Did American stereotypes turn out to be WRONG?
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What did you always want to ask a German? In this mini-series, I'll be answering your questions! One per video :) Check out all previous #askagerman videos here ▸ • #askagerman
This time: What are the most typical stereotypes that Germans have of Americans? And did any of those turn out to be wrong when I came here? Are Americans really fat, fake, and uneducated?
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0:00 Intro
1:26 Babbel
4:00 American Stereotypes
5:49 Fake friendliness
11:15 Being judgy and cliquey
14:54 Outro
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ABOUT ME: Hallo, Servus, and welcome to my channel! My name is Felicia (Feli), I'm 27, and I'm a German living in the USA! I was born and raised in Munich, Germany but have been living in Cincinnati, Ohio off and on since 2016. I first came here for an exchange semester during my undergrad at LMU Munich, then I returned for an internship, and then I got my master's degree in Cincinnati. I was lucky enough to win the Green Card lottery and have been a permanent resident since 2019! In my videos, I talk about cultural differences between America and Germany, things I like and dislike about living here, and other experiences that I have made during my time in the States. Let me know what YOU would like to hear about in the comments below. DANKE :)
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When I lived in Germany (I'm American), an English friend of mine emphatically told me that he was spoken to by a complete stranger at a pub and that that would never happen in an English pub. Further proof for him that Germans are "more outgoing, social, and approachable." That same week, a German coworker returned from a trip from England and emphatically told me that the English are "more outgoing, social, and approachable." Moral of the story? If you are a stranger and in a state of mind such that you are open to conversation, people are more willing to talk to you.
I think it's more a state of pity for strangers in a strange land - more still if the poor bastards took it on themselves to take that kind of trip all on their own with nobody else to keep them company. I wouldn't feel unsociable if I knew half the people in a pub and just wanted to be by myself, but you put yourself in the shoes of someone on their own and think you'd hope that someone would do the same for you and invite you over.
well obviously the british are more social because their culture is essentially the same as the american culture, and americans are known for being social.
Northern English are talkative and friendlier than southern English who are cold and standoffish.
@@skullisfuckingdead5584 Are you sure Americans are know for being social??? Lol
@@josephbowman1092 London
As an American, my stereotype of foreigners is that they all have a lot of stereotypes about Americans.
Say it louder for the people in the back!!! Lol
I always thought this too. It just feels like we're all they can talk about. But then I just realize I'm stereotyping them the same way.
That sounds a bit sterotypical.
Unfortunately, that is part of human nature. As a German, of course, I also experience that everyone has prejudices against Germans. fun fact: we even use a swear word for people who behave particularly "German" in the sense of prejudice: Alman
@Rockemsockem the prejudices against Germany are still often shaped by the Nazi era and the Hitler speeches are often used as a reference for the German language. but I can understand that. Germany's greatest impact on the world in recent history was World War II.
I met an Australian, a Brit, and a Canadian on a cruise. I was 12 when this happened. The parents of these people tried to tell their child that I was an American and we all are fake friendly. 21 years later we all are still friends. We wrote to each other monthly before Facebook now it's Facebook. The Canadian I saw monthly. He lived 45 minutes from my house. The Brit and Aussie I tried to see every 2 yrs. We stood up in each other's weddings and we all saw each other's first borns in the hospital. Covid has unfortunately put a damper on our travel plans.
I am an American and have friends from around the world. They are all lovely people. I never think of a person as a country. People who stereotype are ignorant.
That sounds very Cool...Miracle Whip ?
She is actually right you are fake friendly.
OMG this NEEDS a book!!!
@@sinsinsinat5377. what! And I thought we were good friends.
Historically, people who migrated to the USA did so without traveling to join family members. That meant almost everyone was a stranger and they - as strangers - had to learn how to get along with everyone so they could cooperate as strangers to survive. The friendliness isn't fake - it is a key to success.
that's an interesting thought. I grew up as an American military brat and went to a variety of public schools. The ones 'on base' populated by other military brats were friendlier partly because military brats knew most assignments were for 4 years or less, no time to waste, might as well say hello to the new kid.
Not really true of Germans, especially after the first group came over. My ancestors came in the 1850s. While the initial group did have to navigate the landscape by itself, that group reached back to bring over more kin. My baptismal parish church in SW Indiana was originally populated by families, mine included, from three villages proximal to each other then that are incorporated as one since 1972. That was very typical in the European post-Revolution period. Same trend for many German settlements in Southern Indiana. A better explanation is our mobility and the reduced Old World bias to kin who live in the same village since forever kinda requires that ability to be more outgoing.
That may have been true then but I'm not so sure today. From personal experience people are pretty fake. I once had a teacher describe me as "Too honest".
Not only that, Americans also expanded and populated the wild west relatively recently in historical time. We met strangers frequently and had to talk to them.
related to this when people left new york or chicago to head out during the wild west times, if you did not trust a stranger , wild animals would get you, you would starve or related dysentery, or get attacked by the spanish, outlaws, natives, etc etc, as the saying goes a million ways to die in the west, so you had to trust strangers and make friends quick,
the problem with being in the US and learning to speak another language is just the shear dilemma of choosing which one. So is often recommended to learn the language of a bordering nation, and taking that advice to heart, I've decided I'm going to learn to master Canadian
Me too, don't ya know!
@@garyco766 I'm from Wisconsin. That makes me bilingual, American and Canadian.
You’re going to learn Canadian, eh?
😂 Ikr. Its definitely different.
Yeah, usually we end up learning Spanish because of Mexico.
As for the politics thing, Americans have always been able to be passionate about their political beliefs, but since 2016 is really when it got to a point where people have trouble even tolerating a difference of opinion.
Many people believe that their opinions are infallible facts. There's a fundamental disconnect and disregard for reality these days that I personally find disturbing and impossible to accept.
( regarding some cases ) Hate is not "a difference of opinion" & intolerance of bigotry is not oppression.
It started before 2016
@@cahinton. Then there are some that do research on and do find facts on things. One being that America is in fact in a Recession the other side denies it as they redefined what qualifies a period of time as a recession. Banks collapsing often is a good sign that a recession is happening so is large spikes in inflation. The problem is with politics is that you have those people that vote blue no matter what. Then you have those people that move from one state because the politicians have really destroyed it. Then when they live long enough in another state to be able to vote, they end up voting for people with similar ideals to those in their old home that ruined it for them thus destroying their new home. Texas is popular to move to because taxes are less, and the state does not collect income tax and people can own guns and people don't just go full hostile when they see it like some people in California would on seeing a firearm. Then you have people that bring up their ideals and their source is CNN MSNBC even Fox or don't even have a source. They wouldn't know the facts if it sat on their face. I accept that people have a differing opinion. But when they say mine is misinformation and hate speech when it isn't either of those that is what ticks me off. People really should read 1984.
As a German who lived in the US for a couple of years, I can fully agree to your observations, both ways. To sum it up, Americans are just more relaxed and easy going than the typical German.
I agree.
