Even at a point where I understand German fairly well, and can keep up (for the most part) in conversation, it still manages to catch me out.
This has happened multiple times… I’ll be sitting, for example, with a group of people at a friend’s place, in a conversation that’s been going on a while, predominantly in German. Perhaps my brain is full of German and I’ve started to tune out. Perhaps it’s late and I’m tired…
And suddenly everyone stands up.
And I’m left sitting, looking from right to left. Wondering… what on earth is happening?
What’s happening is… I’ve missed the lead up to leaving. That often/subtle switch in the conversation where people begin talking of next day plans, remarking on the time, and making general noises about leaving.
I miss those noises sometimes.
And it’s a shock, because abruptly we are standing up and it’s time to go and I’M NOT MENTALLY READY. And I flounder, and I fluster, and usually say something ridiculous.
It’s these subtle things that still get me… and will probably continue to get me. But at least at the end of this blunder… I get to go home and reset my brain for the next German meet.
an aussie in austria 
Love it. Made me chuckle.
This is so real!! I think it’s cultural, I never got used to it (exchange student in Graz ’24-’25)
Thanks! Maybe I will never get used to it 😉
While speaking the local language is an important part of living in another country, do you also have a social group that you can speak English in to give your brain a break occasionally?
Yes I do! It’s funny how it just turns out that there are certain people I always speak German with… and others that I always speak English with!