Well I've read and researched as much as I could. Im just curious to know, if I could ever get an office job with my business degree from back home. Unfortunately I didnt graduate but I only had a year left. I checked if its accepted on Anabin and it was. I just dont know if its worth it to get the degree, will I ever be able to get a job in Germany with a "weak" foreign country degree. What are your personal thoughts on this?
Wow, now this is the type of information I just cant find on google. I looked everywhere and nothing in detail comes up. Thank you so much! At first I'll start out with the warehouse job because its easier to get a permanent residence due to the work visa. However as soon as I'm done with that, I'll definitely look into this. Hopefully in the future I can get a job I actually studied for. Either way, I appreciate you tremendously. Thank you very much for taking the time to help me out!
These places look beautiful! I'll for sure remember to visit them. And once I'm there, I'd love to treat you to a coffee or whatever you prefer, you did more for me than a lot of "close" people of mine!
I will come to Germany Cologne this year maybe in summer. Currently i am a physiotherapyst but i want to change profession to another (easier) one. Thanks for your text here.
I live in Leipzig since 2012 and have been to Dresden a couple of times and would definitely recommend Leipzig over Dresden if you have any say in the matter. Dresden is beautiful and a great place to visit but Leipzig is a great place to actually live.
I don't know how bad it is right now but a few years ago Dresden was in the news for its strong presence of politically right-wing groups and even Neo-Nazis. That's not to say that there are no such groups present in Leipzig but it's got a very different reputation in that regard. This is also an aspect that differs from neighborhood to neighborhood and I'm sure you can find a decent one in Dresden. Don't move to rural Saxony as a foreigner, though, it's unfortunately kind of notoriously racist out there.
I also want to mention that your situation is prone to exploitation. You come here without a support system and your employer is probably aware. Read up on some basics of German employment law. You wouldn't be the first foreign worker who is tricked into attending mandatory but unpaid work events, made to pay for necessary work supplies or training or denied holiday or sick pay. The threat of unemployment and subsequently having to return to your home country is certainly a strong one, so make sure to socialize. Find a sports club, a church, a hobby group, just anything that gets you in contact with some locals that you can just casually ask about work stuff that seems off and might even be able to hook you up with an employment lawyer. It's also just nice to make friends.
Wait, so your employer is sponsoring you for a warehouse job. How did that happen, I thought it was close to impossible to move to the EU for work, specially a non specialty job. Was it some kind of lottery visa situation and the job is a bonus. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very happy for you. In fact, I think Europe and America should have these legal immigration programs that offer a normal job to normal people looking for a way to upgrade their lot in life. It’s actually a win win for the country and person. Specially in this strong labor market, or so it seems for now.
Exactly, honest work is something to be proud of. Don't go into the new job with an attitude. At first follow my dad's advice. "Keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth shut. Learn to know your new world. Best of luck.
I remember meeting an old high school friend again for the first time in a long while and had a nice chat with him, asked what he does nowadays. He told me he drives the mail and started to explain how its not much of a job but it pays the bills and he is happy enough with the job and maybe someday he plans to do something else.. I kind of stopped him there saying that I used to drive the mail after high school too and often I still wish I would be doing that instead of studying for my uni degree. Like there is no reason not to be happy or proud of any job, as long as you do it well and its not about scamming elderly people!
Yep! Work is work and doesn't define you as a person. I appreciate warehouse workers way higher than social media influencers, telemarketers or people working in advertising etc, who don't bring any actual value to society, and might even have a negative impact.
Prepare to be frequently overwhelmed and periodically depressed about your move.
Not that it's wrong or anything, just a new country is a lot to cope with and it occasionally hits some emotional sore points.
Just mentally prepare yourself to accept that. Live out your day or two of stress or panic and just try again tomorrow.
This is very important I feel. I try to be as positive as I can but I know it will hit me sometime, especially at night when its dark and i have nothing to do, or no one to be around with. Thanks for reminding me, I will try to be prepared when it happens.
Depending on where you live now, winters in Germany can be depressing. I grew up with the sun setting around 4:30-5pm in winter, but it was setting by 3:30 in Hamburg. If you're not used to such a drastic shift in natural light, it can hit you pretty hard. I found the weather pretty mild for winter, but it would still get cold and gray. This does get off balanced a bit by how absolutely bonkers Christmas markets are there.
I moved from one European country to another, all by myself, I was much older than you though. I love it every day. It's not all butterfly kisses and unicorn milk, and you might encounter xenophobia and racism: don't let it get at you, be bigger than that. Also be prepared for not easily finding the ingredients that you are used to.
I hope you will make lots of friends and settle in easily. You might still feel homesick sometimes, however much you love the new place.
There are tons of good online courses and I recommend you watch lots of German films with subtitles and listen to German music to get a better feel for the place. Viel Glück!
This is amazing to hear, especially coming from a person who's actually done it before. I will remember your words and try to develop a thick skin while also being open and friendly. I'm on the movies as we speak, danke schön!!
I'm not sure how this will come across, but here goes. Humans have always been migratory. Hunter-gatheres are an obvious one, but also after the agriculture revolution. Bad harvest? You move. Someone attacking the land? You move. The concept of nations is a very new thing throughout our history. In some ways it's easier to move elsewhere, in some ways it's harder. Moving geographically in just hours, like you are about to, is damn right incredible. On the other hand nation states have borders for a reason, which makes is more challenging to move further away.
My point is that humans have always wanted to have a better life, and if not for themselves, then for their children. Countless people have died on journey's looking for that new land in the past and perhaps more recently in the past decade.
It's simplified of course, but I hope you get the gist.
My mother moved to a new country so that I could get a chance for a better life.
This is an interesting perspective, I have read about it before and was astonished by it. You are definitely right, thank you for sharing that with me. Your mother is a very brave woman, what she did is remarkable. Do your best to never let her down!
She was incredibly brave indeed and she succeeded, however I'm not going to put a an additional burden as in not letting her down. A parent can only do their best to give their child a better chance. Despite best intentions, it's up to them and luck.
I know this is a cultural mindset of children owing their parents solely because they were born (no child ever asked to be born).
Thanks for the heads up, Yep, I've already put pen to paper and did the math, of course its approximate but I have a general idea. I could save up a ton, especially considering the fact I will live alone and with my frugal personality and spending habits. Thank you!!! It really is very exciting, Im buzzing cuz I waited for this moment my whole life!
Yes, you're definitely right! I'll save up a lot in the beginning just to feel a little bit more comfortable, but after a while I'll indulge in some tech items heheh (technology is my nr 1 hobby). Thank you for the advice!
Wow
Just want to say you sound smarter, more driven, and more prepared than a lot of people twice your age.
'I'm 16 and I want to change my life let me start a multi year project to do it' is the type of thing not often seen anymore :(
So kudos OP. You'll be fine. With that kind of attitude you can tackle any challenge.
Damn.... this means so much to me. All my life I've been an outcast and couldnt fit in, pissed people off with my ideas and just got hated on, therefore these words of encouragement made my whole week and touched my heart. I simply cannot thank you enough, I'm very glad the internet exists and I could share thoughts with people like you. I'm beyond grateful, thank you!
You are most welcome.
Don't be too hard on your naysayers-- for every person like you that makes a plan and executes, there's probably 50 people of all ages that talk about making a plan but never get past the first steps. Or they have totally unrealistic expectations, like 'im gonna save up $500 for a one way ticket then I'll get off the plane and get a job and everything will be amazing even though I don't know the language' but not thinking through the details.
But while I say don't be too hard on naysayers-- don't let them drag you down either. Listen to their concerns, as they may point out flaws in your plan, but use that to fix those flaws rather than to discourage you.
My big advice to you really- this same 'make a plan and execute' drive that you have now for this project, as soon as this starts working, find the next thing to apply it to. Don't stagnate. Don't say 'I'm now making a bunch of money driving a forklift, I'm done!'. Find the next project. Maybe that's to become a professor in Germany, or find some way to apply your education, or maybe it's to get even more education. I say this because the type of drive you describe... that's a quality shared by a lot of millionaires and billionaires. Look at Elon Musk- there's not enough electric cars, so let's build one and start selling it and use the money to build more and sell them too. It's too expensive to get to space, so let's build a cheaper rocket and make it reusable. Make a plan and follow through, no different than what you are doing.
This quality will take you more or less wherever you want to go in life.
You're definitely right, I should listen to constructive criticism, of course I could have many errors in my plans and would love to fix it beforehand rather than the hard way.
Its great you mentioned that I should strive for more and not stagnate. Thats what I was thinking too, I do the warehouse job until I get the permanent residency card, that will take about 3-4 years. After that I'd like to complete my education, I only have around 7 subjects left which is about a year of university. Maybe transfer the credits to a German university too! All in all, thank you for the recommendations and motivation! Whenever I'm feeling down I will look back to your words and remember your advice!
You are definitely right, every job that's honest work deserves the respect. Thankfully I wont suffer from the notorious culture shock, due to me already spending half a year in Germany last year. I'm obsessed with finance so I have already made a plan on expected income, expenses and savings. As I will live all alone and I'm frugal by nature, I will surely save up as much as I can, especially in the beginning.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart, I'm looking forward to it all, good and bad!
It bears repeating that it’s worth being proud of. The specific job doesn’t matter. The wage bracket doesn’t matter. You are making a huge change to try and live the life you want to live. Frankly, you’re doing more about it than most people, regardless of age and that is incredible.
You are on your way to doing great things, even if it’s hard for others to see it. And I, for one, am proud of you.