It's funny how Fell says Americans sugar coat things to protect everyone's feelings when in Germany you literally go to prison or get executed for speaking the truth about g0dz ¢H0$N PeEpL
Also in America we don't have Nazis
@@bobbyknight3589you sure about that?
@bobbyknight3589 oh yes we do!
I’ve worked retail, sales jobs, and countless other jobs and I think Americans are just brought up as way more social people and our ‘small talk’ is really just our way to pass time and generally being friendly. Our stereotypes are blown out of proportion but surely has it layers of truth.
I've only really didn't time in Berlin, Heidelberg and Oldenburg, and I was ill most of the time I was in Oldenburg, so didn't really get to mix with people there. I was surprised at the friendliness of people in the other two cities, but suppose that they are more multicultural than most. When it comes to small talk, I think we Australians are generally less reserved than the English, but my impression is that we are more reserved than most Americans -- though there's an urban-rural divide in both countries, with country people often being less talkative, except in environments where small talk is expected like a pub. But in both countries we would see taking an interest in someone, even a stranger, as valuing them as an individual.
We never talk about anything really serious. Politics, religion, sexuality, race anything controversial is off limits. Perhaps, the fact that your interlocutor could have a gun in his (or her) pocket stifles that sort of discussion. Yet, if we cannot discuss it, then the problems just smolder behind the "Have a nice day." façade.
@@silverstreettalks343 Here in the US (especially in Texas and the Southern states), the *rural* areas are the ones with the better reputations for friendliness and willingness to talk to strangers. I think that it might, in part, come down to the fact that so many of us are armed. We tend to feel that, should a stranger prove to be dangerous, we are capable of handling the situation. This feeling of being equal to, well, everyone, means that we don't have to be so on guard with strangers (unless their behavior warrants it). As a general rule, the North East of the US (and Chicago) tend to be the least friendly parts of the country; with cultural openness towards strangers (and expectations of hospitality) tending to increase as you go south and west. Of course, even New Yorkers (our equivalent of Parisians) often seem welcoming and friendly compared to the cultural expectations of most countries.
The European way of Thinking Americans friendly = Fake Japanese friendly - Smart Business people.
@@randlebrowne2048 I agree with the East to West generalization of openness, but not necessarily the north to South. I find midwesterners in general are quite nice, at least as much as say Louisiana or Mississippi people, but they may not be as talkative or as loud generally.
I tend to think that Americans' ignorance of other countries comes from the geographic reality of being an ocean away from almost everyone. That does not excuse ignorance, but a lot of people just don't care to learn things that aren't directly important to them. To a European, the interconnectedness of countries makes that knowledge more useful... to a poor kid in SE Ohio, unless they are naturally curious or interested in history and culture, they may never care at all. I think that also explains the "fake smalltalk" (I'd call it interest) in people from other countries when they come here. Most Americans will never leave this country, mostly due to economic reality (there's a lot of unseen people outside of the cities) whereas traveling to other countries is very normal and common to Europeans. Visiting other countries, in terms of distance and etc, to a European is fairly similar to an American going to a different state in terms of mileage.
And the fact that we have to learn 50 states just to know our own country, so we hit our Dunbar Number before we learn the other nations.
It’s a similar deal with the general lack of multilingualism, there is no real incentive. English is the closest thing we have to a lingua franca, so unless you intend to spend a lot of time in a specific nation overseas then what exactly would be the pressing need to learn another language? Spanish would be the exception here, but that largely comes down to where you are in the US.
Ignorance of other countries would not be much of a problem if US foreign policy wasn't such a problem for the rest of the world.
I think it is just the poor general education system.
Thanks for typing everything I was thinking watching this video and saving me from having to type it. Obviously, I agree with you but I will add a couple of more observations. I've been to Germany a couple of times on vacation and had my own stereotypes about them particularly in the rude mannerisms I expected. I didn't actually find that to be completely true as most everyone I interacted with were fairly outgoing and I didn't run across anyone I considered rude. Maybe I just got lucky. And also, I completely agree that in Europe, traveling from Munich to Paris for example is like driving from my home in Denver, CO to Wichita, KS. Not much of a trip and I'd also bet that if you asked most Europeans to point out Kansas on a map of the USA, or even Colorado, they'd have just as much trouble doing it as most Americans would pointing out Liechtenstein.
One of our customers at work was an elderly German gentleman that was a young child in Germany during WWII. He emigrated to the US in the 1960s. Whenever he came into the store he was all business and never into smalltalk and most of my coworkers didn't like to deal with him because he was so gruff. I started to wait on him every time he came into the store and would engage him while I was waiting on him but just one topic per visit. My maternal grandmother was from Germany so I talked to him about her. Then I told him about my previous job working for a US subsidiary of a German manufacturer. Little by little, I wore his gruff demeanor down and he would engage in small talk. Eventually, we discovered that he had a great sense of humor. My boss would get pissed about the amount of small talk that I engaged in with the customers as he didn't understand about building a rapport with customers. We had customers that had second homes in the tourist area just north of us and we might only see them once or twice a year. I could greet them by name as they walked in the door a year after meeting them for the first time. I would remember where they lived the rest of the year, what their wife and kid's names were. My boss couldn't even remember the names of local customers that he had for 20+ years. My boss asked me one day how I could remember all of their names and where they lived, I told him it was simple, smalltalk. If you don't take the time to get to know someone how can you ever build a relationship. I didn't work for tips, I just wanted to make people feel at home. We all have something in common but if you don't talk to people you'll never know.
Lovely. You perfectly embody the true motivation of small talk. Genuine interest in other people. Sometimes the attention you give to a stranger could be the only human interaction they have all day. Your kindness can make a crappy day feel better.
Tldr: i didnt read it
What a lovely comment...Thank you for sharing your story, your kindness and life wisdom🌻
I do good to remember people's names that I've know for years. I can remember a thousand tiny details about them but not their name. I'm one of those assholes that gives everyone a nickname lol.
Dude you understand how business works. Good boy! :)
As an introvert, I made negative assumptions about others because I would think they were negative towards me. As I developed, my sense of humor came out and I became much happier. Now, I don't really care if they think about me poorly. It's their problem! I have learned a lot about people by engaging in small talk.
The reason judging and cliches in high school are made so much of in American movies is that it exists as something most people have been exposed to but is disliked by the great majority of people rather than something most people accept.
I think you are right. And in any case, the vast majority of kids grow out of that kind of behavior (if they were ever catty to begin with) before they leave high school, and certainly before they go to college or the workplace.
Since America is such a huge country, I think stereotypes would vary from region to region.
That is right.
Even relatively identical twins being raised in the same house act different and perhaps no stereotype is 100 percent true ...
Continent!
Regardless of the stereotype, lol, the jokes the rest of the world tells about the US, I hear mostly about Texans.
As an American these stereotypes are mainly true in big cities
When I went to high school decades ago, nearly every student took a second language. Our choices were French, Spanish, and German. I took French all 4 years and even a couple years in college. I was reading French novels in college. The problem is that there is often no immersion possible here so you will lose that second language quickly. it's just the nature of the beast in the U.S.
