Expat Diaries

Here I will tell you my story of Ukrainian expat in Germany, will share tips and useful links, we will talk about German history, culture and traditions. You will find about about studying, job search, working and many more.

Rosenmontag in Germany – Carnival Time

/ Iana / 1 Comment

Hey, there, friends! Carnival time is here! And today is a highlight of German Carnival season – it is Rosenmontag! Unfortunately this year due to pandemic, the Carnival is not celebrated with the same proportions as before. Especially here in Cologne. This year you can only see some small groups of two people in costumes walking outside with some music playing on their phones. At least that happened near my apartment. Completely different feeling from last years, right? When thousands of people would come out to the streets to meet the parade. People wearing different costumes and throwing candies and other delights at people. Good old times. Hopefully next year we will be able to fully enjoy this great holiday! Today, I want to tell you about this holiday! So what is the Carnival all about?

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German Language Learning Apps

/ Iana / 1 Comment

Hi there, friends, today I would like to talk to you about learning German! Yes, exactly. For me learning German was and still is extremely complicated. I have tried many different methods of learning – from attending group classes, 1-on-1 lectures to having a tandem partner and learning via apps and websites. In this particular blog post, I have decided to do a review of some smartphone/tablet apps for learning German. We all know, that in past few decades the number of smartphone users grew significantly all over the world, people are inseparable with their phones using apps from grocery shopping to taxes and travel. And language learning apps are no exception. It is very convenient way to learn. Anywhere – you just need your phone, installed app and in some cases internet connection. First, I would like to start with the apps I use almost on daily bases.

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Job Search Portals in Germany

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Job Search Portals in Germany

Hi, there, friends! Today I want to start series of blog posts on the topic of working in Germany and in the first post we will talk about job search in Germany. It is one of the most popular topics among expat community. Whether you are a fresh graduate having just finished a degree, established professional in the field looking for a career change or having just been let go by your company, the most widespread method of job search is of course Internet. All positions I have ever had I found nowhere else, but on job search portals. Of course, there are also employee referrals, word-of-mouse advertisements and job fairs. But, only a small percentage of people actually find a job that way. Most of the times, we have to apply via job search portals. Therefore, in today’s post we will go through the most popular job search websites in Germany.

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New Year Celebration in Germany

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New Year Celebration in Germany

I have moved to Germany quite some time ago and New Year 2021 will be my New Year number 7 here! Super exciting, right? Over the years, I have celebrated it in many different ways – I had attended student parties, celebrated in the company of my German neighbors, stayed alone during New Year’s Eve and spend time with my loved ones. And every time it was the most special time of the year. To be honest, it is rather similar to the way it is celebrated in Ukraine – with some differences of course. Therefore, today’s post I have decided to dedicate to New Year and the way it is celebrated in Germany! So, let’s start. Continue reading →

Merry Christmas to You!

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Hi, there, my dear friends! Today, 25th December, is a special time of the year – it is Christmas! Merry Christmas everyone! I hope this year will bring you lots of happiness and health! To me this is very beautiful day, filled with joy, aroma of eggnog and room filling with endless array of Christmas songs and binge watching of Christmas movies. I personally love it – watching Home Alone is like a sacred tradition for me and my family to do on Christmas. This year, I have always added new movie Christmas Chronicles to the list. Will be watching second movie this evening. Yesterday was Christmas Eve and I wanted to share with you how I spent it in Cologne. 

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What is SCHUFA?

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Are you searching for apartment for rent and suddenly the landlord is asking you for SCHUFA? But you have literally no idea how to do it or even what it is? Don’t worry! I can help you here! So, let’s find out what SCHUFA is!

SCHUFA is abbreviation for “Schutzgemeinschaft für allgemeine Kreditsicherung” or to put it in English “General Credit Protection Agency”. The company basically holds credit scores for more than 67 million people as well as 5 million companies. “But what do I have to do with some General Credit Protection Agency” you might ask. Well, the thing is, that in Germany some landlords want to know if they can trust you and if you will be able to pay the rent on time or if you had some financial issues before. In order to do that, they will ask you for either proof of income or SCHUFA. Or both in some cases. And here is exactly when it comes to SCHUFA! They will provide you with your credit score report, which you will be able to give to your landlord. The report price is 29,95 Euros.

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Things to do During Coronavirus Lockdown

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Hi my friends, and welcome to my new post. As of yesterday, 16.12.2020, Germany entered new, even harder, lockdown. During previous “lockdown light” we had restaurants and cafes closed (except takeaway), as well as cinemas, theaters, fitness centers and swimming pools. However, those measures did not have much influence on the number of Coronavirus infections in Germany. Therefore, now, the new restrictions have to take place. And they include closing of most stores, schools and day care centers. Such things as walking outside and going to parks is still allowed, with social distancing in place of course.

In view of that, I have decided to create a list of things to do during lockdown. Myself, I have been home since March 2020 and many times I have struggled with boredom. So much boredom. I was bored as crazy, especially during first month of lockdown while I was still getting used to stay-at-home life. I have tried so many different things to keep myself busy and many of them were pretty exciting. Today I want to share those with you.

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Accommodation Search in Germany

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All of us have been in the situation when you need to find an apartment to live in. Whether you got a new job in another city, about to start university degree or simply moving in with your partner – one of the most important steps is finding a place you can call home for next moths or even years. I have moved a lot during my student life, from one city to another, sometimes 2 or 3 times within one city due to different circumstances. Therefore, in this blog post, I have compiled a guide for you on how to find an apartment with links on different websites.

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Saint Nicholas Day in Germany

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Hello everyone and Happy St. Nicholas Day to you. Well, today we actually have double celebration – St. Nicholas Day and 2nd Advent! Yes, today is the day to light the second candle in your Advent Wreath! However, today, we are going to talk about St. Nicholas Day and how it is celebrated in Germany.

Back in Ukraine, it used to be one of my favorite holidays. I would wake up in the morning and immediately put my hand under the pillow and start searching for a sweet present from St. Nicholas. If I didn’t find one under my pillow, I would jump off the bed and rush into the corridor and start looking into every single shoe of mine. Because sometimes St. Nicholas could also hide presents there. That childish happiness and joy when I found my favorite chocolate inside the shoe. That day I would go to school and the main topic of discussion among kids would be what St. Nicholas brought us this year.

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