UNSPOKEN GERMAN RULES YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT 🇩🇪

[@Rainerjgs]

Barfuß-Gehen ist bei jungen, ökologisch eingestellten Eltern mittlerweile Kult geworden und mein Kinder und Enkelkinder gingen und gehen bei jeder Gelegenheit sehr gerne barfuß, sogar im Winter durch den Schnee bis zum Briefkasten usw., was auch in vielen Kindergärten systematisch eingeübt wird, nach dem Motto: Barfußgehen ist gesund für Füße und Imunsystem, macht gute Laune und stärkt die Verbindung zur Natur!

[@LettersFromAFriend]

Meine Mutter wurde sogar vom Arzt angewiesen, mich so oft wie möglich barfuß gehen zu lassen, das war um 1980. Eine von diesen German home remedies...

[@ellina9816]

10:45- same in Russia. Why complicating things? “Yes”means “yes”, “no” means “no”🤷‍♀️

[@felimuller909]

not everyone would consider it rude to leave food on your plate, but a lot of people do think it is wasteful. it might also show that you did not like the food. not wasting food is especially important for older people who expierenced hunger during and after the war. my grandma still talks about how she dreamed of eating bread with lots of butter... this "rule" has been passed on through generations. when i'm in a restaurant with my family, I'll sometimes give stuff to my brother or vice versa, and nowadays it has become much more acceptable to ask the staff to pack the rest and take it with you. I personally have a deep respect for the amount of work and resources that go into food production. we've always had a garden with fruit trees, berries and vegetables, so I have first hand expierence. my parents never forced us to eat more than we wanted, but rather encouraged us to take a smaller portion and refill our plate later if we wanted more. always interesting to hear about your experiences!

[@hansmeiser32]

"my parents never forced us to eat more than we wanted, but rather encouraged us to take a smaller portion and refill our plate later if we wanted more. " Das würde ich als verantwortungsvolles Verhalten bezeichnen. Nichtsdestotrotz kann es mal passieren, dass die Augen grösser als der Magen sind. In dem Fall würde ich jedoch empfehlen nur so viel zu essen, bis man satt ist.

[@nelerhabarber5602]

I have worked by caterings for years, the food that is thrown away could feed entire villages of starving people. Thank God there are more and more young people who care about the climate and hate wasting food unnecessarily!

[@jrgptr935]

KEINE RESTE!

[@helfgott1]

Dear Lady Yepp i agree now I am a 64 old german and part of my education was put on your plate as much as you want BUT eat it.We my family never ever wasted food. Still today we do not waste food, period,never ever waste food 😃😃😁😁😊😊

[@folkehoffmann1198]

I have to say that the playdate situation has been different when I was a child. Back in the late 90s/ early 2000s in the village/little town I grew up in playdates would usually be like on the same day and usually us kids would plan them and just get the okay from our parents. Like we would make plans in daycare or school or call around and be like "wollen wir uns heute verabreden?" Now I work in daycare in Berlin and I have realised that playdates are usually arranged like much further in advance.

[@biankakoettlitz6979]

It was the same regarding beeing sponteous. Our group of friends chilled all the time at a friends house, or calling:Do you have time? Should we go to the movies? Or something like that 😀

[@EmmaHope88]

We'd also just run over and ring the bell and ask if they wanted to come out to play, and then we'd usually be gone until dinner time (on weekends and during school breaks).

[@Alias_Anybody]

It is more of a suburban upper class thing.

[@312Annabella]

@@Alias_Anybody In my observation, this has less to do with “upper class” and/or “suburbia.” We (I am a GDR child of the 70s, but it was still like that in the 90s) had fewer “appointments” as children. Before starting school, there was always free time in the afternoons. However, it usually wasn't that long because we were supposed to be home for dinner at 6 p.m. - and most of us were picked up from kindergarten sometime between 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. That's why we mostly played with children from the immediate neighborhood. Or the mom/dad/grandma of a child also took the friend home (with authority, of course) and then sent him home on time in the evening. Schoolchildren attended the after-school care center up to the 4th grade, where they were able to play with their classmates (and do their homework) until 4 p.m. From the 5th grade onwards you had free time after class (apart from homework, which was usually not very complex, and a few household chores). Most had some kind of training or music school once a week, some had both (e.g. soccer training on Mondays, piano lessons on Thursdays). The dates were known among friends. The rest of the days were free. Today, many children have a full calendar even at kindergarten age. The afternoons look like this, for example: early musical education on Mondays, swimming on Tuesdays, children's sports on Thursdays. There is usually at most half an hour left to let off steam on the playground before you have to go to dinner (and in the morning the alarm goes off because the parents have to get to work on time and the children have to be at the facility). Fridays are Grandparents' Day (grandmother picks them up from kindergarten), and on weekends the family is usually out and about. Visits to the (other) grandparents, trips to the forest, to a zoo, to a castle,... It really offers enough time to play with people your own age (apart from a rainy weekend where you can spontaneously meet up with your closest friends can - if they are not scheduled) only Wednesday. And you have to plan it because not every “combination of children” harmonizes well. I am grateful that my childhood was different.