Yeah I went to high school in a majority Hispanic town, but then I left and no one speaks Spanish so it's hard not to be solidly monolingual
If you wanna keep stuff like that, you gotta continue consuming media from that culture. Easier now with the internet, netflix, etc.
That was probably more true back in your days, but there were always ways to keep up, reading novels, listening to music etc. But with the internet now, there's no actual obstacle anymore. Everything from other countries is accessible especially when it comes to European languages. Really easy to integrate in your daily life.
Do you actually think the area matters that much? I am a German myself, but KZhead (and the internet in general) does let me use my English skills on a daily basis, even through I nearly never have to use them in real life. I think one of the biggest misconceptions Americans have about Europeans is that the (relatively!) smaller countries and the open boarders make it automatically a daily thing to actually cross them. But that's definitely not the case, except you are a truck-driver or you live so close to a boarder that you're neighboring settlement is basically already in a neighboring country. Most Europeans will only go to another European country when they are on vacation and therefore didn't decide to use their holidays to relax at home, travel within their own country (e.g. visit their family) or travel to Thailand, Egypt, Australia,... whatsoever instead. So they leave their country maybe once in a lot of years.
@@Gebieter yes it does matter alot for daily life. Spanish isn't a language I use on a professional basis and where I currently live only 3% of the population speak Spanish fluently, so it's just not a part of my day to day culture. Where I used to live around 70% of people could speak it. Most of my friends and colleagues were bilingual, which gave a great incentive to learn the language on a casual level. We Americans are spoiled in that English is the lingua franca of the world so its not a requisite to learn another language in most professional settings, so unless there's a social incentive most people don't learn other languages. You can obviously, but it's more difficult without incentive and regular use.
You're definitely correct that politics is not something to bring up in polite conversation. It's the quickest way to start an argument, and make them mad.
Hey Feli, I'm around your age and also in Cincinnati. My fiancée is German and in the last year I've spent over a month in Germany and would definitely agree that culture differences can skew perception. To me, Germans feel VERY cold but they don't mean it in a rude way, it's just the cultural difference. Just like Americans to some may appear "fake friendly" but like you said, it's just a cultural difference and people fail to understand that. My fiancée definitely felt that Americans were fake friendly at first as well. I think as far as the judgmental aspect, in my opinion Americans are very judgmental at a younger age and most grow out of it with age. As an American, there were a LOT of cliques in school that would never associate with each other and now that I've had High School reunions people are able to come together and make new friends with people they would've never talked to when they were younger.
I think that we can all agree that teenagers tend to be emotionally immature idiots. Of course, like everything else, Hollywood tends to greatly exaggerate things for drama as well.
Don't know how I should think about it. I mean even after I heard this I still think it is just fake friendly. Additional to this I often heard if a US american asks "how are you" he just want to hear "good" not how you really are. And a german if it is not a complete stranger would tell you the truth. If they would be two germans which give just short answers (so mostly males which talk in a pub) they will say something like "muss ja" that is a german way to say 'shitty as always but I'm still alive' anyway but you will get a more or less serious answer to this question.
As a French Canadian myself I truly feel very sad about your bf. Wish him good luck
The general term "American" really doesn't describe anything here. Midwesterners are a mix of southern, northern and western cultures. Illinois is technically the midwest, but more resembles the north East, Ohio, Missouri and Kansas are a nice blend of all the regions. In the North East of America you have much more direct people (boston, New York), in the South it's almost the opposite (Southern Hospitality), the West is more laid-back in their daily lifestyle, but can also be very Cliquey (California), the North West is mostly Rural, so you have a direct communication and "hicks" perceived as "assholes" but these people wouldn't pass a broke down car on the highway, because they've experienced it before and had to walk 2 days back to civilization, and would never wish that hell on anyone. America is extremely diverse. You can find a microcosm of most world cultures here because America is comprised of immigrants from all over the world. Saying America is the greatest country in the world might be considered opinion by many foreigners, but is considered a statement of fact when spoken by immigrants who live here now, and have a basis for comparison. Even if you were born here, chances are your grandparents have passed down stories of the atrocities they experienced in their native land.
@@KS4RonPaul Even most Americans don't recognize that anthropologically, there are at least 11 major "cultural regions" consisting of otherwise identical middle class white European immigrant descendants. The true number is probably far higher, and doesn't begin to include the hundreds of immigrants who maintain their own cultural identity as well.
I think part of the reason Americans do "small talk" with complete strangers is because most of the people we see in a day ARE strangers. The US is ENORMOUS, and people tend to have to drive miles from their homes just to do simple tasks like grocery shopping, etc. Even in my hometown, which has about 50,000 people in the city limits, I see people I don't know every single day when I'm out and about. It's also very common to drive for hours to go on vacation or to events, and it's normal to move a thousand miles away for a new job, etc. If we couldn't handle talking with strangers, we would perpetually be in a state of social crisis here.
Well, though that is a theory that might have some merit, it doesn't apply to Germany. The things you described (shopping, moving) also mean basically only meeting strangers in Germany, even though the US is way larger. The only place where German people wouldn't be strangers would be a village of maybe 2000... I think Germans just meet their friends and socialize differently than US-Americans do.
That's true everywhere unless you live in a tiny village. I'm not from the US. Everyday I leave the house I encounter strangers at the same rate you're describing. Most people I see ARE strangers. I don't recall ever randomly running into someone I know at the movie theater. I truly know max 300 people by name in my 2 million city. Strangers surround me ALL the time... it doesn't really matter if some Americans have to drive 50 miles to the nearest grocery store, if they always go to the same one, they get to know the cashiers same as anywhere else. And if they drive 50 miles for food, well they really live in the middle of boonfu*k where actually most people probably know each other... it's the people on Manhattan who have no clue who they run into in the subway. Your theory is drenched in American exceptionalism. It's actually true everywhere.
My guess why some people might get excited when finding out you from Germany is that person might not get too visit Germany in there lifetime therefore when meeting a German it's like Germany coming to them..😮
Ja
This young woman’s observational skills are outstanding.
As a German the phrase 'Good for you.' was an eye-opener. It is commonly used throughout the English speaking world and it's meant honestly. In German it would be understood ironically almost all of the time. (with the meaning 'it's only good for you, but not for me!')
„Making each other’s day better by being friendly to each other.“ yes, Feli. That’s smalltalk in a nutshell and why we in my culture also consider it not to be fake and unnecessary. You got it exactly right ❤️
9:40 - that's exactly it! Most people just are genuinely interested in other people's stories to hear about them and learn from them, even if it's unlikely they'll ever see them again. With you being from Germany specifically, it's a good story for them to tell friends... "I met this German girl who was really interesting because..."
One could call that nosy🤔
👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾
I'm generally very interested in other people's stories and cultures. I'm not working for tips. Lol Even if I never see the person again, it's cool to hear what other people have to say. I love different cultures (and food).
@@karinland8533 Except it's not nosy to show an interest in someone. Nosy is when you ignore boundaries that get erected. If someone implies they don't want to share and you persist, that's nosy.
