“I was born in 1999 in the rural district of Aylik, located in the Kara-Kulja region of Osh province. My youth was spent in the village, where I spent summers in the jailoo and the rest of the time at home. I am the youngest of three brothers, and my parents are engaged in agriculture. In 2017, I graduated from the Jusuup Mamyr school in the village of Kan-Korgon and enrolled in the tourism faculty at the Kyrgyz-Turkish University 'Manas.' During my studies, I mastered Turkish, English, and German,” he says.
Soyuzbek's Journey to Germany
“Studying in school and university came easily to me. The moment I received my first 'three' (a grade), I almost cried. However, I had no thoughts of moving abroad. I planned to work in Kyrgyzstan in the tourism sector. But to become a guide or hold a decent position in a hotel, good knowledge of the Russian language is required. I had difficulties with Russian, and because of this, I was often not accepted for jobs. That’s when I realized it was easier to go abroad than to learn Russian all over again.
I was offered to come to Germany three times, but I refused twice because I didn't want to. The third time, friends and family convinced me: 'Go, you need to see the world.' That’s how I made the decision. In early 2024, I visited Germany for the first time to write my thesis. My studies at Manas and my specialization in tourism opened this opportunity for me,” adds Soyuzbek.
Funny Moments and First Trials
“When I first arrived in Germany, the language barrier became a serious problem for me. In Kyrgyzstan, I spoke with a Kyrgyz accent, and here, on top of that, I had a German accent. I understood nothing. I answered all questions with 'Ja, Ja' ('yes, yes'). Not grasping the essence, I kept saying 'yes.' People were surprised, asked again, and I replied 'yes' once more. When someone finally said 'okay,' I was happy that I seemed to have explained something. Many amusing situations occurred.
I was also struck by how elderly couples walk hand in hand, how two- or three-year-old children and people aged 70-80 ride bicycles, how people go to bed early and wake up early, and how dogs are taken out in strollers.
On the very first day after my arrival, I went to Berlin with friends and... got stuck there overnight. It was March, a cold wind, and I was lightly dressed. We missed the last bus and ended up in a small village. Our phones died, there were no cars, and everyone was asleep. We spent the night at a bus stop, freezing, getting up and freezing again. Our noses were running, and our hands were icy. I remembered my father's words: 'If it gets tough, come back.' At that moment, I really wanted to cry. I realized that here, you need to live by a plan,” he shares.
Views on Germany and Kyrgyzstan
“Germany is one of the most developed countries in Europe: there are smooth roads, hardworking people, high salaries, everyone smiles and lives peacefully, and they know how to relax. The state creates all the conditions for life, and this is admirable. However, comparing Kyrgyzstan and Germany is impossible; they are different worlds. The homeland is something else; Kyrgyzstan is much more hospitable and warm-hearted.
Sometimes I wonder: why do we, Kyrgyz people, live so hastily? Why do we consider rest as something unnecessary? Why do we build houses and buy cars, and then say we need to take care of the children, forgetting about ourselves? Why do we stand in traffic jams for hours? It’s faster by bicycle. Why do we smile so little?
In Germany, if someone speaks English or two Kyrgyz people communicate in Kyrgyz, they can immediately say: 'Please, speak in German; this is Germany.' I respect that. But in Kyrgyzstan, we don’t demand the same. Why, living in our own country, do we prefer to speak Russian? There are many such questions. I hope that one day we will create conditions under which they will disappear, and we can develop Kyrgyzstan,” shares Soyuzbek.
Advice for Those Planning a Trip to Germany
“The main thing is to learn the language. It’s not that difficult to come abroad; it doesn’t require a lot of money. What matters are desire, knowledge, and hard work. But once you arrive, you need to work, not complain about unsuitable jobs.
It’s easy to travel from Germany; I often take vacations. However, when I travel alone, I think of my parents and brothers, and I feel sad. I hope that one day I can travel with them,” concludes Soyuzbek.
Currently, he works in one of the restaurants and dreams of developing tourism in Kyrgyzstan, as well as promoting the Kyrgyz language and culture.
