My Journey from Cairo to Munich

By Imane Hassanein

My name is Emy and I’m originally from Cairo, Egypt. Being an adventurous person, I always liked to take risks and making changes.

But I didn’t ever imagine coming to Germany.

I always had the dream of working abroad where I could learn from a new culture and try new opportunities. Basically, I was searching for a city where I could speak the language, like French or English … but German, that was new.

In the beginning, it was difficult for me to apply to companies in Germany but after a while I figured out that the IT market is big there, and I could find more opportunities and even learn a new language.

Well, for a person who speaks three languages, it should not be a problem.

So, in 2016, I took the risk and traveled on my own to the beautiful green city of Munich.

I fell in love with the city from the first day on, the green landscape and the nature are amazing but without speaking German that was a big challenge.

I could use English in many places near the city center but outside it was almost impossible.

So, I was always asking for help from my colleagues to book an appointment with a doctor and had to be sure that they speak English. I had difficulties speaking to people in customer service and ask about something or complain — that was a nightmare. I even have a funny story where I had to use Google translate to explain what I needed.

And then I decided to learn German! I enrolled myself in an intensive course and in six months, I reached B1 level and was able to have a decent conversation. Actually, I couldn’t be much prouder.

Now, after six years, I can say that it was the best decision I made. I love being here, have international friends, and enjoy being independent person.

If I had to go back, I wouldn’t change anything as every step in life is teaching you something new.

About Imane Hassanein

I'm originally from Cairo/Egypt, have been living in Munich for six years, and work as IT Service Manager. I’m an outdoor person who adores nature, so I’m very lucky to be in Munich where I can enjoy nearby places like Starnberg or Tegernsee. I like to travel, and I love to try new foods. Honestly, what makes life easier is to have great friendships. I’m lucky to find a great friends with whom we can entertain, travel, and try new things.

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