The Pod Abroad

Who actually makes the decisions in Munich? And how much influence do ordinary residents have over the city they call home? In this episode of The Pod Abroad, I'm joined by Carmen Romano, an Italian immigrant and elected member of Munich's City Council (Stadtrat), to uncover how local politics in Germany actually works, who holds power, and how you can get involved, even if you're not...

An American moved to Germany after dreaming about it since he was 15. Just one year later, he's running for Munich's Migration Advisory Council. But building a life in Germany has been harder than he ever expected. Meet Ryan Frankel, an American originally from Connecticut who grew up in Massachusetts, studied German and international politics, and eventually made his dream of moving to Mu...

Munich's Migrationsbeirat election is on November 22, 2026, but what exactly is the Migration Advisory Council, who can vote, and why did only 3.1% of eligible voters participate in 2023?In this episode of The Pod Abroad, I'm joined by Shipra Singh, an Indian immigrant who has called Munich home for over 11 years and is now running for the city's Migrationsbeirat with Grüne Vielfalt Mü...

Grieving while living abroad is one of the hardest parts of living abroad. When you lose a loved one back home, how do you cope with grief, distance, and the guilt of being across the world? In this episode of The Pod Abroad, I'm sharing something I never wanted to have to talk about: the passing of my beloved grandmother, my Guela, at 94 years old. Living in Germany while my family is in Texa...

After 2 years living in Munich, Germany, why is an American moving back to the USA? Bailey shares the reality of life in Germany vs. America, German culture shocks, friendships abroad, and saying goodbye. My friend Bailey, a Southern girl from the U.S., is moving back to Nashville, Tennessee, after spending two years in Munich with her husband. When she first arrived in Germany, she struggled with...

Berlin Marathon 2026, first marathon training, and the reality of running 42.2 km! My mom takes over The Pod Abroad to ask me everything about long-distance running and what six months of training REALLY feels like. From running injuries and early morning long runs to runner's stomach (never trust a fart), fueling, recovery, and the sacrifices nobody sees, we're getting into the less glamo...

Americans moving to Europe, living abroad, leaving the USA, moving from Texas to Germany and Spain, expat life, starting over abroad, and the reality of living far away from family. My mom and I both left Texas to move to Europe. I moved to Germany at 21, and she moved to Spain at 60. Here’s what two Americans learned about living abroad, starting over, and leaving family behind. Ten years ago, I...

Training for my first Berlin Marathon has completely changed the way I think about running, distance, health, and what my body is capable of. In this episode, I’m sharing what six months of marathon training has taught me, plus the huge cultural differences I’ve noticed running in Munich, Germany vs Texas. I’ve been running for nearly a decade, but preparing for my first full marathon has been an...

Oktoberfest 2026, Oktoberfest Munich, Munich Germany, Oktoberfest tips, Oktoberfest guide, Wiesn, beer tents, Munich travel, Bavaria, German culture, dirndl, lederhosen, Oktoberfest mistakesPlanning your first Oktoberfest 2026 in Munich? Want to skip tourist mistakes and experience Wiesn like a true local? 🍺 After 9 years in Germany, I’m teaming up with my friend Paloma—a real Münchner Kindl who...

Moving to Germany, life in Germany, American in Germany, Germany vs Texas & living abroad: I’m reacting to my 2016 YouTube videos after 10 years of living in Munich, Germany. In 2016, I was 21 years old, living in Texas, and preparing to move to Munich without ever having set foot in Germany. I didn’t know anyone there, didn't speak the language, and thought I was leaving the US for a two-...

EPISODE THROWBACK! From April 1st, 2025.Moving to Germany as an American changed my life. From Germany culture shock to loneliness, expat life and starting over, here’s the reality of living in Germany and moving abroad alone. I left Texas for Germany alone at 21, knowing almost no one. I had never been to Germany before, barely spoke German, and originally planned to stay for only two years. Near...

Germany, living in Germany, American in Germany, German culture, Munich, cultural differences, expat life, German stereotypes, life abroad, immigration, German seniors, moving to Germany, Germany podcast, volunteering in Germany. Why does it sometimes feel like strangers in Germany are just waiting to tell you what you're doing wrong? After nearly 10 years of living in Germany, I've been yelled at...

