My name is Maria and I originally come from a town called Kirovo-Chepetzk in Russia. I came to Germany almost nine years ago and stayed for good. I am currently finishing my Master’s Degree in Linguistics at Humboldt University in Berlin. My husband is German and he helped me a lot with my integration process and many other things. I am happy to have an insider at home!

There are definitely many things that I both appreciate and dislike about Germany. I have learnt to be much more organized and to plan things in advance, for example, every time I go grocery shopping I have a shopping list always ready with me and I never leave the house without my agenda book! I also appreciate the fact that Germany, more specifically Berlin, is relatively cheap if you compare it with Russia.

What I don’t like is that Germans can be a bit too rigid and not flexible. You know, this thing with “quadratisch, praktisch, gut” can be too much to handle sometimes. I have also experienced a couple of times discrimination: It’s definitely unpleasant to hear some negative comments about you as a foreigner…

I am very fond of Berlin, it’s the best city in the world and I wouldn’t want to move. You know, when I travel back to Russia to see my family and friends, I often feel like a tourist there. Everything is different, strange, somehow distant, some jokes are not funny anymore, some food does not taste like it used…I often feel like the connection is almost lost.


By Eve

Multicoolty founder.
Always a learner, hungry runner, dog lover for life, world traveler, serial fish eater and espresso drinker, Juventus fan and a true multicoolty at heart!

5 thoughts on “I am happy to have an insider at home!”
  1. Маша, не понравился последний абзац. Честно… Как будто ты перед Меркельшей приседаешь или очки стараешься заслужить, или оправдываешься за что-то. "Я хочу быть вашей, примите меня в свой немецкий клуб". I often feel like the connection is almost lost. – Очень жаль… Лучше бы я этого не читала.

  2. Не заметил в последнем абзаце ничего, о чем говорит предыдущий комментатор. А с текстом Марии согласен на 100% – когда долго в Германии, оно всегда так.

  3. Roman Smekhnov, danke dass du mich verstehst. Ganz seltasame solche Kommentare, wie oben, zu hören, besonders von den Menschen, die selbe schon längst im Ausland wohnen.

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