I’ve often wondered the same question, sometimes I forget English is not everyone here’s native language and then marvel at how well everyone writes it when I realize.
Thanks for enlightening, it’s always neat to learn about how others have achieved such a wonderful command of the language. 
Even as a German I often take it for granted because in my circles people my age (I am 34) and younger usually have a pretty decent command of the English language. However, once you venture outside of your own circles that is often no longer the case. While most Germans do know some English, and the younger they are the more likely it is that they speak pretty good English, outside of the larger cities fluency is rather poor.
Unlike in the Netherlands or the Scandinavian countries everything is dubbed on German TV and in German cinema.
Streaming services and the internet have improved the situation somewhat but the vast majority of Germans still watches dubbed versions of movies and TV series. Sometimes it is really hard to find the original, non-dubbed versions by legal means.
Now in my case I was gifted ‘The Hobbit’ on my 14th birthday (having read the German translation and the German translation of LotR in the year before) but even though I tried reading it every now and then, it took me another two years to finally read through it in one go (with the help of a dictionary).
What finally motivated me to become fluent was reading the Harry Potter books. They feature fairly simple English, the vocabulary isn’t too extensive and I enjoyed reading them. Once I was feeling more comfortable reading English I moved on to Terry Pratchett’s discworld novels and realised how much of the humour got lost in translation.
I also got into World in Conflict and joined an international WiC Clan with members from all over Europe which enabled me to practice speaking English and then when Arma 3 released I joined a (mostly) British realism unit.
Also, my cousin who was studying in Edinburgh starting in the early 2010s got me into British comedy which of course helped with picking up idioms.
I love Fawlty Towers, Blackadder, A bit of Fry and Laurie, Yes, Minister/Prime Minister, all kinds of British panel shows (QI, WILTY etc.) and so on.
Nowadays, outside of German news and sports, most of the media I consume is English.
As a native speaker, what I find amusing is that I have had less difficulty conversing in English with Germans and in other parts of Continental Europe, than in certain parts of the ‘so-called’ English speaking world 
I remember this from the year Mrs. Troll spent in Berlin. I did my very best to locate every hobbyshop and tech hobby store, while I visited and she was working…
What I found was that almost nobody in the former east, knew any english. They were, however, extremely patient with me as I slaughtered the german language, trying to convey rather advanced technical questions. Nobody ever brushed me off, but listened and tried to help.
Edit. And this was in the pre-smartphone and google translate era.
My Grandfather (sort of step-grandfather if you will) is from Newcastle and I’ve known him all my life, I still have to ask him to slow down and start again when he gets excited. Its just noise.
Its FAR easier to talk to the mudspike euro contingency on Discord than have a face to face with him.
Heh I feel you, some of the UK mudspikers can be… challenging to understand at first blush 
A lot has changed in the last 20 years. Nowadays Berlin is unrecognisable compared to when I first visited in 2004. Back then the area around the central government district was still an enormous construction site. Funnily enough, you often hear more English than German and quite a few times when I sat in a Café in the central districts of Berlin waiters simply spoke english at first. They’re mostly university students and when you go through school with the goal to study at uni, English classes are mandatory. Cafés, Bars and Restaurants in Berlin probably require some English proficiency from their staff anyway.
Of course this changes when you get out from Berlin. Brandenburg has some beautiful nature but the Towns and villages further from Berlin can be quite depressing and I don’t expect many of the natives there speak much English.
Anyway back to some photography. Yesterday I visted a local farm that maintains an arboretum and a nature reserve on its grounds next to the farm shop. That’s where I managed to spot the king fisher. I plan on going back there next week (long weekend in Germany), maybe I get lucky and the king fisher comes closer this time. If it doesn’t work out I might have to rent some of the astronomically expensive lenses for a few days 
There was also a great crested grebe taking a nap on the water as well as a family of canada geese (photo coming in the next days)
On my way home I got into a thunderstorm with heavy rain which resulted in some amazing photos of cloudscapes over yellow rapeseed fields that I will also share at a later point
Anyway here’s the grebe and one of the many rain showers:
Yeah this is my main reason sometimes I feel conscious about my English in voice chat like discord.
I bless the times I play with you guys, I swear. But sometimes between trying to keep my Huey upright and the multiple people talking I feel like I’m literally a moron.
This is on me, eh? I’m not blaming anyone else!
I need to improve.
Also I’m studying German and I feel like that only times 100!
If you ever need someone to practice your German I’m up for it. Falls du jemanden brauchst um Deutsch zu reden dann können wir gerne etwas quatschen 
Gerne! Dankeschön!
It’s been a bit since I’ve posted anything here. And in all actuality, my photography opportunities have been rather nil. Lack of subjects and weather have dampened things.
But here are a few.
My morning drive a few weeks ago.
Ukraine An-124 in Maine
USMC Herk and Friends, departing
My wife’s flight back to Texas, early morning
Blue tit in the evening
“Sorry what?”
You can also say ‘Blaumeise’ if that makes you feel any better
Nicht is Klar. Ich bin eine auschlander nicht verstein Deutchs. Voe is die Flughaven bitte. Zwei grosse bier mit pomme frits bitte
And there ends my German. Apart from what I have picked up being taught to fly the Huey with the Germans on Low Level Heaven
Also BlauTitt’n ?
And yet…?
Sitting in Ruskington Thai Street Cafe before going to the cinema. The Lancaster bomber from RAF Conningsby will fly over as it does its tour of Bomber Command bases, it being the 80th anniversary of the Dams Raid , Operation Chastise.
The film we are seeing -
Guy Gibsons black labrador who was killed 80 years ago today by a car and buried at RAF Scampton at midnight, as Gibson led the first bombing run on the Mohne dam.
8 of19 Lancasters failed to return. 53 aircrew died.
Edited by Troll.
The dogs name is today considered offensive. I have edited the text and picture to the best of my abilities.
Let’s focus on the sacrifice of all those young men, on this daring and historic mission, 80 years ago.
My grandpa was a ‘fitter’ in a Lancaster squadron and he spoke about developing bombs to bust dams. He died when I was young and I regret not asking more questions while he was still alive. I have no idea if his squadron was involved in dam bombing or not. I had him share some of his experiences during world war 2 for a school project and recorded it on a cassette. Wish I knew where that cassette is
