American Couple Reacts: Culture Shocks From Germany to the United Kingdom! WOW!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 14 พ.ย. 2024
- American Couple Reacts: Reverse Culture Shocks! Returning to Germany from the United Kingdom! WOW! We were SO surprised to learn so much and be shocked by this video! We are going to need some help from our German friends here on a couple of these. Kirsten & Joerg are Germans that have lived in the UK for almost 9 years now. Today they take us through some things they miss about the UK, when going back to visit Germany. We found so many things in this episode incredibly fun and fascinating at the same time. We have never been quiet about hiding our love for both the United Kingdom and Germany! We are going to be visiting both places in the future and this video was very helpful! Leave us a comment and let us know what you thought. To our American friends, which Country do you think the USA is more like? If you enjoy our content, please consider subscribing to our channel, it is the BEST way to support our channel and it's FREE! Also, please click the Like button. Thank you for your support! *More Links below.
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We were SO surprised to learn so much and be shocked by this video! We are going to need some help from our German friends here on a couple of these. Kirsten & Joerg are Germans that have lived in the UK for almost 9 years now. Today they take us through some things they miss about the UK, when going back to visit Germany. We found so many things in this episode incredibly fun and fascinating at the same time. We have never been quiet about hiding our love for both the United Kingdom and Germany! We are going to be visiting both places in the future and this video was very helpful! Leave us a comment and let us know what you thought. To our American friends, which Country do you think the USA is more like? If you enjoy our content, please consider subscribing to our channel, it is the BEST way to support our channel and it's FREE! Also, please click the Like button. Thank you for your support!
In Germany the grave will be removed after 25 years to get more space. I miss my grandmothers grave, but we have to accept.
@brittaschmid1017 what happens to it?
@@TheNatashaDebbieShow It will be disposed of somehow, I don't no exactly.
@@TheNatashaDebbieShow Natasha, about small talk. It depends on region in Germany. In some parts of Germany ppl are more chatty. In other parts ppl are more „maulfaul“ (lazy mouth).
You can lease graves for longer periods. But it’s not common. Only rich or noble families does. Or jewish ones. But there are also Ehrengräber (Grave of honor) for special ppl- often the gouverment pay for.
So there are often some older graves on grave yards in Germany.
Under German law, families lease grave sites for a specific period of time, usually from 15 to 30 years. And, if a family is unable or unavailable to renew the lease, the grave’s contents are removed and the grave site reverts to state ownership and may be reused.
We have the same in Sweden. After 20 years we have to renew it for another 20 years. For example me and one of my sister are the ones resposible for our mothers grave. So if we don´t renew (and pay a fee) after 20 years it´s gone. If something happen to us the responsibilite goes to the next of kin in the family, wich would be my sisters kids.
It's the same in (most parts? of) the Netherlands. We don't have the space to keep every grave active for eternity. 😢
Natasha & Debbie, I'm a friendly person also.
Clothing store personnel in Berlin are usually nice and will talk with you some once they find out you're from the U.S.
We have friends in Munich and I think Bavarians are more easy going and friendlier, in my experience.
I enjoy riding the trains and public transportation when in Germany. So I don't drive in Germany cause I don't rent a car.
My mom and I will be leaving for Germany in 2 weeks for the Christmas markets!! I think y'all would LOVE the Christmas markets!!
There is a practical reason to limit the parecetamol or ibrufen to reduce someone having an impulse to overdose deliberately. If someone plans to they can hoard them but it avoids an impulse which was observed. So its a kind thoughtful reason.❤
Yes. And it actually worked - after they introduced this rule, the number of suicides in the UK dropped.
But it's still annoying - which is why when I visit the US, I buy a bottle of 500 Ibuprofen to bring back to the UK.
But he's still wrong, you can buy two packs of ibuprofen not one and same for paracetamol it's two packs not one.
As an Englishman with a German mother, I was surprised that I could not detect any German accent in her voice.
