Long time, no see! Yes, it's been a hot minute since the last time we spoke with you guys, but we just got the urge to say hello. We're back in this one-off episode to discuss what we've both been up to since the end of the podcast and react to some recent news in Germany. Let's go!

We have unfortunately reached the last episode of the AGDW podcast. What an absolutey bitter sweet moment. Both of us are eternally grateful for all of the love, support and dedication everyone has shown us over the past three and a half years. While we are sad the podcast has come to an end, we aren’t going anywhere! We we will continue to give you fun and educational (slightly) content about living in Germany, however from now on it’ll be via our brand new YouTube channel! This last episode is a retrospective of sorts as we look back on the past 147 episodes and give you insights about the production of the podcast and what it’s meant to us. Once you’ve completed the episode feel free to come check us out here on YouTube!

German toilets are INSIDE of the wall? Coffee and cake...sucks? German animals make the wrong sounds? We’ll be answer these questions and many more in this week's edition of the German Shuffle. The "German Shuffle" is a series of episodes in which discuss several unrelated points about life in Germany, instead of one singular topic. It’s a good ol’ fashioned variety show! 

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These things actually exist? This week we’re talking about strange, cool, surprising things that we did not know existed until we moved to Germany. One of the beautiful things about living abroad is being constantly surprised. We’ve come across machines, food and items that we had no idea there was a need for. Some are very useful and we wish they were more wide spread, but others we can definitely do without. Have you heard of vomit sinks, fresh sausage from a vending machine, or poop shelves? We know you want to hear more, so let’s go!

The AGDW podcast is back and we think the best way to start 2021 is with a classic “German Shuffle.” This is a series of episodes in which we focus not on one topic for an episode, but a wide variety of unrelated topics. It feels like a good ol’ fashioned variety show! This week’s episode will cover: the phenomenon of well trained German dogs, U.S. taxes as an expat living in Germany, the differences between U.S. & German beer packaging, popular German brands most people pronounce incorrectly, and more!

During this week’s episode we both look back at our move to Germany and the many years we’ve spent living in Berlin. Our goal is to find what we did wrong, what regrets we have, and how we might have done things differently, knowing what we know now. We hope our honest reflection and advice might help anyone who’s considering a move to Germany or has recently made the trek abroad. In addition to being a nostalgic look back, this is also our last episode of 2020. But, don’t worry, we’ll be back in a few weeks on January 6th!

The title says it all! During this episode we will present to you our list of the most frustrating things about living in Germany, also known as “pet peeves.” Obviously, we enjoy living in Germany or we wouldn’t have stayed all these years. However, Germany is not perfect (who is?), and during our daily experiences we’ve come across a few things that continue to annoy, frustrate, and downright irritate us. Have you ever felt trapped in a grocery store when you don’t buy something, experienced the horror that is German customer service, or wish your windows had screens on them? Come along as we describe those little things that sometimes our brains just can’t understand.

It’s December and the holiday season is upon us! Celebrating Christmas in Germany can be a magical experience. This week’s episode will explore the German Christmas traditions that make the holiday different than what you may have experienced in the USA or elsewhere. Did you know that the act of bringing a tree indoors to celebrate Christmas was a tradition started in Germany? We’ll discuss the history of the holiday and also the fun ways Germans have turned Christmas into a month celebration, rather than just a single day. Put on your snow boots and let’s go!

On this edition of the “Expat Files” we interview Prayag Thakkar, an Indian living in Berlin. We will discuss his journey from Gujarat, India all the way to Germany, which in fact was the first time he ventured out of his native land. We’ll begin with a cultural misunderstanding with a German exchange student in India and then lead into his experiences navigating a new culture abroad, while trying establishing himself in the German capital.

It’s time to introduce you all to the German Shuffle. What is it, a dance? Not quite! The German Shuffle is a new type of episode in which we will focus not on one topic the entire episode, but a wide variety of smaller unrelated topics. Over the course of making this podcast, we’ve had many ideas we wanted to talk about with you, however they were too small to fill an entire podcast episode on their own. We’ve decided that instead of throwing those ideas away, we’re going to roll a few of them into one variety show. This week’s episode will cover: how have Germans changed since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, how we get our fill of German news, the pluses and negatives of an American becoming a German citizen, and more!

