Where are you from? Tell us about yourself!
Hi, I'm Ahmet. I'm from Samsun, Turkey. I studied Management Information Systems and worked as a Project Manager for more than 12 years.
I like reading history and literature. Movies, especially Italian films, play a big part in my life, and I enjoy analyzing their stories and characters. It’s more than a hobby for me.
I’m also very interested in psychology and read a lot about people and relationships. My friends often call me when they have issues in their relationships or families, as I’m a good listener. Learning is an important part of my life—I make sure to learn something new every day, whether from social media or friends.
What city in Austria did you move to?
I decided to move abroad due to the economic and social conditions in Turkey.
Particularly the difficulties faced by the LGBT community, who never truly have their own life there.
I received a job offer and relocated to Salzburg, but the city felt very limited for me. After work, I barely enjoyed life there and always wanted to move to Vienna, which is completely different.
Eventually, I moved to Vienna and started to enjoy every single day (Another Deutsch Gym student, Estephany, had a similar experience when moving to Austria). Like many others, I love Vienna, and the vibe in the city helped me express myself and improve my personality in a free way. It’s really important for everyone to have that sense of freedom.
How were your first 6 months in Salzburg?
The first 6 months in Salzburg weren’t bad, mainly because the onboarding period at work took 3-4 months, so it took a while for real life to begin.
In terms of work, transportation, and communicating with people, nothing was particularly difficult.
However, Salzburg was a very limited city for me compared to a metropolis like Vienna. I barely made any friends, and I can’t say people there are very open to new connections, which I completely understand.
But now in Vienna, I’m much happier because the city offers so much. Even if I don’t go out for days, I know there’s plenty to explore outside, and just having that feeling is enough compared to small cities where you don’t have that.
What is the culture/vibe of your new city versus where you came from?
There are a lot of differences. Respect, security, safety, and human rights are the foundation of life here, which is a stark contrast to Turkey. Many people in Turkey face significant problems, and many plan to move abroad for a better life.
In Austria, there’s a strong sense of safety and security, and everyone can feel it.
Vienna is an open museum when it comes to architecture, which is remarkable. But I do miss Turkish cuisine sometimes.
People here might not appear very friendly, but it’s a cultural thing.
They can seem reserved, especially due to migration issues, but you have to understand and respect their culture before labeling them as closed off or unfriendly. Safety and security are far more important to me.
What is the cost of living like? How is the job market?
I think it’s manageable compared to other countries. Inflation is a global issue, but the Austrian government controls it well.
I haven’t been negatively impacted by rent or grocery prices.
The job market can be a bit tricky, especially for IT roles, as companies often look for candidates who speak fluent German, which makes it more competitive.
That’s why I’ve been learning German intensively.
Transportation and other costs haven’t bothered me because I trust the government and their focus on ensuring people's well-being.
Did you enrol in a German language school in your new city? Were you speaking German to the locals a lot?
I enrolled at Rose College in Salzburg and completed A1 level (see our guide to learning German in Vienna).
At first, German was very difficult, and I thought I would never learn it after the age of 38. But that was a biased thought.
After 1.5 years, I’ve realized that German is very structured and not as difficult as I once believed.
I’ve been learning almost every day and have come to like the language’s structure.
Even though I’m not fluent yet, learning a new word daily makes me happy and gives me confidence that I’ll speak fluently one day.
I attended Sprachcafes to make friends and practice speaking German, and it was very beneficial.
How has Deutsch Gym helped you?
It’s been really great talking to people from all over the world. I tried to attend daily, but sometimes other priorities made it difficult. I couldn’t find a similar platform to Deutsch Gym online.
There may be other channels to make friends and talk in German, but people seem to prefer speaking with native German or Austrian speakers.
That’s why I didn’t receive responses to my friend requests on other platforms.
I appreciate Deutsch Gym for giving me the chance to speak with people about various topics.
I feel that my confidence is improving day by day, and now I’m comfortable responding to questions in German when people ask me something in public.
Improve your confidence when speaking in public as well by trying out a 5-day free trial with our our online German speaking classes. Thousands of learners like Ahmet have taken our classes and have rapidly improved their German.
