I found the answer to a very German question

[@Rick2010100]

It's funny when Germans meet old German acquaintances abroad. I've met old friends on the street in NYC and Moscow. Two of my aunts unexpectedly met at a market in Split (Croatia). They went on holiday there without knowing that the other was there too. One was on a tour in a camper van, the other was staying in a hotel. There's already a German saying for that: Die Welt ist ein Dorf - the world is a village.

[@derula]

My family went on vacation to Italy, and unexpectedly met my aunt and uncle's family there.

[@Bezayne]

I once met a fellow from work on holiday in New Zealand in a backpacker. Had no idea he was in NZ at the same time as me, so very much a chance meeting. And yes, I'm german :-) Though I do live in the UK, and stumbling across this channel I find it quite fascinating to hear the musings of a brit about my home country, while I am living in his. Admittedly, the thought of returning has crossed my mind, may or may not do it eventually. I do miss decent sized forests here in the UK, the few I know of tend to be too far away to reach easily. And cycling is a pain, with hardly any cycle paths anywhere.

[@ayoutubechannelhasnoname6018]

Similar experiences here. Met people from my town on some random street in shanghai for instance

[@chrise-ih4ix]

Traitors visit Moscow

[@qavahar]

Direkt nach dem Abi hat meine inzwischen älteste Freundin mit ihrer Mutter eine USA-Reise gemacht. An die Ostküste geflogen, dann drei Wochen durchs Land bis auf die andere Seite. Und kurz vor dem Rückflug ist sie in Los Angeles beim Spazierengehen am Strand einem anderen unserer Klassenkameraden in die Arme gelaufen... 🤷‍♂

[@likliksnek]

As a German who likes to travel I can absolutely confirm your theory of escaping the orderly structures of my own culture. While there is, of course, security and safety in rules and curated gardens, I think travel and adventure is food for the soul. I grew up travelling a lot, and we wouldn't just book into a hotel, we'd make roadtrips through foreign countries, alone as a family. And there were several moments when we needed help, when we had a flat tire, or got lost because the road signs wouldn't match the maps. The compassion we were shown then by random people will always stay with me. I think I am a more compassionate person because of this. Thank you for this lovely video. 😊

[@Bezayne]

I also found you have the nicest random encounters when you are in need of a little help on your travels. Back when I went to the UK for the very first time on holiday (with my motorbike), and had little money, me and my friend went for the Birmingham airport late at night in the hopes of finding a quiet spot to put our air mattress for a couple of hours. Met a lonely brit who was doing his job riding a cleaning machine around the airport. He asked if he could help us, noticed we had a motorbike (he had one too), and soon after he phoned his wife at like 1am in the morning to tell her that we'd come around to stay over night. I'll never forget that, it was surprising, super nice and the very first time I spent a night under an english roof :-)

[@admiralackbar4767]

Wanderlust and Heimweh. "Wanting to travel" "And longing for home" . It is even imprinted in our language.

[@a.tevetoglu3366]

Fernweh vs Heimweh? Greetings from Istanbul.

[@anjamilde]

@@a.tevetoglu3366 yes, these are their actual respective opposites (Fernweh Heimweh). Wanderlust means a bit more the ‘Lust’/longing to go on a long hike (hiking = wandern), but you can use it for wanting to go on a holiday as well, but contextually, not directly. Greetings from Germany ❤

[@a.tevetoglu3366]

@anjamilde Danke Anja, ich wollte wirklich nicht schulmeistern, nur fand ich dass Wanderlust im Sprachgebrauch viel seltener vorkommt. Und du hast recht, Wanderlust kommt stärker 'rüber, ist das schönere Wort während Fernweh fast traurig klingt. Danke für deine Aufmerksamkeit.

[@schiacciatrollo]

wanderlust is something slightly different

[@Ba34qt]

Wanderlust kommt im allgemeinen Sprachgebrauch überhaupt nicht vor. Kein Mensch sagt, er verspüre oder habe Wanderlust. Eigentlich handelt es sich hierbei um einen Anglizismus.

[@dagmaranja888]

Mein Opa, geb. 1889, wanderte als Goldschmied 1911 nach Thailand aus. Einer seiner Söhne, mein Vater, durfte mit 11(!) alleine nach Malaysia reisen, um dort einen Besuch zu machen! Als ich mit 18 das erste Mal alleine nach England reiste, unterstützte er dies und erzählte mir, dass sein Vater immer sagte, dass reisen bildet und man sich weiterentwickelt! Ich habe das übernommen.

[@L._S._DE]

I really enjoy watching your videos. Your intelligent and independent thoughts combined with your kind charisma bring me joy and comfort :)

[@britingermany]

Wow, thank you!

[@xXChrisBlahXx]

As a german this brought me to tears. I havent had the ability to travel around a lot lately because of working a lot and for my degree and i deeply feel this desire and even feel pain from not getting out of here. Traveling is the other side of the coin of our restrictive culture. youre really onto something

[@klarasee806]

I think it’s very true that we Germans travel out of a desire of improvement. At least we always carry this desire in our suitcase, even when the reason for our trip is just relaxation at a nice beach. Not all of us, maybe not even the most, but at least some of us genuinely want to learn from other cultures for our personal life - but also to improve our country. We return and “complain” about Germany, but what we really mean by that is often: That’s what we can learn from the other country, that’s what we would like to see more here. And then we start to think about how it can be implemented it in our own lives. The most important souvenirs I collected on my travels are not things.

[@evab.2141]

Thank you for including footage of my homecity Augsburg!

[@henryluebberstedt7819]

Die Bedeutung der Reise zur Erweiterung des eigenen Horizontes ist im Deutschen zu einem Verb geworden: "erfahren sein".

[@Whatever-mq7vy]

Danke für die Ausführung. War mir nicht bewusst. 👍🏻

[@Sword_and_Crown]

@@Whatever-mq7vyist auch blödsinn!😂 nicht alle Kommentare glauben

[@henryluebberstedt7819]

@@Sword_and_Crown Sondern?

[@Whatever-mq7vy]

@@henryluebberstedt7819 Es stimmt. Selbst der Duden führt die Etymologie auf.

[@olgahein4384]

@@Sword_and_Crown Das solltest du dem Duden sagen, dass das Blödsinn ist.

[@user-dl1cf4xr6t]

That is spot on. I am German and I traveled because I wanted to feel free. I traveled as far away from Germany as I could and stayed almost 7 years...

