PlusFortyNine Podcast

This week, we dive into something many newcomers think about sooner or later: getting a pet in Germany. And let’s be honest - nothing prepares you for how seriously Germans take dogs, cats, and every creature in between.

We talk with Katja Herbst, a Tierheilpraktikerin - basically an animal health practitioner who works with dogs, cats, and horses using traditional Chinese veterinary medicine. She explains what you need to know before adopting a pet, how to choose the right breed for your life, why some “trendy dogs” struggle with health issues, and what makes German adoption centers so thorough.

We...

In this episode of Plus Forty Nine, Andrea hosts her first interview in the series and sits down with Vanessa Muñoz-Pretzell - a yoga teacher from El Paso with Mexican, Lebanese and Cherokee roots who has been living in Berlin for eight years.

They talk about how yoga became Vanessa’s path, what it means to move from warm, open cultures to Berlin’s rough edges, and how language, community and small rituals can slowly turn a foreign city into home. Vanessa shares what shocked her, what she’s grown to love, why she still misses desert sun and good tacos, and how...

Week 47 of Plus Forty Nine takes us to Berlin with Andrew and Maurice, the two minds behind 20 Percent Berlin – a newsletter and podcast that translates the city’s news, quirks, and politics for the 20% of residents without a German passport (and the many more who feel that way).

In this episode, we dive into how 20 Percent Berlin emerged from a pandemic layoff and became a lifeline for anyone who needs Berlin’s news in English to feel included. We get into the idea of German burnout - the deep fear of change, the “no experiments” mindset, and...

We’re replaying one of our favorite conversations with Jen and Yvonne from Simple Germany—a smart, funny guide to making life here actually work. We talk language as the real unlock, the first steps after arrival, and how to avoid the classic newcomer traps.