If things in Germany continue easing up, vacation will again be possible this summer. A very popular tourist destination is the mountainous region of Bavaria. Ceri, originally from the UK, runs a mountain tour and trekking company there called Four Elements . She joins me to discuss how to avoid tourist hot spots in the mountains this summer, how to prepare for a trip, and also how her love for the outdoors has shaped her time in Germany. Ceri's mountain tour company : https://www.4elements.eu/ ...
May 12, 2021•41 min•Ep. 82
Nadja Todt was born and raised in Germany, but spent 11 years abroad. She describes herself as a global citizen, change-maker, international experience expert, community connector and mentor, and a German and English language consultant. Nadja offers a program called "45 Days to Meaningful Friendships and Connections", and so I asked her to come on the podcast and discuss her insights. Her discussion centers around the what she sees as three central topics of making friendships: knowing yourself...
May 05, 2021•40 min•Ep. 81
How are foreigners in Germany feeling right now? Do they feel like they want to pack up and return to their home countries? And what is it like to make the trip back home? These are all questions we look at in this episode. Back in 2020, Germany was doing great with its handling of the pandemic: cases were down in summer, and there was even a degree of normality creeping back into every day life. The rest of the world envied Germany. However, in winter of 2020, things took a drastic turn. Since ...
Apr 20, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 80
Lisa Janz, who is a job coach for internationals in Germany, recently interviewed me in a live Q&A on her Facebook page . This is the audio of that video. She asked me about my experiences looking for jobs and working in Germany. We also discuss workplace culture shocks, interviews while wearing ripped trousers, and more. Watch the interview on Facebook here . Lisa's Website: lisajanz.com Lisa on Facebook: Lisa Janz - Job Coach Germany Lisa on Instagram: @lisa_janz_jobcoachgermany Support th...
Apr 18, 2021•34 min
Lisa Janz is a career coach for international professionals in Germany. She joins me to discuss the big question of how to figure out what you want from a job in Germany. New foreigners in Germany often just want to get a foot in the door, and foreigners that have been here longer might feel like it's not possible to make a move. But it's important for your happiness that you consider what you really want - and that might even be something that you haven't realized yet. Lisa recently interviewed...
Apr 12, 2021•42 min•Ep. 79
Originally release on 3rd November, 2019 (episode #21) One of my best friends in Germany, Rafael from Brazil, experienced loss when his father passed away, and talks about how he coped dealing with that being far from his family. He's also a handball player, and he had the chance to make German friends through his love of the sport. We also discuss learning languages, Bulgarian wedding dance traditions, and more. UPDATE: Rafael still has not had the Bulgarian wedding he discusses due to coronavi...
Apr 06, 2021•41 min
Madalina, originally from Romania, is a relocation agent who helps foreigners find accommodation in Munich. And as she says, if you can make it in Munich, you can make it anywhere in Germany. Madalina joins me to discuss getting an apartment in Germany - a process that starts before you even start your search. From doing your initial research and establishing your criteria, through writing a cover letter and putting together your portfolio, Madalina takes us through the steps and gives helpful a...
Mar 29, 2021•41 min•Ep. 78
Many foreigners have a picture in their minds of what it will be like finding a job and working in Germany. For example, it seems that the perception is that there are many opportunities in Germany, that salaries are good, and that German companies are efficient. However, this is not necessarily the case. Jana from Meetra joins me to discuss what foreigners can actually expect regarding jobs and the workplace. We also discuss typical German work contracts ("Arbeitsverträge"), the importance of r...
Mar 21, 2021•44 min•Ep. 77
The Germans have certain words, sayings, and gestures that they do very often, often without even thinking about it. And some of these things can be very confusing to people new in Germany. For example: you'll often hear "Oh je" or "So!" in a conversation. Previous guest and resident German Nina joins me to try and explain some of these mannerisms to help us understand what they mean. Watch this interview on YouTube to see all the gestures. The German podcast that Nina and I host together is cal...
Mar 15, 2021•46 min•Ep. 76
I answer your questions about life in Germany, and also some personal questions. Plus, I read some insightful YouTube comments. This was recorded during a Facebook live stream. Watch the full video on my YouTube channel Some of the questions I answer: How can you develop close friendships with Germans? What are the reasons foreigners from developed countries decide to stay in Germany for the long-term? Why is cash such a prominent form of payment? What's up with all the reversing into parking sp...
Mar 08, 2021•38 min•Ep. 75
Alex is originally from Nebraska, USA, but is now living in Hamburg. She joins me with a glass of sparkling wine to discuss, among other things, her love for "zu verschenken" culture, how scholarships offer a world of opportunity for coming to and staying in Germany, and how living in a WG has given her an insight into German life that she might not have had otherwise. She also talks about the German things that fascinate her: the lack of digitization, strange opening hours, and Kirchensteuer (c...
