Decades From Home - A Podcast About Germany

With producer Simon taking the night off, Dili and Nic quickly go off script to discuss their experiences of living in shared accommodation, and the horror that entailed. From naked men in the kitchen, to hearing roommates having very loud sex, we look at the lows and very low lows of living in Germany.We discuss the novel way Germany celebrates the great and the good by honouring them with their very own traffic light. Although we may have to wait for the official Decades from Home pedestrian crossing, there are plenty of others to be found around the country, but does Dili know in which cities they can be found?We also take some time to chat about the usually calm Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz going rage mode, the riots in Leipzig, and the recent polling success of the AfD.For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees currently fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

After leaving listeners with a slight cliffhanger last week, we return with some exciting news: Nic has a son! Not only that, we also have a the youngest fan of the podcast. Sure he has no idea what a podcast is, but that’s not stopping us from counting him among the listenership. With so much going on in Nic’s life, we dispense with the current events this week and talk about what it’s like going through the birth of a child in Germany. Why do doctors wear Crocs, what’s the etiquette for cutting the umbilical cord, and who is allowed to crack jokes in the operating theatre? We also discuss neighbourly gift giving, speaking German with sleep deprivation, and disappointing hospital food.For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees currently fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

On the show this week:Dili returns from her holiday, and as is tradition on the show, Nic demands to know what exciting souvenirs she brought him from her week in France. He may be disappointed by the lack French cheeses coming in the post, but it’s not really an issue, Nic has far bigger fish to fry as his wife prepares to give birth the day after recording the show. We discuss all the exciting details, and the many things Nic is looking forward to over the next week. However, before any of that, we have some other stories to share with you dear listener. We look at a survey that tells us more about the Germans than perhaps anyone ever really needed to know, the return of plagiarism scandals to German politics, and the terror of getting stuck on a chair lift at the top of a mountain.We also have some time to discuss the historical knowledge of the average member of the Bundestag and why being a young woman in politics is seemingly a massive problem for a lot of German men. We finish this week with a story about how a tattoo may help you save someone’s life. For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees currently fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

On the show this week:Dili is on holiday this week, but we’re joined by the wonderful Rachel Loxton of The Local & The Germany in Focus Podcast to talk about being Scottish in Germany, how paying the bill separately is a sure fire way to upset British friends, and why pretending to be Scottish might help make friends.Loneliness is a common complaint for many who move to Germany, but a recent initiative in Bavarian supermarkets may have the solution. Rachel and Nic discuss chatting at the checkout, why it can be a cure to the blues, and what may prevent small talk with your average German cashier. We finish off the show with Rachel’s experience of rising rents in Berlin, and why the capital isn’t the only city where affordable housing is hard to find. For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees currently fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

An angry reaction to a curious Oma leads to questions about whether it’s ever OK to compliment someone else’s child, and why Nic’s resting face may be preventing him from making friends with other parents. We also discuss ever increasing supermarket prices, and what a small selection of groceries tells us about the state of the German economy.We run through some of the major news stories, with claims of nepotism hitting the government, we wonder if it’s ever alright to employ friends and family. We also take some time to discuss EU proposals to make drivers over 70 retake their driving tests every five years.We finish with the nightmare scenario taking an exam, only to find that there’s an unanswerable question. Who should be blamed for such an extraordinary screw up, and should pupils be expected to resit the exam at a later date? For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees currently fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

A listener email concerning the coronation finally breaks our resolve, and we address the exciting news that a rich man will finally get to sit on his mother’s golden chair. We ask whether the many public appearances of Markus Söder are a cause for concern, and we address the recent criticism of Annalena Baerbock by public “intellectual” Richard David Precht. The sight of Maibäume appearing all around Bavaria gets us in the mood for spring, as we look at the many accompanying traditions to celebrate May 1st. What does a modern Maibaum party look like, do you really need Lederhosen, and why might stealing someone’s may pole lead to a reward?We finish the show with a look at scandal merchant and Mayor of Tübingen, Boris Palmer, who was criticised for his defence, and repeated use, of the N-word. For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees currently fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenImage CreditPhoto by form PxHereTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