[@BEARFOOD]

Germany might have roughly 80 million inhabitants on paper, but I'm quite sure there's never more than half of them in the country at the same time...

[@phoebeel]

I like travelling to see other aesthetics and experience other hirstories. I studied sociology and social anthropology and i have this innate curiosity about how other peoples understand life and how they see the world. I love to go to historical museums, eat the local food, talk to people from there about their life and about their view on european issues. I think every young person should be encouraged to travel - not go on holiday. To travel, to get to know other cultures. Our world would be a better place if we tried to understand each other

[@gillbates999]

Everyone's channeling their inner Alexander von Humboldt.

[@Resomius]

I am kinda flattered. Those are some kind words you say there about my people. Greetings from Bavaria. I realy hope you enjoy your stay in germany.

[@MoLauer]

Was ist der Unterschied zwischen Gott und einem Deutschen? Gott ist überall und ein Deutscher ist schon überall gewesen.

[@MoLauer]

Quote from "Deutsche Touristen" by Marc-Uwe Kling

[@user-je123]

😂

[@Terra_Incognita201]

eher: und überall ist schon ein Deutscher gewesen !

[@GabrieleAnna]

Thank you, it’s always interesting to listen to your thoughts. Albeit I too like to travel and experience other cultures, I think it‘s even more important to go living in another country for at least one year. Of course I know that not everybody gets the opportunity, but if you have the slightest chance: just jump! My two years in France were an amazing experience and there is an impact on my life til today - 20 years later. It’s quite something to immerse yourself in another culture, to open up to - yes- to be „the stranger“. Til today I can relate to the struggles people have to adept to e. g. an unknown social security system, strange eating habits and so on.. But ultimately it’s so beneficial! I was a rather poor worker back in the day, but in hindsight that only contributed to an authentic experience.

[@brigittebenjamin9528]

In South Africa and especially Western Cape Province we have quite a few large German communities. And we receive many German tourist groups and individual travellers every year. So you are right, they love to travel and are everywhere. My mom even married one as 2nd husband

[@geronimo8159]

My condolences 🙏🏼

[@minervaminerva7906]

😂​@@geronimo8159

[@coffeenorth]

Wow. That sounds petty.​@@geronimo8159

[@antoniescargo1529]

We had Jan van Riebeeck in your country. I saw his house of birth in Culemborg /Kuilemburg. 😅

[@Kikimikimone]

thank you for exploring this topic! i currently live on the other side of the world (new zealand) and still encounter german tourists every time i leave the house! i personally not only love to travel, but also moved abroad multiple times because conformity is a big part of german culture ( at least based on my experience) and I feel more free to live life the way i want in other parts of the world societal pressures to conform exist elsewhere, but those pressures appear to be less strict for foreigners and unawareness of unspoken social rules/ expectations can play a role as well.

[@TheresaMedina-iw8yb]

Another main reason for me to travel is that we dont have any vast nature areas left in middle europe. Thats why in my opinion you also find people from netherland everywhere. They have even less nature than the Germans.

[@minervaminerva7906]

Very good video, wie jedes Mal. I have never heard of a Bildungsurlaub, though, and have been living and working in Germany since 13 years. Great concept.

[@radiojet1429]

Great video. It's not just Germans. Everywhere I have gone, the place is filled with boorish Americans, annoying French Canadians and super-polite, respectful Japanese. I always enjoy your erudition and humility - thanks.

[@peshadowbird7320]

What once was the most surprising and funny encounter for me, was, when i (from the deep southwest of G) visited Rügen for a week. I can't travel often/for long periods of time, well....because of pets. One very rainy day, we decided to visit the "Ozeaneum". Standing there in the huge lobby, i suddenly heard someone yell my name. It was a former collegue of mine, we hadn't seen us in years. She lives in France now and has a goat- farm. She was only there for this particular day, to volounteer at a "Greenpeace"- Stand.Mindblowing for me! Barbara- wenn du das liest:Ich hoffe, alles läuft gut für dich!

[@amrinderbahl]

I like your editing skills. 😊

[@TanjaHermann]

German here: Why it, of course, broadens the horizon when traveling, it can also increase the appreciation for the safety, orderliness, punctuality and comforts of my home country. I found many places that were lovely and provided great vacations but very few that I would have considered moving to. Who knew it was such a hassle not being able to drink the water from the tap or throw your toilet paper into the loo. Small luxuries!

[@olafmeiner4496]

Backpacking is a popular rite of passage for young German adults fresh from school. Getting a working visa for a whole year is easy for them. The USA, South-east Asia, Autralia, and New Zealand are some of the most popular destinations. You can't enter a single hostel in New Zealand without meating at least one German backpacker. In the entire year I've spent in that lovely country there was only a single day when I was the only German present. The next day, a whole group of them arrived.

[@herbertgonswa3503]

I`m travelling since i`m 17 and now i`m 67 . I love to see other countrys, having bad and god expiriences, meeting nice and not so nice people. I´m not rich, but even a trip around the next corner could enrich your life as a journey to Canada . And i found help in every country if i needed it, there is allways someone to help you out. If possible i travel till i die.

[@schuller623]

