Yes, we can…#1

Debora took the B2 exam in Civitanova Marche at the beginning of March. It was just before the shutdown in Italy. She took the first available flight to get to Germany because she expected that sooner or later the airports in Italy would also be closed and she would therefore not be able to travel for a long time. She arrived in Hamburg without our knowledge because we were waiting for her only in the middle of March. When we called her to find out when exactly she would arrive to pick her up from the airport, she replied that she was already in a hotel in Hamburg. She was waiting for her accommodation to be available and because she had gone into voluntary quarantine because she was coming from an area considered “at risk”.

Fortunately, we managed to get her accommodation before the planned date and we took care of all the bureaucratic paperwork with her here in Hamburg: registration office, online bank account and health insurance. She only had to visit the company doctor on her own because we were not allowed to enter the hospital anymore, but she managed it very well!

She has been working in the Albertinen hospital as a health care assistant since 1.4., because we have to wait a few weeks for recognition here in Germany, too, due to the restrictions in the public offices.  She is doing very well and she is already fully integrated into the ward!

We are very proud of her!

We: Debora, how did you find your way here, independent and courageous. How did it go?

Debora: Despite the extraordinary circumstances everything went very well. I am definitely relieved and even more motivated.

We: What do you think about this step from today’s perspective? Was it the right thing to do?

Debora: Absolutely. For me it was a great opportunity which I took immediately. Hamburg is a wonderful city, despite the lockdown. I practice a lot of language at work, and starting right after the B2 exam is definitely easier than starting later.

We: How is your life in Germany? Your work and your private life here?

Debora: I have wonderful roommates and my colleagues are very helpful and friendly. I explore the city on my days off and stick to the restrictions. Already after two months I feel at home. I can consider myself satisfied and happy.

We: What do you think is different here in Germany in this time of crisis than in Italy, in your daily life, apart from the fact that the restrictions here are not so strict?

Debora: Life here is very quiet at the moment, considering the regulations in force. People are generally very disciplined and stick to the restrictions. We are certainly lucky here because we can go out with the people we live with and with one outsider as long as there are two of us and we keep our distance. In the shops and on public transport there is the obligation to wear a mask, but we certainly live an everyday life that is closer to normality than in Italy. The German health service, I see, is handling the situation very well.

We: Would you recommend this step to other colleagues?

Debora: I can only warmly recommend this big step. It is an excellent opportunity for professional and personal development.