It took me 15 years and a month to move abroad. For a long time, I wanted to know more about life in the world, but I was overwhelmed by the idea of immigrating. There was so much to consider – 193 countries to choose, languages to learn and logistics to manage.
I spent my 20 years to be expected for a European lifestyle, even promising to my cat that he would one day be a Parisian swinging his paw on a balcony edge above the paved alley. I learned Spanish, then French, then the backpack in Europe for three weeks with a budget to visit the big cities that I thought preferred. I worked on the possibilities and preparations while taking absolutely no measure.
Quick advance until 2020, when the pandemic struck. My two -year -old partner and I had no choice but to sit inside and talk about the future.
The “Ifs” spilled. What if we move abroad next year? What if we try Germany because they emit 72% of EU blue cards (equivalent to American green cards)? What if my partner, who was an office worker when I was a startup founder, changed his LinkedIn profile to “look for a job in Berlin”?
And that’s what everything happened.
He had a job offer within 3 weeks
In one week, my partner was invited to an interview. The following week, he had a second interview. The following week, he received the job offer. Suddenly, we were in Chicago to ask for visas to allow us to move abroad while all international borders were closed. Then we wrapped the apartment we had moved in a month before and saying goodbye to our friends and family on Zoom.
On the day of the 2021 inauguration, we went on a plane towards Berlin. We didn’t look back.
We landed in a temporary furnished apartment, where we spent our first three months to guide and organize. It provided a place to feel safe while we are starting to rebuild our lives and personal effects.
My partner started his work, I moved my advice calendar at the time of Central Europe, and we started hunting apartments. With hindsight, we hit gold with our apartment: we were first online in a newly completed building and obtained our choice of apartments. We then moved to an even better apartment in the same building while simultaneously lowering our cost of living due to rent control laws. This compared to the average hunting of six months today and the cost of new rental contracts that have doubled.
This month, four years in our adventure, we adopted a cat. Welcoming him stressed that this new city is now really at home.
We suffered a culture shock at the start
The culture shock to pass from Detroit to Berlin has sometimes been hysterical. We had to get used to nudity quickly – world renowned spas do not allow clothes inside the saunas. In summer, we can occur on a naked sunburn in the park. When I went for my first OB / Gyn meeting, I was not offered a blouse.
We also met the incredible friction of German techno-bureaucracy. I was completely not prepared for the urgent need to have access to a fax in the 2020s. The paper is always king, including money, and my partner (to whom I am married) is not able to recover my packages at the deposit center without a proxy signed by me.
I counted my lucky stars that we were of a state that stimulates reciprocity with Germany. Unlike the United States, it is also necessary to transport a separate identity card – a driving license is only a driving license. He must remain in his way.
Techno can be heard everywhere at all hours of the day. The inhabitants love that I am Detroit, the sister-Techno-City in Berlin. I applauded internally the big man dancing on a moving loop scooter on the main road with a Bluetooth speaker attached to his belt.
This city has also wrapped us to welcome. The universal health system relieved me of what was formerly unknown affections. I plan to get my doctorate. Just because it’s free (apart from the administration fees of € 200).
This was such a relief to no longer have a car – when I need it, I find one for rent in an application, generally parked directly on my street. Berlin is well known for its vast green spaces. It was a pleasure to see that they are the main places to gather the city. Even in winter, you can find barbecue and birthday parties come together in the parks.
All the work I did to prepare was not necessary. I did not speak a German blow before moving. I did not go after a student visa. Walking to move abroad looked like moving apartments – keep it, give them, store them. Taking the plane to get around abroad could easily have been for a vacation. These pieces were simple. The 15 -year anticipation was what was difficult.
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