Mar 01, 2021•57 min•Ep. 74
When you move to Germany, like with other countries, you might find yourself needing to re-invent yourself due to the language and the culture. For example: if you were funny and outgoing in your home country, you might suddenly feel like you're introverted and "boring" in social situations in Germany. And how do you deal with feeling that you can't show Germans the real "you"? I discuss this issue with the two hosts of Americans In Germany Drinking Whiskey , Geoff and Alex. We also hear about h...
Feb 22, 2021•47 min•Ep. 73
What are common misconceptions that foreigners have about the job application process in Germany? What makes a good CV? What are assessment centers? We try to answer some of these questions in this episode. To do it, I'm joined by Ivan from Bulgaria (and previous guest on the show), who has extensive experience working as an HR consultant in Germany - and has also applied for jobs in Germany himself. He shares his insights gathered from several years of experience. If you have specific questions...
Feb 15, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 72
Amaia, originally from Spain but now living in Düsseldorf, Germany, started the Expats and Spouses Monitor with Dr. Carlos Morales. Their goal: it is a research project that aims to understand the living and working conditions of expatriates and their spouses or partners living in Germany. With this data, they hope to help stakeholders, such as German employers, implement policies and measures to improve integration of expats. The Expat and Spouses monitor is running a survey until 8th March 202...
Feb 08, 2021•38 min•Ep. 71
What are the standard costs of living you can expect in Germany? Do you really need so much insurance in Germany? And why pay the Rundfunkbeitrag if you don't watch German TV? Jen is from Guatemala and is the co-founder of Simple Germany . She joins me to discuss her story, and the cost of living in Germany. As a basis for our discussion, we use her blog post, The Cost of Living in Germany in 2021 (Real-Life Case Study) . We cover everything from rent, mobile phone contracts, insurance, taxes, a...
Feb 01, 2021•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 70
The SEGEPADFO charity challenge, where I went up against Nicole of The Expat Cast to see who could raise the most money for a project by Über den Tellerrand, is over. Who won the challenge, and how much we raised, is all in this update episode. Plus: I'll tell you when I'll be back with new episodes. Thank you to everyone who donated! See our video promo outtakes: SEGEPADFO video promo outtakes The project we were supporting: Portable kitchen for Über den Tellerrand Freiburg Support the show Ins...
Dec 28, 2020•7 min
Jenna is from Canada who is living in Düsseldorf. She is the creator of Life in Duesseldorf , has just started the Life in Germany YouTube channel . We discuss why she moved to Germany, her recent bout of COVID-19, and why she loves German barbecue culture. Jenna on Instagram: @lifeindus SEGEPADFO UPDATE: Nicole of The Expat Cast and I are going head-to-head to raise money for Über den Tellerrand - in specific, we're supporting a project of theirs to build a mobile kitchen. To find out more and ...
Dec 14, 2020•42 min•Ep. 69
Cassie from Australia wanted to continue her music studies in Germany, and her plans were already underway when the pandemic struck. It put her plans on hold, but Cassie was still able to push through and move to Weimar. I discuss with her what it was like to move to Germany during a pandemic, and what her first impressions of Germany are. Cassie on Instagram: @cassie_slater SEGEPADFO Charity Challenge Nicole of The Expat Cast and I are going head-to-head to raise money for Über den Tellerrand -...
Dec 07, 2020•36 min•Ep. 68
Alicia is a soul and blues singer currently living in Germany. She moved from Texas, USA to Germany complete her studies just over a year ago. I discuss with Alicia what her mindset is after moving countries in such a turbulent year, what her feelings on Germany are, and how she was able to speak out for Black Lives Matter from Germany. Watch Alicia's BLM speech in Hannover Visit Alicia's website to watch videos of her performing and to learn more about her: Alicia Cibola Music Follow her on Ins...
Nov 30, 2020•47 min•Ep. 67
You probably know Antoinette Emily from her YouTube channel. Originally from New Zealand, she moved to Germany to be with her then-boyfriend (now-husband) over 10 years ago. We discuss the story of how she came to Germany, the importance of having international friends in Germany, raising bilingual children, why you probably shouldn't build a house in Germany, and, of course, her YouTube channel. Antoinette's YouTube channel: Antoinette Emily Antoinette on Instagram: @antoinette_nz GERMAN UNCOVE...