I want to share my experience being in Germany for 2 month as a Ukrainian refugee. This will be quite a long read but I am sure it would be interesting to many of you. For some context I want to share about who I am and why I have left my country. Last year I have lost my father to a stroke and 2 years prior my mother to cancer. Me and my sister were left on our own, she was 16 at a time when our father passed away. I have graduated university 4 years ago. But due to coronavirus my mindset at a time and due to the fact that I needed to work to pay for the medical bills for my sick mom I couldn't get any hands-on experience related to my studies. And I have ended up at a warehouse job. It was miserable at first, but over time I climbed the ranks in that company and could bring home some good money (by Ukrainian standarts). But it was a dead end job, which I didn't enjoy at that moment. By that time my father passed away and my aunt who lives now in the US invited me and my sister there. I had a good life in Ukraine. And it might be odd for you to hear that I had a good time in a war torn country, but it is the reality here. If your city is far away from front you are pretty much safe. And after my father died honestly my life became better, as he was an alcoholic. That is hard to admit but my sister feels that way too. So I was faced with a choice whether to go to the US or not. Right at that time the situation for young men became worse, as due to the new law if you reach 25 years of age you become elligible for draft. This was the main reason why we choose to leave. But life is not that simple. There is currently a restriction for men aged 18-60 to leave Ukraine. You can leave only if you are in category that can't be mobilised under any of circumstances. For example single fathers, disabled people, those who have severely disabled relatives etc. Due to the new law and confusion that comes with such kind of things we weren't allowed to leave the country. And the timeframe in which we were allowed to come to the US had gone to an end. I have started a legal battle with our border control and later I have won. We left the country immediately. In the meantime my new application to travel to US was approved, but my sisters wasn't. So we decided to stay in Germany in our friends' house. We had been to Koln, Dusseldorf, Essen, Bochum, Dortmund every major city in the NRW. I have even traveled to Amsterdam 3 times. And all of that was for free or at a very low cost. I have never experienced such freedom in my life. The public transit in Germany is one thing that Germans tend to take as granted, but for me it looked like an utopia. You can travel anywhere basically for free and don't need a car, or carefull planning. You just open up google maps or DB navigator and you go. The groceries are cheap. I as a person from let's say low income country could afford eating well there for 2 months. And they are very good quality too. Eating out is also quite affordable. I was obviously on budjet so I did that only a few times. Absolutely would recomend takumi ramen in Dusseldorf and the restaurant by the Rhein in Kolnm with huge red terasse. The nature, overall aestetics of the surroundings are unreal. It feels so nice to have walkable, green, well-maintained streets and houses. And having centuries old buildings all over the place adds to the experience. I have realised how much the surroundings matter. It was so nice just being there, honestly I was crying when I saw my first sunset in the German park. And then the Kolner Dom, that was a shock to me. I was just speechless. Living in a country with history connects you to the place and to the people. We don't have so much stuff in Ukraine. It is mainly huge 10-25 storees appartment building where I am. Because we were overstaying in Germany we needed to go through refugee camps. I wasn't looking forward to it, but my expectations were subverted. We were treated very well by the authorities, everyone was so nice and respectful. I can't express how grateful I am to the German people that they let us in and allowed to experience how it is to be in Germany. And there is no judjing, I don't know how to describe it but there is that feeling of freedom on the streets. That whoever you are noone really will judje you. you can be yourself. Then my authorisation to travel to the US was coming to and end once again. My sister's hadn't come yet. And we were getting very homesick. My sister especially. She has friends at hime, her grandma, and here in Germany she has noone and is living in a camp. I couldn't go home because I will be drafted. We were considering staying in Germany together but ultimately had decided that I will go to the US and she goes home to wait for her approval. What a fool I was. I am now in the US. In the North Dakota of all places. To say it is an isolated suburban hellscape is to say nothing. First few weeks II was so depressed that I considered vey bad things. It was very hard. I could have tried to set up a new life in Germany, but decided that it would be better to go to the US and be with my aunt. And another reason is the language. My German right now is at A1 level, but back then it was even worse. Who knew that US would be such a bad place for me. And the worst thing that I can't go back to Germany as I already have a status in US, so Auslanderbehorde would reject my application. I was crying every night that I have ruined my life by the stupid decision to go to the US. haven't seen my aunt in many years, she remembers me as I child but I don't know her that well. So on top of that I was extremely lonely. So imagine going from vibrant lively NRW to North Dakota, to be in the middle of nowhere, without a drivers license. I have gone through a lot in my life. But this situation completely destroyed me. I was contemplating vey bad things. Nonetheless I managed to find the power to try and be positive. I figured that there should be something good in the US after all. It is a huge country, with powerful economy and a lot of opportunities. So why don't try and see that for myself. Time had passed and now it is a month that I am here, and we are moving to Florida for winter. Now I still regret my decision to not stay in Germany and I am learning the language to apply for work or an Ausbildung there. As I can't go there as a refugee anymore. And after being in the US for a month I understood that the language is not the only thing that matters when it comes to connecting to people. There is a lot more common between mine values and German than American. That's not counting the fact that I am a huge train/tram lover. I like to follow the rules and procedures, that is how I was raised. So Germany for me was a very pleasant experience. Germans are more relaxed and don't love their live to make money. The German state as a system is absolutely amazing. I would rather have a stable job and pay a lot of taxes and have a security than be in a country like the US. Where you can earn a lot of money as an entrepenuer, but as a regular guy you are destined to slave away. Either way I am looking forward to experience American capitalism and while doing that I am actively learning German to eventually come back there.

[@christiandemmler1596]

Priwjet! Ja die Amerikaner sind schon anders! Viel Glück!

[@AlexanderGoeres]

ich drück dir die daumen!

[@sommer1982official]

What an incredible and inspiring story. Thanks for sharing! It makes me more grateful to be a German citizen and not take it for granted. I believe you will reach your goal moving back for an Ausbildung, no doubt. Viel Erfolg! 💪💛

[@pwa8453]

There are „German“ enclaves in the US - maybe these are providing a compromise and a bridge for later on to you?

Oh wow, was für eine bittere Erkenntnis. Aber weißt du: Du hast schon einen Plan, da wieder rauszukommen. Und du wirst es ganz bestimmt schaffen! Ich drück dir fest die Daumen und wünsche dir immer das nötige Quäntchen Glück dazu.

[@marcom2248]

Living in Germany is quite stressfull, so we need a lot of vacation very far away from Germany... 😁 And of course we earn a lot of money. The French spend their money on high quality food. We Germans are buing our groceries at ALDI and save our money for our vacation.

[@fekixrudolfbischof]

It's true. After our ausbildung (professional formation or school) it's like a must to travel. It's called Bildungsreise (formation voyage).

[@lealustykova578]

People from Netherlands also love to travel, you can also meet them everywhere in the world. Even more then Germans. I can tell you being a German.

[@grouchy88]

we also have the tradition of travelling in the craftmanships. traditionally, after your apprenticeship you had to travel for 3 years and one day, whilst being banned to return within a 50km radius around your home town. this was meant to be for educational purposes. although not a necessity any more and thus occurring less often, this is still being practiced today. students also historically travelled a lot between universities - and since the journey was somewhat dangerous they we're allowed to carry weapons (quick fun fact) oh and btw, if you see a german tourist put a towel on a sun lounger somewhere: its basically his/her property now

[@SvenBolz]

Your point of escaping the rigid and scheduled day to day life, is exactly why I (as a German) enjoy travelling to other countries. It's not really a 'the grass is greener' thing for me. I am very aware that travelling and living somewhere are completely different things. To really experience a difference it is crucial to go out and explore the culture and landscape, which is why I'll never understand flying to a place with nice beaches and just lazily grilling oneself in the sun for 2 weeks. I think you also nailed it with mentioning a deep desire for improvement and progress. I have never travelled somewhere else, without learning at least the very basics of the language, most important historical events and unique cultural aspects. There is no need to do that, but I'd see it as a wasted opportunity, if I didn't learn something from going to a different country. I also want to show respect for the people living there. You can't do that without knowing anything about their culture.

