About the AC topic: I was just trying to point out how Germans and Americans handle things a little differently. I do miss German windows in Cincinnati because it's not hot there all year long and even in the fall and spring when the temperature outside is just fine, most people still have their AC on for air circulation. Those are the times (and at night in the summer) when I miss being able to open a window all the way and get some fresh air inside. I realize that in a lot of parts of the United States it gets way hotter and more humid than it ever does in Germany and I think Air Condintioning is an amazing invention. I wouldn't want to miss it in Cincinnati either, it gets pretty hot and humid there in the summer as well. The only thing I don't really understand is why so many Americans overdo it and cool down their houses or public buildings to around 60 degrees Fahrenheit when it's over 90 degrees outside. At university, I always have to wear long pants and bring a sweater even when it's extremely hot outside, because it's freezing inside and I'll get sick when I spend the entire day in there win my summer clothes.

About door handles: that topic actually becomes super important when a fire breaks out! You can push down a handle with everything, but turning a knob with a stick might result in unnecessary death

I spent a bit of time in Germany, and one thing I noticed immediately that I missed as soon as I went back to the U.S. was the lack of power-lines. In the U.S., power-lines are EVERYWHERE. It’s how most of the electrical power is transmitted here. In a large percentage of Europe, the power is transmitted underground. Not only in this more reliable (and less likely to be affected by weather and other influences), but it also looks A LOT nicer!

"Germans are obsessed with fresh air" I have noticed this! I've had a few German professors and they all get so antsy when we close the class door because of outside noise. As soon as it quiets just a tad they're like "OK can we now PLEASE open the door? It is getting quite stuffy!!"

Hi Felicia, thanks for the great video. I'm sharing my perspectives as an American architect in the Chicago area. 1. Washing machines: front loaders are becoming more common in the US. My clients are usually requesting these versus top loaders or replacing their older models with front loaders. I have a 1991 Maytag washer and the last time a technician came to work on it he told me to hold on to it as long as I could because they don't make them this well anymore. I was really shocked to hear you say that your top loader does not have a spinning drum. No wonder you hate American washing machines! The newer ones sound like they are more cheaply made. 2. Door handles: very important to the architectural community, the lever handles that you are describing that are common in Germany that I saw everywhere in my 1988 tour of Europe are mandatory in commercial construction thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act. lever handles are far easier for people to open in wheelchairs and with arthritis and other physical issues. 3. Smaller sizes: America has a culture of getting the most for your money, larger sizes are an unfortunate aspect of this, guilty as charged. 4. Windows: frankly German windows put American ones to shame and you only touched on the surface. Many modern European windows also have triple glazing and pretty much any window like that in America was probably imported from Germany. German building standards also put American ones to shame as they are significantly more energy efficient, even modern American architecture with more recent enforcement of energy codes isn't as good.there is a movement in America called passive house and the house is built to those standards more closely match those of Germany. Americans and particularly the American construction industry can be very reluctant to change as evident in Americans still using the avoirdupois or English measurement system. 5. Restaurant experience: again part of the instant gratification culture of America we like things fast and cheap. Long lunches are more common among American business people doing marketing, but even those seem to be getting shorter in my opinion as an architect with my own practice. 6. Built-in blinds: Pella windows here in the US is the only major window manufacturer that offers this option, using Venetian blinds. Personally I think Marvin Windows are better and I've had arguments for the past 25 years with Marvin reps when they tell me the client should be choosing their window over Pella and I say the client wants the integral blinds, why can't you guys do that? With these, you have the standard insulated double pane toward the outside with a third window pane concealing Venetian blinds. When I educate a client about this option, commonly even on lower budget projects, the client really wants these as concealed blinds don't require dusting and are protected from indoor football or frisbee or other things young people tend to do in the house that they shouldn't haha. Thanks again for the great video, and Cincinnati is one of my favorite cities for Art Deco architecture with the Carew tower and the Union station museum. Next time you're at the latter, if you haven't done this already, you and a friend stand at each end of the arch in the main hall and whisper. The craftsmanship is so good you will hear each other even at that long distance. Cheers!

Jurassic Park was on last night, and if they had door knobs instead of handles, they could have avoided several near death experiences with the raptors.

