American’s Shocks From Visiting Germany

[@hape3862]

Americans: You still use cash in Germany?!?! Germans: You still use checks in America?!?!?!

[@madpuppet666]

Australians: Cash? Checks?

[@robertmurray8763]

In Australia, cheques are not excerpted by most businesses, and some don't accept cash. Post Script. In Australia 🇦🇺 as an English speaking country. We use English or French spelling and not American spelling. When spelling some of the words !!

[@gregorygant4242]

@@robertmurray8763 Well going totally cashless isn't avery smart way to go IMHO. By going full cashless or digital "they" , the govt. elites , can see everything you spend or consume and if they decide not to like your political, religious , enviromental views they can freeze your accounts and make you starve or dependent on them to just survive. Look what "they" did in Canada to those truckers . So still having cash is smart IMHO !

[@bennybooboo6789]

@@robertmurray8763 what? cash is absolutely accepted here in australia.

[@janerde6917]

using cash in germany ist a generation thing...i would say, that "older" people using cash, and "younger" card, or smartphone. new EU (european union) law, limited cash paying to 7,000 euro maximum.

[@69quato]

You had "Hamburg" right the first time - translation app actually pronounced it with an American accent 😂😂

[@pikkozoikum8523]

yes xD

[@gehtsnoch7193]

Hämburg

[@hamburgersmmmmmm]

Yeah, that kinda made me cringe a bit.

[@JF-yk5mz]

Fun fact: Cigarettes were actually made popular in Germany by...well, Americans. The GIs stationed in Germany tended to give their cigarettes to the locals, even kids, along with chocolate, candy, etc. The Marlboro cowboy and 1950's Hollywood movies contributed to this popularity of smoking tobacco too.

[@DirtyHarry3]

Cigarettes were a thing in Germany way before ww2. The first cigarette factory in germany was founded in 1852 in Dresden and even the worlds first filter cigarette was invented and produced in Germany in 1934. So its not an American thing. Stop thinking you invented everything. Smoking was a thing in Germany since tabacco was brought to Europe in the 16th century. First it was smoked in pipes than in cigarres and in the 19th century cigarettes were invented and popular. And the thing with the marlboro man is a american thing but it was not the only cigarette brand in germany. The oldest cigarette brand that is still on the market in Germany today is Nil, its been selled since 1901. And until 2015 the cigarette brand called Eckstein was selled in Germany sinve 1854. So the story that american GIs made smoking popoular in Germany and brought the cigarette from America to Germany is just bullshit.

[@DatsWhatHeSaid]

"Stop thinking you invented everything." ..Dude? You don't even know what nationality they (original comment) are. Stop reading into things ​@@DirtyHarry3 .. Edit: it's *sold, and OP _did not_ at any point say "the Americans BROUGHT the cigarette to Germany, which didn't know smoking before at all" -- that's the bullshit you interpreted out of thin air. They simply stated that GI's made smoking a lot more popular in the post-war time, which definitely is true. Super weird pissed-off flex comment you wrote there.

[@DirtyHarry3]

@@DatsWhatHeSaid but it's a fact, that the first cigarette were invented and produced in Germany. And cigarettes were a huge thing way before WW2. It's just a fact. In the 1930s, Germany was the largest tobacco importer in the world, importing 100,000 tons per year (from Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria). 80% of all German men smoked (12.5 cigarettes per day) and twenty percent of all women (7.2 cigarettes per day).

[@DatsWhatHeSaid]

@@DirtyHarry3 Sure, be a little bitch and don't acknowledge any of the bullshit/false accusations towards OP you hurled out before. It's also "just a fact" that American GI's made cigarettes _even more_ popular and even just _available_ in post-war Germany, when the whole country had god knows what else much higher up on their priority list, before producing cigarettes/cigars. Who, besides the UN/allied states, would even have been able to _import_ tobacco, after Germany lost the war? How delusional are you?

[@Born.Toulouse]

Batman leading Catwoman on a leash in public transport is _not_ a common thing to see in most of Germany. 😀 Think you can do that in Berlin but good luck in rural areas in the east ...

[@marcromain64]

You're right, but I doubt the bandwidth of possible reactions in rural areas in the west and especially the south of Germany would be very different. Except Northern Germany. People would look, shrug their shoulders and continue with whatever they're doing. 😉

[@alicemilne1444]

I think it would raise eyebrows in Düsseldorf or Köln as well. Batman and Catwoman okay. But the leash? No way. Catwoman's no man's toy.

[@marcromain64]

@@alicemilne1444 It was Catwoman leading Batman on a leash, if I remember correctly.

[@Born.Toulouse]

@@marcromain64 🤣

[@jennyh4025]

@@marcromain64that might be acceptable in Cologne.

[@TheAxel65]

The Staring-habit: It's mostly out of curiosity, Germans are always interested in the people around them. We even have a tradition that has developed around this habit, the "Sonntagsspaziergang" (sunday walk) - many go for a walk downtown on Sundays, even though most of the stores are closed, to meet and see the other residents of the city. When I visited Paris as a kid with my parents, I remember my mother saying that the best thing about Paris was the sidewalk bistros on the Champs Elysees because she could sit there for hours and just watch the passersby - she felt like in heaven 😂

[@Pluggit1953]

“People Watching” from a street side cafe is normal in Europe.

[@irgendeinname9256]

Idk when it comes to meet and actually do small talk with random strangers that's much more of an american thing. We are actually much more reserved, we just do the staring.

[@deires77]

Correcting the correct German pronunciation of Hamburg to the American/English one 😂 Glad you enjoyed Germany ☺️

[@Salzbuckel]

Yes, ridiculous, wanted to say that also. Is that the way, Americans learn about foreign languages are spoken? First ignore the original, then americanize it?

[@Mr4dspecs]

Joel, you had it right the first time😆😂 !

