Posts Tagged ‘language’

Today we went to the famous Rose Bowl Flea Market with some friends and spent a nice (and hot) day browsing around and shopping old stuff. Afterwards we decided to drive to Pasadena for lunch before heading back home. We had a great Sunday funday and Flo and I are really happy to finally have friends to hang out with over here. But the most important thing that again came clear to us today is that we have stepped beyond most of the language barriers we had since moving here.

In the beginning Flo and I both felt a little shy talking english, talking english in front of each other and especially talking english to each other. But this evening I actually realized that today I didn’t even feel like talking in a different language. Sure I sometimes miss a few words and have to ask for a few things, but talking english by now feels natural. And not embarassing or strange anymore.

It’s still pretty obvious that we are foreign to this country and our accent will probably stay that obvious for at least a few more years. But I feel like without being shy and without thinking about how each sentence might sound, we blend in a lot more than we did before! And that feels sooooo good!

I have to admit that Flo and I watch way too many german TV shows about people emigrating to foreign countries. Sadly most of them are super naive and think that moving to a new country means that you won’t have to work as much as you did in Germany. That actually makes me so mad. I hope none of you lucky Greencard winners who are about to move to our new home country, thinks that! Because let me tell you that: Moving here means work! And not only work to earn money!

Besides working for a living – which actually is a lot over here, because living is really expensive – you have to work on yourself in so many different ways: You have to work on the language, you have to work on your social skills and you have to work on your attitude! Because moving to a new country does not only mean joy. Don’t get me wrong: I love living here, I love our new life and I don’t regret that step at all. But I had to be brave in so many situations and that normally is so not me!

Sometimes Flo and I feel like little children or maybe people who study at nights after they did their day job. Moving abroad means being a student non-stop. I would say at least for a year! Sometimes it’s nice to learn new stuff, sometimes it’s surprising, but sometimes it’s also hard! But it also is a huge adventure! One you should appreciate! Even if it means a lot of work!

I actually waited for this to happen, but now that it’s really happening it creeps me out a bit. As the headline already says: My language barrier is finally beginning to crack. And with that I don’t mean that i had big problems speaking english before. The only problem was that I didn’t really feel comfortable doing it. I think it is absolutely normal to feel this way in the beginning and everyone who already moved to the US might now what I am talking about: The biggest problem you will have with the language is that you don’t feel comfortable speaking it. I always listen to myself while I talk, think oh my god I sound horrible and then begin to get insecure about it and talk crap.

But this week I had more than one moment where I kind of caught myself speaking english as if it were the most natural thing ever! I found myself in the middle of a conversation before I even realized that I wasn’t talking german, but english. And this feels amazing and strange at the same time! I really waited for that damn uncomfortable feeling to go away for a long time. But now that it begins to vanish I want to hold on to it for a bit longer.

As you may know Flo and I had a real easy start here in the US and so far everything worked out perfect. But there still are things that make me realize again and again that this is not our home country. The language was one part of that. And with every barrier falling down this whole emigration thing becomes more and more real! And that is kind of scary! Even if I still love being caught in this whole adventure!