Anastasiya Nederytsia - Master Student From Ukraine

Meet Anastasiya Nederytsia. She lived in Munich, Mainz, Berlin, Cologne, and Bonn - German Globetrotter! You can read her study in Germany success story here.

Place of Birth	Krivoy Rog, Ukraine
Nationality	Ukrainian
Where did you live?	Krivoy Rog (Ukraine), Munich, Berlin, Mainz, Cologne (Germany)
Education Level Prior to Relocation	Secondary School
Reason of moving to Germany	Bachelor Program
When did you move?	2013
How old were you?	18
Are you still in Germany?	Yes
What is your current occupation?	2nd Year Master Student
What is your future goal?	Full-time job in Germany, Permanent Residence
Would you like to stay in Germany?	Yes

Chapter 1: Ukraine

I was born in Krivoy Rog – the center of Ukraine – the longest city in Europe. We have 2 rivers forming a shape of a horn, which contributes to the name of my city (according to one of the legends).

I was a very active child: I took dancing, singing, and painting classes. I became the head of my class and an editor of a school newspaper. I became interested in Public Relations & Communication studies since then.

In Ukraine, I disliked math and physics and when looking for a future profession I tried to stay far away from it. Frankly speaking, it was also very difficult to choose a profession. I started thinking 2 years before graduation from secondary school. I had no idea what I wanted to study or whom I wanted to be, so I decided to go for business – you can find a job in any industry or field. It is a very broad choice. 

I definitely recommend parents to send their children abroad (from 11-12 years old), not for long-term, but rather for language courses or Summer language camps. This experience helped me to become more open-minded, experience people from different backgrounds and cultures and to remove a culture shock. It broadens horizons when you get to know people from different nationalities and you hear their stories. When you are young, you absorb everything like a sponge and you haven’t yet formed a strong opinion on different matters. It is also a great age to learn languages because you learn at a rapid speed.

When I was 13, I studied the English language in Malta Summer Language lessons. I loved the atmosphere. When I was 14, I went to the UK. I started thinking of studying abroad since then because the education standard abroad differs a lot from Ukraine and I chose to study for an Applied Sciences Degree abroad. For me, when I was moving abroad long-term, I wasn’t afraid at all. Germany stereotypes didn’t bother me or the fact that I would live alone and without parents. It was another exciting experience. I didn’t have any fear, because I already experienced 2-3 weeks courses in Malta and 2-3 month courses in the UK. 

Of course, culture & language shock will always be there, but minor in comparison to those students who move abroad for the first time at the age of 18. If you have an opportunity to go even for 2-3 weeks prior, definitely do it! I’d recommend parents to send children from 5th grade onward abroad. 

My parents supported me with the idea of studying abroad. I wanted to select the UK, but it was much more expensive than Germany. I applied to schools in Italy and Germany through an agency, and we decided to visit the schools prior to applications during my school vacations. I loved the Bocconi University in Italy but I didn’t know the Italian language and didn’t want to do a preparatory program. State universities in Europe didn’t accept Ukrainian secondary education without university studies (1 or 2 years) and we found a good option in Germany at a private university, which allowed me to study the Bachelor program directly.

Parents considered Germany as an economically stable country. Moreover, we had friends and relatives in Germany, who could help out in case. I moved to Munich when I was 18 after I had finished secondary school. I advise Ukrainian students to study hard. With 100% GPA, many students can skip a preparatory year in Germany (considering you speak English). Do not waste a year of your life, take this chance!

Chapter 2: Germany

1. I thought Germany is punctual and Germans are punctual. This is so not true. Hello Deutsche Bahn!

2. I thought people are cold. This is true, but it changes with the foreigners coming to Germany. People are becoming more open-minded. They influence the German culture.

Summary of my life after the move: Munich (3.5 years) – Ukraine – Mainz – Berlin – Munich – Cologne

I finished my Bachelor in Munich, left the city, but came back. I saw so many changes. People who are living there do not see these changes. People became more friendly and open-minded, more things doubled in the English language, oriented not just on the locals rather on foreigners too.

