Moving to Düsseldorf and feeling worried

I'm about to move (temporarily) to Duesseldorf. I really don't want to as I love my life here, but it's either go to Germany or I don't get my degree. So I'd just like to make initial contact with people to see if I can make myself feel any less panicky about going (possibly should have tried this before therapy and hypnotherapy, but I'm impossibly illogical!). I'm living in Pemplefort, which apparently is nice, but never having been to Duesseldorf I wouldn't know! Hopefully hear from someone soon...could harp on here for ages, but it would probably get boring.

Are you going as an ERASMUS student?

You'll be fine. Düsseldorf's a good party town esp. the Altstadt, and the locals are friendly.

Relax and enjoy!

No, not an erasmus student, I decided not to be lazy and am working 45 hours a week for an e-commerce company...

Ah... well, erm, I guess it's still possible to have fun

What is it that you are actually worried about?

I'm not worried about having fun, i'm worried about how I can prevent myself being utterly miserable! Ok that does sound over dramatic. I'm worried because I don't want to be away from everything at home, I love my family friends and boyfriend. Also I have health problems and I don't want to be stuck in germany feeling rubbish. Plus I'm rather shy and worried about making friends

Ok, have a search through this site. There are various threads by newcomers, people feeling homesick, people leaving family behind, people getting ill while away from home, people worried about making friends etc, etc. Have a read of other peoples experiences and you'll see that it's not so bad and there are plenty of opportunities to be very happy if you just make a little effort.

Here's one for starters from someone who once sounded a little like yourself in terms of being afraid of the whole shebang.

And if you think you're alone in your worries and fears you're not. There's loads more people who've gone through the same stuff.

Have a browse of this cheerful lot.

Depressed 1
Depressed 2
Depressed 3

Just hang around the Irish pubs; you'll soon make friends.

depends where home is. if it's the uk then it's only an hour flight. and amazingly there's the phone, email, skype to keep in touch with family and friends.

and the health system here is actually pretty good (surprise surprise) so no worries about that.

and the beer is better (though the stuff in d'dorf isn't as good as in Munich).

what is it you'd be worrying about again?

maybe you could even start a tt d'dorf curry night or something and become a legend in your own time!

I don't understand. Pemplefort is a suburb of Düsseldorf. How can you be living there but never been to Düsseldorf?

That is where she will be staying when she arrives in Düsseldorf I would imagine

Indeed I will be living in Pemplefort, and would have though that obvious. So, I'm very young, never been away from home even, so there's no need for people to show disdain for my fear; other people may have been through it, but I haven't yet...therefore what I'm feeling is quite natural. Everyone else, thanks for your advice.x

Exactly sweetie, others have been through it before and therefore 1. you're not alone in what you are doing and 2. you can benefit and learn from the experiences of those who have gone before you. There is no substitute for experience and you can use that to your advantage by reading what other people have done.

Or to put it another way, if you are not willing to accept advice, warts n'all, don't ask for it. I looked up those links for you and I don't appreciate the way you simply dismissed them. I'd rather you simply said thanks and went on your way. It'd make people like myself more likely to offer assistance in the future

Get Sky TV. Avoid contact with the locals. Job done.

I think Düsseldorf is OK, well, okish. The old part of town is quite a blast, and unlike Munich, you won't get nicked and strip searched for carrying 0.0001g of dope, which is nice.
The only people I know in Düsseldorf actually leave the place every single weekend though, and escape to the country. Make of that what you will. Fortunately, pfennigs are no longer used as currency, which is good, because their accent when they say "zwanzig pfennig" used to really really wind me up.

Have suddenly discovered hithertofore (what a weird word) unknown paternal feelings towards this poor waif.
Düsseldorf is a wonderful city and Pempelfort is probably the best place to live if you are young and single. Its only a quick Straßenbahn trip to the centre and the Altstadt is, as previously mentioned, the hub of all local (and not so local) nightlife. Culturally, it has masses to offer and there is a fairly decent sized ex-pat community here. It is so easy to make friends, but mixing with the locals is def recommended as they are extremely friendly here (friendliest people I've met in Germany - and I've lived here 16 years, in about 8 different places). If you need any help with settling in, just drop me a pm, be glad to help.

If you've lived in 8 different places in Germany and for 16 years, that gives your assessment of Düsseldorf a fair bit of authority, IMO, righter.

I'm curious as to what you think of Wuppertal.

I've been to Düsseldorf a couple times to do some shopping and once to an Irish pub for Paddy's Day (I was with a couple German friends and the place was so crowded there was hardly room to stand so I didn't get a chance to talk to anyone else really).

If Düsseldorf is as friendly as you say I think I should spend more time there (only a 20 to 40 minute train journey away).

I have been living in Düsseldorf for 4 years now, having spent time before in Luxembourg and Stockholm. And I really like the place. The standard of living is good, plenty of culture in and around the area and always things to do although sometimes you have to look a bit to find it!

How long will you be staying for FP? Maybe you (and your boyfriend) can try and view it as an opportunity to really experience Germany - I guess he can pop over a few times and you can nip back when you feel like you need a few home comforts. Flights aren't too bad (depending on where in the UK you are from )

Thanks for the link dj, has made me feel a little better about going. It will act as a kind of security blanket until i pluck up the courage to speak German to real Germans i think (as thats the whole point of going!).

I'll only be in Duesseldorf for 6 months, which isn't a long time, and forutnately flights to duesseldorf aren't expensive from where I am. All things considered really I have no reason to be as worried as i am, but i honestly can't imagine myself having another life somewhere else...but i'm going to have to!

(to anyone who reads this, sorry for the long post!!)

Jeez I don't remember people being so harsh on this board... give the poor lass a break!!

Seriously tho, you will be fine moving out there, especially as its only six months. I lived in the 'dorf for 2 years and moved back to the uk at the start of the year, but still stay in touch with people out there and know someone else moving out there in Oct (hence the return to the board to browse for tips).

From my experience there are three sets of locals, those that love foreigners, those that hate them and those that do not give a stuff. You'll bump into the middle lot from time to time, but they are a minority so just ignore them in much the same way that you ignore small-minded people in all corners of the globe. As with any country, local people are friendlier and more willing to do business if you speak the lingo... don't be shy in using your German skills, people open up when you do and no-one gives a monkeys if your der's, die's and das' get a little mixed up; they appreciate the effort (everyone says that and I was dubious about it too but its totally true!!).

Besides there are lots of expats who are generally good, friendly people... those that have been there a while will probably have german mates too, so you can tap them to keep the german skills honed.

I thought I'd hate my time there, and there were cerainly moments when I did, but overall it was a fantastic experience and the moments that I loved it (e.g. better standard of living, cheap food/drink, the locals who were friendly) far outweighed the darker moments. Don't be put off when you do feel a bit crappy about the whole thing, its natural... give it all you've got and you won't regret that decision to go.

Good luck!

PS - you can do worse than start by a trip to the Red Lounge in the Alstadt. Abdul, who runs it is the soundest local I met, v. friendly and is always happy to take newcomers under his wing!