“I was born in 1994 in the Issyk-Kul region and spent my childhood in the city of Balykchy. I managed to score high on the national testing. Since childhood, I dreamed of becoming a doctor and enrolled in a Medical Academy, but I ended up in a faculty I hadn’t planned. Unable to transfer, the following year I enrolled in the Kyrgyz-Turkish University ‘Manas,’ where I studied tourism. Later, I got married in Naryn and now I am the mother of two daughters,” she shared.
Tolgonai talked about her trips to Germany.
“This is my third visit to Germany. Previously, I came here as a student through special programs. I first arrived here five years ago when the program was just starting to develop. Over the last 2-3 years, it has become particularly popular,” she noted.
She also recalled several amusing incidents that happened to her in Germany.
“Once, when my husband and I went to another city, we stopped at a store, chose some clothes, changed, and accidentally left our phone behind. We only realized it after a few cities. When we returned, the store staff had already set our phone aside. Interestingly, we bought two pairs of pants and paid with a card, but it turned out the payment didn’t go through. At that time, we didn’t have a local phone number. When we came to inquire about the phone, the saleswoman was happy and informed us that our phone was with them, but the card didn’t go through, and she suggested we pay,” she recounted.
Another funny incident occurred when Tolgonai prepared two gifts for a friend. “I carefully wrapped them so they wouldn’t get damaged. We got on the train, and wanting to introduce our friends to my husband, we ended up forgetting our large red bag on the bench where we were waiting for the train. We reached Hamburg and only then began to realize that the bag was left behind. We called our friends asking them to pick it up, but when they arrived, the bag was already gone. We laughed about it: ‘See, you can lose things even in Germany.’ Additionally, it turned out that my younger sister was on the same train, and a homeless person took the bag after seeing the expensive gifts inside,” she added.
Tolgonai wrote on social media: “It turns out that things can get lost in Germany too.” Her sister reacted to the post, saying she had seen the bag and could have picked it up. Later, when Tolgonai was returning home and feeling upset, a strong wind unexpectedly blew a 5-euro bill into her hand. “I thought at that moment that perhaps the homeless person sold our gift for that amount,” she noted.
She also discussed the importance of knowing the language:
“If you come to Germany without knowing the language, it’s quite difficult. But since I had been here before, I didn’t face serious challenges. I speak well enough, but for studying, I haven’t reached the necessary level yet. The better you know the language, the more job opportunities you have,” she explained.
“I have made many friends here. It’s easy to find common ground with strangers. Recently, we brought our daughters here, which required a lot of effort. For 18 months, it was just my husband and me, and now we have the joy of having our daughters with us,” she added.
Kerimbekova also shared the differences between Kyrgyzstan and Germany:
“The difference between the countries is colossal. In Kyrgyzstan, nature is beautiful, like in Switzerland, fruits and vegetables are natural, and the water is tasty. However, when I was recently in Bishkek, I was very upset by the smog. In Germany, the air is clean and humid, which reduces the level of illness. If you sleep a little in the fresh air — it really helps. Prices in Kyrgyzstan have become high, while in Germany, salaries are higher, and many products are even cheaper,” she said.
Tolgonai noted the differences in people's attitudes: “Germany is not a Muslim country, but even non-religious people here have a sense of conscience. In Kyrgyzstan, there are many Muslims, but sometimes there is a lack of conscience. Here, people, regardless of whether they know each other or not, greet and smile at each other. There are almost no high fences, which gives a sense of trust among people.”
At the moment, Tolgonai is working in the food service industry in her field.
“Right now, I am on vacation. We plan to enroll our daughters in kindergarten and school. After my vacation, I intend to return to work, but only part-time, so I can spend more time with my daughters,” she concluded.