[@heikevogelsang7795]

I felt really sorry for my kids. We enjoyed the freedom to play with any kid in the neighborhood in the 70s. Now kids are like puppets on strings. No wonder a lot of them escape into virtual realities later, it seems for them to be a place of less contol and more chances to decide things on their own. I intensely recommend group activities like Pfadfinder, Soccer or Jugendfeuerwehr if there is no chance to let the Kids play spontaneously where they live.

[@diejune434]

Non-sparkling water is also available in bottles, which is available in all restaurants. Asking for tapwater in restaurants actually IS weird 😅 while asking for non-sparkling water (Stilles Wasser) is just a normal request. 👍🏻

[@GermanDubsisshit]

It’s weird because for some fucking reason water costs in restaurants in Germany and not automatically served.

[@ClaudiaErnst]

​The fucking reasons for this is that most restaurants make their sales/profit from the drinks. In addition, many restaurants are leased by beverage publishers/breweries and the tenants have to buy a set amount of drinks. In return, the tenants are then paid for furniture, porcelain, promotion marteial or renovation work.

[@LettersFromAFriend]

​@@ClaudiaErnstOn the other hand, the food is cheaper than in many other countries. They have to make money on something!

[@ninasm]

It is the most normal and common thing to ask for Leitungswasser. Wo zum Kuckuck wohnt ihr 😂

[@Alias_Anybody]

I'd say the wet hair is 50% about the urban legend of immediately getting sick outside and 50% just the general weirdness of knowing you just stepped out of a shower.

[@ThomasScholz001]

Even educated people tell you that nonsense. We Germans are particularly threatened by “Zugluft”. I am ashamed of my compatriots.

[@martinjuckvich1229]

@@ThomasScholz001 In Poland exactly the same.

[@bettinafreitag22]

Actually, I never blow-dry my hair before leaving the house - I think I don't even have a hairdryer 😂...and I've been doing this since grammar school...but maybe, I'm the German exception here

[@maureengoller3213]

⁠@@ThomasScholz001oh yes, the Germans are terrified of catching a drought. I’m Irish and emigrated to Germany as an adult. One of the first things I noticed about the Germans was that they would almost panic when I opened a window, no matter how warm it was outside. They believe you catch colds through this, rather than through viruses. The discussions I had at work with colleagues on this topic were unreal.

[@Bergziegen35]

😂​@@maureengoller3213

[@jeannettewilke205]

My kids have always been encouraged by us to take their shoes off as often as possible. Wet hair in summer is no problem either. Maybe it’s particularly like that in lower Franconia 😅

[@Rainerjgs]

Meine Gästen - und so kenne ich dies auch von den meisten meiner Freude und Bekannten - gebe ich grundsätzlich immer das gute deutsche Trinkwasser aus der Leitung, welches teilweise besser als viele Mineralwässer ist, allerdings sollte es schön kalt sein! - Alles andere empfänden wir als unnötige Geld und Energie-Verschwendung, ganz abgesehen von der Umweltbelastung!

[@TrangDB9]

In diesem Punkt und vielen weiteren ist Deutschland weit vorne, im vergleich zu anderen europäischen Ländern und noch mehr zu nicht europäischen Ländern. Dessen ist sich der Michel meist nicht mal bewusst. In vielen Ländern wird blindlinks verbraucht und weggeschmissen und alles in den selben Müllsack.

[@Rainerjgs]

Walking barefoot has now become a cult among young, ecologically minded parents and my children and grandchildren enjoy going barefoot at every opportunity, even in the winter through the snow to the mailbox, etc., which is also systematically practiced in many kindergartens by the motto: "Walking barefoot is healthy for your feet and immune system, puts you in a good mood and strengthens your connection to nature!"

[@Matty0311MMS]

For the "always have sparkling water in the house" point. There are these gadgets like Soda Stream that inject carbondioxide gas into a bottle of tap water to make it sparkling water. They're really useful, because I mostly like to drink plain tap water, too. (I know. It's very ungerman of me.)

[@Herzschreiber]

Same here. I don't like it sparkling, I usually drink tap water. So, when I expect guests who do not know that, I will tell them "Sorry, I will not be able to offer you sparkling water, and no alcohol, so please in case you want that, bring it with you because I am not able to purchase all common drinks just in case...." I can do that because I never let strangers inside my apartment, only people I am enough familiar with to tell them that. So none of them would think I am rude because they are aware of my very small budget and the fact that I am not healthy enough to carry "Getränkekisten"

[@EvaCornelia]

I am only drinking tap water and most of my friends do. In Austria in our region you can easily order tap water in any restaurant. However when I grew up tap water was told to be not safe to drink and we only had sparkling water. I always hated it.

[@Matty0311MMS]

@AntoinetteEmily Now, I'm sad. I got a ❤️ on my comment, saw a typo, went to correct it, and now the heart is gone. 😔

[@gertjedine]

Ich trinke auch nur Leitungswasser.