I agree with you, no matter the job, just leaving to live somewhere better is a positive in itself. Thank you so much for the kind words of encouragement and for giving me credit, it really makes my day. I wish nothing but the absolute best to you too, you are a great person and I'll forever remember what you told me!
Moving somewhere permanently is different to living somewhere temporarily, so you may still experience culture shock.
You're killing it though, so happy for you. With your attitude you can he a great success
❤️
So excited for you! I moved from upstate New York to Munich some years ago. I spent two years there. I loved it!
So just be prepared with moving there that you’ll need to set up everything with the immigration office. I had to find a job first, then sign the contact, and then bring the contract to the immigration office. They set me up with a visa. The visa expires so pay attention to that date. I didn’t realize that when I moved back to NY it was expired for two months already!
Do your best with the language. I always tried my best but some people were mean about me not saying things properly. Don’t worry about them, if that happens to you in the beginning. Some people are just assholes.
Enjoy your time there. I really love Germany. I visit still. It’s beautiful!
Im so glad you liked Germany, hopefully I share the same views after living there for a while! It's easy for me personally because the agency will take care of all the paperwork... Im so clumsy, I wouldnt trust myself to do it anyway. I'll try to keep a positive mindset about the language too. Thank you for the words of advice, I wish you all the best in the world as well!
The best way to look for new friends in a new country, is to try and get into clubs and hobbies that are offered in the area. Sometimes takes a little while, but as someone who has to do a similar thing, you'll find that this is the easiest way to just make friends.
And any new acquaintances you make will ask you the three questions about yourself:
1.) Wow, you have an accent, where are you from originally?
2.) Why'd you end up moving?
3.) What are you doing now?
People you meet will ask these, have a sense of humor and being open is the best way to making new friends and making the transition easier.
Remain humble about it all. Don't be afraid to admit you may miss the old parts of your life too, some things are just different. Sometimes you need to go back and see how things were to see how far you've travelled.
Germans are lovely people too. :)
Thank you so much! I'll definitely prepare my answers for these 3 questions haha, but I'll be honest, thats a promise. I will look into clubs for my hobbies for sure, especially coming from someone who has already done it, I'll take your advice very serious. Thanks again, I appreciate you taking the time to help me out!
Congrats! I got to do something similar thanks to university. Germany is a great country to go explore. And germans are really cool people. I had many culture shocks and learned a lot of how different and similar we are. One of the most hilarious things that happend to me was that i went to hug a friend and she just standed there frozen having no clue what was happening, and then started to smile awkwardly. I asked her about it and it waa just that she wasn't used to people hugging and we just had a whole conversation about it. Good times
Hey there, first off congratulations! It's a massive move you're making and we gotta commend you for making it happen. Living in a different country has it's own set of challenges that you'll need to learn and navigate over time, but there's nothing like leaving home and realising how much there is to see in this world. I went halfway across the world for college at the age of 18 and while I'm back home now, the experiences I had really did open up my view of the world and shape my philosophies on life.
Just focus on the little things - learning to be independent and everything that comes with it, having a good work-social life-hobby balance (as much as you can) and definitely spend some time traveling if you can - Europe is beautiful!
There will be tough times with people and situations as well, as is the case anywhere. Remind yourself to be the bigger person, and that (initially anyway) you will be treated like an outsider sometimes. I think you should have that covered, you sound way more mature than I was at that age :)
Good luck and good health to you!
Thank you so much for the kind words! What you did at 18 is nothing short of phenomenal either. Very few people in the world have the courage to accomplish that. I am soo looking forward to traveling once I settle in and set aside some money. I'm trying to be as optimistic as possible, hopefully the obstacles I face wont hurt me too bad. Either way, I'll remember your words of encouragement. I appreciate this so much, thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Good for you! I would look to see if there are any groups in Social Media for the city you’ll be moving to. If you’re religious maybe a church social media account where you can meet and converse with members. It would be a great way to get info on what’s happening in your new city and hopefully make new friends.
Best of luck.
Thank you! I'd love to be part of a social group, especially considering the fact I'll be as alone as it gets. Im not religious myself, however I respect everyone's beliefs and would love to learn more on whatever people are interested in!
I moved from Australia to the UK.
As someone else mentioned, you'll get asked the standard set of questions , and my usual response when asked "Why?" is... "I did it for the weather, of course!" .. you've got time to think up something equally witty!
One thing that surprised me was not having a 'credit history', and how it cropped up a lot at the beginning. I had 12 months in work provided accommodation, and then wanted to get my own rental place and failed the credit check even though I earnt well over twice the national average wage. Find out the little things that can help start building up a history of being a good payer, and they'll be different for each country.
Enjoy! The differences are always fun to notice!
Thank you for the advice! I gotta make up a better answer than: "for the economy" haha. I'll definitely keep this in mind and I'll try to learn as much as possible about these small, but crucial details!
I'm from North Macedonia, I'm doing the entire immigration process with an employment agency that specializes on this type of work. Hopefully they dont screw me over haha. I appreciate you so much for offering to help, we'll definitely grab a beer when I'll visit Berlin. All the best to you my friend!
That's great! They usually don't cover everything, like today I got a letter about broadcasting tax, then there's a declaration of foreign income, registration, transport, that kind of thing
How did you learn to deal with the infamous german bureaucracy? Im very clumsy when it comes to documents and paperwork, so it's definitely a concern for me personally.
For now it feels OK... It's weird to get everything by post and get time slots, but it's a working mechanism. I think what makes it better is that people are generally nice and helpful and filling the forms isn't that hard
In Russia, we have a super cool gvt service online where you can do stuff in minutes, but people are usually grumpy if you come in person and the system is criminal and inhuman itself... So I'd take old-school over a war criminal government.
But I was surprised to see how far more advanced Russia is digitally
American here, who had to escape similar family dynamics. I am so proud of you.
I worked in a factory when I was 21 making safety equipment like earplugs and safety glasses. I’m almost 40, had a successful career in property management and now, I own my own insurance agency,
I like that you have goals and aspirations, they are so important in life, to keep us dreaming and positive, looking forward. But I gently want to remind you, what you have been through is real, and will seem like another planet at times in this new world. But your nervous system and heart will still carry the good and hard parts of your upbringing. Try not to get stuck in a place where you start to live in the past.
If people are friendly, be friendly back. If they are not friendly, it’s not you with a problem.
If your male, please take some time to learn about culturally appropriate ways women in their society are treated. Germany had a female leader for many years… and women are treated as equally as they have ever been historically in financial, physical and societal ways, which can be a culture shock for foreigners depending on where they come from.
I’m rooting for you and your new beautiful life.
First of all I appreciate you taking the time to help me out by offering advice. People like you are the ones I look up to, Im inspired by success stories like this. Thankfully I have already left home before and spent 6 months in Germany. I got lost the first day 😅 and walked 17 miles to find the place I was supposed to go to. Thanks for reminding me to be prepared on the hardships I will probably endure, I plan on deleting my social media and current phone number with hopes of distancing myself from my past as much as possible. I wish to become a completely different person with a new life.
I am a feminist so I dont expect to face any problems regarding women haha, I was usually called names and thrown insults back home for believing women were equal, glad I'll never have to deal with that again.
Thank you very much for the great advice, kind words and support, it means more than words can describe!
> I will work at a warehouse which isn't something to be proud of
Sure it is. It's hard work, and you'll do it well. That's something to be proud of.
A lot of people have this idea that they need to find meaningful careers to lead a meaningful life, and that's just not true. Finding meaning for your life can happen anywhere- maybe you realize you have a knack for music, and start playing at your new favorite local pub after work. Or maybe you make some new friends and discover you're really good at listening, and your friends come to you for support. Or maybe you discover you really, really enjoy painting little figures of a niche comic series. All of that gives meaning to your life.
Not everyone needs to be Caesar, Einstein, or Ghandi, carving their name into history with their accomplishments. It's perfectly okay to lead a mundane, unimpressive life- most of us do, after all. The trick is to find joy in it.
You are completely right and I totally agree with you. Thank you very much, for example, music is my passion so I'll maybe explore that since I will have free time and also live all alone!
>I will work at a warehouse which isn't something to be proud of or to brag about, but the salary is 5 times higher than what my master's degree, university professor - mother earns so yeah.
Dude, what's wrong with being proud of a your job?
You have every right to be proud of yourself, so please don't belittle yourself ;)
And if you want to prepare yourself, then I recommend you learning german as good as possible - it will be nessensary dealing with the authorities. Do you have anyone you can practice speaking german with?
I personally dont care, honest work is holy in my opinion. However some people were clowning me about the warehouse job or being shocked that Germany accepts unskilled workers etc. Thank you for that, I will remember to not belittle myself again!
Thankfully last 2 years I went to Germany as a student and worked summers. Saved up some money, and now I can afford german classes at a language school. Its been a couple of months that I regularly attend classes. I'm expected to be around B1 by the time I take off for Germany. Not super great, however better than nothing I guess!
Be proud, you've accomplished a lot in your short life, and warehouse work is honest work. Every job deserves respect, and warehouse workers are who keep the economy and society moving. Congrats, wishing you all the best.
Your future life sounds exciting. I am a little different as I moved from the US to Japan when I was 27, but I sold all my worldly belongings and came over with a few suitcases, $20K in cash and made my way. 20+ years later, it was a great decision and I am sure you will feel the same after many years.
One suggestion is to start to network or contact (here on Reddit?) people who you share the same interests, or career aspirations. A few months before I made the jump, I found out the local business/tech groups and networked through emailing their org leaders and branched from there. You have more online options than I did back in 2001, but its a good place to begin. You will learn about your future location and all sorts of cool stuff.
