Back in Britain. My thoughts on England after 16 years abroad.

[@britingermany]

Good morning all. If you live in England or the UK how do you feel about it right now? If you've visited recently what were your impressions of it?

[@karimtabrizi376]

Hi . I moved back in 2021 after covid and for my daughters schooling. State school still good in england. However i moved back abroad again as cost of living rent bills vs salary i was on 27k per year is shite. Just surviving and cant save so yes. Im not sure ill move back which is a shame.

[@nails3394]

Some of your observations in the UK were pretty universal, but i'm unsure of your reflections of life, earnings, transport in Germany. I've lived here now 34yrs your reality's around the Frankfurt area 🤷‍♂️ i cannot say, i take your word, but here in NRW i dont share your optimism 🙏

[@krollpeter]

@@nails3394 Not everywhere in NRW but sure around the Ruhr area the people are the rudest, most unkind and negative you can meet in Europe. Been 30 years abroad and coming back for me is a shock, repulsing me.

[@Ofelas1]

Live and work in Berlin, back in Brighton just now to catch up on some stuff. The UK is changing and not for the better, but some are trying to change the dependency.

[@davidmarkwort9711]

I left England in 1978, I returned in 2019 for a whole 5 days, 5 days too many. The place I visited was the place of my childhood, a place I had left behind in 1958. My impression was one of shock, it was empty, desolate and the people once vibrant and colourful were now grey and indifferent. My childhood memories were erased within 5 days.

[@rogerhardy6306]

I left UK 18 years ago at age 51(my job in aviation took me there) and have never regretted it. I've lived and worked in Germany, NL and Portugal. Europe is a far more interesting and liberal-minded world with more opportunities and a better quality of life. Like you, I love the English countryside, the sights, smells and freshness but on my visits back I can't help noticing the decline in living standards, infrastructure, rough sleeping, soup kitchens, pound stores, charity shops, the atmosphere of depression and everything else that goes with a society in decline. I feel sorry for my children and grandchildren who will never have the same opportunities that I had, as a boomer and all the opportunities offered by EU membership.

[@britingermany]

It is sad. There are still nice areas and I think as a tourist you don't get the full picture but life is a struggle for most people it seems

[@Lawrence4000-s3k]

"liberal-minded world ". Are you talking about Europe? Have you seen what's happening in politics over there!

[@bookinsights1092]

Liberal minded world? lol. The UK is a far-left dictatorship that imprisons grannies who comment about the increasing ethnic diversity in the country.

[@rogerhardy6306]

@@Lawrence4000-s3k It's all relative and I'm referring to over twenty years ago.

[@aac74]

This is the most boomerish comment ever! Yep, I got all the benefits of the 'liberal' debt and inflation and globalisation and wars, now the next generation can pay the bills!

[@MassiveChetBakerFan]

The British countryside is indeed magical. The orcs haven't ruined it yet.

[@Englandfan91]

You are right about childhood experiences. I'm German married to a Brit living in Germany. I've been going to the North of the UK since 1977. Every time we go back now, it has changed for the worse. Nearly all pubs and nightclubs we used to go to, are shut. Nearly all shops especially big department shops are gone. Everything looks run down, boarded up, filthy and dirty. You mentioned the state of roads and infrastructure. We don't go to the town centre at night anymore. It doesn't feel safe. But the countryside is still the same. We went to Devon and Somerset this summer and it was lovely. There weren't as many holiday makers as in the 90s, and hardly any dutch, french or German tourists.

[@britingermany]

Interesting and sad at the same time. There’s something really soul destroying about experiencing a run down tired town that has obviously seen better days.

[@Englandfan91]

@britingermany that's true. Especially when your memory tells you differently. Huddersfield had a thriving indoor market. You could get everything there. They closed it down. It is going to be redeveloped but no idea when it is finished. I can't imagine where all these new shops are going to come from.

[@lynnm6413]

Having to get a visa approved and get your passport will play a major role in Germans, Dutch and French tourists choosing someplace else to visit when back in the 90‘s you could just hop over the Channel for a long weekend, basically decided two days prior after watching the weather forecast

[@eightiesmusic1984]

Thatcherism destroyed Britain.

[@Rubicola174]

@@lynnm6413 It goes beyond purely practical reasons like visa application. The UK has a far less welcoming reputation than it used to, at least here in germany and most of that shift is a direct result of the referendum and its aftermath. Why would you want to visit a country when you believe the people don't want you there? And we should always challenge such blanket stereotypes but when you've got limited money and time and a list of other places to go to instead a whole lot less people are willing to do that.

[@rckoala8838]

Returned recently from a 2-week visit to England, my first in nearly 30 years. I remembered an earlier video of yours in which you noted that people today complain about London being "full of immigrants" (i.e. non-British or non-Caucasian), whereas you find that the countryside has not changed so much. In London I was in the majority (white, non-British) as well as the minority (people speaking English), but then I was near the University, and it wasn't so different from New York. Less so in the West Country, where I spent most of my time. Homeless and down-and-out people in Bath and Bristol, yet vibrant commerce, multi-cultural, many young people. People going about their business in Salisbury, a place I would return to just for the weekend market. And the landscape and history! Things have been tough in the UK for so many years -- there's a pretty grim feeling here in the US right now, but what we have to guard against is terminal pessimism. All the best!

[@beaker2257]

I’m English and have lived here all my life. For the last few years and as I approach retirement I love this country more and more. When I drive back home to Salisbury to visit family, the landscape with its gently rolling hills feels comfortable and familiar. There are more beautiful parts of the country but where I lived until I was nineteen, still feels like home.

[@Joey-Cameltoe]

You live in a beautiful part of England and I think you are sheltered from much of the visual decline. Where I am, there has been a massive change in the demography and more charity, pound shops and pot holes. We have move out to a village which is a lot nicer. Enjoy your retirement and make sure you have one in the Haunch of Venison...Great pub!

[@adha2913]

I'm British born and, since Brexit, dual German citizen living in Germany the last 25+ years. I'm from the East Midlands and totally agree about the long slow death of market towns in England over the last decades. It's so strange to visit the UK and try to deal with any kind of customer service (public and private) - it's like the people are only 50% awake somehow - difficult to explain but that's the closest I can get. Many people just seem workshy - they don't seem trained properly or just don't care. London and the South-East seems like a foreign country, not because of immigration but the level of investment and opportunity is so different. It's sad.

[@britingermany]

Yeah the differences between long and the rest of the country are becoming more and more pronounced.

[@andyanderson3628]

Not my experience on my trip last year. Excellent customer service. No complaints.

[@Toddel1234567]

Hello from Germany. I don't think that the people there have become work-shy. In my opinion, it is rather that the work of the people is not appreciated. Wages too low, overtime not being paid and that they have no certainty how long they will have the job. All of this destroys people.

[@parsaeye]

​@@Toddel1234567Thank you. The lack of job security was one of the gifts of Thatcher that destroyed a nice, comfortable Britain. People here are stressed because of poor work conditions and nasty managers- another gift of Thatcher to Britain. The situation has continued the same, even though we've had Labour in power part of the time.

