Shows
Expat ChatterNo Halloween? No way. My sneaky and successful plotSome Germans celebrate Halloween, but not all of them. I was determined to find a way for my kids to enjoy it the way I did, spurring me to take some unusual action. I recreated the holiday faster than you can say “Boo!”Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-10-2907 minExpat ChatterThe nightmare of motherhood in GermanySchool has started, a good moment to consider the burden on mothers with children in German schools. The extra work required to support their children in German schools – or rather systems of schools - is so great that women from other countries literally do not believe it. Until reality hits.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-10-2008 minExpat ChatterGermans put the fun in fungiMy experience with mushrooms was confined to cans as a kid. In Germany, collecting them is a cherished hobby – but don’t bother asking anybody where to find them because they aren’t telling.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-10-0808 minExpat Chatter‘Tis the season of the Wiesn: The Oktoberfest for locals and touristsWhat some probably don’t realize is that, while the Oktoberfest is the biggest folk festival worldwide, it is very much still a local attraction as well as a draw for tourists. Even during the pandemic, without any assistance from people out of town, restaurants learned that people want to party whether the official event is on or not. This has become a permanent change.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-10-0106 minExpat ChatterSpicing up an e-mail is as easy as 1-2-3Every language has its peculiarities, which should be respected. But when you translate into another language and aren’t careful, elements of the original one can remain. This can cause confusion or more often, simply make for a shoddy translation. To my horror, I recently spotted a peculiar strain of German called Beamtendeutsch creeping into English. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-09-2308 minExpat ChatterThe tiniest stars of the Oktoberfest live in a drawerThe Oktoberfest is synonymous with beer for most people. Yet half of the fairgrounds consists of roller coasters, kiddie cars, and shooting galleries—and what might possibly be the world’s last attraction of its kind: a flea circus.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-09-1709 minExpat ChatterGet those escargots out of my lawnmowerYou know Fall has arrived when the leaf blowers start blasting through the open window. But whose idea was it anyway to have lawns that need so much upkeep? French culture impacted many countries' languages and cuisine - and even the front yard.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-09-1009 minExpat ChatterProtesting technology by battling bikes and coning carsMunich had a run-in with e-bikes once a few years ago. They successfully battled the bikes—quite literally—and won, leaving mangled two-wheelers strewn all over the city. Some citizens in San Francisco are also unhappy with the city government’s decision to introduce self-driving taxis. They can’t throw them in the river, as residents of the Bavarian capital did with the bikes, but they found an intriguing and humorous way to tackle them all the same. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-09-0308 minExpat ChatterNot teaching foreign languages will make America more insularDo you speak English? This question is often answered with “Yes” all around the world. Why bother learning another language if everyone speaks yours? Apparently, this is what many U.S. universities are thinking as they eliminate their foreign language programs. But this language hegemony leads to cultural ignorance, perhaps not an ideal state of affairs for a world power such as the U.S.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-08-2709 minExpat ChatterWhat’s in a name? More than you thinkPeople’s identities are tied up closely with their names. But even when you are careful to pronounce it correctly you can still get into trouble. In Germany, some people with doctoral degrees have two “doctors” in front of their names—a doctor to the second power, perhaps. And then some people have “baron” in their name but aren’t royalty, while other royals are six years old and wear sweatpants. But it was the guy with the perfect Italian name that did me in—it turned out to be German. Very German, in fact.Support the showwww.e...
