American Expats in the News

What is a Eurovision?

Tue, 14 May 2013 10:43:32 +0100

While diligently watching television to improve my German skills - I saw it. A flash of international glitz and glamour, the biggest singing competition in the world is back. It's time for

Eurovision

What is a "Eurovision", you ask? That was exactly what I wondered when I first arrived in Europe and saw my first singing competition on steroids. The question is best answered by video clip...

Bewildered? Confused? Caught in a fit of hysterical laughter? That is how I felt after watching the show for the first time. The video clip above is billed as the "Funniest 10 Songs in Eurovision", but I often have trouble telling the best from the worst. Moldova's performance at about the 3 minute mark is still my go-to happy place whenever I am feeling down. A princess on the unicycle? Cone hats? The monocle!? I think the last time crazy looked this good was Devo's "Whip It" video.

Obviously, Eurovision is where good taste goes to die and is highly addictive TV. Let me try to put the wonder that is Eurovision into words.

History of Eurovision

The Eurovision Song Contest was brainstormed in the 1950s during a difficult time as Europe sought to repair itself after WWII. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) began the competition as a way to bring together the countries of Europe and establish a positive sense of national pride.

Director General of Swiss television and committee chairman, Marcel Bezençon, is responsible for the idea of an international song contest where singers would compete on behalf of their country. Based upon the Sanremo Music Festival in Italy, the project was incredibly ambitious in it's attempt to join the countries together in an international network. The name "Eurovision" was chosen after a British journalist, George Campey, used it in the London Evening Standard in 1951. It was decided that the first contest would take place in spring 1956 in Lugano, Switzerland.

On May 24, 1956 the first competition in this grand event was held. Just seven countries participated with each submitting two songs. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the first competition was won by the host nation, Switzerland.

Each country gets its chance to perform a song on live television and receive votes from member nations. Songs cannot be longer than three minutes, a maximum of six people are allowed on stage, and live animals are banned.

This year's performances will mark the 58th year of competition with more than 1,000 songs performed. It is one of the longest-running television programmes in the world and one of the most watched non-sporting events with an audience of around 125 million internationally. Since 2000, the contest has also been broadcast over the Internet with an additional 74,000 people in 140 countries watched online. People may laugh about the competition, but they will also be watching.

Watch the progression of the competition in this highlight reel of winners from 1956 to 2012.

Noticeable changes include the improvement in technology, showmanship, and the increasing number of countries that submit English language songs. Most winning songs have been performed in English with 24 winners. French is also popular (14 victories) with Dutch and Hebrew songs winning 3 times each.

And for all the silliness, Eurovision is serious business. Several artists have launched an international career after performing at Eurovision including ABBA, Céline Dion, and Julio Iglesias.

2013 Competition

When: Saturday, May 18th 2013 at 20:00 (UK time).

Where: Malmo, Sweden. Last year's winner, Loreen, won with "Euphoria" last year which earns her home country the right to host this year's Eurovision. Most people will be watching from the comfort of their own home as the show is broadcast worldwide.

Who: 39 countries are competing this year. UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy are automatically in the finals, with other countries competing in semi-finals to perform live on Saturday.

The number of contestants is down from last year as Bosnia & Herzegovina, Portugal, Turkey and Slovakia have all decided not to take part (although Armenia re-joined). Turkey cited changes to the rules as the reason for its withdrawal, while Bosnia & Herzegovina, Portugal and Slovakia are not participating because of the difficult economic climate. Hosting the competition is quite expensive with Sweden spending around $20 million to put on the show.

What: The songs to be performed and semi-finals placing can be found on the pre-chart of the Eurovision Song Contest 2013. You can listen to the songs on the ECS playlist for 2013. Betting sites are currently placing the favorites at:

Germany at 19.00 with William Hill
Denmark at 2.25 with Bet 365
Holland at 15.00 with William Hill

How to vote: After all the songs have been performed on Saturday, viewers in all 42 participating countries can vote for their favorite song(s) by phone call and/or sending an SMS (depending on their country. For example, the UK does not allow votes by text.) The numbers to call will be announced on TV, as well as the times in which to call. Up to 20 votes can be placed by each person, but you cannot vote for your own country. Each countries scores are tallied up to give 12 points to the most popular entry, 10 points to the second most popular, then 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 points.

Professional juries in all 42 countries make up 50% of the votes. Just like the televoters, each jury in each country then gave 12 points to the most popular entry, 10 points to the second most popular, then 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 points.

Spokespersons in all 42 countries read out the merged results at the end of voting. (Tip for first time watchers: this seemingly monotonous step can be quite entertaining.)

The country with the highest number of combined points, wins.

The pageantry.

The bizarreness.

The clichés.

