I'm a Canadian living in Germany. I landed an internship here and have been working here since the beginning of May. Here are some of the main differences I've come across in this country.
People are a bit thinner overall. This is especially pronounced in Berlin, where it seemed like the vast majority of people are in fit.
People smoke way more here in Germany.
Travelling between cities and even countries is really cheap.
It is impossible to get tap water in restaurants, and the average German seems to think it's weird to ask for it. This includes places like McDonald's or other fast food. Basically, you can't get water for free over here.
You need to pay to use public restrooms over here.
The proportion of white people is much higher in Germany than in Canada.
Beer is extremely cheap over here and you can drink it in public.
Everything is closed on Sundays aside from cafes.
Overall it's been a pretty big culture shock.
Ryan Flores
Fuck off Tai Lee
Julian Phillips
Ching Chong Ping pong
Ryder Perez
> people are in fit.
Hans, warum?
Nolan Turner
Are there cute german boys
Joshua Sullivan
Tell us more
Jeremiah Campbell
> This includes places like McDonald's or other fast food. You really asked for tap water at McDonald's?
Cooper Adams
They don't have tap water?
Meme country
Jonathan Barnes
>Beer is extremely cheap over here and you can drink it in public. >You need to pay to use public restrooms over here.
germany confirmed for roller coaster tycoon simulation
Gabriel Barnes
We have tap water but you normally don't go to a restaurant and ask for it like a beggar
John Bailey
>Travelling between cities and even countries is really cheap.
What? I think it is extremly expensive. For a trip of 200km with the ICE (long distance highspeed train) I have to pay around 40 Euros.
To not get exhausted on some hiking trips to neighbouring countries.
Oliver Torres
This. Asking for something for free is literally begging. Probably the reason nobody does that.
I once did get free water, tho. Wanted to get bottled water without gas but they did not have that. So they gave me tap water for free which was really strange.
Adrian Hall
Are Germans more friendly than Canadian people ?
Jack Richardson
It's fucking water what's the problem? Our governments realized this a long time ago and made it a federal law that tap water from restaurants was to be free.
Tyler Thomas
We're under the assumption that if you're such a fan of the lowest form of hydration you can just consume it at home instead of going to a restaurant to ask for tap water. If you're going to spend money on a meal prepared by someone else, you shouldn't have an issue buying a glass of mineral water as well.
Jason Rodriguez
Sounds like communism to me
Tyler Perez
>The proportion of white people is much higher in Germany than in Canada.
Matthew Perry
I'm surprised your tap water is even drinkable.
Xavier Campbell
>You need to pay to use public restrooms over here. Fucking what???
Zachary Diaz
>It is impossible to get tap water in restaurants, and the average German seems to think it's weird to ask for it. This includes places like McDonald's or other fast food. Basically, you can't get water for free over here. This really confused me when I was there. In any cafe or restaurant over here, as soon as you've been seated, you're given a jug of water and glasses, you know, in case you're actually thirsty. I don't understand why they don't do it in Europe.
Jeremiah Reyes
Why don't you use meinfernbus
Camden Turner
You can occasionally find some small bullets in it, but as long as you own a water filter, you should be alright.
Jayden Ramirez
It costs money to wash the glasses and it occupies the waiters. Also quite often the profit margins on drinks are significantly higher than they are on food, they calculate their foodprices with people ordering at least 1 drink as well. It's a loss for the restaurant. I usually order a glass of water with my beer, that is fine since you're already consuming something and the added cost of washing that 1 glass is negligible.
James Garcia
I actually quite liked this. It was only like 25 euro cents, but they were always immaculate. Most public restrooms had someone stationed there all day to keep it clean.
Wyatt Cruz
Only in big cities that are infested with scum The alternative are India-tier shitholes frequented by druggies
Josiah Richardson
It is full of brown people. But yeah, it is way cheaper. Still it takes way more time and is not as flexible (bus goes maybe 1-2 times a day).
Jason Powell
>It is impossible to get tap water in restaurants, and the average German seems to think it's weird to ask for it. This includes places like McDonald's or other fast food. Basically, you can't get water for free over here.
