This story is based on a conversation with Erika Roberts, a 27-year-old medical student from Philadelphia who is studying in Munich. It has been edited for length and clarity.
When I was 16, I took part in a high school exchange program to Munich.
I loved everything about the city, especially the freedom that it gave to kids my age. Public transportation was safe and easily accessible, and I attended any cultural events that interested me.
I never expected to be living here a decade later.
Simple things in Munich were exciting for a teen
When I was a teen, my American and European friends and I would buy fresh bread from a bakery, sit by the river, and have a picnic. Even the simplest things felt exciting.
After graduating in June 2016, I wanted to do something interesting before college. I tried selling my dad on the idea of doing volunteer work in a developing country, such as Cambodia.
Then I realized that most of those projects need people with skill sets, not 18-year-olds with big dreams.
I followed the traditional route of touring colleges in the US. There were a lot of conversations about finding international and diverse environments where you can challenge yourself to grow.
I felt I’d already experienced that in Germany and thought of going back. But my dad was against it. We agreed that studying in the US was the less risky option.
Unfortunately, I never settled into my college in Massachusetts, where I studied biochemistry with a pre-med focus. I didn’t have the independence I craved.
I wanted a work/life balance
I like to see different perspectives, and I wasn’t connecting with people. Even though I got good grades, I didn’t feel like I was becoming the adult I wanted to be.
While I knew that entering the medical profession would require a lot of effort, I also wanted to maintain a balance between work and my personal life. Part of my goal was to become a top doctor, but I longed to learn another language, travel the world, and see new cultures.
I finally decided to move to Germany in the summer of 2017. A close friend told me she’d applied to transfer to another school, which helped make up my mind. I also couldn’t stop worrying about the expense of college in the US and student loans hanging over me.
Dad gave his blessing after seeing how motivated I was. He was impressed by my research on the lower cost of education in Germany, which is attributed to the country’s public funding model.
Medical school tuition costs $100 per semester
I left the US in the fall of 2017 and spent a year learning German at a language school. Then, as someone from outside the European Union, I attended a preparatory college so that the German government would allow me to study medicine.
It was incredibly hard work, but I achieved the right grades to gain admission to medical school at the Technical University of Munich. I have a student residence permit, and the tuition costs $100 per semester.
I’m now in my second-to-last year, balancing studying for the boards with doctoral thesis research. I’m also collaborating with Move OverSeas Now by sharing online tips about relocating to Germany.
Meanwhile, the best things about living in Munich include the quality food and easy access to hiking in the Alps. There are numerous cultural events, and traveling to other parts of Europe is affordable and straightforward.
I miss my family
Of course, it has its cons like any other place. I find some of the bureaucracy annoying, and you have to get used to the shorter days in winter. I miss my family, too.
I have completed one of the three US medical licensing exams and must complete a residency in the US to have full freedom to practice in America.
Still, I’ve made lasting friendships and feel confident about my future. It was a huge step, but I made the correct decision when I crossed the Atlantic at the age of 19.
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