Monthly Archives: June 2012

Expat Life: German Sauna Culture

German saunas: I love ‘em! Photo (cc) flickr user Matti Mattila

Summer has come to Mainz, Germany in a big rainy mess. Days are warm (ish). It rains. It’s gray for weeks. Then suddenly it’s hot as hell. But since it’s mostly just cool to cold I have reinstated my sacred sauna tradition. (Tuesdays and Fridays, four hours for 10 euros at Taubertsbergbad! Holla!) It has become critical to my sanity. Without it I am less patient, can tolerate less frustration. But give me four weekly hours of steam, and I am a saint. Or as near to one as I will ever be.

This is a preview of Expat Life: German Sauna Culture.

Read the full post (728 words, 1 image)

(3 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

Loading ...

Wordless Wednesday: Solar Germany

1 Reply

This week’s Wordless Wednesday posts focus on sustainable energy in Germany. If you’d like to submit your own photos for a Wordless Wednesday post, then send an email to Nicolette.Stewart (AT) fs-medien.de.

The yellow and red “Atomkraft Nein Danke” logo can be seen across Germany by those who support more sustainable energy sources. Photo (cc) flickr user AlicePopkorn

A familiar scene in Germany: solar panels on homes and wind turbines in the distance. Photo (cc) flickr user Jute Marketing

If you’ve looked down on a German city from on high, you’ll be familiar with the orange-rooved villiages. But many of those are going black—with solar panels. Photo (cc) flickr user jimw

Permanent link to this post (113 words, 3 images)

(No Ratings Yet)

Loading ...

Learning German: 15 Fun Words and Expressions

4 Replies

I would say this is a pretty important German expression to know. It means (if you haven’t figured it out already) – “No sex with Nazis!” Photo Kristi Fuoco

I’m gonna tell you something important so listen up. German is ridiculously hard to master. It is kicking my butt every single day (and I’ve always considered myself good at languages.) After two and half months in Germany I still feel like I am speaking like a beginner (or Kinder Deutsch as I say to people here.) This is partly due to German being very hard and partly due to most Germans being able to speak English (especially in a big city like Hamburg.) But, I refuse to give up!

This is a preview of Learning German: 15 Fun Words and Expressions.

Read the full post (549 words, 2 images)

(3 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

Loading ...

Expat Life: Ten Things to Love About Frankfurt

4 Replies

Frankfurt am Main: Full of skyscrapers and really good food.

It was easy for me to fall in love with Frankfurt. Despite its negative reputation among many expats (and yeah, I wouldn’t want to pay hotel prices there either—it’s a trade fair city and and banking city and prices can be quite high), I have always had a soft spot in my heart for what Germans sometimes refer to as Germany’s New York. Why? Plain and simple: it was the first European city in which I lived, my first home outside of United States borders. And now, after almost five years away, it looks like I’ll be moving back.

This is a preview of Expat Life: Ten Things to Love About Frankfurt.

Read the full post (527 words, 1 image)

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

Loading ...

Wordless Wednesday: Football Frenzy

1 Reply

The European Football Championship is underway, and football-themed items are showing up everywhere in Germany. The seats on the buses are decorated, and at the bakery you can find ball-shaped rolls. Germany loves football. Check it out.

Photo (cc) flickr user rae

Photo (cc) flickr user liquidx

This picture was actually taken in South Africa, but it’s a soccer lovin’ attitude you see all over Germany as well! Photo (cc) flickr user Blyzz

Want to share your photographs of football love in Germany with Young Germany’s Wordless Wednesday crowd? Email your photos to nicolette.stewart AT fs-medien.de. Hope to hear from you soon.

Permanent link to this post (104 words, 3 images)

(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

Loading ...