Filipino in Germany – My Pinoy Life in Rhineland

My name is J Alexis and I live in Rhineland-Pfalz, Germany

Tell us about where you live. What is the place famous for? Are there any notable landmarks, sites, etc. What do you like and not like about living there?

I live in Rhineland where the castles and vineyards are ubiquitous. Postcard-worthy scenery is a common sight, and the people are very friendly. I live around the Mosel valley where the romantic Mosel River runs, and the Riesling white wine is aplenty. The famous Burg Eltz is found here. And Bernkastel-Kues is the most charming little wine village I’ve ever seen my entire life.

Tell us about your life there.  What do you do for a living?  What do you do for relaxation?  Describe a typical week. What’s the typical lifestyle over there?

I’m an intensive care nurse, and that job entails me to travel half of the month. Usually, I get to have 5-7 days of work, followed by 5-7 off. When I’m not travelling, I’m enjoying my free time to bits. During my days off, I do hikes around the beautiful wine villages in our area, or go to other cities around the France-Luxembourg border.

Is there a Filipino community there?

There isn’t a big Filipino community in our town. I’d say there’s around 30 Filipinos, all working for the same company as I am.

How were you able to adjust to the culture? Did you pick up anything new (practices, life lessons, etc). Do you still observe Filipino customs and traditions?

I’d say I adjust well. I seldom come late. Filipino time is a big no-no. Germans are very good at handling their finances too. Something I am still working on.

Germans are known for their efficiency. They like get things done on time. If the train comes in late for 5 minutes, there are going to be negative reactions about it. People take time seriously here. Here in Germany also, even at night when there are no cars, I wait for the the stoplight to say go. I appreciate the structure, the rules and social norms we adhere to in Germany. Things are in order because of that.

What advice would you give to Filipinos who want to move there?

Be open, be friendly and be yourself.

How about Filipinos who want to travel there? Also give 3 tips.

Try the wines and explore all the castles in the area.

If there’s any advice I can give to a Filipino coming here is that to always bring a jacket with you. Weather here can be quite crazy. Sometimes you’d experience four seasons in once day. It can go from chilly to hailstorm to sunny in an instant. Yes, that crazy. Before I moved here, I never really cared about the weather. Now, I have to plan my day accordingly every hour. Last summer I had so much confidence in the sun that I just wore shorts and a tank top. It suddenly became so chilly that afternoon that I ended up buying a jacket.

But other that that, things always go as planned. The transportation is phenomenal. Lately trains have been coming in late and getting easily crowded because of the 9 euro ticket promo. But it’s easy to go from point A to point B. So you dont have to worry. If you need help, just wear a smile. Germans are nice people, and they’d be happy to answer your questions. And use google maps – I swear my life on it.

What’s your message to Filipinos across the world?

Don’t give up, work on your dreams and we all have different timelines.

For more info on Germany for Filipinos, visit this link: https://www.rlp-tourismus.com/en/about-us