I can't wait for Saturday.

Have you ever watched Eurovision? Who are you rooting for?

Guess Who's Coming to Das Perfekte Dinner?

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 13:13:52 +0100

In last week's Expat chat with ExpatsRadio.com, Peter and I covered the story (and reactions)

"Do you have to learn German to live in Berlin?"

I was embarrassed to reveal that my German, after 3ish years in Berlin, is still abysmal. Schlecht. Böse. Ungut. (I am 90% sure I am using at least one of those wrong.)

The story that sparked it all was Julie Colthorpe's piece in the EXBERLINER, "Sorry, no German!". As an expat who has spent the time and energy to learn the language, she was irritated at the lackluster attempts of some of her fellow expats - expats like me. She saves most her venom for those expats with a "blasé nonchalant attitude" to learning the language and especially the restaurant owners or servers who condone the all-English approach. While I don't completely understand her acidity - each person should be able to live their life as they like - her main point is a good one.

"Ultimately if you don’t learn German, you’re the one missing out. It’s a giant city out there, and you’re shrinking your life to an expat minimum."

I am almost beyond embarrassment at this point. I have made a distracted effort to learn the language for years now, but the pressures of day-to-day life has taken precedent over learning German. The truth is, by working at home with a German-speaking husband and the ability to order a döner and navigate a supermarket, it has simply not been absolutely necessary for me to conquer the German language.

Nonetheless, I agree with Colthorpe's point that by not learning German I am not connecting as deeply as I could with the city I love. So, once again, I am re-newing my efforts to learn German. But how?

As Content Manager of EasyExpat, I have written with authority on the different methods of learning a language in posts like Talk Like a Local. Along with different learning types, I discussed the pros and cons of:

Language Courses
Online Courses
Language Exchange
Podcasts
Language Programs
Flashcards

I have tried most of these at one time or another... and I have failed. Even though my husband works as an English teacher, attempts for him to teach me have been disastrous. I know that it is up to me to make this happen. My new tools include the free Duolingo app (which I highly recommend) and I am looking at language classes in my kiez (neighborhood) to enroll. (I do love using the words I actually know). But I think I have ignored another tool that can be found in almost every home - the TV.

Though I am guilty of keeping up with my favorite US TV shows online, our television showing German programming is often neglected. Sitting silently in the corner, it forlornly observes our every move. It's time for me to turn to it and let it transport me into the German-language world. Here is what I am watching...

Das Perfekte Dinner

Das Perfekte Dinner shows 5 average Frau and Herr Schmidts hosting a dinner party. A different guest tries to create the perfect meal each night as the other 4 guests wine, dine, and make snide comments to the camera. After each meal, the guests rate the meal and on Friday the host with the highest score takes home a cash prize and all the glory.

This is the only German show I watch on the regular. It has taught me to say with confidence such dining phrases as "lecker" (delicious) and "trocken" (dry)! I love the show so much I have even hosted a "Das Perfekte Dinner" event with friends and sought out the English-language UK version, "Come Dine with Me". Unlike the Germans, the Brits have an entertainment section with scoring reflecting the atmosphere almost as heavily as the food. I am always surprised that the German scores seem only to reflect how wow-worthy the meal was, and not the pleasure of the company. I'm learning so much about the German culture already...

Tatort

Last night I sat down to my first episode of Tatort. This crime drama has enjoyed an incredible run since it first aired on November 29, 1970. It is known for maintaining the same title sequence for the past 30 years which is a true preview of the show to come. While I chose to watch the show in the safety of my own home and question my husband incessantly about what was happening, there are public viewings all over the city, and indeed all over the country. Every Sunday, people gather to watch the detectives solve crime, in a intentionally (or not) humorous fashion.

Within the first 5 minutes, sausage - I mean wurst - had already made an appearance and someone had been chastised for being late. German cliches! I already feel closer to the Germans.

To learn more about the show, listen to the Maedels with a Microphone podcast on the subject, The Tatort Phenomenon. (To learn more about podcasting, check out the lady's guest post on EasyExpat, "How to make an Expat Podcast").

TV Total

TV Total with Stefan Raab is a late-night comedy talk show to rival the likes of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno or The Late Show with David Letterman. He not only hosts guests, but participates in some very silly stunts and local stories. Physical comedy always transcends language barriers.

Before I came to Germany, I had never heard of Herr Raab. Now I see him everywhere. The man is truly a wonder of a host. The first time I caught his show, The Rock (American Dwayne Johnson) was on and Raab interviewed and cajoled his guest, translated for the audience, and somehow had everyone laughing. I was in awe.

