A Plumber's Adventure: Simon's Journey as a German Craftsman in the USA

Simon is one of the first craftsmen going abroad for a project in the US with journeyman.io. He has been living and working in Minnesota since April of this year. As we’ve already written about various titbits of living in the Land of 10,000 Lakes a while ago, we’re now following it up with an exclusive interview with Simon, our plumber abroad.

Why did you want to go abroad?

Simon: I always wanted to go abroad, as many of my friends had fantastic experiences studying abroad in college. Since traveling alone is very expensive, working abroad was a better alternative for me. After completing my exam and becoming a master craftsman, I wanted to learn more about the possibility of working abroad. The German Chamber of Trade offers special mobility consultancies, but most of their projects are within Europe. I was about to apply for a project in Ireland, when I heard about journeyman.io.

Have you been to the US before?

Simon: No, and New Zealand or Canada were the destinations I had in mind initially, because I wanted to go a more rural area. The suggestion to go to the US came from journeyman.io. But as soon as I learned more about the project and its general conditions, it was an easy decision.

How was your overall organizational experience with journeyman.io?

Simon: Everything worked out really well! There are no negative experiences I can think of - journeyman.io always kept me updated, and provided me with helpful information every step of the way. Oh wait, actually, there was this one brochure I received for my trip where I didn't really like the pictures.

How does a typical workday as a plumber look in the US, compared to Germany?

Simon: I can't really compare the work routines, as I was working in a different field in Germany. My American company is very corporate and has a lot of business customers, whereas in Germany, I was mostly working with single family residences. We use similar tools, materials and methods though. All the differences are easy to overcome, and if I don’t understand everything right away, my colleagues are also really patient and nice to me. The biggest problem I’ve encountered so far is that Americans don't use the metric system, which makes all the parameters different.

What do you really want to do during your stay in the US?

Simon: I really want to explore the areas up north along the Canadian border, as well as Lake Superior. The natural environment is supposed to be amazing there. Although most people would probably prefer the typical destinations like Las Vegas, New York, or Miami, I prefer beautiful landscapes. I already planned a fishing trip for the summer that I am really excited about; there are so many beautiful lakes worth seeing around here!

What are the must-haves and don’t-haves when packing to go abroad?

Simon: You should definitely bring a travel adapter! I didn't have one when I first arrived and at around $30, they are really expensive here. I bought a used one for $5, but you can get them much easier and cheaper in Germany. I also packed some German chocolate as souvenirs and everyone loved it! I also thought that the linen I brought would be unnecessary but it turned out to be quite useful in the end.

What are the biggest (cultural) differences between the US and Germany that you’ve noticed so far?

Simon: Life in general is very different in the US. There is nothing that really surprises you on the get-go; you notice the differences more gradually. It starts with the food and the behavior in a restaurant, then goes on to traffic rules or how cars work. I’ve tried to adapt to the new country right from the start, so I can't really recall a specific situation where I did or said something that's "typically German". However, I have noticed that I’m more punctual than my American colleagues.

What do you miss most and least from Germany?

Simon: I definitely miss "normal" food that isn't fatty. Even the pretzels here are fattier than those at home. And since I’m a big fan of bread, I really miss German bread. You mostly get this soft toast here, which I’m already tired of. People are really open in the US and you always get a warm welcome everywhere. I think in Germany, people are generally more negative, which is something I don't miss about home.

Is there any advice you would like to give future journeymen for their adventures abroad?

Simon: I would advise them not to expect too much, particularly within the first couple of weeks. The work environment and work itself are different here. They’ll also struggle with the language barrier and new working methods and techniques. It kind of feels like a small apprenticeship and you should definitely be open to learning new things. But you get the hang of daily routines and tasks quite quickly, so the feeling will definitely pass after the first few weeks.

Thank you for the interview, Simon!