I had the opportunity to live in Regensburg, Germany for 9 months back in 2021. I learned German in a language school because it is part of my German/Swiss Heritage. I wanted to fully connect with my European roots, so what better way to do so than by learning the local language?
This was my first time in a language school and I had no idea what to expect. If you do not know what a language school is: it’s where people from around the world (young and old) go to school for around 3/4 hours a day to learn their desired language. Some people I went to school with were brushing up on their German skills to pass their exams in school. One woman wanted to become a German teacher in Prague, another student wanted to become a doctor in Germany one day. There are a variety of reasons people decide to learn a language and I couldn’t recommend studying at a language school enough!
It was a bit intimidating arriving in a new country by myself and not even being able to form a sentence in German. I had so many thoughts and questions of self-doubt. How will I make friends? How will I be able to express myself in a new country? These were just some of the questions running through my mind when I first arrived in Regensburg.
I don’t know why I was so worried. On my first day of school, I was quickly surrounded by warm, loving teachers and eager-to-learn students. I was able to make friends from all over the world and am still friends with a lot of them today! It was impossible not to meet people because all of us students would mingle and socialize in the hallway before class started. We also made plans to meet up after school to visit cafes and explore nearby cities on weekends. Looking back, these were some of the best memories I had as a young twenty-something trying to figure “life” out.
9 months after I finished German school, I made a trip up north to visit Hamburg and Berlin. In my eyes, I was able to “pass as a local” and not ask for help in English. Which was a huge accomplishment from where I started so many months ago. I slowly gained more confidence and am now able to communicate in German.
Let me tell you one thing… you will NEVER regret learning a new language or TRAVELING to new places! You never know what kind of doors will open until you take the leap of faith and try it out for yourself!
Happy learning,
Kristy
