Parsa Motamedi - Bachelor Student From Iran

Meet Parsa Motamedi. He lived in Dubai & Barcelona, studied Music at Berklee and moved to Germany after. You can read his study in Germany success story here.

Chapter 1: Dubai

Place of Birth	Tehran, Iran
Nationality	Iranian
Where did you live?	Dubai (UAE), Barcelona (Spain)
Education Level Prior to Relocation	International Baccalaureate (IB)
Reason for moving to Germany	Bachelor Program
When did you move?	2017
How old were you?	20
Are you still in Germany?	Yes
What is your current occupation?	2nd Year Bachelor Student
What is your future goal?	Salesforce Administrator Licence, Start-Up Projects
Would you like to stay in Germany?	Yes

I was born in Tehran, Iran. We moved to the United Arab Emirates when I was 4 or 5. My father wanted me and my sister to grow up in a safer environment. He believed we would have a better future there. When we moved to Dubai, the real estate industry was booming, the value was going up and due to the nature of my father's business, we could afford a good life there. Moreover, English was and is widely spoken - I felt very comfortable enunciating myself.

I finished my High School (International Baccalaureate (IB) at Dubai American Academy). I studied French all my life as a third language, but I haven't really learnt. Surprisingly to my family, my teachers and myself, during my 11th and 12th grades I chose Spanish as my 2nd language. A spontaneous decision would help me in the future (now I know that, but back then, I couldn't anticipate).

Computers were always a big part of my life. I taught myself basic HTML and coding. Outside of school, I made websites for people. I remember we had a web HTML class for beginners and I already knew everything – that made me very happy. Since then, I can basically do anything technical. I can learn it and I can do it. I do websites on Wordpress and other platforms, coding, user interface programming, automation.

Otherwise, I wasn't very active during my school time, as I mostly wasted my time. Like many people of my age do.

In High School, I began music production and I chose Hip Hop and Electronic as my dominating genres. I like other music as well. As an example, now I can listen for hours to Avishai Cohen.

When I was in grade 12 and we were choosing universities, I decided to pursue music for my Undergraduate studies. I applied to one and only Musical School - Berklee College of Music in Boston (USA) and to my surprise, I got in!

I could choose Israel, Greece or Spain for the Junior Year. It was without a question of which country I chose. Conveniently, I studied Spanish for 2 years. I hesitated between choosing music or computer science, but I chose Music and Barcelona and it was the time of my life.

Chapter 2: Barcelona

I would have been studying audio production/audio engineering. I could have had the jobs not in the artistic field, but rather in the technical field. I could have worked at companies that host concerts, radio stations or in the movie industry…

… but the cost of studies was very high (40.000-50.000 $ per year).

I had a conversation with my father. He was always very supportive, but he couldn't shake off his conservative nature, so he was kind of saying: "I let you do what you want to do. But if you do it, I must sell a house, so think about it twice".

I didn't finish my music career.

I looked for alternatives and I found them. I started working to help my father at one of the companies and continued doing music myself. It didn't take long that business caught my attention. Not only have I switched my major from Music to Business Studies, but I also changed my country from Spain to Germany.

It was like an awakening moment: Barcelona is great, I thought, but it's too much fun, it really is. You just want to go out and spend time outside. I mentioned to my father, that I want to study in Germany, and he said: "I like Germany, move to Munich! It is the best place for you."

Chapter 3: Munich

Initially, when I came to Germany it was horrible. On the surface, I can tell you that it was horrible because I didn't have friends. Every day was like a repetitive cycle, my room in the dorm was small, I kept finding problems and excuses.

A year and six months passed. I can't complain about my life at all any longer. Funny, but these problems don't bother me now. In fact, it only gets better and better every day.

Late last year I found a great group of Iranian friends - and that turned everything around. The majority of my friends are foreigners. I have one German friend; his name is Edward. Yes, I might not have a big budget to get a big apartment or a car yet, but my life is great: my friends, my school.

I started taking advantage of the opportunities presented in the location. I will finish my Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in one year. What will I do after I graduate? I would start a company. I am very interested in Salesforce.

I am working with a startup now setting up Salesforce for them and I'm searching for a Salesforce Administrator course to get myself certified. I will learn this platform first and then my goal is to surpass that, because this is the product to learn. But that's not what I plan to do all my life.

