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Podcasts · Society & Culture

The Germany Experience

Shaun Behrens

159 episodes

Life in Germany, as seen through the eyes of outsiders. Featuring the stories of foreigners who moved to Germany - either temporarily or permanently - and tips and advice for life in Germany. Get an inside view of the joys, the frustrations, and the quirks of adapting to the culture and learning German. New episodes every second Wednesday.

Episodes page 3 of 4

  1. Singing schlager music in Germany, and misogyny in the music industry (Sarah Jane Scott from the USA)

    · 52 min · Episode 50

    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…

  2. A southern liberal in Germany, running a coffee shop, and casual German racism (Christy from the USA)

    · 42 min · Episode 49

    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…

  3. Trilingualism, switching between languages, and Italian words adopted by German (Carmen from Italy)

    · 52 min · Episode 48

    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…

  4. The 5 phases of culture shock (Beth from the USA)

    · 44 min · Episode 47

    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…

  5. Broken systems, turning points, and racism in Germany (Jessica from Germany)

    · 34 min · Episode 46

    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…

  6. One year anniversary live stream - recorded 29th May 2020

    · 33 min · Bonus

    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…

  7. You go me on the cookie! (Dana Newman from Wanted Adventure)

    · 55 min · Episode 45

    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…

  8. Seven months as an exchange student in Germany (Montana Showalter from the USA)

    · 38 min · Episode 44

    Montana Showalter was an American high school student who went on an exchange program to Germany (called CBYX). At around the same time, she started a YouTube channel intended to document her experiences in Germany.…

  9. Learning German with apps, and working in the video games industry (Thomas from the UK)

    · 44 min · Episode 43

    Thomas Cartwright is originally from the UK, and landed up in Hamburg working for a video games developer called InnoGames. He explains why a company like InnoGames is a good fit for foreigners looking for…

  10. Traveling with teenagers, and interrupted travel plans (Linda from the USA)

    · 37 min · Episode 42

    Travelteening is a blog that gives travel advice for traveling with teens. The blogger behind it, Linda from the USA, joins me to discuss the value her family sees in traveling, their three-year-plan to give their…

  11. German culture: The top 10 grossing German movies (Dominik from the Ach! podcast)

    · 37 min · Episode 41

    A good way to explore Germany's culture is through its movies. And what better way to do that than to look at the German movies that have had the most success in Germany? But you'll be surprised at the movies that the…

  12. Homebrewing beer (Greg & Brigida)

    · 12 min · Episode 40 · Bonus

    The guest in the previous episode, Greg, is a homebrewing enthusiast, and he talks about his adventures and misadventures brewing beer. He also discusses his website, Brew Wizard, that helps you create recipes and…

  13. From USA to Germany, California style (Greg from USA and Brigida from Germany)

    · 45 min · Episode 40

    When Greg and Brigida decided to move from California to Germany, they did it with just a small amount of money and two dogs. And they were met with adversity from almost the moment they arrived. This is their story of…

  14. BONUS - Poetry in Berlin, feminism, and diversity (Deenara from Russia)

    · 17 min · Bonus

    Deenara from Russia appeared in episode 38, about mental health in Germany. However, her original interview with Berlin-based journalist Daria Sukharchuk also included her talking about her time in Germany. Here is the…

  15. Some German idioms (Steph Fuccio from USA)

    · 36 min · Episode 39

    Steph Fuccio, host of the Geopats podcast, is new to Germany and to the German language. So as a new learner, I thought it would be fun to throw some German idioms at her and see if she could figure them out. If you're…

  16. Dealing with depression in Germany (Deenara from Russia)

    · 44 min · Episode 38

    How do you recognize that you are depressed? How do you seek out therapy and other help for depression in Germany? And what if you are from a culture that has a stigma towards mental health issues and therapy? Deenara,…

  17. Being a TV anchor, online weirdos, and stereotypes about Russian women (Daria from Russia)

    · 39 min · Episode 37

    Daria, originally from Moscow, Russia, is working as a freelance journalist in Germany. She helped me put an upcoming episode about mental health together, and I wanted to introduce her first. We discuss her role as a…

  18. Coronavirus and COVID-19 in Germany (with Nicole from The Expat Cast and Steph from Geopats)

    · 42 min · Episode 36

    Since COVID-19 in Germany got "real" on Friday 13th March, I felt I had to discuss it. And who better than to discuss it with than two other podcasters: Nicole from The Expat Cast and Steph from Geopats. We cover our…

  19. Leaving Germany after a decade (Natalie from the UK)

    · 39 min · Episode 35

    What is it that makes someone who has lived in Germany for over a decade decide that it's time to go back "home"? Natalie is originally from the UK, and is now making the decision to leave Germany after 11 years. She…

