One of the first questions people ask when you are having a baby is, "What's the name?" Rightfully so, as names play an important part in a person's future and say a lot about your hopes and dreams for your child. Are you raising a Sarah, or a Jasmine? A Hans or a...
The GW Expat Blog
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Expat issues
Preparing to exit Germany
When I agreed with my partner that I would move to Germany, I specified I didn't want to stay longer than 18 months to two years, and there was no way I was going to live in Bremen for three years. Now I have to eat my words because almost to the exact day three years...
A culture of correction
Right now I’m preparing for my Einbürgerungstest (Citizenship test). Part of which revolves around the German culture, the psyche and what it means to be German. I've not studied Psychology since school but my latent interest has been well and truly piqued. Whilst the...
Hospital Food in Germany
Being in the hospital is rarely a cause for celebration, and no one stays for the food. Happily, my recent experience with a German hospital was positive - even if the food was a classic disappointment. 10 days overdue, shortly after the arrival of my dad, our baby...
Shopping for women’s clothes in Germany
In a few weeks, I'll be heading to a friends wedding in the UK, which means I am in search of a new outfit to wear. The prospect of this might be exciting for some people but I am not a fan of clothes shopping. In recent years I have grown tired of wandering around...
Mobile Apps for Watching German-Language TV and Movies
Why Mobile Video Apps? Whether you're living in German-speaking Europe or somewhere else in the world where it's not that easy to watch German-language television, these apps allow you to watch TV and movies that the locals watch. Even if you're in Germany, there are...
Questions about Having a Baby in Germany
Considering this is my second time having a baby in Germany, I expected to have fewer questions. In some ways, I do feel much more confident than the first time. My German is better, I am familiar with procedure at the Frauenarzt (OBGYN), and labor seems less...
UNESCO sites in Germany
As a relatively small city in Germany, Bremen has quite a significant amount of tourists coming to visit. Last week, as I walked into the Marktplatz (market square) I could tell spring was here as the blue skies and the slightly warmer temperature had once again...
Flying Across the Atlantic for Less
Bargain Flights Between North America and Europe Whether you're an expat in Germany looking for a bargain flight for a visit to North America, or a tourist looking for a good deal on a flight to Europe, there are tricks and tactics you need to know in order to save...
Market day, the alternative shopping experience
Hell might possibly be a German supermarket at 10am on a Saturday. Well that may be unfair, it’s probably true of supermarkets the world over, but the German supermarket experience is one which stands out to most foreigners, and not in a good way. I’m sure you’ve...
The School Trip
One chilly Friday evening a few weeks ago I found myself sitting in the middle of fifty British teenagers giving a talk. This was a group of students from my old school, over from Yorkshire on a school trip to Berlin, and my former teacher had asked me to talk to them...
Shopping for Furniture in Germany
It feels like yesterday that I was writing about moving furniture via the U-Bahn. But that was 5 years ago (!) and a lot of growing up has happened, including having a baby. A baby who has wrecked havoc on our furniture. Like the adults we apparently are, we are now...
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...
Spending a penny, the cost of your shortest visit in Germany
So the title is a little unfair to those readers who aren’t British, if you aren’t already aware the phrase ‘spend a penny’ refers to using the toilet. Harking back to the Victorian era when health, hygiene and sanitation were hot topics, the introduction of public...
Book Review: German Men Sit Down to Pee
...and Other Insights into German Culture German Men Sit Down to Pee and Other Insights into German Culture Authors: Niklas Frank and James Cave Editions: Paperback or Kindle HJ Publishing 152 pages (paperback) ISBN-10: 099548130X ISBN-13: 978-0995481305 In January...
Getting a Haircut in Germany
This is gonna sound a little crazy, cuz it is. I have never gotten a professional haircut in Germany. I have occasionally hacked off my own dry ends and taken the clippers to my husband, he has been to the Turkish barbers for a traditional buzz and ear hair burning...
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...
Dog essentials in Germany (and other pets too)
Only two things are certain in life: death and taxes. You can thank Benjamin Franklin for that life lesson which is still rings true today. Whilst both are interesting topics that (in my opinion) warrant further discussion I’ll only be talking about the latter today,...
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...
Recycle Your Christmas Tree in Germany
I think we are good neighbors. We are fairly quiet (except for occasional tantrums from the now 4-year-old). We hold the door and carry bags for the people that live upstairs. We accept packages. We make proper German small talk about the weather and health (proper...
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