Constantine Golder, hometown — Budapest, engineer of production processes optimization
About moving to Germany
I moved to Germany in August 2005 after graduating from the Ukrainian Technical University. I'm from Hungary, and I already had the experience of radical moving.
After graduation, I realized that working as an engineer in the mining region wasn't what I want from life. I was in Germany twice and saw a huge difference in people's living standards and opportunities. I wanted to get a European education, to raise the standards of my life and open new horizons. Now after almost 15 years, I can say that I did it.About adaptation
The most common programs of moving to Germany are by the German or Jewish related line. Also often practised Blue Card for highly qualified specialists such as programmers, engineers, doctors.
The most common programs of moving to Germany are by the German or Jewish related line
I moved to Germany because my parents have German roots. We have the right to move as of late immigrants after long waiting and collecting documents.
When we arrived, we were asked where the relatives lived and settled closer to them in the South of Bavaria. You are settled in Heim before you go to the city. I even had a small apartment and could go to language courses when I arrived.
After, I went to Nuremberg, because I received an additional grant from the public foundation for my studies. You can enrol the University after confirming knowledge or German. The special agency decides whether your education complies with European Union standards. My diploma was recognized only partially, so I decided to get a second higher education in Germany. I also studied in England and the semester in Denmark.
I didn't have any problems with finding a job. Potential employers with whom it was possible to meet and communicate and get necessary information came to the University. I talked with representatives of one company, had an interview, and I was accepted for six months to write my diploma. After graduation, I was offered to stay in the company, but as an engineer to optimize production processes.
About life in Germany
Many people like Germany. In the first months, you experience cultural shock. Everything seems new and exciting and it's motivating to learn German and integrate into German society.
There is a high level of security, a decent salary and an opportunity to travel, to experience something new.
I was surprised by the cleanliness and beauty of the streets, architecture. There was a feeling that you can grow and develop. I liked that even the smallest village has good football fields and sports grounds.
There are some disadvantages. First, it's high taxes. Be prepared that 50% of income will go to taxes. Therefore, the second disadvantage is a constant sense of social injustice. A man who works 40 hours a week doesn't get much money. At some point, there is a situation when for you it's unprofitable to work more because half of the salary taken for taxes. There is also a high cost of insurance and housing.
Advice
There can be many problems in moving to Germany as little knowledge of the language, bureaucracy.
It is important to be realistic, not to think that everything will be easy. And to understand that sometimes it's going to be fine and difficult.
If you go through the stage of adaptation, you will discover a lot of opportunities, to find new interesting friends, to travel, to develop.
Daria Causer, 32, hometown — Rostov-on-Don, nurse
About moving to Germany
I moved to Germany last July as my whole family is here. Father moved along with his elder brother in 1992, sister in 2006. When we went to visit them, my husband liked it. We started collecting documents and moved.
About adaptation
We moved under the program of late immigrants. I learned German myself: as a child, we often went to visit my brother, so I had a passive vocabulary.
We applied in October 2015, in March 2017 I received an invitation to the sprachtest, which I passed a month later. And in July we moved.
We haven't found a job yet. You need to get a certificate of knowledge of the language to get a job. I am a nurse, and this is a demanded profession in Germany, so I think there will be no problems with finding a job. My husband was offered the position of the bus driver, according to reviews — it's a good job.
I am a nurse, and this is a demanded profession in Germany
We live in a dormitory for free, and the state pays for electricity. There aren't enough social apartments and to get them, you need to wait for about a year. I heard that in the East, in Friedland, people come and immediately move into the apartment, but there is more difficult to find a job.
About life in Germany
There are two problems for me in Germany. The first is the Internet. In Russia it is cheap and affordable, here it is much more expensive and with limited traffic. And secondly, on weekends there are always late trains.
However, we are delighted with the people, nature, products, social support provided by the state.
Advice
Do not expect everything to be easy and perfect. There will also be problems. You need to do a lot to live well in Germany.
Sergey Galinger, 37 years old, hometown — Novokuznetsk, economist
We moved to Germany in the summer of 2017. We made a decision, collected documents, learned the language. The application was considered for four months.
It was easy to move, because before we were interested in immigration to Canada, America. As soon as we heard about the resettlement programme in Germany, we learned the language and moved. Many people find it difficult to move emotionally.
We had two children with us, so everything had to be organized carefully.
About adaptation
There only one program for ethnic Germans is a program of late resettlement. You can also inherit citizenship, but you need to have confirmation that your family member has one.
Most of all I was surprised by the cleanliness. I still enjoy walking around the city centre after a year and a half, enjoying the views. I still don't believe I moved and see it not on the picture.
I was surprised by the local ecology. Although we live in the city, there is a feeling that you are in the village at my grandmother because of the smells of grass, flowers. I was surprised by the quality of the products — all edible and tasty.
I was surprised by the quality of products — all edible and tasty
We're not working yet. My wife has language courses, and I have advanced training. We had no problems with finding housing. We live in the East, and there is a lot of housing. For 10 days we found an apartment and reserved it. The state pays for rent and utilities. We only pay for electricity and Internet.
At first, there were problems with the language, vocabulary barely enough to communicate. It is especially difficult to communicate by phone.
About life in Germany
In Germany live friendly people, there are no aggressive situations on the street. We like the social system for children, free medicine and education.
There are no negative moments for me personally. Some complaint about the bureaucracy, but so far we, on the contrary, are impressed by it.
Advice
You need to know the language, but for some reason, no one takes it seriously. It's a very different language environment, and people talk fast, chew and swallow words. Everyday language has its own tropes and slang.
Even before leaving, we figured out and calculated how we wanted to develop, found educational institutions and adhere to our plan. We need to clearly calculate the plan for further action.