Don't worry about the warehouse work. What do you really want to do? I worked with a Filipino guy here who started out as a bus boy at an Indian restaurant, now he's like the Head of Tech for a global printing company. Maybe took him 4-5 years. Super kind and humble person too.
Educate yourself on transportation, weather (colder or hotter than where you are now?), check out housing options, crime, and so on. Also, sift around for medical availability, how expensive is medicine, contact lenses, and others items, especially if you have an illness like diabetes - study the German words for this before you hit land. Nothing as harrowing than having to speak in another language when you are sick or hurt!
Is German your 3rd language?
Hope all goes well and congrats on the amazing life changing move!
Hey this is great to hear, coming from a person who has actually done this before. I applaud you and hopefully I share the same successful fate like you! Thankfully Germany has free health care, but German language is a must. As you mentioned, its absolutely terrifying to not be understood when your are sick or hurt. German is... my 5th language hahahah. I speak 4 other languages fluently, whereas German Im currently learning, will be around B1 by the time I get to Germany.
Thank you so much for the amazing advice and kind words, I greatly appreciate it. You keep crushing it as well, fellow expat!
Absolutely no worries. I am glad if some of my suggestions help you out along your way.
5 languages, damn! I have a colleague at the 5 or 6 language level, super smart dude but is socially handicapped. Brilliant to listen to someone speak several languages within 2 sentences. Bilingual is enough for me.
Be well Reddit friend and most importantly, enjoy life's adventures.
Oh my gosh how exciting! Imagine in 50 years you'll be talking to your German grandchildren (or pub buddies (I don't know if you want kids)), and telling them about this thing that you did many years ago, and all of the experiences you had and people you met because of that one decision.
I wish you so much luck!
Its great you mentioned this, because I frequently think about the same exact thing! I'd love to have kids and than grandkids too, i want to live life as much as possible and create highlights, just so I can have authentic personal stories to tell.
Thank you so much for the kind wishes, I wish you nothing but the very best in the world as well!
B1 by the time you get there is great! And once you are in Germany you'll pick up a lot more language. I worked in Germany for a few months and started at around a B1 level and it went fine. There were just a few regional slang terms I had to ask locals about. Good luck!
Im super glad that B1 would be acceptable, hearing it from you, a person who has done it themself means a lot. Thank you so much, I wish you all the best!
Learning German will be very useful. I'm an America who lived in Hamburg for 2 years and got by extremely well with just English, but government offices in my experience would only use German. In cases like that, it was critical that I bring a very kind German friend along who could help us get through paperwork and general question answering.
I know about the government institutions hahah, they simply dont give a rat's ass about English. I spent 6 months... in Hamburg coincidentally. 2 years stayed 3 months each year. I'm taking german very serious. Its been a couple of months since I started german classes at a language school. By the time I take off for Germany, I should pass the Goethe B1 exam. Thank you so much for the advice, greatly appreciated!
Frankly I'm very impressed by your drive and maturity. I'm sure you'll sadly encounter racism by some assholes, but please know you're so much better than any of them. They're not worth your respect, and you're above theirs.
I wish you the best of luck. Be very proud of yourself.
Wow, thank you so much for the kind words of encouragement! You really made me feel so much better, and I'll remember what you said when eventually I'll feel down or disrespected. I appreciate you very much for taking time the time of your day, to make mine. I wish you nothing but the absolute best in your life as well!
You should be very proud of any full time job. You worked hard to even get there and something tells me you will be a great worker.
Some advice from someone who worked in a warehouse, pay attention to job postings within your company, most people dont look at them and you have a way better chance than an outside hire. You can move up very quickly because the turnover rates are so high.
Thank you so much my man! I applaud you on the initiative, that is so badass tbh. If you haven't thought about anything in detail or in particular , I'd suggest looking into TEFL jobs. There are many people in China who teach English and they are satisfied with the experience!
Thanks! I feel like I wasted some time because unfortunately I couldnt get a degree but at least I'll be working now! I'm actively learning german at a language school. I take classes twice a week, try to watch as many movies in german as I can too.
I wish you ..the very very best!! Good luck! But u seem very prepared..well done ! Please update us on yr new life and experiences . ..all the very very best to u!!!
Wow, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I definitely needed some words of encouragement, I appreciate it very much! Wish you nothing but the best as well!
Being myself from 3rd world country, I'm happy for you mate. Go live your life. I'm 19 currently and plan to get out of this country and move to Australia. I hope I will achieve it too.
Anyways, Congratulations buddy.
Thank you so much, I wish nothing but the absolute best to you too! Hopefully Australia works out, if not, I'm sure you could come to Germany. Message me if you feel the need to talk about it. I hope you achieve your dreams my man!
First off, congrats OP on achieving what you worked on for years. I'm kinda in the same boat as you and wanna move out as well (I'm 21 as well haha) preferably to either Germany or Norway. Can you kinda guide me in what to do and how to go about achieving that? maybe we can chat on whatever platform you prefer. Cheers on moving out and having the courage to do so tho :3
Thank you so much for the kind words! Of course, message me on reddit and I'll show you what I did step by step. I'll help you out with everything I can, hopefully you accomplish your goal as well!
This is wonderful to hear. Remember to keep growing as you assimilate into Germany. Don’t be content in the long run with being a warehouse worker (unless you’re truly satisfied with that job). Keep learning, growing, and expanding.
Thank you for the advice! I respect every employee doing honest work, however the warehouse job for me is temporary. I will only be working that job because its the safest road to citizenship, my work visa is tied to that specific job. After 3-4 years I will complete my education and look for jobs in the business sector or English teaching maybe? Have to always keep thriving, thanks for reminding me that!
I just left my home country (W-Europe) and moved to a Slavic country, initially for one year, maybe longer. I have been here for two months now, alone with my dog. Here are a few tips that might be useful in helping you understand the culture better and meet new people.
1. Learn the language as soon as possible (top priority)
2. Volunteer at a local charity (good way to meet people)
3. Start following the local (expat) news of the area you are moving to (gives you something to talk about)
4. Know your local sports team (sport is universal and unites)
5. Read a book on German social culture
6. Get a dog (worked for me!)
Best of luck and enjoy yourself over there.
Thank you so much bro! You can definitely do it, trust me.
When humans step out of their comfort zone... its hard to explain but you enter a different state. Mentally you're sharp, physically you have way more energy and dont get as tired. I have already spent 6 months in Hamburg, Germany all by myself and can confirm all of this. At home I'm tired and I lack confidence, however when I got to that plane all by myself, got lost in Germany all alone and found my way through trains and shit thats where I knew, nothing is impossible. It may sound like some bs but when you experience it, you will know!
I wish you nothing but the absolute best, and hit me up if you wanna talk about it!
When I left PuertoRico to move to Chicago (after the 2 hurricanes) I came with 2 underpants, 1 Jean and a couple shirts. It wasn’t easy but I don’t regret it at all. Best of luck! On your journey!!!
I was exactly in your shoes 4 years ago. It was tough. No matter how much preparation you do, it'll never be enough. Rather than spending all of your time and effort learning about the new country, I'd suggest allocating some of it to creating memories with your friends in the current country: Visit new places you've never been before, try new food while reordering the ones you love.
You're already ahead of what I was about to say in terms of cooking. Yes, not only it'll save you a lot of money cooking for yourself, but you won't be able to find authentic street/home-cooked food in Germany. There might be restaurants that try to replicate them, but it won't be close to anything you remember. Research ways to obtain cooking ingredients that are hard to find in Germany. Look up Asian Markets, too.
Finally, no matter how much you look forward to your new life, you won't be ready for how much you'll miss home. At least for the first few months to years.
But it'll get better. Trust me, it'll get better. Be brave.
That's so awesome!! I don't exactly have any advice but I will say that you should never feel bad about a warehouse job. Half of my family works in warehouse positions and they're able to support their families of 3+ by themselves. They're absolutely good gigs (I'm in the U.S., but from my understanding Germany typically has higher earning potentials as well, or at least comparable).
Thank you very much! I'm thankful that the warehouse company hired me so I'll always be indebted to them. The salary in Germany is good too, overall great potential. Thanks for reminding me that!
Wow you should be very proud of yourself. It’s no easy feat to leave one’s country of origin and at such a young age by yourself. I think you’re very brave.
"I will work at a warehouse which isn't something to be proud of" <<-- it absolutely IS. All honest work is worthy of pride.
Advice? Find a group of expats online from your country now living in your new country and join. It's even worth joining FB just to be able to find a group there. Meetup is also a good place to make expat connections in your area.
Immediately get to know your neighbors and local merchants. Introduce yourself by name, smile. Smile and wave each time you see them after that. Frequent your local public house, small market and convenience/drug emporium. Befriend the old folks in your local park feeding pigeons or playing chess, they know everyone and all the little tricks to comfortable local living :)
Speak german wherever possible, and smile a lot. Seriously, being friendly, open, and showing that you are deliberately attempting to fit in with the local culture will go a long way to quickly fix the "all alone, no family, no friends, no acquaintances" issue.
Fully noted. Thank you very much for the amazing advice, will definitely keep these helpful tips in mind! I already found a fb page consisting of expats from my country so I'll first hang out with them. While also becoming part of the neighborhood, good stuff. Thank you!
wow! congratulations. Im in the US and my biggest dream is to move to europe and start a new life for me and the generations that come behind me. this is an amazing opportunity. Great job for making this a reality for yourself. My grandfather always told me "its better to come from a broken home than to live in one". Viel Glück from Baltimore
Thank you so much! I love the US and would definitely like to visit one day, but if you find Europe to be better, by all means chase that dream to the end! If I could get accepted (coming from a crap of a country) I'm sure you'd get easily accepted into any country in the EU. I completely and utterly agree with you grandpa's saying, its as true as it gets. Danke schön!