I did an Internship in Mainz and worked in Sales. Mainz is a very beautiful city, but too small for me. You see the same people every day. I wanted to say hi, but hey, we didn’t know each other. I was missing the drive and the energy of the big cities. 

Then I moved to Berlin and worked in the Affiliate Marketing. I moved because it was a full-time position and because I really wanted to move there to experience the capital. I considered the South to be boring. 

Not all companies can sponsor your visa. It didn’t work out in Berlin further, because of the visa, that’s why I had to find another job with higher pay. One lovely evening, I applied spontaneously for a job without even looking for a location – got a call – got an in-person interview - got a job offer the next week – and I ended up in Munich within a few days again. That’s how fast qualified people get hired in this country. I have to point out that it was a long way to achieve it with education and first experience. The best decisions in life are spontaneous. I worked in Inside Sales in the IT sector in Munich and developed my passion for Digital Marketing. 

The next step in my career was already predefined: I want to do a Master degree. I found the only school in Germany offering Digital Marketing and applied. I was happy to know I have managed to get in, as it is a very well-ranked school. After I got to know that I was accepted to university, I got a position as a working student in the Online Marketing department of the same company. 

The road took me to Cologne. Cologne is amazing, the people are open-minded and great, so much more different from Berlin and Munich (by far), but the city is not for me. I am into architecture and culture. I am missing this Munich charm and architecture. Yes, Cologne has a nice city center and a great location, but if you live not in the center, you live in a pretty grey area. Maybe if I would live in the center, I would consider staying longer.

Since my university has a lot of German students, I got to know many more German friends than before. I am studying with 20 different nationalities (out of 25 students), among those: Hungary, India, Pakistan, Thailand, Italy, Germany, Armenia. I tried to find Russian-speaking students in my university, but I think we got max 10, if not less. Out of 500-600 students that is a very good number.

The school offers a lot of opportunities, I absolutely love it: weekly events with recruiters on campus, workshops with BOSCH, Telekom, REWE: when you can learn new industry tips & tricks and talk to the people, who can end up being your employers. The chances to get a job or internship are very high. I have another semester to go and then I will be writing my Master thesis.

My last semester starts in a month and I will finish on-campus studies by next year. I will write my Master Capstone (Thesis) and graduate in Summer 2020. In fact, I have just gotten my next student job and I have a lot of opportunities on the radar. Perhaps, I will write my Master thesis with this company. Perhaps, if all goes well, I would work for this company full time in Bonn.

Bonn and Cologne are neighboring cities, and they share the same underground network. 50 Minute commute. For Russians and Ukrainians that is an OK distance. My European friends would complain probably.

When I wake up after my graduation, I would probably see myself for the next few years staying in Germany. If I travel once and fall in love with another country, so be it. I might consider it, but Germany is appealing to me as of now. I have been in Germany for the last 5-6 years with some breaks, so I am aiming for a permanent residence in the next few years after I have secured my first work visa.

Chapter 3: Miscellaneous

What do I do in free time? What is it? :)

Gym, meeting friends, travel, cooking. If I travel outside Germany, I mostly choose Belgium, Holland, Italy (my favourite) – Pasta, Pizza, Cappuccino. 

My mother often travels to visit me in Germany. With Ukraine, it is very flexible to travel now especially visa-free. I speak with relatives and my friends from Ukraine very often and I go home as often as I can.

In Germany, you can often work from home (home office) – this way, I could travel back home and save costs on living expenses. It is a common practice for German companies: as long as the job is done, it is not relevant for you to be 40-60 hours per week in the office. 