In Australia we can buy any non-prescription medicine in the supermarket, which is open 7 days a week. 😊
❤ I love learning things, especially different cultures. 😊
if you want to learn more about the country roads in the UK watch daydreamers barn Americans living in England,
Really enjoyed this, learnt so much about Germany from here in England ❤
Pharmacies have a strong lobby in Germany and try to protect their members with laws. They did a great job. They keep the prices high. They say medication is not food and pharmacies have the duty to tell you about dangers. It is kind of overprotecting, but on the other hand I learned, that Aspirin doesn’t work well with my other medication and that I should use another kind of medication against headache. Nobody in a supermarket could tell me that.
Medication is not food either!
In Germany grave sites are mostly rented not bought. Usually this means that the relatives have to renew the contract after 25 years (usual time for decomposition) or the site will be reused for someone else's grave.
I can't get my head around that. In the UK, we buy our plots. They can, however, be cleared if no living relatives around, and the space is needed or sold.
@@no-oneinparticular7264 Not in all Cases, my Dads plot is rented
Gravesites in Germany have to be paid for. There is actually no time limit. (However, this can vary from state to state) The family must be willing to pay for the gravesite, then it can remain indefinitely. There are certainly family graves that date back to the 17th century and beyond, some with very beautiful gravestones. (Angel statues, etc.)
Greetings from Munich, Germany! 🙋♀🙋♂
For UK shop hours it can vary depending on the type of shop. A lot of places close at 5pm, but places like takeaways often open at 5pm. Sunday hours for a supermarket are often 10am-4pm. But during the week it can be 6am till midnight at somewhere like Tesco but Aldi is 8am till 10pm, for example.
I think it's based upon square footage/size of trading floor space. If you're under a certain size you can open when you want (to support smaller businesses) and if you're over that size, then you're limited opening hours on a Sunday.
And this is only in England and Wales. In Scotland we have no Sunday trading laws unfortunately for me working for Aldi I have to work till 8pm on a Sunday whilst colleagues in England and wales only work from 10am-4pm 😢
Funny them talking about colourful houses. My grandad once got several cans of purple paint for free. And he just went crazy with it 😅 he painted everything he could. Purple door,fences,garden gate, railings,drain pipe, window frames. Even the door step! It was very silly looking 😅
Silly looking, but fun.😊😅
You don’t pay to use the toilets at motorway services. However you do often have to pay at main railway stations.
not true
That was so fascinating and just what my Wednesday mornings are all about, learning with Natasha & Debbie! Keep the German content coming! ❤
I used to have a holiday cottage business in Cornwall and our German guests were easily our favourite. They were just like this German couple.
I live in a village of 1000ish. Three pubs (to keep folk that don't like each other apart), two churches, a pharmacy, a doctors, a convinience store, a news agent, four bus stops and and a garage that also sells fuel.
Deeply normal for a village to have a bunch of things that helps you live in that place.
First of all, I am glad you're back again posting videos!
As for the Aspirin example: Anything that is a medical drug (and Aspirin is) is not available in normal shops in Germany but rather a pharmacy, as these drugs (yes, even Aspirin) interact with your body. E.g., Aspirin is a blood thinner and as such can be harmful to some people with blood problems. If it is "just" dietary supplements or condoms or whatever, you can of course get these in drugstores and supermarkets in Germany as well.
Overall, this video was fun. Kirsten & Joerg seem to be really nice people. I would consider them to be at least quirky, but in a rather nice and sympathical way. There are quirky people in Germany as well, but the UK is full of quirky people compared to Germany and full of quirky institutions and traditions. That said, it is clear to me why Kirsten & Joerg feel increasingly strange to the way of living in Germany. I lived over one year in Japan and when I came back, I also felt a reverse culture shock then at that time. I think that Germany lost much of its "quirkiness" after WW II, since it was completely destroyed and also had the feel to get rid of the OLD ... Whereas the UK was able to keep lots of its quirky stuff.
I felt this the one time I visited Germany and was looking around old churches.
It was a huge surprise to see modern art style stained glass windows in some of the German churches and ticket machines for the confessionals in historic buildings.