[@AlissaNZ]

I made sooo many faux pas during my time in Germany (especially the tap water one repeatedly) without knowing and I'm learning so much by watching your videos, long after I left Germany! Lol

[@LillyJeanne]

I alway

[@arnodobler1096]

Sparkling water is a must for (apple) spritzers

[@meretofabydos3645]

The thing about the shoes and hats comes from the whether conditions. If you feet become cold and wet you can easily can catch a cold ( and it’s ofter chilly/cold and rains a lot here). I learned it the hard way myself as when I was young I used to wear only pumps the whole year arond. One year I got serveral severe infections and a friend forced me to buy appropriate footware for the approaching winter and by surprise got no cold. After that I was cured and since than my infection rate decreased to a minimum.

[@NaMe-yn9ph]

When in a germans home you get offered a coffee or whatever and you say no, then they think that.. you guessed it... you dont want coffee now. They dont want to bother you or convince you to eat or drink something that you actually didnt want. Also it can be seen as a bit impolite sometimes to say no to something for example because somebody put effort in it, So i definitly wouldnt say theres anything impolite about not offering over and over again, and when germans for example get confronted with cultures where its normal to offer things over and over again, they might feel impolite for saying no and if you say no 3 times you feel even more impolite and maybe just because of that say yes, so this offering over and over again can actually bring a guest in an uncomfortable position. If you say no you feel impolite, if you say yes maybe you didnt even want to eat or drink that. So i think its not nice to bother a guest with offering things when he or she doesnt like them or so.

[@qobide]

About the wet hair. This is a misconception about catching colds. Like the german fear of "Durchzug". There are plenty of health related superstitions for generations ingrained into germans.

[@hansmeiser32]

Well, if I go outside with wet hair and it's below let say 15° Celsius I get a pretty bad headache in less than 15 minutes.

[@NaMe-yn9ph]

Hää?? The german fear of Durchzug ?? Arent foreigners costantly complaining about germans opnening windows o.O ???

[@NaMe-yn9ph]

​​@@hansmeiser32 it seems like some people just go out with wet hair and if they feel bad because of it, maybe they dont even notice that it was because of their wet hair... lol

[@maxbarko8717]

So true. I constantly had icicles in my hair when I caught the bus before school. My mother warned me of a „head flue“. I never was sick.

[@qobide]

@@hansmeiser32 Of course there are consequence for wet hair in the cold. But it's not a cold.

[@niechcemisie8929]

All of this what you say apply to Poland too 😅 very similar culture

[@wtsalive8210]

Ich hasse dieses „Anbietenspiel“! Wenn man mir etwas anbietet und ich will es nicht, sage ich: „Nein, danke. Und ich meine auch Nein. Wenn ich zu einem späteren Zeitpunkt meine Meinung ändere, dann werde ich es sagen!“ Ich habe sogar mal bei einer Einladung die Wohnung verlassen, weil mich dieses permanente, energische Anbieten genervt hat. Aber diese Anbieterei hat folgenden Hintergrund: Der Deutsche will seinen Gastgeber keine Unannehmlichkeiten bereiten und lehnt das Angebot dankend ab und der Gastgeber bekundet, daß es ihm wirklich nichts ausmacht.

[@Rainerjgs]

Das, was Du hier "Anbieterspiel" nennst, wird von alters her als höfliche "Nötigung" (Nimm doch noch, es ist noch genügend da! usw.) bezeichnet, so daß man früher hören konnte: "Das Essen war gut, aber die Nötigung war schlecht!"

[@wtsalive8210]

@@Rainerjgs Außerdem ist es respektlos, da man deine Aussage nicht achtet!

[@Rainerjgs]

@@wtsalive8210 Mit "Die Nötigung war schlecht!" war gemeint, daß zu wenig genötigt wurde, was früher als wichtige Aufgabe des Gastgebers angesehen wurde!

[@wtsalive8210]

@@Rainerjgs Hatte es so auch verstanden

[@annahollander111]

Ich hatte eine Tante, die einem Bekannten anbot, ihm Kaffee zu machen. Er sagte, ja, bitte, wenn es keine Mühe macht. Meine Tante antwortete: Es macht mir Mühe, aber ich tue es gerne für Sie!

[@Rainerjgs]

Danke, für diesen so klugen und wertvollen Beitrag!

[@indrahx5905]

I'm a swim teacher in Munich and I see lots of people who don't dry their hair after swimming, especially kids, but only on hot summer days. Makes sense to me, our winters are nasty. So no, it's not socially unacceptable to run around with wet hair. Sorry but you seem to live in a weird neighborhood.. And of course you can walk around barefoot if you like. Kids do that too, in their own backyard, on the beach, in public pools.. but not in public playgrounds or the streets, because there can be glass and doog poop, it's just not safe. But the plate thing is true, don't be wasteful. And about the water.. I only buy sparkling water if I'm expecting important guests. Otherwise I apologize for only being able to offer tap water, which is always accepted. I basically drink nothing else, and that's what all my friends do too, so no problem. Actually all the Germans I know drink tap water, because it's really good quality in Germany, so this is what I usually ask for.

