The Germany Experience

 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 spaces

Antoinette Emily's YouTube channel

JOIN THE THE GERMANY EXPERIENCE FACEBOOK GROUP

 Visit the official The Germany Experience website

 Contact me: [email protected]

Support the show

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

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 (church tax). And I discover that there is something called "Kinderlosenbeitrag", or "childless fee", which she has to pay because she has no children. 

Links to scholarship information that Alex mentioned:

• Fulbright programs
• German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
• Goethe Institute, which Alex to decide what she would be interested in
• International Parliamentary Scholarships, to work at the Bundestag
• The Instagram account Alex finds useful: @Deustschland_de

Follow Alex on Instagram: @DeutschAF


Watch this interview on YouTube


Send me your questions for me to answer on the next episode: 

• Contact me
• Send a mail to: [email protected]

JOIN THE THE GERMANY EXPERIENCE FACEBOOK GROUP

 Visit the official The Germany Experience website

 Contact me: [email protected]

Support the show

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

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 how they came to be in Germany, and just how much whiskey they actually drink every week. 

  

OTHER SHOW NOTES:

• Contribute to the Expats & Spouses Monitor research project by completing their survey: Expat and Spouses Monitor 2021

 

JOIN THE THE GERMANY EXPERIENCE FACEBOOK GROUP

 Visit the official The Germany Experience website

 Contact me: [email protected]

Support the show

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

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 for Ivan about the job application process in Germany, send them to [email protected], and we'll get him back on a later episode to answer them.

Also, listen to a 2019 episode I did about finding a job in Germany: Finding and getting a job in Germany

Find Ivan on Instagram: @Ivan.og.vasilev

Also, follow Can You German?, the Instagram page Ivan runs together with Ricardo from Brazil.

The episode about Can You German? that featured Ivan: Wurst/arsch/schwein idioms, why “Der/Die/Das” is weird, and sitting down to pee in Germany (Ricardo from Brazil & Ivan from Bulgaria)


OTHER SHOW NOTES:

• Contribute to the Expats & Spouses Monitor research project by completing their survey: Expat and Spouses Monitor 2021

JOIN THE THE GERMANY EXPERIENCE FACEBOOK GROUP

Visit the official The Germany Experience website

Contact me: [email protected]

Support the show

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

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 2021. If you are an expat living in Germany and want to share your experiences, complete the survey anonymously here: https://www.research.net/r/CNY959Y

To get more information about why they started the project and what it's all about, Amaia joins me on the podcast. We also discuss the gender expatriation gap, what we know about expat spouses, and how better information can help German employers understand the benefits expats can bring to their organizations.

Visit the Expats and Spouses Monitor site.

Amaia also founded the International Business Women in Düsseldorf, which aims to create safe spaces for women in Düsseldorf to talk about their challenges, dreams and self-development possibilities.

OTHER SHOW NOTES: 

• My new podcast, in German: Die Deutsche und der Ausländer
• A 5 star review from a German listener who finds the show entertaining, but infuriating :)

JOIN THE THE GERMANY EXPERIENCE FACEBOOK GROUP

Visit the official The Germany Experience website

Contact me: [email protected]

Support the show

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

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, and much more.

But it's not just a discussion about costs; it's also a peek into Jen's life here in Germany with her wife, and her story.

Also, be sure to check out the Simple Germany YouTube Channel.

Other notes:

• Cost of living numbers for Germany on Numbeo
• Urban Sports Club

JOIN THE THE GERMANY EXPERIENCE FACEBOOK GROUP

Visit the official The Germany Experience website

Contact me: [email protected]

Support the show

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

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

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

Donate in the SEGEPADFO charity challenge: https://www.thegermanyexperience.de/charity2020/I'm going head-to-head with Nicole to see who can raise the most money for Über den Tellerrand - specifically, to help them raise money for a portable kitchen...

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 to donate, visit our SEGEPADFO page:

https://thegermanyexperience.de/charity2020

Be sure to type "The Germany Experience" in the public comments field when you donate so that we know which show you're donating on behalf of!

At the beginning of the drive, Nicole challenged me to write a jingle for SEGEPADFO. Then I counter-challenged her to sing backing vocals on it. Listen to the episode to hear the result :)

OTHER SHOW NOTES:

• Google Trends top searches of 2020 for Germany

JOIN THE THE GERMANY EXPERIENCE FACEBOOK GROUP

Visit the official The Germany Experience website

Contact me: [email protected]

Support the show

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

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 - in specific, we're supporting a project of theirs to build a mobile kitchen. To find out more and to donate, visit our SEGEPADFO page:

https://thegermanyexperience.de/charity2020

We're also doing challenges along the way, so stay tuned to both our shows for updates along the way.

POSTCARDS FROM 2020:
What was 2020 like for you? What did you learn? And most importantly, what message do you want to give to others? I want to compile your responses and put together an episode called Postcards from 2020. Send me your contributions: write me a message at TheGermanyExperience.de/contact, leave me a voice message through my website, or write me an email at [email protected].


JOIN THE THE GERMANY EXPERIENCE FACEBOOK GROUP

Visit the official The Germany Experience website

Contact me: [email protected]

Support the show

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