foreign [Music] the Dark Side of living in Germany hi everyone welcome back to my Channel today I'm talking about the dark sides of living in Germany there are plenty of great things about living there but like every country it has its drawbacks as well we'll take a look at some of these potential issues and you can decide if they'd make life difficult for you or your family so stay tuned to find out more on this intriguing topic one bad internet connection Germany's internet connection is known around the world as one of the slowest and most unreliable in Europe and let me tell you it can be quite frustrating when your Netflix stream keeps buffering or your Zoom call suddenly gets disconnected it almost makes you yearn for those simpler times before the digital age it is one of those negative sides of living in Germany that you only get to know if you stay there for longer but why are we stuck with this less than optimal service well unfortunately it boils down to two things lack of infrastructure investment and Antiquated telecommunication regulations essentially providers don't want to splurge too much on new technology since they already have an existing system in place which means you end up getting what feels like subpar performance on top of that lawmakers here tend not to adhere strictly enough to competition rules which stifles any potential improvements from rival companies entering the market 2. staff at Auslander berhoda German immigration are so rude if you've ever had The Misfortune of dealing with German immigration then you'll know that it's not always a pleasant experience the staff at the Auslander bejoda are notoriously rude and unhelpful making it one of the negative sides of living in Germany it may seem like this rudeness is intentional but upon closer inspection it seems to be more rooted in cultural differences Germans tend to be much more formal than any other countries when interacting with people whom they don't know very well this often leads to misunderstandings between immigrants and those assisting them outside the Auslander Beholder an awkward situation for all involved there have been several attempts by government officials and public figures alike to improve communication between immigrants and their counterparts at the Auslander while some progress has been made as far as etiquette goes there is still a great deal of room for improvement on both sides something which many visitors find disappointing each time they visit Germany's immigration office 3. difficulty in making friends as one of the most populated countries in Europe it may surprise you to hear that many foreigners struggle with making friends here for starters directness isn't a joke in Germany people are incredibly blunt which can make social interactions feel uncomfortable for those coming from more indirect cultures it is one of those dark sides of living in Germany that nobody wants to discuss making matters worse is the rather reserved behavior of your average German person privacy and personal space are held at very high regard over here not only will you find yourself keeping conversations surface level but chances are shocking news or gossip won't do too well either 4.
no air conditioners ah the summer in Germany the time of year when all the locals are busking in sunshine and enjoying the best of what Nature has to offer except for one thing can you guess what it is that's right no air conditioners yes my friends living without air conditioning in Germany can be a real challenge especially during those hot summer days you may find yourself wiping sweat off your forehead every few minutes just trying to stay cool a little bit of wind will help a bit but unfortunately there isn't much around these parts which can make things quite uncomfortable it is one of the most annoying negative sides of living in Germany and while yes some people do have access to an AC unit they aren't as readily available or common as they would be if you were living somewhere else like America or southeast Asia where hotter temperatures Prevail throughout the entire year so don't expect any Joy from that direction unless you want to burn up a big fat hole in your wallet 5. dog poos everywhere especially big cities one of the not so great things about living in Germany dog poo everywhere we're talking sidewalks parks and streets completely blanketed in canine fishes it's like a Minefield you have to carefully make your way around it is a dark side of living in Germany that nobody expects from a first world country the thing is Germans just love their dogs so much so that it's become commonplace to bring your Pooch with you wherever you go even to the grocery store so when these dogs do their business well let's just say the streets are not necessarily spared 6. high taxes the significant amount of tax that is withheld from a worker's paycheck in Germany is the most significant disadvantage of residing in Germany the amount of an expat's income that is subject to income tax might range anywhere from 20 to 40 percent depending on their wage it is one of the true dark sides of living in Germany but don't despair my friends Germany actually has a lot of benefits for one the taxes are used to fund some of the most amazing public services in the world these include free healthcare and education as well as infrastructure and transportation systems that make life more convenient for everyone 7.
bureaucracy ah bureaucracy it's the bane of everyone's existence or at least it seems like that when you're living in Germany for those unfamiliar with this term bureaucracy is defined as a complex system of rules and regulations used to manage an organization in other words it's a lot of paperwork and hassle when trying to get anything done it is one of the dark sides of living in Germany in Germany bureaucracy is especially rampant from the lengthy and confusing Visa applications to the never-ending paperwork for taxes it can feel like you're stuck in an endless loop of red tape even seemingly simple tasks like opening a bank account or registering your car can often turn into an arduous process requiring multiple visits to various offices and repeated bouts of filling out forms it's enough to make anyone want to tear their hair out and speaking from experience when trying to get through all that bureaucracy in another language with unfamiliar terminology and Concepts it can be downright frustrating 8. too many rules when it comes to regulations and bureaucracy the country isn't necessarily known for its laid-back attitude from strict parking laws to complex residents permits living in Germany can be a bit of a challenge at times for instance have you ever tried getting your driver's license or fuel a shine in most countries this usually involves passing some tests and voila you're good to go not so in Germany here not only do you need a certain number of driving lessons but also must attend first aid classes as well as pass an extensive theoretical exam that covers everything from vehicle construction knowledge to traffic signs to road safety rules and then there's the Practical exam which includes huge amounts of paperwork you get the idea by now 9. Germans smoke a lot there are certain places such as restaurants where you can enjoy your meal without having to contend with cigarette smoke on the other hand if you venture into some bars or cafes then you'll be met with a haze of smoke from all directions which can really put off non-smokers we admit that this doesn't make for an ideal environment for those who don't partake in tobacco products themselves but it does mean there's plenty of opportunity for people watching throughout any given night it is one of the real dark sides of living in Germany another thing about smoking in Germany is how it seems unavoidable during festivals and parties smokers will often light up without even thinking twice about it so if you're not keen on being around clouds of second-hand smoke then perhaps steer clear of these types of occasions some places have designated smoking areas but unfortunately many do not have such measures always making cigarettes very easily accessible 10.
