Four Seasons of Germany

This year marks 10 years since I returned to Indonesia after living in Germany for about a year and a half. So I thought I’d share a few memories and reflections from my time there.

I moved to Berlin in late 2014, arriving at probably the worst possible time: winter. Imagine coming from Indonesia, where we have sunshine almost all year round, to a city where everything seemed grey. I didn’t even see the sun until about a week after I arrived! I still remember how miserable I felt during those first few weeks.

But once I survived that first brutal winter, I slowly grew to love Germany, especially Berlin. It’s such a vibrant, multicultural city, with people from all over the world. The neighbourhood where I lived also had a large Asian community and plenty of Asian restaurants, which made adjusting to life there a little easier.

I didn’t have many friends when I first moved there, so I spent quite a bit of time on my own. It could get lonely, but that was also when I started sharing more of my travels on Instagram and writing about my experiences.

Berlin is particularly beautiful in spring and autumn. I loved walking around the city, sitting outside at a café whenever the sun came out (something I’d never think of doing in Jakarta!), watching people go by, or simply taking an afternoon walk in my local park.

Over time, I found little things to enjoy about each season: Christmas markets in winter, cherry blossoms in spring, those wonderfully long summer days, and the beautiful red leaves and cool breeze of autumn.

I also got to explore quite a few cities and small towns around Germany. Some of those little towns looked like something straight out of a Brothers Grimm fairy tale. I remember being completely fascinated by them because I’d never seen anything quite like that before.

Looking back, moving to a country where I barely spoke the language and didn’t know anyone wasn’t easy. The weather alone took some getting used to! But eventually, I found my rhythm and became more comfortable with life there. I also had the chance to spend more time doing two things I’ve always loved: traveling and writing.

Ten years later, I still remember those little moments, from the excitement of discovering a new place to the simple pleasure of sitting outside on a sunny afternoon.

So, here’s a little look back at the four seasons I spent in beautiful Germany. ♥️