Nora Tschirner has experience in many different areas. After getting her start in the early 2000s as a moderator and VJ for German MTV, she transitioned to acting. In the subsequent years, Tschirner has taken on additional roles as director, producer, writer, and musician. She has graced both the silver screen and the small screen, showing off her talent has no limits.
But let’s focus on the films and use them to practice German language skills! This month, get to know Nora Tschirner better with her films Soloalbum, Keonohrhasen, and Gut gegen Nordwind!
If you are not yet familiar with German filmmaker Fatih Akin, then now is the time. One of my favorite directors, Akin continues to wow filmgoers with films that range from dramas touching on political, societal, and cultural issues, fun comedies, and even a documentary with an international flair.
So this month, practice German with films and get to know Fatih Akin with his movies Gegen die Wand, Crossing The Bridge – The Sound of Istanbul, and Soul Kitchen!
To say that actor Moritz Bleibtreu is a busy man is an understatement. He has nearly 100 acting credits to his name during his almost 40-year career. That is pretty impressive. He has appeared in major English language films like Woman in Gold, The Fifth Estate, Speed Racer, and Steven Spielberg’s Munich. But his film credits in the German language are equally as impressive. His roles are wide-ranging, showing his abilities at his craft. So this month, let’s learn German with the films of Moritz Bleibtreu.
Whenever my husband and I travel, it is a foregone conclusion that we will go to the art museum(s) in the city. I like art. He likes art. It makes sense and we enjoy it immensely. And it is by way of our love of art museums that I have found a great way to save money visiting museums with a reciprocal museum membership. Art museums can be expensive despite being well worth the cost. With a reciprocal membership, we’re able to enjoy admission to museums across the country without opening our wallets. (Except to show our membership cards, that is.)
Not only that, but a museum membership is a great way to put your money where your mouth is and support your local museums!
One of the worst parts of international air travel is coming back home. And by that, I don’t even mean the fact that your international adventure is over. (Although, let’s be real. That isn’t easy, either.) No, what I mean is that you arrive back in the United States only to stand in line for who knows how long, reeling from jetlag, in order to clear customs and immigration.
But international travelers flying into the United States from Dublin are required to complete Dublin Airport US Preclearance. You read that right: air travelers pass through United States customs and immigration before even leaving Ireland…or even Europe! While Dublin preclearance still requires you to wait in line, it gets the immigration check out of the way early.
This is especially relevant to travelers taking advantage of direct flights to Dublin with Aer Lingus. Let me tell you, there is no better feeling than arriving at your home airport after hours on an international flight and being able to simply go home without any extra checks. While this guide is generally for those with US citizenship, it also applies to international visitors, too.
With its location in the heart of Bavaria, Munich makes the perfect home base for exploring southern Germany and nearby Austria. And there really is so much to explore. Whether you’re looking for towns rich with history, adventures in the mountains and beautiful nature, visiting castles, there is something to appeal to everyone! With great transportation connections and lots of interesting sites within an hour to three hours by train, it’s a no brainer. Here are my picks of the best day trips from Munich!
With Oktoberfest not starting until September and the delightful German Christmas markets merely a fond memory, what can you expect visiting Munich in spring? Like so many popular travel spots, spring means warming temperatures and blooming flowers. And in Munich, it means a return to the outdoors as Biergarten culture resumes and a plethora of festivals begin. Spring brings a special excitement to Munich.
Traveling is stressful enough as it is, so I wanted to share some of my favorite Philadelphia tips and recommendations as a born and bred local. The City of Brotherly Love richly rewards visitors. There are countless museums, restaurants, and shops. The sports fans are diehard, to put it lightly. Renaissance man Benjamin Franklin, artist Mary Cassatt, and actor Kevin Bacon all have walked the streets and called the city home at one time or another. There’s history no matter what period of the past interests you. Get to know Philly with these local favorites.
I wish someone had told me these things before traveling to Germany for the first time. My husband (who was then my fiance) and I went armed only with our high school German knowledge, an envelope full of Euros and a positive attitude. But our good attitude only went so far as we spent two weeks in Berlin. It was rough. Since then, we’ve been back to Munich almost a half dozen times and we’ve become a bit of a well-oiled machine. Here are my best tips for things to know before traveling to Germany for the first time. Even repeat visitors might find something of interest.
Thanks to the Mobile Passport app I was asleep in the final hours of my flight from Reykjavik, Iceland to Newark, New Jersey. While my fellow passengers were filling out customs forms, I wasn’t thinking about paperwork. I had seen the app advertised online before leaving home and had convinced my husband that we should give it a try. The app promises a quick trip through U.S. Customs and Border Protection on arrival back in the good ol’ USA from abroad. It seemed too good to be true, I thought. But it was worth a try. What did I have to lose? The Mobile Passport app didn’t disappoint.
Smartphones have made so many aspects of travel easier. In our pockets, we hold a device with maps, transportation schedules, a way to call a taxi, order food, book a hotel room, pay for things — the list is seemingly endless. But as we depend more on our smartphones, we depend on having access to the internet. The easy way is using Google Fi wireless service. Or, you can research and buy a SIM card or a personal wifi device.
I’ve been a Google Fi subscriber for several years and taken my Fi phone with me. While you can always seem to find free wifi when out and about at restaurants and hotels, I’ve depended solely on Google Fi on the rest of my adventures in Germany and Austria.
Whether you’re traveling to Bavaria for Oktoberfest, Neuschwanstein or to take a day trip to charming villages or refresh with an alpine getaway, get ready to give your wallet some serious attention. While Bavaria is the second wealthiest of the German federal states, there are things you can do to save yourself a little cash while traveling. From taking advantage of technology to money saving passes, I’m sharing my favorite tips for traveling a little smarter. Consider it a little extra money for a Biergarten visit! Here are my simple tricks to save money traveling in Bavaria.
