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Life in Germany, as seen through the eyes of outsiders (previously called "Expat Life Germany").
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The Germany Experience
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How German changes your identity (Geoff and Alex from Americans in Germany Drinking Whiskey)
46:46
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When you move to Germany, like with other countries, you might find yourself needing to re-invent yourself due to the language and the culture. For example: if you were funny and outgoing in your home country, you might suddenly feel like you're introverted and "boring" in social situations in Germany. And how do you deal with feeling that you can'…
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The job application process in Germany: Misconceptions, insights and tips (Ivan from Bulgaria)
1:00:38
1:00:38
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What are common misconceptions that foreigners have about the job application process in Germany? What makes a good CV? What are assessment centers? We try to answer some of these questions in this episode. To do it, I'm joined by Ivan from Bulgaria (and previous guest on the show), who has extensive experience working as an HR consultant in German…
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The gender expatriation gap, trailing spouses, and the expat skill pool in Germany (Amaia from Spain)
37:34
37:34
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Amaia, originally from Spain but now living in Düsseldorf, Germany, started the Expats and Spouses Monitor with Dr. Carlos Morales. Their goal: it is a research project that aims to understand the living and working conditions of expatriates and their spouses or partners living in Germany. With this data, they hope to help stakeholders, such as Ger…
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Cost of living in Germany in 2021 (Jen from Simple Germany)
1:25:43
1:25:43
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What are the standard costs of living you can expect in Germany? Do you really need so much insurance in Germany? And why pay the Rundfunkbeitrag if you don't watch German TV? Jen is from Guatemala and is the co-founder of Simple Germany. She joins me to discuss her story, and the cost of living in Germany. As a basis for our discussion, we use her…
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SEGEPADFO charity challenge wrap-up, and when The Germany Experience will be back
6:43
6:43
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The SEGEPADFO charity challenge, where I went up against Nicole of The Expat Cast to see who could raise the most money for a project by Über den Tellerrand, is over. Who won the challenge, and how much we raised, is all in this update episode. Plus: I'll tell you when I'll be back with new episodes. Thank you to everyone who donated! See our video…
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Learning assertiveness from Germans, and growing to love a city (Jenna from Canada)
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41:54
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Jenna is from Canada who is living in Düsseldorf. She is the creator of Life in Duesseldorf, has just started the Life in Germany YouTube channel. We discuss why she moved to Germany, her recent bout of COVID-19, and why she loves German barbecue culture. Jenna on Instagram: @lifeindus SEGEPADFO UPDATE: Nicole of The Expat Cast and I are going head…
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Coming to Germany during a pandemic (Cassie from Australia)
36:19
36:19
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Cassie from Australia wanted to continue her music studies in Germany, and her plans were already underway when the pandemic struck. It put her plans on hold, but Cassie was still able to push through and move to Weimar. I discuss with her what it was like to move to Germany during a pandemic, and what her first impressions of Germany are. Cassie o…
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Singing soul in Germany, and BLM from a distance (Alicia from the USA)
47:17
47:17
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Alicia is a soul and blues singer currently living in Germany. She moved from Texas, USA to Germany complete her studies just over a year ago. I discuss with Alicia what her mindset is after moving countries in such a turbulent year, what her feelings on Germany are, and how she was able to speak out for Black Lives Matter from Germany. Watch Alici…
You probably know Antoinette Emily from her YouTube channel. Originally from New Zealand, she moved to Germany to be with her then-boyfriend (now-husband) over 10 years ago. We discuss the story of how she came to Germany, the importance of having international friends in Germany, raising bilingual children, why you probably shouldn't build a house…
Sneha from India moved to Germany in 2011, when her ex-husband got a job in Munich. A professional Indian classical dancer, Sneha was expecting something similar to New York, where people knew about the artform of Indian classical dance. Instead, she found herself constantly having to explain to Germans that it wasn't Bollywood dancing that she doe…
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Teenagers' perspective: Life in Germany & traveling with family (Anna & Alex from the USA)
40:42
40:42
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Back in May 2020, I had Linda of the Travelteening blog on the podcast to talk about moving to Germany and traveling around with teenagers. Now, I have the teenagers on! Anna and Alex talk about their move to Germany, their lives here, and about traveling with family. OTHER SHOW NOTES Lockdown ignored: Munich police shut down child's birthday party…
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Ask a German: Bureaucracy, German pillows, standing in line, and recruitment through fruit (Dominik, Jürgen & Philipp from Ach?)