@@Mayrego While travelling through Arizona and California a few years ago I made the experience that even a waiter wanted to know where we were from. That was none of his business in my opinion. Neither was I interested in where he was from. He did his job and we were customers.
While "over there," I've turned one German stereotype to use, to break down their wall of reserve, just by saying, "Verzeihung, aber ich komme aus Texas." That phrase has almost invariably brought out a smile and, suddenly, it's *they* who want to talk. Thank you, JR! (I started small talk with someone on the ICE from Berlin to Frankfurt [in the quiet section], and ended up helping his son with his college English projects over Zoom over the next couple of months. Respecting whether someone is open to talking goes a long way...) (I've found the aversion to "small talk" in the US, too, particularly, in densely populated areas with lots of tourists, like urban California and New York City.)
Oh yes, Texas is an "interesting" state. If you had said "I come from Iowa." the response would have been different. 😂
The high school clique stereotype you see in high school movies is a cinematic trope established in the 80s by people who went to high school in the 60s and 70s. It was on its last breath in the 90s when I was in school, but I'm not surprised that it's gone now.
It kind of stayed around until all the millennials graduated, which is why I say that Pew is wrong saying '96 is the last year of the Millennials.
It was not accurate for the 60s and 70s either. Another Hollywood fiction.
As a high school student in the ‘70’s The click thing didn’t exist then either.
Cliques existed in the 1960s. They usually formed at about 8th grade. The kids from professional families started hanging around together and look down on everyone else, especially the kids of factory workers.
The part about "fake friendly" made me laugh. I live in Wisconsin and for the most part people are super friendly. For instance if you go to any sports bar and say you are visiting people will buy you drinks and talk to you about where you are going and how you are doing. And you can usually spots people from my state in other areas too due to the super friendly.
About a decade ago, while I was still doing massage at the spa, and we had a lot of international guests, I met a couple from Ireland. They came in for a couples massage three times, and that last appointment, I happened to be free after their massage was done, and their plans fell through. I asked them if they'd like to see one of our more beautiful state parks, and they trusted me enough to get in my car and go with me for a walk at Green Lakes SP here in upstate NY. They just seemed so nice, and I knew it would be fine. I will never forget the guy's expression when a chipmunk - something he'd never seen IRL - ran right up to him to see if he had food. They were delighted. It's sort of sad to think I probably wouldn't have that memory if they'd been a German couple. I did work on a couple people from Germany, but yes - they weren't as open.
Yes, if it's possible to ascribe personality traits to an entire nation, I would say that Irish people in my experience are pretty open to small talk, chatting and friendliness. And yeah, they can tell some awesome stories.
@@johnalden5821 My personal favorite thing I've heard from Ireland is that you can meet someone on a street tell them your entire life's story maybe share a pint, then never speak to them again.
I grew up in Fayetteville. Green lakes is beautiful
@@TheRockkickass I took them all the way down to Round Lake, and showed them the National Landmark sign, so they could say they'd seen one 😆
@@christineherrmann205 love it!
Who is complaining about the videos being more than ten minutes? We like hearing you Feli.
I can understand why folks from different cultures may think our friendliness is fake. However, I converse with strangers (especially ppl I meet from other countries) because I am genuinely interested in other people’s interests, views and experiences. There’s a selfish aspect to it-it increases my knowledge base about the human experience-but there also is a giving aspect as I am doing the same for others whether they appreciate it at the moment or not.
I learned German in high school and college, but I've really never had enough opportunity to hear or speak it here, so I've retained very little. Spanish is the only foreign language most people would have any hope of using often enough here to retain in most of the US, unless they specifically live in an immigrant community. Most newer immigrant communities will have Spanish, or non-European languages. The older European communities are all just normal English speaking Americans now.
I grew up were many kids were first or second generation American. The area had lots of Italians, Germans, Czechoslovakian, Polish or from parts of what is now Ukraine . But our parents and Grandparents wanted to be Americans and tried their hardest to learn english and insisted their kids spoke english outside of the home. I so wished I had learned Italian and German not just Czech and other Slavic dialects as a kid.
Except Hungarians. I've met 4th and 5th generation Hungarians who speak fluent Hungarian, they learned it as children at home as their first language. They tell me that when they visit Hungary they speak it fluently with little or no accent.
@@RichardDCook Hungarians are a linguistic / geography oddity. Their language doesn't have commonality with Germanic, Latin, or Slavic language. Finland is like that like that too . It doesn't connect with Russian or Swedish or Norwegian. It would almost be like finding a group of people the Congo that spoke language closer Shawnee Indians than there surrounding areas.
The all vid is kinda untrustworthy. The lady's just another creep asf. Waste of time
If you live twords the upper portion of Maine knowing French comes in handy due to proximity to French Canada but you're right. I loved learning new languages in school it's just sad that they were of no use.
No need to apologize for the length of the video. I'm sure most would agree that your videos are always interesting and fun to watch, so it's really irrelevant how long they are. Make them as long as you like 😁👍🏻
I'd say you're approaching the part to be so wonderfully American -- conflicted, accepting and just sincerely enjoying the gray area!
I’m from the south and went to graduate school in the northeast. Big difference. Southerners will and do talk to anyone. In the northeast it was much more reserved and private. Talking to folks you didn’t know was almost seen as rude. Different cultures. BTW go to Ireland. They really really talk to everyone. Very friendly people. Love your channel!
In the big city many people do not have time to stop and talk to every stranger, and if you tried, you'd be EXHAUSTED.
These days Florida and Texas have become different PLANETS. They want to go back to 1850.
@@treetopjones737 good. If you don’t like it then stay out.
I think every stereotype always has a bit of truth in it...and some more than others. I know the small talk from baristas and waiters/waitresses is something they're forced into from the corporate. Most of us who worked in those fields would have been happy to just be normal friendly and get the job done. Great video as always, Feli!
I mean no one is forced at gun point to be nice lol a lot of people who are in customer service like being around people in general
As someone who used to work on a restaurant that's not my experience. Most Americans are just nice in general unless you give us reasons not to be
@@CM-uq8ro I didn't say Americans were not friendly. I'm one myself and worked in food service. But the over the top friendliness that has become stereotype may often seem fake because it is. When I worked for Starbucks, if all I said was, "Good morning, what can I do for you today?" Then, "Thank you, have a nice day!" That wasn't enough for corporate. Their guidelines mandated I keep up a steady stream of conversation with the customer the entire time including asking details about their day and their personal lives.
The European way of Thinking Americans friendly = Fake Japanese friendly - Smart Business people.
@@pendragon2012 When I was a Barista at a local coffee shop in my hometown which is also a college town, being friendly was easy because our customers were easy going intellectuals. Conversations were thought provoking and many friendships were made.
loved this video and yes, it is regional to some degree. I recently moved from San Francisco to the American south. One of the reasons I moved was because I felt people had stopped talking to me. When I first moved to San Francisco it seemed I could strike up a conversation with anyone, I talked to homeless to CEOs, but SF being a port city the population changes and tech brought in a bunch of well-educated youngsters seemingly not very interested in talking to anyone outside of their 'channels.' There are many reasons to move to the South but number 1 to me is people here usually acknowledge anyone who comes anywhere close to them, a nice mix of politeness and friendliness and people take time to talk, to the point I've had numerous very deep conversations with complete strangers and meet new people almost everyday. It is sad that some people associate openness, curiosity and consideration as fake but as you say there are cultural differences. My philosophy is to radiate good energy and if people aren't into it, that's on them or perhaps they are in some sort of misery.
