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PODCAST

Expat Chatter

It"s true. Even after years of living in Munich, Germany, I find funny stuff to talk about. Language gaffes, cultural confrontations, and life abroad. It"s an ongoing adventure!

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All Episodes

4:46

'Twas the Night Before Weihnachten

Expat Chatter ·

2025/12/21

The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore kicked off so many holiday trends, like the idea of a white Christmas (with a little help from Charles Dickens) and the idea (I mean revelation of course, for all of the six-year-olds reading this) that Santa brings toys at night in a sleigh.I couldn’t resist rewriting it was a not-so-subtle Bavarian twist. I hope you enjoy it! Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold

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9:56

Germany, Land of Christmas Markets

Expat Chatter ·

2025/12/13

Nuremberg is world-famous for its Christmas market but every German town worth its gingerbread has one, too. It isn’t just tourists who flock there but locals, too, all hoping for a white Christmas to create the perfect mood. But this rarely happens. One contributor to the mystique of holiday snow is Charles Dickens’ The Pickwick Papers and the iconic classic, A Christmas Carol. Both featured harsh winters like those experienced by the author in his childhood in mid-19th century England.Snow or not,

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11:09

The Several Santa Syndrome

Expat Chatter ·

2025/12/06

Christmas is confusing enough with Santa, St. Nick, and Father Christmas. In Bavaria they also add the Christkind, the Christchild to the mix. Oh yes, and let’s not forget the three kings who arrive on Epiphany. It took me quite a while after arriving in Germany to figure out exactly which of these Christmas representatives would be bringing the presents. Of course, in the end it was me all along.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold

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8:32

The 37 Days of Christmas

Expat Chatter ·

2025/12/01

Germans could never afford to celebrate a big holiday like Thanksgiving at the end of November the way Americans do. But there’s a good reason for this: They’re already getting all revved up for Christmas! Germans invented the car, truly a great achievement, but making Christmas last half the winter is at least on par with that.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold

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9:43

Thanksgiving - Not as traditional as you think

Expat Chatter ·

2025/11/26

After moving to Germany, I was excited to recreate Thanksgiving the way I knew it from my childhood. But then I learned that the traditions I wanted to recreate were not as traditional as I thought.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold

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8:17

What happened to my pumpkin pie?

Expat Chatter ·

2025/11/16

It's not a holiday without pumpkin pie, but what I bake is a far cry from my mother's version. I was shocked to discover that Germany didn’t have ready-made, canned pumpkin mix. This was followed by the equally shocking prospect of having to make pumpkin pie from scratch. Is that even possible? I was about to find out.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold

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8:32

Celebrating St. Martin - from the comfort of the couch

Expat Chatter ·

2025/11/09

Americans celebrate fall with Halloween, but Germans have St. Martin. Children carry lit lanterns in processions through the dark, singing. It sounds so lovely, until you’re the one out there battling the cold wind to keep the lantern lit. After freezing to death a few times in icy November winds, I decided that this is a festival best enjoyed indoors.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold

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7:21

Warm and cozy? Time to open that window

Expat Chatter ·

2025/11/02

If you’re just settling in on the couch, then don’t let any Germans into the room. They’ll open up all the windows to let in fresh air – regardless of the outside temperature.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold

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7:34

No Halloween? No way. My sneaky and successful plot

Expat Chatter ·

2025/10/26

Some 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

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8:04

Germans put the fun in fungi

Expat Chatter ·

2025/10/20

My 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’d rather sacrifice their first-born before revealing their secret mushroom spot.Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold

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8:34

The Nightmare of Motherhood in Germany

Expat Chatter ·

2025/09/25

School 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

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8:53

The tiniest stars of the Oktoberfest: Fleas

Expat Chatter ·

2025/09/21

Oktoberfest may be famous for beer tents and oompah bands, but hidden among Munich’s festival rides and parades is a rare treasure: one of the world’s last flea circuses. From lederhosen and lively crowds to tiny insects pulling wagons, this unforgettable glimpse into Bavarian culture proves there’s more to Oktoberfest than a stein of beer. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold

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10:00

Linguistic sleight of hand - Bilingualism at any cost

Expat Chatter ·

2025/09/14

Raising 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

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7:40

Kraut and about - The many Germans abroad

Expat Chatter ·

2025/09/06

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. The Tenement Museum revealed how deep German history is woven into the fabric of the East Side of NYCSupport the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold

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7:46

Home sweet home - Only better

Expat Chatter ·

2025/08/24

I 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

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6:47

The emotional baggage hidden in my giant suitcase

Expat Chatter ·

2025/08/11

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

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9:23

German overengineering takes helicopter mothering to...

Expat Chatter ·

2025/08/04

Any 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

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6:48

Getting lost the old-fashioned way

Expat Chatter ·

2025/07/28

Those 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

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8:15

When life gives you lemons, it helps to recognize them

Expat Chatter ·

2025/07/21

I thought my French was good enough to get me around southern France. But a one-letter mistake in a word sent me off on a wild goose chase – if that’s what you can call missing your stop on a bus. Support the showwww.expatchatter.net Brenda Arnold

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8:53

Hoodwinked by trusting naïvely in a native speaker

Expat Chatter ·

2025/07/13

My 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

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174 results

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