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Expat Chatter
Expat Chatter episodes
- Hot wine and cold toes
Christmas markets are popping up on every corner in Germany, including the medieval town of Regensburg and city of Munich, where they sell Christmas decorations and a few unexpected items like fake Fabergé eggs (somehow the Czar’s court got involved). The historic backdrop and mulled wine create a unique atmosphere that’s hard to beat.
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Brenda Arnold9 min - The 37 Days of Christmas
Germans don’t celebrate Thanksgiving but they celebrate Christmas half the winter. Starting at the end of November with the first of Advent, it culminates on January 6th, Heilige Drei Könige, Three Kings’ Day, or Epiphany, which is the Eastern Orthodox Christmas, but Germans figured it’s another holiday—we’ll take it.
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Brenda Arnold7 min - If this is punctuality, my watch is broken
Germans have a reputation for being punctual, something which does not apply to its train system. During a recent train strike, it was striking (ahem) to note that many people felt there was not much difference to regular service. I’d say that’s a roundabout, polite way of saying that the trains just aren’t as reliable as they used to be. And that’s being overly polite, too.
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Brenda Arnold10 min - What happened to my pumpkin pie?
It's not a holiday without pumpkin pie, but what I bake is a far cry from what 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. Quel horreur!
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Brenda Arnold9 min - Celebrating St. Martin from the comfort of the couch
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. This is a festival best enjoyed indoors.
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Brenda Arnold9 min - No Halloween? No way. My sneaky and successful plot
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. I recreated the holiday faster than you can say “Boo!”
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Brenda Arnold8 min - The nightmare of motherhood in Germany
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.
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Brenda Arnold9 min - Germans put the fun in fungi
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 aren’t telling.
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Brenda Arnold9 min - ‘Tis the season of the Wiesn: The Oktoberfest for locals and tourists
What some probably don’t realize is that, while the Oktoberfest is the biggest folk festival worldwide, it is very much still a local attraction as well as a draw for tourists. Even during the pandemic, without any assistance from people out of town, restaurants learned that people want to party whether the official event is on or not. This has become a permanent change.
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Brenda Arnold7 min - Spicing up an e-mail is as easy as 1-2-3
Every language has its peculiarities, which should be respected. But when you translate into another language and aren’t careful, elements of the original one can remain. This can cause confusion or more often, simply make for a shoddy translation. To my horror, I recently spotted a peculiar strain of German called Beamtendeutsch creeping into English.
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Brenda Arnold9 min
About Expat Chatter
From the publisher's feed
It's true. Even after years of living in Munich, Germany, I find funny stuff to talk about. Language gaffes, cultural confrontations, and life abroad. It's an ongoing adventure!