I spent two years in Germany in the early '80s in the Air Force, and I totally agree with you on the door handles. They're very handy.

I remember being absolutely blown away by the windows in Germany the first time I was there. I was amazed by the ways you could open them, and loved it! I agree that this is a superior way for windows!

Outside blinds on the windows also reduce the heat load in the house during the day since they block the sunlight from entering.

try sleeping on the US Gulf Coast 8 months of the year with the windows open at night. You'll wake up in the morning (or in middle of the night) with sweaty sheets. too much humidity.

As far as AC goes: Opening a window might work really well in Germany, but if you come to the southern united states like Georgia where I live you will understand why it's UNBEARABLE to not have AC. the humidity levels can reach 90% to 100% in the summers here. If you open your windows you home will be filled with sticky wet humid air and it sucks. Combine the humidity with 95 degree (Fahrenheit) weather and I think anyone will be thankful of that good old AC. Totally agree with the smaller sizes thing though. It gets really ridiculous here sometimes lol.

Die gute alte Miele-Waschmaschine --

My answers: Healthcare, education, form of governance, the METRIC SYSTEM! Her answer: washers.

I was just in Germany staying at peoples houses. No screens but somehow no bugs! I grew up in Cincinnati and if you didn't have screens your house will fill up with flies, mosquitos, midges and a myriad of other bugs biting you and giving you malaria. I think it is cooler in Germany than most of the US in the summer so screens and AC are different.

My mom is OBSESSED with opening the windows as soon as the temperature is conducive for it and she chides my dad for turning the AC or heater on. Her grandma was from Germany, so I think I just learned the reason why my mom is like that!!!

The German restaurant experience sounds much more my style. I like to relax and enjoy being with friends

Funny u mentioned the service part at restaurants. I remember I was in Frankfurt for the first time last year, ate a great local restaurant, and me and my ex wondered why the check was taking so long. 😂

I would love to live in a place where I could open big windows up to the outside, without bug screens. Just try that a few times in most of the US. You'll be sleeping in a hot humid swamp with bugs and mosquitoes floating around your ear and any light source.

Americans being quick to eat at restaurants goes back to tipping culture. Since servers rely on tips as their income, they need to turnover tables as quick as possible. The more people they can get in and get out during their work shift, means the more tips they get. As Americans dining out, we are aware of this, and as a result we do tend to eat quickly and leave, to help accommodate the server. Doing this eventually becomes an unconscious thing that we do. This is not to say that there aren't times we do sit at eat for an hour or two and just enjoy our dining company, but for the most part we want to be considerate towards the server.

AC isn't just about cooling. Since I've moved to the south I've understood its also about humidity control. Opening a window won't do much of the air outside is so wet you can barely breath

Ich liebe deine Ideen wie du ne Tür auf kreative Art und Weise öffnen kannst 🤣❤️🙏

One thing the U.S. can learn from Germany is trains and mass transit. The system in Berlin is amazing.

AC is basically required if you live in the south or most everywhere in the west. Where I live average day temperatures between May and September exceed 100 degrees F. Opening a window works in the winter though.

We do have German Windows, they are called 'Casement' Windows here and you can get them installed in you Home. I love Casement Windows but they are very expensive compared to Sash or Sliders so you don't see as many in Houses. I live in Florida and my Home has Awning Windows which I love for the reason you stated, 'when open, the entire space is open'. "Blinds", in Florida we call them Shutters and you will find them everywhere down here for storm protection if you don't have reinforced Windows. I just discovered your posts and really enjoy them and your enthusiasm!!! :-)

Love your videos! It would be fun to have some videos with footage from your everyday life out and about. It would be fun to see your city and maybe things like coffee shop, grocery store and other places you frequent!

The first thing I'd think of would be public transportation.

I lived in Germany for 2 years and I agree with everything you say.

Feli, I just realized that your videography is handled very well. You can fill up the screen with your face, but it isn't bloated in the middle, and you aren't rocking back and forth, the way it is on some other channels. Good going on that.

Haha ! I was like how could the door knob be a problem but once you explained it, I could so easily relate to it ! Kudos !