I haven’t forgotten about my passion - music. I am not just passively listening to music: I care for it. It is important for me to treat it according to my history and my memories. I realized that one day I could connect technical, business and musical aspects together, I just need to learn and to find the know-how. I have many ideas on my mind. There is one related to business and one related to music. These are projects that I want to set up myself.

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In terms of business, I want to build my own Salesforce platform. Prospective customers would license the product for their CRM.

In terms of music, I want to build a program, which selects songs for you automatically by gathering data from your personal indicators.

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The business idea is simple: there are certain tunes and rhythmic patterns that you want to hear according to your mood. If we talk about Spotify or platforms alike, you have to select the mood and you have your own bias that comes out.

Remove that and make it fully transparent! Imagine, there would be a program that knows exactly what you are willing to hear. So instead of playing the song with physical action, the stream starts itself and since it is connected to you it would know what you want to hear.

This is what makes my heart beat at the moment and I will be working hard to bring this project to life.

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Give Berlin A Chance - Here Is Why! A Story Of Kush

“I am always fascinated by people of all kinds of professional, educational, and lifestyle backgrounds. You might be surprised how much you can share in common with other people if you can communicate well.”

Read the diary of Kush living in Berlin here!

Chapter 1: About Me

“Some people might feel a sense of security in a foreign country when they are around the people who speak the same language as their own or share something else in common.

We are all different, and we are not always perfectly aware of what we are doing. It is easy to fall into your comfort zone and revert to what is familiar. In a foreign environment, embrace the new as much you can, and you won't regret it.

I would encourage young students to challenge their beliefs and develop people skills. You don't know what you are missing out on if you form cliques at school and hang out with the same people all the time. As a student, I had no desire to stick to what my classmates were planning to do after classes.

One time I even just decided to show up in a social gathering at Technical University (where I was not studying, of course) all alone and had a great conversation with an ESA scientist; I came from a business background, but I learned something new. There is no perfect way to develop people skills, but you can start by opening up to new ideas. 

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People keep asking me why I travel alone, but this is just the way I am. You either get it or you don’t.

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When I was 18 years old, I realized I am more of a free person if I just do what I want to. Before making my first ever solo trip, I was thinking about all kinds of what-ifs. I had the time and the budget then, but no one wanted to join me.

It just took that one solo trip during my student years, and I have never looked back since. I travel solo more often and meet backpackers and adventurous souls you would not usually meet. I have the freedom to wake up at any time or even make a spontaneous plan to go somewhere with someone I just met and have a great time.

It is incredible when you hear stories from people who have been traveling on a gap year, a sabbatical, or for more than a year at a time. I once even met a Frenchman who had been traveling and hitchhiking for 15 years on a limited budget. What a confidence booster is it to travel alone!

It is not selfish to think more about yourself and taking yourself on a solo travel journey.

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It is also ok to break free of wherever you come from for some of your life. Trust me, people who love you will stay anyway. 

As you grow older you may realize that the kind of people you attract and maintain friendships with would largely depend on your personal values. And the years as a student are a great time to rediscover yourself.

Chapter 2: What about COVID-19?

The German people and the government are going all in to curb the outbreak and save the economy:

• I admire how people are showing tremendous discipline and resilience in these hard times.

• I read an article on the local.de that Germany is the ‘second safest country in the world’ during coronavirus according to multiple sources.

• The Germans are positive that they are managing this crisis well. As far as the global economy is concerned, it won’t be long until things will turn around and become good as soon as the health-crisis comes under control.

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I can empathize with people who are feeling overwhelmed right now. I know some people personally who are overwhelmed by how this sudden shift has blurred the lines between their personal life and a professional one at the same time; this is especially true for people who are working from home and have children to take care of.

People are worried about all kinds of different aspects of their life getting disrupted. I have friends who are musicians and artists whose events and performances got canceled due to the ban on gatherings. I also know people who work in hospitality and tourism.

Despite a series of unfortunate events lately,

you are not alone in this.

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Times like these challenge people to create a blueprint for a better future for themselves and for others. We can all come out stronger and better versions of ourselves if we put some work into it and give up on what is already not in our control.

It is important to count your blessings. Look at it this way, the western hemisphere is free of conventional warfare, and entire cities have been rebuilt because people put work into making it happen. Things require effort and cooperation. Berlin, for example, has risen from the ashes.

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There is always a way to grow out of any crisis, and it can be done by acquiring new knowledge.

