Today I’m joined by my younger brother Oscar (but I call him Kiko). He’s a born-and-raised Texan, a firefighter in San Antonio, and an overall amazing guy!! He doesn’t like cameras and it’s not his thing, and totally did this for me…. so if you’re reading this… THANK YOU Kiko I love you lots.
We recorded this episode in San Antonio last week while I was visiting, and it’s packed with real talk - from why I’m not proud to be American (right now), to driving culture, tipping, religion, flags, guns (yup), and everything in between.
We laughed, we got deep, and we even talked about what it’s like to be siblings living on different continents. It’s equal parts spicy, sweet, and unfiltered 🤠
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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 everyday life in Texas
• You’ve ever felt conflicted about national identity or patriotism
• You’re a third culture kid or have family across borders
• You’re interested in hot takes on tipping, flags, and “freedom” in America
Grab a drink, cozy up on the couch, or throw this on during your next long drive — and let’s get into it ✨
**TIMESTAMPS**
00:00 Growing up in Texas: Who is Kiko?
03:02 Why you *need* a car to survive here
05:20 Tipping culture & the uncomfortable truth
09:55 American flags & nationalism explained
11:05 "I'm not proud to be American right now…"
16:00 Stereotypes about Americans in Germany
21:00 Religion in Texas: Daily life & politics
25:36 Guns in Texas: Pew pew vs. public safety
31:41 First impressions of Germany as a Texan
35:43 Food, veganism & Tex-Mex truths
37:50 What it’s like having a sibling abroad
43:00 German vs. American autobahns, bathrooms & more
46:06 – Final thoughts: Love, critique, and cultural identity
🎧 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: Normally my partner Tim ter Huurne, but this time it was a bootleg version that I created while in Texas and it was blurry the whole time 🥲 so he did what he could in post!
Branding: Ali Khazanbeik @alikhazanbeik
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