[@TierchenF95]

1 of 4 was a quiet good guess

[@lordhuebi]

What's the big deal? Most languages have their own names and/or pronounciations for cities. For example, "Lisboa" is "Lisbon" in English and "Lissabon" in German. Nothing wrong with saying "Hamburg" the american way while he is talking american english to us.

[@alexis.d.santos]

Because he is talking in English, and when you are talking in English you pronounce things like they would be pronounced in English, even if it's a foreign city's name. When you talk to somebody in German, would you say Paris or Pari', Lisbon, Lisboa or Lisabon, München or Munic? You'd prolly choose the former, because the native pronunciation may not be understood by others since it's not pronounced that way in that language. People would think you are some extravagant stuck-up dude trying to prove that they're better than others if you would try to pronounce cities the way they are pronounced in their native country.

[@Marcus_Oelschlegel]

Sorry, but you do NOT need cigarettes for sozializing or getting jobs here in Germany!

[@LucaSitan]

Just to put it into perspective: around 26% of Germans smoke and about 11% of Americans do. So it's not exactly "everyone" and "no one" but it can seem that way, especially since smoking is so shameful in the US, people probably only do it at home

[@Anna-sn7zb]

I know a lot of Germans that only smoke sometimes for example on weekends when they are partying. I don't know if these people would count as somkers in the statistics. So maybe this could be one point that makes it seem like even more people some

[@voyance4elle]

I also don't know anyone who smokes cigarretes. That part really surprises me!

[@joachimdorr6060]

@@Anna-sn7zb A smoker, is a smoker, is a smoker.... Some of us (like me for 35 years) no longer practice, but once you become addicted to nicotine, you remain a smoker for the rest of your life!

[@Average_Bruh]

​@joachimdorr6060 you say you no long practice. Which means you once did? But then you said once you get addicted to nicotine, you remain a smoker for the rest of your life. People have been quitting smoking for so long. Any addiction can be broken.

[@maddo7192]

When we were little, my brother and I managed to hide toy caps from toy guns in one of my fathers cigaretts. He lit it while driving home from work. Gladly he survived and likes to tell this story to this day 😅 Smoking is disgusting!

[@martina6687]

All Americans complain about the staring. When I visited the US for the first time, I felt people were ignoring me because you never encountered a look that would let you know they realized you were there too. That felt kind of strange to me ... standoffish kinda, unwelcoming ... But then out of the blue they would help you without looking into your eyes which proofed - they did realize you were there and had concern for your situation also ... so that is the other side of it I guess 🙂 Love, that you liked it in Germany though I am not german but austrian.

[@zaldarion]

about the smoking, I think the discussion about it is as double standards as mj. is smoking bad? sure, does everyone gets cancer? no. is second hand smoking bad? absolutly. alcohol is dangerous too, I worked at club decades ago and I saw every night the "second hand drinking" when a bunch of ... got so drunk starting fights and teeth flying around, broken bones or someone thought in drunken state it was a good idea to grab a knife (octoberfest and places similar to that). I would rather sit in a group of smokers than in tent full of drunken indiviuals where you never know what they are going to do next. and no, I do not smoke.

[@blaumupi]

Hello! I find your observations on smoking in Germany very interesting! I have noticed in my environment that smoking has decreased significantly (!). In the office, for example, we are about 80 people and only about 10 of them smoke. If you had visited Germany 10- 15 years earlier, you would probably have left right away! 😜

[@itiswhatitis141]

There was a time where people smoked in the office and a non smoker had to tolerate it

[@Herzschreiber]

@@itiswhatitis141 yes, and smoking was allowed in mostly all public places, restaurants, pubs, bars etc.! There were even some rare movie theatres where it was allowed.

[@stef987]

When I was a child the adults smoked around us. My grandparent's living room was always "foggy" back then.

[@michaelmedlinger6399]

It has decreased a lot, but is still higher than other countries. Brits and Americans especially almost always comment on it. Wait until you go to France!!

[@MattyEngland]

It was the same here in England.

[@BarrySuridge]

Hmmm ... The 'staring' bit; you're very tall and you're pointing a camera in every direction and seemingly talking to yourself when making these vlogs; that will get people curious. 😉 You need not fear.

[@ZerosWolf]

We Germans are so used to staring, we don't even realize that we stare or that others stare at us. We're just used to looking at each other.

[@stef987]

Exactly, "looking at each other". When I heard for the first time Germans would "stare", I really didn't know what that was supposed to be about. Who stares and when? Are there really people who are so rude to apparently stare at people from other countries/Americans? Then I understood that they just meant our way of looking at each other, because it might seem rude or even aggressive in our culture if we didn't.

[@cadeeja.]

I would looking at someone for 2 to 3 seconds hardly call "staring".

[@paulybarr]

Joel's point is that in America it is regarded as staring, which can be provocative to say the least, and that is the culture he lives in.

[@knockshinnoch1950]

"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing". Making sweeping statements "everyone" "no-one" . Visiting a couple of big cities for a few days gives a very skewed perspective. A relatively wealthy US student who has lived a fairly sheltered life in his own home country... Maybe do a bit more research and refer to hard facts. Your awful video hit job on Birmingham is just one example of the naivety and lack of depth expressed.

[@panther7748]

Regarding the "two german characters": I think that's the difference between our "private mode" and "public mode". I never really thought about it this way, but it seems to be true. In general, we open up to people we are familiar with (basically the ones we call "du"), but in public, we raise this sort of professional/serious barrier around us. Sort of "don't interfere with my day and I will do the same". Most Americans seem to be friendly all the time, so our "public mode" might seem rude or cold to them, but this friendlyness too is more or less a barrier, just a different one. That's probably why Germans often say that Americans are superficial or their friendlyness is fake/dishonest.

[@DarkSister.]