[@EmmaHope88]

Maybe it's a regional thing too. I think we have the most natural volcanic springs around here (or so I've read), so (sparkling) mineral water is kind of king. Almost everyone I know drinks it.

[@lynnm6413]

@@EmmaHope88 I live in Bad Rothenfelde, where our water is so saturated with minerals that I‘d literally say the mineralwater is less valuable than the tap water. Cleaning is a b!tch, tho

[@aarongreenway756]

Now I know why I always need plenty of prior notice before any major event - my German upbringing! 🇩🇪

[@Speireata4]

I always go out with wet hair, because I hate hair dryers. But it does get pretty chilly in winter. I don't wear slippers at home, because I don't need or like them. Still, I am German.

[@Melisendre]

I don't know were you are living but many of what you mentioned is not like this in my region. My children never wore houseshoes and often were barefoot at home. Wearing shoes outside is neccessary in a city but if you have your own garden german children also love being barefoot. It is always better to be prepared for the weather but is not a rule. I have no problems with having wet hairs outside. Only on windy or cold days I dry my hairs. We always drink tab water. For sparkling water I use Soda Stream. Also my children and their friends were used to drink tab water. In restaurants you should order "Stilles Wasser" instead of tab water. The restaurants make a lot of their money with beverages. If everyone orders tab water they loose money and have to increase the prices for food. Other country - different price calculation. There is nothing right or wrong. I have no problem with not eating everthing on my plate. But it is unpolite to put more on your plate than you can eat. In restaurants you are usually allowed to take your leftovers home. I have no problems with being spontaneous. Maybe parents nowadays are different but my children usually didn't have planned playdates and we had a lot of spontaneous pyjama parties. And maybe the parents are more overprotective nowadays but I also know a lot of parents which are not like my brother and his wife.

[@Maikerosavogel]

Okay, these all sound to me like southern German things. In the south people are much more strict about what is supposed to be normal. I'm telling you, my kids spent half there time being barefoot and wet haired and we always made spontanious play dates and that wasn't an issue at all. But I spent 3 years at University in Baden-Württemberg and things sure run differently there. Listening to you brought it all back and not in a good way. :-) If you need a few New Zealandish Vibes, make a trip to the north/ north east with your family! I always say: the border runs through Frankfurt, that's where it starts being more relaxed.

[@user-ok1vf6qx4k]

Also ich komme aus Bayern und Barfuß unterwegs sein ist hier ganz normal für Kinder. U Sorry aber das sind eben auch oft Antoinette's ganz persönliche Erfahrungen und Auslegungen. Ich kenne viele Dinge anders aus meinem Altag als sie sie beschreibt.

[@Mila007a]

Tapwater is very very save in germany , its called Drinkingwater , this bottled glaswater thing startet 40 years ago

[@lynnm6413]

Yes, but that‘s not the point in the restaurant! It‘s like not tipping in the US…the restaurants offer meals to affordable prizes, and make most of the money on drinks. When people then deny the opportunity to sell water, they feel cheated out of their ‚rightful‘ earnings. That‘s also why you aren‘t allowed to ‚bring your own‘ in Germany.

[@WapitiAal]

The Restaurant Owners in Germany make their money with the drinks they sell, much more as they do with the food. Thats why the waitress looks a bit weird and why you shouldn't ask for that.

[@meretofabydos3645]

Exactly, but you can ask for water with out gas, nowadays most restaurants will have it on the menu, but you have to pay for it. I personally had problems with sparkling water, so if they do have only sparkling water and then you tell them give tapwater and put it on the bill with the same price, it’s normally no big deal.

[@kattls7275]

Very interesting video. We're Germans but don't have sparkling water at home anymore. I never liked sparkling water and soft drinks are much too sweet. I'm not the only one. I noticed a change in the last years. Many guests ask for tap water. I was also surprised that many children now ask for more water in their juice or even tap water only... I remember when my nieces were small: they didn't want any water in their juice.

[@agnes15101968]

I always go out with wet hair in summer. I refuse to dry my hair when it is hot outside :)

[@EmmaHope88]

I wouldn't say it isn't socially acceptable. It's just that most people simply don't do it unless it's summer and you've just been to the pool or lake or beach. That's when a lot of people just let it air dry, at least around here they do. I wouldn't mind if somebody had wet air, it's just that they would probably be the odd one out.

[@lynnm6413]

The only time I used to wear wet hair in public was going to my physiotherapy appointments. They have to touch you so much, and I had to bike there, so I often was a bit sweaty again…so rocking up with wet hair was the sign that I had just stepped out of the shower before coming and I hoped it would soothe the annoyance of my therapist….who often told me it was nothing, I had no idea what kind of people smells they were used to. I just felt more comfortable doing it this way because at the time I didn‘t own a car.

[@user-qs1xz2mx6f]

About invitation plans: it's not usual for good friends to have long plans for invitation, it is often very spontaneous, within minutes sometimes. It's only for formal (boss or family) invitations necessary to give at least one or two weeks

[@Rainerjgs]

So viele Menschen in der Welt müssen hungern - und wir verschwenden Nahrung und werfen gutes Essen in den Müll? - Warum fandest Du dies denn so normal? - Kopfschüttel!