I have some advice for foreigners. Customer beware:

1. If you decided to go to Germany, start learning German before arrival. It helps a lot with documents and bureaucracy. The majority speak English, but you will be treated better if you are trying to speak German

2. Do not be shy to speak the German language. Break this barrier early enough. I started learning German in school in Ukraine. I knew German grammar well, but I was very shy to speak. Sometimes I am still shy with the language. I understand 98%, depending on the accent, but when I have to speak about Digital Marketing, let’s say I have a processing delay

3. Check and recheck all your contracts!!! Especially telephone services. You cannot simply cancel contracts in Germany

4. Accommodation search – start earlier! It is not like in Russia or Ukraine, where you can arrive and find something, here you can’t just do that. The process takes longer, and the landlords ask you for the CV and the form to fill out (Selbstauskunft). Munich and Hamburg would be the top 2 difficult cities for accommodation search. Check for forums for the people from your country. Do not underestimate the power of your nationality. Same nationality landlords will give preference to you

If I look back now and I have to choose the best German city for me…well… I kind of have a love-hate relationship with Munich. I love it and miss it when I am out of the Bavarian reach. But I’m so bored when I am there. Has anyone else experienced the same feeling?

Maybe somewhere between Berlin and Munich? Maybe party until 30 years old in Berlin and then retire in Munich?

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Gleb Konovalov - Bachelor Student From Russia

Meet Gleb Konovalov. He chose Germany and Canada to study abroad. He will come back to Russia after. Why? You can read his study in Germany success story here.

Place of Birth	Novosibirsk, Russia
Nationality	Russian
Where did you live?	Novosibirsk, Tomsk (Russia), Vancouver (Canada)
Education Level Prior to Relocation	Foundation Diploma
Reason of moving to Germany	Bachelor Program
When did you move?	2018
How old were you?	20
Are you still in Germany?	Yes
What is your current occupation?	1st Year Bachelor Student
What is your future goal?	Master Degree in Russia or USA, Work in Construction Industry
Would you like to stay in Germany?	No

Chapter 1: Home

I was born in Novosibirsk. My childhood was great. I went to school, just like everyone else, until university admission changed everything upside down.

I was always engaged in sport: swimming, martial arts & tennis. Five days a week, 9 years in a row playing tennis got me qualified for the Russian national championships.

To prepare for state exams and get into the university, I had to give it up before graduation. I had to set my priorities right and sport wasn’t among those.

In Russia, sadly, you rarely select a major out of your passion. What is a good bet on the market in Siberia? Oil & Gas: Gazprom, Lukoil, Rosneft. My acquaintances work in Oil & Gas; my friends have studied Oil & Gas; children of my parents’ friends are going to study at Oil & Gas faculty. Literally, either you study this, or you will go abroad.

My father’s dream was for me to study abroad, but I chose to stay.

I was admitted to Tomsk State University. In Russia, the perception of distance is different from the Western World. I was studying in a neighboring Siberian city, which is just a 270 km train ride. With a lot of excitement and hopes, I started my Bachelor in Petroleum Engineering.

Foreign education is very different from Russian. We have a great school base, with a very strong math level, however university teaching approach in some instances is outdated: theoretical base & books written in the USSR. Since the programs are not innovative and not frequently changed, you cannot apply the knowledge in the workplace.

From the first impression, I knew that I would not want to work in this industry. The market is highly saturated and if you do not come from a family associated with this business, the perspectives are rather limiting.

I was passively attending because I was not motivated. Learning by heart was not the education I was searching for. Moreover, I couldn’t find common grounds and shared interests with my classmates - they came from a different background.

I shortly figured out how to pass the courses without putting much effort and, surprisingly, I was nominated for a scholarship. But I did not want to stay there. Working in Siberian villages in - 50°C in Winter? No, thank you. This is not my dream job.

My father was right all the way. My parents offered me an alternative: to study abroad.

Sadly, I disregarded the English language all my life. We were choosing between English-speaking countries for me to be in a fully English-speaking environment. Back then, I was not aware you could study in Europe in English as well.

I could choose between the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. I disregarded England right away. Many friends of mine studied and passed everything there without taking it seriously. I also could not understand that accent.

My main aim to study abroad was to learn and to develop. Since Business and Entrepreneurship originated in North America, I compared tuition fees of the USA and Canada and chose Vancouver as my study destination.

I signed up for IELTS Test within a week. I only had a few months to have an intensive English course: I found a tutor and online materials to get my English to the conversational level from scratch.

I was granted admission in a Foundation program, because of two reasons: English and 11 years of education. Foundation program is like a pre-Bachelor. Russians mostly have to go through it because in the majority of countries, education is 12 years.

Chapter 2: Abroad

My English was weak. My English was so weak. The first week in Canada was like a comedy TV show.

I had no internet connection or an available sim card upon arrival. I only knew the name, address of the college and the fact, that it was located somewhere on the hill. Instead of figuring this all out by public transport, I took a taxi. The taxi driver and I understood each other with a sign language. He took me to the correct destination, and I was very happy, but not for long.

I arrived at 18:00 O’clock one the day before the official campus opening and it was a major mistake. Our campus had 8-floor library, free computers, gym, swimming pool, basketball, football and tennis courts. Wonderful! I couldn’t enter though.

There was no one there and the main office was closed. I didn’t know what to do since I had no internet and no sim card…

…so I sat down beside my luggage thinking what am I doing with my life and hoping someone would pass by. And someone passed by! That did not solve the problem: I couldn’t move in that day.

I was given a great 1-star hostel for one night. It was Sunday and I couldn’t go out anywhere because everything had already been closed, including shops – I felt miserable at that moment. And all that after a 10-hour flight.

Horrible.

My grandmother stashed some snacks in my luggage, before the flight and that’s all I had to eat.

Thank you.

The next day when I finally moved in, the adventure continued. I was astonished because pillows and bed sheets were not there. There was nothing in my room – DIY (do it yourself) – you have to buy everything yourself. How do I buy everything myself if I can’t even figure out how to buy a bus ticket?!

I tried to figure out the bus ticket purchase but that didn’t work out and I gave up. And here I was, entering the bus without the ticket. With puppy face I talked to the driver in my great English, and, he said: “No ticket? No problem. Just have a seat”.

Interesting.

1.5 years spent in Canada were fun, but I didn’t really make friends with Canadians. Thank God I found Russian speakers. They gave me a map and directions and baby-sitted me throughout the initial weeks. I made a Canadian friend and I am very proud of it (Canadian-Russian, to be precise).

What can you find in Canada? Relatively easy visa, equality, and freedom. In my case, I was far away from home and I did not fit in this culture, consequently, I was bored.

I never planned to stay there anyway. I was happy to be back home for vacations and I was reluctant to go back to Vancouver.

I decided to transfer to a university closer to home and I chose Germany. Benefit for parents: Canada cost 30% more than studies in Germany.

We often travelled through Munich to Austria for skiing. I liked it. The culture here is closer to Russian, moreover, people understand English. My parents were not against my decision at all. They had their own reasons: shopping, beer, friends.

It went not as smooth as I had expected. But, looking back now, it wasn’t that bad after all. I have lived here for a year now and if I made it, then you can do it as well.

Here is the list of important things to know before you move to study in Germany:

1.   The Language

All bureaucratic documents are in German! People working in the immigration office barely speak English (rather surprising, considering they only work with foreigners). My first experience there:

-     “Hello. Do you speak English?”

-     “Do you speak German?”

-     “No, that’s why I ask you if you speak English.”

-     “I speak, but I would prefer you to speak German.”

Of course, he was joking, but I realized, alright. People are very proud of their language and culture here. Even if they speak English, they pretend they don’t – to make you learn the language.

It is an incredibly difficult language. I always confuse English and German with the order of words and logic.

Advice for foreigners: learn basic phrases in German. The more German you speak, the longer your visa will be.

2.   Working Hours

Shops close at 20:00 O’clock during the week and nothing is open on Sundays or public holidays (so many in the South of Germany). You can not do grocery shopping or buy clothes – no one is working!

You have to schedule an appointment per phone or email to go to a doctor. Sometimes, you need to wait weeks for that. If you really feel bad, they will ask you how bad. Irrelevant of your answer, you will be seated in the waiting room to wait for your turn.