2023-08-2009 minExpat ChatterGetting lost the old-fashioned wayThose of us who predate GPS know how to get around without using technology. Knowing the points of the compass is helpful for navigating in an American city, but in Europe, the streets often date from the days of footpaths and donkey carts. These willy-nilly labyrinths can dead end, disappear or lead you in a circle. So how does a North American get around a European city?Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-08-1306 minExpat ChatterGermans delight in overengineering, taking helicopter mothering to new heightsAny foreigner in Germany knows all about the country’s love of overengineering. All it takes is trying to fill out a single form to get a residence permit. Less talked about is how German mothers also overengineer. Are they just responding to the system? I found out when my daughters started school.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-08-0609 minExpat ChatterHitchhike to work? You bet – and in the most powerful city in the worldGridlock is a word often used in connection with legislators in the U.S. Congress, but for people who work in the Washington, DC area it brings something else to mind: the terrible traffic situation. But Yankee ingenuity has carried far south enough to inspire commuters to a brilliant solution to allow more cars into the carpool lane.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-07-3006 minExpat ChatterMunich comes full circle: From putsch to rabbi conferenceThe hand of history has done its work on the city of Munich. Named after the monks that founded it, it was disgraced by its role in vaulting the Nazis to power. Many decades later, it has just been chosen as the training site for European rabbis. Munich has not only redeemed itself but become an important center for Jewish culture.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-07-2307 minExpat ChatterThe Berlin Airlift: Reflecting on 75 Years of Historical SignificanceIt is astounding how places can change over time, sometimes transforming from sites of great trauma into parks where people take walks, barbecue, or fly kites in peaceful skies. Berlin is full of such spots, and the old Tempelhof airport is one of the most fraught locations of WWII and intricately interwoven with the start of the Cold War.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-07-1507 minExpat ChatterLandshuter Hochzeit: The most theatrical wedding this side of the 15th centuryImagine if your wedding were so spectacular that people would want not just to reenact it, but turn it into a month-long spectacle. Introducing: the Landshuter Hochzeit, the recreation of a wedding that took place in the 15th century, complete with a bridal couple in a gilded carriage pulled by noble steeds. But don’t bother getting dressed up – costumes are reserved for the knaves, damsels and knights. You can console yourself with a mug of the beer that is specially brewed for this event.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-07-0807 minExpat ChatterKnee-high on the 4th of JulyI fully expected a lot of cultural differences when I moved to Germany. They speak with lots of umlauts and guttural noises, their cake is superior and the coffee twice as strong. Make that three times as strong. They also have the supreme luxury of public transport and some people don’t even own cars. But I never thought that as an American suburbanite, I would be considered a country girl. A series of unrelated incidents showed me why.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-07-0109 minExpat ChatterTo Bavaria with love, infused with dialect for language nerdsIt is best to learn the standard version of a language, but what if you can’t differentiate between what is dialect and standard? In a bizarre twist of events, I speak more German dialect than my daughters even though they were born here. A close look at Munich’s and Germany’s history reveals how this could happen. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-06-2507 minExpat ChatterQuit the tomfoolery - I'm sure I don't know youThe pandemic is over, but its effects continue - sometimes in strange ways. I got used to wearing a mask and seeing others wear them but didn’t realize that taking them off would have some unexpected consequences.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-06-1806 minExpat ChatterA fortune for footwear, or my kingdom for a sneakerThere was a lot of hullabaloo when Adidas dropped its sponsorship of the rapper Ye for his antisemitic and racist remarks, a deal worth hundreds of millions of euros. But people might not realize that such sponsorships have a colorful history.On this episode of www.expatchatter.net, we delve deep into the fascinating backstory of two of the biggest sports brands in the world - Adidas and Puma. Join us as we explore how a family feud caused the split of the two companies, leading to a bitter rivalry that lasted for decades. We'll also discuss...
