is not customer service at all, it is an annoyance.

[@mamabear3428]

Whenever my family from Germany visits me in the US the first thing they wanna do is go to the supermarket. They love our oversized supermarkets. I'll never forget their face when they entered the cereal or chips/snacks aisle 😂

[@haraldschuster3067]

In a country that has as many guns per person as Canada has, being polite is smart, very smart :)

[@Nazdreg1]

Well, according to the German police, there are roughly 30 guns per 100 people in Germany (20 of them being illegal). Quite similar figures to Canada if those estimations are correct.

[@54Noge]

@@Nazdreg1 Das bezweifle ich stark! Welche Quelle der Polizei?

[@christianc6331]

@@54Noge He is right, Germany has nearly 30 Mio guns, so much Higher then myself expected.

[@54Noge]

@@christianc6331 Danke für die Antwort, aber es stimmt nicht! Ende August 2020 offiziell 5,57 Millionen Waffen, allerdings steigende Tendenz. Wo habt ihr die Zahlen her, selbst mit Schreckschuss oder Luftdruckwaffen sind es nicht so viele?!

[@christianc6331]

@@54Noge also die Hochrechnung mit den 30 Mio Waffen habet ich auch gesehen, weiss aber Leider nicht mehr wo. Klar statista erfasst die 5,4 Mio registrierten waffen. Dazu kommen ja die Anzahl der kleinen Waffenscheine. Zudem gibt es noch eine wirklich grosse Anzahl nicht registrierer Waffen. Hab tatsächlich selbst Mal ein Gewehr bei der Wohnungsauflösung meines Großvaters gefunden. Hab ich dann brav zu Stadtverwaltung gebracht. Die reine Anzahl ist auch nicht so entscheidet in meinen Augen. Wichtig ist wie oft die waffen eingesetzt werden und da liegt ja Deutschland zum Glück ganz weit hinten. Sorry für die Info , bekomme gerade die Quelle nicht hin.

[@MHahn-bg7cu]

Nice.

Considering "being in your" face "polite" is weird when you remember the US (NA?) obsession with "personal space". A term unknown to me before I heard it from across the pond. It's now known (but only as "personal space", not "persönlicher Raum" ;-)) here, but… the distances we Germans keep (and we *DO*) are (still?) much closer than in the US. If you stand as close to an American as two Germans would, you'd "violate[!] their personal space" (hmm, I get slight military vibes here, because you can also "violate airspace") The houses looking the same is *not* new in Germany. Look up "Reihenhaussiedlung". My great-grandparents lived in a Reihenhaus in Ludwigshafen. A tiny and old one.

[@juricarmichael2534]

Hi. Again in german for training in translating, anwending and speaking more correctling Deutsch. (hä?what?)😂 Schön, daß es Dir hier doch einigermaßen gefällt, um reverse culture shocks zu entwickeln. Egal, ob es die kanadische, oder Deine persönliche Art ist, aufgeschlossen für Neues zu sein. Es ist auf jeden Fall sympathischer, als die Unsitte einiger USAler sich selbst für ein Geschenk Gottes zu halten. Und diese Gottgleichheit mit hyperintelligentem HOO!HOO!HOOUSA!USA!...zu demonstrieren. Bringt mich manchmal bis nahe ans Speihen. Deswegen, hinterfragen von Vorgehensweisen und auch seiner selbst ist immer gut. Wie schon mal erwähnt ist das eine der Stärken Deines Kanals (best Canada/Germany). Uuuund tschüss (Scary eyes/deep into topic, again)😉🙂

[@vidavuk1649]

I do not need customer service. On the contrary.

[@Kessina1989]

Bist du schon mal über die A3 gefahren, Richtung Leverkusen? Da ist immer Stau, weil die Brücke dort marode ist und die Autofahrer da nur 40 fahren dürfen!

[@sisuguillam5109]

Are those people working on commision? Which might explain the approach (ehem...) to customers.

[@lifeingermany_]

Haha I wish my answer was yes - but no, they aren’t! They simply are required to say certain things in order to keep their job (for example at H&M - always ask if the customer is looking for something particular and always tell them what sales they have in store that day, etc.) You don’t wanna know the level of customer service you’ll get when there’s commission involved 😅 especially in USA

[@sisuguillam5109]

@@lifeingermany_ oh, lord... not my type of customer service at all then. My parents taught me that customers prefer to be guided rather then pulled.

[@postedbynorico]

I am from Hungary. It is not very common to do handshakes with woman - that happens mostly in business situation between two man. So every time I visit Hungary and want to introduce myself to strangers, some awkward moments follow when I realise that nobody is going to answer my handshake. (Also honestly, I have never seen my mother or any other women near to me to do the handshake thing to anybody. Not once)

[@wtsalive8210]

I think there is an other point…may be…. Recycling

[@SiqueScarface]

My standard weapon against any upselling is: "i don't like ." (As a matter of fact, I don't drink coffee, I don't eat ice cream and I don't like almonds, which shortens most dessert conversations.)