In UK these buildings would be listed and the style and design of any new work would have to be in keeping with the age of the church.
about the pharmancies, there is always a 24/7 emergency pharmancy nearby you can go to in case of needs
Why? Because it´s a medicine and not a loaf of bread - you also can´t get guns at a Walmart erquivalent in Germany or Austria....we call it common sense over here ;)
We are not talking prescription medicines. Just common aspirin, ibuprofen and the like. On the guns thing I totally agree. Can't even get guns here, without a specific, verifiable, reson. Even then, you also need a licence. Which you also can't get without a specific, verifiable, reason.😊
@GaryNoone-jz3mq Painkillers thin the blood, and have other side effects with other medications as well.
Great video really enjoyed it to see how different it is
Loved this video Ladies, thank you, Hubby and I are English, Eldest son is settled in Germany (German wife and 2 children) so we visit as we can.. He and his family live in a fair sized town, 30 odd thousand population, but they call it a village, we love it there and enjoy the atmosphere people are mostly friendly, though tend to assume we are American, Having a German Daughter in Law we have experienced much of Germany, in Berlin, Bernkastel-Kues and now the edge of the black forest, Visited a wine festival (yard long bratwurst in normal size bread roll, looked challenging to eat! Love Waldkirch and though some of what was said rings a bell, with the annual Fasnet, a week of witches and colourful events and a parade, with teams from surrounding villages, there is another side too, it is well worth looking for videos of it. So good to see how other people feel about the differences. Our youngest son moved to Japan and we have not visited him there since 2019 due to pandemic and then health issues, Another beautiful country with such friendly people, language is a bigger challenge English coming from the same roots as modern German, Japanese not even the same alphabet, on getting back loved to see the little fields and hedgerows, with sheep or cattle. Oh, we live in a tiny hamlet in North Devon, roads are narrow often with grass growing up the middle they can be challenging, just be sure to have a car with a rear view camera, there are usually places to pass.
Great to see you are back 😀
Thanks! 😃
I love Kirsten and Joerg. Big fan. ❤
I want to thank you ladies for first introducing me to Kirsten & Jorge a few years ago & now I am a subscriber & watch every one of their vlogs. ❤️🇬🇧
Yeah, often in little villages we have only few shops or really nothing, but almost places around a few kilometers with shopping places and different kind of shops.
If you want to extend the time of a grave after 25 years, its also possible if you pay for it.😅
I think the reason of this is, that Germanys City's they have not such a big space for cemetery and so they can decide to close a grave but of course if you extend the time, it will be end in a space of 50 Year's.
Our village has 3,500 people and has two pubs, three convenience stores, three hairdressers, a petrol station, chippy, Indian takeaway, Chinese takeaway, tea room and a few other shops.
Wow l'm wondering where that is😲? Ours is tiny and has nothing 😭
@ Somersham Cambridgeshire 😇
@@bobbralee1019 Lovely, thanks😊
Sounds a bit like the village where I live except we have 4 pubs 2 Butcher’s a greengrocer and numerous tea rooms and eateries
This was really interesting, and quite surprising in places too. I live in a village on the Isle of Wight, we have 1,682 residents, so presumably we would be considered as small, but we have a large pub with attached restaurant, a smart coffee and pastry shop, a convenience store, a hair salon and several other small businesses like a chiropractor, chiropodist and optician. Just 20 minutes away is a larger coastal town that has Waitrose, Sainsbury, chip shops/take away's and everything else you could possibly need.....we obviously have more remote areas without these facilities but these are usually isolated farmhouses.
I always love seeing you learn more about my country 😄 there's still plenty to learn about like our history, culture and stereotypes. Keep it coming!
Morning lovely ladies , hope you enjoyed your birthday Natasha , yes look forward to watching this , Kirsten and Joerg just exude class dont they 😊😊
I was a student near to the first supermarket in the UK to use bar codes at checkouts. One of my lecturers was involved somehow in the project to deploy the technology. He said that the main complaint was from older customers who said there was no longer time to have a chat with the checkout operator. I think that has evolved over time and expectations have changed so checkout operators probably speak more than they did initially and customers probably expect less chat. Now a lot of shopping is done using automated checkouts though quite a few people resist using them, and when buying a lot of items they aren't particularly convenient. Most shops still have some conventional checkouts. Nevertheless, automated checkouts mean that chat is almost abolished. You may know that Lidl and Aldi are German companies though I'm sure the way they work in the UK is slightly different than in Germany.
