Expat Chatter

I fully expected a lot of cultural differences when I moved to Germany. They speak with lots of umlauts and guttural noises, their cake is superior and the coffee twice as strong. Make that three times as strong. They also have the supreme luxury of public transport and some people don’t even own cars. But I never thought that as an American suburbanite, I would be considered a country girl. A ser...

It is best to learn the standard version of a language, but what if you can’t differentiate between what is dialect and standard? In a bizarre twist of events, I speak more German dialect than my daughters even though they were born here. A close look at Munich’s and Germany’s history reveals how this could happen.  Support the show www.expatchatter.net   Brenda Arnold

The pandemic is over, but its effects continue - sometimes in strange ways. I got used to wearing a mask and seeing others wear them but didn’t realize that taking them off would have some unexpected consequences. Support the show www.expatchatter.net   Brenda Arnold

There was a lot of hullabaloo when Adidas dropped its sponsorship of the rapper Ye for his antisemitic and racist remarks, a deal worth hundreds of millions of euros. But people might not realize that such sponsorships have a colorful history. On this episode of www.expatchatter.net, we delve deep into the fascinating backstory of two of the biggest sports brands in the world - Adidas and Puma. Jo...

Companies sometimes use shady tactics to gain the upper hand in a market. But this is nothing new. In the past, one city even went so far as to burn down their competitors’ town. Cutthroat competition doesn’t get any worse than that.  Support the show www.expatchatter.net   Brenda Arnold

Germany has become a land of immigrants but is still grappling with this new identity. Munich’s population consisted of 28% foreigners in 2021 and has continued to grow. The perception and treatment of different nationalities is altered by what happens back in people’s home country. Little did I suspect that this would change how people see me, too. Support the show www.expatchatter.net   Brenda A...

There’s a lot to be said for approaching challenging situations with the right attitude, which is called reframing. On a recent trip across the Atlantic, I had my reframing capabilities put to a serious test, but I passed with flying colors. Although I’m not 100% sure of this, because by the time I got home, I was no longer able to think straight. Support the show www.expatchatter.net   Brenda Arn...

Signs are there for the express purpose of helping you find your way. They tell you where you are or which direction to take. But signs in a foreign country, even or especially when you think you understand them, can get you into a lot of trouble. Support the show www.expatchatter.net   Brenda Arnold

Everybody has their idea of a perfect vacation. I enjoy the ocean, but I don’t have any particular need to get down into it and rub elbows with the creatures of the deep – or fins, as the case may be. So how did I wind up snorkeling in the Atlantic Ocean, looking for sharks, of all things? Support the show www.expatchatter.net   Brenda Arnold

Germany already experimented with a cheap train ticket last summer. People loved it so much that as soon as summer ended, they started clamoring for a repeat performance. So now we’re getting another one, but a cheap ticket doesn’t compensate for the real problem with the rail system. Support the show www.expatchatter.net   Brenda Arnold

The U.S. is not just a large country, everything in it seems bigger, too. This includes the huge piles of garbage created from every restaurant visit that are not recycled. For someone living in Germany, a country that prides itself on recycling, it takes all your willpower not to separate your garbage and instead put the whole pile straight into the garbage can. In the end, I found I just couldn’...

Eyeglasses and watches used to be mundane utilitarian accessories until designers were invited to the table. The ordinary sock has now joined in on the game and is no longer a simple stocking, but a formidable fashion statement. And, as it turns out, an opportunity to have a little fun with a perfect stranger. Support the show www.expatchatter.net   Brenda Arnold

Just as I was getting used to not being a mother, my COVID-harassed daughters came home - left - and came home - repeatedly. Now I'm trying to remember, what was it again that I always did for Easter? Support the show www.expatchatter.net   Brenda Arnold

Chicago was named by French fur traders who founded the city, which was destroyed by a big fire started by a cow. It is the windiest city in the country and is called Second City, trailing behind New York. So goes popular wisdom; but popular is not the same as true. All of these things are wrong.  Support the show www.expatchatter.net   Brenda Arnold

I fantasize about taking my kids back to where I grew up to show them the real America. Except when I arrive, it’s often to discover that many things have changed. Shops have disappeared, new restaurants have sprouted up. I may wax nostalgic, but were the old ways really better? Support the show www.expatchatter.net   Brenda Arnold

When is a snack a meal? It depends on what country you’re in, as Germans discover when they go to America to find potato chips on their dinner plate. Europeans brought foods with them across the Atlantic but many of them were transformed into something new.  Support the show www.expatchatter.net   Brenda Arnold

New York feels like another world compared to Munich. Many elements are obvious and in plain sight, but the essence of the city is more elusive. New Yorkers are different from Munich residents in so many ways. We discovered a few hidden gems on a recent visit. Support the show www.expatchatter.net   Brenda Arnold

American companies have made serious inroads into the economies of Europe and elsewhere, but this has come at a cost. There have been some pretty big flops along the way as executives naively thought they could simply replicate the American marketing model in other countries without making any changes. Some of these misjudgments are rather entertaining, and with the introduction of a coffee/olive...

There are grocery stores, and then there’s Aldi. In the decades since WWII, this discounter chain has not only won over the wallets of its customers but also their hearts. Faithful Aldi customers from all walks of life wouldn’t dream of shopping anywhere else. But behind the well-oiled Aldi machine, there is also plenty of intrigue in this family-owned empire. Support the show www.expatchatter.net...

Many Americans think their sports are “all American” but football and baseball have long been a popular export. Millions of people across the world watch the Super Bowl. As an American raising my kids in Germany, I did my best to include basic sports knowledge and felt I had succeeded, at least until my daughter actually attended a baseball game and experienced the real thing. Support the show www...

Germany has the reputation of having generous social programs, with vivid descriptions such as "cradle-to-grave" care. This makes it sound as if the state holds your hand and guides you gently through a carefree life. At the very latest when you try to navigate the German school system, comes a much different, sobering reality. At its core, the school system dates to the late 19th centur...

The press and social media are still abuzz with deniers of the U.S. elections in 2020, despite the lack of proof. Yet across the ocean – in Germany of all places, that paragon of efficiency – Berlin stands out as the shining star of inefficiency, corruption, and slothful administration. Enjoying favored status since WWII, it was deluged with subsidies to keep it a viable city. Over 30 years later,...

January is when Germans confront the fact that Christmas is over but winter is just getting underway. They console themselves by getting an early start celebrating carnival, which involves consuming large quantities of a special pastry, called Krapfen, to prepare for a period of fasting for Lent. True, hardly anybody fasts anymore, but no matter – Krapfen are delicious. Not only are these pastries...

For years, I suffered from the lousy picture I had taken for my German license, not knowing I would have this document for decades. Trying to rent a car, get into a night club or bar, or even just have breakfast in a government building in Washington turned into an embarrassing experience when I had to show my picture ID. But in the end, this old-fashioned, pink cardboard license had some unexpect...

The coronavirus isn’t the first disease that jumped from animals to humans. This is historically the way that many of the communicable diseases that plague humankind have spread, beginning with the plague. It was when humans became sedentary and first figured out how to domesticate animals , confining them to small spaces – and often living with them in the same quarters – that veritable breeding...