[@fobbitguy]

As an American it shocks me when I go back to the states that we still use the antiquated imperial system to measure things. I'm also taken aback by the amount of small talk strangers will engage in with me...ach...lasst mich in ruhe!

[@trblcleft]

I'm sorry you don't trust people's politeness. This makes me sad to hear. worked in a sales environment as a young lad and genuinely cared and showed kindness to each person who I came across, regardless if they bought anything.

[@haroonmarikar]

Good points all cultures can learn from other cultures . Yes fake politeness in extremes is a different issue but decent customer service is good for both the seller and the customer i am not talking business alone . To be a genuine human being has to be learnt sometimes without excuses . I have travelled 8 countries including twice to germany . I find southeast asia to be the best mixing both politeness and genuiness maybe cultural . I went to bavaria and have no complaints per se , i was treated well but maybe some loosening up in the customer service area would not be a bad decision . Making another persons life positive need not be a sin always :)

[@guilhermeyamamoto5725]

You can find big supermarkets here, like the Real in Bilk, but it's true that the general rule is small borough supermarkets. What I like about Germany is that there's always one at a walking distance, you don't need to own a car. I buy groceries daily. I was watching this doc. bout "food deserts" in US. This would never happen here... I mean, deeming you don't go living in the Schwarzwald...

[@Mayagick]

Very true, you can drink alcohol in public, enjoy the parks, nature. Take care of your rubbish afterwards, do Not break glasses. If you don't mind Pfand, put your bottles next to the trashbin as it might be collected from others returning it for proper recycling. It's like toilets, leave it as you like to enter them. Regarding the size of supermarkets from Supermarkets to Hypermarche. Less is more, though in the end you almost cover all the ailes for your errands. But for your fitness tracker, daily steps, best to take them outdoors.

[@martinschulz326]

Never lived in a rural area? I lived in Massow. 23 km to the next supermarket.

[@MichaelSpengler]

der Real in Bilk ist aber jetzt nicht so rießengroß wie daie megastores in Kanada.. Erschlagen fühle ich mich von dem nicht

[@m.m.2341]

@@martinschulz326 All of these channels only ever cover the "city" point of view. In rural areas nobody bikes anywhere and you need a car for everything, just like in the US.

[@TomsDoItYourself]

Hmm, ok I watched the rest of the video. Sorry for writing a 3rd comment, but you asked for reverse culture shock... 1) Getting welcomed back by the border control is really nice (when entering Germany, they don't really say much of anything, while the USA border patrol smile and say 'welcome home' ) 2) Groceries getting more and more expensive! I cannot believe how expensive it is just to get food in the USA. Same goes for entertainment, including entertainment for young children (think bouncy castles at $5 for 5 minutes). 3) Being enamored by the huge stores like Home Depot, Costco and Target. I like shopping though, so for me this is fun. I especially love Home Depot, which is way geiler than Obi. 4) Getting weird looks for biking everywhere, including shopping. I don't take plastic bags anymore, but bring my bike basket into Costco, and the like. I just love biking, but I definately stand out like a sore thumb in the USA.

[@dawncervo]

Hello Jenna - fellow Canadian here, from Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. We'll be back in Eller soon at my in-laws for 2 months. Where did you get your Dusseldorf map/poster? It's really lovely and I'd like to get one for our house in Canada. (Maybe we will run into each other around the "dorf" ;-) Thanks. ~ dawn

[@starry2742]

Pretty much every country is polite.

[@Moglichkeiten]

Ich bin auch gerne bei Metro! Liebe Grüße aus essen nach Düsseldorf.;-)

[@senfsenfdazugeb7816]

So bulg shopping is hugh? Last for a couple of weeks? So no fresh produce whatsoever? I wonder were the obesity problem comes from....

[@lifeingermany_]

We also buy a lot of fresh foods that last a couple of weeks too 😂

[@TexanRibs4312]

2:58 when the german accent kicks in

[@lifeingermany_]

😝😝😝

[@TexanRibs4312]

@@lifeingermany_ I appreciate your videos a lot. Germany is also my go-to destination after I finish my masters degree and get some experience here in my country. I've already enrolled in a course at Goethe Institut and starting my learning german journey. Hopefully, all will go well and I'll be able to land a job in germany in the near future. Thanks for the content!

[@zorglub20770]

I've seen people drinking alcohol in parks in Montreal. With a meal. I think it is not illegal.

[@mial.4328]

When I watch this and realize I'm actually more Canadian than German....😂

[@blancabt]

Reverse shock? How *loud* it is back home. And knowing that riding a bike in my home city can be really, really dangerous.

