Americans in Germany Drinking Whiskey

A few weeks ago we came across an article that detailed the growing problem of "begpacking" and after reading further we became very intrigued. The term begpacking is defined as backpackers busking or begging to fund their travels. Whilst this may sound innocent enough, the past few years has seen a steep rise in privileged travellers from wealthy western countries standing on street corners in poorer countries with signs asking the locals to "help pay for their trip." During this episode we'll both have a conversation about the growing trend and the ethical gray area that surrounds it. Are there better ways to fund your around the world journey? 

This episode will be a far reaching discussion about the driving cultures of the USA and Germany. The focus won't be about large American pick up trucks vs. miniature European hatchbacks or even the quality of German cars. Instead, we will talk about the differences between the role of cars in the USA vs. Germany and how this has affected the look and layout of cities in each country. As we "drive down the road", we'll cover: how the fascination and necessity for cars in America develops at an early age, why the combination of residential and commercial spaces in Berlin limits the need to own a car, and the different roles public transportation plays in the US and German cities. Join us, won't you?

We finally reached our 100th episode and we couldn't be more excited! This is a one-off special edition episode in which we will detail the behind the scenes of making the AGDW podcast. We'll divulge secrets about the production, including funny stories about times when we made huge mistakes, explain the history of the show and also answer listener questions live! 

No country is perfect - even the largest economy in Europe. This week we are discussing what all of you would change about Germany - assuming you could do so with the snap of your fingers. To do this, we asked our listeners what was important to them and had everyone send us their answers. We'll both be reacting to what you believe would change Germany for the better and debate whether we agree and why. Come along with us and find out if you're also on the same page!

This week we'll be taking a deep dive into the Berlin nightlife seen by talking about establishments only locals tend to know about and enjoy. In the past, we've discussed the high profile bars and clubs that Berlin is famous for, but this time you could say we're going off the beaten path. However, not too far, because most of these local pubs, casinos, sports betting halls and mysteriously unlabelled "hang out" locations tend to be hiding in plain site. It's time you have some insight on the places locals enjoy most nights, but tourists and those recently arrived in Berlin, have heard little about!

We had so much fun reading the travel stories you sent in, and were unable to fit them all into a single episode! A couple months ago we let everyone know that we were in search of funny, absurd, annoying or just plain interesting travel stories. Thank you again to everyone who took the time to send something our way. This week we are reading and reacting to more of your travel stories in part two of this series. These will include: going from winter to summer and back to winter again in a single day, showing your German boyfriend how to make friends at an American restaurant, crazy coincidences while traveling that are almost too hard to believe, and much more!

We asked and you answered. A couple months ago we let everyone know that we were in search of funny, absurd, annoying or just plain interesting travel stories. Thank you to everyone who took the time to send one in! This week we'll finally be reading and reacting to your travel stories for the first time. These will include: ending up in England's immigration "black book", finding out pizza isn't as universal as we thought, using tears to catch the train in time, and much more!

If you're feeling the need for speed, you need to get yourself into a solidly built German car and out onto the Autobahn! You've probably already heard about the lack of speed limits, but there's so much more to learn about the German highway system and what it's like taking a road trip through the beautiful country side. But, before we start, did you know most of you are actually mispronouncing the word "Autobahn?" Don't worry, we'll get you on the right rack and also discuss the special rules of driving on German roads, what it's like to drive 250 Km/h, and tell you guys about some of the road trips we've been on during our time here.