From India to Germany: My Journey of Work and Life Abroad
Last year, on 9th June 2022, I made a big decision - I left India and started a new chapter in Germany. Since then, I've been flooded with messages on social media asking how I did it, why I picked Europe over the US, what cultural surprises I faced, and the obstacles that came my way. In this newsletter, I'm going to share my story about what it's really like to move to a new country for work – the good, the not-so-good, and everything in between.
Before we dive in, let me give you some context about my background. I finished my Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology in India in 2021. While I was in college, I did a bunch of internships like Outreachy, the LFX mentorship program, and Igalia Coding Experience program and also, actively contributed to open-source projects like Kubernetes, Mozilla, which gave me the opportunity to work with people from all over the world who came from different backgrounds. This gave me a pretty good idea of the type of position and the company I was looking for and also, that I wanted to relocate to somewhere in Europe. I actively started looking for a job in the last semester of my college. I was determined to move out of India, so I didn’t even sit in my college placements.
The decision to move to a foreign land for work is not merely a change of address; it's a journey that involves stepping out of one's comfort zone into the realm of the unknown.
Why Europe, not the USA?
After looking around, I got a handful of job offers – 3 from Europe (2 in Germany and 1 in Sweden), and 1 from the US. Choosing Germany over the US came down to a mix of reasons that really matched with what I wanted. The company there felt like a great fit, my interview experience was really positive, and after considering all the factors, Germany seemed like the best choice.
To give you a brief idea about the visa process, when it came to Germany, things moved surprisingly fast, I got my German work permit in only one week. Now, if we talk about the US, the visa process is very complicated, especially for Indians and the waiting list for visa appointments there stretches for a whopping two years. But that's not all. The time zones between the US and India, where my family is located were worlds apart. It's not always about work; it affects staying connected with my family and friends back home. But with Germany, the time zone is much closer to what my family follows. This meant that even though I'd be in a different country, the time difference wouldn't make me feel like I was worlds away from my family.
On top of all this, my past experiences with European work culture during internships and open source work showed me that it aligned more with what I wanted. One big thing was the idea of having a good balance between work and the rest of life – in Europe, they put a lot of importance on personal time, holidays, and just enjoying life outside of work. So, for me, Europe was where I saw the chance to have a career and enjoy my life in a way that made sense to me.
Here's the bottom line: If you want to save money, go to the US or stay in India, but if you want a better work-life balance, less stress, and equal pay, move to Europe. Each option comes with its own pros and cons.
Day-to-day life in Germany
Living in the heart of Europe has been an amazing journey that’s way more than just my job, it’s about living a whole new way of life. I have a life outside of work, and my company actually cares about me as a human being.
Here, I've grown to appreciate the simple joys of everyday life, like going for long walks, cooking a decent meal, taking care of my mental and physical health. Back in India, I often felt stuck at home. During my college years, I was living in a hostel that came with multiple facilities - I didn’t have to cook for myself, worry about groceries, or paying utility bills. Even at home, you have your whole family for you, with parents handling most household chores. But living in a foreign land means you have to do everything by yourself. With the move, I have understood what self-sufficiency looks like. When I started moving out, the huge challenge for me was cooking but guess what, now, I can cook a decent meal for myself and that’s a huge win for me. Apart from that, I absolutely love how walkable Germany and the whole of Europe is.
And when it comes to my love for travel, Europe is a dream come true. Things are so well connected here, and having a Schengen visa is like having a golden ticket to explore. I've been lucky enough to visit over 12+ countries and I'm not stopping there – there's so much more to see and experience. From the romantic streets of Paris to the breathtaking scenes of Italy, I've collected a bunch of awesome memories. This is like a dream come true for me, and I'm really excited about what's still to come. ❤️
My job plays a big role in this: my work is super important to me and I genuinely love my job. To sum it up, moving to a different country is a privilege I am grateful for, especially finding a job directly from India. I'm truly thankful for living the life I've always dreamed of and that could sum up how much I enjoy living here.