Most of us have traditions that are important to us and we try to keep alive. Some we’re taught to us by our family, some are from the culture around us and others are the traditions we create on our own. During this week’s episode we discuss which traditions from our lives in the USA we’ve continued after moving to Germany and those new traditions we’ve adopted after arriving. To help us we have as our guest Mari Tischner, the host of the YouTube channel “Adventures of La Mari.” She is an American-Peruviann author from the USA currently living in southern Germany.

The Mythbusters are back! Ok, maybe it’s not the famous pair you were hoping for. Regardless, we have created part 3 of our ongoing series and we’ll be brining you more myths, stereotypes & misconceptions about Germany and its people! Do Germans really love David Hasselhoff? Is it really a big deal if you wish someone, “happy birthday” the day before? We’ll crack these myths and more, in this week’s episode.

Learning a new language takes a lot of commitment and hard work. We all have such high hopes for a speedy road to fluency, but some of us unfortunately fall short. In earlier episodes, we’ve given advice on learning German and what steps we would suggest someone takes when they first arrive in the country. However, we didn’t dive deep into our personal experiences learning German and what we did wrong. This week, we’re going to give a very honest picture of our language learning journeys, in the hopes that all of you learn from our mistakes and improve your German skills faster than we did. Sprechen Sie Deutsch?

Are you looking for a long term romance? Or perhaps, just one night of fun? Berlin can offer you all of the above! This week we’re going to discuss what it’s like to date in the large metropolis that is Berlin. To help us, we are joined by Lulu Johnson, the author of the new book "Dating in Berlin: Tales of Modern Love & Relationships", in which she details her 8 years of living in Berlin and attempting to find love through the modern convinces of dating apps. Having grown up in a small town in Ireland, she took Berlin head on, undaunted by its size or any language barriers, and began dating people of all different cultures and backgrounds (including a convicted killer, we're not joking). We'll hear about her experiences - while throwing in a few of our own - and try and give advice to those who wish to settle abroad and find that special someone. 

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Read "Dating in Berlin" by Lulu Johnson - Buy the Book Now!

Everyone experiences growing pains, no matter where you may have called home as a kid. This week, we’re going to look into the differences between childhood experiences in the USA and Germany. Some of the major differences include the schools, the level of independence from parents, and of course, when a teen will be able to buy their first beer! To help give us the German side of the story, we are once again joined by Felicia, the host of the YouTube channel “Feli From Germany.” We compare her experiences growing up in Munich against ours in California and Rhode Island. Prepare to feel forever young!

Feli From Germany - YouTube Channel

Berlin kommt wieder! We weren’t able to cover Germany’s capital city with just one episode, so here comes a sequel. One of the reasons the city is so different than the rest of the country is the international influence from the large population of foreigners. Over 777,000 non-Germans are currently living in the city! Join us now for the second instalment of our series covering the city that is, “poor, but sexy.”

We're sure you've all heard of it, but what is it exactly? Oktoberfest is the world's largest Volksfest and it all started over 200 years ago as a - not so simple - wedding celebration. Today, it's a massive beer festival in which 7 million liters of the bubbly stuff is consumed over a 2 week period, mostly in September (only a few days bleed over into October). It's a massive celebration people that brings people to Munich, Germany from all over the world. We'll give you details of the goings-on and some tips to help you survive if you ever attend yourself.

This week's episode will focus on how expats can make connections with Germans and possibly create long lasting friendships. A lot of people who move abroad usually feel lonely and isolated when they first arrive. One of the first steps to making their new country a home is to connect with locals and find those you can spend time with. To help us, our guest is Shaun Behrens, the host of The Germany Experience Podcast. He moved to Germany many years ago from South Africa and lived in small German villages, not large cities full of other expats. Shaun has some insight into what will help you befriend Germans and what will result in a loud, “nein!”

The Germany Experience Podcast: https://www.thegermanyexperience.de/

Hello Berlin! Throughout past episodes we’ve given little tastes of the city, but oddly enough, we’ve never given a full picture of the German capital. Did you know it was once just a giant swamp? This week we’ll discuss Berlin’s history, its districts, the cost of living, what makes it so special and more! This time we bit off more than we could chew, so we ended up making this a two parter. Join us now for the first instalment of our series covering the city that is, “poor, but sexy.”

Lights, camera, action! This week we're talking about German media and more specifically, German film and television. The productions created within Germany have differences from their USA counterparts, however they have been improving in quality and international reach during the past decade due to online streaming. Did you know everyone living in Germany is required to fund all public TV and radio out of their own pockets? Did you know every year big American blockbuster movies are filmed in Germany because of the tax breaks and government incentives? Grab some popcorn and listen as we give you the inside scoop!