Is this a North American thing? I think in most of Europe this is quite strange.
Leo Young
Well, someone has to be paid to clean these places, pay the water and electriciety bill etc. etc. So one way or the other you are gonna pay it anyways. Probably with your tax money if it is public.
Ayden Richardson
I don't know. I only encountered paying to go to the washroom once in my life. It was in a Latino shithole.
Why can't you guys just let people use the washroom when they want and clean it regularly? That's basically what everyone else does.
>Well, someone has to be paid to clean these places Unless it's a stall in the middle of the forest, maintenance should fall to the property owner. I always felt that this was common sense lol.
Joseph Reed
>and clean it regularly who? goverment paid workers? no thanks we already have enough of those
Andrew Lewis
>the property owner. Which is literally you when it is a public place.
Carson Long
>you can't get water for free over here >you need to pay to use public restrooms
third world tier
Luis Kelly
>who? If it's public property, then government paid workers, if it's private property, then the private property owner/s
If the government cannot maintain their own shit, then you guys should throw some molotovs at government officials until tax rates are accordingly reduced. :^)
Not really, it's the government. If they take taxes then they should pay, otherwise why are you paying taxes?...
Samuel Cruz
>If they take taxes then they should pay, otherwise why are you paying taxes?
Are you really that dumb? If they had to pay for that they would just take more tax from you. Simple as that. You would literally pay tax so that other people can have a nice, clean shit.
Xavier Reed
>government has no money to run free public shitters >lower tax rates will solve it! By the way the North American public space is deteriorating and crumbling because of your deathly paranoia of taxes. It's impossible to maintain first world infrastructure on such a dime budget in the long run.
Charles Hall
>By the way the North American public space is deteriorating and crumbling because of your deathly paranoia of taxes. Canada has decent infrastructure. We pay high tax and we have good public services.
Connor Ramirez
This, Europe and it's inhabitants disgust me.
Jack Fisher
in bars and restaurants restrooms have to be for free (for costummers of course)
Matthew Diaz
>If they had to pay for that they would just take more tax from you. Simple as that.
>government has no money to run free public shitters >lower tax rates will solve it!
No my little children. German income tax is 0-45% depending on income, property sales tax is 3-7% approximately depending on where you live, sales tax is 7-19% again depending on what you're buying, corporate tax is just below 30% after including solidarity surcharge and trade tax.
And you asshats are telling me that after all these taxes the government is too poor to clean some toilets?
I would ASSUME that I'd be paying for washroom maintenance if I'm paying taxes for anything I do in Germany.
As I already said, IF they cannot pay for their own maintenance then actions should be taken to reduce taxes to a certain level where normal people would not expect washroom maintenance because of how low their taxes are.
>By the way the North American public space is deteriorating and crumbling because of your deathly paranoia of taxes
Canada has some of the highest tax rates in the world and we have some of the shittiest infrastructure around. Taxes are more by parasites to shit on normal value generating people, not to maintain roads or washrooms lol.
William Price
>ITT third world anglo niggers too poor to afford a toilette
Mason Martin
>we pay way to much tax
Doctor, doctor gimme the news...
Still: extra cost is extra tax. They will never cut costs somewhere else (especially since most money goes to social stuff). Most of the retards in Berlin are teachers and what not and have no fucking idea how to handle money.
Noah Watson
Normally the toilets you have to pay for are run by private people
Aaron Campbell
WHY DO THEY LOVE SODA WATER SO MUCH
Also what's the deal with their hate for credit or debit cards
Juan Bell
I went to Europe a few years ago. Heres some other differences I noticed:
>France Beer is shit, in fact there isn't really a beer culture there to begin with. The wine is great though, and often good value.
>Berlin Everyone hates the police. I swear 1 in every 20 people over there has an ACAB (all cops are bastards) tattoo on them.
They have these stores called Spatkaufs which are like Milk Bars that stay open all night and sell super cheap beer. You can get a 500mL beer for 60-70 euro cents. People drink and chill out the front of them like they're pubs or something.