[@emiliajojo5703]

If you don't eat everything this will lead to bad weather. Don't take the risk

[@jorgbremkens2208]

Maybe sparkling water especially mineral water is seen ad the more healthy version og a Coke?

[@Mamaki1987]

I grew up in Austria and the thing with the wet hair confuses me as well a little bit. I mean, I can understand that you want your hair dry when it is cold. But in summer? It is not a big deal then since the hair will dry on its own anyway. Ah yes, the spakling water. I don't like it either. I don't even have some at my home anymore.

[@martinjunghofer3391]

Teller leer essen in Deutschland und im Ausland: in Deutschland: Teller leer essen bedeutet: mir hat´s geschmeckt (Kompliment), entsprechend etwas auf dem Teller lassen: mir hat´s nicht geschmeckt (Beleidigung für die Hausfrau); Ausland (meistens): Teller leer essen: ich bin nicht satt, Du läßt mich hungrig zurück (Beleidigung für die Hausfrau), etwas auf dem Teller lassen: ich bin satt und es hat mir geschmeckt (Kompliment)! Zwei sehr unterschiedliche Fettnäpfchen!

[@yahouallavoix4512]

Hi Antoinette! Thank you for sharing all your experiences - so very interesting and funny! In terms of wet hair, though, or eating everything that's on your plate, I get the impression this may be very typical to the community or region you are living in. Here in Berlin, nobody even looks at you nor are people puzzled or even irritated by that. Maybe you won't to come her and visit. In summer, everyone is perfectly okay with children playing barefoot in the sand or on the playground or in parks or public swimming pools. 😊

[@ellina9816]

Footwear+hats -same as Russia, it’s just logical, common sense.

[@ellina9816]

I was shocked here, in USA, when I was offered a tap water in a restaurant. It has Chlorine and other chemicals.

[@ninasm]

Unlike German or Austrian tapwater

[@ninasm]

Hmmm. Really. I find this interesting. I am half German half Austrian, people can ask me to do stuff the same minute, and I will. I know so many people, who only say "let's catch up" as a blablabla-sentence. My kid hardly ever wears any kind of hats (it must be really cold or really sunny for this to happen) and often does not wear shoes and hates slippers (yiep, except in Kindergarten, there it is a must and therefore a pain the neck). He never blow dries his hair, he goes as he is with slightly damp hair, same as me. And we only finish our plates when actually that hungry to finish it. I ask people and I am asked more than once if they/I want something. And Leitungswasser is actually best, who buys sparkling water? It is the most common thing to order Leitungswasser. I must ask: Where exactly do you live?

[@user-ok1vf6qx4k]

Das hab ich mich als Bayerin auch schon gefragt. 😂

[@dorothealorenz9624]

Ich war letztens in England und habe die Kinder und Erwachsenen bewundert, die bei 17°C halb nackt und in Flip Flops unterwegs waren. Hätten meine Eltern mich nur nicht so warm eingepackt als Kind, dann könnte ich mit niedrigeren Temperaturen besser klar kommen. 😀

[@carstenhardt1589]

I just love it that in the thumbnail the one word that is misspelled is the word "mistake" *LOL*

[@klarasee806]

In the Summer, I always go outside with wet hair, and both of my kids did, too. Many people believe that you can get a cold from doing that, I believe, so they dry their hair, but I really think that going outside with wet hair is absolutely socially accepted here!

[@Charlöttchen-x5j]

Sagen wir mal so: ich setzte „nasse“ Haare taktisch ein (Lange Haare zum Dutt oder Knoten hochgesteckt). Besonders im Sommer, wenn es sehr heiß ist, sind feuchte Haare sehr angenehm am Kopf (zumindest für mich😊) Ansonsten würde ich nur in sehr kalten Wetterperioden besonders auf trockenes Haar achten, weil es sonst unangenehm am Kopf wird. Aber sonst bin ich da recht unempfindlich. Es kommt mit Sicherheit auch darauf an, wie man aufgewachsen ist. Was das Barfußlaufen betrifft, so laufe ich zu Hause immer Barfuß, egal zu welcher Jahreszeit. Auch in Schuhen trage ich nur äußerst selten überhaupt Socken, weil ich das Gefühl von Socken an den Füßen immer weniger mag, je älter ich werde. Was das Barfußlaufen draußen betrifft, wäre das für mich auch nicht wirklich ein Problem, aber die Gefahr sich zu verletzen ist immer present, so das ich dann nur in bestimmten Gebieten wirklich Barfuß laufe. Zum Essen kann ich nur sagen: Tiere haben dafür ihr Leben gelassen und Menschen haben hart für alles gearbeitet, was auf unsere Tische kommt. Deshalb finde ich Verschwendung respektlos den Menschen gegenüber, die für die Nahrung sorgen und auch für das Tier, das sein Leben für mein Schnitzel lassen mußte. Wir können von Glück sagen, das wir im Zuckerguss oder in der Speckschwarte der Gesellschaften auf dieser Welt leben und das sollten wir auch dementsprechend zu schätzen wissen und Dankbar dafür sein. Viele haben keinen vollen Tisch und sind froh um jedes Essen, das sie bekommen können. Das sollten wir in unserer Überfluss - Gesellschaft nie vergessen.