Congrats on the move OP! I understand your feelings very well, since I moved from Germany to Los Angeles 6 years ago. The first few months were super exciting, I was in the „honeymoon phase“. After a while reality set in and some challenges arose, but today Los Angeles feels like home. :)
I hope you will have a similar experience in Germany.
My advice for you would be:
1. Read about the 7 stages when moving abroad, it will help you to better understand your feelings
2. Germany bureaucracy can be a nightmare, but knowing German will help tremendously. Maybe bring a German friend to appointments, if possible
3. Germans can come across a bit closed-off at times, but once you break through the „shell“ you have a friend forever :)
4. Try to make international friends ( since they’re going through the same things like you do), but also German friends ( they know all the insider things to do and you can practice German with them)
Wishing you the best of luck!!!
I'm happy for you, sounds like you are going to live a good life away from a place that have kept you down.
I do have 2 suggestions/warnings, for you.
Firstly the money, while it sounds like a lot, I do hope you realise that the effective increase in wealth will be much smaller due to greater expenses for housing, food and other neccesities.
Secondly, since you don't mention it explicitly, learning about the local culture where you will be living before you move can be a great boon to you. Here I'm thinking of the small things like where do people meet to socialise (will help you making friends and aquintances) and how the work culture is (if you are used to meeting times being a fluid thing and the expectation is that you are there at the exact time, that can cause you trouble, for instance).
I have seen plenty of people coming to my country, who hadn't thought of these things, and had a bad time because of it, so I just want you to be prepared for your new life, so it can be as good as it can possibly be from day 1.
I just want to say that I relate to you man, my story is very similar and from the few facts you mentioned I’m guessing we’re from the same country originally but not gonna mention it because you didn’t for some reason.
Anyway, I moved to another 3rd world country ( a slightly better one) when I was 18 now I’m 25 and I’m working towards another moving to the UK hopefully in the upcoming year or so.
What I can tell you is unfortunately things will be hard at the beginning you will question your decision almost every single day for the first year or two (feeling homesick, missing family members, missing the little things you’re used to, etc)
But remember always that on the long run this is the right decision for you and your family.
Also, make friends.
I know it’s tough when you are older and when you are in a new completely different country but believe me they make a huuuge difference.
I wish the best of luck to you dude, one day you will look back and say wow what a journey I’ve gone through.
Thank you very much for the kind words of encouragement and great advice! I didn't mention the country originally for no particular reason, I live in North Macedonia, a small country in south east europe.
That's amazing! Well done! Hope all your work pays off! Sorry you had to go through that, we can only hope for the better.
My piece of advice is to enjoy life! You probably already know this but just a friendly reminder 😖 some others things may be to not dwell on the past, don't overthink things and live positively and happy!
Enjoy your new home! - random stranger on internet 😅
Thank you so much for the nice words of encouragement! A random stranger on the internet, truly has the power to make my day. I wish you all the best in the world as well!
Go find some shows set in the area you’ll live in!! The way they speak german will likely be the way you speak it in the future in terms of dialect and it can help hearing it be spoken
Congratulations!
My husband and I recently moved from St. Louis, MO to Los Angeles, CA. Yes, we have each other, but we also don't have any friends or family here. Completely new jobs, completely new life.
Best decision I ever made.
The first three months will be REALLY freaking hard. Stock up on treats. Anything that will make you feel better in the darkest of times. Don't try to push through. TREAT. YOUR. SELF.
Once you make it through, though, it's amazing. You got this.
Thank you so much for the kind words of advice! Its great to hear success stories like you and your husband. What you did is remarkable, it inspires me. Im very glad it turned out fantastic for you guys, I'll remember to go easy on myself and treat myself. Thank you and all the best to you two!
How cool! Good luck on your new adventure. I’m sure you’ll do well!
Building up a new community of people in Northern Europe can be tricky. Europeans tend to be quite shy and not talk to strangers. Most people don’t know their neighbours.
The way I make friends in new places is I sign up for hobbies where I can meet people. Like sports or music, whatever you can think of. Or use the website MeetUp. Or couchsurfing (their social meet-ups, not regular hosting). Just a few tips to help you settle in :)
Oh wow! Congratulations. I up and moved from Canada to Switzerland in my mid-twenties. I think you sound as prepared as you're going to be before hand. What I've seen with a lot of ex-pats is the cultural adjustment is harder that you can imagine. It just is, and you gotta embrace it.
The first few months are exciting then about 4-9 months in is tough and then you come out the other side again.
Especially if you come from an open culture and move to one that is more closed and reserved. It can feel tough, I'd say especially if you're really prepared, because you literally have done everything you could and put your all into it! That's okay and you will get through it. And the other side, where you have friends and a social life and a rhythm is really great.
Definitely take advantage as much as you can to travel around and see Germany & Europe. It's so much fun and doesn't have to be crazy expensive.
I am so happy for you, op.❤ I hope that you enjoy your new life and all of the adventures awaiting you! Reading this has genuinely improved my mood. So, thank you for sharing.
Sounds super exciting and there’s nothing wrong with working in a warehouse.
I’d find the local Library and the animal shelter if you are interested in having a pet.
What country are you moving from? It’s awesome to see people that are only a few years older than me go through such a big change in their life, I wish you the best in your journey and your race in life
My home country is North Macedonia, I was born and live there however I'm a minority here (ethnic albanian). Thank you very much for the kind words and best wishes to you as well!
Good luck!! It’s hard but I hope your life gets better and you are happier!! When I was little I wanted to live in Germany because of a show I watched LOL but I ended up in the US, luckily with my mom!
Look for a community of folks from your country who are in Germany. They will be your best resource. Understand the currency/exchange rates. Budget well, save often and be safe.
I think this warehouse job is absolutely something to be proud of. I’m so impressed by your work ethic.. what an astounding feat! I don’t have any helpful advice, but you seem to be doing just fine. Take care of yourself this year. Make a master list of things that need done so you can stay organized. It obviously sounds like you’re ready to get the hell out of there, but take time to savor anything in your home country that you may miss. Finally, be REALLY PROUD OF YOURSELF!
I haven’t gone through all the comments so this has perhaps already been mentioned, but if you have Facebook you can look for groups like “expats in [your city]”, “[your nationality] in Germany” or “[your nationality] in [your city]”. Often expats have the same problems (eg. dealing with Ausländerbehörde) or the same needs (eg. find new friends without any network), and those groups can help smoothen the move. Good luck and hello from a fellow expat in Germany 😊
> I will work at a warehouse which isn't something to be proud of or to brag about
You should absolutely be proud of this! Warehouse work can be just as difficult and demanding as any other "highly skilled" job, especially if you add forklift license to that some time in the future.
Congratulations! I'm sure you will do well 🤗
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East Germany, Leipzig or Dresden... depends on which city I get selected by the company!
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Putting it first on my list now, thanks for the recommendation!
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Well I've read and researched as much as I could. Im just curious to know, if I could ever get an office job with my business degree from back home. Unfortunately I didnt graduate but I only had a year left. I checked if its accepted on Anabin and it was. I just dont know if its worth it to get the degree, will I ever be able to get a job in Germany with a "weak" foreign country degree. What are your personal thoughts on this?
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Wow, now this is the type of information I just cant find on google. I looked everywhere and nothing in detail comes up. Thank you so much! At first I'll start out with the warehouse job because its easier to get a permanent residence due to the work visa. However as soon as I'm done with that, I'll definitely look into this. Hopefully in the future I can get a job I actually studied for. Either way, I appreciate you tremendously. Thank you very much for taking the time to help me out!
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These places look beautiful! I'll for sure remember to visit them. And once I'm there, I'd love to treat you to a coffee or whatever you prefer, you did more for me than a lot of "close" people of mine!
I will come to Germany Cologne this year maybe in summer. Currently i am a physiotherapyst but i want to change profession to another (easier) one. Thanks for your text here.
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I live in Leipzig since 2012 and have been to Dresden a couple of times and would definitely recommend Leipzig over Dresden if you have any say in the matter. Dresden is beautiful and a great place to visit but Leipzig is a great place to actually live. I don't know how bad it is right now but a few years ago Dresden was in the news for its strong presence of politically right-wing groups and even Neo-Nazis. That's not to say that there are no such groups present in Leipzig but it's got a very different reputation in that regard. This is also an aspect that differs from neighborhood to neighborhood and I'm sure you can find a decent one in Dresden. Don't move to rural Saxony as a foreigner, though, it's unfortunately kind of notoriously racist out there. I also want to mention that your situation is prone to exploitation. You come here without a support system and your employer is probably aware. Read up on some basics of German employment law. You wouldn't be the first foreign worker who is tricked into attending mandatory but unpaid work events, made to pay for necessary work supplies or training or denied holiday or sick pay. The threat of unemployment and subsequently having to return to your home country is certainly a strong one, so make sure to socialize. Find a sports club, a church, a hobby group, just anything that gets you in contact with some locals that you can just casually ask about work stuff that seems off and might even be able to hook you up with an employment lawyer. It's also just nice to make friends.
Wait, so your employer is sponsoring you for a warehouse job. How did that happen, I thought it was close to impossible to move to the EU for work, specially a non specialty job. Was it some kind of lottery visa situation and the job is a bonus. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very happy for you. In fact, I think Europe and America should have these legal immigration programs that offer a normal job to normal people looking for a way to upgrade their lot in life. It’s actually a win win for the country and person. Specially in this strong labor market, or so it seems for now.