That was so lovely; I was smiling all the way through this video. A great combination...to hear you both 🤗 commenting on the unique Kirsten and Joerg (apologies if there is any mis-spelling of their names.) I am so pleased to think that this sweet, appreciative couple are enjoying living in the UK...we are lucky to have them.
Attitudes towards drugs are a big culture difference between US and Europe prescription or otherwise, so in UK supermarkets restrict buying of more than one or two packets of Headache tablets because they can be used to OD. Not against use of harder drugs for medicinal purposes but they have to be prescribed by qualified people.
We have gone from one extreme to another in England. Sundays used to be almost totally closed. Just a few shops open like newsagents. Now everything is open, and it's gone too far..
We so agree! We do love when you can actually feel that it’s Sunday. It’s so needed especially nowadays. We did mention this in one of our videos filmed in Germany.
The UK follows the US too closely.
After finishing the video, thank you for introducing that nice couple and for this content itself, that was interesting to learn about th reverse effects.
It's nice that you are back. After the longer period (between mudlarking- and marmalade-tryout-video), I wasn't sure if your channel was abandoned somehow.
A really interesting video. I love to hear the cultural differences people notice about the UK that we take for granted every day. So glad to see you both back.
That couple brings out strange protective feelings in me like I want to wrap them in cotton wool and put them in a cabinet till it's time for them to come out again, like delicate porcelain dolls!
yes, I know what you mean...😄
Under German law, families lease grave sites for a specific period of time, usually from 15 to 30 years If a family is unable or unavailable to renew the lease, the grave's contents are removed and the grave site reverts to state ownership and may be reused,
Oh dear. I can't understand that policy . It sounds so disrespectful. We buy the plot here , but if its over 100 years old, it can be cleared if no living relatives around. 🇬🇧
Same in the Netherlands. Why use so much ground for some old bones? Most people choose cremation in stead of burial these days and 90% of the graves are never visited anyway.
Oh no!
Thank you ladies for another great vlog - it’s because of you both on an earlier vlog about 2 / 3 years ago that I subscribed to Kirsten & Joerg and have to say all four of you are lovely. I’ve been to Germany several times and have to say the Christmas markets are fantastic and well worth a visit especially the ones in Cologne! xx xx
I lived in Germany for 5 years and I have to admit language aside we have more in common with the Germans than much of the US, Having spent some time in the US I fully appreciate that individual states have very different cultures, Texas is very different to New England for example.
There is a certain TH-camr who always starts his videos saying he is a typical American. This has always baffled me due to the vast difference between states. As an outsider looking in I almost contrast American States to European countries in membership of the EU was compulsory for all, given the have federal laws and separate state laws. I would no longer really say there is a typical English person anymore.
@susanpearson-creativefibro what are you talking about? even regions in individual states in Deutschland are more diverse than the US, and what was mandatory?
@@susanpearson-creativefibroI know who you mean I watch him but he can annoy me as well..
Good afternoon watching from Perth Western Australia 🌏🦘🏖️
Me too.. well Mandurah specifically
In the UK we had half day opening for shops on a Wednesday and totally shut on a Sunday. Some Local small shops opened on a Sunday started in the 1970s but were time restricted. Now all types of big shops supermarkets open on a Sunday but until 4 Oclock but still local small shops could keep open for longer. But No fish Chip shops open on a Sunday. Yet certain other fast-foods are allowed to be open on a Sunday. But restaurants pub foods allowed but a time limit.
shops that have a large floor area ( i forget the size) can only open for 6 hours on Sundays in the UK and this would include Lidl and Aldi stores which aren't huge at all .....As far as i know, smaller shops are completely unrestricted .
I painted my bathroom purple. I was surprised by the number of people who found that shocking. 🤪
Germany spends Saturday afternoon at leisure. Tailgating at American football games or hiking in the hills. It used to be like that in the UK too when I was a child. Even as a teenager supermarkets shut early evening 5pm.
Love her accent❤
The vast majority of petrol stations are also mini supermarkets so you can get commercial medicines there too. The prices are probably slightly higher than major supermarkets but it is useful.
Great video 👍🏻 Very intresting.