[@MarkusWitthaut]

I liked your video very much. A comment to my fellow Germans on the tap water quality: The quality of tap water in Germany is monitored right up to the house connection and is usually very good. There may be regional differences, particularly in the lime content (hard or soft water). However, the water quality in the house can deteriorate considerably, especially if water pipes are not used for several hours or even days. To avoid bacterial films in pipes, the pipes should be used daily. So, if the pipes have not been used for a few hours, it is best to let the water run for 30 seconds. After a vacation (especially in summer), leave it running for longer to avoid legionella.

[@ingaurban404]

The food thing only applies if you have filled your plate yourself.

[@Wb-is8wi]

The catch up soon phrase is the same in the uk, I really had to get used to it ☺️ that it basically meant nothing …

[@TheBitEater]

I really like your videos. In this case I can't agree with some of the topics or at least I can't completely agree. Perhaps this can be because they are handled different in different regions of Germany.

[@dorisw5558]

the shoe thing is new to me - I grew up being barefoot mostly. I don't have kids myself so this might have changed. But I wouldn't walk barefoot in the city where I live now

[@Wb-is8wi]

I remember working in London, my Kiwi Co-worker walked around barefoot in our very fancy office 😬

[@rechalaip2711]

I am German. Drank far too little as a child as I didn't like sparkling lemonade and there was nothing else for children. When I was in Ireland during my studies I was offered tap water for the first time and stuck to it ever since. I order it in restaurants, too, as I really like it. But I go out with wet hair, too 🤭

[@cheralee2599]

I really do wish that Kiwis dressed their babies and children even older kids appropriately all the time. It's just far too common now to see parents who think it okay to take their 2 month old outside with no pants, socks, long sleeve top and even a basic thing like a hat. It's not because these parents can't afford clothes either. It's because, there just seems to be this belief in NZ that kids don't need jumpers, pants etc. The other day I went to the supermarket at 7 am. It's summer but at 7 am, there is a slught chill in the air. I saw a mum dresses in jeans and a thin long sleeve top get her baby out in just a long sleeve body suit but it didn't have anhthing covering the baby's legs and no socks. No beanie.... Urgh. The worst part is, Kiwis will get offended if you even suggest that their kid might be cold lolol I don't understand this. In this regard, I much prefer the German way.

[@Wb-is8wi]

I think the wet hair in Germany, might comes across as unfinished. So strange I never thought about it but I would never go out with wet hair. I hope you enjoy living in Germany & thanks for your videos x

[@lordofnumbers9317]

If you're really thirsty, medium sparkling water is the best there is.👍

[@kathid4770]

That was on point! Now I feel very German 😂

[@danielforderer968]

really fun video😊

[@ballisonfargo]

Sparkling water (AKA seltzer) is now very popular in the US but it is most often flavored. Many people now have a seltzer maker such as a SodaStream at home as a way to reduce cost and waste. Have these devices caught on in Germany?

[@Mila007a]

yes this things are known and people use it

[@EmmaHope88]

They do exist and have for quite a long time, but different sparkling waters taste different. Some milder, some sweeter, some more acidic. This may sound funny, but they all taste different (and we're not talking flavored ones here), so it's also about that. Water from your Sodastream tastes like your local tap water, which is why a lot of people prefer their local sparkling water or waters.

[@lynnm6413]

I grew up in the 80‘s and every family who wanted to save money had a Soda Stream. Yes, it‘s been here a long, long while.

[@jrgptr935]

Selten sind die Dinger nicht, und es gibt sie schon seit bestimmt 30 Jahren.

[@ellina9816]

Mean what you say-same in Russia.

[@lorisutherland7728]

So you have to dry your hair with a blow dryer even though it’s hot outside.?

[@vanessafaas852]

Ich geh immer mit Nassen Haaren raus. Meine Mutter ist Kolumbianerin und dort ist das ganz normal. Früher sind im Winter meine Haare manchmal schon etwas gefroren bis ich im Bus war. 😅

[@jensbaranek8322]

Gute Schuhe sind ein Muss für jedermann, denn Dein Leben beginnt mit Deinen Füßen.

[@heikevogelsang7795]

Restaurants In Germany usually will pack leftovers in nice Containers. Some are even delighted if you ask, as it shows that you respect their cooking. And they consider it polite if you don't force them to throw away good food, which gives pain to Germans.

