Learning to start over: Between Spain and Germany

When I was eight years old, my life changed completely. Together with my family, I left my home country and moved to Spain. The reason was my father’s work; he had fruit shops there and was running them for more than 21 years. At that time, I did not really understand what was happening, but I knew that things would be new for me.

Spain was very different—the country, the language, and the people. I was nervous, but also very curious. I started school and tried to get used to my new life. Just when I was beginning to feel okay, COVID suddenly happened and changed everything. Schools closed, and I could not continue learning in a normal class, which was very hard for me.

This time was difficult, but it also helped me grow. I had to learn Spanish almost by myself and with my family. The Spanish people were very kind and open. Our neighbors talked with us a lot, and there was one old woman who always sat with me and helped me learn the language. She was very patient and friendly, and because of her, I felt more at home. Thanks to her, my father, and the people around us, I slowly learned Spanish.

Life in Spain became very beautiful. I was learning the language, I was surrounded by relatives, and I felt happy. I also helped my father in his fruit shops. I talked to customers, stood behind the counter, and carried boxes of fruit. I was proud because I could help him. One fruit shop was even named after me, Maria’s Frutaria, and that made me feel very important. These years gave me joy, confidence, and a strong feeling of belonging. I was really happy there.

But everything changed again when I was eleven years old. My father made a sudden decision that we had to move to Germany. We had no relatives there, and no one in my family could speak German. We did not know the system, and every small thing was a challenge. Every form, every meeting, and every task felt very stressful because we had to do everything alone.

In 2021, I came to Germany with my family and went to the RSH in the international class. I still remember my first day clearly. I was nervous and scared and didn’t know how the teachers would be. I couldn’t speak a single word of German. Before my first day, I learned some common sentences in German to manage a little. I was welcomed by very kind, patient, and friendly teachers who made sure that everyone could take part in class.

I always tried my best to improve. I had German tutoring after school and studied for hours in my room. At home, I practiced German with my sister again and again for two years. Making friends and communicating was very difficult at first. It sometimes seemed impossible, but we found our own ways. We used hand gestures, body language, and even our legs to show what we wanted to say.

A new girl came to our school who couldn’t speak English or German, and no one spoke her language. At first, we couldn’t talk at all, but we became friends by using gestures and body movements. We helped each other, learned together, and slowly started speaking German. Today, we are still very good friends. Our friendship grew from gestures to real conversations, and it showed me that even when words don’t work at first, friendship can still grow.

I am very grateful to my school because they offered language camps. These camps helped me a lot. Many children from different countries and cultures came together, all speaking different languages. I learned about new cultures and religions and made many new friends. We also had German classes and practiced theater plays. Performing in front of our families and other people, made my German better and gave me more confidence. During the holidays, I always went to the language camps, where the teachers were friendly, kind, and always took care of us.

After two years in the international class, my German was good enough to join a regular class. That was a very big achievement for me. However, there was a problem: there was no place in the regular class, so I had to wait and repeat everything for two more years. After that, I finally joined the regular class in seventh grade.

It was very hard—new teachers, new students, and a new system. I felt confused, tired, and sometimes lost. I missed my old classmates and teachers, and the new teachers had different ways of teaching. Slowly, I began to understand more and more. I learned how to organize my work better and adapt to the new system. Even though it has been challenging, I am proud of myself for adjusting to the new class and improving my German. I know that friendships take time, and I am still learning how to become part of the class.

My journey is still not finished. Immigration taught me many things. It taught me how it feels to start over again and again. Spain gave me pride and confidence. Germany taught me independence because we had no one to help us. I learned that even if you feel lost, you can still find your way. Immigration is not only moving from one place to another; it is moving from who you were to who you become.