>Barcelona Scam artists and pickpockets everywhere, not something I've ever worried about in Australia. The city itself is beautiful but certain parts are very seedy. The main touristy drag (Las Ramblas) is probably the worst area, I recommend staying away from it.
>UK Very similar to Australia, only permanently raining and 20 degrees colder. Similar prices too.
>Croatia Like a budget version of Italy and infested with young Brit tourists. I also noticed a substantial difference in food quality between East and Western Europe.
>Prague Beautiful city, unfriendly people. Nothing has really changed here for a few hundred years, it really feels like a time machine.
Colton Roberts
>Berlin
Why?
Sebastian Cook
>I also noticed a substantial difference in food quality between East and Western Europe. how so?
Angel James
Food from the supermarkets in most of the Eastern countries I visited just didn't taste as good. I was meeting a mate. I thought it was pretty overrated and full of wankers, plus the Germans there are really xenophobic to Anglos. I was physically attacked on 2 separate occasions just for speaking English.
Benjamin Wood
>I was physically attacked on 2 separate occasions just for speaking English. Doubt.jpg
Henry Wright
I can't prove it, so you're welcome to doubt it. Just telling my experience.
Liam Adams
>I was physically attacked on 2 separate occasions just for speaking English. based as fuck
Eli Mitchell
It really is the biggest shock to me. A few times I've gotten my German friends to ask the waitresses for tap water and they invariable turn up with some 200ml bottle of water that costs 2.50 euro.
Asher Cruz
I've been using flixbus and I've made round trips to most cities in Germany as well as Belgium for ~30 euro round trip.
Adrian Collins
The Germans I've met here have all been very friendly, but the language barrier is a problem. I don't think I could make a fair comparison.
James Morgan
So much about "hurr German is useless they all speak English" :^)
Daniel Morales
>I was physically attacked on 2 separate occasions just for speaking English.
Where the fuck did you go? This is literally not true dude, dont know why you would lie like that. You were probably drunk and an asshole. Germans havent hit a single person since WWII.
Josiah Diaz
>Germans havent hit a single person since WWII. 1. There are not only Germans here 2. You give shit you get shit 3. Anglos were never liked here 4. Berlin is third world
Christopher Ortiz
I was having a beer with my mate outside one of the Spatkaufs, we were sitting on a long wooden table and there was a group of Germans at the other end. They looked like punks or something. Anyway after 20 minutes or so one of them bursts out "Fuck off Americans" and start blabbering away in German at us. My mate speaks it and he explained that we were Aussies, and told him to chill out. The guy got more and more heated and ended up coming and standing over us like he wanted to fight. He wouldn't leave for ages and things escalated into a fight.
The second time I was buying a drink from a small general store and some guy bumped me on the way out and started muttering shit in German. Anyway believe it or don't, maybe I just had very bad luck but it left me with a terrible impression of Germany.
Chase Howard
focking gommies and their socialist water
Jordan Powell
When I arrived in Berlin I expected to see refugees everywhere but 95% or more of the people are white. It was extremely surprising.
The only public restrooms that are free are in sit down restaurants. Even in fast food places you have to pay to use the restroom. In some train stations the washrooms are 1 euro.
Jose Sullivan
>I was physically attacked on 2 separate occasions just for speaking English. Get fucking rekt, Ausshit.
Jackson Perez
>Nothing has really changed here for a few hundred years, it really feels like a time machine. Could you expand on this?
Easton Gomez
It's just extremely well preserved, most of the city is composed of buildings dating back at least a couple hundred years. It doesn't even feel like a real city, more like a massive museum.
Charles Carter
Paying for the restrooms was brought up not long ago. In McDonalds mainly because of Vandalism, in the Trainstation because beggars and junkies started to live there.
Dylan Kelly
>most of the city is composed of buildings dating back at least a couple hundred years
That's very common in all of Europe you know.
Parts of my city are 1000 years old.
Zachary Peterson
Well, you went to Berlin.
Kayden Rodriguez
Thanks. Now I'm interested. Might visit it some day
Carter Murphy
This. It's mainly to keep poor people out. The same reason a lot of public benches were removed.
