The first vaccinations have been administered in Germany over the weekend with a flurry of publicity. The Local.de reports that a 101-year-old woman in a retirement home was the very first person to be inoculated against coronavirus on Saturday, December 26th. Though...
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An ABC Cultural Manual for Germany (Part 2)
A Field Guide to Cultural Differences Between Germany and the USA (Part 2) Over time we at The German Way have covered the topic of daily life and cultural comparisons between Germany and the USA (and other places) very thoroughly. But it's a vast topic, and there's...
Is Christmas 2020 Canceled in Germany?
If you have ever been in Germany at Weihnachten (Christmas), you know it is a magical time. Christmas markets bring people together, the glühwein flows, the smell of Gebrannte Mandeln is everywhere, and Germans are at their jolliest. It is also a Coronavirus...
Superstitions in Germany
Since this post is sandwiched between Halloween and a truly terrifying presidential election in the USA, I thought this was the perfect time to go over some German superstitions, or Aberglauben. Every culture has them, but when you aren't raised around them they can...
Day Trips from Berlin that Deserve More Love
COVID-19 has changed a lot of things. Some things suddenly and drastically, while more changes are sure to continue happening for the foreseeable future. Life is different than it used to be just a few months ago. I am doing my best - like so many of us - to embrace...
What to Eat for Every Season in Germany
I walked into the grocery store last week to discover the seasons are changing once again. The proof? A colorful display of Kürbis (pumpkin and assorted squash). I welcome the change as this really is my favorite season, and the bouts of intense sweaty heat this...
Expat or Immigrant: Is There Really a Difference?
Beyond Dictionary Definitions: Expat or Immigrant Most foreigners living in Germany or other countries are faced sooner or later with the question: Am I an expat or an immigrant? At first glance it may seem to be a superficial matter of dictionary definitions. But for...
Oh the Animals You Can See in Berlin
If you missed the story about the wild boar who took a man's bag at the lake, only to have the nude bather pursue, you missed out. (Just kidding: a link to the original post or just google "Berlin", "nude", "boar" and it will come up). The man had been peacefully...
How the Pandemic Has Changed Germany (Forever?)
Looking at my last few blog posts, it is no surprise that there is little else on my mind than the ongoing pandemic. Even as restrictions begin to ease, there is an uneasy expectation that life may never be the same. It is worth debating whether this is actually a...
What to Do While Quarantined in Germany
When we first heard the rumblings about quarantine due to the COVID-19, there was a rush of information on how to fill your days. Facebook groups touted their favorite resources, memes were prevalent, and many people looked at the long days of isolation as an...
Stories from the Front Lines: Berlin COVID-19 Edition
I have a cousin from Arkansas who recently moved to China with her family. I admire their adventurous spirit as I can't imagine a much more drastic change for them. Moving from Seattle to Berlin as two footloose and fancy-free twenty-year-olds is one thing. Moving as...
The Baltic Sea and the German Riviera
Germany's Baltic Resorts and Attractions You've heard of the French Riviera, the Italian Riviera, and maybe even the Mayan Riviera of Mexico, but how about the German Riviera? Although Germany has no Mediterranean Sea coast it does have coasts on two seas: the North...
Smoking and Vaping in Germany
"Please fasten your seatbelts and light up your cigarettes." It comes as no surprise to those of us familiar with smoking in Germany to learn that it was a German who had the bizarre idea to found a luxury airline that would offer all-smoking flights – long after the...
6 German Toys You’ve Never Heard Of
In the lead-up to Christmas, full of company parties and gift shopping and Christmas Markets, we had a new German word to look-up: Schrottwichteln. It had my German-fluent husband stumped with Schrott roughly translating to "garbage" and Wichteln to "gnomes." Garbage...
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...
Best Museums for Kids in Berlin
It is birthday party season for us in Berlin. After my little girl's 5th birthday (5th!), we had two other kids' parties at some of the city's best museums. Apparently we are running with a fashionable kiddie crowd. In this season of cold weather and celebrations, it...
An ABC Cultural Manual for Germany (Part 1)
A Field Guide to Cultural Differences Between Germany and the USA We have written a lot about daily life and cultural comparisons between Germany and other places here at The German Way, but it's a vast topic. Just when you think you've covered it all or experienced...
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...
How Germany Has Changed Me
As I wandered the rolling green hills of Ireland on a recent trip, I was hit with how Germany has changed me. Ireland just felt different from Germany, and then I realized it was me. I was perceiving these differences from a cultural no-man's-land. As to the...
Teaching English in German-Speaking Europe
The Good News and the Bad News So you think you want to teach English in Germany (or Austria, Switzerland)... Well, you're certainly not the first American or Brit, etc. to come up with that idea. The good news: There is a demand for qualified native speakers of...
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