An American’s First 72 Hours in Germany: Oktoberfest & Culture Shock

An American’s first 72 hours in Munich, Germany 🇩🇪 | Oktoberfest culture shock, Bavarian food, German public transport & cultural differences! Childhood friends reunite as Luis visits from Texas for his first-ever trip abroad. In this episode of The Pod Abroad podcast, I welcome my childhood friend Luis for his very first trip to Germany. From Oktoberfest madness to exploring Munich, Luis shares his fresh perspective on Bavarian culture, German food, public transport, and the everyday details that locals often take for granted. We talk about: 🇩🇪 Luis’s first impressions of Munich (quiet trams, historic architecture, and kids biking to school) 🍻 Oktoberfest culture shock—beer tents, Bavarian outfits, and just how hot it really gets inside 🥨 German food vs. Tex-Mex (spoiler: everything could use a little Valentina hot sauce) 🏞️ Escaping the city for Bavaria’s nature, hiking up to Schliersee, and sliding back down 🌎 What it feels like to leave South Texas and experience another culture for the first time For me, it was extra special!! After nine years living abroad in Munich, seeing the city again through Luis’s eyes reminded me of my own first days abroad. ⏰ CHAPTERS: 00:00 Intro & Childhood Friends Reunited 03:00 Luis’ Story & Hispanic Roots 06:30 First Impressions of Munich 16:20 German Food, Beer & Culture Shock 22:15 Weslaco vs. Munich 30:20 4 day trip itinerary (City Tour, Oktoberfest, Schliersee) 56:50 Final Thoughts & Gratitude About The Pod Abroad Howdy und Servus, y’all! I’m Paulina, originally from Texas and living in Munich, Germany for the last 9 years. The Pod Abroad is a podcast sharing funny, honest, and unfiltered stories about building a life abroad. From cultural differences to new beginnings, each episode dives into what it means to create a home away from home. Weekly episodes feature my own stories and conversations with international friends. 👉 Have you ever experienced culture shock in Germany (or abroad)? Share your story in the comments! ✨ Subscribe for new episodes every Tuesday about cultural differences and life abroad. 🎧 LISTEN & CONNECT Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/711j4OK Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast More platforms: https://linktr.ee/thepodabroad Instagram → @thepod.abroad / thepod.abroad TikTok → @thepodabroad / thepodabroad Email → [email protected] 🎥 CREW Video, Audio & Music: Tim ter Huurne Design/Branding: Ali Khazanbeik https://ytjobs.co/talent/profile/410967