Living In Dusseldorf as Someone Who Doesn't Speak German

Member since 11 July 2025

SophieAyaJenningsNew member11 July 2025 03:07:58

I currently live in California; however, I spent almost three years in Düsseldorf, Germany. I moved when I was 10 years old in the beginning of the pandemic, prior to moving I didn't speak any German and had never been there before. My parents thought that tossing me into an all German pre-school would be the easiest way for me to learn German quickly, and while they were right, it was a struggle. My teachers and peers spoke no English, school kept getting shut down because of the pandemic, and my teachers constantly got frustrated with my inability to communicate with them. It took me about 6 months until I was able to hold a conversation, and a year until I was mostly fluent. Adjusting to the new cultural norms and systems was also a struggle, I'm still learning new things to this day, however, I was able to pick up most of their customs by asking friends and observing their culture.

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beppi Germany/Singapore Expert

Member since 08 August 2010

Germany & Singapore Expert

beppiGermany/Singapore Expert11 July 2025 06:48:45

15623

Thanks for sharing your experience and pointing out the importance of learning the language when you want to integrate and achieve a meaningful social life.