Adriana Stein says that moving to Germany helped her find her dream career in international marketing. Adriana Stein
Adriana Stein moved to Hamburg, Germany in 2016 for a free master’s degree.
After her student visa was revoked, Stein started a marketing company to stay in Germany.
Stein said Germany has a better social support system and she would never leave it permanently.
After going into student loan debt to get my bachelor’s degree in the US, I took a solo backpacking trip to Hamburg and discovered that you can study for free in Germany. I decided to do my master’s degree in Hamburg and moved there in 2016.
Long story short, things didn’t go as planned. I failed the mandatory language test to get into university, lost my student visa and was almost deported. Still, moving here was an important financial decision that led me to the career I love in international marketing.
Although I had immense difficulties with the bureaucratic systems and still struggle to fit in, I have stayed in Germany for eight years – these are the main reasons why.
1. The German social welfare system actually supports individuals and families
While there is no state mandate for parental leave in the USA, Germany offers a lot of support when starting a family – even for the self-employed. I run my own international marketing agency in Germany and am still entitled to parental allowance.
All medical costs related to the birth of your child as well as care from a midwife after the birth are covered by your health insurance. If your child is sick, you are entitled to 15 days of paid leave per parent, in addition to the EU minimum annual leave of 20 days. All of this is different in the USA.
Although my husband and I may not stay in Germany forever, we will soon start a family to benefit from the family support system. We now deserve this after paying so much into the tax system for many years.
2. I have put down deep roots in the German and European business world
As an American and a native English speaker, I have achieved financial success in Germany through my unique expertise in international culture and my ability to speak multiple languages. The international marketing agency I founded is based on this concept as we specialize in helping international companies expand into Germany and the EU.
I realized that regardless of where I live, I need to maintain a deep connection with Germany in order to continue my professional path. I’ll probably never leave here permanently.
3. Traveling to new countries doesn’t last forever
Traveling in Europe is so easy. The well-connected transport system makes exploring neighboring countries and even the UK a breeze. Even though it is no longer as cheap as it used to be, most people in Germany travel abroad every few months. I have already traveled to 25 countries around the world because the flights and train connections are so good.
Going home to visit my family in the US takes me 30 hours and four flights (they live in the middle of nowhere in Oregon), but most destinations in Europe can be reached in just a few hours.
4. I have no suspicion as to whether the police really want to help me
If you come from the USA, where concerns about gun violence are part of everyday life, the increased level of security in Germany is a breath of fresh air. Although there is still violent crime in the big cities (and this is a main reason we are planning to move to a smaller city soon), it doesn’t compare to the US.
While I was often afraid of the police in the US due to corruption, shootings, and profit-driven thinking, in the eight years I’ve lived in Germany, I’ve had to call the police and ambulance several times for various reasons. And they were always incredibly helpful, even speaking English to me most of the time.
5. I fell in love with the Turkish culture in Germany
Integrating into German culture may be difficult due to its isolation, but the expat community, especially the Turkish community, has become my anchor. There is a large Turkish community in Germany, both among expats and first-generation Germans.
I am married to a Turkish man who I met when I lived in Germany. I also received incredible support from the close-knit Turkish community. It has the ability to come together and help each other, regardless of location. Her emphasis on family and kindness made me feel accepted from the start.
6. Insurance offers protection – instead of avoiding payments with vague loopholes
In Germany, insurance is basically a way of life. If you live here long enough, you’ll end up insured for almost everything. I’ve always had private health insurance – and it covered all the costs, even when I was in the hospital for a week.
No matter where I rent a car, I use my German insurance because it offers excellent coverage. I was once on a road trip with a friend in South Africa and our tire burst, totaling the car. My German insurance covered everything and the process was really easy.
Unlike the US, German insurance companies are genuinely willing to help you if you have the right conditions in your contract – provided you keep your paperwork in order. If there is one tip I give other expats for Germany, it is to keep all your papers.
7. Germany is more transparent when it comes to the ingredients in food
Recently I visited my family for the first time in seven years and I noticed a huge difference in the amount of added sugar and preservatives in so many foods. The EU and Germany’s stricter regulations on hidden sugar and organic labeling make it much more transparent what is actually in the food we buy.
Although German cuisine is not necessarily healthy (it is essentially meat and potatoes), the main ingredients contribute to a more balanced diet because they are less processed. I now understand why my friends didn’t like it when I cooked American style. In the US we use so much more sugar and butter.
8. I’m not constantly bombarded with TV ads for antidepressants
In the USA, television advertising is usually full of pharmaceutical advertising, but in Germany this is basically completely banned. The last time I was in the US, this also shocked me because I remember seeing advertisements for additives to antidepressants that also help with weight loss.
It’s really sad to see because it’s a clear sign of the immense health problems facing many Americans and the lack of regulations to curb Big Pharma’s profit-driven thinking. I am so grateful for the EU regulations.
In Germany, the pharmaceutical industry is heavily regulated by the government and I trust the medicines that the doctors prescribe to me because they are not incentivized through commissions.
Overall, my trip in Germany didn’t go as I had imagined. But I have found a new family, built a successful career, found financial stability, and am much less afraid of the future when it comes to having children.
2024-02-10 09:08:28
#emigrated #USA #Germany