[@hattyflame3889]

You beautifully well spoken and so articulate !! Thank you for the wonderful insight and often different perspective,so clarifying for today's world. ❤ 🌷💛🌻

[@britingermany]

Thanks a lot. That’s very kind of you to say

[@edmaximum]

Same in Tuscany, Italy, the countryside and the medieval villages and towns are unique and beautiful there, something you can't find anywhere else on earth.

[@JonScott-jf1iv]

I was in England in October traveling from North Yorkshire to just North of London over two weeks, and I have to admit, I had the same feelings. The country has changed, but not for the better. The countryside is the same, but the people seem stressed. From stories I heard, services are not working as they should. Maybe it was the mostly grey weather, but I found it depressing. If I was to go again, I'd want to stay somewhere away from London in the country, but my siblings live near London, so I would have to visit them.

[@joebloggs2473]

Britain is a dump. Sorry I have lived now 55 years in the Netherlands. I was born in London and grew up in Edinburgh and at 18 I came here and never regretted it. I visited the UK many times but was never tempted to return. It is always so depressing to be back in the UK compared to Europe. Now the UK is out of the EU we can move on. We have our problems but nothing compared to the UK which has still a fundamental class structure and a totally undemocratic electoral system. The 1% that own the country will never accept a decline in their wealth. Until then it will continue being a lost country.

[@inbb510]

I would get that European superiority complex off your face if I were you. Europe is slowly aging and wages there are pretty much falling off the cliff with a welfare state that is on the verge of collapse due to it being structured like a Ponzi scheme.

[@lemsip207]

Blame boarding school culture for that.

[@skywalker7778]

Oh lovely Benjamin what a super Sunday surprise to hear your voice from your own turf! How our nostrils are filled again when we stand on origiinal soil.... Petrichor... Thank you dear Friend for speaking your heart. Yes, home is where one's heart is - sometimes simultaneously in two countries....❤❤

[@britingermany]

Thanks a lot for your encouragement and support 🙏. I really appreciate it

[@ThatBlokeInJapan-v5p]

I’m in the same boat. I went back to the UK last June after about 18 years in Japan. I thought about making a KZbin video about it, but honestly, is it worth it? Would people even care? Besides, I’m probably too thick to really articulate how I felt. The first thing I noticed was how many sweets taste less... sweet. My brother said it’s because of a sugar tax. Then there were the potholes-absolutely mental. Coming from Japan, I’d never once worried about my car getting wrecked because of bad road conditions. It was also a bit sad seeing celebrities I knew as a kid looking so distinctly aged. On the flip side, there are all these new celebs on TV, and I honestly can’t understand why they’re famous. I tried listening to Adele, but I couldn’t find a single track that knocked my socks off-why is she so beloved? Absolutely not in the same league as Amy Winehouse, for example. And the ads! Every single one seemed to feature a mixed-race family. By the 10th ad in a row, I was like, What on earth is going on here? It felt a bit forced, to be honest. That said, British telly is really good. There’s so much variety in the programming, and even small-budget made-for-TV movies were entertaining. I thoroughly enjoyed one called The Red King. As for people, there’s too much hate for immigrants. I don’t get it. I walked all over the East Sussex coast and visited London, and every immigrant I saw was working. How are they supposed to be a nuisance? Even 20 years ago, Brits hated immigrants. In my hometown, I was one of the only people who actively took an interest in foreigners. Back when I was in Blightly before I left I had many foreign friends from all over, and I loved listening to stories about their backgrounds and how life was different where they came from. Most of my girlfriends back then were Swedes, Danish, or Asian. That's why I wanted to travel. Now, when I watch rallies or protests where people claim, “We’re not racist at all, we welcome people of all walks of life,” I think, "Do you bollocks, mate. Back in 2000, you lot would rather shoot yourselves than get to know the Pakistani family running the corner shop. " It’s typical British to always pointing fingers at others but never themselves. I notice no one’s saying, “What about all these scroungers on the dole? Could they be the reason our country’s f**ed?” --don’t even get me started on the housing market, I'm completely baffled by how they're passing the blame on the government for that mess. I could’ve told everyone in the ‘90s that something would eventually give if people kept buying properties and selling them at a higher rate, eventually pushing prices sky-high, of course the day would come when banks would stop lending, and people wouldn’t be able to pay rent. But no, it’s the fault of the 'upper classes' - what? bonkers. That said, the humour in the UK is hilarious, and I'd often find myself chuckling just listening to standard convo's on the train. So much charisma and wit. I was really impressed with how pronounced charity is back home. Churches everywhere. Free food for the homeless. Posters everywhere giving people a number to call if they're in strife. Impressive. The Japanese couldn't give a toss about those in need, they'd sooner drown themselves in a lake than have child with 'issues' and unable to fit in.

[@lemsip207]

There is a German comedian who said that in Germany, they didn't do charity as they pay taxes. Which means they gey taxed more and there is less need for charity. Clement Attlee once said that charity is a cold loveless thing, unlike Government spending. The poor pay a bigger proportion of their earnings on charity than the rich do. I want to see the charity shops off the high street as they blight it or reduced to only one or two per district. They should be forced to pay 50% of business rates not 20%.

[@RT-ie2rj]

Hopefully Germany doesn't rapidly deindustrialise like the UK did in the early 1980s. Some say this might happen in Germany with VW closing German factories for the first time for example. UK industrialised first and deindustrialised first. Some say deindustrialisation is inevitable. Germany industrialised after the UK and so far has avoided deindustrialisation. Hopefully deindustrialisation in Germany can be avoided, but some say the transition from an industrial economy to a service based economy cannot be avoided; especially given the rise of China. Ireland can claim corporation tax from products and services that have no connection to Ireland like the Apple iPhone apparently being Irish. Thanks for visiting and noticing our decline!

[@britingermany]

Growth and innovation is happening in tech right now so I assume that is where economic growth will come from in the next few decades

[@RT-ie2rj]

@britingermany True. There are always new services being developed like Tech, so this will "hopefully" create new jobs. The problem becomes when you need to transition millions of people quickly from manufacturing to the new jobs like the UK had to do in the early 1980s. A 45 year old car assembly worker in Wolfsburg won't easily transition into Tech. Their son or daughter might. Not sure it employs that make people with the high value done in Europe and the coding outsourced to places like India. India are now doing the high value Tech work now and not just reliant on outsourced work. In the UK relatively high paid unionised manufacturing jobs have been replaced by low paid gig economy jobs. For example, working in a warehouse instead of working in a steelworks or factory. The transition resulted in more than 4 million unemployed in the 1980s and whole areas permanently scarred like in the North East of England. Hopefully Germany can avoid this. The prestige of German products has declined (eg. VW emissions scandal), so not sure how long they can maintain the premium price. The quality premium is declining rapidly, since others are catching up and exceeding Germany. For example, BYD is the world's largest producer of electric cars.

