In this article Brigitte shares both personal experiences and practical tips for living in Hamburg. This article is part of the Ask an Expat series. In this series I interview people living all over the world but outside of their own country. I hope to inspire you while simultaneously painting an honest picture of the ups and downs of life abroad.
During my studies I spent a semester in Scotland and a semester in Turkey. I volunteered in Tunisia and did two internships in Kuwait and Egypt. After spending a few months abroad, I was always more than happy to return to Leiden , my university town in the Netherlands. I never pictured myself living abroad long-term, but with the economic crisis and lack of jobs in my field, I decided I should be flexible and be open to any interesting opportunity β whether at home or abroad.
I would have been just as happy finding a relevant job in the Netherlands, but the job offers from abroad came first. My flatmate at the time mentioned that the German economy was doing well and that I should consider applying for a job in Germany too. So amidst the few dozen applications I sent to the Gulf, there were two for jobs in Berlin and Hamburg. It was a very, very, very tough choice. Kuwait is one of my favorite places in the world and I wanted to go back so badly, but I eventually decided that the job in Hamburg was the more interesting one.
I did not really consider living in Hamburg long-term, but halfway through my previous contract I was offered yet another job, with my current company.
At times I found living in Egypt or Turkey tough, and in those days life seemed a continuous struggle; from the moment you leave your house until the moment you come back. It was not so much a matter of culture, it was more the language. If you are unable to understand the people around you, life just goes past you. You will never really feel part of your surroundings.
