A Hannover Surprise

Back in 2000, I was on a six-month secondment in Germany, staying in a town called Celle,

just outside Hannover in north-West Germany. When I got the role, I was asked how my German was,

and I said, “Basic, but still learning.” Germany — and the German people —

surprised me in a good way, because it wasn’t what I expected when I arrived.

It was much more open than I had imagined, provided you made an effort with the

language and the people. My German at that point was very basic, but with daily practice

I slowly made headway and became more confident navigating everyday life. Another colleague

of mine, Evelyn, was fluent in German and helped me immerse myself in the language.