I used to write periodically about my experiences, which helped me to evaluate my decisions and attitudes and to keep my memory strong. In a way, I am writing this summary for myself again, but I think that those who read this may also be interested in my experiences this time.

We decided to move from Istanbul to Munich in the summer of 2022. There has been a significant change in our life, although it was not easy. It’s been almost a year since this started and a lot has happened in our lives since then.

Decision on Relocation

In the summer of 2022, we were preparing to get married with my wife. We made ceremonial preparations, rented an apartment, furnished it, and fulfilled many traditions. In the meantime, I received a job interview invitation from a company based in Munich. Although we did not plan for that period, we decided to continue to interviews. The process resulted in an offer and we decided to move to Munich as a result of our consultations.

I was satisfied with my job and I had good relations with my colleagues and a good social circle. But we also had reasons to move abroad. Firstly, we wanted to live in a peaceful environment where other issues independent of us did not directly affect our daily lives. Secondly, I also knew that living in Istanbul was not the right decision for us anyway. It is overpopulated and has many problems as a result. Lastly, discovering new things was also a source of motivation for us. This experience could add a lot to our lives. Moving to Munich was a good decision in this sense.

First Months in Munich

Relocation was not a smooth process for us. But at the end of the day, we managed to settle down here and start a new life. We didn’t have much idea about what we were going to experience here, but from the first day, we felt that the environmental factors were as good as we wanted to see. It was also very good for us to get away from a metropolis where there are so many uncertainties and problems of unplanned urbanisation that we have to deal with in our daily lives.

Settling in another country is completely different from tourism or summer school. You have to present yourself to the authorities and meet the necessary criteria to live and work there. Residence registration, criminal record check, residence permit application, health insurance, etc. all these are requirements that appear in many places at the beginning.

It also takes time to learn everyday things like using public transport and where and when to shop. At first, you don’t enjoy it but then everything goes back to normal. Your new normal begins.

Settlement

In the first months, I traveled to Turkey several times and dealt with bureaucratic problems. Our decision brought us more difficulties than exciting experiences. Months passed until we found the house we were looking for.

It is quite difficult to rent an apartment in cities like Munich where demand is high. Also, you are not the first choice because of your passport, credit score, salary, etc. Therefore, I was one of the last choices for the landlords because I came alone. It would have been much easier if I could have come with my wife at the beginning.

The apartments here are generally small but we are satisfied with the standards. When it comes to furnishing, this time we didn’t want to search the best things in the market and deal with productions and delivery, so we ordered all the furniture from Ikea as the most practical solution. We were very satisfied with the result.

Our new life has just begun for me when we started living in a place that we call our home, which gives sense of belonging. I understood this the moment when we started to think about what to do next. Until this moment, settling was a difficult process in which we always faced dilemmas such as whether it was the right decision or the wrong decision to leave Turkey. However, after renting an apartment and starting to live in it, this thought disappeared.

This experience reminded me of an article I read years ago about the relationship between building, dwelling, and thinking. This idea, which is explained by the cognate of these words in German, briefly explained that dwelling affects thought. Therefore, settling in a place where we can live in peace was the beginning of a new thought for me.

I didn’t feel a sense of belonging in many places I’ve lived in. But I always looked for it. The city I grew up in, some places I visited, and now this one. I am very grateful for living with my family in the calm environment we looked for. It had been a long time since we forgot to hear all sorts of bird sounds when we opened the window.

Munich

Munich is a nice city to live in in terms of environmental and social factors. After listening to my friends and reading the articles comparing them to many other german cities, I guessed that this would be the right place for us. Because here, while having the facilities of big cities, there is a quiet life with preserved nature. There are many parks in the city, lakes, and mountains around which it is easy to reach by public transport. It is also very nice to have nature sports and water sports. We still have a lot to discover. However, while there are cultural activities, traditional events, various world cuisines, and a large public transport network, it is really nice that the population is not too high.

As we don’t speak German, we were concerned about the language barrier. However, here we found a multicultural environment where we could communicate in English. Nevertheless, learning German is appreciated and necessary for further integration into society.

As for the business side of things, I was hoping to find more community related to my profession, there are a few events that happen quarterly but not more yet. Looking for more communities to join. I hope new things happen and my thoughts on this will change soon.

Recap

The decision to relocate from Istanbul to Munich arose unexpectedly during the preparations for our wedding. Despite being satisfied with my job and having a good social circle, we wanted to experience new things and live in a peaceful environment away from the issues affecting our daily lives. Munich was a good choice with its balance of urban amenities and preserved nature. The initial months of relocation were challenging in terms of bureaucratic procedures and the search for an apartment. However, we eventually settled down and found a home, which brought a sense of belonging and a fresh perspective. Munich offers a quiet life surrounded by parks, lakes, and mountains. Overall, our move to Munich has been a positive experience, providing a calm and fulfilling environment for our family.