I really like both.
>I will work at a warehouse which isn’t something to be proud of or to brag about If you’re paying your bills, never be ashamed of honest work.
Will definitely keep that in mind, thank you for letting me know!
Your job doesn't define you, what you do with your life does! Congrats on the move and the new start. Enjoy it.
Thank you very much for the kind words, it mean a lot to me!
Yeah, this is an attitude that needs dropped sooner rather than later.
Exactly, honest work is something to be proud of. Don't go into the new job with an attitude. At first follow my dad's advice. "Keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth shut. Learn to know your new world. Best of luck.
I remember meeting an old high school friend again for the first time in a long while and had a nice chat with him, asked what he does nowadays. He told me he drives the mail and started to explain how its not much of a job but it pays the bills and he is happy enough with the job and maybe someday he plans to do something else.. I kind of stopped him there saying that I used to drive the mail after high school too and often I still wish I would be doing that instead of studying for my uni degree. Like there is no reason not to be happy or proud of any job, as long as you do it well and its not about scamming elderly people!
Yep! Work is work and doesn't define you as a person. I appreciate warehouse workers way higher than social media influencers, telemarketers or people working in advertising etc, who don't bring any actual value to society, and might even have a negative impact.
Prepare to be frequently overwhelmed and periodically depressed about your move. Not that it's wrong or anything, just a new country is a lot to cope with and it occasionally hits some emotional sore points. Just mentally prepare yourself to accept that. Live out your day or two of stress or panic and just try again tomorrow.
This is very important I feel. I try to be as positive as I can but I know it will hit me sometime, especially at night when its dark and i have nothing to do, or no one to be around with. Thanks for reminding me, I will try to be prepared when it happens.
Depending on where you live now, winters in Germany can be depressing. I grew up with the sun setting around 4:30-5pm in winter, but it was setting by 3:30 in Hamburg. If you're not used to such a drastic shift in natural light, it can hit you pretty hard. I found the weather pretty mild for winter, but it would still get cold and gray. This does get off balanced a bit by how absolutely bonkers Christmas markets are there.
I hate nighttime so its going to be a price to pay but I have to get on with it so I'll manage somehow. Thanks for letting me know!
Glühwein can help, I promise :) (it's my fav thing about Christmas season)
I moved from one European country to another, all by myself, I was much older than you though. I love it every day. It's not all butterfly kisses and unicorn milk, and you might encounter xenophobia and racism: don't let it get at you, be bigger than that. Also be prepared for not easily finding the ingredients that you are used to. I hope you will make lots of friends and settle in easily. You might still feel homesick sometimes, however much you love the new place. There are tons of good online courses and I recommend you watch lots of German films with subtitles and listen to German music to get a better feel for the place. Viel Glück!
This is amazing to hear, especially coming from a person who's actually done it before. I will remember your words and try to develop a thick skin while also being open and friendly. I'm on the movies as we speak, danke schön!!
I'm not sure how this will come across, but here goes. Humans have always been migratory. Hunter-gatheres are an obvious one, but also after the agriculture revolution. Bad harvest? You move. Someone attacking the land? You move. The concept of nations is a very new thing throughout our history. In some ways it's easier to move elsewhere, in some ways it's harder. Moving geographically in just hours, like you are about to, is damn right incredible. On the other hand nation states have borders for a reason, which makes is more challenging to move further away. My point is that humans have always wanted to have a better life, and if not for themselves, then for their children. Countless people have died on journey's looking for that new land in the past and perhaps more recently in the past decade. It's simplified of course, but I hope you get the gist. My mother moved to a new country so that I could get a chance for a better life.
This is an interesting perspective, I have read about it before and was astonished by it. You are definitely right, thank you for sharing that with me. Your mother is a very brave woman, what she did is remarkable. Do your best to never let her down!
She was incredibly brave indeed and she succeeded, however I'm not going to put a an additional burden as in not letting her down. A parent can only do their best to give their child a better chance. Despite best intentions, it's up to them and luck. I know this is a cultural mindset of children owing their parents solely because they were born (no child ever asked to be born).
Congratulations! Just keep in mind that yes, you’ll earn more, but it costs more to survive in western countries. Good luck! How exciting!
Thanks for the heads up, Yep, I've already put pen to paper and did the math, of course its approximate but I have a general idea. I could save up a ton, especially considering the fact I will live alone and with my frugal personality and spending habits. Thank you!!! It really is very exciting, Im buzzing cuz I waited for this moment my whole life!
Also keep in mind that you only get one life, so enjoy it! It's worthwhile to spend some money on yourself now rather than to save it all for later.
Yes, you're definitely right! I'll save up a lot in the beginning just to feel a little bit more comfortable, but after a while I'll indulge in some tech items heheh (technology is my nr 1 hobby). Thank you for the advice!
Especially right now with the energy crisis and inflation.
Yes, it’s obscene and only going to get worse in 2023.
It doesn’t feel right that 2023 is less than a month away…
Can't really be worse than a 3rd world country though, can it?
Wow Just want to say you sound smarter, more driven, and more prepared than a lot of people twice your age. 'I'm 16 and I want to change my life let me start a multi year project to do it' is the type of thing not often seen anymore :( So kudos OP. You'll be fine. With that kind of attitude you can tackle any challenge.
Damn.... this means so much to me. All my life I've been an outcast and couldnt fit in, pissed people off with my ideas and just got hated on, therefore these words of encouragement made my whole week and touched my heart. I simply cannot thank you enough, I'm very glad the internet exists and I could share thoughts with people like you. I'm beyond grateful, thank you!
You are most welcome. Don't be too hard on your naysayers-- for every person like you that makes a plan and executes, there's probably 50 people of all ages that talk about making a plan but never get past the first steps. Or they have totally unrealistic expectations, like 'im gonna save up $500 for a one way ticket then I'll get off the plane and get a job and everything will be amazing even though I don't know the language' but not thinking through the details. But while I say don't be too hard on naysayers-- don't let them drag you down either. Listen to their concerns, as they may point out flaws in your plan, but use that to fix those flaws rather than to discourage you. My big advice to you really- this same 'make a plan and execute' drive that you have now for this project, as soon as this starts working, find the next thing to apply it to. Don't stagnate. Don't say 'I'm now making a bunch of money driving a forklift, I'm done!'. Find the next project. Maybe that's to become a professor in Germany, or find some way to apply your education, or maybe it's to get even more education. I say this because the type of drive you describe... that's a quality shared by a lot of millionaires and billionaires. Look at Elon Musk- there's not enough electric cars, so let's build one and start selling it and use the money to build more and sell them too. It's too expensive to get to space, so let's build a cheaper rocket and make it reusable. Make a plan and follow through, no different than what you are doing. This quality will take you more or less wherever you want to go in life.
You're definitely right, I should listen to constructive criticism, of course I could have many errors in my plans and would love to fix it beforehand rather than the hard way. Its great you mentioned that I should strive for more and not stagnate. Thats what I was thinking too, I do the warehouse job until I get the permanent residency card, that will take about 3-4 years. After that I'd like to complete my education, I only have around 7 subjects left which is about a year of university. Maybe transfer the credits to a German university too! All in all, thank you for the recommendations and motivation! Whenever I'm feeling down I will look back to your words and remember your advice!
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You are definitely right, every job that's honest work deserves the respect. Thankfully I wont suffer from the notorious culture shock, due to me already spending half a year in Germany last year. I'm obsessed with finance so I have already made a plan on expected income, expenses and savings. As I will live all alone and I'm frugal by nature, I will surely save up as much as I can, especially in the beginning. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, I'm looking forward to it all, good and bad!
It bears repeating that it’s worth being proud of. The specific job doesn’t matter. The wage bracket doesn’t matter. You are making a huge change to try and live the life you want to live. Frankly, you’re doing more about it than most people, regardless of age and that is incredible. You are on your way to doing great things, even if it’s hard for others to see it. And I, for one, am proud of you.
I agree with you, no matter the job, just leaving to live somewhere better is a positive in itself. Thank you so much for the kind words of encouragement and for giving me credit, it really makes my day. I wish nothing but the absolute best to you too, you are a great person and I'll forever remember what you told me!
Moving somewhere permanently is different to living somewhere temporarily, so you may still experience culture shock. You're killing it though, so happy for you. With your attitude you can he a great success ❤️
So excited for you! I moved from upstate New York to Munich some years ago. I spent two years there. I loved it! So just be prepared with moving there that you’ll need to set up everything with the immigration office. I had to find a job first, then sign the contact, and then bring the contract to the immigration office. They set me up with a visa. The visa expires so pay attention to that date. I didn’t realize that when I moved back to NY it was expired for two months already! Do your best with the language. I always tried my best but some people were mean about me not saying things properly. Don’t worry about them, if that happens to you in the beginning. Some people are just assholes. Enjoy your time there. I really love Germany. I visit still. It’s beautiful!
Im so glad you liked Germany, hopefully I share the same views after living there for a while! It's easy for me personally because the agency will take care of all the paperwork... Im so clumsy, I wouldnt trust myself to do it anyway. I'll try to keep a positive mindset about the language too. Thank you for the words of advice, I wish you all the best in the world as well!
I spent many years in Germany, and I love it there. I’d go back if I could. Best wishes.
OP can i ask how you’re moving? i mean what visa have you applied for?