[@britingermany]

Totally…I also agree that you can learn so much by travelling to and experiencing foreign countries

[@DerPanamaKanal]

Bildungsurlaub exists but using it is not very common. I don't remember anybody taking it. When Germans come back from traveling abroad, you can often hear that they enjoyed their trip but that they are happy to be back. They appreciate what they have. Of course, there are other cases, too.

[@Emanuel-t5e]

Bildungsreise is a different thing.

[@MoonshineTora]

I think it may derives from the romantic era, where nature has been romanticised, artists like Caspar David Friedrich and Chopin (to name a few) took Yearning and Love as their motif, which also includes hiking and travelling. I guess the words "Wanderlust" and "Fernweh" have their origins in that time. In that era people sought freedom, infinity, independence. I guess they saw travelling as the way to experience those things, when their rather sedentary jobs numbed their minds. I belief it could also be connected to the industrial revolution where most people moved to cities to worked in big dark and dirty factories for 18 to 20 hours a day. That kind of work culture (while now bound by law) is still kind of present in Germany. People work... like... a lot. and they judge you if you don't work a lot, or at all. I think travelling is a short rescue from all that hassle. the feeling of being free and there are no boundaries to stop you from going anywhere.

[@sirjosephwhitworth9415]

As an Englishman I have always enjoyed holidays in Germany for many reasons, one of which is because I can usually avoid contact with other English, another nationality that appear almost everywhere. A holiday to Spain, with the Bolton by the Sea British tourist is a nightmare. However, being in Germany is to me similar to 'Tintin in the land of the Soviets'....... in my case, 'Steven in the land of the Germans'. I am yet to meet any Junkers though. Good video.

[@britingermany]

Thanks for sharing Steven

[@sokratesfilikudis]

Apologies that I did not read all comments - maybe this has already been mentioned. However, there are some more aspects to what you have pointed out in the video. Not mentioning that Germans are a result of travelling and mixing Nordic tribes, it was also crucial part of medival artisan / craftsmen education to leave their hometown and travel for several years working abroad. When they came back they were full of stories about foreign places and habits that fueled the fantasy of their neighbours about „abroad“. This was very different to foreigners visiting the cities as those were „strange“ - these wandering artisans were sons of the city and therefore trusted and understood. It is also important to understand that the curiosity towards the unknown has turned into neglecting the own rich culture only as a result of WW2 and only since then it appears to many as boring and square.

[@peterweiss123]

amazing and informing video, even for me, being german myself

[@hansmolders1066]

Yup, even at the McMurdow station on Antarctica, and the other part of the year they teach at the University of Alaska Fairbanks 😊

[@rogerwilco2]

The Dutch might travel even more.

[@jom.6075]

Love it!

[@philspam2087]

Even to germans it's always a shock, where ever you are you will always find germans. I remember as a kid we went for vacation to the North of Holland and while there, we met some of our neighbours at the Beach. That's the first time I realised, you will be never safe. We are everywhere.

[@leoabdruck4817]

Maybe it's a subjective perception because as a German speaker you can immediatly hear this language. I, as a Dutch-speaking Belgian, hear Dutch people no matter where I am in the world. I don't recognize languages that are foreign to me and I don't know wether there are a lot of Chinese, Koreans, Japanese, Ukrainians, etc. around me.

[@britingermany]

Yeah I did consider that and I’m sure I am biased. But I even ran I to them before I could speak German. I spend a year on Australia when I was 19 and I ran into Germans at every stop. I couldn’t recognise them back then but the usual question was where are you from?

[@marcokrause2163]

It is not just you. Wherever you go, there will be some Germans around. For me as a German it is even annoying. The whole idea of climbing a volcano on some remote island is to be away from other Germans :D

[@gigi2091]

Why don't you leave Germany for good if you do not like your compatriots?!

[@britingermany]

🤣🤣🤣 yeah I know what you mean. They are everywhere

[@uwee4188]

I can top that. Once in Spain i was in a Shop and behind me someone tripped over a Stand with Postcards and everything was falling to the ground. I said to a friend That sounds like a clumsy Coworker we have in my Company I turned round and 'Yes it was a Coworker.

[@eichzoernchen]

@@marcokrause2163 🤣

[@callisto2895]

Haha, when we visited Canada we immediately switched to English when we heard someone speaking German. Didnt want to be recognized 😅

[@ileana8360]

Travelling for me is a possibility to get away from daily responsibilities and recharge by immersing into foreign surrounding, culture and people. However, it´s not only that one can´t escape the Germans, but in fact particular ones. Coming from a small town (Urberach) near Frankfurt whose neighbouring town is its arch-enemy since the dark ages, I had the unfortune to meet a cute guy on a ferry from Split, Croatia to the island Brac. Meeting a fellow German was great, but learning that he was indeed from my neighbouring town was somewhat crazy. You really can´t escape these damn Ober-Rödener 😂

[@britingermany]

🤣🤣that are everywhere

[@RonSkurat]

Australians, too - they're everywhere!

[@Crackalacking_Z]

Wanderjahre (aka journeyman years) comes to mind. It's an apprenticeship tradition were you have to travel and work elsewhere, before you can become a master of your trade / craft.

[@angeloelimelech6346]

Oh I love Galway! :)

[@bodorittershofer8467]

This tradition is over 800 years old. It brought the knowledge about the construction of gothic churches from Italy to Germany

[@annakonda6289]

I know this as "die Walz".

[@gigibenea3529]

The Germans are everywhere 😅 from England( the anglo-saxon 😉to Transilvania, To Russia , to Brazil 🇧🇷 etc they were travelling for many many centuries 😅

[@riaconradt2554]

I agree that Germans travel a lot. It actually came to a point where if there were major disasters, man-made or natural, in a foreign country, I would be surprised if there was no German citizen that was there when it happened either to witness it or be affected directly by it. I think the Dutch also travel a lot, maybe even more than the Germans. But being a coastal country, it is less surprising.

