Culture shocks, hospitality, and everyday life in Munich as two girls from Georgia and Texas
Today I’m joined by my sweet friend Bailey — a Georgia peach with the biggest heart and the sweetest southern charm 🥹 She’s only lived in Munich for about 9 months and is sharing about life here so far!!
We met this summer at a beer garden (shoutout Anika we love you!) and instantly clicked. This episode is basically a love letter to the unexpected overlap between the American South and Bavaria. Yes, for real. From regional pride and biscuits to beer, country vibes, and minding your business (or not)… we get into all of it.
We talk culture shocks, southern hospitality, the infamous German stare, and what it’s like to move across the world with your dogs and your husband and just… say yes to life!!! It’s warm, funny, and a little unhinged in the best way 💛
–––
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 moved here for a master’s in sustainability and ended up building a home (and podcast!) abroad.
🎧 This episode is for you if:
• You’re German and curious about life in the US South
• You’ve moved abroad and still feel like “the American”
• You love stories of unexpected friendships and cultural common ground
• You’ve ever been stared down on the U-Bahn 👀 (I know you have)
Grab a beer, find a sunny spot, or throw this on during your commute - let’s get into it ✨
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Intro: Howdy und Servus, y’all
03:30 Meet Bailey – from Georgia to Munich
08:45 First impressions of Germans (and their stares)
14:00 Compliment culture & missing kindness abroad
19:00 The night we met & warm hug energy 🥹
24:00 What is Southern hospitality, really?
29:45 “It’s okay to smile at someone”
33:00 The Bavarian Oma who changed my perspective
38:50 Why Germans mind their business (a little too much)
43:00 Public transport fights, dogs, and nosy grandmas
48:00 Southern vs. German food: biscuits, pretzels & queso
54:00 What we bring back in our suitcases from the US
59:00 Identity, belonging, and being “the American”
1:04:00 Final thoughts: kindness, connection, and culture
🎧 FOLLOW US
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/711j4OK...
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
More platforms: https://linktr.ee/thepodabroad
📌 CONNECT
IG → @thepod.abroad
TikTok → @thepod.abroad
Email → paulina@thepodabroad.com
🎥 PRODUCTION
Video, Audio & Music: my man, Tim ter Huurne (thank you always 💕 love you and I’m so grateful for your time and skills)
Branding: Ali Khazanbeik @alikhazanbeik (thanks for believing in me Ali)
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Law & Order: Criminal Justice System - Season 1 & Season 2
Season Two Out Now! Law & Order: Criminal Justice System tells the real stories behind the landmark cases that have shaped how the most dangerous and influential criminals in America are prosecuted. In its second season, the series tackles the threat of terrorism in the United States. From the rise of extremist political groups in the 60s to domestic lone wolves in the modern day, we explore how organizations like the FBI and Joint Terrorism Take Force have evolved to fight back against a multitude of terrorist threats.