Even better, he has occasional specials of "Schlag den Raab". This is a live game show in which a candidate competes with the very competitive Raab in a number of bizarre challenges to win the big money. Every time I watch I am convinced something like this could never make it to air on American television. When I say challenges, I mean things as standard as table tennis, to trivia, to outlandish feats like throwing playing cards at a watermelon hard enough to make them stick. Yes, really. This type of German television has taught me much about the sense of German dignity (or lack there of), ingenuity, humor, and adventurousness.

Now, excuse me, it's time for my show. OR "Jetzt lass die Schau anfangen!" It's working already.

What other shows should I be watching to improve my German or just to enjoy? What shows do you watch in your adopted country? Or what tv shows do you miss from "home"? Tell me in the comments section!

Protesting with the Germans at the Berlin Wall

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 07:35:43 +0000

"They're tearing down the Berlin Wall!"

This was the rallying cry. Construction on the Berliner Mauer was begun on August 13th, 1961 by the German Democratic Republic (East Germany). The impressive barrier surrounded the area with 45,000 separate sections of reinforced concrete, each 3.6 metres (12 ft) high and 1.2 metres (3.9 ft) wide. Smooth pipes lined the top of the wall to impede attempts to scale it and it was reinforced by anti-vehicle trenches, barbed wire, armed patrols and over 116 guard towers.

By 1989, the situation was untenable. Long term civil unrest, a now famous speech by US President Ronald Reagan ("Tear down this wall!"), and a moment of confusion all played a part in crowds of Germans - East and West - crossing over the wall freely for the first time in nearly 30 years.

Within a year, the wall - the physical symbol of the repression and isolation placed on the city - was almost completely demolished. Joyful citizens, souvenir hunters, and businesses chipped away at small pieces of the wall and the new government took on the heavy lifting, using industrial equipment to remove huge sections. As German reunification was underway, there was no longer a place for any walls.

So why was I at a protest to keep the wall?

The Local (among many other news sources) reported on the protest.

"Up to 6,000 people Sunday thronged the area along the longest surviving stretch of the Berlin Wall in a growing protest against plans to knock down a section to make way for new luxury homes."

As an expat, I was shocked. As a Berliner, I was outraged.

Gentrification is always an issue in growing cities and in Berlin - city of cranes - this struggle has become a battlefield. Since the wall came down, Berlin has struggled to find the balance between old and new. As an American expat in Europe, I sympathize with the tourists who come to Berlin wanting to see how the city was. I also sympathize with city officials and citizens who know the city needs to continue to develop. A city is not a museum. It needs to be a place where people can live, work and do business.

But the Easy Side Gallery is different. While there are remnants of the wall around the city (a popular site near Potsdamer Platz), a phenomenal reconstruction of the wall and museum (Berlin Wall Documentation Center), guard towers still looming ominously in parks, and markers underfoot that show exactly where the wall ran - the East Side Gallery is special. It is the longest remaining section of the wall and is a protected national monument.

"An international memorial for freedom", this 1.3 km long section of the wall is what most tourists search out. Over 100 paintings by artists from around the world adorn the memorial. It lies along the banks of the river Spree, between the border of two popular neighborhoods, Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg. Not just an important place for Berlin, this is believed to be the largest and longest-lasting open air gallery in the world.

Last week, the shouts of "They're tearing down the Berlin Wall!" rang out again and this time they were not met with joy. An announcement on Thursday (February 28th) alerted the public that Berlin developers were removing a 25-yard section of the wall for a 14-story luxury apartment block (Living Levels) and a new footbridge.

Word spread fast and on Friday 400 protesters formed a human chain preventing crews from accessing the site - but not before two slabs were removed. On Sunday, I joined a bigger demonstration as speakers and even some of the original artists delivered their thoughts on the importance of the wall and the need to retain it. As we listened and walked the wall once again, I was struck by the several missing pieces already taken out of the wall. There is an older opening with access the riverfront and a tourist shop. Further along, there is a much newer opening which lies directly in front of the 02 arena (a contentious site that fields attacks from anti-capitalist throughout the year). It appears the East Side Gallery has been under attack for much longer than since last Thursday.

No matter how much you know about a subject, there is so much more to know. There are many intricacies of development in Berlin that I don't fully grasp. Having arrived in the city in 2007, I often feel I am not enough a part of Berlin to take place in such important debates. It's a bit like being a kid at the dinner table with your own thoughts and ideas, but not sure if you should speak up while the grown-ups are talking. Are we being too precious? What does Berlin need to do to continue to develop? How do we adequately protect landmarks?

I don't have the answers, but as I continue to learn and love in the city, I think I am up for being part of the debate. Or at least a protest.

UPDATE: The Local reports that David Hasselhof, the Hoff, is to rock Berlin Wall protests on March 17th at 2pm.