57:06
57:06
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You sent in your questions, and I put them to Germans to get the answers. It's Ask A German time! The three German guests are the always funny and entertaining hosts of the German podcast, Ach! They answer the questions that listeners sent in over the past few months, and in the process shed some light on some issues foreigners in Germany know all …
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Learning about "Mittagsruhe", integrating through a "Kinderladen", and the impact of Brexit (Fiona from the UK)
59:46
59:46
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Fiona and her husband are opera singers from the UK who moved to Germany for work. I first met her when she appeared on the episode about Parkrun in Germany, and I wanted to find out more about her path to journey and experiences here...so I invited her back on the show. In our chat, she talks about how she learnt about the "Mittagsruhe" rule in Ge…
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Wurst/arsch/schwein idioms, why “Der/Die/Das” is weird, and sitting down to pee in Germany (Ricardo from Brazil & Ivan from Bulgaria)
56:19
56:19
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Ricardo from Brazil and Ivan from Bulgaria are the people behind the Can You German? Instagram account. They met by chance in Germany, where they became friends. Later, when Ivan was stuck in Brazil due to COVID-19, they spent a lot of time together, and it was during this time that Can You German? was born. We discuss their Instagram page, why Ger…
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Things to know before learning German (Elysse from Elysse Speaks)
40:08
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Elysse is the host of Elysse Speaks, a YouTube channel about her experiences learning multiple languages (including sign language). One of the languages she speaks is German, and I invited her on the podcast to talk about German, what would have been good to know before learning German, and why learning German is like being in a complicated but coo…
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The attraction of Munich, the versatility of “Doch!”, and environmentalism in Germany (Sarah from Canada)
54:19
54:19
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Sarah from Canada came to Munich 4 years ago to get her Masters degree. At first the plan was to stay two years (which at the time she felt was too long). But soon she fell in love with Munich and found many reasons to stay. Sarah discusses those reasons with me, as well as how she went about learning German, the magic of the word, "Doch", and her …
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German youth words of 2020 (Nina from Germany)
36:24
36:24
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Every year, the Langenscheidt publishing house searches for the youth word of that year. It's happening again, and Nina from Germany (who previously appeared in the Fasching episode back in February) helps me explain the words and the memes behind them. We also try and figure out if the youth actually uses these words... The words we discuss: Schab…
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Germany and climate change (Patrick Niedermayer from Germany)
55:36
55:36
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For foreigners living in Germany, you might be thinking that you live in a country that is doing a lot to combat global warming. After all, Germany signed the Paris Agreement, and it put together the Klimapaket (climate package). But according to my guest this week, Patrick Niedermayer, Germany isn't doing enough. This episode is a deep dive into w…
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BONUS - Recent German history, and escaping East Berlin by pretending to be a swan (Emma from the USA)
7:36
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In this outtake from my interview with Emma from the USA, we discuss recent German history, and how to win freedom by pretending to be a swan. Follow Emma on Instagram JOIN THE THE GERMANY EXPERIENCE FACEBOOK GROUP Visit the official The Germany Experience website Contact me: info@thegermanyexperience.de…
Emma is a dancer who moved from New York City to Berlin. Even though Berlin is a big city, she still has to adjust to the slower pace of life here. She also discusses why there is more freedom to be adventurous with your career in Germany, why Germany is attractive to performing artists, the Visa that allows her to be here, and what you gain when y…
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Everything changes all the time: finding your place in Germany (Shaked from Israel)
49:36
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Shaked moved from Tel Aviv, Israel, to Germany to take the next step in her dance career: a move to dance management or production. But does she want to leave the actual dancing aspect behind? And how can she adapt when the German city she lives in doesn't necessarily give her the career opportunities she is looking for? Shaked talks us through the…
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RERUN: Living abroad teaches us the power of connections (Anna from Canada)
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Originally released on September 4th, 2019 (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 lives and who we are, even if we don't live near them. This will resonate…
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RERUN: Discussing German stereotypes with Nicole from The Expat Cast
39:57
39:57
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Originally released on October 20th, 2019 (episode #20). Are Germans really efficient? Do they like order? Are they as punctual as everyone says they are? Nicole, a US expat living in Germany and the host of The Expat Cast, helps me confirm or bust common stereotypes and cliches about Germans. Find Nicole: The Expat Cast podcast The Expat Cast on I…
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RERUN: Teaching English, Learning Languages, and Raising Bilingual Children in Germany (Lori from USA)
33:40
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Originally released on July 2nd, 2019 (episode #6). Lori from USA has been teaching English in Germany for almost 40 years, so it’s not surprising that she has a thing or two to say about learning new languages. In fact, her language pedigree goes back to even before she moved to Germany, when she was a German high school teacher in the States. In …
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An update on my hospital visit, and audio logs from my hospital room
13:50
13:50
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I spent two nights in hospital recently, and during my stay, I recorded several audio logs about my experience. You can hear them in this bonus episode. Since I won't be able to edit the podcast while I recover, I will be putting out some 2019 episodes over the next few weeks. Thank you to everyone who has messaged me well-wishes! JOIN THE THE GERM…
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German culture: The top 10 selling musical artists in Germany (Craig from Scotland)
47:04
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In order to better understand the music tastes of Germans, Craig from Scotland joins me to look at the top 10 selling musical artists in Germany. This includes German and international acts who have sold the most albums since the BVMI started certifying albums back in 1975. You can find the list on Wikipedia. To better get to know the German acts o…
Tania was born in Kenya and has lived in five different African countries. After a short time in Thailand, she’s landed up in Germany, and she feels like this is somewhere she can stay for a longer time. Some of the reasons for this include feeling safer in Germany than in Kenya, and having the safety net of social help that is available in Germany…
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Sandals and socks, making friends with Germans, and "selfishly" staying in Germany (Amy from the USA)
41:26
41:26
