Courtney is an American expat living in Germany. After studying abroad in Germany during college, she immediately knew that she wanted to go back. So after graduating, that’s just what she did! She now works as a freelance writer and is pursuing her Masters degree in Germany. To read more about her experiences and adventures, check out her blog at Welcome to Germerica.
My first column here on Expat Focus was titled “The Perils of the Native English Speaker in Germany.” In that article, I complained about being a native English speaker in Germany. Well, I am back here to say that now, over one year after writing that article, I am beginning to see that being a … Read more
With the World Cup in full swing, there is one question that people now ask me quite regularly: Will you root for your home country or your host country? My home country is the U.S. My host country is Germany. So, when this question is asked, the American patriot in me wants to blurt out, … Read more
Most Germans begin learning English in school at just six years old. This means that by the time they reach their teenage years, many Germans are fluent. Add to this the popularity of American films and music throughout this country, and it is completely natural that Germans have begun to use so many English words … Read more
It’s that time of year again. The time when little girls go door-to-door selling the most delicious cookies in the world. And while I am sitting over here in Germany, all I can think about is how amazing a Samoa (or Caramel deLites as they were called when I was a Girl Scout) would taste … Read more
Since I need to pass a German fluency test in exactly one month, I am trying to go on an all-German diet. This includes only watching German movies and TV shows. While there are several popular action, drama, and comedy TV series in Germany, many of these are difficult for me to understand. I have … Read more
For American expats, Thanksgiving can be a difficult holiday. But just because nobody else stuffing their face with exorbitant amounts of food on the fourth Thursday of November, it doesn’t mean that you can’t. In Germany, there is actually a Thanksgiving-esque holiday known as Erntedankfest. This is a kind of harvest celebration that takes place … Read more
The top tip for expats starting off in a new country is always to learn the native language. As an American expat living in Germany, I took this advice to heart. When I came to Germany for the first time in 2011, I had already taken nearly five years of language courses. Fresh off the … Read more