[@indigoinarritu6096]

Benjamin, what you said about Germans traveling to Italy is true. In the Summer, where I live by Lake Garda, you will see more Germans (and Dutch) than you see Italians. It feels like most of Germany is here in Italy. We also get a fair amount of Belgians and Austrians.

[@britingermany]

It's a really popular holiday destination...nd you get to live there full time 😉

[@joergfro7149]

Brit in Germany or better a Saxon in Saxony or lower Saxony 😂😂😂😂

[@monolith2063]

The Saxons that emigrated to England had nothing to do with the area that is called "Saxon" today. The historical area "Stammesherzogtum Sachsen" or "Altsachsen" was in North Germany and one part of it (without Ostfriesland) is the area that is called "Lower Saxony" (Niedersachsen) today.

[@baernackl]

Im german and i have a degree in history. There is a theory that explains the german explosion and idealisation of tourism, starting with the Italy boom in the 60s with the experiences soldiers made in the 2nd World war. Germans were basically everywhere in europe. Im sure you heard of it😅. And while many of them did cruel things, lots of them also made contact with other european cultures. Keep in mind, the majority were just normal young men. They were in france, italy, netherlands, eastern europe. Every adult man went somewhere basically. It may sound sarcastic and it surely is. But it was the first time in history that a truly large number of people „travelled“ to other countries. Then 20 years later, they came back with their VW , not in a tank.

[@fars8229]

Usually, Germany exports more goods & services than it imports (trade surplus). Therefore, Germans hold more cash in their hands and other countries lack cash due to their corresponding trade deficit. Tourism is an important factor to settle the international balances. (Emigrants who send money home is another one)

[@dklimenok]

I see French wherever I travel. It wasn't rainforests or remote island, mostly European countries - but everywhere I noticed a French couple or a family with children sightseeing or exploring a museum or something.

[@HolgerJakobs]

I see people from all European countries everywhere, esp. SE, FI, DK, LU, NL, BE, IT, FR, UK - and even the US.

[@antoniescargo1529]

We had a ship, the Duyfken I guess, that saw a part of your country. It was named Nieuw Holland, later Australia. Abel Tasman saw Nieuw Zeeland and Tasmania for the first time as a European. English speakers know everything better. We can learn a lot from them 😅.

[@FrikaWies]

Thank you for this this video. I never travel, but I like to learn about other countries and cultures, that‘s why I learned three foreign languages and listen to videos like this.

[@FrankWilliams-j9x]

Wow that's nice. where do you come from?

[@FrikaWies]

@@FrankWilliams-j9x Bavaria

[@FrankWilliams-j9x]

@@FrikaWies okay, nice meeting you here. Hope you don't mind?

[@FrankWilliams-j9x]

@@FrikaWies Hallo. Wie geht es dir?

[@barbsmart7373]

@@FrankWilliams-j9x You are consistently being very rude when asking multiple women really creepy questions, mate.

[@dwdwmusic4876]

Germans historically experienced a contradiction: politics, religion and economical cirumstances evoked seperation into different German states, churches and social classes. On the other hand, cultur like music, literature and traditions (even like bread, beer and sausages!) always enabled Germans to maintain a common sense of a nation. The search for national identity is in no way finished. The big well-endowed country in the heart of Europe still deeply thinks about what conclusions to draw out of its history. Fernweh and Wanderlust, the urge to experience the world abroad the own narrow home, have always been a means to overcome the seperation inherent in German society and to get a bigger picture of the world.

[@Gert-DK]

Yes, Germans have also been a fixture in Denmark since the 60s. Thousands up along the West Coast and thousands in boats around the Danish coastal towns. All Danes knew the value of a D-Mark, in the old days. We still have many tourists, but now the Germans have also started to move here permanently. In recent years, there has been a major boom in German immigrants. The small island of Ærø, south of Funen, has hosted relatively many, so many that 7% of the inhabitants of Ærø are Germans. As far as I know, it has something to do with the housing situation in Germany. But interesting anyway. FYI: Scandinavian Æ and Ø, pronounced like the German Ä und Ö.

[@coffeenorth]

What do people think about that?

[@Gert-DK]

@@coffeenorth All Danes know we need more people in our country, we are too few. When Germans wanna stay here, it is very good. Germans ain't known for starting gang crime, like other foreigners are doing in Sweden. Many of these newcomers have been here before on holidays, so they have a good idea of the country. In many ways, Denmark is like Germany. We exported Socialdemocracy to them, so they know our values. Germans are known for attending their jobs, paying their tax, and asking critical questions. It fits nicely into the Danish mentality. Our language is very difficult to learn. Apart from the Nordic countries, the Germans are probably the ones who have the easiest time learning it. Once they find out about Æ,Ø and Å and that V is not Fau, they can already understand some words. For example, "At the end of the street is there a Købmand and a Bageri". I think most Germans can work out what these two words mean, and they can pronounce them. Like the Germans, we use a lot of compound words, so it isn't new either. Germans know a lot about sexes in the language, they have 3, we do have 2, male and neutral. Like the Ukrainian refugees, German immigrants are a very good thing for society, we hope they will stay. For the island of Ærø, it helps ensure the island's survival in the long term. The islands population is around 6-7000 . There are ferries etc. that must be paid and here it is nice to have a little more tax money. Ærø is a super place, I myself have been there many times. It is an "island of tranquility". I understand why they chose the island. Everyone who wants to work and pay taxes here, is extremely welcome.

[@matteagle42]

It has something to do with the "enrichment" going on in Germany since 2015. A friend of mine is moving to Denmark next year for exactly that reason

[@Gert-DK]

@@matteagle42 "enrichment"? Please explain, sounds interesting.

[@Gert-DK]

@@coffeenorth Our workforce is too small, so every hands are welcome.

[@GretchenMuller-uw9sl]

i travelled the world in my 20ies and 30ies now im more settled but the cultural exchange and the broadening of horizons have often helped me in life and made me see many things in a different light but I rarely escaped the Germans, so I had to travel to destinations like Borneo to avoid meeting fellow countrymen

[@PsiQ]

I really like travelling the world over invading. Usually doesnt give the bad vibes from locals. Also helps against racism and nationalism and info bubbles.

