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Hi, I’m Eran. Despite appearances (or confirming them), I’m about as culturally blended as potato salad.
My goal here is helping you keep Germany in your family, no matter where you are, even if the closest you’ve gotten recently is your local Aldi.
Like many German-heritage families in North America, mine emigrated in the ‘50s. My Oma liked to remind us how she literally walked from Germany to Canada (while sailing over), carrying my ever-wiggly mom as a toddler.
My parents' families integrated into Canadian life in different ways. One quickly adapting in the city, the other quietly settling in a rural area. Names were westernized, accents softened, but a few traditions were non-negotiable.
Christmas was my first clue we weren’t like our neighbors. Opening gifts on Christmas Eve raised a few eyebrows (and envy) among my friends. Add to that my grandparents’ habit of drifting from English into German mid-conversation as if testing our attention span.
As I began adulting with a fake-it-till-you-make-it mentality, I didn’t really know where the German in me began and the Canadian took over. While I have no complaints, I was a product of my environment. But the question remains: how do I pass on what I can’t quite put my finger on?
My parents made sure we remembered our roots early. I vividly recall a “German in 10 Minutes a Day” workbook from when I was around 5 or 6. German/English stickers labeled the fridge, television, door, the dog (quite possibly)... you name it. It was a small gesture, but surprisingly sticky (pun fully intended).
It took years for me to appreciate those subtle heritage lessons fully, but they stuck. Now, I’m committed to passing them along to my kids.
Language, crafts, holiday traditions, music, recipes ... whether individually or as a wholesale package, these are things we perhaps weren't aware we were being taught. Especially where multiple cultures intertwine under one roof.
That’s why I started this site. Nostalgia tastes better when shared around the table, especially when that table involves bread, bratwurst, and plenty of butter.
With 15+ years of travel, Germany remains an obvious favorite. From Hamburg and the North Sea coast, down through Bavaria’s Alps, and numerous cities in-between, I’m suitably overconfident in my mispronunciation of any city with an umlaut (yeah you, München).
Where pronunciation fails, my obsessive curiosity thrives. That's why I launched Tour My Germany with my mom (Just Like Oma) and niece Lydia. From exploring famous landmarks to crafting German-inspired playlists, I highlight what makes Germany captivating as a whole.
Thousands of people let me into their inboxes with my weekly newsletter about whatever caught my eye about Germany that week. It’s more like a visual board of German highlights than a typical travel mag. So far, so good.
In an AI-driven world filled with questionable info, I happily remain old-school: deeply researched, personally vetted, and genuinely useful.
Like my childhood German stickers scattered around the house, I’ll bring you:
Follow along on Facebook where I've created two groups:
You don’t need to speak perfect German. You don’t even need to like sauerkraut or lederhosen. Just show up with curiosity. And maybe a soft spot for pretzels heaped with Obatzda.