Fun to see different cultures.😊
Great to see you back ❤👍🏽👍☘️
No we like a wee bit of road rage on the backroads even on the main roads 😂 here in Scotland. Interesting video thank you
From what I understand, in Germany they lease a burial plot for a maximum of 30yrs. If at any time the lease is not renewed, the contents of the grave are dis-interred and the plot becomes vacant. In the UK you purchase a grave and it is yours for ever. eg: my Father purchased a plot for two, he an my Mum are now buried there. He could have purchased a family plot but these are very expensive. Royalty and aristocracy usually have a family mausoleum, the deceased are not buried, the coffins being placed on a shelf or in a niche. Our late Queen and at her behest Prince Phillip lie in the vaults beneath Windsor Castle, she lays alongside her Mother (The Queen Mother) Her Father George V1, grandparents and so on. A lot of our Ancient Royals and Nobility are housed in Churches, Chapels and Abbey's across the UK. However these vaults have limited space and can no longer accommodate new burials.ff even our wayward King Edward and his wife Wallis Simpson are buried at Windsor not in the Royal vault but in the grounds of Frogmore.
That is so funny! Thanks for making me laugh!
This was brilliant, going to pop and subscribe to their channel now too! Can anyone shed some light on the cemeteries for me though please, I just can’t comprehend the graves being emptied?
Hey guys, welcome back! Am happy you‘re back again.
It’s so funny to see everybody complains about closed shops on sundays. For me as a german it‘s so great to enjoy that silent day once a week.
To have 24/7 shops is insane and just about making money…
And fact: that’s why groceries are so much expansive in the US&UK.
Berlin my home!! LOVE the shirt!!
I think in the UK we're a little bit tribal, we want all our everyday conveniences in our own neighbourhood and walking distance, going to another high street which might be less than a mile away is like going to another country :) we'll go to the pub in the next village or borough but only if it's livelier than our own, otherwise we're staying in our little bubble.
Love the video -😊
So glad!
A lot of churches in the UK are locked nowadays due to theft, graveyards are normally open all the time. There are fewer pubs/restaurants with open fires, but there are still a few. The narrow lanes you tend to get used to, but I would like to see how fast I can get my van to go on the autobahn.
Great video, as always.
Any german that knows you from your channel would be fine if you talk to them, but any stranger you talk to would look at you with a "WTF does this crazy woman want from me?" expression in their face
About the graves.... I can´t remember the exact number, but my maternal grandparents grave were set up for at least 30 years, possibly longer. But at one point my mom realized that this would mean we would have to take care of them until my parents are high up in their 80s, so a couple of years ago, my parents filed for reducing the time, so it was a bit longer than 20 years, maybe 22 or 23...
I am glad I live in Australia. Our grave yards can be hundreds of years old. If they were emptied after 20 years I could not visit my mother.
Nothing is removed without permission 🙂
At least to my ears (as a German), she sounds thoroughly British-no hint of a German accent at all.
Der englische Akzent, erinnert mich immer an Hape Kerkeling!
There are strict restrictions on opening times for larger stores in the UK on Sundays. Small local shops and farm shops where you might nip in to pick up a pint of milk and some bread are allowed to open longer- but the big suprmarkets and other large stores can only open for a 6 hour window (most choose 10am-4pm).
The reason purchase of medication from a supermarket has to be approved is because there are very strict rules on how much of any one drug you can buy in one transaction- even for those drugs which are prescription free. Also, some supermarkets choose to restrict sales of things like Paracetamol to over 16's, although this is not a legal requirement.
Sadly a lot of UK parish churches are locked some of the time these days- but are open on days when there is likely to be someone around for at least part of the day, even though they will be empty for most of the time.
I’ve been watching Kirsten and Georg for a few years now and I honestly thought she was British.
You’d love the open fires in the pubs here girls because invariably dogs are also allowed in pubs and they usually like to sprawl out in front of the fires. I went out for a meal last week and there were 3 dogs in the pub all being fussed over by the patrons. They were having a great time.
Mooorning Natasha and Debbie. How are you both? Will have to catch up later as just on way out to work :-( Hope you have a great day ahead. ❤❤
Loved this one. Very interesting.
From the remarks Britain sounds like The Shire but both the USA and Germany sound like Mordor.
