The Germany Experience

Tania was born in Kenya and has lived in five different African countries. After a short time in Thailand, she’s landed up in Germany, and she feels like this is somewhere she can stay for a longer time. 

Some of the reasons for this include feeling safer in Germany than in Kenya, and having the safety net of social help that is available in Germany. And yet, despite her contentment in Germany, her heart still belongs to Kenya. Talking with Tania, it’s clear that Kenya is still very much a part of her identity. 

She explains how, in her early times in Germany, she realized that she was in danger of losing her own identity as she integrated into the culture, and that she looked for ways to stay true to her roots. One way she does this on a daily basis is by giving back to Africa as much as possible.

She does it through several projects: Swahili Secrets is a travel service where you can book tours and safaris in Kenya. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has just about stopped tourism, and so Tania now sells African-inspired accessories on the site — and gives 20% of the sales back to the community in Kenya.

Bantu Sisters does eclectic interior decor, and they give back to artisans. And finally, The Kenyan Kind unites everyone with a connection to Kenya, with the goal of inspiring, connecting, and giving back. 

Tania talks to me about why she loves Germany, how the German directness is completely opposite to the Kenyan culture, how Germany is stress-free in many ways, and the differences between German and Kenyan people. 

Links to Tania 

• African Abroad Blog
• Swahili Secrets 
• Bantu Sisters
• The Kenyan Kind

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CITY STARLINGS' 10 PODCASTS YOU SHOULD BE  LISTENING TO IF YOU'RE AN EXPAT IN GERMANY
City Starlings put together a great list of podcasts for expats living in Germany — and The Germany Experience was featured on it!


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Instagram: the.germany.experience
Official podcast website: https://thegermanyexperience.de
YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/c/thegermanyexperience
Contact me: [email protected]

Podcast Intro Music by: Adrian Bran

Amy always had a dream of living in Germany, and even happened to marry someone who felt the same way. So living here has kind of been a dream come true. And generally, Amy is really happy here -- she admits that she was "right" about wanting to live here.

But making friends with Germans is one aspect that has been a challenge. Amy is sociable and outgoing, and has done everything you're supposed to do to integrate yourself: take part in local events, be open, and seek out social situations. Add to this the fact the American friends she meets here always end up leaving, and it's easy to see why she feels that building a community is difficult.

We discuss these difficulties with making real connections with Germans. Amy also talks about how she sometimes feels a bit "selfish" having made the decision to stay in Germany, and we cover her very controversial views on sandals and socks.

Amy's blog post about things she prefers in Germany: The Ways: Part Zwei

Follow Amy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amyholt11/

Rate the podcast: https://thegermanyexperience.de/rate

Links to more The Germany Experience episodes, my newsletter, and my social media: https://thegermanyexperience.de/

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Instagram: the.germany.experience
Official podcast website: https://thegermanyexperience.de
YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/c/thegermanyexperience
Contact me: [email protected]

Podcast Intro Music by: Adrian Bran

Being the spouse of a diplomat comes with a very specific lifestyle: you move around a lot, you don't stay in a country for long, and you never know where you'll be moved to next.

Alexandra Paucescu is a Romanian married to a diplomat, and she has been based in Germany for several years. We discuss what a day in her life is like, whether or not she regrets giving up a management career for her current role, how she suffered from mild depression in her early time in Germany, and also gives some advice that doesn't just apply to diplomats, but to any foreigner moving from country to country.

We also discuss her self-published book, "Just a Diplomatic Spouse", that is, in her words, "a diary, a book on diplomatic etiquette, lifestyle and travel blog, ALL IN ONE".

