Week 38: Deportations Deal, Oktoberfest and International Students

In today’s episode of Plus Forty Nine, we welcome Rufruf, an
international student from Pakistan who has been living and
studying in Berlin for over six months. Rufruf shares candid
insights into her experience navigating German bureaucracy,
overcoming language barriers, and discovering what Berlin truly has
to offer. We also delve into cultural differences around friendship
and social life—why making friends in Germany can sometimes feel
more challenging than expected. As always, we start with this
week’s top headlines: Germany’s schools have reopened across the
country, and Oktoberfest is about to kick off in Munich—the world’s
biggest folk festival. We explore how cities like Frankfurt and
Rostock are pioneering solutions to Germany’s skilled worker
shortage, and the federal government’s plans to streamline
deportations to Afghanistan. Plus, a closer look at Germany’s
international students, and the challenge of retaining talent after
graduation. Don’t miss our “Ask a German” segment, where we tackle
why Germany has so many public holidays — yet many people aren’t
quite sure what they evene celebrate.