Expatriate Eating Adventures 3
I’m a little late with this post because I was on the road this week. I spent a few days in Osnabrück near Hannover. This region is quite unlike the agricultural region where I live. Osnabrück and the...
View ArticleWhere a House is a Home
I’ve been living in Germany for about two years now. I knew things would be different here, but how things would be different was a big question mark. Although I had visited Germany a few times before,...
View ArticleAn Oversimplified (Personal) History of Pilsner Beers
Like most Americans, my first exposure to German beer was to one of those mass produced brews designed for good shelf life and consistency… not necessarily for flavor or quality. Being lucky enough to...
View ArticleThe German Election
The national elections have passed. It is big, though not exciting news. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Free Democratic Party (FDP) have enough votes to form a coalition government. The...
View ArticleMake Prosperity, Not War
For Americans that grew up during the Cold War (like me) or are interested in modern history, coming to Germany can be an eye opening experience. I’m not talking about the events of the Cold War...
View ArticleThe Decline of Journalism
It is natural to feel less informed about your country of origin when you’ve been gone for a few years. Such is the case with me. I still have access to most of the same news sources. My hometown...
View ArticleGoing Native (on Sundays)
Oh my goodness… I always knew there was more than a little bit of European in me; but my conversion to the German Way was more subtle and insidious than I could have imagined. I, unlike most other red...
View ArticleEarth to FDP!
We are about four months into the new government here in Germany. As so often seems to be the case in politics and people, the current government seems to have mis-interpreted what the voters wanted...
View ArticlePoliticans and Universal Constants
Whenever I am stuck for a topic to write about, I can always get myself fired up by just reading the newspaper. Today was no exception. Guido Westerwelle, in particular, is a great topic whether in...
View ArticlePerceptions of Healthcare
Since coming to Germany as a permanent resident about 3 years ago, I’ve had the opportunity to experience healthcare here in its varied forms. Just so you get a good idea of what I’m talking about...
View ArticleGetting Intimate with The Swedish Chef
I was warned about certain things, a lot of things actually, prior to my move to Germany. None of them prepared me for what I call Swedish Chef Syndrome. I am a native English speaker from the New...
View ArticleA Different Kind of Food Fad
OK, maybe it is not really a fad. Not here in Germany that is. But almost 6000 years ago the Kosher food “movement” (everything is a movement now) started. It still exists but has a big brother,...
View ArticleLiving in Germany FAQ
For quite a while now I’ve been thinking that putting together a frequently asked questions (FAQ) list about living in Germany and other German speaking lands would be a good idea. Many questions come...
View ArticleGermany vs The Internet
Lots of ruckus has been made over the past few months, including here on this blog, about Europe’s reaction to Facebook, Google Streetview and the like. It finally took a self-promotional e-mail from...
View ArticleTurning Weakness Into Strength
Weakness is often, to mangle a perfectly good cliche, in the eye of a beholder. People move to Germany for lots of reasons. Following a loved one who has had a transfer, caring for family, learning...
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