My first three weeks in Düsseldorf

It’s been an incredibly busy three weeks since I moved to Düsseldorf. I have been settling into my new job, getting to know the city, meeting new people, and filling my evenings with various flat viewings – not to mention celebrating my 24^th birthday and (more importantly) Eurovision.

But with a flat now secured and a bit of down time on my hands, I can happily take the time to update you on my progress in beautiful Deutschland.

The job

View from the office

I’m not going to lie: I love my new job. Don’t get me wrong – I loved my old one too, but working in the travel industry is everything I hoped it would be. I am now writing about travel, researching travel and working with people who travel every chance they get, and despite the travel envy and the constant need to buy flights, I love it.

The perks of the job aren’t too bad either: my first task was to register for the free trip in early September to a mystery destination. The company charter a plane for the 200 or so employees and don’t announce the located until you’ve landed. Last year was Sardinia. Not too shabby.

The city

Südpark – the city’s largest park

One word gets mentioned a lot when I talk about Düsseldorf with the other expats here: green. Düsseldorf is the place to visit if you love leafy, tree-lined avenues and park after park. It is absolutely lovely.

The city also has a lot going on: in the short time I’ve been here, there’s been the Night of the Museums (with all museums in the city open until 2am and an amazing after party) and Japan Tag (with a lot of German teenagers dressed in manga and anime costumes leaving the house for possibly the only day this year).

I am absolutely absolute in line with the view of Düsseldorf’s skyline from the river.

The flathunt

Architecture in Dusseldorf

Possibly the most painful part about living in Germany is the infamous flat hunt. I was pretty set on living with Germans to practise my German, so I knew I would be in for a bit of a treat, but the process of finding a shared flat in Germany still confuses me; I was cheerily informed by one girl that after visiting the flat and sitting and talking with her for over half an hour, I was through to the second round. This involved more sitting and more talking to make sure we really connected.

X-Factor style open auditions are pretty common here, too.  And you have to pay extra if you want a flat with kitchen applications already installed. Mental.

But thankfully I found a lovely place in a great location that I will be moving into on 1^st June. With a kitchen. (Address supplied on request.)

The lifestyle

Dusseldorf Marktplatz

It is so nice to be back in Germany, I find myself walking around with a dopey grin on my face half the time. I’ve drunk more Radler than I care to recall, my new favourite bottle of Hungary’s favourite wine costs a ridiculous €1.79 at Aldi and I will soon be purchasing my first bike since the age of 10.

Sure, I’ve noticed some cultural practises here that make absolutely no sense (to be covered in a later blog I’m sure) but on the whole, I am perfectly content here and feel confident that I made the right choice.

Now if I could just find somewhere that sells cider…