Decades From Home - A Podcast About Germany

Well, here we are then, the end. After 250 episodes and almost 5 years of podcasts, the curtains close on the old Decades from Home stage. Before we wistfully turn to an empty podcast studio before turning off the lights, we take a look back at the show, discuss our favourite guests, and who came up with the best episode title. Thank you to all of the listeners, guests, contributors, and co-hosts...

Kicking off our penultimate episode in style, we have a listener email to pore over as we discuss the curiously creepy phrasing to be found in German. We also outline some key strategies to maximise a hotel buffet, and just in time for Simon to go on holiday too. From which eggs make the right breakfast, we turn to Scotch eggs in the UK as Nic tells us about a dream pub lunch, along with some ques...

It’s never too early to start the festive cheer, and with Christmas biscuits hitting the shelves, Simon’s pleased for early Plätzchen. We take a tour the slightly odd world of the local Freibad with Nic, and we discuss the retirement of a one man bottle capping factory, and we finish by looking at water theft as a neighbours call police to settle whether rain water can really belong to anyone.

Despite decades of living in Germany between us, there is always a cultural error to be made, as Producer Simon discovers this week. After a slightly embarrassing conversation with a farmer, he brings the debacle to the show and Nic & Simon try and unpack the details. We discuss how to manage when you find yourself in an intercultural communications disaster, why language is sometimes only hal...

We’ve discussed the topic of integration on the podcast more than a few times over the five years of the show, but how integrated do your hosts feel now that we’re bringing things to a close. Simon asks the important questions to find our how Germany we’ve all become: do we have any cash to hand, do we know how to recycle a pizza box, and can we handle the shops being closed on Sunday? We also dis...

We’ve always wondered what it’s like to rub shoulders with the great and good, and thankfully for us Simon’s here to tell us as he enjoys the corporate seats at the Allianz Arena. We find what makes a Bayern Munich buffet, meeting celebrity footballers, and how not to be a fan. We also look at what some have termed Clubsterben (the death of clubs) in Berlin which has seen Gay and Lesbian clubs clo...

It may not feel like a year, but apparently it’s time once again for Germany to go full crazy for Jugendwort des Jahres 2025!!! We look at the runners and riders, discuss the pernicious influence of English, and learn far more about the word “Goonen” than anyone ever needed to know. From words to actions, we discuss the world of tattooing to end the show. We ask Simon about his changing views on t...

What’s the definition of bravery? Surely it’s living in Germany and answering the phone to unknown numbers. It can be panic inducing, but it might be the purest form of conversation, and as Simon argues, it’s also a good chance to practice some German. Something that needs no German whatsoever is the phenomena of “cool” English shop names, especially hairdressers. Simon shares his list of best/wor...

As summer continues to cut a rug through to August, we talk tourist sites, and three in particular: Neuschwanstein, Herrenchiemsee and Linderhof. Why these three? For the simple reason that they are the three newest German UNESCO World Heritage sites. Are they worthy entrants, and what does this have to do with the Great Wall of China? We find out. Summer also means school holidays, but it wouldn’...

There are many ways to have the perfect summer, and Nic has landed on his perfect recipe. All he needs is a few beer tents, some schlager, and the cleanest public toilets he’s ever seen. An England win in the European Championships would also help too, and we consider the chances of that happening with a review of the tournament so far. From ball kicking to treaty signing, we discuss the exciting...

Living in Germany as long as we have, you sometimes forget how German things can be. As Nic finds out, all it takes is a quick reminder, or the mere mention of David Hasselhoff. On the other hand, Simon is perfectly aware he’s in Germany as he talks about his Flohmarkt victories, which of course include a lovely beer krug. From glassware to baskets, Simon introduces the newest retail dating concep...

For good or for ill, Germany has reputation for steely seriousness, but if we’ve learned anything living here for as long as we have, it’s that reputation means nothing. Honestly, how serious can any country be if they don’t even make escaping from prison illegal? Luckily, Simon’s on hand to explain why jailbreaks are only human. A few weeks ago we learned of attempts to bring Volksdöner back to G...

