Moving abroad: culture shocks, making friends + being American in Germany

We’re diving into a very Texan episode of The Pod Abroad today: riding horses to school? Pew pew finger guns? 🇺🇸🇩🇪I’m joined by my friend Max, who moved from Texas to Munich less than a year ago—and we’re unpacking the wild (and sometimes true) stereotypes about Texans abroad, what Americans get wrong about Germany, and how it actually feels to start over in a new country.From Whataburger loyalty and Buc-ee's nostalgia to German bureaucracy and Bavarian pride, we’re sharing the honest, funny, and sometimes frustrating realities of adapting to life abroad as Americans.-Howdy und Servus!! I'm Paulina :-) Welcome to The Pod Abroad, your go-to podcast for stories from international friends living around the globe! I'm originally from Texas and have been living in Munich, Germany for over 8 years. I initially moved for a master's program in sustainability and then liked it so much that I stayed!🎧 This episode is for you if:•⁠ ⁠You're curious about what life abroad *really* looks like as an American•⁠ ⁠You’re a Texan (or know one) and want to feel seen/laughed at lovingly•⁠ ⁠You're interested in cultural differences, stereotypes, and the awkwardness of fitting in•⁠ ⁠You're planning to move to Germany and wondering what to expectSaddle up and grab a pretzel — this one’s for the international Texans out there 🤠🥨⸻CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS0:00 Intro – Welcome back to The Pod Abroad0:23 How Pau & Max met at the Munich gym (Texas sticker bottle story)2:07 Episode roadmap – Texas, travel & life in Germany2:45 Max’s back-story: growing up NY → Canada → Texas3:46 From solo trip to love: why Max moved to Munich5:02 Texas roots – Houston vs. the Rio Grande Valley6:41 Missing Tex-Mex & appreciating hometown culture8:40 Houston’s diversity & Mexican-American identity chat10:54 German stereotypes about Texans (guns, horses, accents)12:03 Texan stereotypes Germans get wrong13:03 Whataburger, Buc-ee’s & H-E-B nostalgia15:00 Texas-size pride & Bavarian parallels17:45 UT Austin vs. Texas A&M rivalry explained21:45 College life comparison – Austin vibes vs. College Station29:06 Austin vs. Munich: culture, food & outdoors34:12 Asia travel recap – Hong Kong, Taipei, Seoul36:38 First real trip abroad & Croatia memories43:04 Moving to Germany: first impressions & semester in Würzburg49:02 German bureaucracy, visas and onboarding hurdles52:55 Advice for Americans eyeing a move to Germany54:56 Looking ahead – how long will Max stay?55:55 Rapid-fire “Would You Rather” game58:53 Wrap-up & thanks for listening🎧 FOLLOW USYouTube: https://youtu.be/r8J2Qqx0g8gApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pod-abroad/id1807093153More platforms: https://linktr.ee/thepodabroad📌 CONNECTIG → @thepod.abroadTikTok → @thepodabroad Email → [e-mail]🎥 PRODUCTIONVideo, Audio & Music: Tim ter HuurneBranding: Ali Khazanbeik @alikhazanbeik#ThePodAbroad #TexasToGermany #CultureShock #ExpatLife #AmericanAbroad #MovingToGermany #PodcastEpisode #TexansInGermany #Bavaria #MunichLife #USvsGermany #MakingFriendsAbroad #LifeInGermany #InternationalLife #TexasAbroad