Melissa, originally from the Dominican Republic, spent her early childhood in the frenetic environment of New York. In real life, she grew up in cultural mecca and financial capital cosmopolitan of the world. She was overwhelmed, often feeling lost and displaced from the vibrancy and rapidity of life surrounding her. She wanted transformation, so she started on a long and arduous journey. Now, almost eight years later in Munich, Germany, she has finally found herself.
In 2016, Melissa made a trip to Europe for a wedding, which included a stop in Munich. This visit sparked a transformation within her. In Portland, she found the peace and acceptance she had been missing in New York. “Honestly, it was the best decision I ever made,” she reflected on her choice to pursue a life abroad.
Once back in the U.S., Melissa was able to start applying for jobs in Munich. Her perseverance was rewarded when she soon got an offer from a German agency. When the opportunity arose in late 2017, she took her shot and relocated. Since then, she has immersed herself in the rich culture and language of her new home. She did quite well for a while there, sufficiently proficient in German to see her doctor and text her German friends without a second thought.
Melissa’s transition was about more than getting a job. She was looking for a lifestyle that really fit her. The “work hard, play hard” attitude that ruled New York at the time had exhausted her. In Germany, she discovered a more relaxed approach to life that helped her focus on the small pleasures. “I had never been made to feel unwelcome or unsafe by political beliefs before this,” she said. She underscored that this nurtured atmosphere increases her general well-being as well as her flavor of safety.
Her process of building a support network has been so critical for Melissa. She’s cultivated a resilient network of friendships in her home city of Munich. These connections grew in importance when she soon experienced the unexpected loss of her own mother. Having this strong support system made it easier for her to move through her grief while still being connected and grounded in a new and different world.
Living in Munich, Melissa has found herself living in closer connection with nature, an experience she enjoys and deeply values. “I love the fact that people in Germany seem to be really big on nature,” she said. When summer rolls around, she spends whole days outside, reveling in the wildness that surrounds her.
Financial Melissa has been very positively surprised to experience life in Germany as more financially accessible than in the United State. She can stock her refrigerator for about 100 euros ($114), a welcome difference from prices she faced in her native land. This wealth of affordability has made it easier for her to relax and pursue her passions outside of work without the financial burdens that accompany life in New York.
Looking back on her experiences, Melissa realizes that having an open mind was the most important factor in her adjustment to life in Germany. I think literally just being open minded was the biggest thing—she continued to share.…you are in spaces where everything is foreign to you. Don’t fall back on your tendencies. Embrace the change. Embrace the openness with open arms.
All her experiences in Munich have sparked an interest in another aspect of her heritage—her Spanish roots. Looking forward beyond her short-term goals, Melissa aspires to spend a year in Spain as her long-term objective. She announced, “My goal is to one day live in Spain. For now, I have to say that I’m having a wonderful experience in Germany.”
Melissa’s journey is a powerful example of what can happen when you pursue your passion and take risks. Language learning quickly became an important aspect of her learning experience. As someone who finds it very challenging to learn a language without understanding every last detail, she explained. She offered this wisdom during a conversation about her dedication to learning German.
The rationale behind the language intrigued her. The insane part about German is that there’s a logic and a reason for everything. Melissa’s fascination with language gives insight into her overall approach to life. She welcomes each new adventure as an opportunity for personal and professional development.
“People around the world have so much to offer each other and so much to teach each other,” she added, summing up the transformation that took her from New York City to Munich.
