Ben Begrüßt Bayern
A Puzzling Language Learning Adventure with Near From Home
Narrative First
Language emerges naturally from real travel moments, not grammar exercises
Tourist Vocabulary
The bizarre compound nouns on signs and survival words you'll encounter in your first 24 hours
Context & Memory
Words stick because they're tied to places, emotions, and experiences
You Found It Early!
You've stumbled upon my latest project (That I haven't even announced)! Take a look around and enjoy this sneak peak. If this seems interesting to you then please do reach out to let me know and send us an email of support at
neverfar@nearfromhome.com
Honestly, even just a quick "Hey, found your secret project and it sounds really cool!" makes our day.
What is this?
A story-driven language learning puzzle book designed specifically for English-speaking travelers heading to Germany. This isn't another grammar textbook. It's a narrative journey through Bavaria and beyond, where you'll learn German the way real travelers actually need to learn it: through authentic moments at airports, train stations, beer gardens, Christmas markets, and mountain villages.
Each chapter follows our protagonist's adventures through Germany, teaching vocabulary not through rote memorization, but through the exact situations where you'd actually hear and use these words. You'll learn Gepäck when struggling with luggage at the airport. You'll pick up Speisekarte when ordering at a restaurant. You'll understand Glockenspiel when standing in Marienplatz waiting for the famous clock show.
Why I'm Writing This
I'm Ben from Near From Home, and after years of creating travel guides for Bavaria and running day trips around Munich, I've seen the same problem over and over: traditional language learning materials completely miss the mark for travelers.
You know what happens? Someone spends weeks with Duolingo learning to say "The boy eats an apple" in perfect German grammar, then arrives in Munich and has no idea what Anschluss means at the train station, can't decipher Ausgang from Eingang, and freezes when the hotel receptionist asks about their Reisepass.
How This Book Is Different
No grammar drills. I won't make you memorize der/die/das rules. (I'll even tell you it's okay to ignore them as a tourist—though your German teacher might disagree.) Instead, you'll pick up patterns naturally through context, the same way you'd learn if you were actually in Germany.
Story-driven learning. Each chapter is a self-contained travel narrative with vocabulary woven naturally into the experience. You're not studying flashcards. You're following someone's journey from arrival at Munich Airport, through their first anxious hotel check-in, to confidently ordering at a beer garden, navigating train connections, and experiencing Bavarian traditions. The vocabulary sticks because it's attached to moments, emotions, and places.