German culture

One foreigner is not like another – here’s why

Audio There are varying grades of foreigners in Germany, with subtle nuances between them. People....

Are you sure that’s what that sign means?

Signs are there for the express purpose of helping you find your way. They tell....

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This cheap ticket is amazing, but I missed my connection

Germany already experimented with a cheap train ticket last summer. People loved it so much....

Bring out the Easter eggs – the kids are coming home

Just as I was getting used to not being a mother, my COVID-harassed daughters came....

The nightmare of motherhood in Germany

Germany has the reputation of having generous social programs, with vivid descriptions such as "cradle-to-grave"....

Look here, U.S. election deniers – Berlin bungled it big time 

The press and social media are still abuzz with deniers of the U.S. elections in....

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The new, improved me – courtesy of the EU-conform driver’s license

For years, I suffered from the lousy picture I had taken for my German license,....

Welcome back, fleas! The Oktoberfest is on

Following a three-year hiatus, Munich’s favorite party returned. Corona didn’t dampen people’s spirits, but I....

Germans put the fun in fungi

My experience with mushrooms was confined to cans as a kid. In Germany, collecting them....

The French girl who wouldn’t talk

Language class is where you learn to speak a language, but just memorizing vocabulary and....

On a train to everywhere – Germany’s €9 ticket and its surprising consequences

The next best thing to free is Germany’s €9 ticket. Apart from motivating even motorheads....

If this is punctuality, my watch is broken

Germany has the reputation of being punctual and reliable. But recent snafus in city planning....

Kraut and about – what are all those Germans doing abroad?

German immigrants used to flock to the U.S. They still go there in droves, but....

Think digital technology is a cure-all? Don’t bet your life on it

A WWII air raid siren startled me once while I waited for a train. Such....

Ukraine on the train – from a military to a cultural conflict

Taking the train home from Berlin, some Ukrainians boarded the train. Watching their interactions with....

Aren’t you glad you got the orange car after all?

The sky was suddenly a muddy orange, but what was causing it. I had an....

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That map might just quash your travel plans – so focus on fun instead

Germans are usually so logical, it’s hard to believe how that can make such planning....

Think your vacation was spectacular? Don’t make me yawn

Germans take vacations every year without fail. If you need to know something about your....

Get that rotten banana peel out of the plastic recycling

Photo by Louis Hansel on Unsplash 13 February 2022 My muesli stuck in my throat....

The queen turns out to be a football

Languages often adopt foreign words, but this can cause some odd situations, especially when the....

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The 10 kilometers that triggered Acute License Plate Trauma

The small Munich suburb of Zorneding may not be famous, but harbors a few surprises.....

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Give us our daily bread, but please let it be German

2 August 2021 A good friend of mine recently returned to the U.S. after several....

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Italiano – no problemo for meo

I walked into Italian class and saw a room full of pensioners. But I didn't....

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The blossom butcher of Bavaria

If you see one balcony with dead flowers surrounded by houses with perfectly groomed plants,....

The ghost hand

What are all of these mittens, socks and scarves doing hanging from bushes, tree branches....

Rammed in the tram

The Munich public transport system may be lousy, but when you’re stuck on a tram....

Roarin’ Retirees

The word “retire” means to rest, but in Germany, retirees have got it backwards: once....

Trains of thought en route from Munich to Berlin

It’s a bright sunny day as my daughter and I hop on the train to....