Coming out of the pandemic, my family limited our long-distance travel and started exploring places closer to home. These day trips from Berlin are some of my favorite places and we have re-visited often. But I am always looking for somewhere new. Enter the...
The GW Expat Blog
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transportation
Guide to Rostock and Warnemünde
The Deutschlandticket has been an absolute boon to my travel within Germany. With the tantalizing offer of low-cost air travel I have taken to sort jaunts around Europe from London to Naples. But as my family multiplies and travel costs rise, train travel has swung...
Ten Ways That Germany is Different
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...
Dreaming of a Move to the Netherlands
I have heard this period between Christmas and New Years described as Zwischen den Jahren, or "between the years". It is a quiet time where Germans spend quality time with friends and loved ones, chatting and drinking and eating at homes as many restaurants and shops...
Long-Haul Flights With Kids
I am in the midst of my third trip back to the USA with kids. Along with questions about jet lag and reverse culture shock, one of the questions I always get is about taking kids - particularly a baby - on a long-haul flight. And it is a flight. I live in Berlin with...
How the new laws in Germany might impact you
As with each new year, there come changes. I'm not referring to the bid to take up a new hobby or cut down on eating chocolate, although great if you are doing this, I probably should. I'm talking about the changes that take effect in Germany. Changes to improve...
Germany’s Bicycle Autobahns and the Battle Between Cyclists and Pedestrians
I don't think there's a German over the age of five or six who doesn't know how to ride a bike. Seeing an 80-year-old German lady zipping along on her bike is nothing unusual in Germany. I have witnessed rush hour in the small town of Burghausen, Bavaria, which means...
How to Pay Berlin Transport Fines
When I first arrived in Berlin I scrapped by, stretching one ticket to its full 2-hour limit. Then I learned the wonders of the 4 ticket (4-Fahrten-Karte) which offered slight discounts by buying 4 at a time. Finally, I caved and bought the 10-am ticket which offers a...
Uber’s Very Bumpy Road in Germany
Ride-Hailing Services in Germany: From Allygator to Uber Is the Uber ride-hailing service available in Germany? The German answer to that question is jein – yes and no. Although Uber is completely banned in several European countries, it's not entirely missing in...
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...
Life and Customs: Germany versus Sweden
Expats living in Europe have a unique opportunity to travel and visit interesting places in many countries. Traveling from Berlin to Stockholm, for instance, is only a 75-minute jet flight – about the same time as flying between Los Angeles and San Francisco in the...
Moving to Germany: The Top 10 Things to Consider
Moving anywhere is a challenge. Even a short move across town can be problematic. An international move presents additional complications, but a little preparation will mean fewer hitches. Even if you are fortunate enough to be using the services of a relocation...
Berlin Suburbia: An Expat Guide
We decided against buying a fancy coffee machine when we moved to Berlin because right downstairs from our flat is a cafe which serves a good espresso; the coffee in the cafe two houses further is even better. At the end of our road is a gloriously big park and at the...
From Bundesland to Bundesland
I received a reminder in my inbox today from my co-blogger Hyde calling to my attention that I had missed my Monday deadline to post here on the German Way blog. This was another casualty of my most recent move. In case you haven't been keeping up with my personal...
A Pseudo-European Teenager Goes to Texas
Our eldest has been in Texas for the past year attending high school, after spending most of her life in Europe - some in Ireland, but mostly in Germany. She is sixteen, and with that comes the sixteen-year-old way of looking at the world. She's been back for a week,...
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (final)
Today we'll finish my list of expat likes (the good), dislikes (the bad) and major gripes (the ugly). We are now in Part 2 of the "good" things. In Part 1 I began with "the bad," but my "good" list turned out to be even longer! So long in fact, that I needed to split...
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (Part 2a)
Today I'm continuing my list of expat likes (the good), dislikes (the bad) and major gripes (the ugly) – all related to living in Germany. In Part 1 I began with "the bad," but my "good" list has turned out to be even longer! So long in fact, that I need to split my...
German efficiency and Berlin’s new airport
There is a German term for "German efficiency" – several in fact: deutsche Gründlichkeit, Effizienz, Fähigkeit, Leistungsfähigkeit, Tüchtigeit. German efficiency can be found gloriously in German doors and windows, in energy use (hall lights that only turn on if...
German Residence Permit Day – A true story
Or how not to get your Aufenthaltstitel The big day started at 6:30 a.m. when I suddenly woke up and realized that it was was the day and date of my appointment at the Berlin Ausländerbehörde (Foreigners Authority, now known as the Landesamt für Einwanderung, the...
More Things I Miss About Germany: Punctuality and Public Transport
Being in Ireland for the past couple of months has of course given me a new perspective about Germany and its many benefits. Every expat in Germany has some painful dealings with bureaucracy and at least one or two stories to tell that make others cringe and nod in...
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