--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was thirteen years old, and we had…" description: "\"When I was thirteen years old, and we had just moved to Germany, I definitely felt I was missing out on normal teenage life. I was watching my old scho..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76d/alice-merton-13102_age-life_when-i-was-thirteen-years-old-and-we-had_1887852.jpg" --- # When I was thirteen years old, and we had just moved to… ![“When I was thirteen years old, and we had just moved to Germany, I definitely felt I was missing out on normal teenage life. I was watching my old school friends from Canada grow up without me while I was in Germany trying to learn the language and trying to pass each year without failing.” quote by Alice Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76d/alice-merton-13102_age-life_when-i-was-thirteen-years-old-and-we-had_1887852.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76d/alice-merton-13102_age-life_when-i-was-thirteen-years-old-and-we-had_1887852.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76d/alice-merton-13102_age-life_when-i-was-thirteen-years-old-and-we-had_1887852.jpg) > “When I was thirteen years old, and we had just moved to Germany, I definitely felt I was missing out on normal teenage life. I was watching my old school friends from Canada grow up without me while I was in Germany trying to learn the language and trying to pass each year without failing.” [Alice Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-merton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator feels isolated after moving to Germany, missing typical teenage experiences while struggling with language and academic pressure. **In simple terms:** Feeling left out while adapting to a new country. Key Takeaway Seek connection and support during transitions. Themes identity adaptation loneliness Mood nostalgic hopeful Type reflective personal When to use this quote - school exchange - immigration - language learning Key Concepts cultural adjustment social integration Questions to Reflect On - How can you build new friendships abroad? - What strategies help with language learning? A Different Perspective Isolation can affect mental health if unaddressed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Old school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-school/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [School friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school-friends/) [Teenage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teenage/) [Teenage life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teenage-life/) ## Related quotes > [I moved to Germany by myself as well, my family couldn't come out. It was tough. I was just working each day, not knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-smith-rowe/i-moved-to-germany-by-myself-as-well-my-family-couldn-t-come-out-it/) [Emile Smith Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-smith-rowe/) > [I was not tormented in any way; I was never even bullied. I had a nice teenage life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/i-was-not-tormented-in-any-way-i-was-never-even-bullied-i-had-a-nice/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [I'm very interested in the way the Internet has changed teenage life. Obviously it's very different from when I grew up, when there weren't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/i-m-very-interested-in-the-way-the-internet-has-changed-teenage-life/) [Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/) > [I was very much a mess, as a person. I'd come from a very turbulent teenage life, with parents who had broken up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-almond/i-was-very-much-a-mess-as-a-person-i-d-come-from-a-very-turbulent/) [Marc Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-almond/) > [I always wanted to experience the street life because my teenage life in Aberdeen was so boring. But I was never really independent enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/i-always-wanted-to-experience-the-street-life-because-my-teenage-life/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [The area of teenage life is not necessarily rarefied; we've all gone through that period. It's not as rarefied as a western or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/the-area-of-teenage-life-is-not-necessarily-rarefied-we-ve-all-gone/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [“My interest in comics was scribbled over with a revived, energized passion for clothes, records, and music. I'd wandered in late to the punk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/my-interest-in-comics-was-scribbled-over-with-a-revived-energized/) [Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/) > [In my world, before I knew about Eddie Van Halen, I was playing piano, and at that point in my teenage life, I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/in-my-world-before-i-knew-about-eddie-van-halen-i-was-playing-piano/) [Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/) > [McDonald's offers a king's ransom to any hip-hop artist who is able to put Big Mac into a song. MTV - and more to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/mcdonald-s-offers-a-king-s-ransom-to-any-hip-hop-artist-who-is-able/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [Anybody who has a problem with 'Skins' obviously doesn't understand teenage life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-hoult/anybody-who-has-a-problem-with-skins-obviously-doesn-t-understand/) [Nicholas Hoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-hoult/) > [I have something that makes me happy on some level and this is a good way for me to deal with the torment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/i-have-something-that-makes-me-happy-on-some-level-and-this-is-a-good/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) > [I was desperate for something to read that dealt realistically with teenage life, and I thought others might be, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-hinton/i-was-desperate-for-something-to-read-that-dealt-realistically-with/) [S. E. Hinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-hinton/) > [Teenage life - possibly adult life too is all about what you want and can’t have. And then about what you receive and misuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lethem/teenage-life-possibly-adult-life-too-is-all-about-what-you-want-and/) [Jonathan Lethem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lethem/) > [My aunt made stuff; my mom was creative, so I was surrounded by that. When I moved to England, it was '75, and everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-cornejo/my-aunt-made-stuff-my-mom-was-creative-so-i-was-surrounded-by-that/) [Maria Cornejo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-cornejo/) > [Iam a teenage girl, I love, get my heart broken, break heart, parrty, sleep like there's no tommorow, ake mistakes, tears, get into fight,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/iam-a-teenage-girl-i-love-get-my-heart-broken-break-heart-parrty/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Alice Merton > [Home, for me, is with the people who I really love - whether that's in England with my family, Ireland with my relatives, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-merton/home-for-me-is-with-the-people-who-i-really-love-whether-that-s-in/) [Alice Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-merton/) > [I would bake for my grandma because she has never had anything I've baked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-merton/i-would-bake-for-my-grandma-because-she-has-never-had-anything-i-ve/) [Alice Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-merton/) > [I was on the beach, and I was just thinking to myself that I have no one place where I actually feel like I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-merton/i-was-on-the-beach-and-i-was-just-thinking-to-myself-that-i-have-no/) [Alice Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-merton/) > [Baking is more like chemistry, following certain instructions and knowing what comes out in the