I like that this video had some length to it. Questions like "what can we do better" and "what can we learn from our neighbors" are a source of fascination for me. They make top loading washing machines that spin the clothes in a centrifuge now (my grandmother's home has one), but they're not an improvement over the older models. Because it's trying to spin on an axis, the whole thing shuts down if you don't have the contents balanced perfectly. I've tried front loading washers at laundromats, and you're right. They're much better. Speaking of lessons learned from my grandma, I'd bet that door handles are a lot easier to operate than door knobs for people who have arthritis as well. I wonder if our dependence on air conditioning in the States has to do with how much closer to the equator we are than Germany. New York City is on the same line of latitude as Rome, and most of us live far south from there. Where I live, even the breeze is hot and humid. The German dining out experience sounds lovely. I think it's typical for American restaurants to want the customers to leave as soon as possible, to make room for the next. The built-in exterior blinds look pretty cool, but they'd be impractical on America's east coast, where hurricane winds could pull them off. Maybe out further west, out of the tropical jet stream, they'd be a nice addition to an American home. Enjoy your stay at home!

I watched a German show on Netflix (Babylon Berlin) and one of the characters ran a boarding house. She insisted that all of her guests air out their rooms daily. Your video helps explain why. :)

In Canada, more and more of use start are switching to front loaders. Thanks for your post!

YES!! Lemme get those windows! I agree with the doorknob situation, as well as the grocery situation.

How long have you been speaking English? It is amazing, you could pass for a native speaker better than several people I know who were born and raised here in the USA lol. Just came across your channel and I'm enjoying it quite a bit! Keep up the good work. Also, you are so beautiful that your smile brightens my day.

For restaurants in the US, you would have to eat at a more expensive restaurant to have what we call a “fine dining “ experience. That would be a longer, nicer meal that is not rushed.

I lived in Munich for a year and I always had the window open during the summer because 1. There are nowhere near as many mosquitoes and bugs in Germany than there are here in the U.S (at least in FL and TN) 2. I didn’t worry at all about crime when I was there, so I could leave the windows open all night

Hi, I spent 2 tours in the Army in Germany, about 10 years total. I also love their, (this was in the 80's and 90's, America was so far behind), front loading washing machines, never need bleach and the clothes dried really fast since the water was spun out so well! I also loved your windows, mostly because of the tilt function and because they also opened like a door, were easy to clean the outside and the blinds were amazing and honestly I don't remember ever missing A/C! These were some of the best years of my life!

The drum does spin in some top-loading washers (every one I have used), but generally only during the spin cycle.

You can buy all kinds of washers in the US. We have front loaders, and expensive washers that will check the temperature of their water. I say this as the owner of a not very expensive front loader I bought at Sears 10 years ago. You make many other good points. Thanks.

Those exterior blinds look amazing!

I just stumbled upon your channel because your dating video was suggested to me (for years, I’ve been trying to explain to my American friend how dating is different in Germany). This video right here made me say “yes” so many times! It’s the little things that sometimes make the difference. If I ever get to live in the U.S. long-term, I’m building myself a German house and am importing a good old Miele washer 😄 - German girl living in NE Ohio

Before the modern era we had a lot of mosquito borne disease in certain regions, hence the window screens.

I live in the US, and I also cannot stand door knobs. I think they are a terrible idea. Levers are far more practical. I like to replace knobs with levers when I can. My guess as to why knobs are so common is that they are cheaper on average.

Hi there! American working at a Home Improvement store here. Built-in blinds are an available option, but they generally only come in stationary windows/the glass panels in doors, and generally only as a premium option.

I was with you when you were talking about German windows. Ours in the UK open like doors (some are restricted on how far I think, but have a mechanism to open further) then you blew my mind by saying they also tilt

I’m from the US and I love other countries/cultures. I agree with the points you’ve made. We can definitely learn a lot from other places. I’m digging the windows!!! And I agree, we are very fast paced and I would love if we slowed down more during meals.

When I moved in my home all of the interior doors had handles. My cat was able to jump up and open the doors, so they now have knobs. We live in the south with high humidity so AC is a must. We also live in a rural area on a dirt road so we keep the windows closed to keep out as much dust as possible. I have had a front load washer for almost twenty years.