[@hartmutbohn]

Traveling is just part of the culture, instilled in us from early childhood. The "Stubenhocker" is frowned upon - note that there is even a word for it.

[@pulchralutetia]

I read somewhere that the Germans are the most travelled people in Europe.

[@weirdquestions2478]

English has the couch potato.

[@pulchralutetia]

@ Schnell, schnell Kartoffelnkopf!

[@umbriferus]

@@weirdquestions2478though, from my experience, it has a different connotation. Couch potato seem to generally refer to people conceived as lazy and Stubenhocker can be lazy but also just people who don’t like to leave the house very much, just sticking to their usual routine.

[@fekixrudolfbischof]

We Germans are one of the most efficient and cultivated peoples on earth. Kind of similar to Corea and Japan.

[@michaelgrabner8977]

It goes way deeper...look up the phrase "auf der Walz"...in the medi eval time trades were organized in guilds and after finishing the apprenticeship it was often mandatory to travel in order to get experience in your trade for achieving to become a "master of the trade" = "to travel was literally the job" and was called "auf der Walz" and got heavily romanticized in German literature of the 17th - 19th century..there are even children´s songs about "auf der Walz sein" like for instance "Das Wandern ist des Müllers Lust" basically everybody knows that song from Kindergarten..or the famous fairytale "Das tapfere Schneiderlein" ("the brave little tailer" from where the catchphrase "7 auf einem Streich" = "7 with just one hit" comes from) is about a tailer after finishing his apprenticeship being "auf der Walz" experiencing several adventures...basically "Germans got nursed from early age on to become a traveller" so to say

[@michaelgrabner8977]

@@AltIng9154 Well let´s be honest here those are actually just roughly 500 people who are doing that today..and they are doing that totally voluntary while I spoke from the times - everybody in every trade had to do it mandatory. So in that context I did not forget anything.

[@michaelgrabner8977]

@@AltIng9154 Germans. But there are also Austrians, Swiss, French as well. With those then there are more.

[@winniemarvel7262]

btw: the well-known Australian song “Waltzing Matilda” refers to the German term “Walz”

[@HappyLoki585]

Indeed, we met Germans in places we didn't even imagine meeting any humans 😂!!!

[@Ida-fz3ir]

this is funny: Commonwealth people are thinking about "german travellers"!?🤣 He ...meets...everywhere...Germans? do you get it? 🥳

[@mschr2880]

We are still everywhere, but traveling has proven to be more economical than bringing our own tanks.

[@ottosaxo]

Can you keep a secret? On the moon they are quite rare, but they already have some song lyrics about it, so shhhh!

[@michaelburggraf2822]

What a nice and interesting video! Maybe one aspect of travelling can be seen in exposing myself to a very different way of life - different from my everyday routine when I'm doing many things without much thought about it. Travelling enforces a different approach to many things and puts me in a quite different mindset. Actually that's happening already when I'm going on a trip for a day or a weekend. Travelling for gaining knowledge and skills is even older. Craftsmen of many different crafts were obliged or at least it was strongly recommended to travel after their apprenticeship - particularly to places famous for their craftsmenship in a certain field. And of course travelling for trading in goods and raw materials like eg. salt and ore has a very long history. In the celtic settlement of the Heuneburg, near Riedlingen, shards of Greek pottery was found hinting at the possibility of trade along the river Danube as far as the Black Sea even before the Romans and Alemannians arrived in that area. Similarly several passages across the Alps are also known to be used for many centuries.

[@britingermany]

Thanks Michael. You#re the second person to mention craftsman...maybe there's something to it..

[@michaelburggraf2822]

​@@britingermany I'm quite sure there is. A great-great-great-....grandfather was learning to become a dressmaker. He was travelling all over South Germany and Switzerland - as far as Geneve - before finally settling in his home town. And my father told me about the same tradition of travelling for printers.

[@skywalker7778]

The charm & elegance of this channel pervade the senses. Thank you for continued high production values and your immense Wisdom shared ❤

[@britingermany]

Wow! Thank you for those kind words. I don’t know what else to say 😀

[@michalskrzypiec]

I think this video should be about Dutch people. They travel much more I think and so much better with foreign languages. Nicer, too

[@ConceptArnis]

Very easy: WW II did´nt work, so now we try it this way! 😄

[@mogon721]

Hi Ben! Good video, but please don't abandon 720P or even 1080p. Not everybody has always the bandwidth or the cpu power available to view the higher standards. The p60 rates use up an enormous bandwith and also more computing power than they are actually worth, especially if there is no standard format above 480p left. Granted, you look younger in 480p, but is that what you are aiming at? ;-)

[@conniebruckner8190]

Back in the early 60s in South America, my mother hosted many a German person or couple -or American Peace Corps volunteers and that was my introduction to learning how to use maps to see which place they had come from, where they had been and/or where they were headed to next. I looked forward to the times I could do the same as they did when I grew up. The British youth have a 'gap year' to do the same? I guess it is a matter of finances for many.

[@britingermany]

Yes. Fiancés play a role of course…I’m probably biased but the data also seems to suggest that Germans prefer international travel more than at least slither European countries

[@blondkatze3547]

That`s the nice thing about Germany, that we live in the middle of Europe and can quickly travel to other neighboring countries. I think it`s great to get know other people and their culture, language , etc.

[@britingermany]

Yes. I love that about living here as well

[@blondkatze3547]

How nice, I`m happy for you.@@britingermany

[@uwesauter2610]

There are also Germans who only go on holiday abroad so that they can tell people back home in Germany that the beer tastes best at home.

[@cantkeepitin]

Local beer is always best, now even France improved (a bit)

[@Muschelschubs3r]

And the bread.

[@corvuscorone7735]

Not every Bundesland in Germany offers Bildungsurlaub, NRW does, Bavaria doesn't.

[@lannifincoris6482]

Berlin does, I had two in my life.

[@germpore]

Galway! My old home.

[@Patrick-on2ty]

wir reisen halt gerne und zu 50% interessieren uns fremde Kulturen! warum,wieso usw

[@brentisone]

Some Germans are travelling the world to flee the disaster in their country and trying to see normal and friendly people, ..?