[@britingermany]

@ yeah I’ve noticed that regarding the cars here. I’m seeing more and more Chinese cars on the streets here. Germany has already fallen behind in that respect

[@eightiesmusic1984]

Deindustrialisation was due to the pound being too high in the eighties, hammering exports. Thanks to Thatcher half of manufacturing closed down between 1979 and 1990. The Tories destroyed Britain ( Labour converted to Thatcherism under Blair so is complicit). Lack of capital investment and a focus on research and development also hampered Britain in the eighties. Privatisation of Britoil ( created by the previous Labour government) by Thatcher for ideological reasons due to antipathy to state ownership privatisation also took industries off the government balance sheet) was a huge error- it could have been the basis for a sovereign wealth fund. Norway established its own and it now accounts for 4% of its yearly spending and is worth $250,000 per head of the population.

[@tuffandco3745]

Germany is not competitive in the marketing sector any more, due to the end of cheap energy, Chinese manufacturing is more innovative, tech literate and cheaper. Germany can no longer compete on terms of quality any longer. VW, Mercedes, BMW have all reduced their quality standards since the golden period of the 1980’s. Go to any manufacturing trade show, that specialises in manufacturing in some way. 10 years ago most stand’s would be class leading German manufacturing products, now China dominates.

[@edmaximum]

I visit the UK regularly, mostly London, and every time I go there, the situation seems to be getting worse and worse. I’m not sure what it is, but the feeling is that it doesn't even belong to Europe anymore. It's quite dirty, and I feel unsafe in certain neighborhoods

[@britingermany]

It’s a real shame!

[@gilesshort1093]

It’s always good to hear the opinions of someone who has a proper experience of ‘living’ in two countries. It’s a sad summary of the uk though☹️

[@britingermany]

For me it was really illustrative to go around Ireland a month before. That really put things into perspective

[@ThomasNuggets-l9m]

All the best to the UK! Such an important countr y with an amazing history.

[@hanshartfiel6394]

I'm German and have lived in the UK for over 50 years now. In this period I've travelled all over England, Scotland and Wales and yes, a lot of places look rather run down due to lack of investment. But it is not just the lack of investment that makes the towns look run down, it is the people that make it, they don't look after the places where they live, don't show any pride. My son is British and we spend our holidays in Germany, visiting two or three cities and monuments or other attractions and always end up for a few days in Berlin visiting relatives. Berlin, unfortunately, has changed and certainly not for the better. Everywhere you look there is graffiti, litter, pavements in some parts of the city are covered in dog shit and, just like in the UK, there are places where alcoholics spend their days getting drunk and begging. I won't even start talking about the junkies.

[@britingermany]

Yes I would say that is a valid point. Pride seems to have been vilified as a dirty word, but it doesn’t have to mean nationalism. It can just mean that you make an effort to keep the streets clean, maintain buildings and trim your hedges

[@hanshartfiel6394]

@britingermany exactly

[@MK-xc9to]

There is a difference between Germany and the UK , in Germany infrastructure only crumbles if no one has the obligations to maintain it or two municipalities are in conflict who has to pay for the Street or Bridge because its on the Border of the municipalities . Usually it gets even more complicated who burrys the Mainantance costs if a Bridge goes over a River to another Country . In the UK the crumbling Water and Sewage infrastructure is the fault of the privatisation , as long as a Company makes revenue , the profit is split and payed to the shareholders . If asked to modernise the crumbling infrastrucure from 100-200 years ago then there is no money and if forced to do it they are fastly bancrupt .

[@lazrseagull54]

Regarding German bridges falling down, at least Germany has bridges. Right in the middle of Portsmouth, there's never been either a bridge or a tunnel across the harbour to Fareham, there are no bridges linking Liverpool city centre to the Wirral - just a single tunnel. Newcastle is 1 of a very few UK cities besides London that has a beautiful collection of bridges from various eras in the city Centre but only in the city centre, leaving neighbourhoods in the east and west of town cut off from the other side of the Tyne with an 8km gap from the middle of town to a single car tunnel in the east and a 6km gap to the next bridge in the west. The west of Glasgows built-up area has it even worse with a 10km gap between bridges. There are no bridges at all between Tower Bridge and Dartford in all of east London for about 24km. In German cities, whether on the Rhein, the Elbe, the Main, or the Danube, there don't seem to be situations like this. Most British cities don't have a major river through them so if all cities that do were to build a bunch of bridges, you still wouldn't need as many as Germany has. Sunderland does have a good selection of bridges across the Wear. Imagine if you had to travel via central Frankfurt to get from Schwanheim to Grießheim or to get from Offenbach to Fechenheim. Imagine if Frankfurt only had buses, half the amount of S Bahn with bigger gaps between stops and no tunnel taking you into the city centre, no U Bahn and 2 tram lines and you have to buy seperate tickets for each of these modes. Imagine if only 4 German cities had any kind of underground rail and only 7 cities had trams and I mean only 1 line in urban areas the size of Hamburg (how it is in Birmingham). Now imagine you have to pay more to use a combination of local rail and bus as the buses use a completely different ticket system and even daily, weekly and monthly tickets are only valid on buses. An annual ticket between 2 stops on a regional train costs over €1000 and is only valid between 2 specific stops. That's what the UK is like. I know you can use the oyster card in London on both bus and rail but again, it's cheaper if you only use buses (and the tram in Croydon). I've never seen that in Germany. A single ticket always seems to be valid on local bus, tram, U Bahn, S Bahn and even regional trains for 90 minutes - 2hrs as long as you don't go back on yourself. Daily and monthly tickets are also valid on all the same modes. Amazing!

[@britingermany]

That’s an interesting point about transport. Before the Deutschland ticket it was a mess. Different Bundesländer had different rules of ticket validation and zoning systems. I totally agree with you now. With the Deutschland ticket you can just get on to any bus tram or train without having to think about it too much. And yes the infrastructure in Germany is miles Better than anywhere in England…to be honest the roads seem to be quite a lot better in Wales than they are in England

[@MichaelBurggraf-gm8vl]

However I think we could use a few more bridges across the river Rhine, particularly between Basel and Frankfurt. In Karlsruhe they're planning to build a second one additionally to the one near Maxau. So far the next one north of Karlsruhe is in Germersheim more than 20 km away. And south of Karlsruhe you'd have to go to Kehl which is connected with Strassburg by a bridge. Additionally there are a few places where the Rhine can be crossed using a ferry.

[@lemsip207]

It was the same in Cardiff. No pedestrian bridges at all across the River Taff between the city centre and Western Avenue, but people fought to have two pedestrian bridges built from Bute Park to the other side of the river. The River Thames in East London is very wide, so the only way across it is by ferry or tunnel. At least there are pedestrian tunnels from Greenwich to the Isle of Dogs and Woolwich to North Woolwich. They are scary to use at night, though.

[@sueKay]

The UK on a whole is in a downward spiral, which has been accelerating since Brexit. And still we have ignorant people who've never left the UK, or who have only been to Disneyland or Ibiza, who think it's better here than it is elsewhere. I still love living in Scotland and enjoy visiting England... but I keep wondering if the last person to leave the island will remember to switch off the lights as they go. It's becoming so depressing to live here. It's a bad sign that if you visit a place with lots of independent shops these days it's a surprise, because most towns are just full of vacant units.

