Agustina is a 28-year-old Argentine who has been living in Germany for more than 2 and a half years. In a video published on his YouTube channel Agus Fontana He tells what his work experience in Germany has been like and wanted to remove those false myths that going to work in the German country is all easy and simple.
“I came because my current husband, at that time my boyfriend Lucas, got a job offer for the grape harvest. It was very overnight,” she explains. Furthermore, he adds that “I didn’t have a European passport, I didn’t know absolutely any English, guys, I only knew how to introduce myself and that was it. And let’s not even talk about German.”
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Thus, he managed a Working Holiday visa from the German embassy in Ireland after three months as a tourist, explaining the most frustrating contradiction of his job search. Although he german minimum wage is set at 12.41 euros per hour gross (which is 2,151 euros per month for a full day of 40 hours per week), the Working Holiday visa limits work to a maximum of six months, without leaving aside the fact that working without knowing German or English is extremely difficult.
“I sent my resume and I sent emails where I clarified that I didn’t speak German, that I didn’t speak English. And people responded to those emails and I went to the job interview,” he explains. And he adds, with obvious irony: “Do you know what language they spoke to me when I arrived? And yes, clearly in German or English. When I had specified to them that I spoke neither German nor English.”
In fact, Agustina describes how this situation was systematically repeated for months, generating frustration that almost made her leave the country. “That happened to me many times and the truth is that it was something that demotivated me a lot. Because imagine that I went to the interviews with all the desire in the world and I got there and it was like I can’t communicate, I don’t understand you,” he says. And he protests: “I made it clear to you so as not to waste your time, so as not to frustrate me.”
Jobs that were not enough to live or save
The only jobs he got during his Working Holiday visa year were precarious jobs without stability. “The jobs I did mostly were cleaning, babysitting, as a kitchen helper and also washing and drying dishes at events,” she explains. “They were mini jobs that really, if I was alone in Germany, were not enough for me to live on, much less to save,” he adds.
On the other hand, she wanted to remove the myths and expectations that are created on social networks, which led her to depression. “Before coming I didn’t do therapy and being here in Germany I realized that I needed it because I was really blocked in my head,” she explains and adds that she had a great depression, because emigrating is not easy.
Currently, he has been in the country for two and a half years and his employment situation remains precarious. “Right now I am working as a house cleaner. I am taking care of two children, this is a job that I really like and that is very well paid, but it is also a seasonal employment contract,” she explains. He acknowledges that his situation improved, but it was not a big deal, since he continues to do those “mini jobs” that are a few hours a week.
“The reality is that I had very high expectations of the new country, that we are going to arrive, that we are going to have a job right away, we are going to save a lot of money, but when you arrive you realize that it is different,” he ends his video. His video seeks to send that message that yes, Germany has high salaries, but it is not that easy, neither to find a job, nor to pay high salaries, and even less so if you don’t know the language.