Dating can be a minefield at the best of times. But what happens when you move to a city like Berlin? Lulu Johnson discovered just this when she moved from Ireland to Berlin - and then wrote a book about it! It's called Dating in Berlin and covers her hilarious - and some not so hilarious - misadventures as a foreigner in the German dating scene. Lulu to discusses dating in Berlin, toxic relationships, making friends, and learning the German language. Get the book here: Dating in Berlin: Tales o...
May 21, 2023•36 min•Ep. 132
Just do a Google search for Del Keens, and you will see that he's someone with a unique story. After moving to Germany, he started a character modeling agency called Misfit Models . He joins me as a guest in this episode to discuss why he came to Germany, how he faced German bureaucracy when he started Misfit Models, how he feels that the current diversity focus is a trend, and he talks about the impact Brexit has had on his life. Find Del online: Misfit Models official website Instagram Twitter...
Apr 08, 2023•37 min•Ep. 131
Kerstin Brunner is a finance coach, and she comes on the podcast to discuss what goes into buying property in Germany. First we look at how to decide if purchasing a property is right for you. Then we consider the additional costs (notary fee, agent fee, etc.). And she walks us through all the steps, from deciding you want to buy through to getting the keys. If you have questions for Kerstin, you can find her on LinkedIn . IF YOU ENJOY THIS PODCAST You can support the show in various ways: BUY T...
Mar 31, 2023•56 min•Ep. 130
Kim from the UK explains what life is like in Germany for her as a gay woman. She also discusses the difficulties of finding a community in smaller cities and towns. Plus: Kim gives some advice! Kim has created a self-paced online course called Thrive In Germany - get a discount on it by using the code 'GermanyXP' at checkout: Thrive in Germany Course Kim and Suzanne have started a podcast! Subscribe to it: Thriving in Germany podcast website Thriving in Germany podcast on Spotify Connect with K...
Mar 08, 2023•43 min•Ep. 129
The Germany Experience is back with a repost from Shaun's other podcast, Everyday Germany. Nina joins Shaun to see which one of them is more German. Subscribe to Everyday Germany where Shaun and Nina discuss their observations of German life, culture and language: EVERYDAY GERMANY The book we used as a basis for this episode: Ze Germans: An expat's guide to living in Germany by Fadi Gaziri The Germany Experience podcast episodes featuring Fadi: Apologizing in Germany, sauna surprises, and making...
Mar 01, 2023•51 min•Ep. 128
Shaun gives an update on 4GEPADFO (spoiler: we made our 500€ goal!). But you can still donate to this great cause (a hotline providing psychosocial support for Ukrainian children and youths: Donate to krisenchat Listen to Shaun's new English podcast with Nina about life in Germany: EVERYDAY GERMANY Support the show Instagram: the.germany.experience Official podcast website: https://thegermanyexperience.de YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/c/thegermanyexperience Contact me: info@thegermanyexpe...
Jan 04, 2023•5 min
Nicole joins me this week to discuss some big changes in her life – she's leaving Germany. In this episode, she explains what's happening and why she's making the move. We also talk about our charity drive for 2022 - AND WE NEED YOU TO DONATE! 4GEPADFO time: charity drive 2022 As we do every year, Nicole of The Expat Cast and I are raising money for a charity - but this time, instead of a competition, we're doing it together! The project we're supporting this year: krisenchat, which provides psy...
Dec 22, 2022•48 min•Ep. 125
When Wafeeqa and her family moved to Germany, they thought things would be easier: her husband had a job, and his employer was arranging accommodation for them. Plus, they both had experience with learning languages, so they thought maybe German wouldn't be too much of a challenge. But as is so often the case, things didn't go according to plan... Wafeeqa discusses finding a place to live, finding daycare for her twins, trying not to disturb neighbors, and more. 4GEPADFO time: charity drive 2022...
Dec 02, 2022•48 min
Suzanne Dinter joins me this week to explain what hypnotherapy is, and how it can help foreigners adjust to life in Germany - among other issues. Suzanne is a Brit who has been living in Germany since 1994, and she specializes in helping overwhelmed international, high-achieving women feel calm, confident, and like themselves again after moving abroad. She does this quickly, effectively, and with long-lasting results using hypnosis. At the end of our discussion, she demonstrates her techniques b...
Nov 09, 2022•52 min•Ep. 123
Katie Rössler , author of The New Face of Grief , comes on the podcast to discuss the role that hidden grief might play in the lives of foreigners in a new country. She also discusses the toll a move to a new country can take on a couple. And of course, she offers advice of how to navigate these difficult issues. Buy Katie's book: The New Face of Grief Get a free audio sample of the book: Free Audio Chapter of The New Face of Grief Katie on social media: Instagram: katie.rossler Facebook: Katie ...
