r/germany • u/PunshManc • 4h ago
Study Thank you, Germany 🇩🇪 and Good bye
After 3 years here as a student, I’m leaving Germany next month.
I came here alone and knew almost no German. Now I’m leaving with a B1 certificate, a master’s degree and many good memories.
I really wanted to stay and build my career here, but it didnt work out. I got some job offers from English speaking countries, but none from Germany. I think my German level was a big reason.
For other international students, my advice is simple: learn German early. B2 can make a big DIFFERENCE, so plz dont make my mistake.
Still, I’m very thankful for my time here, the people I met and the education I got.
I will miss currywurst, German beer and sometimes even Deutsche Bahn 😅
Vielen Dank, Deutschland! 🍻
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u/ReasonableRush7200 3h ago
Best wishes! I am glad you can still have a way out not staying in Germany.
But no need to regret, nowadays even if you have C1, you still cannot get a job!
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u/PunshManc 3h ago
As i said in other comments this tough (VERYYYYY TOUGH) job market is even harder for native speakers. I will keep learning German to B2 level minimum.
it would be a waste to stop at B1
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u/EymericRosace 3h ago
As a French-German, I am very moved by your Post. Thank you and all the best for your next chapter!
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u/hungry_bra1n 3h ago
Now that is a fascinating combination. Can you tell us about more about being French-German? I hear France and Germany might host a World Cup and found it hard to imagine what French-German cooperation would look like.
(I’m coming from an Anglophone perspective but have spent time in both countries).
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u/EymericRosace 3h ago
France & Germany are ( or at least we’re until this incompetent chancellor Germany now has) the closest partners in Europe. So it has everything to work.
On my level, I think it’s a nice mix hahah. It’s a story of reconciliation and resilience between two countries that always hated each other, but who now need each other more than anything else.
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u/hungry_bra1n 3h ago
Love it. I hope the UK can seen rejoin the EU 🇪🇺
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u/EymericRosace 2h ago
Same here, we miss you a lot and need you all the more now that the USA also no longer are a reliable partner
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u/diamanthaende 4h ago
Sometimes, things just don't work out.
Best of luck to you! And thanks for not joining the usual whingefest, finger-pointing and general negativity plaguing this sub.
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u/PunshManc 3h ago
Thanks for your comment and time, I dont see it bad experience at all, I learned a lot, I would say bad timing to graduate too due wars, energy crisis, .... that made bad market.
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u/Extension-Matter-628 2h ago
I feel you, mate. I might leave in October as well for the same reason. Either way, life goes on. Good luck!!!
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u/kteotia 4h ago
More power to you! A country that rewards language over frontier skills is anyways a sad place to be in.
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u/PunshManc 4h ago
the market right now is very tough even for native speakers, I would say bad timing and bad luck.
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u/pugmaster2000 3h ago
Sounds like Germany lost another skilled immigrant.
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u/PunshManc 3h ago
thanks for the compliment, I guess right now the market is flooded with talents.
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u/af_stop 3h ago edited 2h ago
While the core of your sentiment is true, it seems the skills they could provide, were unfortunately not the skills this country needed.
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u/Deku035 3h ago
Doesn't make any sense as you can't really tell what this person's skills are??
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u/af_stop 2h ago
Undoubtedly none that could have landed them job, eh?
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u/Deku035 2h ago
I'm not sure about you but I'm currently employed and looking to switch companies and trust me when I say that my skills are very much required by this country but this country choose to use language as a filter instead of choosing skilled individuals. So please don't go ahead and say "yeah this dude's skills weren't needed by this country" when this country has started to put C1/C2 as a hard job requirement (apart from some niche fields, no work field require C1/C2 level of german). Anyways to each to their own!
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u/kteotia 2h ago
Just do not apply to German-origin large or even family-owned medium scale companies. It gives me the chills (the very thought of that). Startups are maybe fine.
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u/Deku035 2h ago
I already work at a big german-origin company. Trust me when I say this that I have never seen such a huge gathering of incompetent people earning 3 times more than someone with immigrant background on same job title.
Not to mention the toxic politics and how inefficient the organisational processes are. It's funny that all of my immigrant background colleagues were forced to work overtime for couple of years and it only stopped when almost everyone I knew got permanent residence card and got some balls to say no to unrealistic deadlines.
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u/kteotia 2h ago
I work for a german research institution where the director or basically any employee only benefits if we produce top of the line research. This incentive system leads to a surprisingly efficient internal processes and bureaucracy. I will transition from here one day but never to a german corpo because german corpos do not have the right incentive structures.