I'll be there. And if it is half as awesome as this 1989 Interview& concert, we're all in for a good time.

Additional UPDATE:

Developer removes segments of Berlin Wall at East Side Gallery

...and so it goes.

Have questions, comments or your opinion to share? Leave your thoughts below in the comment section.

What's Love got to do with Tina Turner Leaving the USA?

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 11:10:44 +0000

Apparently - a lot. Much to my suprise, this week's news stories revealed that American icon Tina Turner is turning Swiss. Switzerland - though a truly beautiful country and recently declared the best places to have a child in 2013 - is not where I expect to find one of America's most beloved singers.

Turner's petition for Swiss citizenship was recently approved by her local council after she passed a civics andlanguage test, and interview. The decision still requires approval from state and federal authorities, but Tina Turner is well on her way to becoming a Swiss citizen. She has been living in the Zurich suburb of Kuesnacht since 1995 with her longtime manager and partner, German record executive Erwin Bach. Turner told the German newspaper, Blick,

"I'm very happy in Switzerland and I feel at home here. I cannot imagine a better place to live."

This living legend became known in the 1960s with her husband, Ike, as a member of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. The two found success with their songs "River Deep – Mountain High" and "Proud Mary". But beneath the glamorous surface the pair were engaged in an ugly cycle of domestic abuse that was heartbreakingly chronicled in her autobiography, I, Tina after their 1976 split. The tiny dynamo rebuilt her solo career with hits like "What's Love Got to Do with It" (also the name of the 1993 film based on her life). Turner became one of the world's most popular entertainers, winning 8 Grammys and selling more concert tickets than any other solo performer in history.

At 73 years old, the woman continues to rock. Here she is performing "Proud Mary" at her 50th Anniversary Tour:

As a cultural icon, it's easy to see why Americans are sad to lose Tina. However, there is someone else that is even more interested in Turner's departure - the IRS (U.S. government agency responsible for tax collection & enforcement). Tina is not simply seeking to become a citizen of Switzerland; she is also renouncing her American citizenship. Though both countries would allow dual citizenship, many believe the star is making this move to avoid the double taxation placed on American expatriates.

She is not alone. It's believed that thousands of Americans have taken the step of giving up their citizenship because of what they consider to be unjust tax practices. The U.S. is the world’s only industrialized nation that taxes citizens who live overseas, even if their income is generated in a foreign country and they never return to America. This is essentially double taxation as expats still need to pay income taxes in their countries of residence. The law affects superstars like Tina Turner, and many expat Americans. Expatriates can claim a $97,000 exclusion on their U.S. taxes, but this doesn't help many high earning expats, especially those in countries with a high cost of living and increased salary. Even if it is not a matter of finance, the complex and frustrating process of filing taxes is enough to make some expats feel positively un-American.

In addition, the introduction of FATCA (as fully detailed in our article "New U.S. Law Concerning Reporting on Overseas Accounts" ) , passed in March 2010, has further infuriated expats. The law states:

The IRS now requires U.S. citizens -- who are considered foreign residents for the entire 2011 tax year or who are expats -- to file the new IRS Form 8938 if they have aggregate foreign assets of $200,000 on the last day for the year, or $300,000 at any time during the year. Those numbers increase to $400,000 and $600,000, respectively, for married filing jointly.

It's estimated that nearly 1,800 Americans relinquished their passports in 2011. This is a tiny percentage of the estimated 6 million U.S. citizens living abroad, but this number has increased sevenfold since 2008.

Whether simply for love, or for money, America is losing one of our favorite expats.

To hear more about this story and what steps Tina Turner is taking, listen to Bob Zanotti's piece on ExpatsRadio.com, "Tina Turner becomes Swiss". You can hear me chat with Peter about this story and many others on our new weekly audio segment with ExpatsRadio. You can also check out our weekly Expat Twitter Round-up published every Monday.

To find out more about how you may move abroad and become a citizen of another country, refer to our complete city guides with comprehensive information on visas and citizenship.

Happy New Years from an American Expat!

Mon, 31 Dec 2012 15:01:28 +0000

Unsure of exactly where to start, I started the "American Expats" blog in February 2012 to highlight newsworthy moments of Americans abroad. Using the leaping off point of my fellow countrymen in the news, I offered up my experiences and findings while living abroad. An extension of our informational articles and guides on EasyExpat and partnered with our French language blog, Chroniques d'expatriation, we sought to offer a personal perspective to the life of an expat. I wrote,

"This blog will bring stories of American expats to the forefront. I will scout out stories in which Americans share the unique experiences that make up our immigrant life, discuss the difficulties of being away from "home" and other news stories concerning American policy".