Always so judgy on smoking 🤨 if people want to smoke that's their business. I'd rather be surrounded by smokers than dickheads with guns, I guess that's not the American way tho.

[@DramaQueenMalena]

We teach our children to look at and for people: 1. Learn from others. Watch how they behave, look at different styles, different ways of life. You need many role models so you can choose who you want to be. 2. Watch out. Intervene when someone is in trouble. Let them feel they are safe. Don't look away. If you want to feel safe, let other people feel safe. 3. Enjoy the diversity. Do not judge. Look how beautiful people are. Learn to appreciate every one, even if you do not like the style. You live in a country where everyone has the freedom to be who they want to be. Don't be afraid of people who are not like you. Be interested and don't judge. Fight against judgment - so you will not be judged. 4. You live in a society with all these people. You belong together even if you do not know each other.

[@alexis.d.santos]

That was Beautifully put

[@melanief.204]

I‘m a German and when I lived in Sweden for a year, the people there just drove me nuts for not interacting with each other the way I‘m used to from Germany. To me, looking at someone is almost always a positive thing. It‘s so important to feel connected with each other 😊 Once a Swede told me that when someone stumbles and falls on the street, the Swedes wouldn‘t help the person because they wouldn‘t want him to feel like everybody has just seen that he fell. To me that‘s totally horrible. When someone falls, you gotta help him, no matter what!! 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@stef987]

@@melanief.204 I don't know, I think I can understand why they want to avoid others to feel embarassed. Actually if I see others doing something that they may feel embarassed about, I usually look another direction, too. But I agree that you should help if necessary. I personally think the "staring" thing (aka looking at others) is about not ignoring the people around you. I think of that as a cultural thing. It's not only about being a nice person that regards others, but for example also about not seeming aggressive or even potentially dangerous when you don't look others in the eyes. It seems to be kind of contrary for example to American social norms, where you apparently seem aggressive when you do look at others.

[@pupernickel]

ich geh mal davon aus das du dich meinst und nicht ganz Deutschland.

[@DramaQueenMalena]

@@pupernickel Alle, die in Deutschland einen pädagogischen Beruf ausüben, alle, die sich mit Erziehung auseinandersetzen. Das ist Standard. Das gilt als Norm, als richtig und sehr viele machen das. Natürlich gibt es andere.

[@jennienoppers210]

Do you realise how silly your comments on smoking and alcohol are?😂😂😂😂😂

[@wildtrak6735]

Our serious faces have a pretty simple reason: why smile if there is no reason to? I know it may sound weird, but i think you noticed it too: you can easily mind your own business simply because nobody is reacting to you (in the form of a smile). And this is actually relaxing. When i was in the US, i constantly felt somehow obligated to interact with people simply because of the "how are you?" -greetings. We germans do not expect a single word from others and neither do we say anything. We do smile a lot if we meet people we know, though. I hope i could explain it in a way that makes sense 🤣

[@joaoalcideolenski4340]

Boring

[@pourquoi1-d2g]

@@joaoalcideolenski4340 You are boring.

[@heikoindenbirken819]

You don't smoke because it is not healthy. But alcohol is not healthy too.

[@jans9439]

Nice first impressions. And I'm happy, that you enjoyed your time over here. Looking forward to see more of you! :)

[@martinhughes7604]

Where is your stinking opinion of Birmingham video gone ?

[@hartpuckern]

It is not a german stare but a european. I saw at least one video making fun about the so called "german stare" and many from all over europe answered saying that is a american problem only since it is in their country the same as it is in Germany. Looking at people. Maybe someone you know. Greeting them.If you visit smaller towns you must endure greetings all the time. When I go on a walk. Each one will say hello, good morning, moin (depends) who passes by. If not you have the thought you describe about the stare. "Is something wrong?". So kindness and open to others shouldn't count as negative. You will see it in many european countries. Maybe switching the word from "stare" to "look" will help a lot. For the cash. I am not into nightlife anymore but maybe it is still like it was in the past. Paying the drink instantly cash. But well I live at the countryside and even at the farmer market I can pay with my card. Yes with phone is slowly. That has much to do with our history. Think about it. Didn't you "stare" as well. Or how did you notice the smoking (btw in my bubble/workplace no one smokes as well) or how serious faces are even in parks? You describe yourself observing and staring to figure that out. This staring often happens unknowing. And well how violent is a society who thinks looking at someone is bad enough to go into a fight? Instead of just saying hello or ignoring it.

[@Luziemagick]

Hello! The starring..no, you watched to much videos about that..americans take themselve as to important..they looked at you because you are cute😊 Cash is good. Why..better control over your spendings Good that you enjoyed your time here😅

[@tanithrosenbaum]

Okay I have a question back to you as a German: You said someone dressed up as Batman or Catwoman would have gotten physically assaulted on the subway back home in the US. My question is: Why? What in American culture makes people assault (or think it's okay to assault) other people for dressing up as something or someone?

[@tanithrosenbaum]

@username._.MRmorejps I admit I need a translation of that emoji string. I have no idea what you're saying. 😅

[@zeikerd]

because they're insane over there

[@MissRed92837]

I’m a Swiss, currently living in the US. Americans have the mentality to be open for violence. That’s why they all have guns, some waiting for a situation they can shoot someone legally. Look what they did on January 6th. Also many Americans discipline their kids with spanking and even beating up their children. This is legal in the US and many Americans even say, only if you discipline your children with spanking them or beating them up, they will become successful and good people.

[@osamaaru]

ridiculous u guys can film everyone for no reason, but looking at someone makes them wanna fight :D

[@DSiato]

Can americans just shut up about the cash thing. Electronic payments are generally accepted, some restaurants don't accept it but that's usually related tro money laundering.

smoking easy to explain if u feel to smoke , smoke it if u dont dont do it freedom u know.................