Advice for foreigners: plan, schedule appointments in advance and have a stash of medicine at home.

3.   Accommodation

To get accommodation you need to go through nine circles of hell!

Advice for foreigners: do not have any dreams or expectations at the beginning. Do not aim for a flat! Take what is available and start with a room in a shared flat (WG-Zimmer). It doesn’t really matter where – just take it!!! You can become picky only after you have secured yourself an initial offer.

Chapter 3: Back Home

Many people are not happy with their decisions or life choices, but what always surprised me, they do nothing about it.

Since I was small, I wanted to try anything once – 3 types of sport, 3 different majors, 3 different countries, 3 different jobs. Trial and error. You will not know until you try.

Throughout my studies, I was actively involved in sports and I signed up for some jobs. I helped my father with advertising and catalogues for his company in the construction industry. Moreover, I worked in Canada and in Germany in the gastronomic industry.

It was fun and I recommend that everyone tries it. This experience helped me understand that I never again want to work in the gastronomic industry.

I am 20 years old now and I will be done with my German Bachelor Degree in 2 years. Thanks to education, travel and work experiences, I have already made up my mind and I wish you the same.

Canada and Germany are two great countries, but, for me, life is where my home is. I want to live in Russia and I will consider doing a Master Degree in Moscow and connect my future with Construction Industry. Should studying abroad come across my mind in the future, I would go to the USA.

Travel everywhere, try everything, take the jobs, try different industries. And the most important: visit the country you like, before you apply to a university there.

Study Abroad - Success Stories

Read Success Stories of foreigners who study abroad. We have a bunch of questions - international students have a lot to tell. Russian, Turkish, Iranian, Indian, Mexican…

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Awos Alziadat - Foundation Student From Jordan

Meet Awos Alziadat. He is studying & working in Germany. His dream is to work for Airbus. You can read his study in Germany success story here.

Place of Birth	Amman, Jordan
Nationality	Jordanian
Where did you live?	Amman (Jordan), Winnipeg (Canada)
Education Level Prior to Relocation	Sport College Diploma
Reason of moving to Germany	Foundation Program
When did you move?	2018
How old were you?	21
Are you still in Germany?	Yes
What is your current occupation?	1st Year Bachelor Student
What is your future goal?	Master Degree, Risk Management or HR Job in Aviation Industry
Would you like to stay in Germany?	Yes

Chapter 1: Amman

I am a family person. I have 2 sisters, who are two queens for me, and I must treat them like that. I cannot spend a day without calling them. We are very close.

I lived almost my entire life in Jordan, but the road took me to Canada and Germany afterward.

I was in love with everything related to business. I am very proud of my father, who started as a high school manager and achieved #2 School Rank in Jordan.

Back in 1st grade, I started Taekwondo and 10 years later I reached Black belt rank and then I competed on the country level and scored 4th place. I also played soccer and loved it. Any kind of sport was always 2nd choice though because at the end of the day, sport in Jordan is not developed much and I started to lose motivation.

My father was teaching me chess and we used to play for fun. I never won, until I started taking it seriously. You need to guess 10 steps of the person in front of you and you need to have at least 2 solutions for each step that he might take. It takes time. At some point, you learn to understand the consequences and you shape the strategic thinking. I achieved high scores in chess as well, it started off with winning a bronze medal in my city.

At 17 I decided to pursue my dreams and I made a deal with my father and I am very thankful to him. I wanted to be independent, that’s why I chose to go out of my comfort zone, move and study far away in Canada. The terms were very simple: “If you are not successful, you will go back to Jordan”.

Since then I haven’t travelled home much. When I go back home, I notice, that many things remained the same, but I changed and became more open-minded. I became distant with many of my old friends. I assume it is called growing up.

Chapter 2: Winnipeg

I went to Canada, I was young, I was like WOW!

