In the last couple of weeks I have been so grateful for a few friends that I’ve made in the prenatal classes. Although it’s been hard to take the classes in German, I’m glad I’ve done it because I’ve met a few people who live on the same or parallel streets to me and we’ve been able to meet up at really short notice.

These women have been really kind to me; they’ve been patient with my German (which must sometimes be strange to understand), they’ve listened to me and we’ve shared our worries as though we have known each other for years. People in the north of Germany are renowned for being a bit distant at first but I have to say, these people have made me feel really welcome and included. Whether it’s been going for a walk, eating cake together or talking about the stresses of finding and registering with a children’s doctor (that’s a very popular topic here in Germany), I feel very lucky to be experiencing this part of my life at the same time as them. Pregnancy has definitely introduced me to a lot of great people.