As a Canadian who lives beside the US, who comes from Dutch parents, these videos are hilarious.
As for knowing other languages; Americans tend to approach learning another language in terms of usefulness. With that criterium, Spanish is the language most Americans study and are likely to be able to speak, especially on the west coast and southwestern states. When I tell people I study German they invariably ask, "why, when are you going to use it?" In California where I live, Spanish is the second language after English followed by Tagalog, Vietnamese, then Cantonese.
I think the problem with politics in America, and people not wanting to speak to others who don't share their political views is a relatively new (last 10 years or so) issue. I never really noticed it before then.
I hope we all just get along.
My family hosted a lot of foreign exchange students when I was a kid, which was a wonderful intro to other cultures. After awhile I realized that, essentially, everyone is the same, only the details differ. Everyone wants to have a good life: good health, freedom from major threats, good family, good friends, good food, to enjoy life, to be respected by others, to fall in love. All the other stuff, as important as it might seem, is just detail that isn’t nearly as important.
I'm really glad you made a video on this! It's refreshing to hear such positive opinions about us because I usually expect a lot of negative ones. Regarding about the stereotypes, I can understand why it's like that. Only around 40% of American's have passports which isn't surprising to me. American's are pretty much secluded from the rest of the world (apart from Canada and Mexico) so we don't really have any interests about other countries because it has nothing to do with us for the most part. We'd have to REALLY be interested and willing to learn about them on our own time but most people don't care to and are fine living their daily lives. That's why I feel so lucky and grateful that my dad travels for work and that my mom is from another country because it gave me an interest at a young age to travel and experience different cultures around the world. Also, I find it sad when foreigners think we're being fake when making small talk. We do it because ,in most cases, we've never actually met someone from that specific country/area. So of course we'll want to get to know you more because we're curious. When I worked front desk at a hotel, I remember being excited when I met a German family. I chatted with them and it turns out they were originally from Berlin but had moved to the US a few years ago because they loved the people and lifestyle here. Since I've already been on an exchange trip to Germany, I felt like I was making a connection with this family as we got to talk about various places we both liked in Germany (the father hated Berlin though lol). Same thing happened when I met a lady who was originally from China. I only knew certain phrases and the numbers 1-10 in Chinese but she was excited to hear me say them anyways and it made my 8 hour shift at work more bearable. Even if it's seems miniscule, American's can usually find some way to connect with someone they just met. Funny thing is that I tend to be quiet around strangers, but it's something I love to do if I'm given the chance. Again, I really appreciate you talking about this and putting us in a more positive light compared to others. I just subscribed and I'm looking forward to watching more of your videos! Greetings from Texas
I don't know about Mexico, but I live a few miles from the Canada/US border with Michigan onnthe other side and most Americans I've met don't know.mich about us in Canada, even those right near us.
@Terry French Its really about the same as far as a deeper understanding of Canada or Mexico, most don’t have the slightest clue about either or most other places for that matter, and I’ll admit first I don’t know everything about either but since school time has already passed, I prefer to learn from people themselves that are from different places, since they tend to be educational or enlightening in some way. Unfortunately some just aren’t highly interested nor is it equally taught in most places if taught at all. Or lack of emphasis on learning certain things, the examples could go on. One more equally important thing to understand is if your a less curious person initially the chances of being considerate or aware of the anything besides where you live is lower than most imagine, people tend to realize this later in their lives at varying times of their lives but obviously not everyone does. I personally want to travel but it’s not quite financially practical for me yet plus this vaccine fiasco puts another obstacle there. One day I’ll get there sir
A lot of Americans do want to go outside of North America. It seems Millenials are the ones pushing to travel. I'm willing to bet in the next 5 years 50% of US citizens will have a passport (it might be more than 50%). The US government doesn't have the staffing to get passports approved. It took me 10 months to get my daughters US passport. I applied for it when my daughter was 4 days old this was before COVID also. I'm part of an American parenting group and the wait time for a new passport is 6 months. Millenials are also wanting to live in a foreign country. I lived in Germany and Switzerland. I was always amazed how many Americans were backpacking across Europe when I lived in Germany and Switzerland. About 25% of the friends I made in Germany and Switzerland were from the US. My brother was chosen to open a TV news branch in Cuba. He lived in Cuba for over a year.
Maybe people wouldn't consider your small talk to be fake if they can feel your genuine interest. Might work better if you start with the common "where are you from?" but right after dig a little deeper to show your interest. Probably asking about certain sightseeing spots, traditions or language of the distinct place of origin would prove that interest but obviously it's nearly impossible to know much about these places and ask such questions that require a little more knowledge (except for well known cities like Berlin).
I think I know why they consider the small talk fake... because I am from the other side of the pond. People usually don't engage in small talk in other countries, they develop friendship in groups and talk to them. It takes longer to make friends there but you know people better because they are more honest with their expression, when they don't like an idea they will express it, unlike americans who speak in a very cliche way by trying to always say something funny or avoiding politics or more sophisticated talks. Its a cultural thing, some like it some dislike it( like me 😂)
Related to friendly small-talk; when I was a young student of the German language, and I encountered German visitors, I wanted very much to speak with them, but often couldn’t find an ice breaker or conversation starter, at least until my command of German improved.
I have to say that the politics issue is new. I'm old (at least my students tell me so!), and I remember Democrats and Republicans could debate issues in the governing chambers and afterwards go have a drink together. I worry about our country a little because we are losing the ability to have civil discourse and mutual respect even if we have differences of opinions.
Sadly, we seem to actually be in a "cold" civil war right now; with two distinct, and mutually exclusive, ideologies trying to assert control over public institutions. This has been building for decades; but, things have escalated dramatically over the last 8 years or so.
This is the main problem with allowing anti-democratic speech to flourish in the name of democracy. It leads to self-termination. Democracy must be allowed to preserve itself, but at the moment, no such safeguards are in place. So now a third of the country genuinely believes that fascism will improve their lives, and the other two thirds don't. This is an irreconcilable difference of reality. The issue isn't a lack of unity. After all, no good can come from unity with fascists. Rather, the issue is the insistence upon allowing fascism to thrive in a supposedly democratic nation. Put simply, the destruction of freedom...in the name of freedom. Many Americans truly believe that we should have the freedom to end freedom itself, or else we will be infringing on someone's freedom. This would all sound extremely silly to a German, because Germany has strong anti-fascist legal framework in place (though not strong enough, some might say).
