Hallo Reader,

Most people think the hardest part of moving to Germany is the visa stress or paperwork.

It’s not.

The hardest part is the in-between phase.

That moment when you’ve arrived, you’re technically doing everything right, but you still feel like you’re missing a secret manual everyone else got.
That phase when you don’t feel settled and feel behind.

Nobody tells you how disorienting it feels to:

• Not understand official letters
• Miss or not understand small social cues
• Feel confident one day and completely lost the next

This is normal. And it doesn’t mean you made a mistake.

Germany rewards patience, structure, and consistency, but the rules are rarely explained upfront. That’s why so many English-speaking foreigners feel overwhelmed at first.

If this is you, I want you to hear this clearly: You are not failing, you are adapting.

4years (even after being here for 2years at the time), I remember thinking to myself, “Was moving here a mistake?”

After a while, I came to an understanding; feeling overwhelmed doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you’re adapting to a system that values structure over reassurance.

One day, you’ll open a letter without panic and understand it without support.

Another day, you’ll catch yourself explaining Germany to a newcomer, and that’s when you realize: oh… I’m settling in.

So allow me to hold your hands and say If it feels hard right now, you’re not behind.
You’re exactly where you’re supposed to be, and this phase will pass. You will find your feet and feel the ground beneath you again.

Before I let you go

Here is my most recent content released for you.

On YouTube

• ​Changes In Germany 2026​
• ​Insurance In Germany: All You Need To Know as a foreigner​

On Instagram

• ​Public Holidays in Germany for 2026​
• ​Understanding vacation days in Germany​

I try to post daily on Instagram, so check out all the cool stuff there. https://www.instagram.com/naijagirlingermany/​

Until next time, I hope you have a fantastic week.

Talk to you soon

Ogenna