This couple are very funny. I'm from Australia. I don't understand why you can't get panadol or nurofen for example, from a standard chemist/pharamcy?
You can in the UK, it's just more convenient to buy (and cheaper) to buy supermarket brand of these medicines like ibuprofen, paracetamol etc..
Morning girls really enjoyed the video this morning. Natasha was so funny, especially the part where she was telling us what you could buy at the gas station 😂 I nearly choked on my toast!!!! 😅 ❤ lots of love 🇬🇧❤
Many years ago we worked a five and a half day working week in the UK. The shops opened all day saturday to give the workers the half a day off they closed wednesday afternoon and all shops closed sunday.
It's going to sound boring, but you guys should look into hedges - the sheer volume of wildlife they support is stunning, it may seem like a small thing, but losing hedgerows has had a profound effect on the UK countryside and it's a huge loss to the creatures they directly and also indirecty support :(
Great video! Interesting.
In the uk shops used to shut half day on a Wednesday..some half day Saturday
Some shops in the UK have a slow checkout where you can have a chat
Hi guys i live in a small village of 100 people and have a village church with some very interesting headstones. We have been able to find relatives of the people that lived in our house back to the early 1900's, there young son is buried there after having an accident whilst working down the local coal mine at the age of 14! Loving all the video's and good to see you back 😊
Getting milk on Sundays it's not a problem at all, there are enough gas stations around who are selling that too and central railway stations (in bigger cities) even have a grocery stores with sunday-openings inside for travellers. It's just more expensive, but that would be own fault if not stocking up beforehand (6 days each week of shopping-options are really enough).
We (ok, not everybody) are not only driving foresighted, same counts in stocking-up needed items.
Toilet is free in UK 👍🏼
It's unusual in towns in the UK for churches to be left unlocked, unless they are of such historical interest that they are tourist attractions and are attended. In the countryside some are open, some are closed.
One thing that is very good in West germany is lack of rubbish on the streets & roads,If dogs are found not on a lead they are shot dead.If you break a rule when driving In west germany and get stopped to pay the fine you MUST carry money at all times to pay the fine,if you do not then you pay your fine to a bank with interest,Jay walking across the road is illegal because they offer a crossing to cross the road which costs money.A taxi will drive at you and cause an accident if you are in the wrong and then get the repairs paid for by you.If a 3 car pileup happens the front car claimes off the car behind them then the second car claimes off the third car.You can loose your driving lience if you are in a car and not even at the wheel.You cannot hangout your washing at the weekends,bins should be removed from the street after being emptied and not left out.Parking in the roads have alternate days to park on the roads which eases traffic.The man and wife go shopping and leave the children at home.The older children do the school crossings for those going too and from school.The weekends are very quiet with the shops being closed.every 4th week the shopping time opens all day on a saturday.The very old germans are not keen on the UK because of the World War they lost but being in germany it looks like they won the war,the young generation are not bothered.I was in the UK forces and did stay 3 tours in germany about 2yr stints.
Some shops open at 1pm and close at 6pm on a sunday in Northern Ireland.
In the UK, shops and supermarkets up until around 30 or so years ago, they were closed on Sunday. Since then, one started opening on a Sunday, and eventually one by one the rest opened. Personally I think the shops should have remained closed on a Sunday as every one needs a day off, and with modern fridges and freezers, the need to get groceries daily isn't really needed.
Cemeteries: all human remains must be buried in official (usually publicly owned) cemeteries (Friedhofszwang). Having your grandma's ashes in an urn on your mantlepiece, throwing ash into the wind on a mountaintop (or anywhere), or burying a person in your backyard is forbidden in Germany.
Cemeteries need space but space (land) is rare and very expensive. That's why gravesites are rented to the relatives for a certain amount of time (between 20 and 40 years). Most gravesites are "shared accommodation" for 2-4 coffins (plus 1-2 urns). When another person is buried this time will be prolonged accordingly. When the rental time is up you can decide to extend it yearly (and have to pay for it) or to let the gravesite be removed (gravestones, coffins, and remains). E.g. when my husband died we "bought" (rather rented) a gravesite for 2 coffin burials (+ 2 urns) for 25 years for 2500 €. My mother-in-law then already knew she would die within the next two years and wanted to be with her only child. My father-in-law also wasn't in good health then. As my in-laws wanted to be interred and my husband was cremated (as is my wish) this was a sensible solution as we all could stay together and my children would only have to take care of one gravesite when I'm gone.
