In this special episode of Let’s Talk German, I’m sharing my personal story — the story of how I went from never even thinking about learning German to becoming a German teacher and certified language assessor.

Back in the Philippines, German wasn’t part of my life. I loved languages, but I dreamed of French or Spanish, not German. Everything changed when I fell in love — not just with my now-husband, but with his family, especially his grandmother, Oma Elfriede. She spoke almost no English, but somehow, over coffee and a lot of hand gestures, we connected. That day, I silently promised myself: one day, I will speak German. I wanted to hear her story — in her language.

When my husband later asked me to move to Germany, I thought, "Why not? All I have to do is learn German. How hard can it be?" Well, it was hard. The grammar confused me, the words felt endless, and I doubted myself constantly. I wanted to give up more times than I can count.

But something beautiful happened. Step by step, I kept going — through every awkward conversation, every small success. I fell in love with the process. I learned to embrace the mistakes, the mess, and the slow growth. Learning German changed me. It made me more patient, more empathetic, and more alive.

Fluency, I realized, isn’t just passing the C2 exam — though yes, I did that. Fluency means being able to argue with my husband in German, to express myself fully to my mother-in-law, to comfort my friends, to joke, to handle real-life situations — and to feel like me in another language.

Then life surprised me again. Someone asked me if I could imagine teaching German. Me? A German teacher? I said yes. And that one yes opened a door I never even dared to knock on.

That’s how this podcast was born. This is where I get to share the real story — the doubts, the stumbles, the small wins that slowly build something beautiful.

If you’re an expat, a migrant, a partner, or a traveler trying to find your place in the German-speaking world — you’re not alone. You are welcome here.

💬 What does fluency mean to you?
Is it ordering coffee without fear? Expressing your feelings? Telling your story in German? I’d love to hear from you.

👉🏼 And if you’re ready, join my Free German Training Week — I’d love to see you there.

https://www.letstalkgermanwitheden.com