2023-06-1106 minExpat ChatterWatch out! Augsburg joined forces with the SwedesCompanies sometimes use shady tactics to gain the upper hand in a market. But this is nothing new. In the past, one city even went so far as to burn down their competitors’ town. Cutthroat competition doesn’t get any worse than that. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-06-0306 minExpat ChatterOne foreigner is not like another - here's whyGermany has become a land of immigrants but is still grappling with this new identity. Munich’s population consisted of 28% foreigners in 2021 and has continued to grow. The perception and treatment of different nationalities is altered by what happens back in people’s home country. Little did I suspect that this would change how people see me, too.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-05-2710 minExpat ChatterMunching my way to Munich, one chaotic airport at a timeThere’s a lot to be said for approaching challenging situations with the right attitude, which is called reframing. On a recent trip across the Atlantic, I had my reframing capabilities put to a serious test, but I passed with flying colors. Although I’m not 100% sure of this, because by the time I got home, I was no longer able to think straight.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-05-2107 minExpat ChatterAre you sure that’s what that sign means?Signs are there for the express purpose of helping you find your way. They tell you where you are or which direction to take. But signs in a foreign country, even or especially when you think you understand them, can get you into a lot of trouble.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-05-1408 minExpat ChatterDon't look now, but there's a shark at your feetEverybody has their idea of a perfect vacation. I enjoy the ocean, but I don’t have any particular need to get down into it and rub elbows with the creatures of the deep – or fins, as the case may be. So how did I wind up snorkeling in the Atlantic Ocean, looking for sharks, of all things?Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-05-0707 minExpat ChatterThis cheap ticket is amazing, but I missed my connectionGermany already experimented with a cheap train ticket last summer. People loved it so much that as soon as summer ended, they started clamoring for a repeat performance. So now we’re getting another one, but a cheap ticket doesn’t compensate for the real problem with the rail system.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-05-0107 minExpat ChatterLand of the free, home of the wasteThe U.S. is not just a large country, everything in it seems bigger, too. This includes the huge piles of garbage created from every restaurant visit that are not recycled. For someone living in Germany, a country that prides itself on recycling, it takes all your willpower not to separate your garbage and instead put the whole pile straight into the garbage can. In the end, I found I just couldn’t do it. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-04-2307 minExpat ChatterHow to get a stranger to voluntarily show you their socksEyeglasses and watches used to be mundane utilitarian accessories until designers were invited to the table. The ordinary sock has now joined in on the game and is no longer a simple stocking, but a formidable fashion statement. And, as it turns out, an opportunity to have a little fun with a perfect stranger.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-04-1505 minExpat ChatterBring out the Easter eggs – the girls are coming homeJust as I was getting used to not being a mother, my COVID-harassed daughters came home - left - and came home - repeatedly. Now I'm trying to remember, what was it again that I always did for Easter?Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-04-0806 minExpat Chatter9 things you didn't know about ChicagoChicago was named by French fur traders who founded the city, which was destroyed by a big fire started by a cow. It is the windiest city in the country and is called Second City, trailing behind New York. So goes popular wisdom; but popular is not the same as true. All of these things are wrong. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-04-0208 minExpat ChatterHome sweet home - only betterI fantasize about taking my kids back to where I grew up to show them the real America. Except when I arrive, it’s often to discover that many things have changed. Shops have disappeared, new restaurants have sprouted up. I may wax nostalgic, but were the old ways really better?Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-04-0107 minExpat ChatterA knack for snacksWhen is a snack a meal? It depends on what country you’re in, as Germans discover when they go to America to find potato chips on their dinner plate. Europeans brought foods with them across the Atlantic but many of them were transformed into something new. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-04-0105 minExpat ChatterA knack for snacksWhen is a snack a meal? It depends on what country you’re in, as Germans discover when they go to America to find potato chips on their dinner plate. Europeans brought foods with them across the Atlantic but many of them morphed into something new. And Americans not only consume twice as many snacks as the next country, they invented the queen of snacks: the potato chip.www.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-03-3105 minExpat ChatterIf an alien landed in New YorkNew York feels like another world compared to Munich. Many elements are obvious and in plain sight, but the essence of the city is more elusive. New Yorkers are different from Munich residents in so many ways. We discovered a few hidden gems on a recent visit.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-03-3006 minExpat ChatterJust ‘cause it’s American, Europeans ain’t buyin’ itAmerican companies have made serious inroads into the economies of Europe and elsewhere, but this has come at a cost. There have been some pretty big flops along the way as executives naively thought they could simply replicate the American marketing model in other countries without making any changes. Some of these misjudgments are rather entertaining, and with the introduction of a coffee/olive oil concoction by Starbucks in Italy, we may soon witness yet another product derailment.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-03-0604 minExpat ChatterWhen a fight with your mom costs millions: acrimony at AldiThere are grocery stores, and then there’s Aldi. In the decades since WWII, this discounter chain has not only won over the wallets of its customers but also their hearts. Faithful Aldi customers from all walks of life wouldn’t dream of shopping anywhere else. But behind the well-oiled Aldi machine, there is also plenty of intrigue in this family-owned empire.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-02-2507 minExpat ChatterThe Super Bowl and other American sports make a touchdown in GermanyMany Americans think their sports are “all American” but football and baseball have long been a popular export. Millions of people across the world watch the Super Bowl. As an American raising my kids in Germany, I did my best to include basic sports knowledge and felt I had succeeded, at least until my daughter actually attended a baseball game and experienced the real thing.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-02-1207 minExpat ChatterThe Nightmare of Motherhood in GermanyGermany has the reputation of having generous social programs, with vivid descriptions such as "cradle-to-grave" care. This makes it sound as if the state holds your hand and guides you gently through a carefree life. At the very latest when you try to navigate the German school system, comes a much different, sobering reality. At its core, the school system dates to the late 19th century and it shows. Mothers are tasked with filling in the many gaps left by the schools to try to shepherd their children through the system.This constitutes hidden discrimination a...