It might feel like stating the obvious, but it’s been fairly warm this week in Germany, which means a little more of the weird and wonderful than usual. In this case, the wonderful came in the form of a Dorffest, and the weird was large amounts of Greek condiments on offer, much to Simon’s annoyance. The primo weather wasn’t just great for dorffests, it was also Christopher Street Day. With pride...

This is usually a podcast about Germany, but after a trip to Strasbourg, Nic’s a hare’s breadth from trying to turn this podcast all French with his general love of one of Europe’s most delightful destinations. Was it the architecture, the boulangeries, or the sexy gargoyles? Whatever it was, we find out. While Nic was out of town, Simon found himself enjoying more German pursuits, or at least mor...

Known for his formidable producing powers, the aptly named Producer Simon is also something of a travel expert, or at least he’s gone on holiday a lot recently. It does mean he has some interesting stories to tell though, especially what it was like travelling through Europe in an electric car. We can’t all save the world like Producer Simon, but we can answer listener questions, or at least Nic &...

In order to ensure our darling Producer Simon made it on his holiday, we recorded a number of episodes back to back, but we may have forgottten when they needed to be released…perhaps this is why we begin this week by celebrating co-host Simon’s beloved Spurs winning the Europa League a month ago…how can we complain though, Simon is so bloody happy, and isn’t that worth an opening segment? Moving...

This is a podcast about Germany, so you might assume some of that fabled Germanic organisation might have rubbed off on us. Well…sort of, but all the organisation in the world can’t prevent the confusion over Producer Simons recording schedule. A little uncertainty isn’t the worst way to get the podcast started, but what does seem to be a sure fire hit are the prices at an exciting new Dönerladen...

Having missed Eurovision last week, Simon brings in a special guest reporter to remedy that situation as we discuss politics, Pride flags, and Celine Dion, while learning some new vocabulary to boot. Sadly, we can’t enjoy the bright lights of Euro pop’s annual extravaganza for the whole show, apparently we need to do some work… Yes, you heard right, work. That’s the key message, not of this humble...

No one’s entirely sure how, but Producer Simon has managed to wrangle himself a holiday. Though he’d hoped for sunnier climes, the discovery that he could spend a week in Fürth visiting a Rundfunkmuseum does cause some second thoughts. While Producer considers his options, Nic & Simon concern themselves with a mysterious wooden phallus that appeared outside a local business in Munich. Who carv...

Of all the things Simon could have hoped to find on his morning walk to the local Bäckerei, terrifying omens of impending doom would be low on the list. Of course, that’s not how these things work, and anyway, Bavarians love a little superstition. What does the future hold for Simon? Nic and Simon try to figure it out. Someone who's clearly having better luck than us is England’s rose Harry Kane,...

Nothing can stop this podcast, aside from a few technical glitches, and maybe some seriously surprising weather conditions. All it takes is one hot day in Germany, and your British hosts quickly wilt. Regardless, no matter how warm it gets, Nic won’t be following Simon’s corduroy shorts recommendation. The sudden warm weather does remind us that summer will soon be here, as does the end of the foo...

After flying around the world visiting New Zealand, Producer Simon lands on the podcast with the perfect mix of exhaustion and airport based fury. Nic & Simon pull up their chairs and learn how not to transit through an airport, and curious significance of orange chocolate ice cream. With their ears still ringing, Nic & Simon return to more German matters with a trip down memory lane, or m...

With all the Easter eggs collected, and chocolate wrappers still littering the floor, Nic & Simon discuss their respective Easter weekends. While Simon has been merrily learning about the Sorbain community of Germany and their Easter traditions, Nic has been in the UK discovering a very odd, and very illegal new delivery service. With Easter behind us, we can fully focus on the important thing...

As Germany celebrates Easter, little do they know that the future is rushing towards them in the form of new rules about passport photos! Okay, maybe it’s not the most futuristic change imaginable, but surely any step forward is better than none…unless you happen to be the owner of one of thousands of Fotostudios across Germany. The topic of boycotting US products has continued to pick up pace acr...

Once again, Germany is preparing to celebrate the world’s worst vegetable as Spargelzeit begins in earnest across the 16 Bundesländer, and two thirds of the podcast are delighted to see it’s return. What does 2025 have in store for Spargel lovers, and where will Simon get his regular Spargeleis? The current international economic turmoil caused by US government tarifs leads us back to the question...