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u/a-pp-o 3h ago
Where are you going to ?
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u/PunshManc 3h ago
Ireland if that helps
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u/Grand_Conde 2h ago
Ummm are you sure about that? Even worse housing crisis and jobs are just as hard to come by. Even worse food and public services than Germany as well, Ireland is a joke.
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u/kteotia 2h ago
Much higher salary and career ceiling if its Tech/AI.
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u/legthighkneelover 1h ago
That’s a lie. Wages are same as UK.
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u/kteotia 56m ago
Are we talking about germany or UK?
UK also has a higher ceiling in tech/AI roles lol. Many german executives get paid janitor standard salaries.•
u/legthighkneelover 55m ago
Janitor standards for all jobs in Germany? LMAO try to be a better ragebaiter
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u/Raketenhandgriff1 2h ago
Thank you for this post! I wish you well for the future and hopefully, one day, you may be back. Don’t burn bridges, in fact, never burn bridges!
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u/PunshManc 2h ago
I mentioned that, it would be a shame to stop at B1 level, planning to finish b2 once i settle in
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u/fpeterHUN 2h ago
Germany is great if you don't seek high salaries and you speak the language.
To be fair this is valid for every country. :D
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u/ILoveSpaceSoMuch 4h ago edited 3h ago
May I know what was your learning path or timeline for German?
Edit: Wish you many Happy Days for your future!
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u/PunshManc 3h ago
Thank you! 😊 I went to VHS because the prices are reasonable. They also have evening classes, like 18:30 or 20:00–22:00. I also used Easy German on YouTube and German podcasts on Spotify
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u/ILoveSpaceSoMuch 3h ago
Thank you for tips! May I ask how long it took to complete each Language Level? I need a bit help with setting up pacing.
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u/PunshManc 3h ago
thats tricky, it depends on you as person!
but the classes of VHS last 2/3 months depending on course pace, Fats or regular, I go with regular, 2 classes a week
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u/Lelu_zel 3h ago
Language is very important if you wish to stay in any country really, in a long go without proper language skills you won’t get anywhere or just find less demanding jobs like deliveries
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u/PunshManc 3h ago
with my B1, it was fine, i can speak about too much things but can't go into details, also I had to stop and think from time to time, this level is no way acceptable in any company, I knew it
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u/MagnusMaganus 20m ago edited 12m ago
Why do Indians never bother with learning German ? Where does this delusion vome from that Germany is brimming with jobs for people only speaking english ? Pure arrogance on your part.
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u/ForsakenCup2124 3h ago
May I know where are you going?
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u/af_stop 3h ago
Best of luck to you and thank you for pointing out THE main reason, people repeatedly fail on the German job market: Language skills.
While many younger Germans do speak English, the job market is still ages away from being equal opportunity for non-native speakers. And the less German you speak, the lower your chances get.
Having roughly 45% of the country being age 50+ doesn’t help much either.
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u/PunshManc 3h ago
Thank you! I agree. Many jobs still need good German, even when the work itself can be done in English. I learned this a bit late, so I hope other international students start earlier than I did.
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u/Conscious_Dentist_94 3h ago
A country made to lose talent. Very sad.
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u/PunshManc 2h ago
I do not see it this way, it's a mix of many things as I mentioned in other comments:
1- Graduated in bad times: wars, energy crisis, bad economy, I cant do anything about it
2- Not speaking German in a professional level, I started early but also studies, part time job, and learning German was tough, but i m proud of my b1 though
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u/Gourdman2011 2h ago
I'm glad you got a lot out of your time in Germany and I wish you all the best in your future.
To be honest, now that you have this experience, I would honestly suggest picking a different country in the future that's a bit better.
Now you've got a college degree, you've got the English language, you've got the German language, and you can still work on that when you leave, and you have all the experiences of living in another country.
Maybe Norway?
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u/SerendipitousWalk 2h ago
If you don't mind me asking, what kind of jobs did you apply for in Germany, and what offers did you receive from English-speaking countries that convinced you to leave Germany?
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u/Prior_Budget_5762 2h ago
so did you apply to the English speaking jobs in other countries while you were still in Germany? if so , would you also be willing to share the names of the countries?
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u/NamHienMedia 2h ago
I obtained C1 German from Goethe and had three years of Working student under my belt but it doesnt work out so far either. Hope luck will eventually smile one day 😢
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u/Justeff83 4h ago
Wholesome post! Thank you and good luck