As an American my house came with a top loading washer but we have a front loading one now and honestly I know tons of Americans with front loading machines. It’s really either/or here. And in my house only the doors leading to the outside have knobs, the doors inside the house have handles. And I think it’s great you guys have exterior window blinds! If we want privacy at night or total darkness we need thick curtains or interior blinds that we have to buy ourselves.

I love your observations on dining out! One of my favourite memories from first learning German when I was in a German speaking country was the feeling of anticipation I got when I was about to signal den Kellner oder die Kellnerin that I was ready to pay. I had to choose how to ask, which was exciting in those days. Do you go with the very polite "Ich haette gern die Rechnung, bitte", or maybe "Die Rechnung, bitte", or more to the point "Zahlen, bitte"? The fact that waiters actually "wait" for you to do this in Europe gives me that fun memory of those days when any sentence said with success was a small victory. My wife is Australian, and she has always found it rude that the bill is slapped on the table before you are even done eating. I have a different view. Since I worked as a waiter for some time when I was at university, I lived for tips that kept the rent paid and food in my stomach. You have to turn tables quickly to make those tips. That is what it is, I guess.

With you going to school in Cincinnati - and myself having never been there - I don't know how bad it gets when its hot. However having lived on top of a hill down near/around Saint Clairsville in Ohio for two years in high school, when it got hot, it usually got muggy. There were times that there were literal clouds of warm, sticky water vapor so thick that I couldn't see the road forty feet from my house. If you opened the windows at all, the walls would drip with water that just floated on in through those darn square/rectangular portals of glass and metal/wood. I know I went through multiple shirts and shorts just walking from the front door to get the mail (which would be soaked by the time I got back to the front door). In some areas, AC is the only way to beat the heat.

I LOVE that you are in Cincinnati and show my beautiful city in the intro :)

I love fresh air too! Unfortunately as you stated, it does get quite hot and humid here in Florida. But as soon as "winter" is here, we have those windows open so the cool air can come in. We have to block our vent, because my in laws have the heat on full blast in "winter". Unfortunately we live in a poorly insulated house so we keep the AC at 74 F during the day. I am freezing most of the time, but never sick from it. I just cover up. I'd rather be cold than hot, as you can not take skin off to cool off. Door handles are amazing! I usually use my elbow, and have sometimes used my chin or cheek to open them. And top loader washers are being built better where the drum and plastic spiral thing turn in opposite directions, but they have destroyed most of my bras. Thank you for the video. Ich bin neu hier. I am learning German as well! Great job!

Charmed!😍A/Cs and air handling varies a lot across America for example: I moved to Florida from Colorado. Huge difference in climate. You’d die in Florida with no a/c. But didn’t even have one in CO. Front loading washers are starting to be more popular in the U.S. All the best to you! Cheers!

If your washing machine tub does not spin, it's broken!

I've seen quite a few of this sort of video and this is by far the most reasonable and respectful. It's quite refreshing after the relentless America-bashing. Thank you.

My first meals in the UK were very long because I didn’t realize that I needed to ask for the check!😆 The knob door handles are not ubiquitous, our house has all levers. Higher end widows come in all sorts of opening styles, although I haven’t seen the inward opening window which seems like a great idea. Some even have blinds sandwiched between two glass panes. Exterior shutters are available, typically electrically controlled; these are marketed as protection devices for storms or additional security.

those windows r awesome!! & so much more designed for functional air circulation. Heat rises so wen u tilt the window open @ top the cool air comes in thru the top & cools the hot spot & then the cool air falls dwn from ceiling into the room. I ❤ that u can open both sides & get air in from the entire window!!

I agree with you on everything, i keep my windows open as much as the wisconsin weather will allow it.

I was stationed in Gelnhausen Germany when I was in the Army. I fell in love with the windows and built in blinds. Btw Germany makes better beer. 😁

God bless European washing machines, door handles, smaller sizes, air circulation ( my windows are constantly open even during winter time !), blinds, food and social experience culture! Cheers from Italy, love Germany so much, such a beautiful country! Ciao, tchüss! 👍😉

I lived in Germany for three years before returning to the States and purchasing a house and having lived in Germany I had taken note of things like the built-in shades and door levers and included them in my American home. Here in America the door handles were called French levers and the shades were called exterior rolling shutters. The guy who sold me the shutters was Swedish and said they weren't popular in Sweden where sunlight is a bit of a rarer commodity than here in Texas. The heat here in Texas encourages me to keep most of the shutters closed most of the time and that, in turn, encourages sleeping in most mornings. They are also a great security feature. While still rare, these shutters are becoming more popular. I rented a beach house on Galveston that had them on every window and it occurred to me that these shutters would be very handy in a hurricane.

