Pamper the Mom or special Woman in your life this Mother’s Day by entering Tchibo’s Mother’s Day Giveaway! German Moms LOVE German coffee… and Tchibo makes GREAT German coffee Perfect for Breakfast and Kaffeeklatsch! One grand prize winner will receive Tchibo Coffee Machine. Grind and brew the perfect cup of coffee at the touch of a button Two 17.6oz…
Author: karenanne
Work, Live, Explore: Comparing Life in Germany and the UK
Moving overseas is a big decision. Thanks to Dan for this sponsored post on Comparing Life in Germany and the UK. Some interesting food for thought for anyone considering making the move to Europe to study or live, but can’t decide which direction to go. Finding a place in the world that suits your personality and lifestyle isn’t that easy,…
Why is the Thursday before Easter called Grünerdonnerstag in Germany?
Heiliger Donnerstag (Holy Thursday) makes sense… but why is the Thursday before Easter called Grünerdonnerstag in Germany? The word “Heilige” or “Holy” makes sense, after all, the day is an important part of the Karwoche (Holy Week). The Thursday before Easter is associated with the Last Supper and the end of Lent. The night of Jesus’s betrayal and arrest marks…
Burning Easter Wheel In Germany- UNESCO Heritage in Lüdge
Cover image by Nifoto, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsIn 784 Charlemagne visited the town of Lügde, and according to his chronicler Einhard, witnessed large oak wheels stuffed with straw, set on fire, and sent rolling down the Osterberg to greet the Spring. What an impressive sight! Burning wheels of fire careening down the hill…sparks flying all around. Although no one…
Remembering the Poesiealbum – A Book of Friendship and Verse
On one of my trips to Germany as a child, my cousin showed me her Poesiealblum. I remember it had a horse on the cover, and the inside was filled with short verses, and longer poems; almost every page was decorated with one of the shiny pictures, Glanzbilder. All of the girls in her school owned one. Only your closest…
Crocuses in Germany- Spring Beauty & Autumn Saffron Crocus
Hundreds of purple crocus flowers were making their first appearance when I visited the Münster Botanical Gardens on a chilly March morning. This sign of Springtime lightens hearts in Germany. The sweet blooms signal an end to the grey winter blahs. But these are only half of the story of crocuses in Germany. Although there are a few different…
German Language Summer Camps and Programs
What do you do with the kids all summer? German Language Summer Camps and German Language summer programs are a great way to fill those empty Summer months. They come away with improved language skills … and they have fun doing it! These German Summer Camps are scattered across the country. Some are day camps, others are overnight. There is…
Erich Kästner’s Books- Well Loved Stories in German & English
Sitting in the darkened theater surrounded by other kids, the obligatory bucket of popcorn on my lap, I stare up at the screen enjoying Haley Mills and Haley Mills fool parents Brian Keith and Maureen O’Hara, to bring them back together in the 1960s version of The Parent Trap. At the time, I had no idea that the original story,…
Francis Daniel Pastorius- The Pennsylvania Pilgrim
The name Francis Daniel Pastorius probably didn’t come up in your American History classes, and he’s probably no more than a footnote in most German history classes… but Pastorius plays a major role in early American history, in German-American immigration history, and even has a role in the Abolitionist Movement. So who was he? A polymath, lawyer, writer, teacher, a…
Travel Accessories for a Trip to Germany- What I Take Along
In the past few years, I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy several trips to Germany for vacations, family visits, research trips, weddings, and even for business. Over the years I’ve put together a list of travel accessories for a trip to Germany that I always pack. Some may seem obvious, and you probably already have them on your packing list.…