  20. Finding yourself in a second language: language and identity (Steph from Germany)

    · 41 min · Episode 34

    Steph is from Bavaria, and moved to the UK when she was in her 20s before ending up in Austin, Texas. She learned to speak English at a native-speaker level, and found that it just suited her. Because she's got a…

  21. Moving after 40, sensationalist media, and loneliness in Germany (Klaus from Brazil)

    · 35 min · Episode 33

    Klaus was born in Brazil before spending the first 12 years of his life in Germany. After returning to Brazil, he remained in touch with the German language and the culture. By the time he decided to move back to…

  22. A German experiences the Ausländerbehörde (Nina from Germany)

    · 12 min · Episode 32 · Bonus

    While recording the episode about Carnival in Germany, Nina told a story about the time she had to deal with the same office that foreigners know all too well: the Auslanderbehörde Amt (foreigner's office). SUBSCRIBE…

  23. Carnival/Fasching in Germany: "pomp and splendor" (Nina from Germany)

    · 34 min · Episode 32

    It's the middle of Carnival (also known as Fasching or Fastnacht, depending on where in Germany you are). I am not a big fan of it, and so I got a real live German who IS a fan of it to come on the show and explain to…

  24. A serial expat in Germany (Amy from Canada)

    · 43 min · Episode 31

    Amy is the host of The Expat Experience podcast. She has landed up in Germany after spending time in Vietnam and China, and in our interview she discusses how she's learning German, what it's like making German…

  25. Motivated to adapt by painful social moments (Sindy from Hong Kong)

    · 40 min · Episode 30

    (This is the podcast previously known as Expat Life Germany. In the first few years in Germany, things weren't always easy for Sindy from Hong Kong. As is the experience of many foreigners living abroad, she faced…

  26. Announcement: Renaming the show to The Germany Experience from 1 February 2020

    · 2:52 · Bonus

    The podcast will have a new name from 1 February 2020! Not much is going to change other than the name, so it'll still be the same show you subscribed to. Here's the announcement about why I'm renaming, and what the…

  27. Classic German movies: Loriot's Pappa Ante Portas

    · 25 min · Episode 29

    You can learn a lot about a culture by watching its movies, which is why I've decided to start watching some classic German movies. I'll discuss why the movie I have chosen is important to German culture, whether it's…

  28. SOFA status, growing a thicker skin, and tracking a stolen phone with the Polizei (Audrey & Zach from USA)

    · 59 min · Episode 28

    Audrey and Zach met while in the USA. When Zach, a cartographer, moved to Germany on a SOFA status (Status of Forces Agreement), they first attempted a long-distance relationship before Audrey joined him later in…

  29. Making German candy, learning German history, and growing up as a third culture kid in Bavaria (Travis J. Dow)

    · 1 h 02 min · Episode 27

    Travis J. Dow is a host of the History of Germany podcast (and several other podcasts, too). Originally from Oregon, USA, he spent his formative years in Bavaria, Germany. Later he moved to Prague, Czech Republic for…

  30. FEGEPADFO Charity Challenge - Final Wrap-Up

    · 2:14 · Bonus

    Nicole from The Expat Cast and I went head-to-head in December 2019 to see who could raise the most donations for our chosen charities. Together we raised 350 euros...140 euros went to Nicole's charity of choice,…

  31. Missing holiday traditions from home, making new traditions, and fireworks on New Year's Eve

    · 23 min · Episode 26

    For foreigners living in Germany, the holidays are a time that we recreate traditions from our home countries, adopt German traditions, and start new ones. I take a look at how my Christmas experience in Germany has…

  32. Unhappy in Germany (S from India)

    · 53 min · Episode 25

    Donate to my cause in the expat podcasters charity challenge (aka #FEGEPADFO): Donate to Lebenshilfe Bad Windsheim Germany offers a lot of opportunities, but it's also known as a difficult country to integrate into.…

  33. The German Freelance Visa (James from LiveWorkGermany.com)

    · 36 min · Episode 24

    Donate to my cause in the expat podcasters charity challenge (aka #FEGEPADFO): Donate to Lebenshilfe Bad Windsheim For many people who are planning to come to Germany, the Freelance Visa might be the way to go. It…

  34. How Germany changed us (Jibran from Pakistan)

    · 41 min · Episode 23

    Jibran runs the Desi in Wonderland YouTube channel. He's originally from Pakistan and has been living in Germany for 5 years, so we decided to discuss how Germany has changed us. In the process, I learned a lot more…

