what 5+ years in Germany has taught me.

Whether you want to move to Europe, move to Germany, or you are simply just interested in learning what it’s like to live here, then this video is for you. I share the life lessons I’ve learned from living in Germany and I share how my quality of life has improved since living here. Keep in mind this is my list of pros of living here, like with anything, there is also a con list, but I’m saving that for a rainy day. For now, enjoy! I hope you find this video valuable!

TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Introduction
00:31 Explanation
00:56 Why I moved here
01:35 Staring
03:02 Protests
04:21 Biking
05:14 Lueften
06:13 Guten appetit
08:48 Crosswalks
09:34 Cake

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[contact]
jasminelichtman@gmail.com

[about me]
name: jasmine (jazzy)
instagram: @jazzylich
location: USA and Germany

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#livingabroad #livingingermany #livingineurope #livinginmunich #lifeingermany #expatlife

Hello hello hi guys my name is Jazzy and I’m originally from the US but I live in Munich Germany and I’ve been living here for the past 5 and a half years which is crazy to say because I feel like I just moved here but then there’s another part

Of me that feels like I’ve lived here for even longer okay so in today’s video I’m going to share with you some things that I have learned since moving here things I’ve noticed that have just made me more mindful that I think contribute to a greater quality of life and I just

Find really special so without further Ado let’s get into it before we get into it I’m going to be opening up packages while I chitchat with you guys because I have a bunch of packages that have been lying around my apartment and I just want them opened I want to get this done

And yeah none of them are gifted I have 800 subscribers so chill so that’s kind of fun I can also show you what they are as I’m chatting with you all we’re going to be all positive today because there are a million in one things that I can

Complain about but we’re not going to go into that today that’s for another day let’s backtrack how did I even end up here about 7 years ago go I was working for Urban Outfitters at their headquarters I was an assistant buyer every day there would be this really handsome man who would

Walk past my desk while I was hunched over my computer and I would see him in the corner of my eye and I would give him this like little flirty toothless grin which I will not recreate today you know just trying to be cute and he would

Smile back at me fast forward to today that’s my husband and uh oh yeah he German so that’s why I live here you got a job here and I decided to tag along the first thing that I want to talk about is staring when I first moved here I felt

Like everyone was staring at me and I was like okay is there something wrong with me like can people tell I’m not from here do I have something in my teeth like what is it after many conversations with other expats and other Germans I’ve come to learn that

This is just a cultural difference compared to the US people just make eye contact with other people while you can take this as judgy I don’t I see it as a form of human connection because yeah of course there are some people out there who are being judgy but I think for the

Most part people have good intentions they’re just trying to acknowledge you like human to human and I think that’s really special because I know after a long day cooped up in my apartment I can go outside with full confidence knowing I’ll feel a little bit better not just

About getting fresh air but I’ll feel better because I will have experienced this human interaction without even having to speak to someone you know just by making eye contact that’s something that I think the us could really learn from because sometimes I feel like when you’re walking down the streets in the

US people intentionally don’t make eye contact I don’t know why that is but it is definitely a cultural thing there’s a certain mindfulness and a certain recognition that we are all humans I know I keep saying that to this kind of staring this eye contact exchange and it

Is really something something that I appreciate about Germany the second thing protests Germans are engaged in Passionate citizens there was a study done in 2018 and they found Germany has one of the highest rates of participation in protests and I totally believe that I just went to a protest 2

Days ago and there were like hundreds of thousands of people I don’t know the exact amount but it was wild and like I had goosebumps the entire time it was a very special experience but also a very important one because I going to go into the politics of it but it was important

I love this about Germans because even if attending these protests is having a positive impact on elections or policy like that’s besides the point that’s another topic of conversation like I’m sure it is having a positive impact but even if it’s not it’s doing something to the collective consciousness of Germans

Or people who live in Germany the action of banning together in the streets and voicing our opinions and fighting for quality and love and all these good things that has to do something good to our Collective Consciousness this is just another element of mindfulness and awareness and improved quality of life

That I’ve come to recognize living here so well done Germany the next thing I’m being really slow opening these packages next thing I want to talk about is biking because biking is definitely not a big thing in the US all my friends that I have here everyone I know that

Lives here owns a bike in the war months in the fall I use my bike to get everywhere of course there’s public transportation there’s a tram there’s a Subway there’s buses but for the most part I use my bike to get around and I love this this is something that has

