Sigrid
Today we’re joined by Joanna Schild. She’s a fellow communications expert, someone I met at an event where we immediately clicked—and ever since then, we’ve wanted to have this conversation about living in Germany as an international, particularly with a German husband in the mix. Joanna, welcome.

Joanna
Thanks so much. It’s lovely to see you again, Sigrid.

Sigrid
Let’s begin with how you ended up in Germany.

Joanna
Sure. So I was living in London and working in classical music, but I wasn’t happy. I’d visited Berlin before and really liked it—even though my German was pretty bad. My A-level German teacher once told me, “You’ll never learn the language properly unless you sit down with the grammar… or move there.” And I thought, why not? I was temping, not really sure what I wanted, so I decided to take the plunge and move.

That was 13 years ago. I started as an au pair—seemed like an easy way to get settled, with a house and a job—but it turned out to be a terrible decision. That didn’t last long. But about three or four months in, I met my now-husband. So instead of staying for one or two years, I… well, stayed.

Since then, I’ve built a career in internal communications, mostly in tech, and now work as a consultant. I’ve bought a house. I speak German every day. I never thought this would be my life—but so far, so good.

Sigrid
Moving from London to Berlin—capital to capital—what were the first things that made you think, “Oh, this isn’t quite the capital I had in mind”?

Joanna
Yes! Everyone says Berlin is big, but it feels quite small to me. London is more like if Frankfurt and Berlin had a baby—and that applies to culture, money, and even the East/West divide. East London is a bit like Berlin’s east: cool, creative. West London has more money—like Charlottenburg.

Berlin’s a young capital city, and you can tell. Gentrification is really only just picking up here, whereas in London that happened 20, 30 years ago.

When I first arrived, I lived in Potsdam, because of the au pair job—and that’s where my husband, Sebastian, lived. But I told him, “I can’t live here. It’s too small.” So we moved to Berlin. Charlottenburg, at first. Slowly, with each move, we’ve edged further and further east.

Sigrid
I think a lot of internationals arrive in Berlin expecting a big, booming capital like Paris, Madrid, or Rome—full of noise and grandeur. But Berlin is quieter, more understated.

Joanna
Exactly. I’d been here twice before—once with school, then again with friends—so I had a pretty clear idea of what I was getting into. But I also think the smaller scale is a good thing. It’s easier to get around. People here look out for each other more than in bigger cities.

There’s a lot of self-responsibility, which I really like. Sure, I’d prefer more direct flights from the airport, but I love the vibe of a city where you’re trusted to be an adult.

Sigrid
And maybe even a sense that you’re helping shape the city? That Berlin is still being made, and you’re part of that?

Joanna
Definitely. Though I’m not sure everyone would be thrilled about the story I’m contributing. I came over, worked in tech, said yes to rental prices that no local Berliners would accept. So in some ways, I’m the classic expat fueling gentrification.

But a lot of people I know came here for a more bohemian life—for art, freedom, and late nights—and I kind of went the other way. Berlin gave me structure: I found my career, met my husband, bought property. In London, I was drifting. Here, I found direction.

Sigrid
Let’s talk about your work. You’ve been in internal communications for years now. For people who don’t know what that actually means—what is it?

Joanna
Great question. Internal communications is about making sure employees understand how their work fits into the bigger picture. What’s the company’s strategy? What are the values? Where are we going?

It’s my job to make sure people have clarity on all of that. I act as an advocate for employees when I’m in meetings with senior leadership—wearing my “employee hat.” But I’m also a strategic advisor to execs, helping them communicate more effectively across the organization.

Sigrid
And how does that change when the company has employees from all over the world?

Joanna
Oh, massively. Being a native English speaker doesn’t help much if you use idioms, metaphors, or roundabout phrasing that no one else understands. You have to keep things simple.

Also, people receive information differently depending on culture. The *Culture Map* by Erin Meyer talks about this—it’s not just what you say, but how and when and through which tools you say it. In some regions, people adopt digital tools immediately. In Germany, there’s often more resistance, especially in large or traditional companies.

I’ve worked with companies from 600 people to 130,000. Startups, scale-ups, and huge DAX-listed corporations. Every phase and every region requires different tactics. But the principle remains the same: know your people and adapt to them.

Sigrid
Now to the personal side—you’re married to a German man. That’s a front-row seat to German culture. Any unexpected cultural moments in your household?

Joanna
So many! And what’s funny is, I used to think they were all just Sebastian things. Now I realize they’re *German* things.

Like the windows. He’s obsessed with Lüften. We heat the whole house and then—boom—he opens all the windows. I’m like, “Why are we letting the warmth out?” And he’s like, “It’s good for the air!”

Then there’s the squeegee. After every shower, I have to wipe down the glass. I don’t get it—it’s clean water, it’s a shower!

Also, meal times. He used to want lunch at 12:30, dinner at 6:30. But we have an international group of friends now—Greek, Spanish, Hungarian, American—and me being British, we’ve relaxed those rules a bit.

Sigrid
And now? What German habits have you adopted?

Joanna
Oh, plenty. Apparently I’m more punctual now. Definitely more direct. And I can’t sleep in a warm bedroom anymore—I need it freezing cold, like a proper German.

We speak German at home, which really helped me learn the language. It also means our arguments are shorter—I just don’t have the vocabulary to argue properly in German!

Sigrid
Some past guests have said they now take daily “purpose-less” walks, because it’s such a Berlin thing.

Joanna
Not me! I’d take a taxi to the bathroom if I could. But what I *do* wish is that I had the German superpower of opening a beer with anything—lighter, key, you name it. Thirteen years in and I still can’t do it. So jealous.

Sigrid
It’s wild what they can do—a key, the edge of a bench, even their teeth.

Joanna
There should be a training program at the Ausländerbehörde: “Beer Opening 101.”

Sigrid
Let’s circle back to your field for a moment. Do you think executives really understand the value of internal communications, especially in intercultural settings?

Joanna
Yes—and no. Every C-level exec I’ve worked with has understood it, but… they hired me. So they clearly see the value.

Where I see more misunderstanding is among employees. A lot of what we do is invisible. Sometimes the best work is preventative—stopping a problem before it starts. But that’s hard to see.

In my last role, some people worried I was just a mouthpiece for leadership—that internal comms was becoming “corporate.” So part of the job is educating everyone on what we do and why it matters.

And in times of crisis or rapid change, executives need to trust that internal comms is holding that space for employees—so they can focus on the big decisions.

Sigrid
We’ve talked before about how directness in Germany can sometimes feel personal—but it isn’t. And Berlin teaches you that pretty fast.

Joanna
Absolutely. The classic example is customer service. It’s gotten better, but when I first arrived, I’d sit in restaurants thinking, “Am I bothering this person by ordering food?”

But again, it’s just different ways of showing care. Germans might not say “please” and “sorry” as often as Brits do, but they’ll hold the door for you, give you their coat, let you board the train first. It’s not rude—it’s just another cultural language.

Apparently, I’ve become more German: I’m more blunt, more punctual, and I apologize less. And honestly? I’m okay with that.

Sigrid
It’s so interesting to see how we shift and grow in different cultures. We could keep talking for hours! But before we wrap—Joanna, where can people find you?

Joanna
I’m on LinkedIn. Joanna Schild. Come find me—I’d love to connect.

Sigrid
Thank you so much again for being here.

Joanna
You’re more than welcome, Sigrid. Always a pleasure.