2023-02-1008 minExpat ChatterLook here, U.S. election deniers – Berlin bungled it big timeThe press and social media are still abuzz with deniers of the U.S. elections in 2020, despite the lack of proof. Yet across the ocean – in Germany of all places, that paragon of efficiency – Berlin stands out as the shining star of inefficiency, corruption, and slothful administration. Enjoying favored status since WWII, it was deluged with subsidies to keep it a viable city. Over 30 years later, it still has not overcome a mentality of handouts and graft. Its new airport will forever serve as a monolith to ineptitude, and in a few days it must repeat elections in 2021 that were...
2023-02-0509 minExpat ChatterEven better than bread: the best excuse to fatten up, complete with cream fillingJanuary is when Germans confront the fact that Christmas is over but winter is just getting underway. They console themselves by getting an early start celebrating carnival, which involves consuming large quantities of a special pastry, called Krapfen, to prepare for a period of fasting for Lent. True, hardly anybody fasts anymore, but no matter – Krapfen are delicious. Not only are these pastries popular, but their numbers also keep growing and more varieties are created every year. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-01-2908 minExpat ChatterThe new, improved me – courtesy of the EU-conform driver's licenseFor years, I suffered from the lousy picture I had taken for my German license, not knowing I would have this document for decades. Trying to rent a car, get into a night club or bar, or even just have breakfast in a government building in Washington turned into an embarrassing experience when I had to show my picture ID. But in the end, this old-fashioned, pink cardboard license had some unexpected positive side effects. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-01-2008 minExpat ChatterCatapulting the plague into Europe and other viral talesThe coronavirus isn’t the first disease that jumped from animals to humans. This is historically the way that many of the communicable diseases that plague humankind have spread, beginning with the plague. It was when humans became sedentary and first figured out how to domesticate animals, confining them to small spaces – and often living with them in the same quarters – that veritable breeding grounds for germs were created. The Wuhan market is just one in a long line of such incidents.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-01-1508 minExpat ChatterBelt out “Walk the Line” all you want, but walking in the U.S. is not an optionLong gone are the days when you could walk down to the local five-and-dime store to buy anything. These days, no matter what you want to buy, you’re going to have to drive.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2023-01-0807 minExpat ChatterBlasting our way into the New YearGermans are so careful about maintaining their cars and build their houses so well that they are practically airtight. But on New Year’s Eve, their sense of caution quite literally vanishes into thin air.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-12-3106 minExpat ChatterChristmas cookies: good, better, and GermanI loved Christmas cookies growing up and thought they were pretty good, but have since discovered that German holiday confectionary is in a league of its own – the premier league.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-12-1809 minExpat ChatterThe best show the World Cup has to offer is outside the stadiumsThe news is all abuzz about the World Cup games in Qatar, but the coolest action is taking place outside the stadiums.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-12-1108 minExpat ChatterWhat happened to my pumpkin pie?It wouldn’t be a holiday without pumpkin pie, but what I bake today is a far cry from what my mother used to put in the oven.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-12-0408 minExpat ChatterThe 100 meters between fascism and democracy in MunichOn just a 10-minute walk through Munich, I passed a murder scene leading to the end of Bavaria’s first parliament, an infamous chapter of WWII and the rebirth of Bavaria’s democracy. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-11-2707 minExpat ChatterLed astray by my naïve trust in a native speaker, but I should have known betterMy trust in native speakers was boundless, and it caused me to maneuver myself into an excruciatingly embarrassing situation Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-11-1908 minExpat ChatterIn not-so-hot pursuit of the Way of St. JamesSomehow I keep coming across the camino or Way of St. James, leading to surprising encounters on rural country roads in Spain and urban squares in Munich.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-11-1309 minExpat ChatterWhat is the Inquisition doing in 21st-century America?Looking at U.S. politics over the past few years, Germans recognize many patterns from the Third Reich. One of these is the banning of books.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-11-0608 minExpat ChatterNo Halloween? No way. My sneaky plotSome Germans celebrate Halloween, but not all of them. I was determined to find a way for my kids to enjoy it the way I did, spurring me to take some unusual action. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-10-3007 minExpat ChatterNoise in the modern world—from cacophonous to carefully controlled It’s that time of year again: The leaf blowers are back! They add to an increasingly noisy world, but it’s also possible to create pleasant sounds or eliminate them altogether.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-10-2307 minExpat ChatterThree cheers for English: Concise, neutral, to the point.English has its downsides. But when you compare it to German, French, and Spanish it suddenly looks surprisingly efficient and user-friendly.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-10-1609 minExpat ChatterWelcome back, fleas! The Oktoberfest is onFollowing a three-year hiatus, Munich’s favorite party returned. Corona didn’t dampen people’s spirits, but I wondered if the fleas survived the long stretch.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-10-0807 min
Expat ChatterWhen life gives you lemons, it helps to recognize themI thought my French was good enough to get me around southern France. But language skills were not enough.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-10-0308 minExpat ChatterGermans put the fun in fungiMy experience with mushrooms was confined to cans as a kid. In Germany, collecting them is a cherished hobby – but don’t bother asking anybody where to find them because they aren’t telling.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-09-2408 minExpat Chatter50 years later – Triumph and tragedy of the Munich Olympics Part II: TragedyThe 1972 Munich Olympic Games brought many long-lasting improvements to the city, but they were overshadowed by a tragic terrorist attack.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-09-1705 minExpat Chatter50 years later: The triumph and tragedy of the Munich Olympics Part one: TriumphIt’s been 50 years since the Munich Olympics were held, but their impact lives on in both triumph and tragedy. Part I – Triumph.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-09-0807 minExpat ChatterHow chicken legs, triangles and sphincters will make you laughThe German language is very precise and detailed, sometimes to the extent that it goes well beyond being descriptive and descends into hilarity.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-09-0408 minExpat ChatterThe French girl who wouldn't talkLanguage class is where you learn to speak a language, but just memorizing vocabulary and practicing dictations won’t do the trick. I found a surprising way to get our exchange student to talk. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-08-2709 minExpat ChatterLinguistic sleight of hand - bilingualism at any costRaising a family in Germany was a golden opportunity to raise my kids bilingually. I initially thought this meant just speaking to them in English, but reality proved to be a lot trickier. I discovered I had quite a few tricks up my sleeve. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-08-2010 minExpat ChatterThe Ukraine invasion made it dangerous to be a Russian abroad It’s funny, but when you go abroad, you are suddenly expected to be fully informed about activities in your home country. Worse still, you are often held responsible for their shenanigans, especially abroad. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-08-1506 minExpat ChatterOn the train to everywhere - Germany's €9 ticket and the surprising consequences The next best thing to free is Germany’s €9 ticket. Apart from motivating even motorheads to hop on the train, it has inspired a few surprising insights and may even have a permanent impact on Germany’s urban transport. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-08-0707 minExpat ChatterBombs away! The WWII gift that keeps on giving The same things that make mothers worry often provide the most valuable lessons to their children. Leftover bombs from WWII provided just such a harrowing but valuable learning opportunity. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-07-3008 minExpat ChatterIf this is punctuality, my watch is broken Germany has the reputation of being punctual and reliable. But recent snafus in city planning are putting a big dent into that image. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-07-2309 min
Expat ChatterTrainin' the Ukrainians - Refugees in the classroom There are millions of Ukrainian refugees in Germany, and I decide to help out by teaching a German class. It was nothing like teaching English and demanded more of my creativity than I had imagined. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-07-1807 min
Expat ChatterEmotional baggage: why I pack too much on trips home I used to feel sheepish whenever I took an overpacked suitcase home on a trip to the U.S. But when I thought about it more closely, I realized there was a very good reason for doing this. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-07-0906 min
Expat ChatterMy cowboy boots didn't fool the cowboyI thought cowboy boots would help me develop my rodeo skills. An evening at the Grizzly Rose bar in Denver was enough to teach me otherwise. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-07-0609 min