This "'cold' civil war" that RB talks about has happened because we have lost the ability to have civil discourse. It is possible to learn from one another, if we can learn to have that civil discourse. There are basic issues where unity can be found, and then build from what is agreed upon. It is true--sometimes on some issues, we only can agree to disagree, but disagreeing does not mean we have to treat each other with contempt. You keep working from the agreed upon issues and compromise. When civil discourse is embarked upon, mutual respect is also possible. We learn that each side is well-intended and wants the good outcomes for all. We just feel we should go about it differently.
@@markseare9274 I'm not so sure about that. The problem is that there is a segment of society that literally believes that *everything* about Western civilization is *evil* and *racist* . They want the abolition of "whiteness" and "masculinity". This side no longer believes in even the *concept* of objective truth; preferring to change definitions rather than having to live with them. They are frequently heard chanting slogans like "No truth but power". This side prefers collective guilt, and mob rule, to individual rights and " innocent until proven guilty.
@G E T R E K T Yes it is, and it always has been. Don't even start that clown shit. "B-but it's a republic!" Yes, republic just means a government that does not derive its authority from a royal family. That has nothing to do with the democracy-autocracy axis. Democracy means legislative power is vested in the People. Autocracy means power is vested in one person. You can have a democratic republic (like America) or an autocratic republic (like Russia). I'm being very generous taking the time to explain this to you because I'm tired of seeing the same ridiculous statement parroted by uneducated people handing over the reigns of democracy to the elite few by parroting the schizoid rhetoric they give you. Stop giving them what they want.
A couple years ago I walked the Camino with my wife and her cousin. We met two German women who were also on the Camino. They were both wonderful and we all had a great time describing our lives and adventures in Europe. They both spoke better English than we did! So much for my three years of high school and college German classes.
I am an American with three German grandchildren. We have spent over two years in Germany over a period of six years. I have lived in Australia when I was young and could do a video like this comparing the differences. You are exactly correct with you statements about both Americans and Germans.
+1 on how culture is reflected in language and vice versa. I spent 6 years in Italy with the US Air Force between 1968 and 1978 and hung out with Italians. 40+ years later, I find, much to my surprise and pleasure, that I'm still relatively fluent in Italian. My German and French are at the basic tourist level, however. Although I can get myself fed and find a place to sleep in those languages. There's nothing that I like better than flying into Frankfurt or Milano and either getting on a motorcycle that I have stored or getting a rental and heading into the hills for a couple of weeks - avoiding touristy spots and enjoying the countryside and towns. On a completely different note, I just found out that there is an Austrian baker near me who makes a strudel to die for - almost as good as being in the Tirol. Without the scenery, however.
Okay, I have no opinion on your views about stereotypes for either the US or any European country. Mainly because I am unqualified to have one, but I will say, your personality and speaking skills are top notch. Well done! I'd like to think people are people, no matter their origin.
For the most part, Americans are fairly friendly, and genuine, but this does differ by region. In Ohio, you have the advantage of "Midwest Nice". Los Angeles and the East Coast are a bit less friendly, and people keep more to themselves. Texas and other Southern states can be really outgoing and friendly, but this does sometimes border on fake. There is the Southern, non-invitation, where someone will tell you that they are planning on inviting you to dinner soon, but that day never comes. In Texas, there is much more awareness, and concern for others, than in the Washington DC area. In Houston, if someone behind you inline at the store has just a few items, and you have a large order to ring up, you typically offer to let them go ahead of you. I have done this in Maryland, and people are usually shocked you both noticed, and let them cut ahead. Even though I went to high school in the DC area, I never noticed how self-involved people were here, versus Houston. As for cliques, that is more Middle School and High School, and tends to dissipate by college.
I laughed out loud at your comment regarding letting someone else go ahead of you in line because I did that (I live in Houston) just a few days ago at an Aldi. Not only was the gentleman elderly but was only purchasing a bag of oranges, while I had quite a few items. To me it's just plain good manners to look at the person behind you in line (especially in stores that don't have express lanes) to see if they only have a couple of items, especially when your own cart is pretty full. Plus, it feels good to help put a smile on someone's face.
Regarding the Southern non-invitation, what about the Northern (big city) "let's do lunch" non-invitation? I suspect each region has its own version.
In The South we've also perfected the "sounds like kindness, was meant as an insult" comments, because it's not socially acceptable to just tell someone your negative opinion. You gotta cleverly insinuate.
@@JBWinter Well, Bless Your Heart!
@@PlugInRides The most polite insult/acceptance dichotomy to exist and that ever will exist. Truly Zen.
As an immigrant I’ve always appreciated how Americans will take the time to talk even though I don’t know them. The American gift of gab is definitely a great treat for anyone that isn’t from the US.
I LOVE to listen to Feli ramble. I guess I like to watch and listen. The perma smiles with the insanely cute dimples along with the words annunciations kills me in a good way 😅😊
I live in Cincy and I find it routine to strike up conversations with complete strangers. In fact, lately it seems people like to talk SO much it’s difficult to detach from the conversation! It’s all situational, but very little of it is fake. But it is amazing how much one can learn about strangers from a casual conversation.
I just like that Feli makes our city seem way cooler than it really is.
@@jonathanemslander6896 cincy is cool in its own, oddball way, and it’s all unintentional
@@sl2115 Lol
I think it is absolutely fun to do
The thing is, it's all relative. I understand the British, especially the English, tend to think Americans are too direct. And the Japanese are known to be incredibly indirect. And I agree with you with respect to Americans being less judgmental. In my experience I have found Europeans in general, and Germans in particular, to be very judgmental.
The Aussies are direct and I love it.
I'm 6'11" (211cm) and I've lived in multiple countries and traveled all over the world. All the countries where people supposedly mind their business and/or don't randomly ask people personal questions, sure as hell doesn't apply when you're tall.
Yeah, I mean 6'11 is gigantic so I'm sure no matter where you go, you are going to get a lot of attention.
I'm actually very relieved to hear that you don't necessarily agree with the negative stereotypes after you've gotten to know us!
Talking to strangers is like cracking open a new book.
Es ist schon sehr interessant wie anders der Umgang dort in den USA ist. "Nicht gescholten ist gelobt genug...", so kann man kurz und bündig den Umgang hier im Schwäbischen bezeichnen. Aus anderen Videos habe ich gelernt wie das in Amerika gehandhabt wird. Während man hier in Deutschland einen Fehler sofort, und eventuell auch lautstark, quittiert bekommt, wird in Amerika das rethorisch ganz anders kommuniziert. Du hast es in deinem Video anklingen lassen. Ich habe das auch schon in meinem Umgang etwas adaptiert. Weil ich das gut finde, tue mich aber damit schwer. Aber ich werde weiterhin daran arbeiten. Ich bin sehr dankbar für weitere Informationen in dieser Art! Das ist für mich sehr interessant. Denn im täglichen Umgang bei der Arbeit kann man damit auch hier in Deutschland viele Pluspunkte sammeln.
"'Nicht gescholten ist gelobt genug": so'n wunderschöner Ausdruck
@@florisvansandwijk6908 Ist schrecklich. Sehr schrecklich. Im Ernst ist's schwaches Lob.
As a german I really love your kind of speaking american english. Your Voice would be a reason to hear radio when I am on my way by car through the USA. Thanks. I love your positivity.