[@alexanderjaques]

Benjamin, shouldn't you ask what travelling actually means - if you speak the language fluently and have and lived in a country for many years - even if you intend to 'go back home' then are you travelling? I find going 'home' to the U.K a very discombobulating experience because I left home at 18 and have only lived there for 7 years of the last 50. Of course, to my British chums the idea that I would consider anywhere else 'home' would be ridiculous. Perhaps as interestingly and by contrast are you really travelling if you go on a mini break to Kerala? An interesting question for my British/Chinese/Australian family, and one we talk about a lot....you did touch on this in one of your earlier videos....

[@inaballik2643]

I'm the type 2 "traveller" if it comes to the choice of my permanent residency. Very early on, during my university years, I developed the strong sense of needing to escape the stifling expectations and rigid cultural norms. So much so that I left Germany in 2003 and since then lived in Mexico, Brazil, and finally in the UK for over 18 years. My bouts of exploring and travelling the world were more motivated by the type 1 curiosity, but not for the reasons mentioned to complain how everything is better somewhere else. It's not, in fact. Germany has a great deal of appeal if it wasn't for stifling expectations and permanent criticism of everything. The German complaining definitely goes on my nerves and I find it uninformed (weltfremd) and naïve. Spending time in and visiting 56 countries (I think 🤔) in the past 20 years widened my understanding of this world we live in and I can only encourage everyone who has the financial means to use their time and money to explore other cultures. There's no greater teacher.

[@Abigail-nc6in]

That's fascinating!

[@rudolfclemens8798]

All of your videos are a little movies which comply questions about our life. Why do we travel ? Do we ? Do we more than others ? I remember my only trip to Australia by air plane, I had a 2 week job there. My neighbour was British, my impression was that for him it was just another day so very normal to travel around the world from time to time. At least in former colonies the Brits are every where at home on all continents of the world. We, Germans, we complain about our hard life here in Germany, the wheather, the hard work, the small pensions, that we have nothing to say in big geopolitical questions, that all our money goes abroad, we always have to pay for others, and and and. So we travel to see that anywhere else life is not automatically so much better as we have in good old Germany and we have something to smile about it. And than we go back, because we need our german beer, our dark bread, our walk into the next deep wood, and and and. ... To complain about something else.

[@britingermany]

🤣🤣yeah it’s a bit of a subjective experience I suppose. But what would life be like without something to complain about 😉

[@shahlabadel8628]

agree. it makes sense.

[@mascha28swinkels]

This sounds very familiar to me, although I’m Dutch and travelled a lot also for longer periods from 19yo and always seemed to spot a lot of other Dutchies ( tried to avoid them mostly) but spend a lot of time with Brits and Germans, some Canadians, Danes and Swedes because it was fun and interesting to learn about each other and the country you are travelling in at the same time. Not being able to travel nowadays definitely gives me Fernweh ❤️‍🩹

[@FrankWilliams-j9x]

That's great. I love traveling too. But have you ever been to America?

[@mascha28swinkels]

@@FrankWilliams-j9x The whole continent? Nope why?

[@FrankWilliams-j9x]

@@mascha28swinkels okay, so where are you from?

[@barbsmart7373]

@@FrankWilliams-j9x What weird place are YOU from? Stop giving all these women the creeps, mate! No one is interested in your predatory behaviour!!

[@rollingdownfalling]

You must love the colour amber.

[@hainsey6264]

I'm a university lecturer in Sydney. It's not uncommon to have German exchange students (Austauschstudierende) in my classes. The first culture shock they come across is being able to call me by my first name.

[@britingermany]

Oh yeah…no mr. And mrs.

[@rainerm.8168]

I am certain French students experience the same shock.

[@MoLauer]

I mean I don't know about the South but here in the North only professors are adressed with Sie and last name. For all other lecturers it's du and first name.

[@jrgptr935]

​@@MoLauerUND der Titel. Der ist ja bekanntlich Teil des Namen, also immer schön "Frau Doktor Müller...".

[@christiandemmler1596]

​@@jrgptr935 in Österreich auch wichtig. Also important in Austria. In der Arbeit finde ich ( bin natürlich deutsch) auch gut so, in der Freizeit ist es unwichtig. At work I think it's good in our culture, at home it is less important. Grüße vom " Doktor "😊

[@Deadhessian]

Everything you said is true and many comments here are correct too, but one could argue instead of military invasion and conquest, we just settled for "compensated short term occupation" during the Holiday. Seems an idea we stole from the brits, judging on behaviour of both groups in places like Mallorca, my guess is, its pretty much a fact, allthough native Malloquins might protest the "compensated" as not enough and the "short term" as too long still but yeah....;)

[@eastfrisian_88]

"Fernweh" is so painful if you are limited to travel due to financial situation. 😒However, I don't live far from the Netherlands and I regularly escape there to see something different and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere because things here sometimes seem too uptight to me. But when I also traveled to Africa etc. when my financial situation was better, I learned humility for what we have in Germany. We have a roof over our heads, a functioning social system, healthcare, drinkable water and enough food. We complain at a very high level, the grass is always greener on the other side.

[@komabot5285]

Germans are "Reiseweltmeister" as far as I know ;) (Maybe still "Exportweltmeister" too? i dont know)..but it seems there must be a common ground for all this "let´s go somewhere" feeling. It starts already with "spazieren gehen" (walking around with no route) on a sunday...no matter what wheaterconditions. Because : "Es gibt kein schlechtes Wetter, nur falsche Kleidung"

[@pkorobase]

Its an interesting question. But maybe its also interesting, that when you as an englishmen wonder, why you'd meet german folks everywhere - isnt it that you also are in all these places? Is my impression correct, that this is a relict of the empire-taught way to see the world? that the english of course are everywhere? maybe even permanently, not only on holidays? 🤭😄

[@Jimo1956]

Very much agree. No people loved (love?) "traveling" more than the English. Never forgot to plant a flag wherever they went. Just kidding ... Maybe not

[@britingermany]

Yea obviously I have to be in these places as well…it’s just been my experience that I come across more Germans than Brits…and that was before I could speak German

[@holger_p]

I think this time is over. If UK people live in South Africa or India, they more likely are migrants and have the citizenship. Those people you don't see at tourist places. Of course you can consider entire Australia as "only British around here". I think you get the nonsense in this approach.