Since that time, I've further defined some of the challenges we all encounter living abroad. Not just Americans struggle to understand their new life as it pertains to

Holidays & Celebrations (such as "German Christmas Markets: Magic or Marketing?"
Politics ("...and the votes are IN" - the US Presidential Election)
Sports ("For the Love of Football"
Entertainment (Expat Travels on Video)
Home (Fitting into the Expat World)
Health (Understanding Health and Care Abroad)
Food (International Food on Wheels)
and Finance (Ahhh! It's Tax Season)

Looking over these posts, a progression can be observed. The purpose of this blog has evolved from simply reporting on obstacles and triumphs of American expats to venting, exploring, and discussing the human element of living abroad. Most often, this has involved my somewhat spectacular fails in understanding the new world and culture around me. From searching in vain for Mexican food in Berlin to trying to make friends with the Germans it has been a struggle, but one that I take on willingly. I constantly remind myself when my surroundings threaten to drive me insane that no one asked me to move here. It is up to me to adapt, because Berlin is not going to change for me.

As I write this, the city is already literally exploding as the bountiful German-made fireworks blast off around the city. This is my 4th New Years Eve in the city and it is still as bizarre to me as it is wonderful. The American cries of "Careful - it'll poke your eye out!" are replaced by German children running around with fireworks the size of their small bodies and every teen armed with a bottle a champagne and a cigar. It's terrifying. And amazing. I think more than any other night, I never have felt further from home than on Silvester. That's a good thing. I didn't move around the globe to have the same experiences as I had as an American in the US.

I'm not much for New Years resolutions, but I do have goals for the future. I want to continue to evolve in 2013, along with this blog. While I hope my struggles thus far have at least entertained, I am constantly striving to also make them useful. If you want to hear about something specific I am currently (probably) failing at or have a news story or issue you would like to discuss, please leave a comment below or contact me on the BlogExpat Twitter or Facebook page.

For now, I am preparing. Tonight, and the rest of 2013, is sure to be a crazy, wonderful ride. I think I am ready.

German Christmas Markets: Magic or Marketing?

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 11:14:43 +0000

Just in time for the opening of the German Christmas markets and the first advent, the Telegraph put out an article sure to dampen some holiday cheer.

German Christmas markets? They're not magical – just naff

The core of the problem is that, with the exception of the “real” Christkindlmarkt in Nuremberg and a few other traditional ones like it, the Christmas markets elsewhere in Germany are no more an authentic local feature than the ones in the UK: they’re just money-making machines.

Ah, that old chestnut (pun intended). Holidays and the ways we choose to celebrate them are often under attack. Christmas, with its religious overtones and rampant commercialism, is often accused of being the worst offender. The act of moving abroad can highlight these issues in looking at a new culture's traditions, and examining your own with heightened scrutiny.

When we first moved to Berlin, the city was descending into the dead of winter. As each day grew ever colder and darker, we glared at each other, wondering "whose stupid idea it was to move here anyways".

And then the Christmas markets opened. We had heard that Berlin's markets were hardly something special compared to the rest of the country, but as Christmas market virgins we found that hard to believe as the squares transformed to beautiful mini marketplaces. Little alpine huts appeared serving glühwein (mulled wine), bizarre trinkets, and holiday cheer. Some of the gloom vanished in the neon lights and the encroaching homesickness ebbed.

Santa arrives at Berlin's Weihnachtsmarkt vor dem Roten Rathaus

Weihnachtsmarkts (also known as Christkindlmarkts, Christkindlesmarkts, Christkindlmarkets) generally take place during the four weeks of Advent. These markets originated in Germany, Austria, South Tyrol and Alsace, but are now held in many countries around the world. An American friend in Beijing told us he had visited the German Christmas markets at the German embassy just last weekend. As a former expat in Germany, it gave him a little taste of his former home. While many markets take on the character of the city they are in, most stay true to their German roots.

We found this out on our first vacation as expats. Finding inexpensive flights to London in December, we left the land of bratwurst for the island of bangers and promptly fell in love with all things British. Seeing a sign for a Christmas market, we were curious to discover what an English Christmas market had to offer. We arrived...and blinked. It was just like a German market, from the Gebrannte Mandeln (candied, toasted almonds) to the glühwein.

We have since been surprised that many things we considered to be quintessential American traditions are actually borrowed directly from the Germans.

