The Germany Experience

I've always felt a special connection to Berlin. But what is it like to live there? I am joined by three foreigners living in Berlin who discuss their stories, what they love about living in Berlin, and various other aspects of life in the city...

You sent in some questions about life in Germany, and I try and answer them in this episode.

THE GERMANY EXPERIENCE AT PODFEST BERLIN
I will be recording a live episode at Podfest Berlin on Saturday July 16th @ 16:15. It will be a Berlin-focused episode, and I will have a panel of four guests who all live in the city. Come and join and be part of the live recording!

The venue: 

Noisy Rooms @ House of Music,
Revaler Str...

The first six months in a new job is important. In Germany, it is usually a trial period - or "Probezeit" - and it is a chance for you to get to know your team, company, and more. Lisa Janz, who runs Job Coach Germany, joins me to discuss what you should look out for, what you should be asking yourself and your employer, and other advice about the Probezeit...

Alexandrea from the USA (and former guest on the podcast) left her job in Hamburg for one in Frankfurt. However, she realized almost immediately that the new job was not a good fit. She left during her trial period and found her way to her current job in Berlin. After moving cities and jobs several times, Alex has learnt a few valuable lessons, and she joins me to share them...

During Dzhangar's first years in Germany, he noticed what many foreigners notice: how difficult it was for his family to meet other like-minded families. And making friends is crucial. It helps to make you feel more at home, and it gives you a support system for when you need help.

So Dzhangar quit his job and started working on an app that would help families connect with each other. That app is MatchFamilies...

If you've ever wished a German "Happy birthday" before their actual birthday, you will no doubt have quickly learnt that it's just not done. It's just a tradition based on superstition, but many Germans abide by it. So, is it tradition, or actually superstition? Shaun has his opinion, and he talks with Nina, a German, about it...

Beth comes back on the podcast to discuss how she recently found herself post-pandemic in a world that had shrunk to just her job and her family. While this isn't a bad thing, Beth was lacking a feeling of community. She also discovered that she needs to redefine her identity now that she no longer does the activities that used to define her: volleyball and fencing. Beth also helps me recap the Eurovision Song Contest 2022...

When Saehee, a Korean American, first moved from the States to Germany, she struggled to adjust for many different reasons.  This led to her feeling depressed and lonely. But that would all change once she started getting back to what she loves. Listen to the story of how Saehee was able to move herself beyond difficult times with the help of therapy, embracing her culture, and focusing on her love for cooking and food...

It's conventional knowledge that West Germany was more liberal and progressive than East Germany. Then it stands to reason that West Germany was more accepting of gay rights. But was this really the case?

Of course, these things are always very nuanced, and Samuel Clowes Huneke joins me to discuss it in detail. He's written a book called "States of Liberation", and we discuss it in our interview...

When Mei Chi arrived in Germany, she faced several challenges caused by the language and cultural barrier. Not understanding German can result in some minor inconveniences that make funny stories later on, but other misunderstandings can be more serious. All this highlighted how important it is to have help at the right time, and Mei Chi started a platform called BookaLocal.

In this episode she discusses her own hardships, and also explains the purpose behind BookaLocal...