Anastasiya Nederytsia - Master Student From Ukraine
Yana Immis
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
I thought Germany is punctual and Germans are punctual. This is so not true. Hello Deutsche Bahn!
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:
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
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
Check and recheck all your contracts!!! Especially telephone services. You cannot simply cancel contracts in Germany
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?