The music scene in Berlin is legendary, especially for the unofficial punk and techno clubs that popped up around the city - East and West Berlin - during the 1970s and 1980s. Neither music style was born in Germany’s capital, however it was in Berlin that they were truly turned into movements that united the youth of Germany and helped them to express themselves during turbulent times. During this week’s episode we’ll discuss the history of Berlin’s music scene and also talk with our guest Matthew Conway, the lead singer of the indie punk rock outfit “The Roxies.” He’ll give insight into his passion for music and the journey that took him from England all the way to Germany.

The Roxies: https://roxies.bandcamp.com/

When was the last time you got a check-up? Have you been avoiding a trip to the doctor? Fear not! This week we discuss all of the differences between visiting the doctor in Germany vs. the USA. We talk about finding an English speaking doctor, the medical offices in apartment buildings, the unusually affordable medication and more. Let’s go to the Arzt!

Moving abroad to any country can be a challenge. How do I find an apartment? What’s the visa process? How do I meet people? This week we discuss the do’s and the don’ts of moving to Germany. We’ve used both of our own personal experiences to create a comprehensive list, which will hopefully make your own move go much more smoothly.

Please check out our brand new YouTube channel!

When you think of Germany, there are probably a few things that immediately come to mind: lederhosen, sausage, and beer. Did you know that you should also be thinking of whiskey? Over the past 30 years Germany has been building a thriving whiskey industry and now have more active distilleries than in Scotland. Yes, more than the land of Scotch! Let's talk about this relatively unknown German passion, which includes a trip down to the award-winning Spreewood Distillery on the outskirts of Berlin. While there, we discovered many interesting "nuggets" about German whiskey and also about how difficult it is to get 5 bicycles to fit in a German regional train on a busy summer weekend. 

We're doing it live, f**k it! The last part of our special 3 year anniversary extravaganza is a German Shuffle episode recorded LIVE. While recording we had listeners of the podcast watching us via live stream and they were able to throw questions our way during the recording. It was exciting and we had so much fun! The "German Shuffle" is a series of episodes in which we don’t focus on a single topic, but instead several unrelated topics about life in Germany. It’s a good ol’ fashioned variety show! This week’s episode covers: Berlin police being able to search you whenever they want, hot tub boats on the river, the importance of a proper coat during winter, the weird way Germans use the "winky face" emoji, and many more!

A low cost of living, ample green spaces and no where to pee. We've both lived in Berlin, Germany for many years - through the good times and the bad. The city has become a second home to us and we thought it'd be only natural for us to finally discuss what we believe are the best and worst things about living in Berlin. 

Taxi drivers not using their meters, a "free" rose that actually isn't free, and a glass of wine that costs 115 Euro? One thing that we’ll all eventually become victim to while traveling in Europe are SCAMS. This week’s episode focuses on tourist scams! We share our personal experiences being scammed and give advice on how you can avoid them altogether. 

Running out of gas is not allowed? Speaking the wrong form of “you” might land you a ticket? This week we’re discussing weird German laws you probably didn’t know existed and even some from the USA for good measure. Alex and Geoff will also play a little game of, “guess where this law comes from.”

This week by popular demand we have dived into the workplace, which might be at a big corporation or just your laptop in your living room. We discuss doing business in Germany with the focus on the main differences between being a full time employee and working as a freelancer. There are pros and cons for both, which will be illuminated with the help of our guest Ryan, who has experienced both sides of this complex coin. 

Who are the Mythbusters? This week, it’s not "Adam and Jamie". Instead, Geoff and Alex are tackling more myths, stereotypes & misconceptions about Germany and its people in the second part of our ongoing series.

As Americans living in Germany for many years there is plenty we love about our new home, otherwise we wouldn’t still be here. However, after much reflection and comparison it’s obvious Germany is not perfect and there are things that the United States does a little bit better. This week’s episode focuses on the things the USA does right, which we wish could be universal.

The best way to integrate into your new community is to learn the language, but how important is knowing German? What is the best way to start the process? What mistakes did we make when we first arrived in Germany and how would we start our language learning journey differently if we could? During this week’s episode we discuss everything related to learning a new language, especially German. To help us, we are joined by the co-host and producer of the YouTube channel “Easy German”, which produces fantastic videos that help teach casual German to expats.

Easy German: https://www.easygerman.org/

Prepare yourselves for the beauty of nature. For this week's episode we'll be stepping out of the big cities and exploring the forests, mountains, and beaches of Germany. However, there’s no need to be afraid, because oddly enough, the German wilderness has very few dangerous animals.