[@Groffili]

The thing that always gets me with the "smoking" observation is the lack of historical awareness. Yes, it's true that in todays Germany a larger percentage of the populations smokes than in the USA. But that is a rather recent development. Not recent enough for the younglings not old enough to legally buy alcohol in the USA to notice, but very noticable for us older folks. When I was a child, and long into my teenage years, smoking was still "normal". It was culturally accepted and promoted. A lot of entertainment in Germany came from the USA - shows, movies, music - and you couldn't watch for five minutes without seeing someone light a cigarette. And that was already at a time when smoking was on a downward trend. Go back further a few decades, and smoking was the epitome of being hip, cool and mature... and a lot of that image came from the USA. Anyone still remember James Dean? Anyone thinks of him without a cigarette hanging nonchalantly between his lips? No, it is that the U.S. governement put a lot of effort into reducing smoking... much more so than Germany or other countries, which took a more liberal approach to that topic. And by now, the public perception of people has changed, to the point where the people of "Marlborough Country" find it weird to see people smoking. I ran across an example in the opposite direction of that shifting perception just recently in another "German culture shocks" video, regarding car washing. In that vid, it was noted with surprise that washing your car privately at home was forbidden in Germany. Again, an older person like me remembers the time when that was perfectly normal, even considered a national pasttime. But at some point, ecological concerns were raised, about the impact on the ground water and water treatment facilities. So strict restrictions were put in place, and over time, it just became "normal". So normal that (young) Germans today wonder why other countries find it peculiar. Culture changes. Culture gets changed. Never assume that your current views are "the norm"... for all countries, or for all times.

[@fionagray9319]

I think the worrying thing nowadays (& I can only talk about life in Berlin here) is the number of young people (teens) vaping. It's prolific at my kids school, and I think in a few years there will be an understanding that the chemicals in vapes are just as bad for your health. But for the moment nobody blinks an eye about this

[@robertroberto7659]

Yeah going back some centuries to see how things developed can be interesting pretty often. Go back a century and you learn that back in those times smoking was something men did. It was considered to be a real man to smoke. Then tobacco industry thought about how to double their customers and launched big campaigns about smoking women. Telling them that it was emancipation to start smoking. They even called cigarettes "Torches of Freedom". It's a great example how society is heavily influenced by government and companies but people quickly forget about that and just think it's the norm or how society "naturally" developed.

[@MrTuxracer]

More liberal, you should better say more influenced by tobacco companies.

[@Groffili]

@@MrTuxracer More indirect than direct. "Big Tobacco" doesn't have the influence in Germany as, say, the car industry has... but still, there are a few billion Euros gained from taxes each year... that certainly has some impact.

[@MrTuxracer]

@@Groffili There was a big influence.

[@mehAudio]

Re: staring… if you replace it with ‚looking‘, it’s so much less of a problem. It doesn’t have anything to do with you or your looks. I personally couldn’t pick you out of a group of Germans your age. TBH, I get really frustrated when people only look at their phones and don’t dare looking each other in the eye anymore. No smiles for strangers, that’s the sad truth. Outside of cities, in a 2000 souls village, you say hello to every person you pass. Wether you know them or not.

[@pippinmanc]

I was over in Hamburg visiting from the UK earlier this year. And for the first time in many years I didn't take a single Euro with me, I paid for everything electronically; Food, cafes, restaurants, public transport and general shopping, nobody ever asked for cash. Maybe in your case Joel, the fact that you gave them the opportunity of payment in cash encouraged them to say 'yes please' , because it would save them card charges. 🙂

[@DialecticDave]

Same experience here, used my card for pretty much everything, seems very odd...

[@stef987]

Well, if you ask them if you can pay in cash, they will probably say yes. If you ask them if you SHOULD pay in cash, they will probably say that you CAN. The same probably goes for card payment. I can't imagine most restaurant staff or vendors would encourage anyone to use a certain payment method instead of another one, especially the one that person would actually prefer. Card payment has been a very common thing in my area for years now. I am not sure if you can pay by card everywhere here, but I wouldn't be surprised if some people don't have any cash on them anymore, or just some coins just in case.

[@somersault4762]

At most places you can pay either way. Besides family managed restaurants in rural areas or bakeries. But even for bakeries it has changed since the Corona pandamic.

[@MichaelHviid-d9m]

If people with guns in The US only lit a cigarette, everytime they shot kids in school, or where ever. They had only killed themselves. No sub from me. I did subscribe for you earlier, but this made me withdraw. Glad we don't need metal detectors in schools in Germany/Denmark, or where ever! If you prefer being back in The US, where every time anything falls hard, you drop to the floor, because you think it's a shoot-out. Have it your way. This was "it" for me. Have a good one. ;-)

[@siriussolaris1499]

about being serious.... why the hell should i walk around all day smiling and grinning like a psychopath?

[@MrSeedi76]

True. How I hated the comment, "why are you looking so serious" when I was younger. "I'm not looking serious, that's just my face."

[@stormdivision617]

@@MrSeedi76 So relatable. My reseting face is just naturally like a frown. Back in school I actually got into trouble with the janitor there cause he thought I was really pissed at him, when that was just my normal face lol.

[@ThomasKnip]

You did watch several videos stating "cash is king" in Germany. So you have been warned. ^^ But just yesterday I wanted to pay by card at an Indian fast food in Berlin. Their machine didn't work, I had no cash, meal already was in the making.I looked for a solution. The cashier then said "Relax, sit down, enjoy your meal. And come back with the cash later". Blew my mind after living 15 years in Berlin. 😄

[@Darrkuable]

On the Cash Issue: We germans like hard money over bits and bytes on a card. Guess you could say, that we are old-fashioned (which isn't untrue, considering our desperate need for more digitalization). But in generell nearly everyone has a debit card. If we use cards it'll almost always be a debit card and not a credit card (those have a bad image around here, rightfully so!) EDIT: Oh, and we also have the phone stuff for paying, although not many people are using it.

