Magical moments and lasting dreams

Sophia Silverton: I originally came to Germany from Canada to study on the Master's programme in Environmental Governance at the University of Freiburg. The international programme with fellow students from different continents magically made the world bigger and smaller for me at the same time.

Sophia Silverton: When I arrived here, I received a lot of support from the university community and the network there. All the essentials, such as housing, health insurance and visa applications, were either easy to manage or solvable thanks to a group of people I could turn to and talk to about any problems that arose.

My first impression of Freiburg was that I was suddenly part of a fairytale. Cobblestones, small water canals and people walking barefoot were nothing I was familiar with from the big city of Toronto. I didn't have any culture shock when I arrived, but of course the language was the biggest challenge for me - which I had to face in order to integrate into life in Freiburg and in Germany in general.

At that time, however, I didn't speak any German at all and was therefore too unsure to get involved in life outside my international environment, as I didn't know how long I would be staying. My tip for new arrivals is therefore to start learning German straight away! Even if you're not quite sure how long you'll be staying in Germany.

Sophia Silverton: Although Freiburg looks very isolated on the map - nestled between forests - it has always felt like the complete opposite to me. Freiburg has a very vibrant, international community that is always keen to explore, have fun and share its culture with others. I even experience this mentality at my current workplace. Although Freiburg is not a big metropolis, you feel connected to the world.

I also perceive Freiburg as a very active city . The people of Freiburg keep fit by hiking, cycling, swimming or climbing. But also in terms of ecological sustainability and social cohesion. For example, I have never taken part in a bigger and more emotional climate demonstration than the Fridays for Future climate strike here in Freiburg.

Sophia Silverton: I appreciate the relaxed atmosphere here, which I would attribute above all to the parks, gardens and forests in and around Freiburg. What I enjoy most in everyday life are the bicycle parking bays at the traffic lights, in front of the cars, so that you can be the first to set off when the light turns green. I cycle a lot and for me it's very symbolic: it shows that the city is prioritising low-carbon, affordable transport and putting motorists on the back foot.

Of course, there are also a few things that I miss: One is socialising with strangers, as people in Canada are much more likely to strike up a conversation with strangers. Unfortunately, this is not part of the culture here, even though I sometimes have conversations with older Freiburg residents on the tram. Most importantly, in my opinion, Freiburg lacks career opportunities for German learners, which means for the international community that has settled in Freiburg, many of them will probably migrate to bigger cities. ICLEI is one of the few organisations that have English as a working language. However, I personally see it as strategically important to give more talented and motivated international professionals the opportunity to work in Freiburg and, of course, to learn German at the same time!

Sophia Silverton: I was ecstatic when I received an offer for a position at ICLEI in 2021. It meant I could work in an area that is very close to my heart - and in my native language too. At the same time, I didn't have to give up the connection to the city that I had grown so fond of during my Master's degree. I would describe my time in Freiburg as a series of moments of happiness, because many things here give me a reason to smile every day. The quality of life here is really quite good.

Sophia Silverton: I'm still quite young and my whole family lives in Canada, so I can't yet see myself as a future Freiburg resident. But I've stayed longer than I thought I would and I feel like most of the important things in my life are happening here now. So we'll see what the future holds.