Sometimes I cannot believe how fast time flies. After almost 6 years of living in Germany, I finally received my permanent residence. In this post, I share my journey from Master’s student to job-seeking visa, Blue Card, and Niederlassungserlaubnis — including the documents I prepared, the mistake that delayed me by 6 months, and the tips I wish I had known earlier.
Author Archives: Dai
My current book collection
A personal collection of the books currently on my shelves — some already read, some waiting there fore some time already, and some bought because future me might need them one day. This is a small archive of my reading interests, curiosities, and the different ideas I want to keep close.
Do I really love traveling?
For years, I thought travel was something I had to love. I worked in the travel industry, explored new places, collected memories, and wrote about what I learned along the way. But somewhere between airports, train stations, beautiful meals, and quiet evenings at home, I started asking myself a simple question: do I really love traveling?
Less ‘But,’ more ‘And’
Sometimes one small word can change the whole feeling of a sentence. This reflection is about choosing less “but” and more “and” — in writing, thinking, conversations, and life — as a way to hold different truths together instead of cancelling one with another.
10 things that make my day… any day :))
We all deserve nice things in life. This is a small, happy list of 10 things that can make my day any day — flowers, vintage vases, candles, silk pillowcases, good notebooks, yellow things, handwritten notes, good pyjamas, and the beautiful feeling of getting things done.
“I can buy myself flowers…”
This is a small collection of flowers I bought, arranged, and loved. Some were simple, some were colorful, some were probably not arranged “properly,” but each one brought a little more beauty, softness, and joy into my everyday life.
Caligraphy
This is a small collection of my calligraphy practice — ink, brushes, colors, drops, mistakes, and all. It is not always perfect, and it is definitely not always comfortable for my neck and back, but the process feels calm, slow, and quietly grounding.
Exploring…
A small reflection on the jobs I planned, the paths I accidentally took, and why I still believe that if you are not sleepy, you can go explore something.
Trying…
I call this page “Trying” because “side hustle” sounds too serious for what I am doing. These are the things I explore outside my 9-5: property management, student consulting, speaking, blogging, and anything that feels outside my comfort zone but important for the person I am becoming.
CHAPTER 18: The Night I Lost Silvia on the Mountain
This is a story about friendship, panic, memory, and the lessons that stay long after the journey ends.