Hell hath no fury like a Dili scorned, a lesson that a certain German bank learned when they attempted to overcharge our erstwhile co-host. Luckily for Nic, he owns his own bank, which certainly seems to help. We also discuss adventures in the Bavarian Wald, and whether observing German traditions is vital to living here. The price of ice cream has become a major talking point in the German media, and as experts in eating various scoops of the sweet stuff, Dili & Nic breakdown why. Why are prices increasing so dramatically, and is the price of an Eiskugel a good way to measure annual price inflation?We also turn our attention to the debate raging over government plans to phase out gas and oil heating systems across Germany. Is the anger over the proposed law warranted, and how feasible is it to make people change the way they heat their homes? Ice Cream articles mentioned on the show:Und plötzlich kostet eine Kugel Eis locker zwei EuroKostet Eis heute wirklich so viel mehr?War die Kugel Eis früher wirklich günstiger?For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees currently fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenImage CreditPhoto by Abby Savage on UnsplashTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

Nic’s been having some adventures, all of which seem to have involved wood. We discuss terrifying marionettes, and the joy of hanging out with an old school Bavarian Handwerksmeister. The recent nuclear shutdown in Germany has been at the forefront of public discussion, we recap the debate, and discover that Nic has issues with some basic pronunciation.German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach presented a revised version of coalition plans to legalise cannabis across the country, following criticism and negotiations with the EU. We look at how the new proposal differs from ideas presented in October 2022, the plans for “Cannabis clubs”, and whether a slow and careful rollout might be the best approach to legalisation.We finish on the scandal swirling around Axel Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner, who’s private communications were leaked to newspaper Die Zeit. How might this impact his position, and what does it tell us about Axel Springer’s largest publication BILD-Zeitung. For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees currently fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenImage CreditFoto von Ray Harrington auf UnsplashTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

With the Easter behind us, Dili and Nic catch each other up on a weekend of family dinners, spicy cakes, and whirlwind trips to the UK. Nic seeks reassurance from Dili over the troubling development of Easter gifts within his German family, and asks whether too many presents will turn his daughter into an overly entitled Bavarian. In turn, Dili wonders whether her partner is trying to kill them both by refusing to refrigerate leftover food.Having only just returned from Britain, Nic is in the minority of Germans that still see old blighty as worthwhile holiday destination. According to reports, many Germans are choosing not to travel across the channel for a variety of reasons. We ask why that might be the case, and whether there is anything Britain can do to attract Germans back.We finish on the alarming reports that an app may be to blame for the dramatic increase in abortions within Germany, and also ask why Germany likes to project the image of progressive country, but still has some very draconian views on women’s health. For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees currently fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenImage CreditFoto von cottonbro studioTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

Easter is upon us, and with novelty chocolate seemingly spilling down the aisles of every supermarket, we compare notes on recycling Christmas chocolate, rabbits with chicken pox, and the power of Creme-Eggs. Since Nic is also in the UK this week, we also talk about the difference between how Germany celebrates, whether Britain has a translation for “Tanzverbot”, and why you shouldn’t invite a donkey into a church. After more than one listener request, we review the recent Royal visit to Germany by King Charles & Queen Camilla. Was a Berlin newspaper right to name Charles “King Cool”, what made the visit such a success in the eyes of many Germans, and what are good jokes to make in front of German dignitaries? We also suggest some alternative gift ideas to share the best that Britain has to offer.We finish the pod with the recent failed education summit called to find solutions to Germany’s many education problems. Why did only 2 education secretaries from the the Bundeslander turn up, and how will Germany address the serious failings throughout all levels of education?For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees currently fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenImage CreditFoto von Julian Hochgesang auf UnsplashTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß