Fernando emigrated to Germany and became “independent, which he couldn’t achieve in Portugal”

Fernando Vieira, a young man from Soalhães, in the municipality of Marco de Canaveses, chose, in 2023, to emigrate to Stuttgart, Germany, in search of independence “that you couldn’t get in Portugal”.

Going to Germany “it was a surprise” for the Marcoense who “Never” he thought “I never considered emigrating as an alternative”. The girlfriend was “door” for change and became “a pillar” in the life of Fernando Vieira.

With no family or friends in the country, just his girlfriend, the 21-year-old faces this “surprise” with “enthusiasm”. confess that “it was a quick adaptation, it wasn’t as bad as I expected”.

Since leaving for Germany, he has not yet returned to Portugal and not having his family around is the worst part of this journey. “Not having a person who saw me born, who raised me, who knows me 100%, knowing that I don’t have that affection and that person being far away, it’s very difficult to have to live with that”regrets.

It works, “at least ten hours a day” as a gardener, a job that he combines with part-time cleaning. “I get up at 5:30 am to get to work at 6:30 am and then I finish at 3:30 pm and go to my part-time job at 5 pm”explains.

In conversation with the newspaper A TRUTH, Fernando Vieira reveals that language is a “obstacle”but “It’s a goal I have for this year, to learn German”. Fernando Vieira says he is learning “day to day” with people, with your girlfriend and, “also, with ‘Google Translate’”.

Although he faces these difficulties, the young Marcoense guarantees that he is “to like” experience and doesn’t plan on returning to Portugal anytime soon. “I work a lot, but I was already working in Portugal. Here you can see results, because I earn a better salary and end up having more purchasing power”emphasizes.

Music has always been part of Fernando Vieira’s life, but work and “homework” they don’t allow you to be as connected as before. “Here there is an association of Portuguese that has traditional Portuguese music, folklore, ranch”he adds.

For young people of the same age, he has some advice: “if you have the means to study and opportunities, try to stay”. However, for those who already work, but “they don’t get what they should, and they don’t feel comfortable where they are, emigrate”finishes the young man.