BMT 017: An American in Germany – Transitioning Abroad with Stephanie Urban

American in Germany

Living overseas is a dream for some, but it’s a reality for Stephanie Urban, who moved her life to Germany over 7 years ago.

I wanted to interview Stephanie because I have so many questions about this subject (i.e. How do you stay legally? How did you get a visa? How did you find a job?).

Join us for this interview as we find out how she decided to move her life overseas, what it took for her to get a German residency permit and secure work visas to allow her to stay in Europe legally, as well as what mistakes she made along the way.

Find out what it takes to be an American in Germany.

Meet Stephanie

Stephanie Urban is 31 years young and grew up in the beautiful Flathead Valley of northwest Montana. She studied Business Management at MSU Bozeman for two years before she decided to go back to her roots and do a year abroad in Berlin, during which she learned German and visited 12 different European countries.

Upon returning to Bozeman, she changed her major to English and did another semester in eastern Germany, where she returned after graduating in 2006. She’s now been living in the gorgeous city of Leipzig for seven and a half years and is a self-employed Business English trainer and German to English translator who also facilitates courses for Leadership Management International.

Her motto: “Leap and the net will appear.”

Episode 17 Show Notes

Fernweh – (n.) An ache for distant places; the craving for travel

Check your school’s international department (if you have the option) to seek out scholarships! Like Stephanie said: “I don’t think it’s a matter of good grades… it’s your will power and the enthusiasm you show.”

When you struggle with your family members not understanding why you want to travel: “You just have to make the people at home understand that this is an adventure that you don’t want to miss…” and remember, you can ALWAYS come home if it doesn’t turn out the way you’d hoped.

Stephanie’s amazing one-liner takeaways:

“The best things in life aren’t things.”
“If you have any inclination to do it, you should do it because that regret is just going to eat you alive.”
“If you’re even thinking about it GO. Just MAKE IT HAPPEN.”
“Life is like a mirror, what you put out there is going to be reflected.”

Links we mentioned: