Who Does It Better: Germany or The USA? (w/ @FelifromGermany & Ben )

Added: 2026-05-05

[00:00:00]All right, everybody. Welcome back to the Nalf YouTube channel. Today, we've got very special guests, the one and only Feelely from Germany, her husband Ben, my wife Laura, and we are all together going to play a little game of who does it better, Germany or the USA.

[00:00:17]We've got a bunch of different categories. We're going to go through them and we're going to vote and we're going to discuss who does certain things better, Germany or the USA?

[00:00:24]>> Everyone Germany. Everyone.

[00:00:25]>> Was this the first one that we're all agree?

[00:00:27]>> I think so.

[00:00:29]>> Easy. Easy, easy. Good. Laura's in Germany.

[00:00:32]>> I'm not the only one.

[00:00:34]>> For those who don't know, Ben and Feelely are an intercultural couple just like Laura and me. File is originally from Munich, Germany, but has lived in the States for many years and ended up getting American citizenship and marrying Ben, an American. I'm originally from Portland, Oregon, but have lived in Germany for many years. I also got European citizenship and married Laura, a German. So, the four of us have a lot of experience and a lot to talk about with Germany and the USA.

[00:00:58]This is a combination video. This part here on my channel, the other part over on Feele's channel. It will be linked in the description below. Feel from Germany. So, make sure you check out her part of the video as well. So, let's get into it. Who does it better, Germany or the USA?

[00:01:17]>> Okay, >> fair.

[00:01:18]>> How about this? Who does it better, food?

[00:01:26]Hang on a second. Okay. Well, I mean, I don't want to be >> a big stipulation here.

[00:01:32]>> That's true, I guess. All right. I I'm here. I'm right here. Okay. I'm confident. Okay. I'll let you guys go first.

[00:01:39]>> I Okay. In terms of like actually sitting down and eating, I prefer Germany. And going to the grocery store, produce, the actual like um stuff you get is better. The quality of food is better. And also the cuisine in general is better. But I have a very soft spot in my heart for fast food. I love fast food. I love fast food and sweet tea and biscuits. Southern style food. I'm from the south. I know you aren't. Real butter and real sugar is something that needs to be cherished in this world. And that's one of the things I'm going to be missing that I have been missing since I stepped down.

[00:02:12]>> We do a lot of real butter in Germany and real sugar just less.

[00:02:15]>> I know. I know. But >> not enough.

[00:02:17]>> I know that.

[00:02:18]>> But all in all, I I would say German cuisine.

[00:02:22]>> You want to go? I mean, my thing is just I love a lot of American food. I mean, I lived there for nine years, but overall, the quality of food is just better in Germany in my experience and in Europe in general. Like, just going to an average restaurant, the chances of getting really good food here is so much higher than going to an average or even higher restaurants in the US.

[00:02:43]Oftentimes, you pay so much money and the food just tastes, man, and I just feel like I could have made that better at home.

[00:02:49]>> Fair. I actually uh I I agree completely on the quality of food and like in the states we have a bunch of >> bunch of chemicals that you can't use here.

[00:02:57]>> Um and what you just said right there, I think there is a lower floor, excuse me, a higher floor for things like restaurants. As you said, the the average restaurant is going to be pretty competent, whereas you can run into some really kind of bad gross spots in the United States. But >> there's no Mexican food in Germany.

[00:03:16]Okay, 100%. This I mean I know this is the USA lot does great Mexican food obviously it's Mexican food okay so >> Germany has it's American Mexican food >> Germany has no Mexican food or it's very difficult to find it >> hard to find and if you find it it's usually pretty bad >> I've done a very good job not thinking about Mexican food just now >> there's going to be a hole in your heart for all the time you're in Germany >> we're going to be in the US that's the Mexican food we're talking about >> we're talking Taco Bell and Chipotle We're going to be in the US in two weeks so we can get all the cravings.

[00:03:50]>> Bring me some tacos back.

[00:03:52]>> What's your uh reasoning?

[00:03:53]>> I would also say that Germany is way better in um making an experience. Like when you go out for dinner, you can sit outside, have some drink. It's like way more it's you walk sometimes maybe in a city to the spot and it's just I don't know such so much better of like a whole experience.

[00:04:09]>> Even if you go to a proper restaurant, the restaurant experience in the US is usually shorter, right?

[00:04:15]atmospher all this outdoor seating which is a lot more common and then you spend the whole evening usually and you stay for more drinks and dessert.

