“Bravery is not a feeling. Bravery comes from practice.”Welcome to another episode of Kaffee und Kuchen with Internationals in Germany! Today, Anne sits down with Anupa Paul, a self-employed voice coach, singer and aspiring choir conductor from Chennai, India, who moved to Esslingen to pursue her musical dreams.In this honest and uplifting conversation, we explore:✅ The decision to move to Germany on a one-way ticket✅ The difference between Zuhause and Heimat✅ Building belonging through music and community✅ Learning German through meaningful relationships✅ Why making friends abroad requires intention✅ Asking for help and creating a new support network✅ Practising courage by leaning into discomfort✅ Building a business abroad without losing sight of your lifeAnupa shares how joining a choir helped her find connection, improve her German and begin creating a sense of home. She also reflects on the vulnerability of living alone abroad, the resilience required to build a new life, and why bravery often means taking the next step while still feeling afraid.Whether you’re new to Germany, building a life between cultures, pursuing a dream abroad or simply wondering how to feel more at home where you are, this episode offers warmth, honesty and encouragement.👉 Connect with Anupa:📸 https://www.instagram.com/anupa_voiceandperformancecoach/✉️ Email: voicecoach.anupa@gmail.com📢 Subscribe for more international stories and reflections from life abroad.🎧 Tune in and feel the power of music, courage, connection and shared experience.

In this episode of Kaffee und Kuchen with Internationals, we sit down with Thusha, our first guest who is statistically a "German with migration background", to explore what it means to grow up between cultures.

From the first day of school and painful stereotypes to family expectations, boundaries, therapy, and eventually finding pride in her identity, Thusha shares a deeply honest and thoughtful journey through childhood, adolescence, and adulthood in Germany.

We also talk about what “integration” really means, how culture can be shared through food and education, and why being kind, curious, and open-minded matters more than ever in a diverse society.

This conversation is full of insight for anyone navigating identity, migration, family dynamics, or the feeling of belonging to more than one place. Thusha’s story is a powerful reminder that home can be found in people, not just in geography.

Listen for a heartfelt, honest, and inspiring conversation about culture, belonging, and the power of understanding each other.

In this episode of Kaffee und Kuchen with Internationals, we sit down with psychologist, author, and community-focused voice, Waithira, to explore what it really means to build a life between cultures.From her journey across Kenya, the UK, and Germany to her work with refugees and immigrants, Waithira shares deeply personal insights on identity, belonging, and resilience. We talk about raising third-culture children in multicultural households, navigating intercultural relationships, and holding on to your roots while adapting to a new society.A central part of our conversation also focuses on finding fulfilment and success at work—what it means to rebuild a career in a new country, face barriers such as unrecognized qualifications or workplace cultural differences, and still create a path that feels meaningful and aligned.Waithira is also the author of "Where My Name Sounds Different," published in both English and German. In this episode, she shares a powerful reading from her book, opening up an important conversation about creating and maintaining spaces where immigrants feel seen, heard, and understood—and why these spaces matter just as much for local communities.Together, we go beyond the surface of “integration” to unpack the emotional layers of migration: loneliness, pressure to fit in, confidence, and the ongoing search for belonging. We also reflect on what meaningful support for immigrants could look like, and why empathy, open dialogue, and community are essential for people not just to integrate, but to truly thrive.#immigration #refugees #internationals #lifeabroad #germany #kenya #lifeingermany