[@mancuniangamecat8288]

I always carry somw cash when I am out, you don't want to be stranded and unable to use a card or electronic payments.

[@Darrkuable]

@@mancuniangamecat8288 Yeah, thats true. better safe than sorry

[@kbittorf335]

It’s generational here in the US I believe. I am of the generation to pay up front and always keep a little cash on hand. When the web crashed in Canada last year plastic cards did not work for 24 hours. Something to think about about, especially while traveling.

[@jennyh4025]

And some prefer cash for data protection. 😉

[@Cyril_Sneer]

You can mostly pay with cards in Germany, and nearly in every Restaurant. The misconception is, for Americans "the card" is mostly a credit card! And besides the fact that less people in Germany/Europe spent money they don't have, like many Americans. It cost the receiver a fee. To prevent the behavior to spent money you don't have. To protect you from more and more dept your unable to pay... In the US this is deliberate. Everyone should be able to pay in the first place. Even he don't have the money for your dept afterwards. But so no Salesman have to deal with your poverty! Its between you, and your Bank then. That is the american way! Just don't care of People's healthiness. Main thing is that I get my money! As you can see. That kind of behaviour is not good for a society...

[@Ramsi-Berlin]

In Berlin a lot of guys staring you, because you're cute ❣️😂🤣 They tried to contact you... and you thought, they had a problem ❕ It's so funny to hear, for me as Berliner 😜 Love from Berlin 🇩🇪 Ramsi 😘

[@AnikaT.]

I would „stare“ at you because you are a nice & cute guy. 😄😉 How do you flirt in the US without looking into each others eyes? 🤔😄 Thanks a lot for your content! 🙏🏻

[@jupiter2668]

I hear Americans say the thing about only being able to pay in cash over and over again but I'm left scratching my head... I don't know of any place or restaurant that wouldn't accept cards... And I'm from a small town, not Hamburg or Berlin.... I went to Hamburg just last year and paid with card everywhere 🤔...

[@TomRuthemann]

There is a huge difference between 'staring' and 'looking at people'. Germans look at you, that's all. For whatever reason. It's not staring, not offensive.

[@memento81]

Very interesting to hear your insights and perspective. And while listening I think I made a connection for the first time about the staring. I think Americans might react to it so strongly because of the tighter norm control among each others that you spoke about with the Batman couple. In the US when someone stares at you it might really mean that they are finding something wrong and objectionable about you, because the default mindset is to avoid sticking out and presenting vulnerable points for mockery or attacks. So longer looks will be perceived as being called out. In Germany it is more of a "you do you" attitude that allows observation a lot more, because we know it will only very rarely go beyond that and because the observation is less loaded with judgement. Attracting some looks might actually signal that people find you interesting, so we perceive this attention in a more positive light.

[@mfhex1398]

Cash is nice and having the freedom to conduct transactions privately is one of the last real liberties humans can call their own. I enjoy knowing that my business and transactions are not totally subjected to governmental or any other oversight. Abandoning cash only helps centralized institutions and the banking system, and those already have more than enough control over all peoples lives as it is.

[@Struwwi]

Watching you react to all those videos about Germany and slowly falling in love with that little country in the middle of Europe just warms my heart so much. More people like you are needed in the world, because you are open to experience and engage in different cultures and are willing to share yours with us as we are willing to share ours with yours. Sure we have some things, that americans see as weird or bafflingly inefficient (like that cash stuff), but those are just some fun little quirks of our country that are slowly (german bureaucracy level slow) being replaced by more modern paying methods. But we use cash to easily teach children how to handle money. It's just easier to keep an eye on your finances and learn how to spend your money as a kid if you have it in cash, but I agree with you. Ideally as an Adult you should already be able to manage your money and be able to pay with a card everywhere. But we Germans think in a kind of "never change a running system" way about a lot of things here. We in Germany are sometimes very desperate to show how awesome this country is, but because of the history we can't really show how proud we are. So whenever someone like you comes along we bombard you with information, because we've been waiting to infodump our Lore onto someone who shows even the slightest bit of interest in our country :DD I bet you would like Austria as well.

[@ane-louisestampe7939]

Let's just say we've got the FREEDOM to kill our selves with cigarettes 🙄 Planning a road trip to Germany this August, and we are relieved to know, we don't have to hide behind a bush, like when we were kids 🤣🤣 Peace and love from a silly old Danish bat 🥰

[@john_smith1471]

Cash only? Maybe Germans have critical thinking and are awake about the danger of becoming cashless with a central digital currency linked to a social credit system, having wrong think or not following the narrative means you can be cancelled.

[@gregorygant4242]

Yep that's exactly what it is . Still having cash and not going fully cashless is smart IMHO. Doesn't let the banksters and controlling elites fully control you and your life. The rest of the Western world like the US, UK, AUS ,and Canada is going towards a CBDC with dire ,dire consequences for it's normal citizens soon to come !!!!

[@MechmanGetrieb]

If you have a EC card you can pay by card in most places. Credit card´s are not so much a thing in Germany.

[@1983simi]

About the cigarettes, it's really a bit a matter of chance which circle of people you end up in. I never started smoking and all of my closer friend group of people I grew up with are non-smokers. Over the years I gained just two friends who are smokers - and I'll stand outside with them in solidarity while they are having their smoke. I'm not a militant non-smoker by any means. I just never started and thus naturally ended up hanging around more people who do not regularly have to get up to go outside and smoke. Just like many smokers by the very fact that they regularly are standing outside some establishment together smoking end up having more friends who are also smokers. What you're friend said about it being necessary for networking is also just his skewed perception. He networks with fellow-smokers, but he doesn't get to network with the majority of Germans who happen to be non-smokers via smoking. So if you run into one smoker and hang out with them, chances are within a short time you'll be hanging out with a whole bunch of smokers and it might appear to you that EVERYONE is smoking. If you were hanging around most people of my friend group you'd just as well get the opposite impression. I think factually just about a quarter of Germans smoke, but it's not as socially frowned upon as in the US, so you just see more smokers out and about. It's also not even been 20 years I think that smoking has at least been banned from clubs and restaurants. All my childhood it was normal for every single restaurant to have an ash tray on the table, and every evening at the club you'd come home reeking of smoke even as a non-smoker.