[00:04:31]>> This is true. They don't rush you out of of the restaurants in Germany. But I will say one of my least favorite things to do after eating dinner at a restaurant is linger for a long time.

[00:04:40]You know I don't like that. So, I like when getting rushed out. Hi.

[00:04:43]>> I do I do like lingering. Of course, only if you want to. If you're with company that you enjoy, then I love it.

[00:04:48]>> Yeah, >> cuz then you feel like, oh, now we can just talk for the rest of the night and hang out.

[00:04:52]>> We're going to go out to dinner later tonight and we'll probably linger a little bit. Okay.

[00:05:01]>> Okay. A little bit more serious.

[00:05:03]Driving.

[00:05:06]>> I know. And that one's complex.

[00:05:08]>> This is very complex.

[00:05:09]>> I know. There's a lot of emotions to consider.

[00:05:13]>> Okay.

[00:05:14]>> You did this earlier, so I'm going with both.

[00:05:16]>> You're going with both.

[00:05:17]>> I go with both.

[00:05:17]>> I'm going controversial here.

[00:05:19]>> Interesting.

[00:05:19]>> Okay. Okay.

[00:05:20]>> All right. We're both controversial.

[00:05:22]>> I think that everyone's first instinct would be, "Oh, Germany autobond, you can drive really fast. It's got to be better. German cars, the roads are kind of nicer for the most part." But driving on the autobon is you you guys just said it. You drove here on the autobon. It's very intense and stressful the whole time.

[00:05:40]>> And in the States, if you go on a long drive, you can be out in space. You might see no other cars. It's just a way more relaxing experience. Whereas in Germany, you're always you're always on edge. You always have to be paying attention. It's very, very stressful.

[00:05:53]>> Agreed. That's why I put both because I don't like how stressful driving is in Germany. However, I do think that Germans are better drivers.

[00:06:02]>> This is true.

[00:06:03]And so that's if you think about it that way than Germany for sure. But in terms of stress, even not just on the outbound, even just in a city like Munich, driving through the city, parking also part of driving so much more stressful in Germany. So that's where the US wins for sure.

[00:06:17]>> Got a lot of space and that helps with parking and driving. I will say for sure German drivers are better because getting your license in the United States is way too easy.

[00:06:26]>> It's way too easy. I was I've said this a few times. I never even did a driving school. My mom taught me how to drive in a parking lot like two times and then I went and took my test. I got my license.

[00:06:35]>> Yeah. I wrote I did 60 hours of driving.

[00:06:37]It's like make it up, make it up, make it up.

[00:06:40]>> Yeah. If people are interested in that, I recently did a full breakdown on how to get your driver's license in Germany versus the US and all the requirements and the costs. A driver's license in Germany currently costs around $4,000 to get. When I got mine, it was about half of that, but it's gone up like crazy in the last few years.

[00:06:58]>> Yeah.

[00:06:58]>> Jeez. But it gets us better drivers.

[00:07:01]>> That's true. And what do you have?

[00:07:03]>> I wanted to say basically driving in the US is way more chill. Like it's really fun to drive there. But I'm also really proud that I can just easily parallel park.

[00:07:12]>> Yeah.

[00:07:13]>> You're going to be a pro over there.

[00:07:15]>> Well, we have we have to parallel park a lot of times here in our neighborhood.

[00:07:18]And if I'm driving and I drive us drive us home, we'll swap. Laura will go in the driver's seat and she will parallel park for because >> and I can do it really well.

[00:07:27]>> She's very She's our car guy. Good.

[00:07:29]>> She's good. I can't par.

[00:07:30]>> Hey, so much for women can't drive.

[00:07:34]>> You're breaking stereotypes.

[00:07:35]>> Yeah.

[00:07:36]>> Nice.

[00:07:42]>> I think you know what I'm going to say right now, but I'm going to say it. I would really encourage you to check out our app, Quiver. It asks one question a day, every single day. Some questions are easy and kind of frivolous, but fun, and some questions are a little bit deeper. The coolest part to me is not necessarily the questions. I think those are very fun and thoughtprovoking, but it's the type of people that Quiver attracts and the community that is being built on there. Look, Quiver is not for everyone. Some people don't like to answer these questions, but if it is for you, I think you will really like it.

[00:08:12]So, I would encourage you to download it and check it out. It's completely free on iPhone and Android. I know I'm biased because I'm a co-founder of it, but I really think that Quiver is a little oasis of positivity on the internet, a breath of fresh air. And so I'd really encourage you to see if Quiver is for you. I would really appreciate it. It's something that we're trying to grow and build. So check out Quiver in the description below to download and join for free. Thank you for considering >> freedom.