I chose a college for sports (soccer) and aviation. My father stressed that I need to focus on studies – I need to make a balance, but I only managed to give 10-20% of my time to studies.

Sport occupied 80% of my time because we were so desperate to make it as a soccer team. We were the only Canadian team in the States league. There was a moment when I wasn’t sure if I want to continue with aviation or sports, after a loss in semi-finals.

On the one side, it was a nice experience, as I got to travel a lot and met a lot of people from all over the world. Every weekend I used to go to the States with my team. Sometimes we stayed up to a month at a time.

On the other side, looking back at my 2.5-year tenure in Canada, I was not happy. The reason why I wasn’t happy wasn’t due to the unfinished sports career or overwhelming education choices, I simply did not fit in. Maybe due to the cultural differences or maybe because I am a very straight forward person.

Living on the university campus, everyone was close to each other and I couldn’t have my own space. There was no privacy or “Me Time”. I couldn’t really match the way Canadians behave. If I was silent, people would ask me why or if I was sad. When no reply followed, they would assume I was mad. Whatever I would reply, they would think there is a problem.

I was not sad, I was not mad, I had no problems, I just wanted to think and read in peace and quiet.

I figured, no, this is not for me. This is not the way I am thinking, and this is not the location I like. The decision has been made. I came back home, started researching the best countries to study business in the whole world and I chose Germany.

Chapter 3: Munich

First impressions: I absolutely love it.

I chose Applied Sciences school. I like professors who teach management based on their experience and not limiting us to books or a bunch of theories from 20 years ago. I like Marketing, Negotiation and Human Resources classes. Especially I like that HR can influence management decisions. Currently, I am on a hunt for more knowledge!

Me coming here after this while might have been planned for me from the beginning because this is where I belong. The surroundings and the people around highly affect young people who are still discovering life. Young people from Jordan would love Germany, I am sure.

I like to have people next to me who are straightforward. I realized early enough that Germans are like that. I have a lot of German friends here and my best friend is Bavarian from Munich! Germany is perfect for me. Yes, I must admit, it took me a while to become friends with Germans, but it was so much worth it!

I respect people who give you personal space and who know how to divide their serious and fun times. This is exactly what I have craved for in Canada. Every morning until 8 or 9 am I am having “my time” to read books, news, concentrate and think about how to organize my day.

I am doing my Bachelor studies full-time now, keeping up my sport routine and working on a side in Starbucks as barista/cashier. I always wanted to work to support my living expenses, because I want to be independent and to afford shopping and travelling without asking my parents. When I spend my parents’ money it does not feel right.

The other day, I went to Starbucks to meet my friend, Gaurav. He proposed that I work there, and he talked to Manager for me, who was also searching for a tenant. So, I landed a job and a flat in one day after my arrival to Germany.

I will finish my Bachelor Program in 2.5 years. After I graduate, I will go right away to do my Master Degree and I am never leaving Bavaria. If I am to go around all the places around in the world, nothing is going to be more attractive for me than Munich.

One of my dreams is to work in Airbus. I enjoy reading about this company: their corporate social governance and how Airbus wants to change the whole perspective of the flights: when the concept of travelling from A to B will take into consideration Earth movements.

A month ago, I had a conversation with my father. He is one of the few people, that can influence me. He offered me to consider risk management. I quickly got excited about that topic and did a small 50 slides power point presentation for myself to understand it.

Now I have more ideas about my 4th Semester Internship. You need to be creative and strategic in your thinking, like in soccer, like in chess. Not many people would go for Risk Management job because people are scared that if something goes wrong, they would be the only ones to blame.

I have a goal in my life – I don’t want to be regular and that sounds like a perfect job for me. Let’s give it a try!

One of my sisters lives in the North of Germany with her family and I recently became an uncle – it is a big responsibility. I am incredibly happy, and I feel that I have to be the example of this little boy.

Study Abroad - Success Stories

Read Success Stories of foreigners who study abroad. We have a bunch of questions - international students have a lot to tell. Russian, Turkish, Iranian, Indian, Mexican…

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