Episodes
Life in Germany as a gay woman (Kim from the UK)
March 8, 2023
Kim from the UK explains what life is like in Germany for her as a gay woman. She also discusses the difficulties of finding a community in smaller cities and towns. Plus: Kim gives some advice! Kim has created a self-paced …
How German are you? (Nina from Germany)
March 1, 2023
The Germany Experience is back with a repost from Shaun's other podcast, Everyday Germany. Nina joins Shaun to see which one of them is more German. Subscribe to Everyday Germany where Shaun and Nina discuss their observatio…
4GEPADFO charity drive update, and when The Germany Experience will be back
Jan. 4, 2023
Shaun gives an update on 4GEPADFO (spoiler: we made our 500€ goal!). But you can still donate to this great cause (a hotline providing psychosocial support for Ukrainian children and youths: Donate to krisenchat Listen to Sh…
Getting ready to leave Germany (Nicole from The Expat Cast)
Dec. 22, 2022
Nicole joins me this week to discuss some big changes in her life – she's leaving Germany. In this episode, she explains what's happening and why she's making the move. We also talk about our charity drive for 2022 - AND WE …
House hunting, finding day care, and handling rough starts (Wafeeqa from Saudi Arabia)
Dec. 2, 2022
When Wafeeqa and her family moved to Germany, they thought things would be easier: her husband had a job, and his employer was arranging accommodation for them. Plus, they both had experience with learning languages, so they…
Using hypnosis to help foreigners in Germany (Suzanne Dinter from the UK)
Nov. 9, 2022
Suzanne Dinter joins me this week to explain what hypnotherapy is, and how it can help foreigners adjust to life in Germany - among other issues. Suzanne is a Brit who has been living in Germany since 1994, and she specializ…
Hidden grief, loss of identity, and getting to know the German version of a loved one (Katie Rössler from the USA)
Oct. 19, 2022
Katie Rössler , author of The New Face of Grief , comes on the podcast to discuss the role that hidden grief might play in the lives of foreigners in a new country. She also discusses the toll a move to a new country can tak…
Advice for adapting and integrating in Germany, from discussions with 100+ foreigners
Oct. 12, 2022
At the end of September 2022, I gave a talk at the Welcome To Germany Summit. This is the rehearsal that I recorded a few days before. But mine was only one of many great talks on the day from multiple speakers! To access ov…
Convincing a company to take a chance on you (Veronica from Mexico)
Oct. 5, 2022
“I feel like a lot of people feel this - this feeling of Germany crushing your soul, like killing you from the inside.” This is how Veronica from Mexico describes her first years in Germany. One of the biggest reasons for th…
Recovering from a car accident while abroad (Sadaf from Pakistan)
Sept. 28, 2022
Many foreigners do a lot of traveling around Europe while they are here. But have you ever considered what would happen if you had a medical emergency in another country? This happened to Sadaf, when she was involved in a ca…
The Welcome To Germany Summit on 29th September 2022
Sept. 25, 2022
A group of experts (including me!) has come together to organize a free online event for everyone interested in moving to and living in Germany - expats, internationals, immigrants, repats...you name it. In this special epis…
A German returning to Germany after a decade (Cathrin from Germany)
Sept. 13, 2022
Cathrin, originally from Germany, has been living in the States for more than 10 years, but she recently made the decision to return. She discusses the reasons for wanting to come back, how she needs to say goodbye to her ol…
RERUN: Wurst/arsch/schwein idioms, why “Der/Die/Das” is weird, and sitting down to pee in Germany (Ricardo from Brazil & Ivan from Bulgaria)
Aug. 24, 2022
Originally released on October 19th, 2020. View the original show notes here. I F YOU ENJOY THIS PODCAST You can support the show in various ways: BUY THE GERMANY EXPERIENCE PODCAST A COFFEE – there are a lot of costs associ…
RERUN: Q&A - Making long-term German friends, reverse parking, and origins of German idioms
Aug. 17, 2022
Originally released March 8th, 2021 View the original show notes here. I F YOU ENJOY THIS PODCAST You can support the show in various ways: BUY THE GERMANY EXPERIENCE PODCAST A COFFEE – there are a lot of costs associated wi…
RERUN: Antoinette Emily from New Zealand
Aug. 10, 2022
Originally released November 23rd, 2020. View the original show notes here. Antoinette's YouTube channel: Antoinette Emily I F YOU ENJOY THIS PODCAST You can support the show in various ways: BUY THE GERMANY EXPERIENCE PODCA…
RERUN: Ask a German - Bureaucracy, German pillows, standing in line, and recruitment through fruit
Aug. 3, 2022
Original release: November 2nd, 2020 View the original show notes here. Featuring the hosts of the Ach podcast . I F YOU ENJOY THIS PODCAST You can support the show in various ways: BUY THE GERMANY EXPERIENCE PODCAST A COFFE…
RERUN: Advice for foreigners in Germany, taken from two years of The Germany Experience
July 27, 2022
Original release: June 2, 2001 View the original show notes here. I F YOU ENJOY THIS PODCAST You can support the show in various ways: BUY THE GERMANY EXPERIENCE PODCAST A COFFEE – there are a lot of costs associated with ru…
The Berlin episode (recorded live @ PodFest Berlin 2022)
July 20, 2022
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…
Q&A: Self-learning B2, dealing with language barrier frustrations, and is there foolproof advice for making friends in Germany?
July 6, 2022
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 wi…
Probezeit: The first six months in a German job (Lisa Janz, Job Coach Germany)
June 29, 2022
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…
Lessons from changing jobs in Germany (Alexandrea from the USA)
June 22, 2022
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 foun…
Helping families to meet like-minded families (Dzhangar from MatchFamilies)
June 15, 2022
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,…
German traditions or superstitions? (Nina from Germany)
June 8, 2022
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 i…
Eurovision Song Contest 2022 recap, the importance of community, and redefining your identity (Beth from the USA)
May 17, 2022
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 als…