Oct 19, 2022•48 min•Ep. 122
At the end of September 2022, I gave a talk at the Welcome To Germany Summit. This is the rehearsal that I recorded a few days before. But mine was only one of many great talks on the day from multiple speakers! To access over 6 hours of advice from experts about life in Germany, go and watch the video feed on one of these platforms: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook The topics that were covered: The main steps of your relocation in Germany Learning German for your career in Germany What I wish I knew w...
Oct 12, 2022•22 min•Ep. 121
“I feel like a lot of people feel this - this feeling of Germany crushing your soul, like killing you from the inside.” This is how Veronica from Mexico describes her first years in Germany. One of the biggest reasons for this was that her academic qualification was not valid in Germany, causing her to feel that she wasn't valued for who she is. That all changed when Veronica fell in love with a German startup and made it her mission to convince them to hire her. Here is Veronica's LinkedIn post...
Oct 05, 2022•49 min•Ep. 120
Many foreigners do a lot of traveling around Europe while they are here. But have you ever considered what would happen if you had a medical emergency in another country? This happened to Sadaf, when she was involved in a car accident while she was in Milan. She discusses the ordeal, and then her recovery, starting from Italian hospitals and ending back in Germany. She also discusses how her university assisted her during her recovery. Follow Sadaf on Instagram: @itssadafsaeed Welcome To Germany...
Sep 28, 2022•40 min•Ep. 119
A group of experts (including me!) has come together to organize a free online event for everyone interested in moving to and living in Germany - expats, internationals, immigrants, repats...you name it. In this special episode, I talk about the summit and also bring on its organizers to go through the list of topics that will be covered. SIGN UP FOR THE WELCOME TO GERMANY SUMMIT 2022 HERE 29th September 2022 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. The topics that will be covered: The main steps of your relocatio...
Sep 25, 2022•20 min
Cathrin, originally from Germany, has been living in the States for more than 10 years, but she recently made the decision to return. She discusses the reasons for wanting to come back, how she needs to say goodbye to her old life, and how she faces similar culture shocks to other foreigners moving to Germany. She also discusses customer service in Germany, German coffee, and what it's like looking for a job months in advance. Welcome To Germany Summit 2022 : A group of experts (including me!) h...
Sep 13, 2022•50 min•Ep. 118
Originally released on October 19th, 2020. View the original show notes here. I F YOU ENJOY THIS PODCAST You can support the show in various ways: BUY THE GERMANY EXPERIENCE PODCAST A COFFEE – there are a lot of costs associated with running a podcast, like expenses for hosting the audio and the tools used to record the episodes. Every donation will go towards the monthly expenses of keeping The Germany Experience going. And it will make my heart happy! SPREAD THE WORD – share your favorite epis...
Aug 24, 2022•53 min
Originally released March 8th, 2021 View the original show notes here. I F YOU ENJOY THIS PODCAST You can support the show in various ways: BUY THE GERMANY EXPERIENCE PODCAST A COFFEE – there are a lot of costs associated with running a podcast, like expenses for hosting the audio and the tools used to record the episodes. Every donation will go towards the monthly expenses of keeping The Germany Experience going. And it will make my heart happy! SPREAD THE WORD – share your favorite episode in ...
Aug 17, 2022•30 min
Originally released November 23rd, 2020. View the original show notes here. Antoinette's YouTube channel: Antoinette Emily I F YOU ENJOY THIS PODCAST You can support the show in various ways: BUY THE GERMANY EXPERIENCE PODCAST A COFFEE – there are a lot of costs associated with running a podcast, like expenses for hosting the audio and the tools used to record the episodes. Every donation will go towards the monthly expenses of keeping The Germany Experience going. And it will make my heart happ...
Aug 10, 2022•41 min
Original release: November 2nd, 2020 View the original show notes here. Featuring the hosts of the Ach podcast . I F YOU ENJOY THIS PODCAST You can support the show in various ways: BUY THE GERMANY EXPERIENCE PODCAST A COFFEE – there are a lot of costs associated with running a podcast, like expenses for hosting the audio and the tools used to record the episodes. Every donation will go towards the monthly expenses of keeping The Germany Experience going. And it will make my heart happy! SPREAD ...
Aug 03, 2022•56 min
Original release: June 2, 2021 View the original show notes here. I F YOU ENJOY THIS PODCAST You can support the show in various ways: BUY THE GERMANY EXPERIENCE PODCAST A COFFEE – there are a lot of costs associated with running a podcast, like expenses for hosting the audio and the tools used to record the episodes. Every donation will go towards the monthly expenses of keeping The Germany Experience going. And it will make my heart happy! SPREAD THE WORD – share your favorite episode in an ex...