[00:08:39]>> Oh, we have a whole video about that. We should link that somewhere down below.

[00:08:42]We discussed this topic intensively a couple maybe three years ago.

[00:08:46]>> Yep, we did.

[00:08:47]>> I don't remember what our verdict was at the end.

[00:08:50]>> I can't remember either. And I'm also going to do a total copout on this one and go >> do both. both. Yeah, >> you I would say the same. Yeah, you kind of have to.

[00:08:59]>> Depends.

[00:09:00]>> I think the simplest way to put it if you were really generalizing is that in the USA, you have a freedom to do certain things more in in Germany, you have a freedom from certain things.

[00:09:15]>> And I think that's a really good very simple way of putting it.

[00:09:19]>> Really good way to put it.

[00:09:20]>> Yeah. Basically, Germany has more rules, more regulations, more even social rules that maybe aren't written down anywhere, but expectations like actual rules that are written down include things like you can't vacuum on a Sunday, you can't be too loud on Sundays, right? You can't if you put your recycling, like your glass recycling into the containers again, can't be on a Sunday, you can't do things after a certain time at night because people will complain, etc., etc. >> People don't jaywalk, you know, all those things. But then at the same time, you don't have as many burdens in terms of health care costs. For example, you don't have to worry every single day that you might get in an accident and you won't be able to pay for it. Your health is secured. And that's a big um weight off your shoulders.

[00:10:04]>> It's it's a freedom from the stress and constant worry of that.

[00:10:08]>> Same goes for things like education, for example, or the fear of mass shootings, things like that.

[00:10:15]>> Okay. Um, I I just think that the biggest freedom of all is to take a risk. And while I do think that like in America, you have so many different freedoms, trust me, like you you can go out and do whatever you want, like for the most part. But a country that incentivizes taking risks so much will drop you as there's no safety net as soon as you fail once you taste take that risk. And in Germany, I feel like there's freedom in taking a risk and knowing that the social safety net is there to make sure you don't fall through the cracks and you're going to be living underneath a bridge. Like >> um there's certain things I can't do here. I can't go get a gun. I don't really want a gun, but I can't do it.

[00:10:57]That's just the fact of the matter in the US.

[00:10:58]>> You could if you went through a lot of stuff.

[00:11:00]>> Yeah, but it's not as easy as, you know, one two three. Like there's a place where I'm from you can go open up a checking account and get a gun for opening up a checking account. Like come on. Is that real?

[00:11:10]>> Yes.

[00:11:11]>> We used to get toy dinosaurs so states kick guns.

[00:11:14]>> Yeah. Like that's that's where I'm from.

[00:11:16]Like >> that's insane.

[00:11:17]>> Um but no, I it's just freedom in a different way. If that makes sense what I said, the freedom to take a risk and know that you're not going to be >> crack. It's sometimes funny to me because I felt like in the US there are so many rules as well which are often kind of overlooked like for example that your grass has to be this kind of tall in front of your yard and whatever. HOA, homeowners association >> and then like I call cannot be show like there are so many tiny rules as well where it's not really that free.

[00:11:48]>> HOAs are very German in that regard.

[00:11:51]Yeah, >> that's that's the most German thing about the United States is the HOA. And you guys don't even really have them here, do you?

[00:11:56]>> No.

[00:11:57]>> No.

[00:11:58]>> Maybe within a big apartment complex there will be >> rules like building stuff. Let your Oh my god, the ge But that's like a city rule, right? That's an actual law.

[00:12:07]For example, like you're not going to get fined for not cutting your grass in your front yard, right? Like you would get if you don't cut your grass.

[00:12:15]>> I've at least never heard about anything like that.

[00:12:17]>> My mom, >> yeah, she likes rage a little bit.

[00:12:22]There is another freedom that is smaller in the US in that sense and that's like um roaming basically like if you if you just walk out in Montana or something like that, you always have to make sure that the land that looks like it's just open land doesn't belong to someone because then you're technically allowed to walk over it. Whereas here in Germany, you still are allowed to I think for the most part, don't quote me on this, but I know that there is more freedom that you're allowed to walk over um like fields and land even that partially has to do with like livestocking laws like there that like that part of the country like >> that that was people would steal entire herds of cattle.

[00:13:03]>> You guys watch Yellowstone there.