Jaxson Parker
>maybe I just had very bad luck but it left me with a terrible impression of Germany. mmmhh at least our punk scum does domething right
Benjamin Perez
Auslad here visiting prague next weekend. Any pro tips?
Alexander Martinez
If you're going to a restaurant, you'll always get tap water for free. That's the first thing they bring to your table: A carafe of water and menus.
Leo Scott
Is this common in Norway? Never seen it here.
Aaron Flores
Here in Canada, you always get a glass of water when you sit down at the table. They'll bring it out before they even take your drink order.
That's sit-down restaurants, though. It's not common to ask for water in fast food restaurants, from what I've seen.
Nicholas Lopez
Unless it's a place where you go to a counter to order. Although I'm sure you can get it for free there, too, if you ask for it. I've never been to any of our michelin star restaurants, but all of the high end places I've been to give you water. As do the low end places. If it's a really low end place you get plastic cups instead of glasses, but you always get your water. And it tastes good, too. None of that chlorine-shit that they have in some countries.
Jaxon Gray
Yes but Prague stood out for some reason. Maybe because the architecture was especially unique and beautiful Budapest is a cheaper, grimier and funner version imho. I definitely recommend it. If you ask the locals for directions don't expect them to help. Other than that it's a fun place, the castle is worth a look too.
Nathan Harris
Here they often ask you when they hand you the menu if you already want something to drink. But that wont be free.
Hunter Diaz
Here even shitty fast food restaurants provide free tap water. I heard somewhere they're legally obliged to, although I'm not sure about that.
Lucas Cooper
Are you the one that shat himself in front of some punks?
Levi Fisher
No I was attacked by them though.
Hudson Ward
Where do you live in Canada, because where I live we are manly white and statistically white. I think its 96% white population, and its mostly that really
Brandon Lopez
...
Logan Morris
Toronto is like under 50% white
James Cruz
Americans are not white tho.
Benjamin Hill
When I was in Germany I had no issue asking for leitungswasser or whatever it's called
Levi Campbell
Thats what I was getting to, Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto are pretty massive city with immense amount of immigrant
Joseph Ward
That's bizarre, I thought there were only cuckolds left in Germany.
Jose Martin
You will get it when you ask. I think the main problem for the most people is to ask for it. They expect that everythink will be there already.
Jeremiah Smith
He was comparing Berlin, one of the largest cities in Germany to equivalent Canadian cities.
Brandon Evans
>friend falls down while riding a bike >lying on the ground >every german passes her by and refuses to help her up
why do germans do this
Robert Howard
>Pay for your meal >Ask for perfectly drinkable tap water to go with it >beggar
Landon Carter
>one of the largest cities in Germany It's not one of the largest. It is the largest. Get your shit together 2bh.
Brody Roberts
germans i've met were really reserved and indifferent
canadians are kinda shy people naturally, but at least people will nervously acknowledge you and say sorry or excuse me
William Evans
I was going under metro areas, of which Dusseldorf is the largest.
Zachary Hill
You mean agglomeration? there is mp Düsseldorf Agglomeration. It's called Rhein-Ruhr-Area and it is not a city.
Isaiah Baker
>there is mp there is no
>even people that visited here have zero knowledge about what they saw
All you say is just such an emberassment.
Grayson Cruz
do you live in a major city?
my hometown has 20-30% of the population as a visible minority. not really a bad thing because the town died long ago due to collapsing steel industry and immigration alongside a fuckton of government investment is fueling a revival/reinvention.
Kayden Reyes
It's a megacity, you angry little man.
Adam Gutierrez
""""Out of respect"""" since she doesn't need help from others to get up
Edgelords the society
Brody Young
Yeah, that's what I just told you. Read this stuff you give me maybe you will remind a little of it.
David Wilson
100% this There are basically no brown people anywhere near me. It's I think 97% mostly British and French white and 2.9% Amerindian/Metis up north.
OP just isn't from actual Canada. Probably from "America 2.0 Now With 44% More Maple & Hockey!!!"
William Hall
>Yeah, that's what I just told you. If by "told" you mean "didn't tell" then yeah