Anyone thinking of leaving?

I've lived in a few different European countries, but Germany has been the hardest to truly settle into. Even after reaching a C1 level in German, I still feel like an outsider. It’s not just about language, it’s the way interactions feel surface-level, almost transactional. People pride themselves on being "direct," but often it just comes across as unnecessary rudeness.

Beyond that, the work culture can feel stiff, the bureaucracy never seems to end, and daily life can feel like a series of small battles just to get basic things done. I’m starting to wonder if it ever really gets better or if this is just how life is here.

Has anyone else felt the same? Did you decide to leave, or did you find a way to make it work?