100% improved my quality of life because it’s like this built-in exercise and again this naturally integrated mindfulness that’s just like built in to the culture you’re on your bike you’re moving your body you’re in the fresh air it’s sustainable I could go on and on about riding bikes because I think it’s

Just because I think it’s something that the US could really learn from I don’t really have anything else to say other than like I love biking it’s literally taking me 10 years to open this rug the next thing I want to talk about is lufton I don’t know if I’m

Saying that right so Germans don’t come at me but it’s basically the practice of opening up your window it’s as simple as that it’s basically a practice to make sure that the air in the home is comfortable and ventilated even on super cold winter days people will lo I don’t

Know if you can use the word like that but I just did as you can see there are also no screens like in American windows it’s just like open like this but there are those bars here so you don’t have to worry about falling now I’m just going

To leave the window open for a little bit get some fresh air in and then after 5 to 10 minutes I’ll close it and then in another hour probably do it again I don’t usually do it every hour but there are people who do it I remember when I

Was studying here and I would be in lecture all day that’s what we would practice and actually I didn’t like that because sometimes it was just too cold but I do enjoy like doing it maybe two to three times a day like I said just to get some fresh air and ventilation going

On in the home the next thing I want to talk about is guten Appetit which is what you say before a meal in Germany and it translates to enjoy your meal I know this is not a unique practice to Germany like for example in France they say bone appetite but I’m American and

We don’t say that in the US something that I’ve really come to appreciate the reason why I like it so much is because it kind of naturally forces you to wait for everyone to have their food to wait to start eating so then you’re eating all together which is such a lovely

Little gesture and experience in itself it also brings this mindfulness again to eating to your eating experience it makes you appreciative of your food because you’re reminding everyone to enjoy the food that’s in front of them it’s not just sustenance on your plate it’s something to be enjoyed and

Experienced to together it’s just as simple as that let’s take a little break and unravel this rug okay the Moment of Truth can you see it oh oh good comes Qui with a weapon I love the next one’s a little bit controversial but I’m going to say it

Everything is closed on Sundays except for some cafes and restaurants but most things are closed on Sundays and of course I could easily complain about this and I have I’m not going to lie to you but I also have grown to appreciate this so much I’ll tell you why in a second first

I’m going to show you what I got these are little knobs for our new closet for a spare room because we’re finally Furnishing it we already have the closet to put the knobs on this is what they look like they’re really pretty our closet is green like a like a SA agage

Green I would say so I think this compliments the color nicely I can’t really take credit for it it was my husband he’s a designer so he was the one who chose them so back to Sundays I used to grocery shop on Sundays but the reason that I appreciate it is because

It forces you to have a slow rest day Sunday is like dedicated to resting you can’t go grocery shopping you can’t go to any of the regular shops you can go to cafes which I do think is really nice because that’s like another way to relax

Right you go with your friends or you go with your family sip on a coffee chitchat so I do like that but yeah everything else is closed again this is just like another perfect example of how great the quality of life is because of the integrated mindfulness that’s built

Into this culture the next thing that I really appreciate about Germany is how people wait at the crosswalks when the crosswalk is red even if there are no cars coming people stop and wait for it to be green and then cross the street yes I understand that could be annoying

But what it does it forces you to pause just breathe makes you realize like what are we in a rush for where are you trying to get to and is it that important that you have to risk your life to cross the street I mean of

Course like if there are no cars coming at all you’re not really risking your life that was really dramatic I’m sorry but the idea again of just like pausing and being Mindful and just waiting for that little man to turn green is so beautiful maybe beautiful isn’t the

Right word but it’s beautiful to me another reason why I appreciate Germany final thing I appreciate about Germany is Cake Time cakes are not just reserved for birthday parties like in the US cakes are eaten every day not every day some people every day but a lot and like

Why is it so short why are we not eating cake more often why are we saving cake for birthday parties I will say I don’t eat cake that allten but that’s just because I’m really careful about what I eat I pay close attention to what I put

Into my body but I definitely eat cake a lot more than when I did in the US and it just brings me so much joy a little bit of happiness in your mouth in the afternoon with some coffee or tea mostly old people participate in this which I

Totally get cuz when I get older I’m going to do like all of the fun things not that I don’t do fun things now but like I’m going to do all the fun things and one of those things is going to be eating cake every day and hey thanks for

Hanging out with me as I shared all of the things that I appreciate about Germany if you enjoyed this video please give it a thumbs up cuz it really supports my channel and if you like this kind of content make sure to hit the Subscribe button because I will be

Sharing more videos once a week every Wednesday and I’ll see you in my next Video