FAQs about Alisa Jordan

It’s only natural that you want to know more about the person behind the blog posts – I’m exactly the same! After years of sharing my experience of living in Frankfurt and being in touch with so many of you, I’ve put together your FAQs, so that the answers are all in once place 😊 Here goes:

What brought you to Germany?

At 14 years old, I went on a school German exchange trip to Berlin. I fell in love with the city and instantly engaged with the culture. Following this, I was keen to explore so took several trips back to Berlin and developed a passion for the language. I eventually went on to study Applied Languages (German and Spanish) at university, and studied abroad for one year as part of my degree. I loved my semester abroad in Spain, but saw Germany as somewhere I could live long term. After graduating, I worked in my home city London for a few years, which I absolutely loved! However, I wanted more adventure and more exposure – plus it would have been a shame to lose my language skills. So one day I told myself that I was going to move to Germany. And that’s what I did.

Why Frankfurt?

Because this is where I got a job – haha! If you’re wondering about my experience of moving from London to Frankfurt, you can read more here.

How did you learn German?

I’d love to reveal my magical secret to combatting this difficult language, but the truthful answer is ‘ongoing dedication’. I share my most useful German language tips here, but if you really want to learn German, exposure is key. And you can do that without being surrounded by locals or living in the country. Listen to German podcasts, read German blogs and watch Netflix with German subtitles. For me, it was the constant exposure that made the real difference.

How did you find a job in Germany?

I applied the old fashioned way and utilised connections. I sent out numerous applications, I used LinkedIn, I joined Facebook groups and I spoke to people. It was slow to begin with but eventually picked up. Consistency is key!

What do you do in your spare time?

This blog! Yep, alisajordanwrites.com is a hobby, not a job. I sometimes ask myself how I find the time, but after several years, it’s just become part of my routine. I like to create; whether it be text, video, or even gifts for friends, you can guarantee that I’m always in the middle of making something new.

Have you made real friends in Frankfurt?

Good question. To answer quickly – yes. To add more info – it took ages and a lot of effort! I’ve shared my tips on how to meet new people when you move abroad, and also how to do so during a pandemic. Remember that patience is a virtue and think quality over quantity!

How do you find living in Frankfurt?

As with anything, I think that the experience is what you make it. Frankfurt is a small city, which means it’s easy to familiarise yourself with your new home, but still provides you with a vibrant city life. Not only that, but if you like an outdoor adventure, Frankfurt is just half an hour away from the Taunus mountains. It really offers the best of both worlds. As expected, there have been times when I’ve struggled with Frankfurt, but as soon as you stop comparing it to other cities, you begin to appreciate Frankfurt’s unique charm. Unfortunately, Frankfurt has a reputation of being boring. But I’d ignore that – see my blog post on Frankfurt from a different perspective for more insights on what this city is really like.

Thanks for reading! Check out my About page and social media for more info on what it’s like to live in Frankfurt! 😊🤩