My German Layer: Reflecting on What Germany Gave Me

There are seasons in life that feel like a pause… and then there are seasons that completely reshape you.

Germany was that season for me.

When we moved overseas, I didn’t fully understand what I was stepping into. I knew it would be an adventure. I knew it would stretch me. But I didn’t realize just how many layers of myself I would uncover in the process.

Learning to Live in the Unknown

Nothing humbles you quite like not knowing the language.

Simple things—ordering coffee, reading a sign, making a phone call—suddenly felt overwhelming. I went from confident and capable to second-guessing every word and gesture. But slowly, piece by piece, I learned.

Not just the language…
but patience.
resilience.
and how to be okay with not getting it right the first time.

There’s something powerful about rebuilding your voice in a new place.

A Life Opened Wide

Living in Germany gave us something I will never take for granted: access to the world.

We traveled to 25 countries during our time there. Twenty-five.

Each place added a new layer—new perspectives, new flavors, new ways of seeing life. We wandered through cities I had only read about, stood in places that felt surreal, and created memories that still don’t feel entirely real.

Travel didn’t just show me the world.
It showed me how much bigger life could be.

Finding Belonging in Unexpected Places

One of the most beautiful parts of living abroad was the community we built.

We found our people.

Through clubs, shared experiences, and simply showing up, friendships formed in a way that felt deeper—because we were all navigating something unfamiliar together. There’s a bond that comes from being far from home and choosing to build one anyway.

We celebrated everything

Cultural Moments That Stay With You

From Oktoberfest to local wine festivals, parades through small villages, days spent picking grapes at wineries, or parties at castles — it felt like stepping into traditions that had been alive for generations.

But these weren’t just events. They were invitations into a culture.

The Hard Parts No One Talks About

But here’s the truth — not everything was easy.

There were moments that tested me in ways I didn’t expect.

Like getting stuck in a public bathroom because I couldn’t figure out how to get out (yes, really this happened, and my expat friends reading this are probably getting a good laugh recalling this moment). To working a washing machine and dryer that’s all in German, getting money from an autogeld (ATM), or navigating endless cultural red tape that made even simple tasks feel exhausting.

Can we talk about getting a drivers license? Over 60 hours studying 1,150 theory questions, each with three possible answers. Thankfully, I was able to get the english study guide, but it was British english, so I still had to figure out what a “sunken curb” was or a “zebra crossing”.

Then there was the news that I was sick with a rare heart tumor, and needed emergency life saving surgery during COVID. Having to navigate a foreign hospital by yourself when you are really sick, and don’t speak the language is daunting. And recovery wasn’t what I expected either. I couldn’t just do what I wanted anymore because my body wouldn’t let me.

There were also moments that truly tested me as a mother. One of the biggest was traveling to Turkey alone with my boys. It sounded fine when I planned the trip, and also now when I look back on it. But while I was there it was overwhelming for me. I internally questioned my choices while driving through unfamiliar cities, and strange roads I didn’t understand, all while trying to stay calm in front of my kids.

Then there was that time in Italy. What was supposed to be a fun ski trip quickly turned into one of the scariest moments of my life as a mom. One of my boys has a severe peanut and tree nut allergy, and experienced his first ever anaphylaxis reaction. We had to epi pen him and transport him to an Italian hospital. One moment we were enjoying the trip, and the next I was riding in an ambulance speeding down a mountain with my son, terrified and trying to stay calm and strong for him.

But with all these experiences, it wasn’t just about learning to drive, or navigating hospitals —it was about learning to think differently.

To slow down.
To adapt.
To keep going even when it felt frustrating, overwhelming and scary.

These moments stripped everything back…and in that space, I found a new version of myself. One that I am proud of. For the first time, I realize what it truly means to push through fear, uncertainty, and challenges I never expected to face. There were so many moments I could have given up, stayed comfortable, or convinced myself I couldn’t do it – but I didn’t, and I’m so glad. There is no growth in fear.

What Germany Gave Me

Germany gave me more than memories.

It gave me perspective.

It gave me resilience.

It gave me layers.

Before Living abroad, I think I viewed life more simply – as chapters that started and stopped. But Germany taught me that life doesn’t work that way. We are constantly shaped by the places we go, the people we meet, the challenges we survive, and the moments that change us.

Every difficult season added another layer to who I was becoming.

The uncertainty.

The adventure,

The fear.

The beauty.

The growth.

None of it wasted .

Living abroad forced me into situations where there was no back up plan, no familiar comfort zone, and no easy way out. I had to learn how to trust myself in ways I never had before. I had to become more adaptable, more courageous, and more grounded in who I was.

And somewhere along the way, I realized something important:

We are not meant to stay the same.

Every experience – good or hard – becomes part of us. It shapes how we love, how we grow, how we see the world. and how we carry ourselves forward.

That realization is where Living Layered was born.

Because to me, living layered means understanding that we are built over time. Layer by layer. Season by season. Through joy, heartbreak, change, adventure, motherhood, healing, uncertainty, and growth.

It means realizing you are not starting over when life changes. You are carrying every lesson, every memory, every challenge, and every version of yourself forward with you.

And that is something beautiful.

I hope my boys saw that during those years. Not perfection – but perseverance. A mother willing to step into the unknown, learn as she went, and keep moving forward even when things felt uncomfortable or hard. Because some day, they will face their own difficult seasons too. I hope they remember that growth often comes from the moments that challenge us the most.

Carrying It Forward

When we eventually left Germany, I didn’t feel like I was going back to who I was before.

Because I wasn’t.

I had changed.

Germany will always be one of my most defining layers in life, and Living Layered became the way I finally learned how to describe it.