[@robertmurray8763]

Ive been to Germany and liked what I saw. I didn't over analyse people to much ,but I felt really safe. Living in Australia Maximum price for public price is about US$7 all day travel anywhere in our state(size 88,000 square miles 227,500 square Kilometres) of train, light rail, or bus. I live in a small town population, 9,000 we travel to Melbourne 240km regularly because it's cheap. Australia cards (credit or debit) are king. Some banks have stopped cash, and it's rare for a business not to have a terminal. You can go to a restaurant, or supermarkets, and have no or little human contact, and I'm old, but this is how it's all changed .

[@schiffelers3944]

There are a couple of reasons that could be why there is this cash only aspect in Germany, especially in a restaurant or bar. 2. Privacy and anonymity 3. It's a luxury 1. It is easier to not report all the money made

[@BananenbaumEY]

Your idea of corruption is very wrong. Personal Information/Data is very big in germany (for historical reasons) - so cash will always be part of our society, no matter how far every other aspect trends towards the modern technology. Plus is just safer compared to electronic money in regards to debit fraud and stuff.

[@schiffelers3944]

@@BananenbaumEY One can not pay me without leaving a direct digital trace in the digital medium. In cash I can get paid, and not put it in the booking. Fraude. That is also the whole angle for the digital payments only angle mostly - maga francize stores. I personally don't agree with no cash push, but cash is getting used less and less, at least in other countries like mine. There are multiple down sides to not paying cash, or even worse contact free. But the push for this becoming the way, the only way, is very big. Most people now days pay with their phone or smart-watch.

[@ScissorsAndSmiles]

German expat here. Re. what you called the German "seriousness". I think it's less seriousness and more "lack of lightness". Germans are definitely not good at small talk. We are direct in our conversations, we go straight to the point, we don't mess around with polite little anecdotes. I think that often makes us look serious (and possibly forceful or domineering - which is not really intended). This lack of lightness also manifests itself in a certain "purposefulness" - as in: a conversation is for bringing a point across, not for display of rhetorical brilliance. (I am overstating things a bit ;-)) Or we are purposeful in our actions, as in: when we walk somewhere, the goal is the destination - and not the journey (hence the grim faces of people walking?). Anyway, this is a sweeping statement, which of course is never quite accurate. But it may explain some of your impressions. BTW - totally with you on the whole "cash only is crazy" conundrum. Germany is quite hung up on data privacy, hence the resistance to cashless payment. And don't get me started on the lack of public wi-fi in Germany. I call it "wi-fi desert Germany". But very glad you seem to have had such a good time in my "fazerland". Also commending you on exploring not only big city Berlin and tourist-favourite Bavaria, but also Northern Germany (Hamburg).

[@ane-louisestampe7939]

I think the Germans are very serious about being nice and friendly! I appreciate that! 🥰 My translation of a Danish poet: He who takes seriousness only seriously, and humour only humoristic, he has understood both things equally badly.

[@siriuspyramid7441]

I glad you enjoyed your European trip in Germany 🇩🇪 and UK 🇬🇧 . I’m french and you are welcome (but don’t go to Paris it’s sucks exept for some museums).I can’t explain you France 🇫🇷 is so different in different was you can see beaches and be in the snow in a mountain 😊 in our country 😄

[@knitsforthesoulpodcast4186]

I just spent a couple of days in Berlin and never needed cash. I payed everything with my card. Cafes/reatsirants, shops, museums, public transport.... I rarely have cash with me at home either and i live in a small german town. It was probably a conincidence where you went to...

[@silviahannak3213]

I have never experienced thst German Stare, being from Austria. The Reason ppl may watch is because...a) no Reason at all, just looking around b) if you are loud or talking to a Camera...cause Selfies or making 100 Videos a Day is not so much a Thing in Germany i guess c) ppl are just curious cause of you speaking english...you are American..when you are talking.

no drinking till 21? but u can buy a gun so ironic.............

[@Showboat69]

Every time you use card or epay the bank takes a cut, you pay cash it goes all to the retailer

[@cdhagen]

Handling cash also costs the retailer money. Do you think the safeguarded cash truck (Geldtransporter) comes for free?

[@Rob-yj9ew]

what you call "staring" is what we call having interest in people. here it is polite to seek eyecontact and people that to not meet your eyecontact have something to hide or are very insecure.

[@Christian-lh7ux]

2 to 3 seconds isn't even staring here in germany 😅 What a pity if you can't even look at each other, this would feel so cold to me on a society level! Unfortunately, due to demographic change, sooner or later we will have the American way too 😢 "Was guckst du, hast du problem oder was?!"

[@ginajk8857]

Using Cash means freedom !!! Cash is King . Germany is one of the best countries in that

[@udomann9271]

Concerning cash: We don't like to be spied at by the government, that's why we prefer cash and the owners of small businesses safe money, if they only take cash, because paying visa or even EC-card, this money-companies withdraw a certain amount of money from the prize. The government wants to get rid of cash, because without cash they can control all the payments. But we don't want this, you are different? You like to be controlled 100% by someone, who has access to the software or the computer systems?

[@rqn1998]

Im half german on dads side and although they are so expensive here in oz i dont want to throw them in. Been smoking for 27+ years now and i see it as have fun live life no guarantees in life no matter how you live!

[@j.p.1859]

But illegal drug use is way higher in the U.S. and so is unhealthy eating, I’m a German living in the U.S. and I’ve never seen so many morbidly obese people like in Northern America.