Purchase the book from Amazon: Just a Diplomatic Spouse 
Find Alexandra on social media:

• Instagram
• Facebook

Links to more The Germany Experience episodes, my newsletter, and my social media: https://thegermanyexperience.de/

JOIN THE THE GERMANY EXPERIENCE FACEBOOK GROUP

Instagram: the.germany.experience
Official podcast website: https://thegermanyexperience.de
YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/c/thegermanyexperience
Contact me: [email protected]

Podcast Intro Music by: Adrian Bran

Sarah Jane Scott is an American who has had success as a Schlager singer in Germany. But how does an English-speaking "Ausländer" become a Schlager star?

Sarah Jane explains her path to Germany and her Schlager success, talks about what it’s like to be a Schlager singer, and about how she is currently evaluating her next steps. We go into the unhealthy record label/artist relationship, and talk about systemic misogyny and exploitation in the music industry.

Sarah Jane Scott's Instagram: Sarah Jane Scott

Sarah Jane Scott's Wikipedia page (German): https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Jane_Scott

Some Sarah Jane Scott songs we mentioned in the interview:
Sarah Jane Scott - I Love You (I'll Tell You In a Song)
Sarah Jane Scott - Was War Los Gestern Nacht?
Heino, Sarah Jane Scott - Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

Sarah Jane Scott's YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsgDkhwCUwy2Qiz2Dwbj4Qg

Heino: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heino

Some big Schlager artists:
Helene Fischer - Atemlos Durch Die Nacht
Andrea Berg - Mosaik
Howard Carpendale - Hello Again
Roland Kaiser - Kein Problem
Udo Jürgens - Griechischen Wein

Peggy March: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peggy_March
Connie Francis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connie_Francis

Upskirting is only now illegal in Germany:
https://www.dw.com/en/germany-makes-upskirting-a-punishable-crime/a-54037371

The war on upskirting started last year:
https://www.dw.com/en/the-war-on-upskirting-in-germany/a-50173870

Links to more The Germany Experience episodes, my newsletter, and my social media: https://thegermanyexperience.de/subscribe

JOIN THE THE GERMANY EXPERIENCE FACEBOOK GROUP

Instagram: the.germany.experience
Official podcast website: https://thegermanyexperience.de
YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/c/thegermanyexperience
Contact me: [email protected]

Podcast Intro Music by: Adrian Bran

Christy is a southern liberal who opened a coffee shop in Germany. Over a Pfälzer Weinschorle, she discusses how she tried to integrate herself the “right” way, how Germany is not the best country for special needs children, not going back to the States for 10 years, and how Germans are racist in a “I didn’t mean anything by it” kind of way. We also talk about her coffee shop. 

Find Christy on Instagram: ChristyTheExpat and ChristysCoffee.de

Durian fruit causes evacuation of a post office: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/23/smelly-durian-fruit-evacuation-bavarian-post-office

Links to more The Germany Experience episodes, my newsletter, and my social media: https://thegermanyexperience.de/subscribe

JOIN THE THE GERMANY EXPERIENCE FACEBOOK GROUP

Instagram: the.germany.experience
Official podcast website: https://thegermanyexperience.de
YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/c/thegermanyexperience
Contact me: [email protected]

Podcast Intro Music by: Adrian Bran

Carmen is a trilingual Italian living in Munich, Germany. She speaks Italian, German and English fluently, and joins me to discuss her path to becoming trilingual, how she balances three languages, and the effects of learning multiple languages on her native language. We also talk about Italian words that German has adopted - and subsequently used in different ways to the original Italian meanings.

Carmen also hosts two podcasts. She has an Italian one called Crucchi o Terroni siamo tutti Fannulloni, and a German one called Farbe der Nation. Farbe der Nation focuses on topics of identity, discrimination and racism in Germany.

