"German Conversation for Learners: Stadt vs Land | Listening Practice "

Hello, Eleo! Hello, Lara! You're back on my channel! Yes! I asked the community on Instagram which topics they are interested in. And would you like to say what most people said? Yes, for most people the topic was actually city and country. Totally interesting. We also find that very exciting. Exactly. Well then, let's go! Yay! Hello! Hello, Lara! Tell me, where did you grow up? Did you grow up in a city or in a country? I grew up in a city and even in a big city. So in a city with one million inhabitants. Wow. Inhabitants are the people who live in a city or in a village. Exactly. A big city has, I think, at least 100,000 inhabitants. Yes, at least that. Those are cities like Hamburg, Berlin, Munich. Those are all big German cities. And then there is also the small city. Right. The small city has between 5,000 and 20,000 inhabitants. That is still a city, but a smaller one. And then there is the village. I was just wondering, what about the cities that are not a small city and not a big city? Is that just a city? Just a city, right? So there is the big city, there is the city, there is the small city and there is the village. And the village is on the land. Do you know how many inhabitants you speak of in a village? I think from 500 to 5,000 inhabitants. Okay. So the village is very small. Few inhabitants, few inhabitants and also little infrastructure. What is that, for example? Infrastructure, that is something like roads, public transport, but also supermarkets and doctors. So everything you need to live. Exactly. Yes, okay. And tell me, you grew up in a big big city. Yes. And now, where do you live now? So in a city. Still in a big city. In the same big city where I grew up. True. Yes. I never moved away from here because I like it very much and because I like living in a big city. Why? What do you see as advantages, positive aspects of living in a big city? For me, above all, that the cultural life is very diverse. So I can go to many cafes and to concerts or lectures and meet many different people. And, for example, there are cities, big cities, also very multicultural, that is, many people come here from different countries. And that makes the city very interesting for me because I like to spend a lot of time with other people. Okay, so you just mentioned the cultural offer, so cinemas, museums, events. And you also mentioned the cultural diversity. How do you experience that in a big city, the cultural diversity? What do you mean exactly by that? So there are many people from other countries here. And so I know many people from different cultures who speak many different languages. And that's very interesting because I can get to know other perspectives on life. And sometimes it's a bit like I'm traveling and getting to know people from other countries without traveling. So I have this possibility that the world comes to me, so to speak. And that's very interesting and totally enriching, I think. Yes, I also think it's really nice that when you walk through big cities in Germany, you actually feel like you hear a different language on every street corner. And then you think, okay, that was now Portuguese, that was now Russian, that was now Turkish. That was Amharic. And it's like that. You can keep it apart in the meantime, sometimes, which language is which because you hear them so often. Yes, that's the cultural diversity. That we in the German big city not only have the German... Not only Germans. Not only Germans and how they experience the world and see and live. But I also find it interesting why people come here. So there are reasons why people from other countries go to big cities and not from the countryside. And that's, for example, because there are many more jobs and career opportunities here. It's easier to find a job. And there are also many different professions. And at the same time, there are also more universities and educational offers in the city. So you can not only develop culturally, but also professionally on many levels in the city. That's for people who come from abroad, a reason to move to cities. But that's also for people who grow up in German villages or small towns. A reason to move to the cities or big cities. That's right. I know, I've been living my whole life in this big city. But I know more people who come from the countryside and moved to this city to study than people who were born here, like me. Do you notice another advantage of living in the city? One last maybe. So in the city the medical care is often very good and much faster. That means the doctors and hospitals are not so far away. And there are more doctors. That means you get an appointment faster and you don't have to drive that far. And I think that's sometimes very difficult in the countryside. Yes, that's true. I imagine that if you need a special doctor, a specialist, then in a big city there are all of them. There are five specialists or something. Yes, that's true. That's really an important advantage. Maybe as a healthy young person you don't think about it that much. But that's very important for many people. Yes, that's true. Let's talk about the disadvantages of living in the city. I guess that's also possible. If you live in a big city. Yes, it is. Do you know what comes to my mind first? The anonymity. Yes, that's what many people say. Many people feel anonymous in a big city. I mean that I often, when I lived in a big city, didn't know who exactly my neighbors were. That's true. And in general, I don't necessarily greet the people on the street, but somehow walk past each other. There are many people, when they live alone in a city, they become lonely. Which is very strange, because you think there are so many people, you can't be lonely yet. But that happens very often, that people live alone in the city and nobody cares about them, because you are anonymous. And nobody knows you. What is also bad, are the high rent costs. Oh yes. Cities are also much more expensive than the country, although shopping is more expensive, cafes are more expensive. Actually, a lot of things cost more than in the country. Yes. And above all, the rents in German cities are increasing more and more. Yes, that's such a global phenomenon, that the cities are getting more and more expensive, the rents are getting more and more expensive, and people are moving out of the cities, because it's getting more and more expensive. That's called gentrification. Gentrification is in English, I think. Gentrification, right? Ah, gentrification. Gentrification in English and gentrification in German. So, gentrification. Oh, sorry. What are the disadvantages? Yes, I know that many people are bothered by the noise, the noise of the whole big city, and that the cities are often very crowded and full of people, and can often be very hectic. Of course. I personally don't have that problem. You don't either? No. I even like that very much. So, in the city centre it's sometimes too much for me, when I'm in the shopping streets, and it's very crowded, and you have to avoid people all the time. I can't do that for that long, but the cities are not always that crowded, and I live in a city district, where I think it's a good mix of many people, but not too stressful. But I'm not very sensitive to that either. I like many people around me. That's why I live here, because I like it. Living on the streets. Yes, and maybe it really depends on which city district, in which area, in which district you live in the city. There