Pets can open doors with door "handles", but not door "knobs". Regardless, you can always go to Home Depot or Lowes and change them out.

Let me guess: 1. Universal Healthcare 2. Metric System 3. A less broken political system 4. Some sanity and common sense

1:25 the top loaders are the cheapo ones, like what you'll find at a laundromat or shared washing machines at an apartment complex, most Americans use side-loaders

My workplace has door handles and often get my purse caught on the handle . But they are compliant for those with disabilities. We also have front loading washers.

I live in the US and I had not really seen many door handles in houses until I moved into my current apartment, which has handles on every door. My landlord just so happens to be a German man. They're so convenient, I dont know why we use knobs here!

I'm seriously going to replace my door knobs with handles. Brilliant! P.S. Front loading washers are slowly becoming the standard in the US. We're trying to get with the program.

German style windows are available in Canada under the Euroline brand for example. The tilt function is also safe against break-ins when people are not home but still like to get fresh air in their house.

Agree to all👍 excellent observations. I have only lived in NC USA, only vacationing in other countries for brief periods, I am amazed when I see something done in a different way that makes so much better sense, I have to now find a front loader and those blinds/windows…most excellent

My friends in the Military stationed in Europe call the USA the Land of the round door knob :) I agree elbows work handles better! I can’t figure why the Washer & Dryer are not the same machine. Thanks! Enjoyed it.

I too love German windows. I spent several years in Germany in the Army. Our barracks used German style windows, as did the house I rented off post.

I definitely understand the door handles vs. knobs and the smaller sizes. There are just two of us and I struggle to use things up before they go bad sometimes.

Hi! Cincinnati here, too! I think front loaders are starting to become more popular. I have had a front loader washer/dryer since about 2009 and just got a new pair in 2020 :) We don't have the temperature knobs but a setting that says "disinfect" which makes the water really hot. I like the German where you can select the specific heat. Great video! Interesting differences.

As someone who is half German and American, and has lived in both places for half my life, I agree wholeheartedly.

Good list. The outdoor blinds thing would be great. Indoor blinds come with certain annoyances, including tearing or breaking when you're trying to open or close them in cramped conditions. Also, they easily accumulating dust and are a pain to clean. Outdoor blinds (at least if they're sturdy enough) just seem to make a lot more sense.

One advantage of top-loading washing machines is the ability to fill the machine with water to soak the clothes for a while. This is great for removing stains, etc. and some machines can be set to start the wash cycle after a certain predetermined time period of soaking the clothes.

Love the channel! All cultures can definitely learn a lot from each other. I agree that the windows in Europe are more convenient, but when you live in a place like Texas and it's almost 90+ degrees every day opening the windows just doesn't seem like it's worth it... to many bugs and it's so hot! And doorknobs are the worst... lol!

Loved the video! I'm going to Frankfurt in 13 days and I'm so excited to see my heritage :D.

Great video again 🤗👍🏻

that is so funny about the door handles! but i like that idea it def makes since!

Your pronunciation of English is superb, and your grammar is nearly flawless. I wonder when and how to started learning to speak it.

The door handle thing...I have actually found myself in that exact situation and wondered if there was a better way to open doors. It was that or no door. Turns out there are door handles.

Actually, my top loader spins the whole drum during the spin cycle. But it is an older top loader.

Wow! You share great information. Thank you.