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One can pick up a book and read it. You can also sign-up for a new online course and gain digital skills that are in demand. We can already see a swift transition into a more digital economy, and professionals in pretty much all industries will have to adapt to stay competitive.

Advanced technologies are already changing how we communicate, receive, and secure information. For example, AI algorithms can now diagnose patients with depression and prescribe the best-suited anti-depressant in their case. You can now codify legal prose that can lower your chances of getting into a dispute because codifying can lower chances of misinterpretation of terminologies. There are many other impressive use cases.

Just over a decade ago, a lot of us probably didn’t even have a smartphone, and we now realize how much our day to day life and communication depends on it. 

If you are someone with extra free time, you can learn to be more mindful, exercise at home, or go outside for a run if the lockdown measures allow you to.

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Social distancing can be a great time for self-reflection.

It depends on how you look at it.

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A few years ago, I participated in a mindfulness meditation retreat course in the Indian Himalayas in the Dalai Lama’s residence town - Dharamsala. Practicing guided meditation has really helped me deal with a rush of thoughts and center myself.

I was inspired by talks of Dan Harris and Sam Harris to make this a part of my lifestyle. The retreat was a unique educational opportunity. We were people from all corners of the world, from varying age groups, different professional backgrounds, some of us even carrying emotional baggage and traveling the world for various reasons, but united in one place by the same idea.

And as strange as it may sound, a Japanese traveler who I had met almost two years before in New York at an arcade bar one evening was there for the introduction course. It was so unexpected to meet her in a completely different environment.

The idea was to improve our nature and grow into a more peaceful person. We stayed together in silence in a shared dorm for a program that lasts ten days, and you get no access to electronic gadgets during the time. I did three of those programs. I know that change doesn't come that quickly, but mindfulness does shift your energy, and you can continue to practice.

Chapter 3: Master Thesis - how to write it?

The thesis degree requirement for me specified that a Master level thesis needs to be more analytical than a bachelor level thesis (without specifying any concrete examples of how per se).

I was not required to write a thesis as a part of my bachelor’s degree program, so this was a new challenge. I realized that I like reading about new technologies and so why not start from there.

1. I took some hints from the theoretical knowledge I gained during my Master's and sent a proposal to one of my professors in Rome.

2. The professor connected me to other Masters and Ph.D. Erasmus students and business professionals who were all working on similar projects.

3. We all joined virtually through a video call to discuss what we want to contribute.

4. I ended up with a peer-reviewed case study about a smart contract solution deployed on a blockchain architecture.

5. At the start, I didn't have all the answers as the case studies were all written by developers in a very technical language. What I did have was course materials about contractual management from my Master's program and work experience in RegTech in New York.

6. So, I spent the first couple of months just familiarizing myself with technical terminology to gain a background of the problem that Smart Contracts solve.

7. The gap I filled was examining how that specific case from the study can be made legally compliant in the face of new regulations and policies. I also discussed new methods and solutions that can alleviate the security concerns of users and protect against malicious attackers.

8. Along the way, I found new technical solutions and structured the whole concept into something new that can improve workflows. It was all about connecting the dots, and it was a great feeling to have your work appreciated and valued by others. 

9. A friend who owns a startup in San Francisco visited Berlin to talk about blockchain on his first-ever Europe tour. At his event, I gained some new insights on how I can add value to my thesis topic by talking to some people and gaining access to resources. There are so many things happening here in Berlin.

10. I required minimal support from my professor while working on the thesis. I spent a great deal of my time writing my thesis from public university libraries like at Frei University and TU Berlin. This was a really enjoyable experience for me. During breaks in the library, I would make a travel itinerary for my next trip and go for a beer at the end of the day. Things like that kept me level-headed while working on the thesis. 

11. I became totally immersed in this topic last summer, and eventually, this led to crafting a well-written thesis and defending the topic successfully at La Sapienza in Rome. It was really satisfying to finish strong.

Chapter 4: How Berlin and you can contribute to each other’s success?

• As a student, the quality of life in Berlin is good. In comparison to other places I have lived, worked, and studied - in India, Southern Germany, the United States, and Italy.

• Berlin offers a thriving startup ecosystem, and it is great to meet innovators, who are essentially creating new markets.

• I have had the opportunity to meet some forward-thinking people from New York, Tel Aviv, London, San Francisco, Boston, you name it. In startup communities, people are generally willing to help each other with finding connections.

