JOIN THE LOCAL: Podcast listener offer__In the first episode of our Germany in Focus podcast, host Rachel Loxton is joined by The Local journalists Sarah Magill and Aaron Burnett in Berlin, while writer Nic Houghton joins us from Augsburg.Tune in as we chat about the energy crisis in Germany and how the government is trying to tackle it and support households with rising bills. We also look at when to turn on the heating on as we go into the colder season, and tips and tricks on staying warm at home. Since we recorded the episode, the German government has formally announced that it is ditching the gas levy, and bringing in a gas price cap. Here are the latest details - and don't forget to check out The Local Germany's homepage for developments.In the episode, we also dig into a recent German court ruling that says employers have to formally monitor and log all staff hours and what it means for workers. And we look at the follow-up nationwide plans for the €9 public transport ticket, as well as Berlin's regional ticket (and why it's not a good deal for those in the C zone). But it's not all about news stories - we're also discussing the German words that have slipped into our English vocabulary, why Germans love the word Shitstorm and we find out what Oktoberfest is really like and what other cool beer festivals there are in Bavaria. You can listen to the episode HERE. Please leave a rating or review wherever you listen to the podcast as it helps ensure that more people discover it. Don’t forget to hit the follow button (or + sign) on Apple or tap the notification bell on Spotify to ensure you get a reminder whenever we publish a new episode.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.