So, I finally moved to Germany. I say “finally” because this was definitely not an easy journey for me. I’ve been planning this for more than a year, and it took quite some time and a lot of effort to get everything set up for me to actually move.
I completed my Bachelor’s of Engineering in India, and I always had the dream to study abroad. I didn’t know if it would come to fruition, but it did. And so, I decided that for my Master’s, I would be going to Germany.
The reason for choosing Germany was pretty clear to me from the start. I want to make my career in research, and Germany has cutting-edge research programs in the field of biotechnology. I applied to a few universities and got into a few, but the one I finally chose was the University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart.
A little tidbit about my university, it was recently ranked among the most beautiful campuses in Germany. And I can totally vouch for that, because I’ve been there it’s absolutely gorgeous! It definitely helps that it’s literally a castle turned into a university building.
The entire process took forever. My classes technically started on the 14th of October, but due to visa delays and Indian bureaucracy and everything else, I was only able to fly to Germany on the 28th of October. So, I missed quite a bit of my classes, which I’ll be redoing next year. But that’s all well and good, because my university has provisions for that, and it won’t be an extra burden for me later on.
So, this post is mainly going to be about my journey from India to Stuttgart, Germany. A journey that started in chaos, ran on emotions, and ended with pure excitement.
The Last Day in India
The Last Day in India
My flight was scheduled from Bangalore, India on 28th of October, 3:15 a.m. And since Bangalore is about a 12-hour overnight journey away from my hometown, we had to start our journey a day earlier.
When I say we, I mean my mom, dad, and me. We reached Bangalore on the morning of the 27th, and we had the entire day ahead. I decided to spend my last day in India with my boyfriend, Ramesh (
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It turned out to be such a good day. We spent it in the park, did a small picnic, had lunch, and shared a few cookies that one of our friends had baked for us. It was such a simple yet perfect day.
It was bittersweet, though, because it was going to be really hard to be away for so long from each other. But I was also excited to move to a new country and more than that, Ramesh was excited for me. He wanted me to experience life in a completely different way, far from how it is in India. That thought made it easier to smile even as I knew how hard it would be later.
Goodbyes and Takeoff
I went back to my parents, got ready, packed my luggage, and we left for the airport by taxi. It took us about an hour to reach, and we arrived quite early.
My parents stayed with me for a while, and then came the moment everyone dreads: goodbyes. Ramesh had come to the airport too, and saying goodbye to all of them was one of the hardest moments of my life.
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When I finally entered the airport, it hit me! I was moving to a new country with a one-way ticket, carrying my entire life packed in 35 kilos of luggage. It was surreal. I was nervous, excited, sad, and proud all at the same time.
Once inside, I got through the security checks, got my boarding pass, and checked in my luggage. I was done with everything by around 2 a.m., and had about an hour to spare before boarding.
I sat by my gate, scrolling through my phone and watching people around me. Every traveler seemed to have their own story, their own reasons for being there. It was strange and comforting at the same time.
Finally, boarding began. My heart was pounding as I walked through the jet bridge. I took one last deep breath of the humid Indian air before stepping inside the cool, air-conditioned cabin.
This was it. I was leaving.
The Layover Chaos in Doha
The Layover Chaos in Doha
I didn’t have a direct flight. I was flying with Qatar Airways, and had a layover in Doha, Qatar, for about four hours. Or at least that’s what it said on paper.
Because of the time difference, it didn’t actually feel like four hours. By the time I found my gate after landing, it was already 7:30 a.m., and my next flight was at 9 a.m.
Now, if you’ve never been to the Doha airport, let me tell you it’s massive. And honestly, “massive” is an understatement. They literally have metro trains inside the airport to take you from one gate to another.
Of course, I didn’t know that at the time. So I just started walking toward my gate (C24). And here’s where things took a funny (but terrifying) turn.
I was peacefully waiting at Gate C24, thinking I had plenty of time. I even thought, “Let me take a quick nap.”
So I lay down on the couch, closed my eyes, and… well, I don’t even know when I actually fell asleep. I was exhausted from all the travel and could feel the nausea of constant motion. My brain was on overdrive, thinking about everything and nothing at once.
The next thing I remember, I woke up to an announcement saying the gate for my flight had changed. It was now B1. I was in total and utter panic.
I grabbed my backpack and just ran. I asked for directions, and along the way, multiple staff members stopped me asking “Are you going to Frankfurt?”
“Yes, yes!” I said, completely breathless.
They scanned my boarding pass and said, “Okay, we’ll inform the gate to wait for you. Please hurry!” This happened two or three times, every corner I turned, someone was asking, “Frankfurt?” And I was just sprinting, feeling my heart explode in my chest.
Finally, I made it to Gate B1. Last call. I was literally the last person to board the flight.
In that moment, I could see my life flash before my eyes. Missing that flight would’ve been a nightmare. But thankfully, by God’s grace, I made it.
Once I got on board, I finally relaxed. The flight was lovely Qatar Airways really does take care of its passengers.
They served us breakfast (which honestly felt like lunch at that point), and I watched a few episodes of a show before dozing off. The flight took around six and a half hours, and before I knew it, we were descending into Frankfurt, Germany.
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Welcome to Germany
Welcome to Germany
We landed right on time. The view outside was cloudy, and everything looked so neat and calm, typical Germany.
But my first reality check came soon after: immigration.
The line was endless, and there were only two officers on duty. It took me forever to clear it, and I was a little worried because I had a train to Stuttgart at 4:50 p.m. I kept glancing at my watch, thinking, “Please let me make it.” But at the same time, I knew German trains are always delayed, so there was a tiny bit of comfort in that.
Once I was through immigration, I collected my luggage and started looking for signs to the train station.
Outside, I spotted signs pointing toward a shuttle to the Fernbahnhof (the long-distance train station). I walked up to a bus driver and, in my very broken German, asked if this shuttle went to the Fernbahnhof.
He immediately broke into a wide smile probably amused at my attempt and said, “Ja, ja! Fernbahnhof shuttle, yes!” That was my first tiny German interaction, and honestly, it felt great.
I got on the shuttle, got off at the right stop, and asked for directions again here and there until I reached my platform. I made it around 4 p.m., which gave me plenty of time. It was getting a bit cold, so I put on my jacket, scarf and waited. And of course, as expected, the train was delayed. Ffirst by half an hour, then by another ten minutes. I finally boarded around 5:45 p.m., almost an hour late.
Finally, Stuttgart
Finally, Stuttgart
When the train pulled into Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof, I couldn’t stop smiling. I was officially here.
Everything looked so new. The signs, the people, the architecture. I couldn’t stop looking around. My head kept turning in every direction — “Oh, that’s so pretty!” “That’s interesting!” “Wow, that looks different.”
It was amazing, realizing that I was going to live here for quite a long time.
I had two huge suitcases, one backpack, and my thick jacket that weighed at least two kilos. Maneuvering everything was exhausting, but thankfully, my friend was there to pick me up and help carry the luggage.
We reached my apartment, and I instantly fell in love with my room. It was cozy, pretty, and warm just the way I’d imagined my first home abroad to be.
The guy who rented me the room had even prepared dinner for me and my friend. It was such a sweet, thoughtful gesture, and I honestly didn’t expect it. That dinner felt like the warmest welcome I could’ve asked for.
After eating, we took a short walk outside. The chilly Stuttgart air, the quiet streets, and the distant hum of trams felt so peaceful. Everything around me felt unfamiliar but oddly comforting.
When I finally got back inside and lay on my bed that night, exhaustion hit me but so did happiness. I had done it. I had really moved to Germany.
And this was the beginning of a whole new chapter of my life. 🌍✨
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