It takes more than good Wi-Fi and a rental contract to feel at home in Germany. Just ask Jen and Yvonne, the dynamic duo behind Simple Germany, a digital platform dedicated to helping newcomers navigate the famously complex terrain of German bureaucracy, culture, and life. With warmth, humor, and a knack for translating the untranslatable, they’ve become trusted voices for thousands of expats trying to make sense of Anmeldung, recycling systems, and punctuality.

Sigrid
Today we have two amazing women. One of them is a Latina, which always makes me happy, and the other is a German Kartoffel — in the best sense ever. They’re the founders of Simple Germany. Welcome, Jen and Yvonne!

Yvonne
Thank you so much for having us.

Jen
Should we cheer? Woo! Yes, thank you.

Yvonne
I love the intro.

Sigrid
The Deutsche Kartoffel?

Yvonne
It’s not often I get called that, but I’ll take it.

Jen
She’s a Deutsche Kartoffel with saucone — Spanish for „with spices.“ Actually, she’s also been called a sweet potato.

Yvonne
Yep. I’ll take both.

Sigrid
Okay, sweet potato and spicy potato. Let’s talk about Simple Germany. What is it?

What began as a way to decode the unspoken rules of German life has become a lifeline for thousands of expats. Jen and Yvonne reflect on starting Simple Germany during the pandemic and how their platform empowers internationals to feel more at home.

Jen
We started Simple Germany in 2020 to empower internationals who have recently moved to Germany, or who are planning to. The idea is to help them settle in smoothly by addressing all the unspoken rules and cultural differences they’ll encounter.

Yvonne
Everyone arrives with a different timeline, different priorities. It’s about helping people navigate the jungle of first steps — paperwork, housing, public services — and giving them the tools to make informed decisions.

Sigrid
Yeah, German bureaucracy can be a shock. What comes first? Anmeldung, the bank account, the apartment? Nobody really knows. So what’s the first step in an ideal world?

Yvonne
In an ideal world, you know why you’re coming — usually a job. You land with a short-term furnished rental, which includes Wi-Fi and utilities. You do your Anmeldung (registration), get your tax ID, and slowly build your life: find your rhythm, learn public transport, understand how recycling works. Then you look for a long-term apartment and start seeing Germany not as a maze, but as a home.

Language isn’t just about grammar—it’s the gateway to belonging. Jen opens up about her long road to learning German and how it reshaped her experience of the country and its people.

Sigrid
And what are the most common stumbles people make?

Jen
I wouldn’t call it a mistake, but a shared learning curve is definitely the language. My first year in Germany, my company helped with bureaucracy, so I didn’t need German. I surrounded myself with internationals and neglected the language. Years later, my international friends left, and suddenly I needed to make new connections but didn’t speak the language.

I kept waiting until my German was „perfect“ before speaking, but that held me back. It changed when I met Yvonne’s family. Her grandma and dad only speak German, so I had to try. And when I finally did, even imperfectly, it unlocked something. I started understanding humor, nuance, the tone of a joke. I won’t ever fully have the cultural context, but I felt much more integrated.

Sigrid
That’s key. Perfection is the enemy of progress.

What does recycling really mean? Depends on who you ask. In a playful game, Sigrid, Jen, and Yvonne explore everyday German concepts—from trash sorting to punctuality and how meanings shift across cultures.

Sigrid
Let’s play a little word game. Yvonne, first word: Recycling.

Yvonne
Oh, that’s her passion project!

Jen
You were chosen.

Yvonne
Recycling, for me as a German, means having 3 to 5 trash bins and being very mindful about where each thing goes.

Sigrid
What happens if someone gets it wrong?

Yvonne
Worst-case? Your trash doesn’t get picked up, and your neighbors are furious. That’s a serious life inconvenience.

Sigrid
Jen, your word is Pünktlichkeit — being on time.

Jen
From a Guatemalan perspective? Ironically, I’ve always been punctual. In Guatemala, I’d get upset when people were 30 minutes late. So coming to Germany was a dream. People show up when they say they will! I loved it.

Yvonne
German by heart.

Sigrid
Let’s talk about the Rundfunkbeitrag — the infamous TV and radio tax. Why do we pay it, really?

Yvonne
It’s controversial. People say, „If I can’t opt out, it’s a tax.“ But technically it’s not. It funds public broadcasters like ARD and ZDF, but more importantly, it supports cultural programming — niche theater, opera, local arts. Without it, many cultural voices would be lost in a purely commercial media world.

Sigrid
It’s about what kind of society we want. Culture is part of that fabric.

Behind every guide about electricity or health insurance is a deeper story about identity, vulnerability, and creating home. From bureaucratic hacks to emotional truths, Jen and Yvonne’s work is ultimately about connection.

Sigrid
So, if someone wants to dive into Simple Germany, where do they go?

Yvonne
Head to simplegermany.com. That’s our hub for all the practical, nitty-gritty guides. From there, you can also find our YouTube channel and Instagram, where we share more personal stories and reflections.

Sigrid
Favorite videos?

Yvonne
So many. I love the deep dives into complex topics like taxes or electricity — breaking those down is oddly satisfying. But the emotional ones, where Jen shares her personal journey, those really connect with our audience.

Sigrid
You two gave us just a glimpse today, but I hope you’ll return. We want to keep exploring the expat experience in Germany, and you make that journey feel a lot less lonely.

Jen
Thank you so much for having us.

Yvonne
And for the warm welcome.

Jen
It’s truly been a pleasure.