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Amy always had a dream of living in Germany, and even happened to marry someone who felt the same way. So living here has kind of been a dream come true. And generally, Amy is really happy here -- she admits that she was "right" about wanting to live here. But making friends with Germans is one aspect that has been a challenge. Amy is sociable and …
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Just a diplomatic spouse (Alexandra from Romania)
46:20
46:20
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Being the spouse of a diplomat comes with a very specific lifestyle: you move around a lot, you don't stay in a country for long, and you never know where you'll be moved to next. Alexandra Paucescu is a Romanian married to a diplomat, and she has been based in Germany for several years. We discuss what a day in her life is like, whether or not she…
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Singing schlager music in Germany, and misogyny in the music industry (Sarah Jane Scott from the USA)
51:51
51:51
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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 success, talks about what it’s like to be a Schlager singer, and about how she is currently evaluating her next steps. We go into the unhea…
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A southern liberal in Germany, running a coffee shop, and casual German racism (Christy from the USA)
42:13
42:13
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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 children, not going back to the States for 10 years, and how Germans are racist in a “I didn’t mean anything by it” kind of way. We als…
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Trilingualism, switching between languages, and Italian words adopted by German (Carmen from Italy)
52:07
52:07
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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 learning multiple languages on her native language. We also talk about Italian words that German has adopted - and subsequently used …
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The 5 phases of culture shock (Beth from the USA)
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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 now on the curve. We also talk about how fencing is actually the perfect coronavirus sport. And, her cat makes an appearance. Read the…
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Broken systems, turning points, and racism in Germany (Jessica from Germany)
33:55
33:55
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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 on a regular basis here in Germany. Follow Jessica on Instagram. The Trevor Noah video I mention: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v…
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One year anniversary live stream - recorded 29th May 2020
33:10
33:10
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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 YouTube show: I, Skylab Follow Nina on Instagram. Follow Sisy the Hamster on Instagram. Links to more The Germany Experience episod…
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You go me on the cookie! (Dana Newman from Wanted Adventure)
54:57
54:57
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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 highlights the quirks and beauty of the German language. It was written for German native speakers, but it is definitely relatable for …
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Seven months as an exchange student in Germany (Montana Showalter from the USA)
38:14
38:14
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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. Little did she know that her channel was about to blow up. In our interview, Montana discusses the differences in culture between the …
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Learning German with apps, and working in the video games industry (Thomas from the UK)
43:31
43:31
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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 opportunities in Germany. He also discusses his path to Germany, learning German through Memrise, and receiving angry letters from German neighb…
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Traveling with teenagers, and interrupted travel plans (Linda from the USA)
36:56
36:56
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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 children the chance to experience travel in Europe, some insights into traveling with teens, and how they're dealing with the loss of tr…
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German culture: The top 10 grossing German movies (Dominik from the Ach! podcast)
36:53
36:53
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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 Germans have flocked to see at the cinemas! In fact, think of the most famous German movie you know. I can almost guarantee that wha…
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 gives detailed instructions on how to brew beer. https://www.brew-wizard.com/ Connect with Greg on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cainde9 …
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From USA to Germany, California style (Greg from USA and Brigida from Germany)
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44:36
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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 how they made their time in Germany work. We also talk about life with small kids, what it's like to move to another country when y…
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BONUS - Poetry in Berlin, feminism, and diversity (Deenara from Russia)
16:30
16:30
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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 rest of that interview. Interview recorded and edited by Daria Sukharchuk. Deenara's Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/snumri D…
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Some German idioms (Steph Fuccio from USA)
36:28
36:28
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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 new to the German language (or even if you are not), it's fun to listen along and see if you can guess them, too. STEPH'S NOTES: Vi…
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Dealing with depression in Germany (Deenara from Russia)
43:34
43:34
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43:34
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, who is from Republic of Tatarstan in Russia, is a tech professional and poet living in Berlin. In an interview with journalist Dari…
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Being a TV anchor, online weirdos, and stereotypes about Russian women (Daria from Russia)
39:20
39:20
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39:20
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 TV anchor for OstWest TV, online critics, stalker problems, and stereotypes some people have about Russian women. Connect with Daria…
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Coronavirus and COVID-19 in Germany (with Nicole from The Expat Cast and Steph from Geopats)
41:38
41:38
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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 personal situations, fake news, coping with the heaviness of a pandemic, how people should stay home, and just our general feelings a…
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Leaving Germany after a decade (Natalie from the UK)
38:42
38:42
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By Shaun Behrens
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Finding yourself in a second language: language and identity (Steph from Germany)
40:32
40:32
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40:32
By Shaun Behrens
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Moving after 40, sensationalist media, and loneliness in Germany (Klaus from Brazil)
34:57
34:57
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34:57
By Shaun Behrens