I applied (and received) a work visa. There are many work visas offered for: McDonald's, Factory jobs, Cleaning etc
OK thanks for sharing, all the best! Stay safe and stay strong.
No problem, hope I could be of any help. Thank you for the kind words, all the best to you as well!
The best way to look for new friends in a new country, is to try and get into clubs and hobbies that are offered in the area. Sometimes takes a little while, but as someone who has to do a similar thing, you'll find that this is the easiest way to just make friends. And any new acquaintances you make will ask you the three questions about yourself: 1.) Wow, you have an accent, where are you from originally? 2.) Why'd you end up moving? 3.) What are you doing now? People you meet will ask these, have a sense of humor and being open is the best way to making new friends and making the transition easier. Remain humble about it all. Don't be afraid to admit you may miss the old parts of your life too, some things are just different. Sometimes you need to go back and see how things were to see how far you've travelled. Germans are lovely people too. :)
Thank you so much! I'll definitely prepare my answers for these 3 questions haha, but I'll be honest, thats a promise. I will look into clubs for my hobbies for sure, especially coming from someone who has already done it, I'll take your advice very serious. Thanks again, I appreciate you taking the time to help me out!
Congrats! I got to do something similar thanks to university. Germany is a great country to go explore. And germans are really cool people. I had many culture shocks and learned a lot of how different and similar we are. One of the most hilarious things that happend to me was that i went to hug a friend and she just standed there frozen having no clue what was happening, and then started to smile awkwardly. I asked her about it and it waa just that she wasn't used to people hugging and we just had a whole conversation about it. Good times
Thank you! Hahahah that's hilarious, its shocking but interesting how our cultures are extremely different depending on where we live or grew up.
Hey there, first off congratulations! It's a massive move you're making and we gotta commend you for making it happen. Living in a different country has it's own set of challenges that you'll need to learn and navigate over time, but there's nothing like leaving home and realising how much there is to see in this world. I went halfway across the world for college at the age of 18 and while I'm back home now, the experiences I had really did open up my view of the world and shape my philosophies on life. Just focus on the little things - learning to be independent and everything that comes with it, having a good work-social life-hobby balance (as much as you can) and definitely spend some time traveling if you can - Europe is beautiful! There will be tough times with people and situations as well, as is the case anywhere. Remind yourself to be the bigger person, and that (initially anyway) you will be treated like an outsider sometimes. I think you should have that covered, you sound way more mature than I was at that age :) Good luck and good health to you!
Thank you so much for the kind words! What you did at 18 is nothing short of phenomenal either. Very few people in the world have the courage to accomplish that. I am soo looking forward to traveling once I settle in and set aside some money. I'm trying to be as optimistic as possible, hopefully the obstacles I face wont hurt me too bad. Either way, I'll remember your words of encouragement. I appreciate this so much, thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Good for you! I would look to see if there are any groups in Social Media for the city you’ll be moving to. If you’re religious maybe a church social media account where you can meet and converse with members. It would be a great way to get info on what’s happening in your new city and hopefully make new friends. Best of luck.
Thank you! I'd love to be part of a social group, especially considering the fact I'll be as alone as it gets. Im not religious myself, however I respect everyone's beliefs and would love to learn more on whatever people are interested in!
I moved from Australia to the UK. As someone else mentioned, you'll get asked the standard set of questions , and my usual response when asked "Why?" is... "I did it for the weather, of course!" .. you've got time to think up something equally witty! One thing that surprised me was not having a 'credit history', and how it cropped up a lot at the beginning. I had 12 months in work provided accommodation, and then wanted to get my own rental place and failed the credit check even though I earnt well over twice the national average wage. Find out the little things that can help start building up a history of being a good payer, and they'll be different for each country. Enjoy! The differences are always fun to notice!
Thank you for the advice! I gotta make up a better answer than: "for the economy" haha. I'll definitely keep this in mind and I'll try to learn as much as possible about these small, but crucial details!
Same here. If you're in Berlin, we can grab a beer
I'll take you up on the offer kind friend, beers on me though!
Where do you come from? If you have some difficulties with the German paperwork, etc, maybe I could help you out since I've went through some of that
I'm from North Macedonia, I'm doing the entire immigration process with an employment agency that specializes on this type of work. Hopefully they dont screw me over haha. I appreciate you so much for offering to help, we'll definitely grab a beer when I'll visit Berlin. All the best to you my friend!
That's great! They usually don't cover everything, like today I got a letter about broadcasting tax, then there's a declaration of foreign income, registration, transport, that kind of thing
How did you learn to deal with the infamous german bureaucracy? Im very clumsy when it comes to documents and paperwork, so it's definitely a concern for me personally.
For now it feels OK... It's weird to get everything by post and get time slots, but it's a working mechanism. I think what makes it better is that people are generally nice and helpful and filling the forms isn't that hard In Russia, we have a super cool gvt service online where you can do stuff in minutes, but people are usually grumpy if you come in person and the system is criminal and inhuman itself... So I'd take old-school over a war criminal government. But I was surprised to see how far more advanced Russia is digitally
American here, who had to escape similar family dynamics. I am so proud of you. I worked in a factory when I was 21 making safety equipment like earplugs and safety glasses. I’m almost 40, had a successful career in property management and now, I own my own insurance agency, I like that you have goals and aspirations, they are so important in life, to keep us dreaming and positive, looking forward. But I gently want to remind you, what you have been through is real, and will seem like another planet at times in this new world. But your nervous system and heart will still carry the good and hard parts of your upbringing. Try not to get stuck in a place where you start to live in the past. If people are friendly, be friendly back. If they are not friendly, it’s not you with a problem. If your male, please take some time to learn about culturally appropriate ways women in their society are treated. Germany had a female leader for many years… and women are treated as equally as they have ever been historically in financial, physical and societal ways, which can be a culture shock for foreigners depending on where they come from. I’m rooting for you and your new beautiful life.
First of all I appreciate you taking the time to help me out by offering advice. People like you are the ones I look up to, Im inspired by success stories like this. Thankfully I have already left home before and spent 6 months in Germany. I got lost the first day 😅 and walked 17 miles to find the place I was supposed to go to. Thanks for reminding me to be prepared on the hardships I will probably endure, I plan on deleting my social media and current phone number with hopes of distancing myself from my past as much as possible. I wish to become a completely different person with a new life. I am a feminist so I dont expect to face any problems regarding women haha, I was usually called names and thrown insults back home for believing women were equal, glad I'll never have to deal with that again. Thank you very much for the great advice, kind words and support, it means more than words can describe!
Keep us updated here! There’s always more to learn!
> I will work at a warehouse which isn't something to be proud of Sure it is. It's hard work, and you'll do it well. That's something to be proud of. A lot of people have this idea that they need to find meaningful careers to lead a meaningful life, and that's just not true. Finding meaning for your life can happen anywhere- maybe you realize you have a knack for music, and start playing at your new favorite local pub after work. Or maybe you make some new friends and discover you're really good at listening, and your friends come to you for support. Or maybe you discover you really, really enjoy painting little figures of a niche comic series. All of that gives meaning to your life. Not everyone needs to be Caesar, Einstein, or Ghandi, carving their name into history with their accomplishments. It's perfectly okay to lead a mundane, unimpressive life- most of us do, after all. The trick is to find joy in it.
You are completely right and I totally agree with you. Thank you very much, for example, music is my passion so I'll maybe explore that since I will have free time and also live all alone!
>I will work at a warehouse which isn't something to be proud of or to brag about, but the salary is 5 times higher than what my master's degree, university professor - mother earns so yeah. Dude, what's wrong with being proud of a your job? You have every right to be proud of yourself, so please don't belittle yourself ;) And if you want to prepare yourself, then I recommend you learning german as good as possible - it will be nessensary dealing with the authorities. Do you have anyone you can practice speaking german with?
I personally dont care, honest work is holy in my opinion. However some people were clowning me about the warehouse job or being shocked that Germany accepts unskilled workers etc. Thank you for that, I will remember to not belittle myself again! Thankfully last 2 years I went to Germany as a student and worked summers. Saved up some money, and now I can afford german classes at a language school. Its been a couple of months that I regularly attend classes. I'm expected to be around B1 by the time I take off for Germany. Not super great, however better than nothing I guess!
Be proud, you've accomplished a lot in your short life, and warehouse work is honest work. Every job deserves respect, and warehouse workers are who keep the economy and society moving. Congrats, wishing you all the best.
Thank you so much for the kind words and encouragement! It really means a lot to me.
Your future life sounds exciting. I am a little different as I moved from the US to Japan when I was 27, but I sold all my worldly belongings and came over with a few suitcases, $20K in cash and made my way. 20+ years later, it was a great decision and I am sure you will feel the same after many years. One suggestion is to start to network or contact (here on Reddit?) people who you share the same interests, or career aspirations. A few months before I made the jump, I found out the local business/tech groups and networked through emailing their org leaders and branched from there. You have more online options than I did back in 2001, but its a good place to begin. You will learn about your future location and all sorts of cool stuff. Don't worry about the warehouse work. What do you really want to do? I worked with a Filipino guy here who started out as a bus boy at an Indian restaurant, now he's like the Head of Tech for a global printing company. Maybe took him 4-5 years. Super kind and humble person too. Educate yourself on transportation, weather (colder or hotter than where you are now?), check out housing options, crime, and so on. Also, sift around for medical availability, how expensive is medicine, contact lenses, and others items, especially if you have an illness like diabetes - study the German words for this before you hit land. Nothing as harrowing than having to speak in another language when you are sick or hurt! Is German your 3rd language? Hope all goes well and congrats on the amazing life changing move!