German Christmas traditions that appear in American culture:

Christmas trees (or Tannenbaum) originated during the Renaissance in early modern Germany. The tradition was brought to the US by German immigrants. In England, Queen Victoria’s German husband, Prince Albert, introduced the same custom.
Advent Calendars actually come from German Lutherans who would count down the first 24 days of December. Once a simple chalk line on the door beginning on December 1, today's advent calendars come in a variety of forms. Calendars can be bought commercially dispensing treats like little chocolates, or some families light a new candle each day or on the advent. The chocolate-filled Advent calendar for children was invented in Germany in the late 1950s.
Silent Night (Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht) was composed in Salzburg, Austria, which was part of the German empire at the time. The very first performance of “Stille Nacht” was with guitar accompaniment in Austria on Christmas Eve in 1818. The song was declared an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in March 2011.
Gingerbread resembles lebkuchen or pfefferkuchen, a traditional German Christmas treat. Lebkuchen were invented by medieval monks in Franconia, Germany in the 13th century.
Glass ornaments were discovered by American dime-store magnate F. W. Woolworth in 1880s during a visit to Germany. He made a fortune by importing the German decorative glass globes to the USA.
Christmas caroling may have been inspired by Sternsinger, children who raised money for charity by singing carols during Epiphany.

As December 1st rolled around, it once again made perfect sense to collaborate with other expats and Germans in a meshing of our two cultures.

A Christmas pub crawl was in order.

A rowdy group of Americans, German, French gathered at a Weihnachtsmarkt to share traditions and holiday humor. To enliven the meet-up, we encouraged costumes (or fancy dress as we found the English called it). We had a hunter and a bulls-eye wearing reindeer. We had a Santa suit. We had a 80s ski bum. We had a truly impressive Christmas tree hairdo with lights that actually lit. After some serious brainstorming, we also had my costume - a German wind-up doll. Have I mentioned I love to dress up?

As we rode the U-Bahn to the square, we encountered an intensified German stare. Germans are known for their directness and this sometimes translates to a relentless gaze which can be extremely awkward to American and English sensibilities. For once, I enjoyed the stares and the outright friendliness of people who laughed and joked with us, pulling us into their group pictures. More than anything, this was a German Christmas miracle.

The whole night filled me with Christmas wonder. The fact that we had been able to begin life anew as expats with such fabulous and fascinating friends sometimes feels like a tiny miracle. I don't know for sure that it was the Weihnachtsmarkt that created this magic, but it certainly didn't hurt.

What do you think - are Christmas markets perfectly celebratory of the season or passé? What's your favorite Christmas tradition?

Thanksgiving in a Dive Bar in Berlin

Fri, 23 Nov 2012 10:05:51 +0000

Sometimes you have that moment where you think, "How did I get here?"

Last night, celebrating an expat Thanksgiving in our favorite dive bar in Berlin, was just such a moment. Thanksgiving is a family oriented holiday in the USA. What do you do when you've left your friends and family behind?

We've re-created the holiday abroad with a crazy collection of Americans, Germans, English and everything in between. Football (the American kind) brought a group of us expats together over 5 years ago and now we gather at the bar where we met for Thanksgiving, each of us bringing a favorite dish. Over time the event has grown to include friends and acquaintances, and even other expats we've only connected with online. I've chatted with fellow American expat in Germany, American in Wiesbaden, on Twitter and browsed her pins on Pinterest so when I heard she would be in Berlin for Thanksgiving, the sentiment of holiday demanded the more the merrier. Over (many) beers, mountains of food, and even a whole turkey, strangers became friends and the spirit of Thanksgiving was fulfilled.

One of the best things about holidays abroad is that you see it through fresh eyes. Holidays that you've been celebrating since you were born with a group of Americans look a lot different when celebrated with an international crowd. An egg salad with pickles made an appearance among the stuffing and mashed potatoes, as did vegan sausage, cheese and grape skewers, and a garden of pasta salads. At least we finished with cupcakes and pumpkin pie.

The best example of a displaced expat at Thanksgiving actually comes from my family's German foreign exchange student. When my husband and I repatriated to the USA the first time, my parents threw us for a loop by taking on an exchange student just before we got back. As we were returning to America without house or work, we planned on staying with them for an indeterminate period. And now there was going to be a German teenager living with us. We prepared for the worst.

We needn't have worried. Thomas was instantly part of the family and a great contrast to our experience as American expats in Germany. He helped preserve some of our language skills and understood what we were talking about when we bemoaned the lack of a good döner. We were uniquely prepared to explain some of the challenges of expat life, but some things happened that we simply didn't expect.

Thanksgiving that year was pretty low-key with just my parents, Thomas, and my husband and I. We went all out on food with the traditional fare of cranberries, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes & gravy, stuffing and a big fat turkey. As I put finishing touches on the table, my dad began to carve the turkey in the kitchen to put on a plate. Thomas was snapping pics and eagerly awaiting the star of the show - the turkey. With a flourish, my dad whisked in the platter of cut meat and Thomas's face fell.

"You didn't carve it at the table?"

