I am 31 years old, have been married for six years, and have a three-year-old child. Before moving to Germany, my husband and I lived separately. He worked in Germany while I stayed in Vietnam. I had an office job earning about VND15 million (US$570) a month, and my husband sent home another VND35 million, so we lived quite comfortably.
The only thing missing had been his presence. Two months ago, my husband sponsored our move to Germany so that our family could be together.
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Life in Germany after six years away from her husband ended in disappointment. Photo by Pexels |
I believed it would be a positive turning point after years apart, but reality was far removed my expectations.
The area where we live has many immigrants, mostly Vietnamese, Turkish, and other non-Europeans. I do not feel safe, and daily life is much less convenient than I had imagined. Compared with my previous life in Vietnam, I feel less comfortable both in terms of living conditions and peace of mind.
Living together has also created tension between my husband and me. He works as a chef and usually returns home around 11 p.m., and so we spend very little time together.
I take care of our child almost entirely on my own while struggling to adapt to a new environment without friends or relatives nearby. The feelings of loneliness and isolation have become overwhelming.
Sometimes I think about returning to my old life in Vietnam, where I had a stable job and my own space. Even though my husband and I lived apart, I felt mentally more at ease. However, whenever I mention returning home, my husband disagrees because he wants to stay close to our child.
I have started asking myself whether I do not love my husband enough or simply have not adjusted to the new life yet.
Right now, I feel lost and unsure whether to keep trying to build a life in Germany or return to Vietnam to regain a sense of balance and peace of mind.
