Living In Dusseldorf as Someone Who Doesn't Speak German

3POSTS

10 months ago

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.

1 member reacted to this post

See also

Accommodation in Düsseldorf - Guide
How many Filipinos living in Freiburg? - 3 Replies
To continue living and working in any country, particularly in Europe - 4 Replies
Looking for a German School in Dusseldorf - 7 Replies
Do you speak German? - 40 Replies
Does someone know a good relocation company in Germany? - 6 Replies
can someone help me move to Germany - 24 Replies

beppi Germany/Singapore Expert

15647POSTS

10 months ago

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.

1 member reacted to this post