Jul 27, 2022•34 min
I've always felt a special connection to Berlin. But what is it like to live there? I am joined by three foreigners living in Berlin who discuss their stories, what they love about living in Berlin, and various other aspects of life in the city. My guests: Olivera, who hosts a YouTube and Instagram channel Alex and Geoff from the Americans in Germany Drinking Whiskey podcast Some things we mentioned: The story of Tempelhofer Field: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempelhofer_Feld The Tempelhof Sou...
Jul 20, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 117
You sent in some questions about life in Germany, and I try and answer them in this episode. THE GERMANY EXPERIENCE AT PODFEST BERLIN I will be recording a live episode at Podfest Berlin on Saturday July 16th @ 16:15 . It will be a Berlin-focused episode, and I will have a panel of four guests who all live in the city. Come and join and be part of the live recording! The venue: Noisy Rooms @ House of Music, Revaler Str. 99, 10245 Berlin, Germany Currently, tickets for the entire event are on sal...
Jul 06, 2022•21 min•Ep. 116
The first six months in a new job is important. In Germany, it is usually a trial period - or "Probezeit" - and it is a chance for you to get to know your team, company, and more. Lisa Janz, who runs Job Coach Germany, joins me to discuss what you should look out for, what you should be asking yourself and your employer, and other advice about the Probezeit. Lisa Janz's website: Lisa Janz, Job Coach Germany Find Lisa: Instagram YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Lisa's past episodes: Lisa on The Germany ...
Jun 29, 2022•41 min•Ep. 115
Alexandrea from the USA (and former guest on the podcast ) left her job in Hamburg for one in Frankfurt. However, she realized almost immediately that the new job was not a good fit. She left during her trial period and found her way to her current job in Berlin. After moving cities and jobs several times, Alex has learnt a few valuable lessons, and she joins me to share them. She has a list of what you should ask prospective employers, she gives some tips about what you should know about jobs i...
Jun 22, 2022•50 min•Ep. 114
During Dzhangar's first years in Germany, he noticed what many foreigners notice: how difficult it was for his family to meet other like-minded families. And making friends is crucial. It helps to make you feel more at home, and it gives you a support system for when you need help. So Dzhangar quit his job and started working on an app that would help families connect with each other. That app is MatchFamilies . He joins me in this episode to discuss his initial troubles in Germany, what it was ...
Jun 15, 2022•36 min•Ep. 113
If you've ever wished a German "Happy birthday" before their actual birthday, you will no doubt have quickly learnt that it's just not done. It's just a tradition based on superstition, but many Germans abide by it. So, is it tradition, or actually superstition? Shaun has his opinion, and he talks with Nina, a German, about it. They also cover the "Eisheilige" belief that you shouldn't sow certain plants before middle of May, drinking traditions, and more. We also cover what the daddy long legs ...
Jun 08, 2022•30 min•Ep. 112
Beth comes back on the podcast to discuss how she recently found herself post-pandemic in a world that had shrunk to just her job and her family. While this isn't a bad thing, Beth was lacking a feeling of community. She also discovered that she needs to redefine her identity now that she no longer does the activities that used to define her: volleyball and fencing. Beth also helps me recap the Eurovision Song Contest 2022. Previous episodes with Beth: The 5 phases of culture shock Feeling weigh...
May 17, 2022•36 min•Ep. 111
When Saehee, a Korean American, first moved from the States to Germany, she struggled to adjust for many different reasons. This led to her feeling depressed and lonely. But that would all change once she started getting back to what she loves. Listen to the story of how Saehee was able to move herself beyond difficult times with the help of therapy, embracing her culture, and focusing on her love for cooking and food. Saehee's websites: Korea Konnect Kosari Kimchi Saehee on Instagram: @saeheech...
May 12, 2022•42 min•Ep. 110
It's conventional knowledge that West Germany was more liberal and progressive than East Germany. Then it stands to reason that West Germany was more accepting of gay rights. But was this really the case? Of course, these things are always very nuanced, and Samuel Clowes Huneke joins me to discuss it in detail. He's written a book called " States of Liberation ", and we discuss it in our interview. We also discuss the similarities and differences between East and West Germany in terms of gay rig...
Apr 20, 2022•40 min•Ep. 109
When Mei Chi arrived in Germany, she faced several challenges caused by the language and cultural barrier. Not understanding German can result in some minor inconveniences that make funny stories later on, but other misunderstandings can be more serious. All this highlighted how important it is to have help at the right time, and Mei Chi started a platform called BookaLocal . In this episode she discusses her own hardships, and also explains the purpose behind BookaLocal. BookaLocal also offers ...
Apr 06, 2022•43 min•Ep. 108
