It's not a holiday without pumpkin pie, but what I bake is a far cry from my mother's version. I was shocked to discover that Germany  didn’t have ready-made, canned pumpkin mix. This was followed by the equally shocking prospect of having to make pumpkin pie from scratch. Is that even possible? I was about to find out.

Support the show

www.expatchatter.net

Brenda Arnold

Americans celebrate fall with Halloween, but Germans have St. Martin. Children carry lit lanterns in processions through the dark, singing. It sounds so lovely, until you’re the one out there battling the cold wind to keep the lantern lit. After freezing to death a few times in icy November winds, I decided that this is a festival best enjoyed indoors.

Support the show

www.expatchatter.net

Brenda Arnold

If you’re just settling in on the couch, then don’t let any Germans into the room. They’ll open up all the windows to let in fresh air – regardless of the outside temperature.

Support the show

www.expatchatter.net

Brenda Arnold

Some Germans celebrate Halloween, but not all of them. I was determined to find a way for my kids to enjoy it the way I did, spurring me to take some unusual action. 

Support the show

www.expatchatter.net

Brenda Arnold

My experience with mushrooms was confined to cans as a kid. In Germany, collecting them is a cherished hobby. But don’t bother asking anybody where to find them because they’d rather sacrifice their first-born before revealing their secret mushroom spot.

Support the show

www.expatchatter.net

Brenda Arnold

School has started, a good moment to consider the burden on mothers with children in German schools. The extra work required to support their children in German schools  – or rather systems of schools - is so great that women from other countries literally do not believe it. Until reality hits.

Support the show

www.expatchatter.net

Brenda Arnold

Oktoberfest may be famous for beer tents and oompah bands, but hidden among Munich’s festival rides and parades is a rare treasure: one of the world’s last flea circuses. From lederhosen and lively crowds to tiny insects pulling wagons, this unforgettable glimpse into Bavarian culture proves there’s more to Oktoberfest than a stein of beer. 

Support the show

www.expatchatter.net

Brenda Arnold

Raising a family in Germany was a golden opportunity to raise my kids bilingually. I initially thought this meant just speaking to them in English, but reality proved to be a lot trickier. I discovered I had quite a few tricks up my sleeve.

Support the show

www.expatchatter.net

Brenda Arnold

German immigrants used to flock to the U.S. They still go there in droves, but now they go back home again, as I discovered during my trip to New York. The Tenement Museum revealed how deep German history is woven into the fabric of the East Side of NYC

Support the show

www.expatchatter.net

Brenda Arnold

I fantasize about taking my kids back to where I grew up to show them the real America. Except when I arrive, it’s often to discover that many things have changed. Shops have disappeared, new restaurants have sprouted up. I may wax nostalgic, but were the old ways really better?

Support the show

www.expatchatter.net

Brenda Arnold