Expat ChatterKraut and about – what are all those Germans doing abroad?German immigrants used to flock to the U.S. They still go there in droves, but now they go back home again, as I discovered during my trip to New York. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-07-0507 min
Expat ChatterOn the (Same) Road AgainI used to get lost all the time, but that all changed when GPS technology came along. At least, that was the expectation. Reality proved to be a different story.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-07-0408 min
Expat ChatterThe Great Resignation is leading to great consternation The staffing shortage in the U.S. and Europe was visible everywhere during my recent trip and culminated in an arduous trip home with an unintentionally long stay at Heathrow Airport. But it also afforded the opportunity to observe some colorful aspects of human behavior. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-07-0308 min
Expat ChatterIn awe of Colorado's awesome athletes Hiking and biking regularly might lead you to believe you’re in good shape. If you wish to test that hypothesis, just come and pit yourself against the Coloradans who tackle fourteeners every weekend. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-07-0207 min
Expat ChatterThe travails of travel, from Mozart to the moonI was tempted to feel sorry for myself when my plane was delayed by a storm. And then I remembered the travails of the Mozart family during their European travels. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-06-0207 min
Expat ChatterFollow the Narrow Brick Road - and hope for the best A man was recently caught on camera driving a Maserati down the famous Spanish steps in Rome. It seemed so silly to me that someone would drive a car down an old cobblestone street, until I remembered a recent escapade of my own in an old Spanish town. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-05-2109 min
Expat ChatterThink digital technology is a cure-all? Don't bet your life on it A WWII air raid siren startled me once while I waited for a train. Such an old technology could certainly be replaced with something better. At least that’s what I thought until a real emergency cropped up. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-05-1810 min
Expat ChatterWhat's that schmuck doing in the jewelry store?https://expatchatter.net/2022/05/08/whats-that-schmuck-doing-in-the-jewelry-store/Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-05-1109 min
Expat ChatterKarl Marx’s penguin and Richard Wagner’s design for Madonna’s corset A Berlin museum juxtaposes Karl Marx and Richard Wagner. The exhibition is supposed to highlight their differences. Instead, I found many intriguing similarities. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-05-0309 minExpat ChatterUkraine on the train - from a military to a cultural conflict Taking the train home from Berlin, some Ukrainians boarded the train. Watching their interactions with the conductor reminded me of my first experience taking German trains and other cultural mishapsSupport the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-04-2409 min
Expat ChatterJuggling work and family, German minister drops the ball German minister for the family Anne Spiegel recently resigned after major errors of judgment. Did her family responsibilities overwhelm her, like they do so many women - still? Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-04-1807 min
Expat ChatterBring out the Easter eggs, the kids are coming home Just as I was getting used to not being a mother, my COVID-harassed daughters came home - left - and came home repeatedly. Their pre-Easter visit has made me once again resurrect my mother persona. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-04-1006 minExpat ChatterThe ladies, the rest home, and the bombs The oldest residents of a rest home suddenly developed mild illnesses. They all shared a trauma from the distant past that had suddenly been revived overnight. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-04-0206 minExpat ChatterAren't you glad you bought that orange car after all? The sky was suddenly a muddy orange, but what was causing it. I had an idea, but the thought was too scary to consider. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-03-2805 minExpat ChatterThat map might just quash your travel plans - so focus on fun insteadGermans are usually so logical, it’s hard to believe how that can make such planning errors when they visit the U.S. Kind of gratifying, though. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-03-1909 minExpat ChatterThe distant agony of past wars is suddenly revived by the attack on Ukraine The five German cities I visited on a college tour with my daughter were all steeped in the history from WWII or the Cold War – or both. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has triggered the largest influx of refugees in Europe since WWII into these same cities. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-03-1309 minExpat ChatterThe two dots that will make or break you Speaking a foreign language can be tricky. Sometimes it can also get you into trouble - serious trouble. German umlauts - those two dots on some vowels. are often the culprit Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-03-0910 minExpat ChatterYou think your vacation was spectacular. Don't make me yawn Germans, the travel experts. If you want to know something about your own country, just ask a German. They probably know it better than you. