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#MyGermany: 'I moved to Düsseldorf for love'

The Local Germany
The Local Germany - [email protected]
#MyGermany: 'I moved to Düsseldorf for love'
Jenna Davis in Düsseldorf. Photo courtesy of Jenna Davis.

Every month, a new reader takes over The Local's Instagram for a week to show us their Germany. Jenna Davis, from Ontario, Canada, recently showed us her Düsseldorf.

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How old are you and what do you normally spend your days doing?
 
I'm 27 years old and actually recently just had a baby boy, Max. That means most of my days at the moment are spent with one eye open, changing nappies and trying to get out for some fresh air every once in a while.
 
However, when I do get some time to get out and explore, my golden rule is to explore something I've never seen before. After 5 years in Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, I am still constantly surprised and amazed at all the wonderful places and events there are to explore. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Hey there! ✌? I’m Jenna and I’ll be taking over The Local Germany Instagram this week to show you around my city: DÜSSELDORF! ? I moved here from Canada about 5 years ago to be with my German husband. Crazy how time flies, we have a house and a baby and have really settled into the city now. I took my experiences as an expat and turned it into a blog - @lifeindus -which is what I’m working on at the moment! Rather than taking you around on “a day in the life” experience, I’ve gathered my favourite memories and moments from the past year to take you on “a year in review”. Starting with one of my favourite hidden spots in Düsseldorf, the sunflower fields of Himmelgeist. ? Not many locals even know where this spot is, but in the summer and fall months you can cut your own sunflowers from this field and leave the payment in a tin can at the front entrance! Pretty neat, huh?! ? …. #germany #mygermany #thelocalgermany #düsseldorf #sunflowers #himmelgeist #summer #expat

A post shared by The Local Germany (@thelocalgermany) on Apr 12, 2019 at 6:27am PDT

When and why did you move to your city/neighbourhood?
 
I moved to Düsseldorf almost 5 years ago, and I did it for love - I know, how cliché, right? 
I met my husband 7 years ago in South Africa when I first started travel writing. After a couple of years long distance, it was time to make the big leap over the pond and start my new life here in Germany.
 
Düsseldorf, Germany isn't necessarily a city you think of when someone says "GERMANY", and that's exactly why I was rather hesitant when I first moved here. I had set my hopes on convincing my husband to move to one of those well-known magical places like Munich or Berlin, instead of his hometown, Düsseldorf.
 
After having the amazing opportunity to visit all 16 states, every single capital city and many small villages in between, I'm so thrilled and so thankful that I call Düsseldorf home now. It is an incredible city with a small town feel and for me, it is so much better than any other life I could have dreamed of living in one of those big well-known cities.
 
 
I love that despite being a small city of just over 600,000 people, there is always something to do or see in the city. There is also a great mix of nature and urban space, so whatever I'm feeling up for, there's always something to keep me busy exploring. 
 
I live in Unterbilk, Düsseldorf which is a chic and trendy area close to the Media Harbour. It's a 20-minute walk to the old town and an awesome place to window shop and indulge in different ethnic cuisines! 

What annoys you the most about your neighbourhood?
 
Parking. Hands down, parking is impossible in Unterbilk. I've pretty much memorized the entire tram schedule though and find that I often get somewhere quicker when I use public transport than I would if I decided to drive.

How should I spend a day in your neighbourhood?
 
A perfect day in Unterbilk is spent walking along the trendy streets like Lorettostraße and Bilker Allee, exploring different one-of-a-kind shops and then sitting down for a delicious lunch or dinner. What would you like? There's Hawaiian, Australian, Korean, Greek, Turkish, Italian, should I keep going? 
 
You can then spend the evening wandering along the Rhine River and exploring the beautiful buildings in the Media Harbour, or kicking back with a wine in hand at one of the restaurants overlooking the water.
 
What's a fun fact not everyone knows about your neighbourhood?
 
Today, Unterbilk is one of the trendiest neighborhoods to live in Düsseldorf. However, what many people don't know is that Unterbilk was once one of the cheapest places to live and was certainly no place to raise a family. It was for industry and industry workers who were coming in and out of the port with their shipping boats before heading on their long journey down/up the Rhine River.
 

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