• There is an abundance of knowledge, so don’t just limit yourself to what goes inside a classroom, achieving certain grades, or sticking to a course structure.

• Learn to be versatile. At work, anyone can master routine tasks as time goes by. But it is especially stimulating to manage tasks in a dynamic environment that requires working on new problems and tasks on a regular basis.

• I personally think that to develop your entrepreneurial thinking ability, you should spend time working closely with other entrepreneurs who are getting things done.

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I find Berlin as an incredibly dynamic city.

Berlin has seen a lot. 

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As a student in Berlin, I had been living near the Schlactensee lake, which offers a rich natural landscape around the lake area. I like the local culture of swimming in the waters, relaxing and drinking beer by the lake during the summer months.

• I am a big fan of food and beers. I like Nürnberger bratwursts, schnitzel, and currywurst, and my favorite beverages include Club Mate, Fritz Cola, Berliner Luft, and Berliner Kindel.

• The beers are relatively cheaper compared to other metropolitan cities outside of Germany. An average meal in a restaurant can cost around €15, which is fair, I think.

• What you may find odd about how supermarkets here are managed is that the cashier tries to serve people fast, and you have to pack your groceries quickly. 

• Berlin is a model of tolerance and celebrates people and their individuality. There are no societal norms as such, and people are free to express themselves.

  • For example, Berliners proudly celebrate the LGBT community

  • The city became the first in the world to declare Frauentag on March 8th as a public holiday. 

The best thing about Berlin is how well it is connected to the rest of Europe with its domestic airports and the city itself is located in the heart of Europe which is an added value.

It is so easy to live here. It is easy to travel from here.” - Kush.

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Klaudia Anna B. - Bachelor Student From Poland

Meet Klaudia Anna was a Microsoft Business & Marketing Support Manager for Small and Medium Size Enterprises.

2020 UPDATE: A lot can change in a year! Not all storms come to disrupt your life, some come to clear your path. In order to realize my vision & goals during the Pandemic COVID19 I got the chance to become part of the Amazon family so I started a new chapter in Business Development during the pandemic and create long-term value for customers by driving digital innovation strategies with Amazon Web Services.

You can read her study in Germany success story here.

Place of Birth	Kluczbork, Poland
Nationality	German (Polish)
Where did you live?	Würzburg, Nürnberg (Germany), Bangkok (Thailand)
Education Level Prior to Relocation	Kindergarten
Reason for moving to Germany	Elementary School
When did you move?	1992
How old were you?	3
Are you still in Germany?	Yes
What is your current occupation?	Working full-time
What is your future goal?	Launching Travel Blog and Developing into AI and Digitalization Topics
Would you like to stay in Germany?	Yes

Chapter 1: The Struggle

Political changes brought us to Germany. Coupons for food were not enough. We could not afford to buy an orange. With a very high unemployment rate, there was no vision for young people. My parents decided to leave Poland to give me a better future.

We moved to a Bavarian city close to Nürnberg. We were allocated to the mass migrant shelter, with shared living space and bathroom between other 8-10 different Russian and Polish families. We almost had nothing. Luckily, we received social housing from the German government. Yet, until this date, my parents refuse to move out of this flat, because they are very thankful. We were one of the first families who received social benefits for economic migrants.

To give me a better future, my parents have given up on a lot of their own hopes and dreams.

They always believed, that my future highly depends on my education: “Make the best of it, because that’s what will bring you forward”.

My parents spent all their savings on my education, knowing one day it would pay off. I am the only child and I had a big responsibility coming my way.

Back then the Internet wasn’t developed, and my parents could not inform themselves of opportunities.

In elementary school, I have been downgraded because of the limited German language, and I was not allowed to go to Realschule. I went to Hauptschule instead. 2 years later, I advanced into the Middle school, but I was not allowed to go to Gymnasium, again because of the limited German language. It seemed like a vicious circle.

I decided to break the chain of disappointments and failure and, when I was in Middle school, I applied for a Bank as a trainee. Not only have I gotten the job, having completed 2.5 years of the traineeship, but I was also the first one from the dozen people who got an unlimited working contract in the bank.

I was crying. Was I happy or sad? I was very proud of myself, but I didn’t want to work in a bank all my life. I have always been a fighter; I knew I had more potential. I am from the family where unemployment was always the case and I wasn’t brave enough to say no to this contract. I should be quiet and thankful, I thought.