end. It's almost reassuring! Songwriting is a creative process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-merton/baking-is-more-like-chemistry-following-certain-instructions-and/) [Alice Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-merton/) > [If I don't feel the music, I can't perform it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-merton/if-i-don-t-feel-the-music-i-can-t-perform-it/) [Alice Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-merton/) > [I get mad about something, and then I have this melody in my head, and then afterwards, the lyrics come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-merton/i-get-mad-about-something-and-then-i-have-this-melody-in-my-head-and/) [Alice Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-merton/) > [There's a few kids out there who like singing to my songs. They're, like, five, six, seven years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-merton/there-s-a-few-kids-out-there-who-like-singing-to-my-songs-they-re/) [Alice Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-merton/) > [I'm definitely sleep deprived - it is so hard to sleep on a tour bus! It moves around so much, and we have really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-merton/i-m-definitely-sleep-deprived-it-is-so-hard-to-sleep-on-a-tour-bus-it/) [Alice Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-merton/) > [I like eating yummy things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-merton/i-like-eating-yummy-things/) [Alice Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-merton/) > [At the end of the day, it's not the labels buying the music: it's the people out there, and you have to be behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-merton/at-the-end-of-the-day-it-s-not-the-labels-buying-the-music-it-s-the/) [Alice Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-merton/) > [Music is something I can control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-merton/music-is-something-i-can-control/) [Alice Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-merton/) > [I wanted to take the seriousness out of everything a little bit, because it kind of fits my style.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-merton/i-wanted-to-take-the-seriousness-out-of-everything-a-little-bit/) [Alice Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-merton/) > [I'm putting out music that I love, and they're basically just stories of my life and how I try and teach myself to think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-merton/i-m-putting-out-music-that-i-love-and-they-re-basically-just-stories/) [Alice Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-merton/) > [I have complete creative freedom. If I want to put a song on the album, there's no one stopping me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-merton/i-have-complete-creative-freedom-if-i-want-to-put-a-song-on-the-album/) [Alice Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-merton/) > [I don't like being dependent on other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-merton/i-don-t-like-being-dependent-on-other-people/) [Alice Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-merton/) [Explore all 51 Alice Merton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-merton/) ## More Age life quotes > [In one century, we've added 28 years to our average life span - a change so rapid that our brains couldn't possibly have evolved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/in-one-century-we-ve-added-28-years-to-our-average-life-span-a-change/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [Iam a teenage girl, I love, get my heart broken, break heart, parrty, sleep like there's no tommorow, ake mistakes, tears, get into fight,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/iam-a-teenage-girl-i-love-get-my-heart-broken-break-heart-parrty/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Were anyone wondering how Sen. Harry Reid intended to manage life in the minority, it took one day of the 114th Congress to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberley-strassel/were-anyone-wondering-how-sen-harry-reid-intended-to-manage-life-in/) Kimberley Strassel > [Cancer has been the No. 1 cause of death during the last half-century. The trend is getting even worse as the average life span increases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasuku-honjo/cancer-has-been-the-no-1-cause-of-death-during-the-last-half-century/) [Tasuku Honjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasuku-honjo/) > [“sixty-seven years.14 Not anymore. Today the final three Ds in our chain reaction can disassemble companies and disrupt industries almost overnight, reducing the average…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-h-diamandis/sixty-seven-years-14-not-anymore-today-the-final-three-ds-in-our/) [Peter H. Diamandis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-h-diamandis/) > [If I could transform my stage life to the movies, I'd be Jack Nicholson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-dennehy/if-i-could-transform-my-stage-life-to-the-movies-i-d-be-jack-nicholson/) [Brian Dennehy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-dennehy/) > [“Death was a constant fact of life. The reaper struck with fire and drowning; typhus, malaria, yellow fever, and a host of other diseases;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-weisberg/death-was-a-constant-fact-of-life-the-reaper-struck-with-fire-and/) Barbara Weisberg > [“In an average lifetime, a heart pumps about one million barrels of blood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-kellett/in-an-average-lifetime-a-heart-pumps-about-one-million-barrels-of/) [Jenny Kellett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-kellett/) > [“By not burning their poppy fields to the ground but instead maintaining a security umbrella that international development agencies could safely work under as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-wood/by-not-burning-their-poppy-fields-to-the-ground-but-instead/) [Jake Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-wood/) > [When you get to my age life seems little more than one long march to and from the lavatory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-c-benson/when-you-get-to-my-age-life-seems-little-more-than-one-long-march-to/) [A. C. Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-c-benson/) > [Policy people suffer their own kind of agony, and no wonder. After all, what is the average life of the policy person? You go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/policy-people-suffer-their-own-kind-of-agony-and-no-wonder-after-all/) [Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/) > [In 1820, the average lifespan was just 26 years. Twenty-six years!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-diamandis/in-1820-the-average-lifespan-was-just-26-years-twenty-six-years/) [Peter Diamandis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-diamandis/) > [“In my old age, I see that life itself is often more fantastic and terrible than the stories we believed as children, and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eowyn-ivey/in-my-old-age-i-see-that-life-itself-is-often-more-fantastic-and/) [Eowyn Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eowyn-ivey/) > [My aunt made stuff; my mom was creative, so I was surrounded by that. When I moved to England, it was '75, and everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-cornejo/my-aunt-made-stuff-my-mom-was-creative-so-i-was-surrounded-by-that/) [Maria Cornejo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-cornejo/) > [Everything you now do is something you have chosen to do. Some people don't want to believe that. But if you're over age twenty-one,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/everything-you-now-do-is-something-you-have-chosen-to-do-some-people/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) Browse all 175 Age life quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was thirteen years old, and we had just moved to Germany, I definitely felt I was missing out on normal teenage life. 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