We looked at him like he was crazy, and then we laughed. He had only experienced Thanksgiving through the stream of American holiday movies. Like a Norman Rockwell painting, he expected my dad to take a seat at the head of the table and carve the noble beast. We re-created the scene so he could take some shots for his family back home, then grabbed a little of everything and sat down to watch some football - celebrating Thanksgiving the real American way.

As the kick-off for the holiday season,

Happy Holidays everybody!

...and the votes are IN

Fri, 09 Nov 2012 12:47:27 +0000

Incumbent US President Barack Obama has won his bid for re-election and will be President of the United States of America for 4 more years.

Like many people living outside of America, I sided with the democratic candidate and intently watched the campaign from abroad. Facebook, Twitter, and day-to-day transactions were littered with talk of the election. Germans eagerly asked us our opinion of who we thought would win. We shared anxieties and - as usual - the German community impressed us with occasionally knowing more about the system then we did. But the difference between their anxieties and mine is that I could play a part in the decision - I could vote.

Just over 4 years ago, Obama came to Berlin as a Senator from Illinois and presidential hopeful. In a city that remembers Kennedy's 1963 iconic speech with such reverence (there is a Kennedy museum next to Brandenburger Tor & "Ich bin ein Berliner" can be found on just about anything), the speech was sure to be magic. Along with 100,000 people we gathered at the siegessäule (victory column) to hear his message of hope.

For this election cycle, I was more cynical. Weren't we all? Campaign promises had gone unfulfilled and the long, media packed-road to the White House can wear anyone out. Even moving abroad doesn't save you from the daily avalanche of campaign ads, debates and bickering.

The day of the election we found ourselves needing to do something, to be part of this election that has such an impact on all of our lives. Berlin delivered with a private party mix of American and German, and even a Swiss and Argentinian. CNN announced the votes as they came in and our American host re-educated us on the Electoral College. Germans patiently listened to the explanation and tried to accept the absurdities of the American system.

We left in the early morning hours with the counts looking good for president Obama, but no firm decision yet. We were surprised to wake up scant hours later to a triumphant Obama and a concession speech already delivered from Mitt Romney. Months of pressure that had compressed the last few days were released. Hope flooded back in and expats excitedly shared in the victory. It felt as if all that cynicism had fallen away...even if just for a little while.

It is always important to examine your government with a critical eye. But politics can be so embittering, I felt bone-tired of talking about the election by the time the day arrived. But the day after, the afterglow of a successful campaign was still washing over me and I had one of best days in Berlin.

I joined my husband at the kita (pre-school) where he teaches to watch the kids celebrate Martinstag (St. Martin's Day). Children wandered the school yard with colorful lanterns powered by little battery lights and cooked bread by stick over the fire. We walked with the kids in a Laternenumzug (Lantern Pageant) and Berlin was lit with their singing. On our way home, we grabbed a beer with friends in a bar decorated in fur, than ate dinner at a tiny Japanese Ramen bar. As we finally approached home, I felt the positive radiance of a happy, multi-cultural life. The election isn't going to change everything, but to feel active and engaged in the world around me is a gift. I'll try to hold onto my hope...at least for a little while.

Obama's 2008 Speech in Berlin

Expat Woes: I Miss Halloween

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 12:51:32 +0000

Happy Halloween from Princess Peach & Super Mario!

....at least that's what I said that Halloween.

This Halloween, I don't know that I'll say "Happy Halloween" at all. One of the things about moving abroad is that some of your favorite holidays pass without much of a mention (I missed you too, 4th of July). The fact that this Halloween falls on Wednesday isn't helping anyone either.

And though there are Halloween events in Berlin, none of them has quite capture the holiday I remember. The absence of "fun" sized candy bars, trick-or-treaters, and the always missing of friends and family from home make my favorite holiday a bit hollow. As with many culture clashes when living abroad, how to handle these moments is up to you. You may:

Wallow in despair and self-pity, bemoaning your expat existence. (Obviously, not a great option).
Adapt and embrace life as a local. October 31st and November 1st holds significance in many cultures and countries.
Import and reinvent the holiday to the best of your ability.

Ah ha! Import...

The last option is becoming much easier as the world gets smaller. This year I've been surprised to see small Halloween displays in the supermarket, proper jack o' lantern pumpkins, and Halloween rumblings even among the German set. It is hard to tell if Halloween is just now catching on in Berlin, or if I have become aware of it as I have better adapted to my surroundings.

When I first arrived in Berlin in September 2007, my husband and I had no friends and little idea how to acclimate to our adopted culture. Really. But those days seem long ago as I find ways to celebrate Halloween abroad.