[@petersp63]

Lucky you didn't go 70 odd years ago Germany was in ruins a bit like Modern Day Birmingham!!!

[@kaylaread8048]

Maybe „Staring“ is a good example how safe you are in Germany. Americans should ask themselves why they react so aggressively when someone stares at them for even 3 seconds. Imo…

[@deires77]

Weird stuff. None of my German family and/or friends smoke 🤔

[@franzroens501]

Im Vergleich rauchen die deutschen trotzdem viel mehr als andere Länder

[@APCLZ]

cash = usually because tax evasion is very strong in germany... the fact that you experienced that a lot, pretty much gives me a decent picture of what kind of food establishments you visited, tbh :P

[@ravanpee1325]

Next he will complain about credit card debt in the US

[@hans-jurgenoberfeld343]

Opioid-Epidemie in den USA. Und da hast du ein Problem mit Rauchern?

[@voxdraconia4035]

I mean, I am not smoking, and I do not think it is as common anymoe as you make it out to be. Now for some whataboutism: I do not like smoking and cigarettes available, but I take them available more than guns ... cigarettes should not be as shocking as being able to get a gun at supermarkets with minimum of background checks etc. Cigs might kill you one day, but at least kids don't get their heads blown off by them at school...

[@monikabeki6838]

Yeah we in Europe smoke! In the US you shoot each other!

[@christopherb.2986]

lol chill ma monika :D

[@monikabeki6838]

@@christopherb.2986 yeah we do chill while smoking, carrying beer, tolerance and love in our pockets instead of guns or giving arrogant advice 😝 maybe you should visit and give it a try 💐 I would love to show you everything about it! I am serious! You are welcome! With love from Austria, middle Europe ☀️

[@ronparker73]

Everything that works in a cloud makes you dependant on a company. A company only cares about its profit. It is okay with many apps because everyone can decide freely if he wants to use that app. But if you give away all power over your money by giving payment in the hands of companies instead of a state you lose even more personal freedom.

[@ralfjansen9118]

Booze and smoke is considered as an aspect of freedom. Like guns in the US.

[@patrickw123]

or marijuana. Few people smoke nicotine in the US anymore buy it seems everyone lights a doobie

[@ileana8360]

"You have t8 smoke to socialize and get jobs" BS!!!

[@johnfrancismaglinchey4192]

It’s people watching,,,,without the guilt,,,,, it’s usually because they like something about you .

[@toniderdon]

As a German, I am pretty annoyed by all the people smoking cigarettes

[@sadtattz]

a lot of businesses don’t accept (credit)cards, because they get charged „a lot“ by the service behind it, especially if the amount you need to pay is small, like 10€ or less, the business owner need to give away like 1-2% for the service

[@tic-tacdrin-drinn1505]

...and all credit card companies that charge fees are from the US

[@emiliajojo5703]

Yup.we stare.sue us!😂

[@kellybittner1561]

😂😂😂😂I pay everywhere with a card I have no idea in which shed you were eating

[@t.a.k.palfrey3882]

I agree. Since retirement, I spend two months each year in Bayern. I think I've only used cash two or three times since the beginning of the year. The speed and reliability of the Internet is much poorer than in many countries, however.

[@beek7292]

I guess it's harder for foreigners to pay with a Creditcard (Visa/Mastercard). But as a local it's easy to pay with your EC-Card.

[@kellybittner1561]

@@beek7292 I always pay with Mastercard

[@ian_bradley]

Looking at someone for 2~3 seconds is a stare in the US!?!?! Say what? That's effectively just a glance! 😂 A stare to, I dare say, most people is longer than 20~30+seconds at least l

[@JJ_6575]

There is another reason why a lot of germans (I'm also german) like to pay in cash. The physical use of money helps them keep track of their spendings so they don't overspend. However I rarely had problems paying by card, even before the pandemic. Nowadays I almost always pay by card. What I noticed though is that some places don't accept credit cards due to the nature of the system these cards work with. However an Electronic Cash Card (also known as EC or Girocard) are widely accepted since these draw the money directly from the card owners bank account.

[@anita_R]

Bars and small places have to pay for using the banks card machines. And if it's cash the staff get the tips the same night

[@philiprowney]

The is US anxiety pills have replaced cigarette smoking, ask the same non-smoking people how many have anxiety and/or take meds. [ lights a smoke ]

[@vast634]

Taking pills is much more prevalent in the US.

[@michaelorsi785]

My opinion on using cash as a german: Let's say u buy somthing for 100 Euro with a card, the provider charges let's say 1% per transaction. So the store has a minus of 1 Euro. That adds up! After 100 times buying things for 100 Euro with card the bank has an income of 100 Euro for doing allmost nothing and the storeowner pays for it. Second: No cash means no data needed, nobody can follow up what u consume or not. Not a big deal? Take a look at China....

[@cdhagen]

And you think the bank doesn't charge the store for cash depositing to their accounts? Hahahaha 😂😂😂 Also, the realistic fees are between 0,2% and 0,3%.

[@elzbieta_k]

In Germany, you pay €49 (about $55) a month for public transport and can go ANYwhere you want.

[@vast634]

Smaller city shops and restaurants often only accept cash. Thats related to taxes, or a convenient way to cook the books to pay less of them by underreporting. Supermarkets and larger chains always accept cards however. Also, its the fault of banks by having a certain per-transaction fee, that makes small payments via card unattractive to the traders.

[@schiffelers3944]

So the problem with staring is that it makes "Americans" feel insecure. Sad. We have eyes to look, see and perceive our fellow human beings.