American here with a front-loader. It doesn't have an internal heating element though, or such precise temperature control. My favorite thing about front-loaders is how well it does with large items like a blanket or sleeping bag. My favorite thing about top-loaders is the ease of adding an item or extra detergent in the middle of the wash cycle. I believe front-loaders also typically use less water. Door levers instead of knobs are actually required in most non-residential spaces to comply with the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). Next time you're in an office building, school, etc, look at the doors and you will see! I do hope they become more popular in residential spaces here. I agree that some Americans over-use their AC. I have yet to use the AC this summer (mid-July right now) although a few days were very very humid and I almost gave in. 😂

Big box stores are called that for a reason and often times all of their products are the largest size sold. Stay away from Walmart and the larger grocery stores but you can usually find small versions of most products in the smaller stores. Washing machines come in several flavors in the US and the more you pay the more bells and whistle's you get. Front loaders are quite common with high-efficiency washing machines. Just about everything you have in Germany you can get on American machine but you pay more money and the machine is bigger. We also have stackable washers and dryer's. As for German windows, they are awesome and they are awesomely expensive and being that the American houses are bigger than German houses with more glass window space that would make for a much larger expense to get the Mercedes of windows. This might be true for exterior blinds as well.This is not to mention the fact that we have lots more friendly bugs that love to come inside everybody's house and bite them than you do not have much of in Germany. Germans tend to live in their house for a long time and invest well in their fixtures while Americans move often And do not tend to stay in houses very long until they get it into a really old age or like middle-age then they go for the best they can afford. The restaurant culture in America is different than Europe particularly because the servers make a large amount of money from Tips and if the tables don't turn over fast they don't make much money in tips and that makes them very unhappy. I don't disagree with your style but that's the way it is in America.

I like your videos. They are very informative and you are very beautiful. I lived in Germany for 3 years when I was in the Army and would love to go back and visit. I was in Berlin when they still had the wall.

Hallo! ich bin Amerikaner, und ich liebe Deutschland! Mein Deutsch is nicht so gut wie dein Englisch. Dein English is fast perfekt. Anyway, I find your videos spot on and very entertaining with great insight between the two cultures. I actually don't want the cultures to meld. I love the differences. I first went to Germany in 1981 for three months as an austauschshueler from my college. Germany has changed so much since then -- I love your home country.

Top Six Things Americans can learn from Germany: 1) Don't eat Tide Pods. 2) Don't drink watered-down beer. 3) Don't shoot each other over parking spaces. 4) Have sex ed that isn't abstinence only. 5) Start teaching foreign languages in elementary school. 6) Have a health care system that works.

I think that is why i love to ravel, I always see a lot of smart solutions everywhere i go that i like to bring home. And natural things i think better at home.

After returning from living in Germany I had a roll down exterior shutter installed on rear sliding doorwall when we had our house remodeled. Among other things they provide increased security. They are apparently becoming popular in hurricane prone places

Yes the windows in Europe are unbelievably convenient, I love them and the many different ways you can open them! I grew up with German grandparents, so I vent the house all the time!! Even shake my beddings out, especially my down comforter and pillows...

Firstly, I'd like to complement you on your English fluency. Not merely pronunciation, but in the couple video's I've seen, you've correctly used several American colloquialisms. Secondly, I agree 100% about the built in window blings. While I found German window configuration interesting, and did miss it when I returned to the states, it was the built-in blinds that I felt were a true Godsend. As a migraine sufferer I loved being able to completely blackout my room. I've yet to find anything like this here in the U.S. (and I lack the capital to have them custom built).

Here in Texas, I wouldn't recommend having a house with no AC... especially during the summer.

My parents have always had a front load washer and dryer and used hot water for wash cycle and cold water for rinse cycles the center of most standard top loaders doesn’t move. The drum moves around it. You are always able to order whatever you want for your home. Here in Ohio most of the laundry facilities have both.

I have top loader washer. But it does not have the agitator. This allows me to wash larger items and it does a good job of only filling to the level required to wash based on load. I save water and energy. My dryer is front load and it will sense when clothes are dry and shut off automatically. Even if I use presets and it is set for 37 minutes, if clothes are sensed dry after 30 minutes. It stops and alerts me.

While I usually have windows open in my bedroom, my town does have these creatures called skunks.

The washing machine thing is mostly related to federal environmental regulations. We do have front loading washers, but they are not as effective as the European versions due to being handicapped by regulations.

I think the top loader or side loader comes down to body length. I always hate having to stoop getting my laundry out of a side loader. I also enjoy seeing more of the laundry and not missing that left sock sticking to the top of the drum. Totally agree with the airco making you sick all the time and getting you dehydrated. I guess that explains the water dispensers in any airco building.

Come down to the deep south during the dog days of summer and see how fast you will be begging for that cold air conditioning.