“I was born in 1994 in the Issyk-Kul region and spent my childhood in Balykchy. I managed to score high on the national testing, and I dreamed of becoming a doctor. I enrolled in the Medical Academy, but I ended up in a faculty that I hadn’t originally chosen. Realizing that I couldn’t transfer, I enrolled the following year at the Kyrgyz-Turkish University 'Manas,' where I received an education in tourism. Later, I got married in Naryn, and now I have two daughters,” she shared.
Tolgonai talked about how she first ended up in Germany.
“This is my third visit to Germany. Previously, as a student, I came here through special programs. The last time I came was five years later as a certified specialist. In 2018, the program wasn’t that popular, but over the last 2-3 years, it has become more in demand,” she noted.
Tolgonai also shared a few amusing stories from her life in Germany.
“Once, my husband and I went to another city, and while choosing clothes in a store, we forgot our phone. We realized this only after a few cities. When we returned, the store staff had already set the phone aside for us. Interestingly, we bought two pairs of pants and paid with a card, but it turned out that the payment didn’t go through. At that time, we didn’t have a local phone number yet. When we came back to the store, the saleswoman was happy to see us and said, ‘Your phone is with us, but the card didn’t go through. Please pay.’
Another incident happened when I prepared two gifts for a friend and carefully wrapped them. We got on a train and, wanting to introduce my friends to my husband, forgot our large red bag on the bench where we were waiting for the train. After reaching Hamburg, we started asking each other about the bag only when we realized it was left behind. We called our friends and asked them to pick up the bag, but unfortunately, it was already gone. We laughed, recalling that even in Germany, things get lost. In the end, it turned out that my younger sister was also on that trip, and a homeless person took the bag who got on the next train. He looked inside and found the expensive gifts.
I wrote about this on social media: ‘Things get lost in Germany too.’ My sister saw my post and said, ‘I saw that bag. If we had met earlier, I would have taken it.’ When I was returning home, feeling upset, a strong wind blew a 5-euro bill to me. I thought, ‘Probably, the homeless person sold our gift for five euros.’
She also discussed the language barrier:
“If you come to Germany without knowing the language, it can be challenging. But since I had been here before, I didn’t encounter major difficulties. I speak well enough, but I still lack the level needed for education. The better you know the language, the more job opportunities you have,” she explained.
Tolgonai has made many friends here and noted that she easily finds common ground with strangers. “Recently, we brought our daughters here, and it required a lot of effort. We lived alone with my husband for 18 months, and now that our daughters are here, our joy is immeasurable,” she added.
Kerimbekova also mentioned the differences between Kyrgyzstan and Germany:
“The difference is colossal. Our nature is simply stunning, like in Switzerland, the fruits and vegetables are natural, and the water is very tasty. However, when I was recently in Bishkek, I was upset by the smog. In Germany, the air is clean and humid, so people get sick less often. If you sleep a little in the fresh air, you feel rested. In Kyrgyzstan, prices for everything have risen. In Germany, salaries are higher, and many products are even cheaper than in our country.
There is also a difference in people's attitudes. Germany is not a Muslim country, but even non-religious people have a conscience. In Kyrgyzstan, there are many Muslims, but sometimes there is a lack of conscience. Here, regardless of whether you know someone or not, everyone greets and smiles. There are almost no high fences, and there are few gates. Nevertheless, there is trust between people,” she concluded.
At the moment, Tolgonai works in the food service industry in her specialty.
“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. I want to spend more time with my daughters,” she concluded.
