Germans have their own way of doing things. True, not all Germans are alike, but... The German way of life is not the same as the American way of life, nor should it be. But US Americans (that's a German influence I've adopted as a US American) and other foreigners...
The GW Expat Blog
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expats
Exiles and Expats in Switzerland: From Albert Einstein to Tina Turner
Switzerland as a Refuge US-born Tina Turner lived in Switzerland with her German-born husband from 1994 until her death at 83 in May 2023. Albert Einstein did the same with his wife in Bern and Zurich about a century earlier. Both Albert Einstein and Tina Turner also...
Expaticus germanicus: An Expat Species Catalog
Which Type of Expat Are You? A few years ago former German Way blogger Geoff wrote about two types of expats: integrated and non-integrated. Those who adapt and blend in, and those who don't. And for the point he was making that was quite adequate. But in the meantime...
Planning holidays: Travel insurance and vaccinations in Germany
Currently, I am planning a holiday to Sri Lanka. Why would I leave Germany for a holiday with everything it has to offer? Well, northern Germany doesn't offer much Vitamin D at this time of year. There was a brief rise in temperature in February and it looked like...
10 things I find weird and wonderful about Germany
The week between Christmas and the new year beginning is often a 'no man's land'. No one knows what day it is or what to do as normal service is out of sync. It's not helped when you're driving between different locations, unpacking one day and re-packing the next....
Lessons from new expats
Earlier this month I had a lightbulb moment. I realised that when you move to another country you really do need to put yourself out there to meet new people, make friends and widen your social activities. You're probably reading this thinking 'well, duh!' and you'd...
The 5 Questions I Always Get Asked About Germany
I have been slowly transitioning from my homeland to Germany, with baby steps that started with holidays a couple of years ago and evolved every time I came back getting more and more permanent. This means I have had the chance to come to Germany and then go back to...
Engaged in Germany
Recently I got engaged whilst on holiday in Japan. I spoke about my great passion for the country in 'Konichiwa Germany' but missed out this very special part. Most people would say how romantic (it was!) but I questioned my fiancé's intentions. No, he wasn't asking...
Konichiwa Germany
On a recent holiday to Japan I found myself comparing the people, culture and etiquette to what I have experienced and learnt about as an expat in Germany over the past two years. It started to make me think about how many of my German Way blogs posts have focused on...
Things that Happen in a German Bathroom.
We spend a considerable amount of time in the bathroom and I am sure we do not often reflect about that, it is such a familiar space that we don't stop to make great observations. But that's back at home, because if there is a place where you will 100% sure get...
An Expat U-turn
What happens when you decide the expat life is not working out? You've changed your mind. Fallen out of love with Germany. Mentally checked out, bags are packed and you're on that plane home. This was the reality for me towards the end of the year. Mic drop. Bear with...
The Top 4 German Signs you have gone from Visitor to Resident.
When you move to a new place it takes a while before you start getting the feel of belonging, the sensation that you are on some sort of vacations or just visiting takes some time to start wearing off and in my experience with Germany, this is a job that's done both...
Is It True That German Men Can’t Flirt? (Asking for a Friend…)
Not so long ago I had the chance to spend a year surrounded by a large group of twenty-somethings coming from all corners of the world, we were scattered all over Germany and every three months we had to meet up in different cities each time for week-long seminars....
Help! The Holy Season is Over but the Cold is Not.
After you dutifully participated at -and maybe even organized, the Christmas celebrations at the office, attended several advent parties, strolled through many Christmas Markets, ate shameful amounts of Plätzchen (X-mas cookies), drank enough hot chocolate to fill...
Christmas Means Cookies
For almost a month already, we have been floating in the yearly jolly atmosphere that smells like cinnamon, shines with the twinkle lights and tempts us with delicious food. Germany is famous for its wonderful bread and it’s a very well-deserved reputation, however,...
The Expat Crisis
There are typical crises that happen in every person’s life: the identity crisis of the teenage years, the mid-20’s crisis, and the famous midlife crisis. Of course there are also the financial crises. Sadly, it's common to have more than one of these, but they are...
How to work remotely whilst living in Germany
A new employment opportunity or study is often the reason for people moving to another country. However, this is not the case for this expat. It was my partner's career which brought us to Bremen, I continue to work for a company I was employed with in the UK. I am...
The One Exception to the German Punctuality Rule
Have you ever heard about German punctuality? You surely have. Swiss people may have the best watches, but it´s the Germans who are recognized worldwide for always being extremely on time. As a newcomer, one of the first things you’ll get told by anyone who tries...
Bremen in Summer
Having passed my first year in Bremen, I feel qualified to say summer in the city is the best season to visit. Amongst the numerous festivals taking place, Breminale stands out. For five days in July the banks of River Weser are lined with open-air tents with music...
How to tell when Germans are really being rude versus just being German
If you want to confirm the fact that the internet is not improving people's IQs, just type "rude Germans" into your favorite search engine. Boom! You'll get over 1.9 million results, most of which were written by morons. (But "rude French" pulls an amazing 39.1...
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