The only gravesites that will not be removed are gravesites of significance (historic or artistic) and Jewish graves/Jewish cemeteries.
When I was a kid everything was closed on Sunday, including pubs! Hotel bars were not so if you wanted to meet up with your friends for a drink you went to a hotel.
About churches: Famous churches are mostly open while daytime. Catholic churches are usually open for praying, protestant only open for services.
English country lanes are usually only the width of a car...originally for horse & cart! & the hedges are usually the field boundaries. I was in Berlin for a short visit a few years ago when my daughter was there for a month with the Staatsballet - everyone was really helpful & friendly & managed not to laugh at my terrible attempts to order Erdbeerkäsekuchen (strawberry cheesecake) in German!!
True story guys... About fifteen years ago... I had gone to Morrisons supermarket for our weekly grocery shopping... And while i stood in the queue waiting my turn at the checkout... The guy behind me only had a hand basket with just a few items in it... So i let him go in front of me... And just before he was ready to have his shopping items scanned... The lady at the checkout had noticed that along with his newspaper... A loaf of bread... And a couple of tins of baked beans and half a dozen eggs... He had a four pack of lagers... So she asked him if he had any I.D. on him for age verification reasons... And the gentleman just laughed as he thought she was joking... As this man was clearly not under the age of 18... He was grey haired and obviously in his 70's... But Morrisons had told their staff to make sure that they checked customers I.D. who were wanting to purchase alcohol... Now i understand that this was probably to protect the supermarket from falling foul of licencing laws which prevented alcohol from being sold to anyone under the age of 18... But this gentleman was obviously over 18... But unfortunately he hadn't got his driving licence on him at the time.
The woman at the checkout told him that without I.D... She couldn't sell him the alcohol... And as he wasn't prepared to return home just to grab his driving licence... She put the four pack of lagers to one side and put his other items through the checkout... But while she was distracted... I whispered in his ear... That if he was prepared to wait 5 minutes for me by the main entrance... I would put the four pack of lagers in with my own shopping... As i had my driving licence on me... And once i'd bagged my shopping into carrier bags... I left the lagers in the shopping trolley until i met up with him... We then both walked outside and into the car park... And i simply handed over the lagers he wanted to buy... And he handed me a five pound note... As the four pack of lagers were priced at £4.99... He didn't want his penny change and thanked me for buying the four pack for him... We had a little chat about what had just happened... And how ridiculous these age verification rules were... Especially when a customer is clearly a pensioner... The rules are meant to protect those who are underage.
I am reminded of the (Douglas) Baader àdage: "Rules are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of the wise"
Natasha you would ok here in Germany, if you are fast and efficiant at the checkout! 🤣
Hi Natasha, Hi Debbie, first of all I am so glad you are back. I have missed you and your videos so much ❤🧡💛
Very interesting video from Kirsten and Jörg. There would be a lot to say. But that goes beyond the scope here. I don't want to offend either of them, but I think they're both pretty special. I think it always depends on where you live in a country. Of course, it's different in the city than in the country. The shopping facilities and opening hours differ enormously. And in many places in Germany, it's also possible to buy some groceries on Sundays. In this context, I think it's good that stores in Germany are usually closed on Sundays. The weekdays are already stressful enough and the quiet Sunday slows things down.
Nevertheless, I would like to mention a few things:
The fact that you can't buy medicines in supermarkets or drugstores in Germany is due to the fact that pharmacies were made compulsory for medicines in 1961. Before that, there was no comprehensive uniform regulation. Of course, we can talk about the high prices for simple medicines.
When I'm shopping in the supermarket, I'm happy if it's quick and the customers don't spend hours chatting to the cashiers. I don't feel like standing at the checkout for hours. Of course there is small talk here, but it's not that common. If I'm in a good mood and the time is right, I do it sometimes 😀 And Natasha: Of course you can talk to people in Germany. It's no problem at all. But maybe no one will answer you 🤣 In any case, you wouldn't have any problems getting to know people. Many Germans speak English.