Culture shock, living abroad, adapting to life abroad, moving abroad, expat life, life in Germany, cultural differences, immigration, culture shock in Germany, adjusting to a new culture, identity abroad, expat struggles, Munich, Germany. What if the hardest part of moving abroad isn’t learning a new language or understanding a new culture, but slowly questioning yourself? In this episode of The P...

What do Germans think about America? A German who's never been to America shares his honest opinion on the USA. We discuss Germany vs USA, American stereotypes, life in Germany, American culture, work-life balance, politics, healthcare, and how Europeans view the United States. How much of what we believe about a country comes from firsthand experience—and how much comes from the media, cultur...

Germany, moving to Germany, life in Germany, British expat in Germany, living abroad, Germany vs UK, cultural differences, immigration, Munich, expat life, moving overseas, British immigrant, Germany podcast, life abroad. What happens when you move to Germany for just two years... and end up staying for 40?In this episode of The Pod Abroad , I sit down with Nick Walker, a Brit who arrived in Germa...

Linda Jo Rizzo shares what it was like becoming an American singer in Germany during the 1980s. In this interview, we discuss Italo Disco, culture shock, moving from New York to Germany, life abroad, and building a music career in Europe. Linda arrived in Germany in 1984 expecting to stay just two weeks. Instead, one opportunity changed everything, launching a career that has taken her around the...

Canadian in Germany, moving abroad, Canada vs. Germany, life in Munich, cultural differences, identity, belonging, and what happens when a temporary move becomes a 40-year life abroad. In this episode of The Pod Abroad, I speak with Greg Arena, a Canadian who moved to Germany in 1986 expecting to stay for only three years. Nearly four decades later, Germany is home. Greg shares how a sense of adve...

Texas, veganism, Germany, Americans in Germany, vegan in Germany, living in Munich, cultural differences, plant-based lifestyle, and what it's really like being vegan after 11 years. In this solo episode of The Pod Abroad, I share my story of becoming vegan nearly 11 years ago and what it's been like navigating that decision while living in two places where meat plays such a central role in the cu...

Germany heatwave, air conditioning in Europe, Americans in Germany, life in Munich, cultural differences, climate change, and why living in Europe completely changed my perspective on AC.In this solo episode of The Pod Abroad, I reflect on the European heatwave that has left much of Germany struggling through record temperatures—and how nearly ten years of living in Munich have completely reshaped...

Americans abroad, Germany vs USA, World Cup 2026, Texas, cultural differences, tipping culture, life in America, and what Europeans might find surprising when visiting the United States for the first time. In this solo episode of The Pod Abroad, I explore what thousands of Europeans visiting the United States for the World Cup might experience for the first time—and why the real America is often v...

Best things to do in Munich this summer 🇩🇪 After nearly 10 years living in Munich, Germany, I'm sharing my favorite lakes, beer gardens, hikes, festivals, day trips, and local spots beyond Neuschwanstein Castle. Munich in the summer is magic—but not for the reasons most travel guides will tell you. After nearly 10 years of living in Munich, I've put together my personal guide to the best t...

Americans abroad, moving to Germany, life in Munich, cultural differences, immigration, identity, friendship, and what happens when a move that was supposed to be temporary quietly becomes an entire life. In this solo episode of The Pod Abroad, I reflect on nearly 10 years of living in Germany and the ways Europe has changed me more than I ever expected. When I moved from Texas to Munich in 2016,...

Sustainability in Germany, recycling myths, climate careers, nuclear power, work-life balance, and what happens when an Indian immigrant sees Germany's environmental reputation from the inside. In this episode of The Pod Abroad, I sit down with my friend Vishnu, a sustainability professional originally from Kerala, India, who has lived across the Middle East, the UK, Southeast Asia, and now Ge...

Americans abroad, moving to Germany, Munich expat life, culture shock, Vietnam War, life in Germany vs America, and what happens when a “temporary move” quietly becomes your entire life. In this episode of The Pod Abroad, I sit down with Larry Schultz, an American from outside Chicago who first moved to Germany in 1980 and never moved back to the United States. What was originally supposed to be a...

Growing up Mormon in Utah, moving to Germany, culture shock, Americans abroad, Munich expat life, and realizing your upbringing wasn’t “normal.” In this episode of The Pod Abroad, I sit down with Sarah Fife, an American from Salt Lake City who grew up in a deeply Mormon/LDS environment before leaving Utah for Brown University, eventually moving to Munich, Germany, and building an entirely new life...