[@janheinbokel3969]

Nevertheless we Germans Would be proud to Welcome more of you fine Canadians (Bring Justin Trudeau and Ryan Gosling, that Would be a Nixe Addition)

[@gerdpapenburg7050]

Wegbier??? Shoudn't that be a Wegalt!!!

[@lifeingermany_]

🤣✊

[@Rottnwoman]

I haven't found Canadians polite at all! More thinly disguised resentment and aggression than genuine politeness! If they bug me in shops I leave or just say "I am NOT planning to steal anything - leave me alone". I really liked Quebecois but the rest of Canada sucks.

[@charlesbukowski8751]

I want to move to canada 😒 must be amazing there...🤤

[@suzipam1234]

Europe is better when having been to both

[@charlesbukowski8751]

@@suzipam1234 maybe! When you Like the Citylife, but i think i really whold enjoy canada, at least for the wheather. So have a nice Weekend sis! And sorry for the Bad grammar 😉

[@suzipam1234]

No issue Charles, I moved from Africa to Scandinavia then to Houston USA and now rural Portugal. The countryside is divine. France can whip Canada’s ass lol

[@suzipam1234]

@@charlesbukowski8751 no issue we just talking. I like the countryside too

[@charlesbukowski8751]

@@suzipam1234 dammed Girl ! What a crazy , and nice Journey! I really Hope you have find the place that fits you the Most! I am still looking for it.

[@furzkram]

You enter a town on a highway in Germany? Where is that?

[@TheRealChaosQueen]

Know this to be true for bigger towns, at least Berlin and Aachen, for villages one probably has to leave the highway.

[@sisuguillam5109]

Frankfurt? Berlin?

[@imrehundertwasser7094]

I guess by highway she means a Bundesstraße (federal road), not an Autobahn. And there are plenty of Bundesstraßen of course that go right through towns.

[@furzkram]

Yeah well, I would consider a highway running through a big city like Berlin, Munich etc. as "entering a town". The off/on ramps are always connecting federal / municipal roads with the highway. A highway never ends abruptly at a city / town sign.

[@lghtest]

@@furzkram Except the A544 @ Europaplatz, Aachen.

[@Commentator541]

Upselling is one of the things that upset me. This pushiness is also very much present in Arab culture as well, which may appear as friendly, but to me is just overbearing. I want to see if I like something and make my own decision.

[@JohnHazelwood58]

I had a culture shock as I went to American (next stop was Canada) and ... it's so different! Everything is very different! Canada is quite huge compared to Germany! ^^+gg ... I was invited to a "good restaurant of a friend", which was very nice - I mean the invitation as well as the resaurant itselfs. Go(o)d damn! That was a 4 hour drive to get there!!! :-) It was like crossing Germany from south to east just to eat a meal! No, thanks! I prefer sitting at the Chiemsee in Bavaria (Germany), drinking a beer at the beach and watch the beautiful mountains while the sun raises gently to the sky and start my day like that! Yes! Beer for breakfast! Why not if you have a day off ... ^^+gg :-)

[@durbodill]

As someone who has lived in the States and has also spent some time in the Greater Toronto Area, I see some of your points. But overall, I think you are both over-romaticizing Germany and being overly critical towards north America. Yes, the exaggerated "friendliness" takes some getting used to but if everyone knows it's an act and a facade, it's alright. Speaking of friendliness: Here in Germany, the perceived level of friendliness is extremely geographically related. There are regions which are known for their friendliness and hospitality and others aren't. And of course, there are smaller supermarkets in Canada as well, just as there are huge ones in Germany...

[@alles_muss_anders_werden]

You should drink a glass of 'Jägermeister' !

[@jensberlin3438]

How was your coke?...I will never forget this sentence I was asked 20 years ago in California. ,And the waiter told us her name. Why???? It does not make any sense. And I can buy a small sparkling water and one roll of bread in every supermarket.

[@lifeingermany_]

🤣🤣🤣

[@frogmouth]

classic. I am Australian and avoid supermarkets here because we have followed the American trend of selling many items in bulk instead of singly. You can still buy a single roll of bread but not a small sparkling water : they are always in packs of 4 or 6. Generally though you do better shopping at butchers, green grocers, markets etc. the supermarket is best for cleaning products batteries etc. Asiian supermarkets are better for condiments tofu miso vegetables pickles than Australian ones who carry a limited range of brands or varities.

[@partina88]

Actually I prefer driving in Canada: the roads are much wider and the rules a lot simpler and straight forward (no right before left rule). Especially here where I live in Hessen there are cars often parked on your lane and you have to wait and let everyone coming from the other direction pass before you can continue your way.

[@gigibenea3529]

and ...don't warry 😀😀😀😀😀....in Montréal you have to run to find someone to help you....they don't came to ""your face '' like in Ontario