I had worked with several Swiss people at my job in San Francisco. Some people I got close with and others not as much. But when I went to Zurich for work a few years after they left, most of them made a point to come meet me for a drink, even the ones I didn’t know as well. I found it very kind that they volunteered to take time out of busy lives just to see me.
That is why I wrote above out of sight, out of mind with Americans. That was according to a Scottish woman I knew . She has lived here for decades and so have I and I agree. I do not expect from Americans such things. So I gripe about superficially of relationships with Americans. It feels empty here
As an American, I actually preferred the German bluntness. Granted, I only went there recently as a tourist, but it was still refreshing. I absolutely miss the bakery I went to in Berlin, so warm and welcoming. As someone who's gluten and dairy intolerant, not easy to find a bakery that caters all their menu items to that here in the states. Especially the south where I currently live. Love your vids!
I think this is super interesting. As a French teacher here in Cincy who taught English in France, I find the French culture reflects the same differences. Americans seem fake to the French and I agree I have never felt more judged than living in France. There is a cultural pressure not to stick out. And as a high school teacher in rural northern Cincinnati where I have plenty of gothic students, or even students who come in dressed in cottagecore/ vintage… they’re raised to be such individuals. I love that. There is like one counter culture in France, and I’ve always found those types of French folks so refreshing. If you aren’t around long term in most French people’s lives they don’t see it as worth it to have any contact or encounters with you. Americans usually genuinely want to make sure people have a good impression when they visit.
Wtf is cottagecore. Do you mean normal?
@@brandondavis7777cottage core is role playing living in a country cottage essentially
@@PerksJ So...like Bavarian cultural garb? Something similar to that?
Well maybe if the were specifically role playing a bavarian milk maid style. I’m talking about my American students who dress is simple linen dresses, flowers in their hair, and do a photoshoot in a field.
@@PerksJ oh, that's not cottage core where I'm from. That's just normal here. But thank you for explaining.
Feli, I love that you have some longer videos, because it feels like I'm actually watching an episode of something which really is what I want. Your insight is very useful in different ways, so 😊 👍 thanks!
Having visited the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and Austria I have seen firsthand the wonderful cultures and people of Europe. People are mostly just people wherever one goes. There are differences culturally, but that is the good stuff to enjoy. We as Americans tend to think others believe we are more than we are. Most of those I encountered are happy to be who and where they are. And wouldn’t trade it for anything else, all things being equal. There are exceptions of course, but we must accept that most are proud of who they are, and for good reason. Of the 217 or so countries in the world approximately 198 of them are free to self determination. We do not have the freedom market cornered, it dwells throughout the world. Our friendliness stems from a concern for our fellow citizens and is engrained in the fabric of who we are. We are taught to be curious about everyone and everything. This expands our horizons, and helps to understand more points of view. But of course there is a point we try not to cross. Encroaching on ones privacy is taboo, but that is incumbent upon the individual to keep themselves. Friendly small talk is way we show love for one another in an unobtrusive and socially acceptable way.
The friendliness comes from the Irish, Americans don't care about other citizen. If we actually cared about other Americans there would be more interest in public transit, live-work communities, 15 minute cities, and all around focus on true communities.
@@KRYMauL That's an uneducated view of how the country developed from the early parts of the 20th century and the Highway System expansion in the early 1950's by Eisenhower.
@@jongordon7914 I mean up until the 1950's I would agree with you, but after that period all the small towns lost their sense of community.
Your socialist view has no bearing on the subject of the video.
@@KRYMauL No, the same sense of community still exists today.
Feli, you are always welcome to go over ten minutes in all your videos. I think Waiters in America are interested in small talks and not doing it to get a tip. They know the tip will come because in America people tip in resturants. I also noticed visiting Germany four times now that when Germans find out the person is from USA they love to talk to them as many don't see Americans every day.
I had a Japanese exchange student talk about how amazed at how much more athletic Americans were than he thought from stereotypes. I didn't have to heart to tell him that Boulder is probably not a good representative sample of American fitness.
When I lived in Britain i found that while Americans overstate things- the Brits understate things - like a presentation.
As a Texan, I *hate* when people say "how are you" or "how you doing" 😑 .. so disingenuous... just say "hello" for christs sake
Once again, your videos show me just how German my American parents that grew up in a predominantly German part of NY raised me. Also, whether it's a cultural thing or the fact that I am about as introverted as a person can be, this American loathes small talk.
I got the coldness and less emotional connection from my dad but my mother was hyper-emotional so it sort of balanced out 😂 and that's not a bad thing, as I need to be able to make instant connections for my job.
As an older American (71), I find it annoying how younger people these days (in the U.S.) exaggerate so much. Where we used to cheer or clap - today they scream and whoop...for everything! Where we used to say something is nice or even great, today everything is "awesome." (I'm rarely in awe of anything, much less something inconsequential.) And when you're dealing with wait staff or clerks, etc., whatever you order or say is "perfect." And I want to reply "Thank you, but really I'm far from perfect."
Then stay home you outdated curmudgeon! Let young people be happy before they inevitably turn into a sourpuss like you!
Harrrumph
Feli, I really appreciate how genuine and honest you seem in your videos. It makes them fun to watch. Plus, your comments and opinions seem very honestly held and sincere to me (as in, not expressed just for likes and subscribers). Thanks for this, and please don’t stop. :)
Yes! I've noticed that too, as a European, who spent many years attending an American school. It's not fake friendliness, and Europeans aren't more "real", they're just more suspicious and pessimistic. It depends on how you look at it. I found it very difficult to integrate back into European society afterwards. I make friends with people at the park for like an afternoon, fully realising I won't be seeing them again. This is not at all common among my peers. But I truly enjoy other people, strangers. I really don't like the guarded friendship circle here tbh, I prefer letting everyone join in.
I'm so glad to hear your experiences have been mostly good! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and opinions. I find it interesting to learn from you and find it sad when you start to wrap it up. You're good! Always leaving your audience wanting more!!
i’m like a little bit too nice and genuine, I usually get screwed over. it hurts my feelings quite a bit when I am an open book and nice to new people and they are nasty to me
The one video of yours I'm very happy to watch!
Small talk contains a treasure trove of information that is always easy and convenient to grasp and understand. It’s the small packets of information that always enriches and enables your life.
I was in a diner in SW Colorado where the owner of the diner was a nice older gentleman who moved there from Seattle after a long career with Microsoft as an engineer where he made a very decent living. There were 4 Germans in the booth next to us who were mocking the man in German, assuming that both he, and the people in the booth next to them (us) didn't speak German. He was very nice to them despite their unimaginably rude actions. It was painful to watch and the exchange made me appreciate American kindness as not superficial but usually real.