Nov 23, 2020•43 min•Ep. 66
Sneha from India moved to Germany in 2011. A professional Indian classical dancer, she was expecting something similar to New York, where people knew about the artform of Indian classical dance. Instead, she found herself constantly having to explain to Germans that it wasn't Bollywood dancing that she does... Sneha explains how she quickly started establishing herself in her artform in Germany by putting on shows, and then later teaching young girls the art of Bharatanatyam . She also takes us ...
Nov 16, 2020•51 min•Ep. 65
Back in May 2020, I had Linda of the Travelteening blog on the podcast to talk about moving to Germany and traveling around with teenagers . Now, I have the teenagers on! Anna and Alex talk about their move to Germany, their lives here, and about traveling with family. OTHER SHOW NOTES Lockdown ignored: Munich police shut down child's birthday party with 100+ guests My "Warteschlangenungeduldigkeit" post on Instagram Bavarian Infection Protocol Ordinance in German: Infektionsschutzmaßnahmenveror...
Nov 09, 2020•41 min•Ep. 64
You sent in your questions, and I put them to Germans to get the answers. It's Ask A German time! The three German guests are the always funny and entertaining hosts of the German podcast, Ach ! They answer the questions that listeners sent in over the past few months, and in the process shed some light on some issues foreigners in Germany know all too well. We even come up with a new crime in Germany: Warteschlangeungeduldigkeit (waiting line impatience). Their website: das-a.ch Follow Ach! on ...
Nov 02, 2020•57 min•Ep. 63
Fiona and her husband are opera singers from the UK who moved to Germany for work. I first met her when she appeared on the episode about Parkrun in Germany, and I wanted to find out more about her path to journey and experiences here...so I invited her back on the show. In our chat, she talks about how she learnt about the "Mittagsruhe" rule in Germany, what a "Kinderladen" is and why it's a help for integrating, the effects or Brexit on her life, and "Geisterfahrers" (wrong-way drivers). Fiona...
Oct 26, 2020•1 hr•Ep. 62
Ricardo from Brazil and Ivan from Bulgaria are the people behind the Can You German? Instagram account. They met by chance in Germany, where they became friends. Later, when Ivan was stuck in Brazil due to COVID-19, they spent a lot of time together, and it was during this time that Can You German? was born. We discuss their Instagram page, why German is obsessed with idioms that have to do with sausage, ass, and pigs, and the culture shock for men when they learn that sitting down to pee in Ger...
Oct 19, 2020•56 min•Ep. 61
Elysse is the host of Elysse Speaks, a YouTube channel about her experiences learning multiple languages (including sign language). One of the languages she speaks is German, and I invited her on the podcast to talk about German, what would have been good to know before learning German, and why learning German is like being in a complicated but cool relationship. Elysse's video that we base our discussion on: What I wish I knew BEFORE learning German Subscribe to Elysse's YouTube channel: Elysse...
Oct 12, 2020•40 min•Ep. 60
Sarah from Canada came to Munich 4 years ago to get her Masters degree. At first the plan was to stay two years (which at the time she felt was too long). But soon she fell in love with Munich and found many reasons to stay. Sarah discusses those reasons with me, as well as how she went about learning German, the magic of the word, "Doch", and her observations of environmentalism in Germany. Sarah also hosts a podcast about international life with a focus on relationships called Falling Hard , a...
Oct 05, 2020•54 min•Ep. 59
Every year, the Langenscheidt publishing house searches for the youth word of that year. It's happening again, and Nina from Germany (who previously appeared in the Fasching episode back in February) helps me explain the words and the memes behind them. We also try and figure out if the youth actually uses these words... The words we discuss: Schabernack, Mittwoch, Sauftrag, Wild, Lost, Köftespiess, Digga, Cringe, and Mashallah Some links to things we mention in the discussion: Langenscheidt's s...
Sep 28, 2020•36 min•Ep. 58
For foreigners living in Germany, you might be thinking that you live in a country that is doing a lot to combat global warming. After all, Germany signed the Paris Agreement, and it put together the Klimapaket (climate package). But according to my guest this week, Patrick Niedermayer, Germany isn't doing enough. This episode is a deep dive into what climate change is, what Germany has done (and why it isn't sufficient), and what foreigners living in Germany can do about the situation. Patrick’...
Sep 21, 2020•56 min•Ep. 57
In this outtake from my interview with Emma from the USA, we discuss recent German history, and how to win freedom by pretending to be a swan. Follow Emma on Instagram JOIN THE THE GERMANY EXPERIENCE FACEBOOK GROUP Visit the official The Germany Experience website Contact me: info@thegermanyexperience.de Support the show Instagram: the.germany.experience Official podcast website: https://thegermanyexperience.de YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/c/thegermanyexperience Contact me: info@thegerma...
Sep 18, 2020•8 min