[@rain_down_]

There are lots of complicated reasons for the decline in the UK. Online shopping becoming the norm has had a huge impact on city and town centres, and the delivery apps employing low skill, low salary workers has ended up with hundreds of people riding all over the place on e-bikes chasing their targets, but annoying pedestrians in the process and creating friction in our urban centres. I do think Covid fundamentally changed things, and also the Ukraine war affected the economy in lots of ways, and neither of these things were the fault of the UK but they've had an impact on how people behave towards other people. When I hold the door open for people when entering/leaving a shop people are genuinely surprised these days, almost to the point of confusion, where as just a few years ago it was an accepted norm and a nice bit of social interaction. Brexit was the fault of the UK, and I think that's had a negative impact in a lot of ways too. The political ambitions of certain people have ended up with a more insular society, much more inward looking and self-centred but with no clear idea of why. Yes, I'm looking to move elsewhere... 😅

[@sirjosephwhitworth9415]

The only aspect that is pleasant about contemporary England is..... the countryside. Other than that it is a dystopia from which it will never recover. We make nothing here, develop nothing here, have no connected public transport system (don't mention the condition of the roads) and, a second rate solicitor and a bank clerk are destroying the little wealth we have remaining. It is much like the DDR was, although we won't have a BRD to bail us out. However, a new life in Bavaria / Bayern is on the horizon for our household, nowhere is utopia, but I hope it will be better than the UK.

[@britingermany]

I think you will like Bavaria. The countryside is amazing. The only thing is that it is traditional, conservative and holds a lot of the rigid stereotypes that germany is known. but once you've acclimatised to that I think there are a lot of benefits

[@andyanderson3628]

They always say "the grass is greener" and then you get there and the grass is dead.

[@lemsip207]

It's only the Cotswolds, the wild moors such as Dartmoor and the Peak District, the Lake District, and Cornish fishing villages that are both unique to the UK and beautiful. Much of the countryside is flat, desolate and/or dreary. In Wales, the countryside is covered in sterile Scots Pine plantations though now many of them are being filled and replaced with mixed deciduous woodlands now.

[@NY-Dani]

@@lemsip207 You obviously have not been to Yorkshire or Northumberland. Beautiful countryside, valleys, ancient stone walls and miles of green carpet. Scotland is also beautiful.

[@idlebrit]

I have lived in Germany now since 1986, my trips back for England and Family R&R are always uplifting and grounding. Nice presentation, but did make me feel a bit sad.

[@britingermany]

Sorry to hear that….I tried to add as much nuance as I could. Which part of England are you from originally?

[@Mark-IamNum1]

I left the UK about 27 years ago to live in Switzerland. Every time I come back to the UK (and I was born & raised in London) it has gotten worse - dirtier, more expensive, more crowded and less friendly. Having said that, I still think of England as home and it does tug on the heart strings whenever I see the white cliffs when flying in. But, as things are going now I would never consider coming back to live. If I had to come back I would only want to live outside London (possibly in a small town or rurally). In Switzerland we are not part of the EU and can, therefore, maintain a higher standard of living. The UK still seems to be caught in some "half way house" on the EU.

[@britingermany]

Totally agree. I think I would need to be financially independent because driving anywhere is a night are and the salaries are atrocious l.

[@mjheal]

The UK is an incredibly beautiful country with some of the friendliest people in the world. I live between London and Germany and will be moving to Frankfurt soon. It's evident that the UK lacks investment compared to these two countries. For example, the government has begun to repair our roads, but the quality of the work is appalling. The roads are still very bumpy, the paint lines are crooked or unfinished, and overall, there is a sense of cheapness to everything new here when compared to Germany. Whenever there’s a glimmer of hope, you look at the finished product and think, “Oh, is that it?” On the other hand, I believe the UK has more manpower compared to Germany. Yes, the job market is currently awful in the UK, but when I compare Heathrow to Frankfurt Airport and the Deutsche Bahn to the national rail services, the UK has a more reliable and frequent public transport system. Ultimately, I am leaving the UK to join my wife in Germany. After Brexit, I need to spend over £15,000 on visas and a passport application over five years for my German wife, and it's just not worth it. Germany welcomed me as a Brit, I got my residency relatively easily, and overall, I think it's a better place to raise a family than in the UK.

[@britingermany]

@@mjheal thanks for sharing your Insights. A lot of it is obviously personal circumstances but o agree that Germany is doing better on a number of factors.

[@garyh1572]

@@britingermany Tory Austerity has ruined the UK. It's the cause of so many issues .

[@andyanderson3628]

I've visited Portugal and loved it so much that I'm considering moving there. It's less expensive than a lot of European countries and it is more laid back.

[@lazrseagull54]

@@mjheal while national rail is certainly more reliable than DB these days, I wouldn't say that the UK has more reliable or frequent overall public transport than Germany, especially in the cities. Over 60 German cities have trams, compared to only 7 in the UK and over 20 have some form of underground (counting Stadtbahns), compared to only 4 in the UK, with the one in Newcastle running only every 12 minutes. In German cities of this size, Stadtbahn and U Bahn lines are usually every 10, 7.5 or sometimes even every 5 minutes and they take you to within a short walk of almost anywhere in town. In the UK, you more often have to finish a journey by bus to get to most neighbourhoods, yet you usually also have to buy seperate tickets for bus and rail, which isn't the case in Germany. Birmingham, with a population of 2.2m in the urban area and a density of 3274k/km², has only 1 tram line with 33 stops and no underground at all. Most neighbourhoods are not within walking distance of a rail stop, requiring most journeys to be finished by bus. Bielefeld on the other hand with a total population of 341k and a density of 1300/km² has 4 Stadtbahn lines with 55 surface stops and 7 underground stops serving its tiny city centre. Most German cities of this size have this kind of thing with Münster being the exception. Tickets in German cities, even singles always seem to be valid on all bus, tram, U Bahn, S Bahn and Regionalbahn in the area covered by the ticket. London does have good public transport though, worlds apart from the standard in the UK but using it still costs a lot more than Germany's €49/month ticket for all local and regional bus and rail in the whole country.

[@TomBartram-b1c]

It's not like this everywhere though. My residential street isn't even a high street and we have the Rovers, Street Cars, Roy's Rolls, Baldwin's Casuals, The Bistro, the Cabin, Audrey's, etc etc. It's not all doom and doom.

[@mtarjme]

Well, bully for you. Signed A German in the UK

[@Pete-yf6ze]

When I walk through the Uk all I hear is the death rattle of a once wonderful country, destroyed by politicians who only have one thing in mind greed. They don't care about their people just what they can get out of them.

