PlusFortyNine Podcast

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.

In this episode of Plus Forty Nine, we speak with Andrea Fahmel, who grew up between Mexico and Germany - two cultures that shaped her identity, language, and sense of belonging.

Andrea shares what it’s like to live with a “liquid identity,” how German communities in Mexico kept traditions alive, and why directness something she once found intimidating has become one of her favorite parts of German culture.

Together, they talk about homesickness in the age of social media, the power of language in shaping integration, and the quiet lessons learned when you start understanding not just a country’s words,...