“Beginning days are always tough as in every start and in every city and so was mine in Mainz.”
My name is Nabin Koirala, I am 32 years old and was born in Nepal. I came to Germany in September 2012 for doing my master’s degree in University of Kiel. I started my PhD in Johannes Gutenberg university, Mainz in 2015 and completed in 2019. Since September 2019, I am in Yale university, USA for my postdoctoral research position.
Beginning days are always tough as in every start and in every city and so was mine in Mainz. I travelled for 2 months from Frankfurt where a friend of mine shared his small room floor and air mattress with me when I was desperately looking for a room/apartment in Mainz. Finally, with the kind effort of Studierendenwerk Mainz, I found a “Zwischenmiete” for couple of months and my apartment in inter II after 6 months being in Mainz. But after this small glitch my stay there was unforgettable. I got to know loads of friends from all over the world and also Norbert (the one with me in the picture) via “Fremde werde freunde” – a program to initiate the contact between the residents of Mainz and international students. Through the bicycle tours and hiking with him I not only saw the scenic surrounding of Mainz with picturesque vineyards but also learned a lot about German culture, history and the way of life. That not only enhanced my understanding of Germans lifestyle but also made me value it more.
One of the most interesting and probably the most striking thing I experienced after living in Germany for seven years and visiting many European countries was the similarities and differences in social, economic and cultural aspects that coexists in such a beautiful harmony. And I will always be grateful for this opportunity to experience it first-hand.
The thing that I cherish most about Mainz though is not the “Mainzer Marktfrühstück” and Carnival with loads of memories but the fact that I met my wife there. It always brings me a smile when I remember our first meeting in “Nirgendwo” bar in Boppstrasse. Hence, Mainz (Germany) will always be a special place for me with the family, friends and the beautiful memories during my time there.
My wife and I plan to be in “Nirgendwo” for one of our anniversaries, hope it works out someday.
Nabin, Nepal (32)