Category Archives: Uncategorized
When life gives you lemons, it helps to recognize them
I thought my French was good enough to get me around southern France. But language....
Sep
Getting lost the old-fashioned way
Points of the compass help in an American city, but how does a North American....
Sep
Emotional baggage – why I pack too much when I go home
I used to feel sheepish whenever I took too much baggage home on a trip....
2 Comments
Sep
Home sweet home – only better
I fantasize about taking my kids back to where I grew up to show them....
2 Comments
Aug
9 things you didn’t know about Chicago
Chicago was named by French fur traders who founded the city, which was destroyed by....
6 Comments
Jul
The French revolution you’ve never heard of – in your backyard
France’s national holiday is Bastille Day, July 14th, which sparked a revolution that sent shock....
3 Comments
Jul
Don’t look now, but there’s a shark at your feet
Everybody has their idea of a perfect vacation. I enjoy the ocean, but I don’t....
Jun
Munching my way to Munich, one chaotic airport at a time
There’s a lot to be said for approaching challenging situations with the right attitude, which....
3 Comments
Jun
The Umlaut: Two dots that will make or break you
There's nothing quite like the embarrassment of making a major blunder in a foreign language.....
2 Comments
May
The trillions of cicadas last seen by Thomas Jefferson
It’s been over 200 years since these two broods of cicadas hatched at the same....
4 Comments
May
The strange cult status of white asparagus
If you are in Munich and see people jostling for a spot in line at....
2 Comments
Apr
Cozy? Let’s sabotage that by opening a window
Once you're comfy and cozy, a German is bound to open the window to air....
Apr
Better than bread: The best excuse to fatten up
Germans are now confronting the fact that Christmas is over but winter is just getting....
2 Comments
Jan
Talk better—talk like a dog
We train dogs, but they have much to teach us. Babies are fluent in body....
2 Comments
Jan
Ring in the New Year and fire the firecrackers
The New Year means more than resolutions. All of Germany sets off firecrackers at midnight....
Dec
‘Twas the Night Before Weihnachten
On a trip to a Christmas market in Munich, I was inspired by The Night....
Dec
Christmas cookies: Good, better, German
I loved Christmas cookies growing up and thought they were pretty good, but have since....
Dec
The 37 Days of Christmas
Germans don’t celebrate Thanksgiving but they celebrate Christmas half the winter. Starting at the end....
Nov
If this is punctuality, my watch is broken
Germans have a reputation for being punctual, but trains are a different story. During a....
Nov
No Halloween? No way. My sneaky and successful plot
Some Germans celebrate Halloween, but not all of them. I was determined to find a....
2 Comments
Oct
The nightmare of motherhood in Germany
School has started, a good moment to consider the burden on mothers with children in....
2 Comments
Oct
The library, the monk, and the sandals
This stunning Baroque library tucked away in a monastery in a Bavarian village is the....
2 Comments
Oct
‘Tis the season of the Wiesn: The Oktoberfest for locals and tourists
What some probably don’t realize is that while the Oktoberfest is the biggest folk festival....
4 Comments
Oct
Spicing up an e-mail is as easy as 1-2-3
Every language has its peculiarities, which should be respected. But when you translate into another....
3 Comments
Sep
The tiniest stars of the Oktoberfest live in a drawer
The Oktoberfest is synonymous with beer for most people. Yet half of the fairgrounds consists....
2 Comments
Sep
Not teaching foreign languages will make America more insular
Do you speak English? This question is often answered with “Yes” all around the world.....
4 Comments
Aug
Getting lost the old-fashioned way
Those of us who predate GPS know how to get around without using technology. Knowing....
4 Comments
Aug
Germans delight in overengineering, taking helicopter mothering to new heights
Any foreigner in Germany knows all about the country’s love of overengineering. All it takes....
4 Comments
Aug
Hitchhike to work? You bet – and in the most powerful city in the world
Gridlock is a word often used in connection with legislators in the U.S. Congress, but....
Jul
Munich comes full circle: From putsch to Rabbi Conference
The hand of history has done its work on the city of Munich. Named after....
2 Comments
Jul
Landshuter Hochzeit: The most theatrical wedding this side of the 15th century
Imagine if your wedding were so spectacular that people would want not just to reenact....
Jul
Knee-high by the 4th of July
I fully expected a lot of cultural differences when I moved to Germany. They speak....
2 Comments
Jul
To Bavaria with love, infused with dialect for language nerds
It is best to learn the standard version of a language, but what if you....
6 Comments
Jun
Quit the tomfoolery – I’m sure I don’t know you
The pandemic is over, but its effects continue - sometimes in strange ways. I got....
Jun
A fortune for footwear, or my kingdom for a sneaker
There was a lot of hullabaloo when Adidas dropped its sponsorship of the rapper Ye....
Jun
Watch out! Augsburg joined forces with the Swedes
Companies sometimes use shady tactics to gain the upper hand in a market. But this....
4 Comments
Jun
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