  35. A Berliner, a Hamburger, a Neapolitan, and a world citizen (Liliana from Italy)

    · 43 min · Episode 22

    Liliana is from Naples, Italy, and has lived in Germany for 7 years. She recently got her citizenship, and discusses how that happened. We also cover her reason for choosing Germany, why she'd struggle to return to…

  36. Being far from family when losing someone, making friends through team sports, and security in Germany (Rafael from Brazil)

    · 42 min · Episode 21

    One of my best friends in Germany, Rafael from Brazil, experienced loss when his father passed away, and talks about how he coped dealing with that being far from his family. He's also a handball player, and he had the…

  37. Discussing German stereotypes with Nicole from The Expat Cast

    · 42 min · Episode 20

    Are Germans really efficient? Do they like order? Are they as punctual as everyone says they are? Nicole Palazzo, a US expat living in Germany and the host of The Expat Cast, helps me confirm or bust common stereotypes…

  38. Being an English-Speaking Writer in Germany, Bringing a Pet to Germany, and "The God Queen" (Mari from USA)

    · 37 min · Episode 19

    Mari is a US expat living in Germany. She's also a writer and an avid pug fan. She discusses what it's like being an English-speaking writer in Germany, her book "The God Queen", and how to bring a dog from USA into…

  39. The "Why" Has to be Right (Vlad from Romania)

    · 38 min · Episode 18

    Discuss this episode in the Expat Life Germany Facebook group! Vlad from Romania was tired of the political situation in Romania, and made the choice to move to Germany. But, unlike many Romanians who emigrate to…

  40. Article 116 (Michael from USA)

    · 32 min · Episode 17

    Michael Silberman lives in the USA, but Germany is certainly intertwined with his life over there. His parents left Nazi Germany (and were stripped of their German citizenship) to start a new life in the States, and…

  41. parkrun Germany

    · 27 min · Episode 16

    The parkrun concept is simple: you turn up on a Saturday morning and you walk, jog, or run 5km. The best thing? It's free. Since it started in 2004, it has become a global phenomenon. And it's a great thing for expats,…

  42. Defining "Expat"

    · 27 min · Episode 15

    What exactly is an "expat"? Turns out this question is not as straight forward as Shaun used to think. He goes into some of the problems surrounding the terminology, and also defines his interpretation of it for the…

  43. BONUS: Social Media and Expats, Charity Work as an Expat, and Friends Moving On

    · 13 min · Episode 14 · Bonus

    In the last episode, Anna Noakes Schulze dropped so many insights about expat life that I had to edit some of it out. Since it'd be a shame for it to go to waste, I decided to put it in a bonus episode. Here is more…

  44. Living Abroad Teaches Us the Power of Connections (Anna from Canada)

    · 50 min · Episode 14

    Anna Noakes Schulze from Canada presented a TEDx talk called “Living Abroad Teaches Us the Power of Connections”, and in it she tells her own expat story to demonstrate how those that we make connections with shape our…

  45. Finding and Getting a Job In Germany

    · 1 h 13 min · Episode 13

    For all the links mentioned in the episode (there are a few!), go to the Finding and Getting a Job in Germany blog post. I go through some of the ins and outs of getting a job in Germany. To help me, I got Cheryl…

  46. Through the Eyes of a Newly-Arrived Expat (Sarah From Syria, Canada, et al)

    · 38 min · Episode 12

    I first interviewed Sarah back in July for a bonus episode, because she'd almost been caught by a scam. We had such a great discussion that I wanted to have her back on the show, and here she is. Although Sarah is new…

  47. Tim From France - Not So Far From Home

    · 47 min · Episode 11

    Tim Bourguignon is a French citizen who moved to Germany to be with his wife. He describes himself as coming in four flavors: Agile Coach, Chief Learning Officer, Mentoring Advocate, and Public Speaker. He also hosts a…

  48. The E-Scooterpocalypse & Feeling Dumb in Germany

    · 17 min · Episode 10

    There are a lot of people—expats and Germans alike—who are not pleased about the e-scooter situation in big cities since it became legal for them to share bicycle paths and roads. E-scooter riders are apparently fast,…

  49. Natalie from Australia - From the Outback to Europe

    · 50 min · Episode 9

    When learning a new language, it takes a long time before you're able to express yourself and articulate your thoughts, and so it's easy to feel like you're coming across as dumb. This is just one of the topics that…

  50. Shannon from USA - Church Bells and Bicycles

    · 30 min · Episode 8

    Meet Shannon from the USA, whose family were expats in Germany from 2009 until 2013. When they returned to the States, they realized their hearts were still in Germany, and so they immediately started making plans to…

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