[00:13:06]>> Okay.

[00:13:08]>> It's very important.

[00:13:08]>> Lonesome dog.

[00:13:10]>> Yeah.

[00:13:11]>> I love that book.

[00:13:12]>> Mhm.

[00:13:13]>> So what's a freedom that you have in Germany that you don't have in the US?

[00:13:17]>> The one that everyone knows the autobond. drive as fast as I want on the interstate and uh veg beer uh a whey beer. So a beer on the way home.

[00:13:27]>> Yeah.

[00:13:28]>> Or Yeah. A rope beer or even just your passenger driver drinking next to you.

[00:13:33]Last week I went wedding dress shopping and my friend was driving with me. Well, she was in the passenger seat and on the way home cuz it was a Saturday. was getting like later in the day and she bought a bottle of wine and started drinking it in the car and I was like if we were in the US you would not be allowed to even open this >> as a passenger.

[00:13:49]>> Yeah. You're not allowed. So you can't have an open container in the car.

[00:13:52]>> Like you can't even have the open because the steams can kind of make you funny because there's certain things in the United States where they do like the they really treat the the citizenry like children. Like it's like >> of course you can be responsible with an open alcohol container in the car if the driver's not drinking it. Like everyone's adults here, but the US just they kind of just treats you like children in certain situations. They also have all these little loopholes like you can drink a beer if you have a brown paper bag over it.

[00:14:19]>> Some of these things are just not in your car. Just out of >> silly even more is distinguished to see like Yeah. Yeah. Okay. I see now that you drink alcohol.

[00:14:28]>> Yeah. It makes it more obvious.

[00:14:30]>> It's super weird. Um in Germany technically even the driver is allowed to drink alcohol while driving as long as you don't hit the the ground. Yeah, drink a beer. Technically, >> it does treat these laws, these rules kind of treat you more like an adult, whereas some of these other ones in the United States do treat you a little bit more like a child.

[00:14:47]>> I will say talking about children too, children in general have more freedom in Germany, too, or more responsibility.

[00:14:53]And I don't think that really has to do a lot with the law. It's more a cultural difference. So, like me as a teenager, I think I probably felt more free than a lot of teenagers at the age of 14, 15, 16 do in the US. Well, 16 then they have their cars and then they probably feel more free.

[00:15:09]>> That's true once you get your cars there. But also when you look at like younger children and you see all these kids walking to school like here and there's like six years old. They're taking a tram to school. I'm like where's your parents? It's it's totally it's totally accepted total totally normal for young kids to have that freedom and autonomy and feel safe while doing.

[00:15:26]>> That's what I was going to say. It's also a cultural trust like a communitywide trust where it's like >> Yeah.

[00:15:32]But I will say when you're 16 years old in the United States and you get your license, you get a car, that's a that's a beautiful freedom.

[00:15:39]>> Cars are also that's another thing that's like easier to get in the US is cars. They're just like lower regulations for a car. Cheaper >> tough. Yeah.

[00:15:47]>> Yeah.

[00:15:47]>> Yeah. You were shocked a few times when we saw you saw some cars on the road in the US like the bumper all bent.

[00:15:54]>> Not okay.

[00:15:54]>> Yeah. But you can get them tired.

[00:15:56]>> Yeah.

[00:15:56]>> What do we What do we refer to those as?

[00:15:58]>> Beaters.

[00:15:59]>> Beers. Beers.

[00:16:00]>> Beater cars.

[00:16:06]Okay, ready for the next one?

[00:16:08]>> Yes.

[00:16:08]>> Popcorn.

[00:16:11]>> Oh, easy, >> easy, easy, easy. Good. Laura, Germany, >> not the only one.

[00:16:18]>> Yeah, I American just tastes like chemicals and horrible >> delicious chemicals.

[00:16:23]>> It's really bad. And then Germany tastes first of all you do salt. What What's going on there? And then it's like the butter almost tastes like chemicals. So it's not good. The liquid butter that you pour over it.

[00:16:34]>> Yeah.

[00:16:35]>> I mean salty popcorn is the way. The sweet popcorn thing that Germany's doing. It's it's jarring for me. It doesn't When you go to the movie theater, okay, you want to get a pop, you want a salty popcorn. If you want some sweet, you get a chocolate to go with it. But you you need salty popcorn.

