The weather is often grey, people are grumpy: there are many Germans who dream of immigrating abroad or have already done so. On the contrary, there are many new people in Germany who have deliberately turned their backs on their country. For example because of love or job – or because they think Germany is great. In our new travelbook series, people immigrating to Germany report their positive and negative experiences here. First is Matthew Pelletier of Canada.
The proportion of people moving from America to Germany is negligible. according to the data of federal statistics office Americans (namely residents of South and North America) made up just 3 percent of all immigrants arriving in Germany in 2020.
In this regard, the move taken by Canada’s Matthew Pelletier in 2009 is quite unusual: he moved to Berlin. Here he fell in love with a German woman and in 2016 they had a daughter. In a Travelbook interview, the 36-year-old, who hails from a small town in Quebec and now works as an actor at the Etz Musiktheater in Berlin, reports his good and bad experiences as a newcomer to Germany.
Travel Book: How did it happen that you decided to immigrate to Germany of all places?
Mathieu: “I really wanted to be an actor and I applied to theater schools in Quebec, but I was not accepted. In order not to give up, I applied to the cole Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq in Paris, where I was accepted. So my studies took me first to Paris and later to Barcelona. At the end of my studies I felt that it would be difficult to find work in Spain. So I moved to Berlin. The cultural life here attracted me and I longed for an organized place to work.”
What was your biggest “culture shock” when you came to Germany?
“The Germans’ inability to think outside the box, e.g. b. to help others. They’re a bit like robots… but you can count on them!”
What in particular do you like here?
“The art scene is more open to newcomers.”
What do you miss the most about your country? What’s better than here?
“The people in Quebec are friendlier, more relaxed, more flexible and more supportive. I miss the snow and the nature and my family.”
As a newcomer, how easy is it for you to make friends in Germany?
“And.”
What was the best experience you ever had in Germany that you will never forget?
“The birth of my daughter.”
Do you like German food?
“I love modern German cuisine, especially the improvements being made to vegetarian cuisine here. I love Spreewald gherkins in winter, white asparagus and wild garlic in spring, and beer all year round – although I have to be careful that I drink it too much. Don’t drink.”
Are there any characteristics of Germans that you find particularly strange?
“What’s coming out is that the Germans split all the bills when they go out together. I like to mix things up by collecting bills for everyone. I then count them in my head.” Let’s see how much they owe me. If I refuse, it starts a cycle of generosity in which everyone, in turn, invites each other. Their rules for calculating it all separately But even if they invite each other in turn, I think they calculate who paid the bill on different trips…”
Do you intend to live in Germany forever?
“And.”
If you want to know more about Matthew Pelletier, you must visit his Youtube-Channel “The Adventures of Great Math” look at. There Canada made a lot of jokes about his life in Germany (with English subtitles in French).