[@ijstock]

I’m also fascinated about the differences between countries and the reasons for them. I’ve dipped into your videos from time to time and appreciated your soul-searching. I know Germany quite well and Switzerland a lot better and you’re right - the quality of (nearly) everything there is just much better. I’ve also noticed the same thing about Ireland, which is pleasing to see for their sake - though there are underlying problems still there (housing for one). The main problems with the U.K. are: • 40 years of a dog-eat-dog culture, promoted by establishment vested interests. It’s the same mindset as the US where if you fail, it is because you deserve to. Point. That goes for regions not just individuals. Hence no investment in the ‘loser’ regions, or people. • Vested interests of the economic elite - the Greed-is-Good, Yuppie generation is now in charge, and promoting their self-interest as always. • An enduring sense of social deference and hierarchy. 'Ordinary People’ have low expectations for their lives, because they know much of this country’s best has been cornered for those elites - and bizarrely, they still accept that this is just the way of things. No sense of general civic wellbeing, as something that should be available to all. • An inward-lookingness that comes from being an island, and relatively less exposed to outside influences in any positive way. Curiously, the Irish ‘ought’ to suffer from this - but they seem to have learned which side their bread is buttered on and have learned to be European. All those new motorways are clearly modelled on autoroutes, not British motorways. Yes, much more pride in their homes and towns - maybe because they have seen how bad it can otherwise be? • And finally a massive resistance to change. A ridiculous attachment to ‘heritage’ that is preventing necessary change - be that the impossible obstacles placed in front of upgrading our transport networks or residential properties, or the current bleating from a few wealthy farmers about the new taxes on farm land inheritance. Too many vested interests militating against even necessary change. Keeping the nation stuck in the dark ages. And getting away with it because of our failure to update our constitutional and political institutions to face them down in the interests of the greater good.

[@conniebruckner8190]

I just came back from a trip to the UK, (my last time was 4 years ago just before lockdowns) a few days in Preston, another 3 in the Yorkshire Dales and 3 in London. I've been to London dozens of times, and yes, even Oxford Street looks more rundown, a bit unkept. Many many closed and boarded up shops on other high streets at the edges of London. Yes the countryside is different and small towns are beautiful and the people there, despite the struggles of a dwindling economy have pride in their communities and are trying hard to make it a good place to live. I must say it was a good feeling to return to Vienna, my adopted city (home) to familiar places, foods, streets and can understand your feelings.

[@nadinebeck2069]

I've seen a lot of things that maybe better here. Anyway, I instantly fell in love with England ❤ and a tiny part always wants to go "home". One day, when my kids are older I'd love do a volonteer job. Working in nature projects in the English countryside 🥰 Himmlisch!

[@britingermany]

That’s beautiful😀. Thanks for sharing

[@AliceGoss]

No matter where I am in the world, there is always a piece of England with me. I do like to come back, but I don't enjoy living here anymore. Would it be better living elsewhere? No! Just different problems.

[@britingermany]

That’s lovely to hear Alice. Where do you live now?

[@AliceGoss]

@@britingermany Back in the UK, living in England's worst town.

[@JmanAnimates]

The economy and the division among everybody has made this the worst year in the UK for me.

[@JC.Holland]

The country itself is great, the only thing are the people that have been managing it.

[@karinkoch8443]

Love the Landscape of Scotland and Cornwall as I was there many years ago by train. Loved the friendly, lovely people as well. Food not so much, sorry. Those hedges between fields, the walls out of natural stones along the narrow roads, the wild coastline of Cornwall, strawberry fields (forever), the old trees, castles, lakes. As I am writing that I got the feeling I have to go back there, which I will. Sorry to hear the economic struggle. Hope, the famous british humor will help people through hard times. In Germany we could do with that ...

[@jeydaness]

since you highlighted the homeless people's tents in green spaces/public parks - have you been to Berlin? It is the mini San Francisco when it comes to homelessness, and it is not in London with 10+ million people but in the capital of Germany with only 3.5 million people.

[@phoenix-xu9xj]

Frightening if bluebells are out now. That shouldn’t be happening till spring.

[@britingermany]

😂🤣. The montage at the beginning was a mix of footage. The bluebells where from April

[@phoenix-xu9xj]

@ ok. Thanks. 😂

[@p3d938]

The end of coal was a difficult time with no future punkrock and depressing new wave. The UK has a lot of courage and creative potential to overcome bad times but I am afraid it will get worse before it can be better.

[@fuerchtenichts]

Don't underestimate the fact that you are 16 years older now. ;)

[@britingermany]

Yeah that definitely makes a difference

[@obenohnebohne]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on your home country. I live abroad for more than half my life and I share your feelings when I go back to where I grew up. It is part of my life and don’t want to get rid of it, but my new life is the life I prefer.

[@britingermany]

Yes. Maybe that is just the shared experience that people have who decide to move abroad

[@imogenharrison3432]

You will always feel a connection with your roots and your past, but things and places change, There is good change, there is bad change, but it would be worse if nothing changed. The secret is not to dwell on memories of the past, but to create new memories for the future.

[@ndie8075]

I've been in the south of England a lot.......I love the english countryside it is a place with so much tranquilitty.........when I compare the last ten years I notized that the english are still polite and very nice especially when you are german.......( Saxon and Anglosaxons are connected🤔)........but I also notized that the english are very unsettled about the present situation........about the future.......everybody I met regrets Brexit and its consequences.😢.....come back to us UK🇬🇧🇩🇪❤

[@schnapphahnschnitzelbert977]

I am sorry and I know you didnt mean it that way but I couldnt help thinking about Volker Pispers talking about the US 25 years ago: "It is a beautiful country, the people are the problem."

[@andyanderson3628]

Made me think of the Gandhi quote. "I love your Christ. I do not like your christians. They are nothing like Christ."

[@fredbehn9287]

This was an interesting video. As an American of 100% north German descent, I know very little about the UK. I've driven all throughout Germany and spent time in my ancestral 'Heimat', if you will, and feel I know the country quite well. We have friends there. That said, there is much to be concerned about in Germany at this time that must be worked through. My wife, on the other hand, is mostly English in heritage, although generationally more removed than I am from my ancestors. She's renewed her genealogical research and, on one of our extended stays in Germany, we plan to detour into the UK. I'm looking forward to actually seeing it and will note your perspectives. I likely won't drive there, though. The steering wheel is on the wrong side...

[@Garcwyn]

And that’s average salary. Not even median salary which statistically speaking is more appropriate to give a sense of the most common salary

[@edmundwoolliams1240]

Maybe you could do a collab with Wendall? It seems like you both have the same view, and you can give perspective as someone who's lived outside the UK

[@billywhizz6483]

But... but... but, we were promised that Brexit would create huge growth, investment, Global Britain. All lies of course, and after 14 years of Tories, here we are... your video summarises it all.

[@eightiesmusic1984]

Brexit stoked division by othering immigrants and conflating them with asylum seekers. It was nothing to do with immigration, after all Tories love cheap labour. It was about deregulation by taking Britain out of the EU to pave the way for a bonfire of regulatory controls which remaining in the EU would not make possible. Follow the money and who stands to benefit.

[@andyanderson3628]

@@eightiesmusic1984 Which is happening with Trump in the US. The GOP want to deregulate and privatize everything.

[@DeMontaigne86]

The North was going down before Brexit, hence people associated the EU with decline, and hence they voted for change. The decline didn't start with Brexit, but it has continued since leaving. Unfortunately, Brexit hasn't yet/won't make a difference. Time will tell. I understand the EU has its problem areas too. Youth unemployment in Mediterranean cou tries, for example. If the UK is a poor country attached to a rich city, then maybe the EU is a poor federation attached to a rich country (Germany).

[@ChristopherHH74]

Of course it's uniquely beautiful ! Sort of a Sehnsuchtsort.

[@britingermany]

That's what I wanted to highlight here

[@lynnm6413]

England‘s countryside is the real life Shire …Tolkien did such a good job describing and mythologizing his love for England‘s beauty, that I feel a lot of people who read Lord of the Rings will feel a special sort of connection.

[@barbsmart7373]

Kia ora Brother, It is so beautiful seeing England and Ireland, and you with your feet on the ground there. I can't imagine what a heart throb it is to be back "home". I am on the other side of the world and I have been nowhere near the mother country. However, I have spent a lot of my life seeing incredible television programmes etc made in England. My Wiltshire partner and many Kiwis always watched Coronation St, saw the culture, heard the accents... and I learned that English pubs were really special places to meet up regularly. It is such a beautiful image. When I see the English countryside my heart throbs. Research is affirming connections between wellbeing and nature eg melodious birdsong, colours and things. I wonder if my ancestry comes through me, or is it just a nostalgia from what I have seen on the screen, or is it is simply because it is just so bloody beautiful. I watched footage this week, of soldiers preparing for battle in 1944. An American GI was posted somewhere in England, and had a few hours of leave, which he spent in a city, maybe London, where he was walking through no end of bricks and rubble. The GI was very, very affected, seeing the strength and positive vibe of the people all picking up rubble. I cannot describe the gratitude and awe when I see these things. Hearing Churchill's voice, and seeing things that I cannot comprehend are very inspiring and utterly awesome. I connect the friendliness and kindness of the English with the goodness and civilized characters of our previous generations. I watched a British A and E programme and noticed the nurses somehow sounded closer, more connected than all the Kiwi nurses I know. Similar, buf thd Bruts say "love" and seem totallg on the same wavelength as their patients. Beautiful empathy and communications. Seeing people playing footy is another thing that feels very deep meaning, because it goes back so many generations. Football and rugby for our nations are so vital and deep in connecting people and communities. A Fijian flatmate got me into watching rugby, but actually, my Southland father's brothers were always keen on rugby, and caused much banter. It continues among the children today. Nostalgia is a real, real thing. I am fascinated by the different things that motivate people. I feel that rich people from other countries come to Aotearoa, including Brits. A lot of Americans want to come here now too. I feel some people look around for a "better" place and do comparisons of FDP etc, etc. Invariably one place will be more affluent than another. I have 3 properties. A unit in a caldersac, beside bush & native birds, tui and close to the hospital and city in a caldersac. Just one fruit tree, nice neighbours. Another place- woolshed- beside a river, waterfall and much native bush, supportive No running water or flush toilet, plenty more land fof grazing, gravel road etc. Typical supportive Kiwi farming community. And another city house, with all the most beautiful soil, fruit trees and a community I have mutually nurtured for 28 years. I am thankful they aren't in different countries because I love each connection and each place for many reasons. Life could be easier with less affluence and less choices to choose from, provided you are happy with what you have. If not happy, some inner work will help. This is how I view that. I am very, very grateful for the Maori influence in my life. I learn more about connection to land and being a steward. And the responsibility to family and community. A place having more or less money to throw around is less important, but yes, there can be more potholes, crime, drabness, poverty. That's where I find many people who will help and who are real. In NZ there is always an opportunity to give food, kindness, or even money to the homeless, alchoholics and drug addicts. They may have been smashed around by life. Those people have often had interesting lives. We have more drug addicts on the street now. With Jacinda gone now, they are homeless, and new kinds of drugs keep coming. A lot comes back when you give. But it seems to come from having that mindset and a responsibility to give back to the original place you belong to or wherever you put your roots. I have thought about characters too. Usually one sibling has a big enough heart to take care of the elders. No one really sees their load. I would love to hear more on this very broad topic, as we all get to an age of deeper reflection and acceptance. I see that many people have their hearts in two or more different places and sometimes they don't feel they truly belong in any one place. Yet if is a human need to belong somewhere and usually with other people. I love your honesty, Bro and these thoroughly good videos that really evoke...something in the heart. Greatest of love to your family, Bro.

[@alexandratimmis7722]

We went back to visit Huddersfield in June. I worked there in the early 2000 and hubby studied there in the 90s. We were so sad to see the place as it is today. It looked such a mess, dirty, lots of shops boarded up, shop lifting during the day. The countryside around it was as beautiful as ever though.

[@AreJayCee]

Out of town retail parks and companies like Amazon has made the old High Street a thing of the past. We have all caused this problem but most seem to not see their part in it and look for someone to blame

[@petermclelland278]

Started going down the nick when we started calling ourselves bloody 'brits' & 'mate' - chav land here we come - mate!

[@TransoceanicOutreach]

So the 1950s?

[@krollpeter]

Torries want you to ride to work every morning on an old and rusty bicycle. The job is about 80% completed. I have to say that I do not understand anymore most of my own countrymen, but I do know in Germany is still a good and strong basis. Despite of all this sick man of Europe talking, and despite the current political issues.

[@rollingdownfalling]

I am always fascinated by the way you think. Because it’s something I am trying to avoid being too deeply into thinking about something. My mind is way too stormy and distracted and it requires reining in by doing meditation to let those thoughts ebb and flow, until I can focus again. Another thing that’s interesting is the choice of music, it made me feel like I just broke up with someone and needed to move on.

[@andyanderson3628]

I'm bipolar. I never know when an episode is coming on. Medication and ECT can only work so well.

[@rollingdownfalling]

@ What fascinates me was not really the content, but the low energy from the content, every time I watch it, it’s as if I can feel a part of the pain, melancholy, loneliness, sorrow and discontent. And it’s very consistent. I am just very curious about it, even though I personally also need to rein in my thoughts, because I don’t want to ruminate too much.

[@peterandjanelle4882]

After 40 years, Australia is definitely home for me. Born in the UK but when we now travel to Europe (since 2017) we don't go to the UK but rather stop in Munchen. We see the UK countryside on "Escape to the Country" which is good enough for me knowing that the cities are full of immigrants that are not like me and the cities are in a state of decay. We talk about people who are "homing pigeons"; just because you are born somewhere doesn't mean you have to retire and die there. There are better places in the world than the UK. That may change in 50 years with better leadership but for now the country seems to be in serious decline and not somewhere I am bothering to visit. I often think about Mutiny on the Bounty and the many sailors who chose to stay in Tahiti and why wouldn't they knowing of the squalor in London in the 18th century. Interestingly, many many Germans migrated to Queensland in the 1850-1900 period and their presence is clear to see today. Did they know something about finding a better life somewhere else?

[@chrysalis4126]

Some cities are thriving in the UK, Manchester for one. It is so different from the 80s when it was in decline thanks to Thatcher's policies.

[@andyanderson3628]

The thing is that those immigrants you refer to are doing the jobs that Brits won't.

[@old.not.too.grumpy.]

You never find yourself through travel as you take yourself. You only become what you wish because those you meet don't know who you are. Over time we all change and grow whether we travel or not

[@Gert-DK]

Yes, the British country side looks nice, but try eating it, that's the problem. The government in 1947 recognized officially that the UK couldn't feed it self. Several governments tried to fix it, or at least improve the situation, but it just got worse. So bad, that in the late 60s and early 70s there were talks about rationing the food again. Off course, it never became the case. With Brexit, the UK is again divided from the continent. Many food producers have given up selling to the UK, too much red tape, not worth the time. Others do send the food they can't sell anywhere else. The UK will receive less food to a higher price in the future. Rationing again, like under the war? Olaf Scholz: "The UK is going downhill, without brakes". EDIT: The nice country side does not attract tourists either. Per 1 citizen, 0,46 tourists visit the UK. Per 1 citizen, 11 tourists visit Denmark, my country. Thank God for AI computer. EDIT the EDIT: I am not sure these two figures are comparable.

[@Englandfan91]

I experienced the same. I'm German married to a Brit living in Germany. We visit the UK regularly. This summer we went to Devon and Somerset. Usually there were lots of Dutch, French and German tourists. This time there were hardly any. It was the same on the ferry, mostly British people only a few Dutch and German.

[@britingermany]

You paint a very dire picture. I assume brexit may have influenced tourist numbers but I haven’t looked Into this. There really are a lot of issues it’s difficult to know what to focus on first.

[@Gert-DK]

@@britingermanyYes, it is a dire picture. As the UK can't feed itself and has no raw materials, it doesn't look good. The food things I wrote about, companies that won't sell to the UK, is happening right now, and very well documented. Furthermore, several trucking companies won't go to the UK either. Their drivers risk being held back in Ashfordly for days. Unfortunately, it is not over, more to come.

[@andyanderson3628]

Of course it has changed in 16 years. Everything has.

[@BobWitlox]

I haven't been to the UK in about 20 years, but I never got the impression of it being in such a rundown state as I see in KZbin videos in recent years. I haven't seen this development in any other Western European country. It reminds me of the poverty and degradation you see in poor areas in the States.

[@geraldwagner8739]

Where are the sunlit uplands?

[@danpictish5457]

Brexit has made Britain into a poorer country!

[@jannetteberends8730]

I’m curious about the bleu flowers. That must have been in spring, cause they are under trees. Was that filmed in Ireland?

[@britingermany]

Yes this are the bluebells. I filmed that in the wood behind me...(just a few months earlier in the spring when I was there the last time)

[@oliverlondon5246]

I think both the UK and Germany are cursed with terrible governments at the moment. And the countries suffer. Ireland is much more pragmatic and smart. They attracted the tech giants, which might be controversial, but the Irish massively benefited from that

[@britingermany]

Yeah that is a controversial point. A lot of people are angry about it but it's definitely a USP that no other European country can compete with

[@Bezayne]

I am german and live in the UK. I am glad that Labour is in power. While they may not get everything right, look at what happened in 14 years of Tory rule - it can only get better than that, and Labour is making a decent start. The german government is indeed dissapointing, mainly because the fdp did everything they could to torpedo their political partners. The government there going back to the german tory equivalent doesn't make me hopeful at all. Still, I am having thoughts about possibly returning to Germany, seeing the way things are in the UK - and how long the way to fix them will be.

[@VauxhallViva-s8x]

Like the Irish are happy with how their country is being run! They’re out on the streets demonstrating against it!

[@johnsmith-bi9zz]

East or West Midlands my friend?

[@JmanAnimates]

"a poor country attached to a very rich city" that's sad.

[@britingermany]

It is, I think it’s quite a British problem. Yes France has Paris but it also has other cities like Marseille and nice…when people hear I’m from the U.K. the follow up question is (everything, without fail) ahh from London?

[@JmanAnimates]

@@britingermany pretty much

[@davidheaver2854]

Come to Ledbury Benjamin. Still quite vibrant, despite all the poor politics of the past.

[@britingermany]

I was actually there 2 years ago. It’s nice to visit but I wouldn’t know what to do if I lived there. It seems very small to me

[@davidheaver2854]

@britingermany tis a bit but has good access to the 3 cities and Birmingham, and nice features like the Malverns or the Black Mountains.

[@britingermany]

@ yes i Love the black mountains 😍

[@Reversmullac]

How hard was it for you to adjust to German life? I've watched your other videos but don't know if i could actually do it. I do love here i just don't know what to do

[@britingermany]

I'm not going to lie. It was tough. It probably took me 2-3 years to really start to feel comfortable here but I took a different route to most. I consciously avoided English speaking people in an attempt to learn the language and integrate.

[@Reversmullac]

@@britingermany Thank you - I've heard that immersion and forcing yourself to speak the language is the best way to learn fast - I'm considering Spain but it seems like that's the route a lot of brits who are early 20s like ne have gone too. Living here is so strange it feels like there's just been a mass exodus in some places and it's just so hard to make a connection with someone now!

[@Otto72ish]

The country is suffocating under bloated government, high taxes, excessive regulation, censorship of speech, and uncontrolled immigration (both legal and illegal). It is sinking. Fortunately for myself, I also got out 16 years ago, to South America. Life is much freer where I live. Love to visit the UK, but there is nothing that would make me move back there. Still much that is good in the UK. But the decline is obvious.

[@pbrigham]

Yes is beautiful, but unfortunately god was not good to you guys when he invented the weather.

[@happychappy7115]

Countryside probably doesn't change, whereas towns are in decline😢UK countryside is still very accessible via public footpath network, a major plus.😊

[@britingermany]

Very true and that’s something to appreciate. Many other countries do not have this culture of public footpaths

[@Eovar_Endre]

The north seems like a zoo (the towns). Dysutopian vibes. The country-side is lovely though. Also, Leeds was alright. Fairly clean, felt safe, lively, lot's of open businesses (shops). Some of the decay is not exclusive to the UK. It happens everywhere in the west, sad but true. Ever been to Duisburg? Dortmund in Germany? Or the Sonnenallee in Berlin? Dreadful places!

[@britingermany]

Yea of course it is a general decline. I just feel it is more noticeable in the U.K…probably be aww I have a longer span of co parison there

[@chrysalis4126]

Bradford and Wakefield have a 90%+ business survival rate.

[@Eovar_Endre]

@@britingermany Well, things do change. Change is good...as long as it's good change...poverty, dope, bad-economy, bad policies, idiot regulations....all not so good...but I don't have all the answers. Just appalled by the state of things the decay though. Both in the UK as well as in Germany.....

[@torstenberlin4088]

Sad what you are telling, Benjamin, sure - but not really surprising. The Brexit has its share, I guess:-( But probably not mainly; down the drain is an international trend today. Wait till Donald Trump has been President for quite a while ... Have a pleasant Sunday anyway!

[@britingermany]

@@torstenberlin4088 you too Torsten. Thanks for watching 🤗

[@danielcarr7090]

I think Brexit has proved to be a disaster for our country. We are now an isolated 3rd country in an increasingly protectionist world, and we are certainly less prosperous since leaving the EU (according to Bloomberg we are £100 billion a year worse off) we haven't got any decent trade deals yet, immigration has gone drastically up since the ref (this doesn't bother me but Brexiteers said it would go down if we left the EU) and we've had appalling successive governments: Johnson and Truss being the worst of the bunch.. 16 years ago we were a much happier and less divided country with more rights and protections. You used your FOM to better yourself, nice job!

