You can’t make a blanket judgment about an entire country
My name is Shannon and I’m from the American South. I studied history in University, though now I mostly work as a musician and language teacher. During a stint as an…
Bad memories
My name is Vidi. I am from Indonesia. When I was little I lived in Germany for three years. We came here when I was eight, because my father got…
We are all human beings
I was born in Hamburg, but have lived all over Germany during the course of my life. Although I now live in North Rhine-Westphalia, Northern Germany is home to me…
We can be local and global at the same time
There is lots of room there to be both cosmopolitan and hold on to your traditions and values. They don’t have to be in conflict as long as your environment…
It’s your life that does not suit the place
I do not feel fully integrated, I still feel like a foreigner from Bangladesh, but I do not mind it. I just want to know that I am accepted here. Have…
A safe place
My name is Ritika and I come from Uttar Pradesh, India. When I first came to Germany in 2008 for only two months I was pleasantly surprised by so many…
No world around
I had a choice: either I come study in Germany or go to Scotland. I decided to come to Germany, because my German was not that good and I wanted…
Interest to integrate
My name is Swantje and I am from Cologne. When I was a child I wanted to become a stewardess just because I was eager to travel everywhere and see…
Fighting the vegetables
In Argentina I was teaching. I had even taught statistics at the university.... and suddenly I had to fight the vegetables here in a restaurant's kitchen. Ariel Milanesio Fighting the…
I miss the spicy food and adda
What do you miss about Bangladesh? I came to Bonn only six months ago and I really like it here, but I miss my family, Bengali spicy food and the…
Difference needs to be appreciated
My name is Liz and I am English. My husband’s job brought us to Cologne in September 2013. I have a linguistic background and one of my main priorities while…
Greeting people on the street
In Indonesia you get to know people very quickly. You also greet people on the street or in public transportation. In the beginning I was always very sad in Germany…
Afraid to open my mailbox
My biggest struggle when I moved to Germany was probably with myself (isn't it always?). And even though I keep thinking as long as I am balanced I can be…
Am I crazy or what?
My name is Kendall and I am an American, originally from the Washington DC area. I met my now German journalist husband in New York City where he was assigned…
The woman swims
Heidelberg is the most beautiful place I have ever lived in. The small-town pace is a bliss after five years living inside the beltway of Washington DC. My former commute included…
Giving up a part of you
I believe that once you have lived in a foreign country for almost half of your life, you simply end up becoming a different person than the one you were…
I can live alone
There is nothing that really upsets me over here, even being an Arab from a different world and with a veil. This was surprising. I expected it to be much…
Close to perfect
Germany is pretty close to the perfect country. If you could just work on the sunshine issue, then it would really be great. Lis Mullin Bernhardt Close to perfect "When…
Happy to live here
My name is Clare and I am English. We are new to the city, though my husband and I visited several times before we moved here. I'm very happy here,…
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