[junon]

Biggest gain has been a sense of belonging. I don't personally fit into the American culture and find the directness and logical nature of Germans to be more my fit. I've also found a relationship and finally feel as though I can start a life here, whereas I felt perpetually lost anywhere I lived in the US.

Biggest loss has been the distance from family, especially during the pandemic (though of course I couldn't predict that). You don't realize how far away you are from someone until you hang up the phone with them and feel the distance set in.