[@andyanderson3628]

Well the majority voted to leave, so they will just have to live with it.

[@sho-m-er5194]

@@andyanderson3628 well, a lot of that "majority" is now dead while people like myself who didn't get a say have to live with the consequences of it

[@danielcarr7090]

@@andyanderson3628 And I was in the large minority of people who voted Remain and I have to live with it too. But that's democracy - the idiots often win... just look at America, Trumps back!

[@thorstenberninger]

Like ASMR to me. ❤❤❤

[@britingermany]

Thank you :)

[@Stadtpark90]

4:37

[@Patrick-on2ty]

😘

[@johns4651]

I am a Polish born Brit but I have been visiting various German cities frequently in the last 2 years. I must say that Germany is far poorer that what I see here and (perhaps more importantly) much more dangerous. That is just my perception. Plus German architecture of people living in flats in cities in quite depressing, remind me of old Poland during communism. Maybe I need to see the smaller towns in Germany but I live in Surrey and it is paradise to what I have seen Germany. I also travel to other counties Kent, Suffolk, Cornwall and it all looks much nicer than anything I have seen in Germany.

[@johns4651]

On a side note, I have hardly visited Poland in the last 25 year but the couple recent visits convinced me it is much better place to live than Germany (crime statistics prove that). Did you consider moving to Poland for better life quality?

[@thierrymitchell5977]

Yes England is very beautiful but in too few places and most of the time reserved to happy rich few. Anywhere else it is cramped and decayed. What was once the heart of a world empire has today a population per km2 (legacy of a glorious era) far beyond the possibilities in terms of land available for all necessary activities for a country now really on its own to accomodate high living standards for the majority. I think thats what people inconsiously knew when they voted for Brexit, fooled by Nigel Farage and his likes, in the search for "good old days". But Global Britain, I will not even discuss of the likelyness of its future success, will never be in par with what Imperialism once gave Britain for a while

[@britingermany]

All empires fall and dire at some point and Britain has to find a new way

[@daveschwarz5279]

Well rural towns in Germany are just as bad…. I personally miss the softnesses and kindness of England… I see Germany is way too liberal and backwards in its thinking.

[@andyanderson3628]

I find the US under Trump to be too fascist. A violent Trump mob of Proud Boys, Boogaloos, 3 Percenters, Oath Keepers, Neo Nazis and white supremacists attacked the Capitol to overthrow a legitimate election procedure, built a gallows to hang the vice president, beat a cop senseless with the American flag, and smeared their excrement all over the Capitol.

[@Dekoherence-ii8pw]

Your accent has gone slightly German. (Nowt wrong wi that, just an observation). Or maybe it's my imagination.

[@axxeny]

German in Britain That's what the video should be called

[@britingermany]

🤔🤔 ?

[@nicholashanson9508]

just because the UK isn't as wealthy as Germany doesn't make it poor. have you been to Asia? it's a total dump

[@britingermany]

I lived in China for 2 years and travelled throughout South east Asia. It's a little difficult to compare the UK to a whole continent. There are places like Singapore or South Korea for example that make the UK look like a third world country...and yes there are other Asian countries which are poorer than the UK.

[@davidduxbury9246]

1000% agree on how the UK is on a terminal decline, you should visit london and see what that has become. The main problem is the country has been diluted into something unrecognisable as the people that have joined dont share the same beliefs and values.

[@eightiesmusic1984]

Rubbish. Multiculturalism is a success and here to stay. If you do not like it you can always move somewhere else.

[@andyanderson3628]

Is it the religion you don't like? Nationality? Race?

[@tobias..6688]

Britain needs Reform!

[@niklot5046]

6:40 'People earn less than 30k euros a year outside of London, which is nothing - it's peanuts basically.' Yea, come check out Poland. We already have prices in Euro and the majority lives for under 20k euros per year. What do we live on here then? Dust and mites? 😂

[@britingermany]

Chat gpt tells me the cost of living is 46% lower in Poland than in the U.K. and average wages are almost double in the U.K. if that’s true then they’re about the same

[@RussellGi]

​@@britingermany Check out levels of private debt in Poland and the UK..incomparable.

[@annabellefrancais8161]

Prices in euro in Poland? I still pay in zlotys - slightly annoying for me as I live on the border but on the German side. Wages in PL have grown significantly in the last 20 years but we are still far behind Germany, even behind Czechia. The prices are comparable to prices in countries in the eurozone, still slightly cheaper. Renting in pl is a joke, almost as bad as in the UK, maybe worse. Having said that, After 13 years in the UK I had enough and went back to PL for about 5 years. Never regretted it. UK offered no opportunities for me at the time, just struggle. I do miss it though but would never go back. I was in London at the beg and it had wonderful energy. But after a while it just felt exhausting. From what I hear now, ppl are fed up and angry, prices on everything skyrocketing - they were already high when I was there. And wages are not keeping up. Germany seems to offer better earnings to living cost ratio, depending on where you live ofc. UK culture seems much more accessible to me ( love British humour), well some part of it like excessive drinking are possibly too accessible 😅

[@eightiesmusic1984]

The poorest third of the population of eastern Europe are richer than the poorest third of the population of the UK. If London is removed from the equation, the average wage of workers in the rest of the UK is lower than in Mississippi the poorest state in America. All thanks to Thatcherism transferring wealth from the majority to the rich but it is what the public voted for so it cannot complain about being poor.

[@SirKnobofCheese]

People see what they want to see and see things that renforce there own opinions of the place they visit.

[@Busfeet90]

I find it a bit annoying when people use closed shops as proof that everything is in terminal decline. The closed shops are due to shopping habits changing. People shop online way more now, and don't have much reason to use the high street - hence the closures. The shops were already struggling before covid and then lockdowns finished them off. I agree this makes the town centres rather sad looking. Also, street drinkers aren't exactly just a UK thing - Frankfurt Railway station anyone? Most of Berlin....

[@Lawrence4000-s3k]

It always struck me as virtue-signalling idiocy by the political class that the UK spent 0.7% of GDP on foreign aid when the country clearly had so many areas of deprivation (9/10 in NW Europe I think it was). Add in excess defence spending and it's little wonder the country is as it is.

[@britingermany]

Yes there are so many areas that need investment and attention. Housing and Infrastructure is just the start…but that’s something that really makes a difference in the average persons life

[@Sat-Man-Alpha]

It's kind of funny how you try to defend even the smallest absurdity of the English way of life...I just hope you didn't vote for Tories.... because then you should rather stay in Europe anyway

[@britingermany]

Which absurdities do think I have defended in this video? 🤔

[@Sat-Man-Alpha]

@ The UK is becoming a third world country out of London….but nobody seems to care….check the UN-Report….there is no outcry no call for revolution….it‘s like a silent slow dying….nobody on the streets protesting to go back in EU….It will be a fire sale for Trump und his guys…