[@tjb62]

Official statistik for tabacco use in Germany is 23.8% for persons over 18 years. Also, although there are some exceptions, smoking is prohibited in bars & restaurants

[@andreadee1567]

Nice to hear that you felt welcome in Germany. I can relate to everything you said. Good that you showed, how stupid smoking is and that it is not necessary for being a accepted. There is no point where smoking is necessary in Germany. They told you, you have to smoke and ruin your health for getting a job or socialize? That is ridiculous. More and more people stopped smoking here. I know only two people out of perhaps 50 friends and relatives of mine who are smoking. It has changed a lot in the last 20 years. Hopefully the youth don’t start smoking again! Staring: If you have good german parents they also tell you not to stare at people. But looking at s.o. for two or three seconds is not called staring here. I personnally think it is unfriendly to cross so’s way and not even look for a few seconds as if he doesn’t exist. Even smiling is allowed 🙂But with what you said about the American perspective, I can imaging how strange it is for you. Cash: I can pay without cash even in my bakery next door. It is not uncommon. I use my normal bank card. The problem is, that allowing credit cards is more expensive for the restaurant and shops. Why should they use it when everybody has a bank card. It is just a little unfriendly to tourists and visitors. But you are right. Many little places don’t take cards at all. Hope, you will be back soon.

[@ramona146]

Of course you drank a lot when you were here in Germany. That doesn't make you an alcoholic, it's just the fact that you were able to drink and enjoy alcohol while it's forbidden to you in the US. We don't make a fuss out of alcohol beause forbidden things make it just more interesting to kids and youth. So here we have that laws that are less strict to teach youth that alcohol is nothing special and that when they drink they have to face the consequences like doing the chores the next day, no matter if they have a hangover. Most of them will be more careful the next time they drink. It's guided by the parents to teach them to drink responsible and also to help them to know the limits. I think at age 21 most people in the US will be in college, often far away from home, so they are exposed to alcohol when there is no parental guidance available anymore and for me that's wrong, I think this can be critical. Also a lot of kids want to try alcohol too when they see their parents having a beer, but when they taste it at a young age, 95% hate the taste and won't try it again for the next 10 years. So when our youth are about the drinking age of the US, alcohol isn't a big thing anymore, they won't push the limits anymore, just drink in a "normal" way. You didn't have the chance, so to you it's of course something new to do it, so you just wanted to try and enjoy it. I think if the laws in the US wouldn't be so strict, this would not have been such a big thing to you. And that's got nothing to do with you being an alcoholic. Sorry for my long text 😄

[@pascal-Z]

I was hoping you’d elaborate on the comments about Germany you made over on your other channel, during your UK trip. Those weren’t very nice and a lot of your viewers didn’t like that and commented about it… Right now I don’t know if you’re being honest with your praise or just after the clicks.

[@renatedoering]

Interesting. What's his other channel? I'd like to watch that video.

[@FourTwenties]

You're cute, you should've visited me😘☺️

[@sethlievense8371]

It could be that you had a credit card instead of a debit card linked up to the European IBAN/BIC system. We decline or surcharge the 2÷ of costs they charge the merchant on to the customer. Then stil, accepting credit requires a more expensive contract most of the time. Since very few use credit, most merchants just don't bother.

[@toniderdon]

You could probably add a Germany flag to your collection now that you have been "Germanized" :D

[@T0MT0Mmmmy]

I, as a German, do not accept any critics on German cash usage from people who still use checks!

[@MissRed92837]

Or people who still cook on gas stoves! I moved to the US a few years ago from Switzerland. Approx 2 years ago the Democrats shared the idea to get rid of gas stoves here in the USA. The Americans almost lost it! They are so dam proud they have gas stoves in the US and will never want to give up their gas stoves. I’m moving back to Europe soon and can’t wait to finally have an induction stove again (and low crime, no shootings, educated people, affordable healthcare, ect, ect.) 😉

[@joaoalcideolenski4340]

​@@MissRed92837 bye bye!

[@daphnelovesL]

@@MissRed92837 Nein Nein Nein

[@adamsklencik5900]

That's just his opinion bro

[@karinland8533]

No one „has to smoke to net work“

[@danielkarlsson258]

This was a great video of your reactions to Germany! I also think you're highlighting some really accurate thing we do in Europe that you don't. Loved to see your trip in Germany! Keep up the good work! 👍

[@simonekliemann5165]

Zu den öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln: das mag in Städten so sein. Wenn man wie ich auf dem Land lebt, ist es schwer in einen nur 6 Kilometer entfernt Ort zu kommen. In den Ferien werden ganze Buslinien stillgelegt, weil sie überwiegend für Schüler eingesetzt werden.

[@moboe7719]

Das stimmt. Als Erwachsener auf dem Land hat man 1-3 Autos und allerhand andere Fahrzeuge, als Jugendlicher aber ein gewaltiges Problem. Mit 15 gibt's den Mofa-Führerschein...

[@maluell738]

Hi and glad your back to Vlogging. That was a nice summary of your stay in Germany. ❤ Though short,you were a keen observer of how we live in this part of the globe. May it be the first of your many trips to Germany and Europe.😊😊 🎉 Perhaps you would want to pursue your studies later here in Europe to know more of the Europeans. You are welcome!

[@Xalinai]

In some cases, some transactions in cash are not registered in the cash register (pun intended). That way the owner of the restaurant has "black" money to pay unregistered employees.

[@petercramer5616]

No government or company like visa or Mastercard should have all information about your payments. That's why cash is important. But that also means, that some shops won't pay for a card system, when everyone has cash anyway. And to the staring part: I still have to figure that one out :D

[@ravanpee1325]

Also wait until he complain about credit card debt

[@roemsen81]

We do not stare. We look. I also just looked at you for 18m20s. xD And in my circle 2 out of 20 people smoke.... maybe it's more of a big city thing where you absolutely have to be a little cooler than everyone else. The narrative "you have to smoke to get social interaction" - well, I would take as half excuse and half justification for your own smoking... I hope you'll come back sometime and check out the small and country areas as well.