[@sabineroberts3283]

All very true 😂, I m a german married to a New Zealander, living in Germany. 😂

[@EvaCornelia]

I was taught by my mom to never go outside with wet hair because of the "you will catch a cold" myth. Until today I go outside with wet hair and don't care what anyone thinks. In the 1970s it was also not appropriate to go swimming without a bathing cap. Not only because of the danger wet hair brought, but also because women went to the hairdresser every two weeks to get their curls done and they didn't wash their hair in between. For the yes/no thing I am very very happy that we have this kind of honesty in Germany. Even in Austria they rather beat around the bush and are much less direct, less punctual and much more casual with their speech. As a German in Austria this is really an issue for me. Personally I never encountered a situation where it was inappropriate to leave food on your plate. There's always an option to take it home with you and eat it later, so it isn't wasted. But then I must add that I am in the fortunate situation to not have to care about what others say.

[@barbsmart7373]

Congratulations, mate!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ka nui te pai!

[@hansmeiser32]

I strongly disagree with the "leaving food on the plate" thing. I only ever eat as much as I want to eat. I have no problem leaving half of the food on a plate or just a single potato if I'm no longer hungry. But in a restaurant I usually try to make sure not to order something I can't finish. E.g. if a dish comes with a soup and I'm not that hungry I will tell the waitress not to serve the soup and only serve the main dish. Don't finish meals if you are already full. You're feeling full for a reason.

[@mob8451]

I agree with you but think that it's rude to put much more on your plate than you can eat. Wherever you can choose the quantity yourself, don't take too much. I think it's much more reasonable to take seconds.

[@hansmeiser32]

@@mob8451"Wherever you can choose the quantity yourself, don't take too much." That's a given.

[@fruitytiurf4135]

I think your points really depend a lot on the area in Germany. (-> another thing: Germans usually put points behind chatmessages, I heard, that other countries consider that cold 😅) In small towns(in eastern Germany) it doesnt matter that much if people go barefoot, at least in summer. The same with the wet hair. You will eventually get comments when it's cold, but besides that... And in cities it's probably risky to end up with some pieces of glass or similar in your feet... The thing with throwing food away is true and it's hard for me to see in other countries :/ In restaurants it's not common to ask for tap water, because the restaurant basically earns the most money with the drinks. Besides that, I'd love to have public places to just fill up your bottle for free like it exist in so many countries already, but I understand that this is not the responsibility of restaurants, even though I really appreciate restaurants who offer it :)

[@Rainerjgs]

Mittlerweile - und ich habe das hier eingeführt und durchgesetzt - bekomme ich in allen erreichbaren Gasstätten kostenloses Leitungswasser, was demnächst auch gesetzlich verankert werden soll.

[@GrouchoEngels]

Sie sagen nicht, wo "hier" ist. Aber in MEINER Gaststätte bekämen Sie NICHTS kostenlos - auch nicht, wenn Sie sich auf den Kopf stellen!

[@lynnm6413]

Das führt nur dazu dass das Essen teurer wird…und dann können Studis und ärmere Leute absolut nicht mehr in der Stadt essen.

[@Rainerjgs]

@@GrouchoEngels - Haben Sie es schon mal mit einer freundlichen Bitte und dem Hinweis auf die österreichische Kaffé-Hauskultur probiert, wo das kostenlose Glas Leitungswasser eine große Tradition hat? - Mein "hier" ist Niederbayern und der Baierwald im Umkreis von Straubing und Bogen, zwischen Regensburg und Passau.

[@Rainerjgs]

@@GrouchoEngels- Ich wohne in Mitterfels in Niederbayern und am Anfang hatte ich da auch meine Probleme und wurde teilweise sogar beleidigt, aber mittlerweile bekomme ich ganz automatisch und ungefragt mein Leitungswasser zum Kaffee und viele andere Leute auch, die sich das von mir abgeschaut haben, oder die ich dazu ermutigte. Hilfreich war dabei auch immer der Hinweis auf die österreichische Kaffee-Hauskultur, wo das kostenlose Glas Wasser zu den Selbstverständlichkeiten gehört.

[@thomaslauterbach5404]

Das mit der Planung kenne ich leider zu gut. Es gilt sogar in der Familie. In meiner Kindheit und Jugend kannte ich das nicht. Man hat bei seinem Freund geklingelt und war willkommen oder auch nicht

[@NaMe-yn9ph]

There is no Problem with going out with wet hair in general, it depends on the weather. Going out with wet hair in sunny 30 'C is obviously no problem, because the water gets warm an dries. If its 10 C degrees or so then obviously it different and if its really cold winter day or so or windy then even worse. Then the water doesnt dry, instead it gets cold ( or freezes lol ). When you are wet it feels more cold so when your head and neck is wet then it gets more cold than when its dry, ... so you dry it. I dont understand why that would be a problem to dry it, i mean you are just making yourself uncomfortable and cold and wet so why staying wet... It doesnt have to be dry like straw thats a trypicall mothers behavoir but why beeing cold and wet when you can dry your hair. On a hot sunny day its different obviously. Should be common sense.