I, too, know enough German for that to have made me very angry, and I'm not sure I would have taken it in stride the way you did. In fact, I know enough German swear words to have made my exit from the diner quite the memory of America for them. 😡
I am fluent in 5 languages, including German and Spanish. Once I was with an American friend while I lived in Madrid. We were in a large elevator in a well known department store, Corte Inglés. My friend is somewhat overweight. We were speaking our native language, and this guy starts making comments in Spanish about my friend's size, that there are so many obese Americans, etc. I turned to the guy and said in Spanish, "How can you be so stupid to speak Spanish in Madrid, thinking that people speaking American English can't Spanish? He goes, "Oh, I'm American, a Latin born in the US. I said, "what does that have to do with anything? What you did is just plain RUDE!" The others in the elevator were cheering me on. The only time I condone is when people pay lovely comments in a foreign language:)
@@multilingual972 hero moment!
Making despective comments about others in their presence believing to be on the safe side for speaking or hearing another language is an absolute No Go! You are always free to do so privately even though it may not be your nicest trait.
@@hannofranz7973 ding ding ding Yes!
Hitler is dead, but Elvis is still around. What part of Australia are you from?
My family immigrated to the USA from Bavaria in 1920s. I know nothing of it! Makes me sad.
Such well-detailed, beautifully expressed insights, Feli - fantastic video! 😊👏🏼❤️
Here’s a stereotype, are all German girls this smart?
I am a jock and a nerd and a metal head, while in college I was in every group but also not in any group, I always did my own thing. That is what is great about not caring what others think and living in Ohio where others are usually OK with you being an individual.
Hi Feli! I really enjoy your videos and was in Germany in 1981 while in the US Army. Overall it was a very good experience, I spoke to a lot of people and got adopted by an elderly WW2 Wehrmacht veteran. That was sort of fun. There were no women in the Bundeswehr yet so I was sort of unique :-) I never made it to Munich but I went to Heidelberg twice. Loved it.
Liebe Grüße aus Deutschland wo auch immer du jetzt Lebst :))) (Greetings from Germany where ever you life now )
Then greetings from Heidelberg! I'm glad that you enjoyed your experience.
You make me smile. You're very insightful and explore interesting aspects of German and American life. I could listen longer, you have a lot to say, you are a good teacher.
Incredibly insightful and nuanced.
you have to live in a different country to understand the differences but if you're making judgments of other people in other countries you never visit or been to that is ignorance in its own right.
Hi Feli 🙂, Thanks for all the insights into culture and language differences 👍 One thing I might point out to you is that culture varies wildly in 🇺🇸 between states and regions and even counties. Even in California, where I live, the culture varies from north to south and from coast to inland. I would guess culture varies in 🇩🇪 from location to location as well 🤔
I am an American of German descent, and I really appreciate your honesty, and your descriptions of our two different cultures, even if it is sometimes in the negative. Keep up the good work. I really enjoy your videos.
There’s nothing quite like having a super personal conversation with a stranger. If you won’t see each other again, all the more reason to be all the more personal. But if, for example, you’re at a new job and you’ll likely know coworkers for a long time; it generally takes a lot more time to open up personally to people.
You are generally such a nice person. Thank you for sharing! While I agree with most of what you say about small talk and being judgey, however there is the term Mid West nice. The Western part of the USA is generally populated with nice people. Also there is the cliché of Southern hospitality. However I live outside New York City and this whole metro area where we have the opposite reputation. But even here with some exceptions I think people are generally ok as we generally have the same television & movies so similar culture. Keep up the good work!
In the UK it's the same, we do a lot of small talk, it's an Anglo cultural thing. Believe it or not people are actually mostly genuinely interested and it's not just pretend. It must be pretty grim in Germany if people have this unfriendly closed attitude.
As an American, American small talk has ALWAYS given me stress. I have places to be, that I will now be late to, because Bob from my old school class wanted to talk about nothing for 10 minutes at the grocery store
@@JBWinter just say you don’t have time to talk tf
@@bluescoobysnack9791 The fact you think that works is hilarious. Most people will continue to talk at you regardless
@@JBWinter ahem. Walk away. Who cares if they think you’re rude. If you’ve already made it clear you don’t have time then it’s on them if they want to be mad about it.
Feli, you are absolutely delightful regardless of which side of the ocean you are on. Thanks for being you.
That were absolutely energetic and positive vibe! Thank's Feli! Interesting too.
We don't mind your videos being over 10 minutes long, Feli!
It's nice to hear such a positive description of American culture 🙂
You might like a channel called "Lost in the Pond"
@elgatofelix8917 oh love Lost in the Pond.
Wow, I'm so impressed how well you understand our culture and express that understanding in fabulous English! I ran into a hiker from Germany on a local trail, here, a couple of years ago. I knew it was outside his comfort zone, but he was nevertheless incredibly gracious and willing to go along with my desire to know more about him and to find common ground between us. I even showed him that my hat had been made in Rottenburg (I can't get an XXXXL in the US). He could have mocked me for such trivialities but didn't. I'm grateful to him for the memory of that conversation.
I'm really glad that you have had such a positive experience. Unfortunately, those positive experiences are not everywhere and there are a lot of negative things about some areas. I try to always be kind because you never know what someone is going through. There is also a difference between "sugar coating" things, being blunt and having tact when conveying information or even just conversing. I would love for everyone to have such positive experiences! 😊
I'm from Ohio and living in Germany, and it's refreshing to see a German who actually lives in my country not dismiss is as being "fake". Holding doors for people, chatting in line, and remembering our pleases and thank yous is not fake, it's how we are raised to treat each other, and it makes us happy to be nice. I have a real contempt for the judgemental attitudes I've encountered here in Germany, but rather than changing my clothes or who I am, I simply do/wear what I want and not care what they think. And why should I? I'll never see those people again, and even if I do, so what? I've gone to the grocery store in my neighborhood in NRW in my sweat pants and a tank top, and if people have an issue with it I just smile WIDE at them and/or tell them to mind their own business. One thing living in Germany has done, it's built me a hefty set of ovaries.
Hehe. You totally sound like a German right now though ("I'll never see those people again, and even if I do, so what"). You are accurately describing the German mindset: These are strangers, so who cares.....?
"All generalizations are false, including this one." Mark Twain
I just love your whole outlook 🤙🏾
Another interesting, honest and entertaining vid. Feli! ........ 👍
One rather stereotypical American habit Feli has picked up is that her default facial expression is a smile.
She's doing a KZhead vid. You want her to frown?
Same as the American habit of $$$.
^Stereotypes are not necessarily accurate.
@@davidb2206 Don't hate the player, hate the game!
I think your right about the political differences separating people. I think that's a flaw in the American culture, my wish would be that we could talk and disagree about politics the same way we can talk and disagree about music.
Politics is very important. If people are just idiots and talk about the weather, who solves the issues in the country? Political differences should be about solutions, not throwing over each other (that's where I agree). I hate fellow Germans talking about non-sense and stupid stuff like Coffee or how the work was. Instead they should focus on solutions of society issues.
@@doom9603What would be the use? Our leaders don't listen to us anyway 😢
Just catching up on your experiences. I had a whirl wind trip in 1967 Poland England, France Italy and Germany. Glad to have your openness and descriptions the value is priceless and fun to watch. Keep it up the good job. Ray-Ray in Tucson. New Orleans is a cool place to experience. Very best
Nicely done!