this post was submitted on 09 Aug 2023
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Germany

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The place to talk/ask about stuff in Germany in English.

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Do you feel strongly about your immigration to Germany? (feddit.de)
submitted 2 years ago by agrammatic@feddit.de to c/germany@feddit.de
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In the more active version of this community, there's a long back and forth of posts between people who need to demonstrate to others that moving to Germany was the best thing they did in their life and anyone who doesn't feel the same is doing something wrong, and of course also the inverse - that moving to Germany was the worst choice they made and that everyone else is deflecting criticism.

I have to admit that I don't get it. To me it feels very obvious that living everywhere require making trade-offs and that the balance is very individual.

I don't see for example why I should gush about Germany at every turn or try to prove that someone is objectively wrong if they find Germany unliveable for themselves. At the same time, I don't understand why someone would find it sensible to tell me "leave if you don't like it" when I express a criticism. A place doesn't have to be perfect for me to want to live there. It just needs to give me a more favourable balance of pros to cons.

So, we are a younger community here, with less historical memes and reflexes. Perhaps that can be some sort of reality check for me. Do you feel strongly that moving here was great or horrible for you?

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[–] gapbetweenus@feddit.de 15 points 2 years ago

I don’t see for example why I should gush about Germany at every turn or try to prove that someone is objectively wrong if they find Germany unliveable for themselves. At the same time, I don’t understand why someone would find it sensible to tell me “leave if you don’t like it” when I express a criticism.

That is because you are confident in your decision. So you don't need outside approval and don't feel threatened by outside criticism.

For me personally, my parent moved here when I was younger from Russia - so I hit the jackpot, because otherwise there is a good chance I would be dead or in prison.

[–] electrogamerman@lemmy.world 8 points 2 years ago

As a gay man, I couldn't be happier. These last 2 years have been waaaaay better than the 30 years I lived in my home country.

[–] rawn@feddit.de 2 points 2 years ago

As someone who was born here and moved back home (from the UK) a few years ago: I do absolutely have intense feelings about how and why I came home and what rules and regulations I really value ever since, that were completely meaningless to me before.

Some more general thoughts: Depending on the level of xenophobia people experienced in their country of origin, they may also feel the need to "give back" to a place they weren't born to (when really they're a free gift, cause we don't have to pay their education) and experience others as ungrateful. These feelings may be stronger if they get the impression that the other party are maybe some kind of "digital nomad" simply looking for the best package deal, regardless of where exactly they go to, as long as it's good for them.