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-03-0209 minExpat ChatterCanada oh Canada, what have you done? Canada and New Zealand were bastions of rationality until the trucker protests broke out. Should we turn to bonobo monkeys for better behavior advice? Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-02-2008 minExpat ChatterGet that rotten banana peel out of the plastic recyclingCalifornia may have Silicon Valley, Hollywood and even Arnold Schwarzenegger, but Germany is way ahead of them in the recycling game. Being the land of engineers, they have taken recycling to a higher form of science.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-02-1509 minExpat ChatterAI may be cutting edge but it still ain't perfectAI has come a long way in helping make work easier, but it still makes mistakes. Sometimes some very funny mistakes.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-02-1311 minExpat ChatterThe queen turns out to be a footballThe strangest things happen when words make the transition from one language to another. They might retain their original meaning, but often enough they take on entirely new lives of their own, sometimes with odd consequences indeed.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-01-3009 minExpat Chatter800 years of history found their way into my bike lockI thought using historic dates to remember my lock combinations was a great idea. But if you're a history buff, this can go seriously awry. Which is more important, the Magna Carta or the Spanish Armada? Or was it the Declaration of Independence? All the while, there I stand, twirling the numbers on my combination lock, unable to ride my bike.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-01-2108 min
Expat ChatterThe 10 kilometers that triggered Acute License Plate TraumaMoving just 10 km beyond the Munich city borders put us in the suburbs, but the small town of Zorneding has some surprising secrets, even for big city dwellers.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-01-1507 min
Expat ChatterCan your dog help you improve communication? Yip!One-third of women indicated in a survey cited by Adam Grant that they thought their pets were better listeners than their partners. A good reason to take a look at what dogs are doing better!Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2022-01-0609 minExpat ChatterHow to beat the virus in 2022There is probably a whole slew of new virus variants in 2022. So let's just do what Sleeping Beauty did and sleep through it. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2021-12-3108 minExpat ChatterFour child-rearing tricks for four ages - Fun, simple and powerful The only consistent thing about raising children is that it is constantly changing. As soon as you think you have it figured out, they’re a year older and you’re back at square one. A little creativity can go a long way while making things fun at the same time. Here are four hacks taken from four different mothers and children of four different ages. They can help you, too. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2021-11-1009 min
Expat ChatterI tried to escape the Oktoberfest. I failed.Munich cancelled the Oktoberfest for the second year in a row, but people celebrated anyway. Little did I suspect that on a trip to Berlin, I would find people getting in on the fun - but not exactly in an authentic way...Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2021-10-1505 min
Expat ChatterThe Library, the Monk and the Sandals This stunning Baroque library tucked away in a monastery in a Bavarian village is the unlikely site of any kind of drama. That is, until the year 1802. Napoleon’s conquest of Europe had profound effects that reached all the way to this quiet place. But what does the Corsican general have to do with libraries? Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2021-09-1411 minExpat ChatterThe 400-year-old Marketing Flop You've Never Heard OfMarketing is considered to be an American invention. There have also been a few spectacular marketing flops by American companies, such as GM's Nova in Puerto Rico (the car that "doesn't go"). Then there's the fizzy drink that was introduced in China as "Bite the wax tadpole," commonly known as Coca-Cola. But there is one astonishing marketing ploy that flopped in Germany, hundreds of years ago, that few people are aware of.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2021-08-2610 min
Expat ChatterGet those escargots out of my lawnmowerThe French have given us many beautiful things, from language to architecture. Little did the English know what was ahead when William the Conqueror crossed the Channel in 1066. France's influence didn't stop there. The impact on culture was felt throughout the European continent. Explorers and settlers packed it in their bags to the New World. But there is one cultural norm from the French that may come as a surprise. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold
2021-08-2209 min