All tagged Germany
Simon is out with Covid, which leaves Nic to try and comprehend the massive changes happening in German politics since the invasion of Ukraine. Given the current situation, it didn’t feel right to record a wholly new podcast this week, so after a short intro and discussion on Ukraine, the invasion and Germany’s response, we’ve chosen some of our favourite segments from the last year to replay.
We welcome Dilli Algama back to the show and just in time for Simon to reveal his mystery anniversary gift. We kick things off by discussing trips to the zoo, Simon introduces Dilli to the red panda and we marvel at the many places that sell beer in Germany. We also talk Zukunftsangst and we finish with a tour of the local Apotheke.
Nic learns that like many things in Germany, there are some important rules to remember when ordering a takeaway. Simon talks about his love of currywurst and defends his favourite comfort food from his co-hosts food cynicism. The lads celebrate the upcoming release of Sam Fender’s new album and take some time out from discussing the peculiarities of German life to discuss how mental health is a central part of the Geordie musicians work and why men, especially in the UK find it difficult to talk about their feelings. Finally, Simon and Nic ask if Germany has a class system similar to the UK and whether social class is obsessed over in the same way as their former home.
We’re back for a full episode baby! Nic has finished laying floor and painting walls in his new home and he’s not entirely sure if DIY is really his thing, does Simon have the DIY DNA or is he as equally underwhelmed? Nic and Simon ask whether there is any real need to buy a house, given that renting is so popular in Germany and we find out if Nic has managed to improve his German as well as his woodworking skills while he’s been away and since neither of the lads have been on holiday for a while, they finish the show by talking Stadtstrand or city beaches.
We’re finally taking our first steps back into the land of the normal as Simon joins a large group of foodies for a tour of Nürnberg, while Nic ventures out to visit the Augsburg Plärrer. We discuss the anniversary of the lowering of the German voting age in 1970 and take some time to celebrate the life of everyone’s favourite Chancellor, Willy Brandt. We discuss the curious case of the “Peppa Effect” a supposed shifting of accents seen in US children due to overexposure to the cartoon Peppa Pig. We question whether it’s true that “Everyone speaks English” in Germany and finally we look at how native English speakers differ between the UK and the US.
Simon kicks-off the show celebrating Jürgen Klinsmann’s birthday and we talk about how Germans see Britain. We’re focusing on our adopted home this week, the mighty Freistaat Bayern. We talk the many differences between the 16 German states and why Bavaria could be compared to the English county of Yorkshire. We finish the show with a quick look at some of the best cities to visit in Bavaria.
Simon returns from his sick bed and joins Nic to talk about some exciting changes to the podcast, There’s also the small matter of a football game to discuss. Simon and Nic commiserate over England’s loss and take some time to talk about the wider impact of a successful tournament on English culture and politics. We also go back to episode 13 to hear about some curious German superstitions and why saying ‘Prost’ with a pint of beer isn’t as easy as you might think.
Simon celebrates Sebastian Vettel’s birthday and explains why the F1 driver holds British humour in such high regard. Despite their best efforts, the lads we can’t avoid talking football especially with the England v Germany fixture. A new shop in Berlin proudly selling LSD to the masses attracts Simon’s attention and finally we discuss traditional German health remedies and why going to a homoeopathic practitioners conference might be more fun than you think.
To celebrate the upcoming England v Germany game Nic & Simon discuss the upcoming fixture and what it means to them. They remember past meetings between the teams and try to predict who will win on Tuesday.
Simons & Nic are increasingly optimistic as lockdown restrictions being to ease, Nic celebrates the end of the mask mandate in Augsburg by going on a one man pub crawl. Your hosts still find some parts of Germany a little strange, Simon bemoans the lack of mixer taps in British kitchens, while Nic explains why Germany is ready for the Zombie apocalypse. Simon introduces us to the world of Bernd das Brot, a depressed loaf of bread that has inexplicably become an award winning kids TV show character. To finish off the show, Simon & Nic look to a post-pandemic future and talk fests, Lederhosen and their favourite beer festival, the Erlangen Bergkirchweih.
Having finished moving house, Simon tells Nic all about it. Simon explains the differences between moving in the UK and Germany, is moving house harder in Germany? The lads discuss why painting before you leave is a double edged sword and why so many Germans seem to buy kitchens but not houses. Finally, we look at a DW.com article, Nic talks housing estates vs Plattenbau and Simon questions whether we should be putting our names on our houses.
We’re discussing romance and dating in Germany this week, Simon and Nic talk about how they met their wives and look at an article about the financial realities of online dating in Germany. We ask if the British are really as suave and sophisticated as they appear with a guide to dating in Britain. Finally, we welcome our first guest to the podcast as 40percentgerman.com guest contributor Dilini Algama joins us to talk about her experiences of German dating and using dating apps in Germany.
This week Simon & Nic discuss German food, specifically sandwiches, Kebabs and cake. We search for Danish bacon in Germany and ask why is it that German sandwiches leave so many people disappointed? Simon reminisces about drunken kebab adventures in Cardiff and campaigns forcefully for high quality lunch-time Kebabs. Finally we talk cake and what the German tradition of Kaffee und Kuchen has in common with the very English afternoon high tea.
This week Simon & Nic discuss road rage and if Germany is less violent than the UK, how insulting people on German roads can lead to heavy fines and even jail time, one German who found the fines for insulting police officers can get very expensive very fast, the proposed new laws in UK to shutdown protests and why swearing in English is so popular in Germany and why many people get it wrong.
This week Simon & Nic discuss German cartoons and the 50th anniversary of Die Sendung mit der Maus., the continued popularity of the GDRs favourite car, the Trabant, the wonders of driving a Volkswagen UP! on the Autobahn, Learning to drive in Germany and German car stereotypes.
This week Simon & Nic discuss Introducing Germans to good British food, our favourite German music, was Immanuel Kant a racist, an unexploded World War II bomb in Exeter and accent change when living abroad.
This week Simon & Nic discuss parental leave, Lucky numbers and German superstitions, the “wisdom” of football coaches, the campaign to support gay footballers and 1,200 new German words inspired by Covid.
This week Simon & Nic discuss a woman giving birth outside in -15 temperatures, Hartz IV recipients getting FFP2 masks after winning a legal battle and a father spying on his daughter’s conversations with teacher getting a heavy fine.
This week Simon & Nic discuss travelling without leaving the house, Birkenstocks and German footwear, controversial changes to the German dictionary, the British pub crisis and the Millions worth of beer being thrown away in Germany.
This week Nic & Simon discuss: an update on Tesla in Brandenburg, hidden treasure, drama at Schalke 04 and demolishing your own home.