The list of German podcasts that discuss issues of race and discrimination:
https://neleheise.de/2020/06/06/listening-in/?fbclid=IwAR0fbHLFzPEhA1GUGCoTY6TdeY0GlKyuKClxRQyfuLQxzHMsdP5vhtgs880

Follow Carmen's podcasts on Instagram:
Farbe der Nation
Crucchi o Terroni siamo tutti Fannulloni


Links to more The Germany Experience episodes, my newsletter, and my social media: https://thegermanyexperience.de/subscribe

JOIN THE THE GERMANY EXPERIENCE FACEBOOK GROUP

Instagram: the.germany.experience
Official podcast website: https://thegermanyexperience.de
YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/c/thegermanyexperience
Contact me: [email protected]

Podcast Intro Music by: Adrian Bran

Beth from the USA moved to Germany to be with her husband, and she found that her adjustment period resembled the 5 stages of culture shock very closely. We talk about how she dealt with each stage, and where she is now on the curve. We also talk about how fencing is actually the perfect coronavirus sport. And, her cat makes an appearance. 

Read the blog post that we reference in the interview: The 5 phases of culture shock and how to go through smoothly

Follow Beth on Instagram.

Links to more The Germany Experience episodes, my newsletter, and my social media: thegermanyexperience.de/subscribe

JOIN THE THE GERMANY EXPERIENCE FACEBOOK GROUP

Instagram: the.germany.experience
Official podcast website: https://thegermanyexperience.de
YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/c/thegermanyexperience
Contact me: [email protected]

Podcast Intro Music by: Adrian Bran

Jessica is a German African American who has lived in Germany since she was in kindergarten. She joins me for this episode to discuss the recent events that started with George Floyd, and the racism that she deals with on a regular basis here in Germany.

Follow Jessica on Instagram.

The Trevor Noah video I mention: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4amCfVbA_c

Links to more The Germany Experience episodes, my newsletter, and my social media: thegermanyexperience.de/subscribe

JOIN THE THE GERMANY EXPERIENCE FACEBOOK GROUP

Visit the official The Germany Experience website.

Instagram: the.germany.experience
Official podcast website: https://thegermanyexperience.de
YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/c/thegermanyexperience
Contact me: [email protected]

Podcast Intro Music by: Adrian Bran

Recorded from a Facebook live stream to celebrate one year of The Germany Experience podcast. I answer listener questions, list my top 5 highlights of having a podcast, and talk to previous guests on the show.

Dwight's YouTube show: I, Skylab
Follow Nina on Instagram.
Follow Sisy the Hamster on Instagram.

Links to more The Germany Experience episodes, my newsletter, and my social media: thegermanyexperience.de/subscribe

JOIN THE THE GERMANY EXPERIENCE FACEBOOK GROUP

Visit the official The Germany Experience website.

Instagram: the.germany.experience
Official podcast website: https://thegermanyexperience.de
YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/c/thegermanyexperience
Contact me: [email protected]

Podcast Intro Music by: Adrian Bran

Dana Newman from the Wanted Adventure YouTube channel joins me to discuss her book, "You go me on the cookie!". The book (written in German) describes Dana's adventures (and misadventures) learning German, and also highlights the quirks and beauty of the German language. It was written for German native speakers, but it is definitely relatable for anyone who has learnt German at any level. So I got Dana on the podcast to discuss her book, the German language, and her YouTube channel.

To see the postcard that Dana refers to in the interview about how German is not orderly, click here.

"You go me on the cookie!" is available in bookstores in Germany as well as online (also on Amazon) - as paperback and Ebook: https://www.randomhouse.de/Taschenbuch/You-go-me-on-the-cookie/Dana-Newman/Goldmann-TB/e536279.rhd 

 Wanted Adventure YouTube channel:  https://youtube.com/wantedadventure 

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/wantedadventure/ 

Website:  https://www.dananewman.de/

Links to more The Germany Experience episodes, my newsletter, and my social media: thegermanyexperience.de/subscribe

JOIN THE THE GERMANY EXPERIENCE FACEBOOK GROUP

Visit the official The Germany Experience website.

Instagram: the.germany.experience
Official podcast website: https://thegermanyexperience.de
YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/c/thegermanyexperience
Contact me: [email protected]

Podcast Intro Music by: Adrian Bran