How Italy and the UK Broke My German Comfort Zone

Living abroad changes how you see your home country.In this episode of The Pod Abroad, we explore life abroad, cultural differences, identity, and what it means to watch U.S. politics and democracy from Europe in 2026.In this conversation, I sit down with Holger, a German who spent more than a decade living and working in Italy and the UK, to talk about how living abroad reshapes the way you think, work, and understand the world.We reflect on how different countries shape people in fundamentally different ways. Italy’s improvisation and strong sense of community. Germany’s structure, security, and reliance on systems. The UK’s performance driven work culture and merit based mindset. Holger shares how these environments influenced his identity, career, and decision to step away from traditional work structures later in life.As an American who has lived in Germany for nearly 10 years, I also share what it feels like to watch the United States from the outside in 2026. We talk about political violence, policing, media narratives, and democratic institutions, and why these developments are especially concerning to Germans who recognize historical warning signs from their own past.This episode is grounded in lived experience. It is not about debate or certainty. It is about perspective, distance, and how living abroad forces you to confront who you are without titles, national narratives, or comfort zones shaping your thinking.🎙️ In this episode, we cover:• Living abroad and long term cultural adaptation• Italy, Germany, and the UK through lived experience• Identity beyond career and productivity• Early retirement and stepping outside work based identity• Watching U.S. politics and democracy from Europe• German historical perspective on state power and policing• Media consumption, bias, and information overload• How distance changes awareness rather than disconnecting you• Why lived experience matters more than opinion⏰ CHAPTERS00:00 Living abroad and perspective01:45 Identity beyond work06:00 Italy and improvisation14:30 Germany and structure20:50 The UK and performance culture28:10 How living abroad reshapes worldview36:40 Early impressions of the United States42:55 Watching the U.S. from Europe50:00 Media, power, and fear54:10 Final reflections🌍 About The Pod AbroadHowdy und Servus, y’all. I’m Paulina, originally from Texas and living in Munich, Germany for nearly 10 years.The Pod Abroad is a podcast about living abroad, cultural differences, identity, money, and building a life overseas without romanticizing it.👉 Join the communityIf this episode resonated with you, please like, comment, and share it with someone who might find it valuable.Subscribe for new episodes every Tuesday.🎧 LISTEN & CONNECTSpotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/711j4OKApple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcastAll platforms → https://linktr.ee/thepodabroadInstagram → /thepod.abroadTikTok → /thepodabroadSubstack → https://substack.com/@thepodabroadEmail → [email protected]🎥 CREWVideo, Audio & Music → Tim ter HuurneDesign / Branding → Ali Khazanbeik