Comments have already been made on the cemeteries. Usually the graves expire after 25 years and the term can be extended. However, this is usually only done if you have a large family vault. Our family vault expired in 1993 after more then 100 years because no one had wanted to be buried there since 1963. There are hardly any really old graves in the towns because at some point there was not enough space and burials were no longer allowed around the churches. There are often still very old graves/gravestones in the villages.
The fact that even villages in Germany usually no longer look like they did 100 years ago is due to WWII and the modernization since the post-war period. The owners finally had enough money for modernization or new buildings. What that then looked like visually is another matter ...
Finally, what would I miss about Germany if I were abroad? Hmm, the classic German food, our bread, rolls, pastries, quiet Sundays, the Christmas season and partly our love of order and that there are rules and laws for almost everything, the health system and stopping at red lights as a pedestrian and the Autobahn 🤣🤣🤣.
Greetings, Gereon
There are so many places to go in Germany and England. In Germany, there's the Köln Cathedral and the history surrounding it. It took over six hundred years to build, and they have been restoring the Cathedral for the last 80+ years. Then, in Hamburg, there is the largest miniature railway in the world. You will need a full day to see everything, now England, of course, there's London, then the beatles Museum in Liverpool, Scotland, Stirling, with the castle and Wallace Monument, then Edinburgh, plus a lot more historical sites, for that, one or two years should be enough, now driving in the UK is easy and the same goes for Germany, on the German Autobahn your not allowed to drive slower than 60 kph, unless you don't have a choice because of traffic or road works, England is similar. I wish you a great time when you come over.
When I went to Germany I couldn’t understand why the taxi drivers and the shop assistants were so rude, I assumed it was because I was English or as I couldn’t speak German (which is probably also true) but when I was sat at a bar or in a beer garden/biergarten EVERYONE was so friendly, bought us drinks, gave us German food which they brought with them. They were so interested in us and our culture and couldn’t be nicer. Complete contrast between work and leisure it seems!
Taxi Driver mostly Turkish or Arabic. They Always rude.😢
yep, on a German Autobahn some can go very fast. But thats no problem, one just need to stay away from the left lane.
(If the English drive on a German Autobahn there might also be some other reasons why cars pass super fast, for instance driving on the wrong lane ;)
The reason for restrictions on the number of packets of painkillers you buy in the UK at one time is to try and prevent people harming themselves. Of course it’s just one measure but worth I think it if it saves one life perhaps.
You can get to most places in UK without using the single country lanes, but some of the best scenic routes can be on the small lanes.
Stop fiddling with your hair 😂
My mum always says that to me
I sort of understand why supermarkets restrict the amount of painkillers you can buy for safety reasons. It might remove spontaneous decisions, but let’s be honest if someone wanted to do the unthinkable they could just go to several shops. You can only buy enough for two days, if you require full dose. There are times when you know you’re getting sick and would like to get a weeks worth (especially if you have nobody to shop for you). Thankfully since I developed my chronic illness I get two months worth (prescription dose) at a time. Although it is very rare I need eight in a day thankfully. Or even every day.
Any medication has negative side-effects - not different for any kind of painkillers like aspirin, ibuprofen, etc. That's why those are only available in pharmacies. And usually pharmacies do NOT close around noon on Saturdays (maybe in very small towns) and there's always emergency pharmacies around the clock outside of regular opening hours.
Hi from sunny Scotland 😂 the fish and chip shop that i go to in Largs on the river Clyde, called the Fish Works, they do Gluten Frèe fish and chips and they uses a separate fryer for this,there fish and chips are that good that i take a forty minute drive to get there.😁👍
I love it when you call the UK sexy. We do try 😁
We’ re used to driving in our environment. We can floor it on motorways (up to 70mph) Anything beyond is a bit silly to us.
Since this is about Germany, I was reminded about the final episode of Blackadder goes Forth. I don’t think you’ve done a reaction to this series, the best of British TV.
I think Natasha and Debbie should have a Discord Channel.
Can I point out that there is an Apotheke (Pharmacy) within most large supermarkets in Germany and if there isn't one its not hard to find one.