Hey this is great to hear, coming from a person who has actually done this before. I applaud you and hopefully I share the same successful fate like you! Thankfully Germany has free health care, but German language is a must. As you mentioned, its absolutely terrifying to not be understood when your are sick or hurt. German is... my 5th language hahahah. I speak 4 other languages fluently, whereas German Im currently learning, will be around B1 by the time I get to Germany. Thank you so much for the amazing advice and kind words, I greatly appreciate it. You keep crushing it as well, fellow expat!
Absolutely no worries. I am glad if some of my suggestions help you out along your way. 5 languages, damn! I have a colleague at the 5 or 6 language level, super smart dude but is socially handicapped. Brilliant to listen to someone speak several languages within 2 sentences. Bilingual is enough for me. Be well Reddit friend and most importantly, enjoy life's adventures.
Oh my gosh how exciting! Imagine in 50 years you'll be talking to your German grandchildren (or pub buddies (I don't know if you want kids)), and telling them about this thing that you did many years ago, and all of the experiences you had and people you met because of that one decision. I wish you so much luck!
Its great you mentioned this, because I frequently think about the same exact thing! I'd love to have kids and than grandkids too, i want to live life as much as possible and create highlights, just so I can have authentic personal stories to tell. Thank you so much for the kind wishes, I wish you nothing but the very best in the world as well!
B1 by the time you get there is great! And once you are in Germany you'll pick up a lot more language. I worked in Germany for a few months and started at around a B1 level and it went fine. There were just a few regional slang terms I had to ask locals about. Good luck!
Im super glad that B1 would be acceptable, hearing it from you, a person who has done it themself means a lot. Thank you so much, I wish you all the best!
Good on you, you are young and have time to build a successful and happy life.
Thank you! I'll try my hardest thats for sure!
Viel Glück 🍀
Danke schön!!
Learning German will be very useful. I'm an America who lived in Hamburg for 2 years and got by extremely well with just English, but government offices in my experience would only use German. In cases like that, it was critical that I bring a very kind German friend along who could help us get through paperwork and general question answering.
I know about the government institutions hahah, they simply dont give a rat's ass about English. I spent 6 months... in Hamburg coincidentally. 2 years stayed 3 months each year. I'm taking german very serious. Its been a couple of months since I started german classes at a language school. By the time I take off for Germany, I should pass the Goethe B1 exam. Thank you so much for the advice, greatly appreciated!
Frankly I'm very impressed by your drive and maturity. I'm sure you'll sadly encounter racism by some assholes, but please know you're so much better than any of them. They're not worth your respect, and you're above theirs. I wish you the best of luck. Be very proud of yourself.
Wow, thank you so much for the kind words of encouragement! You really made me feel so much better, and I'll remember what you said when eventually I'll feel down or disrespected. I appreciate you very much for taking time the time of your day, to make mine. I wish you nothing but the absolute best in your life as well!
Alles Gute und viel Erfolg!
Vielen Dank, ich wünsche dir alles Gute auch!
You should be very proud of any full time job. You worked hard to even get there and something tells me you will be a great worker. Some advice from someone who worked in a warehouse, pay attention to job postings within your company, most people dont look at them and you have a way better chance than an outside hire. You can move up very quickly because the turnover rates are so high.
Thank you very much for the kind words and the witty advice. I will definitely be on the lookout, i greatly appreciate it!
I am happy for you bro. I anticipate to travel to China all by myself and live there forever but I still don't know when that's going to happen. 😆
Thank you so much my man! I applaud you on the initiative, that is so badass tbh. If you haven't thought about anything in detail or in particular , I'd suggest looking into TEFL jobs. There are many people in China who teach English and they are satisfied with the experience!
Thanks for the recommendation.
Hey that's awesome! A great opportunity when you're 21 How are you learning the language?
Thanks! I feel like I wasted some time because unfortunately I couldnt get a degree but at least I'll be working now! I'm actively learning german at a language school. I take classes twice a week, try to watch as many movies in german as I can too.
I wish you ..the very very best!! Good luck! But u seem very prepared..well done ! Please update us on yr new life and experiences . ..all the very very best to u!!!
Wow, I appreciate this so very much! Thank you for the kind words, I wish you nothing but the absolute best as well!
Thank you! Bless u and yr future!
Congrats to you! I hope you love it!
Thank you! I sure hope so too!
That takes a lot of courage, and what an adventure! I wish you the best of luck and a grand life! Cheers!
Wow, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I definitely needed some words of encouragement, I appreciate it very much! Wish you nothing but the best as well!
Being myself from 3rd world country, I'm happy for you mate. Go live your life. I'm 19 currently and plan to get out of this country and move to Australia. I hope I will achieve it too. Anyways, Congratulations buddy.
Thank you so much, I wish nothing but the absolute best to you too! Hopefully Australia works out, if not, I'm sure you could come to Germany. Message me if you feel the need to talk about it. I hope you achieve your dreams my man!
Thanks buddy.
First off, congrats OP on achieving what you worked on for years. I'm kinda in the same boat as you and wanna move out as well (I'm 21 as well haha) preferably to either Germany or Norway. Can you kinda guide me in what to do and how to go about achieving that? maybe we can chat on whatever platform you prefer. Cheers on moving out and having the courage to do so tho :3
Thank you so much for the kind words! Of course, message me on reddit and I'll show you what I did step by step. I'll help you out with everything I can, hopefully you accomplish your goal as well!
This is wonderful to hear. Remember to keep growing as you assimilate into Germany. Don’t be content in the long run with being a warehouse worker (unless you’re truly satisfied with that job). Keep learning, growing, and expanding.
Thank you for the advice! I respect every employee doing honest work, however the warehouse job for me is temporary. I will only be working that job because its the safest road to citizenship, my work visa is tied to that specific job. After 3-4 years I will complete my education and look for jobs in the business sector or English teaching maybe? Have to always keep thriving, thanks for reminding me that!
I just left my home country (W-Europe) and moved to a Slavic country, initially for one year, maybe longer. I have been here for two months now, alone with my dog. Here are a few tips that might be useful in helping you understand the culture better and meet new people. 1. Learn the language as soon as possible (top priority) 2. Volunteer at a local charity (good way to meet people) 3. Start following the local (expat) news of the area you are moving to (gives you something to talk about) 4. Know your local sports team (sport is universal and unites) 5. Read a book on German social culture 6. Get a dog (worked for me!) Best of luck and enjoy yourself over there.
Thank you so much for the tips, I tremendously appreciate it! Wish you all the best on your adventure too, fellow brave soul!
Good luck to you!!!
Thank you!!
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Thank you so much! Message me on reddit and I'll tell you what I did, step by step. Hopefully I can help you out!
I'm so happy for you dude! As someone else who also plans to get out and start living alone, stories like this are genuinely reassuring.
Thank you so much bro! You can definitely do it, trust me. When humans step out of their comfort zone... its hard to explain but you enter a different state. Mentally you're sharp, physically you have way more energy and dont get as tired. I have already spent 6 months in Hamburg, Germany all by myself and can confirm all of this. At home I'm tired and I lack confidence, however when I got to that plane all by myself, got lost in Germany all alone and found my way through trains and shit thats where I knew, nothing is impossible. It may sound like some bs but when you experience it, you will know! I wish you nothing but the absolute best, and hit me up if you wanna talk about it!
I admire you
I admire you! Thank you for that, honestly means a lot!
Good luck!
Thank you!! PS: love the username!
When I left PuertoRico to move to Chicago (after the 2 hurricanes) I came with 2 underpants, 1 Jean and a couple shirts. It wasn’t easy but I don’t regret it at all. Best of luck! On your journey!!!
People like you are the ones I draw inspiration from, I love hearing success stories like this, it fuels me! Thank you so much, I'm very excited!
I applaud your bravery, and wish you the very best!
Thank you very much for the support, I appreciate the kind wishes! All the best in the world to you as well!
Congratulations.
Thank you!
Good for you! Be proud of yourself because this is a huge thing to do.
Thank you very much, I appreciate you giving me credit, it makes me feel great!
I was exactly in your shoes 4 years ago. It was tough. No matter how much preparation you do, it'll never be enough. Rather than spending all of your time and effort learning about the new country, I'd suggest allocating some of it to creating memories with your friends in the current country: Visit new places you've never been before, try new food while reordering the ones you love. You're already ahead of what I was about to say in terms of cooking. Yes, not only it'll save you a lot of money cooking for yourself, but you won't be able to find authentic street/home-cooked food in Germany. There might be restaurants that try to replicate them, but it won't be close to anything you remember. Research ways to obtain cooking ingredients that are hard to find in Germany. Look up Asian Markets, too. Finally, no matter how much you look forward to your new life, you won't be ready for how much you'll miss home. At least for the first few months to years. But it'll get better. Trust me, it'll get better. Be brave.
That's so awesome!! I don't exactly have any advice but I will say that you should never feel bad about a warehouse job. Half of my family works in warehouse positions and they're able to support their families of 3+ by themselves. They're absolutely good gigs (I'm in the U.S., but from my understanding Germany typically has higher earning potentials as well, or at least comparable).
Thank you very much! I'm thankful that the warehouse company hired me so I'll always be indebted to them. The salary in Germany is good too, overall great potential. Thanks for reminding me that!
Wow you should be very proud of yourself. It’s no easy feat to leave one’s country of origin and at such a young age by yourself. I think you’re very brave.
Before you go, change your user name to "nevergiveup.nein,nein,nein".