To fulfill my Halloween dreams, I have tortured my husband with a string of horror movies for the month. He can barely go to the bathroom without checking behind the shower curtain. I've also gotten expat friends in on the action, inviting a couple of English expats over for apple cider and pumpkin carving*. I was surprised that they were unfamiliar with the non-alcoholic version of cider that made up so many fall nights in the USA. They shared stories of Guy Fawkes Night and bonfires. Let's set a doll ablaze!

This Halloween season hasn't turned out so bad after all. I got to do a little bit of all three options (wallow, adapt, and import) and leave my husband terrified in his own home. Success!

Happy Halloween from this American expat.

*Full disclosure: Pumpkins are actually from a previous year. This year's jack o' lantern is embarrassingly basic. Turns out that it is hard to carve a pumpkin without those handy stencils and little orange saws.

Eyeball Eggs

Boil Eggs 10 minutes
Crack them slightly without taking off the shell
Add vinegar & red dye. Let set 30ish min
Remove from water and peel. Let your hands turn blood red from the dye. It is Halloween after all.
Cut in half and remove yolk to separate bowl. Mix yolk with mayo, mustard, horseradish, paprika, jalapenos, and hot sauce. (I like mine spicy, but if you just mix mayo with yolk you'll get the same look)
Tada! A perfect Halloween recipe to delight & disgust.

To find out more about Halloween events around the world,

Halloween as an Expat

For the Love of Football

Fri, 28 Sep 2012 12:15:25 +0100

Have you heard that the regular refs are back to work in the NFL (National Football League)? If you aren't in the United States or an American abroad - you probably haven't. Why would you? While the love between Americans and their football is well documented, the sport is less well represented around the world. But here in Berlin, just hearing the iconic theme music of Monday night football gives me goosebumps.

Not that I've heard it often since we moved to Germany. When my husband and I arrived in this foreign land, we were determined to make German friends. Without a permanent place to live or jobs, we set those serious problems aside to address the work of being sociable. We chatted up people in bars. We contacted people in internet forums. We smiled at our stern faced neighbors. The Germans were not having it. After about 2 months of staring at each other, we realized we had a problem during a Skype call with my mom.

"Is Ian there?" She asked.

"He's here. He's always here." Was my unenthusiastic answer.

It was time to do something different. In desperation, we searched for somewhere showing football and we found Salamas sports bar. It is definitely not the best bar in Berlin. It is a dive bar that specializes in leaving your hair smoky and your eyes rummy from one too many beers. It does, however, faithfully show American football every Sunday. As we came to find out from our regular visits, it's other greatest attribute is it's owner and namesake, Salama, a truly welcoming Egyptian expat that his made his home and business in Germany for decades.

While Salama was welcoming, the crowd was...less so. The first week, the cherished sports tradition of yelling at the TV was engaged in heartily but few words were exchanged with us. We slowly made in waves with our repeat appearances and began to know our football watching neighbors. There were several Germans that crowded the bar and had all come to love football in unique ways. Some had done foreign exchange and found it in the USA. Others had watched the game and found a connection that resonated. There was the trio of J-named Americans that sat in the back room. Two were from the east coast, but one was strangely from the city just south of ours. It is always a marvel to meet people from home when you are so far away.

At first we just talked football and I actually learned a lot about the game. While I've been perched in front of a TV screen watching football since I could sit upright, it had pretty much been background noise until this point. I was generally supportive about my team (Go Hawks!), but I had no feeling for the intricacies of the game. Even more interestingly, I learned about what something familiar like football can mean to a group of expats. We got to know the 3 American J's and 5 years later they are some of our closest friends. We know their German girlfriends who are now our friends. Ian got a job that he still works through them. All this through the love of football.

That's why the announcement that the official refs are back in the game is such a relief. One (of the many, many mainstream news stories covering this sports news):

How We Made and Won the NFL Referee Lockout

Contract negotiations between the referees and the league had broken down before the pre-season and the NFL season began with replacement refs. Refs like high schools teachers that part-timed refereed for their local teams had been called to the big leagues. I would have loved for the story to be that they got their big break and they were awesome, but that is not the case. It didn't go well. There was an egregious amount of bad calls with the pièce de résistance last Monday's game between my beloved Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers. A game changing call and *poof* there was a collective call of "enough". The lock out is over and the regular refs are back for this Sunday's games.

As much as I love living in Germany, I value these Sunday meet-ups between expats. Football has uniquely connected our group. Sometimes I wonder if we would have ever met back in the States, let alone be friends. I don't think so...we're all so different and they're different from the friends we made back home. But we are friends. Drawn together by just a game, played on the other side of the ocean.

If you happen to be in Berlin on a Sunday night, come on down! We may not be the friendliest crew straight off, but football can serve as our connection. Let the rest of the world have soccer - sorry! football or futbol or fussball. We Americans have football.