are different atmospheres. Can I interrupt you? Yes, unfortunately. What really bothers me the most is that there is little nature. Oh, yes, that's true. I think that's a shame, because I love forests, I love being in nature, and I always notice that when I drive out of the city, into a forest, that I really breathe in. And there are also parks in the city, but it's not quite the same. And you always have to go somewhere first to be in nature. And I think that's missing a bit. Yes, I miss that a bit too. So I always have to make sure that I really drive out with the S-Bahn from time to time and just see green. Yes, exactly, only green. But you can't have everything. In French there is a saying, you can't have the butter and the money for the butter. You can't have the butter and the money for the butter. Ah, that's good. In English it's you cannot have your cake and eat it too. Yes. Yes, you can't have everything. No. And I'm okay with that so far. If I want to have nature, to go out or maybe for a weekend to rent a small house in the forest. And then I have a bit of a nature holiday, but then I want to go back to the city where I live. For some people it's the other way around. They prefer to live in the country and then go to the city for cultural events. I'm just the other way around. Yes, I understand. Speaking of which, then we could also come to the advantages of living in the country. Because there are also some. For example, more nature. Yes, more nature, exactly. That would be an advantage for rural life. In principle, we could call all the disadvantages that we just mentioned for urban life as advantages for rural life or for living in the country. So what did we say? Expensive rents. Living in the country is much cheaper. It's easier to find something. In the city it's very difficult. Yes. Then there may be more cohesion and more cohesion in the village communities. Yes, more social proximity. So you know who lives on the street and maybe help each other more. And it's not as anonymous as in the big city. I find that very interesting, because I think I just don't want to move to the country because I don't know anyone there. And I think if I lived in a village where I know who the people are and the people are all my friends or acquaintances and family, that would be something completely different, because then I would have a social circle. And I can imagine that it is also very nice to live in a place where everyone is very close to each other. A bit like a clan. I also imagine that to be very nice. Yes. And actually, with the advantages of the city, the disadvantages of living in the country are also a bit covered. At least, I think one of the disadvantages would be, for example, that there is not so much infrastructure, that you don't get everywhere so quickly by bus and train. Yes, a big disadvantage that I see in life in the village and in the country in Germany is the lack of cultural diversity. Yes. I think that's the main argument for me in Germany, not to live in a small town or a village, because I would totally miss that. Yes. Can you imagine living in the country at some point or in a smaller city? I don't know. So, I can partly imagine that. I think, as I just said, I can only imagine if there were other people there that I know. I know, for example, a group of people who were all friends and all lived in this big city and then all together bought a farm in the country and moved there together as a group. Yes. I can still imagine that, because my social environment is very important to me. But I can't imagine, if I have a partner and want to start a family, to move to the country alone with my partner and my children. I think I would miss that very, very much. Many people I know who come from the country and moved to the city to study say that if they have children, they would like to move back to their homeland. Because they can't imagine raising their children in the city. So many people go back to where they came from. Yes, back to their homeland. Those ducks that always breed in the same pond. That's so cute. Ducks always come back to where they hatched. That's really cute. I think that's really cute. Yes. We call it city escape for humans. Yes. A little less cute, but ... Pond escape. Yes. But in fact, you can talk about city escape and country escape. Yes, exactly. Also exciting. Exciting phenomena. Speaking of exciting phenomena, I would like to offer you a cup of notes. But I forgot to write down the notes. Then I'll get notes now. Wait, I'll get the paper. Okay, thank you. Yes, thank you very much for the paper and pen. You know, yes. Okay. Vacancy. Correct. So vacancy means, I think, when the apartment is empty. So nobody lives in it. I don't even know where there is more. Exactly. I think there is vacancy in the city and also in the country. Yes. But it's always stupid anyway. Yes. Because, especially in the city, living space is needed. It's missing there. And if a place is empty for a long time, then people get angry. Yes. They think that's a waste. That's stupid too. That's stupid, yes. Vacancy is stupid. Urbanization. Complicated word. I think that means that the cities are growing. Is that so? Okay. Yes, then I know. Cities are getting bigger and bigger. Because more people often want to live in the city. In the meantime, many more people live in cities in Germany than 100 years ago. The majority of Germans lived in a small town in the countryside. And now a large part of the German population lives in big cities. And that's called urbanization. Some like it, some don't. And the last one? The last one. Pendeln. Pendeln means a term that many people know. Pendeln means that something swings back and forth. A pendulum. It comes from pendeln. It swings back and forth. From left to right. And we say pendeln for people who live in the countryside and work in the city. Or vice versa. People who live in the city and have to drive back and forth to work. A friend of mine works outside the city, in the countryside. And he has to drive back and forth for an hour by car. And that's one of the reasons why many people move to the city. Because it's easier to find a job here. And then you don't always have to drive. You only have to drive 20 minutes to work, not an hour. Okay. I'm really curious what people think about our arguments. It's all very subjective. We have our big city-loving perspective on it. Also prejudices, for sure. Prejudices. I don't know much about life in the countryside and in the village. But what's it like for you? Feel free to tell us in the comments. Where do you live right now? Yes, that's right. What do you think of our arguments, our prejudices and disadvantages? And maybe it's different in your home countries. Maybe there are no prejudices or disadvantages. What's your view on life in Germany? What's your perspective on life in a German big city or country? There are so many interesting questions. I'm really looking forward to the comments. I'm looking forward to the exchange. Thank you, Laura. It's nice to be here. It's always exciting. Yes, for me too. If you want to support this format and this channel, you can give the video a thumbs up. You can share the video with other German learners. You can buy a coffee at bei-mir-kaffee.com. There are so many options. You can also follow me on Instagram. If you want to participate in surveys or give suggestions for topics and want to support other short videos with German learning, is there anything else you want to say? No. No, I don't think so. See you soon. Bye.