Have you ever climbed into a WWII bunker, walked through a defunct amusement park, or sunbathed next to a forgotten Prussian palace? This week we’re discussing the abandoned buildings of Berlin and the pastime of "urbexing", also known as urban exploration. Join us as we detail the history of how these buildings became abandoned and why they’re still receiving visitors.

There’s the common myth that traveling and living abroad changes you…oh wait, it’s not a myth! In this episode we discuss the many ways we’ve changed personally after living in Germany for these many years.

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This February is the AGDW Podcast 3 year anniversary, which means the special episodes keep rolling in. For the third episode of our "anniversary extravaganza", we decided to hand over control to all of our listeners. Our instagram vote had a clear winner, so that means this week we're talking about weddings! More specifically, we'll be discussing how weddings and marriages differ between Germany and the USA. Luckily, Geoff is currently in the middle of planning his own wedding in Germany, which means he has a lot of fresh, first-hand experience to share with all of you. We'll also be detailing many classic German wedding traditions that you probably didn't know existed!

In this episode we decided to step back and look at things from a different perspective: the German perspective. We conducted a very interesting interview with Felicia, the host of the YouTube channel “Feli From Germany”. The discussion focuses on a German’s view of the United States, including: making friends with Americans, the differences between American and German cultures, her life as an expat in Ohio, and more!

"Feli From Germany": https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbxCR9QT9YTuUa4ONm7zAaA

Lager, Pilsner, Weißbier and more! You can not discuss Germany without mentioning beer. Some of the best beer in the world is made in Germany and it is a part of daily life here, whether you like it or not (hopefully you do). We discuss the history of German beer, our first experiences with it and how the beer culture differs from that in the USA. 

There's more to Germany than just big cities like Berlin, Munich, and Frankfurt. Join us as we "read between the lines" and take a look at the beautiful German villages that dot the countryside. We'll discuss the people, the nature...the dinosaur themed bowling alleys? 

Please check out our brand new YouTube channel! 

Going out, grabbing beers, and maybe doing a little dance? Let's talk about going out for a good time with your friends in the evening. We'll go over bars, getting into clubs, and how to get home in the end. Grab a beer and come along with us. 

It's time to have some fun in the Sun! Enjoying public ping pong tables, exploring abandoned bunkers, and hanging out with friends in the park...this week we’ll discuss activities Germans do during the summer in the great outdoors. 

Dealing with loud neighbours, bringing a desk on the subway and...where’s my bike? This week we’ll discuss the positives and negatives of living in a big metropolitan city in Germany.

Clever windows, weird toilets, high ceilings and more...this week we'll discuss German apartments and how they might differ from those in the USA. We'll also go over the basic steps of searching for an apartment in Germany and what obstacles you may face. 

Recently, a listener of our podcast asked us a thought-provoking question: why are you staying in Germany? In this episode, we discuss our personal reasons why we still enjoy living here and have not yet moved back home. 

It’s time to take a bite out of German food. We’ll talk about the classic dishes that come out of the land of Deutsch and also cuisine that is specific to Berlin. To celebrate our 10th episode we each cooked a German dish ourselves. We saved you some leftovers.

(Disclaimer: This was recorded 2 weeks ago, we are now staying at home and practicing social distancing) The life of an expat isn't all fun and sunshine. For some it can be a struggle to find where they fit in their new home. 

This February is the AGDW Podcast 3 year anniversary! To celebrate our 3rd year on the air, we'll be releasing a special episode every single week this month. We knew we couldn't celebrate an anniversary without having the return of our very first podcast guest - Felicia, the host of the popular YouTube channel "Feli From Germany." Having grown up in Germany and eventually moved on to the USA, she has a unique perspective that is great for our show. However, we won't be talking to her about Germany or cultural comparisons. Instead, this week we go behind the scenes with her and discuss what life is like having a popular YouTube channel and podcast, including how she got started, the complications along the way and other fun stories!

Culture shock...in the reverse. That's the best way to describe what it's like for an expat to visit their home country after living abroad for so long. We'll describe what it's like for us to go back to the USA during the holidays each year. More importantly, stay healthy everyone!

Germans use beer in the cereal instead of milk, right? Today we'll be discussing the myths, stereotypes & misconceptions about Germany and its people. 

Germany celebrates many weird and oddly fun holidays, festivals, and traditions. From Oktoberfest to needing to be kissed by a virgin...join us.