[@Michalis2m]

I always felt that the British are the ones who travel everywhere, i travelled very little outside Europe but even at the most unsuspected parts of Europe you’re bound to come across a Briton, i guess it could hold for germans too 😊😮

[@schiacciatrollo]

yes, they do like to travel .. but they aren't really adaptive

[@PrueferAuge]

no matter where i go, there is always a german nearby. even in the restroom... oh wait, im german

[@suziewoo2820]

We Germans are Travelweltmeister

[@vantreuhardt9646]

Wenn you Start wandering around you end Up in Japan and might as well learn about the Cultre.

[@featherstone5838]

Would perhaps Germany's location in the centre of Europe play a part? But I thought the Brits were not far behind when it came to travelling; especially after flying became affordable.

[@seamusdoherty]

Its the Faustian spirit.

[@barbsmart7373]

I love this deep and thoughtful podcast, Brother!!!!!!!!!!! I will write some of my thoughts when I have time.

[@britingermany]

Thanks a lot. Take your time 😀

[@rascalhusky8129]

Germans lived to work. They had much pride in their standards. They were the boss of their country. The English gave the country away . Not good.

[@Rabijeel]

There are 2 Main Things causing "Germans beeing everywhere" - one is traveling as Tourist (which is an escape from our planned and structured Lifes we like. We just need to break free for a bit to really appreciate the structures we have, to experience them as "cozy blanket" and not as "restricting chains". This is why Germans choose Places that oppose their Lifes very much normally. Of course, there are the "Wiener Schnitzel-Tourists" visiting other Countries but stay in their "german Hotel" eating Schnitzel and such - often very simple People (which is not always bad) that like their lifes simple as well. The other Part is the Emigrants. Can't say for sure, but the Germans I know that choose to live somewhere else have left for some personal Reasons. There is the "I can't study what I want to study to get the Job I want to be working in" (Medicine becoming a Doctor) which is the most Reason. The next Reason is that People with Academic Grades can't find a Job or would have a lesser life Experience in germany compared to other Countries - which would explain the Idea of "all Germans are so Smart" - because we arent. We are as stupid as the most of you, just in a "German Way" which makes us look smarter while aren't. The last Reason is that the Person can not agree to the Enviroment in Germany they live in. This includes "Too many Germans here!" and goes to "I love the Nature in XYZ so much more!", goes from dislike towards Germany to a stronger love for the other Enviroment the Person chooses to live in. If I was healthy and able to support myself I would have left Germany the moment I visited Wales and fell in love with the Way of living there - everything has not only a History, it has a Story to it. People are so incredible nice and the Nature is awesome and rich, you have so many different Enviromental Styles from the Black Mountains "Great Plains/Savanna-Feeling" to Port Talbot which combines the Hamburger Hafen/Ruhrgebiet-Industrial Aestetics to Woods that range from "straight out of Avalon/Tolkien" to "Black Forest-Vibe". It was the first Time in my Life I was not feeling like "It is nice here, but I will be happy to get home again eaqually" rather than - "Fuck that - I stay." when beeing somewhere else. And going back made me feel like "Welkommen zurück, Herr Rabijeel - I hope ju häff enjoit ya Urlaub, ja?" (Prussian Military Officer-Impression) so strong, it was surreal. It is not that it was "better" in general, it was just "a better fit for me" and the only downside is one I can not compensate for sadly. And that is pretty much similar to what People tell me that have left for that reasons - a Mix of "The downsides of germany can not outweight my love for that other Region". Well, one last there is, but I do not really count it - it's the "Strider". Gets the itches after staying 3 Years in one Place, constantly needs new input, new enviroments to adapt to. Some may be "blessedf" with a Personality thaqt is hungry for new Experiences, others may feel restless for some reason and also sone are just .... well, let's say, if they stay too long, some People will get pissed and maybe hurt them for reasons as "sleeping with my Wife" or "haviing a too liberal understanding of the Concept of Ownership". All of them were nice People for sure but not made for setteling down and form lasting relationships. Sooooo - I did not count thoose in as they do not really matter in terms of "Germans" as they are more of a "Citizen of the World". Germans are pretty much thinking practical here - "If you do not like it where you live, go somewhere lese where you like it!". This means, as more unsatisfied you are with your Life and Enviroment you live in, as more Germans tend to look outwards for "a better Place" - and this creates the Need for Information about "other Places to be". This is why we are more interested in the "Everyday Life" (and Culture) rather than just running around sightseeing. If we visit a Monument or Place, we want to know the History, the meaning of it for the Locals, to understand and then deduct if that may be a "better Place to live" for us. I mean, you can not move somewhere without knowing anything, to see how it is there, without a Plan and some Securities as Backup, right? ;) I hope you enjoyed reading this Wall of Text, fullheartedly, yours Philosofisch.

[@britingermany]

Thanks so much for sharing and I’m Amazed you mentioned the black mountains. Not many people know them. I grew up looking at the everyday. We have a great view of them from the garden

[@alanjmcc]

Nice reflection on encounters with Germans. Such generalizations usually say more about the person making the observation than the people being described, but this commentary rang true to my own experience, being raised by a loving German community and family in the United States. Whether it stems from restlessness or innate curiosity, I too have found Wanderlust to be among Germans' most endearing features. It reflects openness, possibility, positivity and an appreciation of "Bildung," which I understand to be never-ending personal development.

[@PetraR.-er8dv]

Ich r3ise in den letzten jahren nicht mehr ins ausland, weil ich festgestellt habe, dass ich Deutschland gar nicht richtig kenne. Ich kann mich z.B. an der ost oder Nordsee genauso erholen wie an stränden im ausland und bin nicht ewig unterwegs. Mir reicht es aufs meer zu schauen oder auf einen see wie den müritzsee oder den bodensee um mich völlig zu entspannen. Vielleicht bin ich aber auch nur zu alt ich fotografiere nicht gerne mein essen und brauche auch kein bild von mir und dem eifelturm. Ich finde diese selfiekultur eh eher befremdlich. Wissen beziehe ich auch noch aus büchern in papierform. So voll wie es in der sommerzeit in deutschen urlaubsgebieten ist, denke ich es geht vielen so. Ich mag deine videos sehr, du hast eine sehr angenehme Art des erzählens. Danke dafür😊

[@afjo972]

Sehe ich genauso. Ich bin aber erst 19

[@VolkerGoller]

Erfüllendes Reisen ist nicht eine Frage der Entfernung.

[@Amerigohall]

(Any library in Germany) Is it possible to acquire knowledge of science and engineering, economics, international politics and geography entirely in English in a German library, or does this knowledge require knowledge of German?