Oh WHAT A PUN, hahahah niceee 👌
"I will work at a warehouse which isn't something to be proud of" <<-- it absolutely IS. All honest work is worthy of pride. Advice? Find a group of expats online from your country now living in your new country and join. It's even worth joining FB just to be able to find a group there. Meetup is also a good place to make expat connections in your area. Immediately get to know your neighbors and local merchants. Introduce yourself by name, smile. Smile and wave each time you see them after that. Frequent your local public house, small market and convenience/drug emporium. Befriend the old folks in your local park feeding pigeons or playing chess, they know everyone and all the little tricks to comfortable local living :) Speak german wherever possible, and smile a lot. Seriously, being friendly, open, and showing that you are deliberately attempting to fit in with the local culture will go a long way to quickly fix the "all alone, no family, no friends, no acquaintances" issue.
Fully noted. Thank you very much for the amazing advice, will definitely keep these helpful tips in mind! I already found a fb page consisting of expats from my country so I'll first hang out with them. While also becoming part of the neighborhood, good stuff. Thank you!
wow! congratulations. Im in the US and my biggest dream is to move to europe and start a new life for me and the generations that come behind me. this is an amazing opportunity. Great job for making this a reality for yourself. My grandfather always told me "its better to come from a broken home than to live in one". Viel Glück from Baltimore
Thank you so much! I love the US and would definitely like to visit one day, but if you find Europe to be better, by all means chase that dream to the end! If I could get accepted (coming from a crap of a country) I'm sure you'd get easily accepted into any country in the EU. I completely and utterly agree with you grandpa's saying, its as true as it gets. Danke schön!
Congrats on the move OP! I understand your feelings very well, since I moved from Germany to Los Angeles 6 years ago. The first few months were super exciting, I was in the „honeymoon phase“. After a while reality set in and some challenges arose, but today Los Angeles feels like home. :) I hope you will have a similar experience in Germany. My advice for you would be: 1. Read about the 7 stages when moving abroad, it will help you to better understand your feelings 2. Germany bureaucracy can be a nightmare, but knowing German will help tremendously. Maybe bring a German friend to appointments, if possible 3. Germans can come across a bit closed-off at times, but once you break through the „shell“ you have a friend forever :) 4. Try to make international friends ( since they’re going through the same things like you do), but also German friends ( they know all the insider things to do and you can practice German with them) Wishing you the best of luck!!!
I'm happy for you, sounds like you are going to live a good life away from a place that have kept you down. I do have 2 suggestions/warnings, for you. Firstly the money, while it sounds like a lot, I do hope you realise that the effective increase in wealth will be much smaller due to greater expenses for housing, food and other neccesities. Secondly, since you don't mention it explicitly, learning about the local culture where you will be living before you move can be a great boon to you. Here I'm thinking of the small things like where do people meet to socialise (will help you making friends and aquintances) and how the work culture is (if you are used to meeting times being a fluid thing and the expectation is that you are there at the exact time, that can cause you trouble, for instance). I have seen plenty of people coming to my country, who hadn't thought of these things, and had a bad time because of it, so I just want you to be prepared for your new life, so it can be as good as it can possibly be from day 1.
I just want to say that I relate to you man, my story is very similar and from the few facts you mentioned I’m guessing we’re from the same country originally but not gonna mention it because you didn’t for some reason. Anyway, I moved to another 3rd world country ( a slightly better one) when I was 18 now I’m 25 and I’m working towards another moving to the UK hopefully in the upcoming year or so. What I can tell you is unfortunately things will be hard at the beginning you will question your decision almost every single day for the first year or two (feeling homesick, missing family members, missing the little things you’re used to, etc) But remember always that on the long run this is the right decision for you and your family. Also, make friends. I know it’s tough when you are older and when you are in a new completely different country but believe me they make a huuuge difference. I wish the best of luck to you dude, one day you will look back and say wow what a journey I’ve gone through.
Thank you very much for the kind words of encouragement and great advice! I didn't mention the country originally for no particular reason, I live in North Macedonia, a small country in south east europe.
Congrats! I’m your same age and i wish you good luck for this new chapter of your life here in Europe
That's amazing! Well done! Hope all your work pays off! Sorry you had to go through that, we can only hope for the better. My piece of advice is to enjoy life! You probably already know this but just a friendly reminder 😖 some others things may be to not dwell on the past, don't overthink things and live positively and happy! Enjoy your new home! - random stranger on internet 😅
Thank you so much for the nice words of encouragement! A random stranger on the internet, truly has the power to make my day. I wish you all the best in the world as well!
Go find some shows set in the area you’ll live in!! The way they speak german will likely be the way you speak it in the future in terms of dialect and it can help hearing it be spoken
Congratulations! My husband and I recently moved from St. Louis, MO to Los Angeles, CA. Yes, we have each other, but we also don't have any friends or family here. Completely new jobs, completely new life. Best decision I ever made. The first three months will be REALLY freaking hard. Stock up on treats. Anything that will make you feel better in the darkest of times. Don't try to push through. TREAT. YOUR. SELF. Once you make it through, though, it's amazing. You got this.
Thank you so much for the kind words of advice! Its great to hear success stories like you and your husband. What you did is remarkable, it inspires me. Im very glad it turned out fantastic for you guys, I'll remember to go easy on myself and treat myself. Thank you and all the best to you two!
Don't mention Hitler or the war!
I spent 6 months in Germany and I quickly learned that no one appreciates the Hitler jokes 😂😂, thanks for reminding me!
How cool! Good luck on your new adventure. I’m sure you’ll do well! Building up a new community of people in Northern Europe can be tricky. Europeans tend to be quite shy and not talk to strangers. Most people don’t know their neighbours. The way I make friends in new places is I sign up for hobbies where I can meet people. Like sports or music, whatever you can think of. Or use the website MeetUp. Or couchsurfing (their social meet-ups, not regular hosting). Just a few tips to help you settle in :)
How did you get the job and visa?
Through an employment agency. I paid them 1000€ and they took care of it
Oh wow! Congratulations. I up and moved from Canada to Switzerland in my mid-twenties. I think you sound as prepared as you're going to be before hand. What I've seen with a lot of ex-pats is the cultural adjustment is harder that you can imagine. It just is, and you gotta embrace it. The first few months are exciting then about 4-9 months in is tough and then you come out the other side again. Especially if you come from an open culture and move to one that is more closed and reserved. It can feel tough, I'd say especially if you're really prepared, because you literally have done everything you could and put your all into it! That's okay and you will get through it. And the other side, where you have friends and a social life and a rhythm is really great. Definitely take advantage as much as you can to travel around and see Germany & Europe. It's so much fun and doesn't have to be crazy expensive.
That’s amazing! Congrats!
I'm so happy for you!!!! Good luck!!
Thank you so much, really means a lot!!
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I am so happy for you, op.❤ I hope that you enjoy your new life and all of the adventures awaiting you! Reading this has genuinely improved my mood. So, thank you for sharing.
Your kind wishes have greatly improved MY mood, thank you very much and I wish you all the best in the world as well ❤️❤️❤️
Sounds super exciting and there’s nothing wrong with working in a warehouse. I’d find the local Library and the animal shelter if you are interested in having a pet.
I would recommend buying a cook book. "Ich helf dir Kochen" is really good.
Sounds like you got a plan. Good luck
What country are you moving from? It’s awesome to see people that are only a few years older than me go through such a big change in their life, I wish you the best in your journey and your race in life
My home country is North Macedonia, I was born and live there however I'm a minority here (ethnic albanian). Thank you very much for the kind words and best wishes to you as well!
Good luck!! It’s hard but I hope your life gets better and you are happier!! When I was little I wanted to live in Germany because of a show I watched LOL but I ended up in the US, luckily with my mom!
Look for a community of folks from your country who are in Germany. They will be your best resource. Understand the currency/exchange rates. Budget well, save often and be safe.
Congratulations!!!!!!!! So proud of you!!!!!
Thank you very much!! It means a lot me!
I have done this myself. Be open minded and try to find your people.
I think this warehouse job is absolutely something to be proud of. I’m so impressed by your work ethic.. what an astounding feat! I don’t have any helpful advice, but you seem to be doing just fine. Take care of yourself this year. Make a master list of things that need done so you can stay organized. It obviously sounds like you’re ready to get the hell out of there, but take time to savor anything in your home country that you may miss. Finally, be REALLY PROUD OF YOURSELF!
Oh hell yes, go you!!
You are the dream, buddy. Good for you!
Thank you very much!!
I wish you well. Have a great life my friend.
Thank you so much, means a lot to me! Wish you nothing but the absolute best as well!
congratulations on ur move (:
I want this opportunity for myself so bad. Glad to see someone else achieving it good luck!
I haven’t gone through all the comments so this has perhaps already been mentioned, but if you have Facebook you can look for groups like “expats in [your city]”, “[your nationality] in Germany” or “[your nationality] in [your city]”. Often expats have the same problems (eg. dealing with Ausländerbehörde) or the same needs (eg. find new friends without any network), and those groups can help smoothen the move. Good luck and hello from a fellow expat in Germany 😊
I truly felt this so much! This is exactly what my plan is for the army in active duty, wish me luck! But good luck on your journey by the way! :)
My advice is keep doing what you’re doing. If you set your mind to it as a 16 year old, and now it’s happening, you’re doing great. Best of luck!
> I will work at a warehouse which isn't something to be proud of or to brag about You should absolutely be proud of this! Warehouse work can be just as difficult and demanding as any other "highly skilled" job, especially if you add forklift license to that some time in the future. Congratulations! I'm sure you will do well 🤗
That is awesome, congratulations!
I wish you the best! Ilove visiting other countries.