[00:16:49]>> See, I don't agree with that. I would usually have been German popcorn because I love sweet popcorn. However, I have discovered kettle corn in the US and kettle corn beats it all because it's sweet and salty and it's better than just sweet in my opinion. And there is this one specific brand at the grocery store that I still miss. It's been six months of being in Germany and I miss my purple colored boom chicka pop. Pop kettle corn, that's what it's called.

[00:17:13]>> Video sponsored by Boom Chicka Pop. Pop.

[00:17:15]I've mentioned them a lot in my most recent videos. They should sponsor me.

[00:17:19]Um, but no, kettle corn is just better than just sweet popcorn. not had kettle corn. I was telling you about this when we were at when we were at >> kettle corn.

[00:17:29]>> Yeah. Yeah. It's popcorn but it's it's sweet and salty basically.

[00:17:32]>> It is quite good.

[00:17:33]>> Always be careful whenever you're whenever they're cooking it cuz they cook it in like a big kettle. And one time at the Kentucky horse park. It's this really pretty like park in Kentucky. And I was like 14 years old and this dude's sitting there making it.

[00:17:45]I walk up into like his little tent where he's making it and a kernel pops out, goes on my chest and it embeds itself, melts my skin. I'm sitting there like >> which I love kettle corn but every time I hear kettle corn I think of that now >> that has been traumatized by his kettle corn experience >> that has a bruise here something popcorn >> scar you stole my thunder with kettle corn that's what I was going to mention so I don't have anything else to say >> but you also like just the regular salty American butter popcorn right >> yeah I do I was going to bring up kettle corn cuz we got to get you kettle corn kettle All right, ready for the last one?

[00:18:26]>> What do we got?

[00:18:27]>> Staying fit.

[00:18:30]>> It's like staying in shape.

[00:18:31]>> Wow.

[00:18:32]>> Easy.

[00:18:34]>> It It's kind of in between, I feel like.

[00:18:37]But >> Okay.

[00:18:38]>> Can I go first? You go.

[00:18:40]>> Everyone Germany. Everyone.

[00:18:41]>> This is the first one that we're all >> Yeah, I think so.

[00:18:44]>> Good job, guys.

[00:18:45]>> Wow. Look at us.

[00:18:46]>> Want to go first?

[00:18:47]>> Yeah. Yeah.

[00:18:47]>> Can I go first? Go first.

[00:18:49]>> I think that the fitness culture in the US is good. It's good to be healthy. I'm not saying that. But I think it can get very judgmental and um all-encompassing for people. And it's all they do. And um I think especially with men, it can kind of get into the um >> bro scene, if you know what I mean, like the the masculine alpha male type. And here it's just like you see people walking around up a mountain at 80 years old with their walking sticks and that person is just as fit as the 30-year-old dude that's walking around 250 all muscles. That dude will not be able to walk at 80.

[00:19:28]>> Yeah.

[00:19:28]>> So Germany.

[00:19:31]>> Agreed.

[00:19:32]>> I'll pass I give it to you because you're the expert.

[00:19:35]>> Yeah. I think as with a lot of things, the United States is the land of the extremes and so you got a lot of like really fit people who but but it almost gets to a point where it's an unhealthy obsession. it's like kind of too much gym stuff. And then of course you got a lot of unhealthy people who are overweight. In Germany for the average person, I think it's a lot easier. One, because of the quality of foods. Um, and two, because it is so much more walkable. I think walking is the number one most important thing for staying fit and it just life in in Germany is very easy to walk around and that just keeps you healthy >> and you have to. It's just incorporated in your everyday life so much. So the combo of food quality, being forced to walk >> or like here your apartment, you're on what floor.

[00:20:17]>> I was literally about to say this.

[00:20:20]>> True. We have to go on a hike every time it comes.

[00:20:22]>> Is this German fourth floor?

[00:20:23]>> It's American fifth. German fourth.

[00:20:25]Yeah.

[00:20:26]>> Which, by the way, don't get me started on all.

[00:20:28]>> And that's not even uncommon. I mean, my great aunt up until she died lived on the German fourth floor without an elevator. She was I don't over 80.

[00:20:35]>> It's impressive.

[00:20:41]Cool.

[00:20:42]>> Yeah, we got a lot of lot of different topics.

[00:20:46]>> Well, we got a lot of stuff to edit.

[00:20:48]>> Should we give us some >> time for dinner? Do not forget to check out Feele's part of the video over on her channel linked in the description below. And let us know if you guys like these collaborations and we should do more of them in the future. Thanks for watching. Hope you have a lovely day and I'll see you next time.