Published on April 23rd, 2025
My husband came home from work one evening with a bottle of champagne. “What are we celebrating?” I asked. A promotion – that’s great! In Germany? From that point on, a rollercoaster of emotions started. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity for him. And for me? An adventure, a challenge, an opportunity?
Initial Reaction
Right from the beginning, I was flooded with questions – will I be able to work there? Can the children go to school? What is better, international school or local school? Will I be able to learn the language? Where will we live? Will it be more expensive? Will my husband’s company provide any compensation?
Six months after moving, I am starting to feel settled. I have the answers to most of my questions. Now I am sure what you want to know is, was it the right decision for me and my family to move? Let me tell you a little more about our immigration journey first.
Employment Options
Will I be able to work there? Yes, our visas and residents permits allow me to work. Fortunately, my line of work as a marketing specialist is not restricted, meaning I will be able to start as soon as I find a suitable job.
Kindergarten and School
Can the children go to school? This one was one of my major worries, I wanted to be sure that the children would have a smooth transition. James is 5, so he is actually in Kindergarten here before starting school next year. Luckily we were well informed and got him on a waiting list early on. It seems that it is not that easy to find a place, but he started in our local Kindergarten a couple of weeks after the move and is settling in well.
What is better, international school or local school? I found this decision particularly difficult. I liked the idea of a local school, so that my daughter would be part of the local community. She doesn’t speak any German though, so this seemed a bit tough. Our relocation consultant was really great, she listened to all my concerns and found the perfect solution – a bilingual school. There is a small monthly fee, but I feel like my daughter is getting the best of both worlds.
Language and Integration
Will I be able to learn the language? Ja! I was relieved to find out that my husband’s company cover language classes for the whole family. I am really enjoying learning a new language and it has also been a great way for me to make new friends. I have found it hard being away from home and it has helped to talk to others who are in the same situation.
Living Situation
Where will we live? Our relocation consultant helped us so much here! It turns out that rental in Germany is more expensive that I had anticipated so it was quite a challenge to find something that the whole family liked, plus make sure that it isn’t too far from the office, kindergarten and school. She went ahead and viewed some places for us while we were still in the US though and helped with all the paperwork. Everything works so differently here, I’m not sure whether we would have managed without her.
Costs and Compensation
Will it be more expensive? I was so surprised the first time that I went grocery shopping in Germany – it is actually much cheaper than in the US. Our health insurance costs much less too which was a great bonus.
Will my husband’s company provide any compensation? As well as the language courses already mentioned, the company also provided a housing budget and a transport budget, so we have not had to worry too much about our finances, despite moving being expensive.
Outlook
So, now that I have answered all these questions, time for the most important question of all – was relocating the right decision for our family? It has definitely been hard work and emotional, but it has opened our eyes to a different lifestyle and the children love it here. Would I recommend it? It absolutely depends on your individual situation but definitely give it some thought!
Further Assistance
Would you like more information about any of these points? Do you need support planning your move? If you need any help at all, do not hesitate to get in touch with us at Expats Guide, we will be happy to help!