[@Winona493]

I as a German have always been told that wet hair makes you sick. I believed it without asking🙈 and told my daughter the same. It is a bit embarrassing, I know.😂

[@Bergziegen35]

I wouldn't say wet hair in public is unacceptable, but not many people do it and since Germans love to stare, you will get quite a few looks😂👀 I think it's not common because it's more of a thing when you're on vacation für Germans. Also they are scared of getting sick when going out with wet hair😂

[@shasacosmica9572]

Mach dir nicht so viele Sorgen,was man machen sollte oder nicht. Barfuß laufen ist das gesündeste,was man für seine Füße machen kann. Essen sollte dann aufgegessen werden,wenn man es sich selbst auf den Teller gepackt hat. Wenn jemand anderes deinen Teller gefüllt hat,kannst du ruhig etwas übrig lassen. Die nassen Haare kommen daher,dass die Menschen Angst haben, krank zu werden. Was aber richtiger ist,ist das Haare schneller kaputt gehen,wenn sie nass zu sehr belastet werden. Ob das auf das Haar von dir und deiner Tochter zutrifft könnt ihr am besten selber entscheiden. Vielleicht hab ich zu viel von meiner Mutter übernommen. Sie ist in Südafrika aufgewachsen. Aber ich denke halt man sollte solche Dinge nicht zu ernst nehmen,solange man keinem schadet. 😊

[@michaelblodow7779]

water: we like to have a bit fun in the mouth :-)

[@Nimili-ts5tx]

Why would you put more on your plate than you can eat?

[@EsterHorbach-it9tb]

I don't like water as a beverage in general and hate sparkling water. So you won't find a seltzer making machine in my household. Leaving the house with wet hair ? No problem, but depending on the season. When it's freezing or wet outside I wouldn't do it, otherwise I'd do so. You'll get sick when doing so ? It could be o n e contributing factor, but not the only one. Most people, in majority women, just don't like the look of wet hair without being dried by a blow dryer. Germans are direct. When being a guest and not wanting a drink or food, they'll say so. A "no" is a "no" and not a polite "ask later and I'll say yes". And being not spontaneous: depends on the way you were brought up, age and where you live. My parents never were spontaneous and everything had its schedule. Growing up in the northern part didn't help being spontaneous. Introverts are more spontaneous than extroverts. Tap water for free in restaurants ? Unusual, regardless of the quality of the water. The restaurant owners make more profit from the beverages than the food, so it's not desired.

[@karlineschlenkerbein131]

Not all Germans are boring people, unable to be spontaneous. Maybe it is just the choice of your friends? I don't find myself and my friends and family in your descreption of "the Germans", and we were all born and raised in Germany.

[@jensbaranek8322]

Yes means yes and no means no - what is the problem about this? And even You will say no - this may proberbbly the situation to discuss this in some way.

[@jockorabeni4618]

"In Germany, No means No and Yes means Yes and they will not ask you again" 😂😂😂😂😂 Ja. Normal. Genauso ist es. Das Lustige daran ist dass Nichtdeutsche so etwas überhaupt für erwähnenswert halten!!! Ich fürchte, in Anglo-Ländern, let alone in France, they would consider my respective manners quite rude.

[@natashaw401]

HaPpY Valentine's day to u and ur family

[@gudrunasche9124]

This kind of „german rules“ may be „bavarian rules“?

[@stephanietutt3819]

Hallo iam english and live in Italy where going out with wet hair Is absolutely out and considered strange, dame thing for tap water too

[@LeChuck652]

Surprise! "No" means "no" and "come around" means "come around". Another surprise: parents take care of their children by dressing them in clothing and shoes that fit the weather. I mean, come on. Whats going wrong in New Zeeland (and US for example) ? No offence, i just wonder.

[@arnodobler1096]

Wow 🏆60's

[@tasminoben686]

B Regentropfen, die an meinem Fenster klopfen, sind mein Verdruss heut Nacht! Grüße, Ben😅

[@arnodobler1096]

@@tasminoben686 Einmal wissen dieses bleibt für immer Ist nicht Rausch, der schon die Nacht verklagt Ist nicht Farbenschmelz noch Kerzenschimmer Von dem Grau des Morgens längst verjagt ... Einmal fassen tief im Blute fühlen Dies ist mein und es ist nur durch dich Klagt ein Vogel, ach auch mein Gefieder Nässt der Regen flieg' ich durch die Welt Flieg' ich durch die Welt Flieg' ich durch die Welt Flieg' ich durch die Welt City Am Fenster LG Arno

[@arnodobler1096]

@@tasminoben686 Am Fenster Lied von City Einmal wissen dieses bleibt für immer Ist nicht Rausch, der schon die Nacht verklagt Ist nicht Farbenschmelz noch Kerzenschimmer Von dem Grau des Morgens längst verjagt ..... Einmal fassen tief im Blute fühlen Dies ist mein und es ist nur durch dich Klagt ein Vogel, ach auch mein Gefieder Nässt der Regen flieg' ich durch die Welt Flieg' ich durch die Welt Flieg' ich durch die Welt Liebe Grüße

[@fridolinoberboersch9425]

There are no unspoken german rules

[@silviahannak3213]

Why is that weird? Why should anybody get out with their Hair wet ? Wanna get sick ?