3 years later, I regretted my decision. Every single day I was not happy with my job. I saw happy students; I saw happy customers fulfilling their dreams and I realized that I had been stuck in development. I didn’t see the world.

Chapter 2: The Dares

I dared to go to the USA for my dream trip. At Grand Canyon, I sat down to think for a second. I knew that this decision had been correct all the way. There was so much more of the world I could discover. That day I decided on my dream: to work in the American company and to travel the world.

Having returned to Germany, I dared to quit my job without asking my parents’ approval to focus on the most important aspect of life – Education.

I finished my Abitur within a year. That, considering I have not been to school for 6 years has been an accomplishment itself. I applied to a university of my choice & received an offer letter. Würzburg is a nice city – not far away from home – but far away enough to have my distance. I did a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration with a focus in Human Resources and Media Management.

After 3 semesters, I applied for a semester exchange in Thailand and moved for half a year to Bangkok. I chose this place because of easy logistics with travelling across South East Asia and Australia – I highly recommend it, because it’s a good hub for travelling and the monthly costs are very low.

It was new cooperation with Thailand, and I was the only western girl in the middle of the Thai school. I was “Lost In Translation”. I found new friends on a forum, started travelling around and became “The Voice of Germany” to bring Thai and German cultures together on the topics of student mobility and educational tourism.

For my internship semester, I dared to apply to Microsoft in Munich and landed in a Product Marketing department. Looking back now I realized, that due to the harsh life my family has gone through, I developed a character. These character traits helped me in being who I am today.

I used all my vacations while studying and semester breaks to travel the world. I was saving money. Why? I thought I would spend it on building a house, but I spent it travelling and it was worth it!

From an internship, I have been promoted to a working student at Microsoft. For my Bachelor Thesis, I could not find a better company for an ‘Example to Follow’ in terms of Digitalization and Modern Workplace.

In Germany, working students’ positions are reserved for students, who are studying or recently graduated. I was positively surprised, that right after my Bachelor Graduation, I was offered full-time employment.

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Reminiscing me at the Grand Canyon:

An American Dream company and a full-time job?

Yes, of course!

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Chapter 3: The Advice

People throughout the time were telling me I would never be able to achieve good results, including my teachers and friends. I was at the lowest school level. I started from the bottom of the bottom, but I never listened to them, because I listened to my inner voice. My inner voice was louder than the haters.  

No matter what social status your parents are or have been, you can achieve everything. I am a Business & Marketing Support Manager for Small and Medium Size Enterprises at Microsoft now and I see myself developing and learning more about the digitalization, because this is the future.

Everyone knows I work there, but nobody knows, that despite having a job, I had no apartment in Munich for a while.

I was travelling from Nürnberg every day. I woke up at 3.00 AM to catch the bus at 4:30 AM arriving at the central station in Munich on time so that I am punctual in the office to connect, network and learn.

I was staying in the office very late, disregarding my social and private life just to get the job I wanted. I was even wondering if I could overnight there.

Outside of work I have a life as well. My hobbies include travelling (obviously), photography, videography, Latin dancing (Salsa, Bachata) and cooking. I cook international receipts from all the countries I have been to.

This year, I will start my travel blog with a mission to help people discover the world on a small budget. I want to give inspiration and guidance on how to believe in yourself and to make it happen.

Having travelled to 60 countries by the age of 30, I have a lot to tell, including robberies, as well as 5200-meter height 30-hour bus rides and meeting amazing people who leave great memories in your life.

Never stop exploring!

The beauty of this city is that there are people from all over the world – you can find your tribe and you will connect to the right people. It is so wonderful, that I started calling Munich my home after 1.5 years of living here. Every time I travel, I am happy to return to my base.

Nowadays, my parents are driving to visit me in Munich, and they know their child has fulfilled their dreams. All the dreams my parents had, I made them even bigger. They have a 2nd key from my flat, and they are welcome at any time.

Every day I wake up thinking about them and thanking them for giving me the future full of oranges that we can afford. They worked hard for this to happen and to pay them back I will continue developing.

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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Related Articles:

1. Parsa Motamedi - Bachelor Student From Iran

2. Awos Alziadat - Foundation Student From Jordan

3. Gleb Konovalov - Bachelor Student From Russia

4. Foreigners Studying Abroad - Success Stories