After losing my job in Istanbul, I started applying for several positions again. Even though there were more opportunities in Istanbul and the chances of getting hired were higher, I preferred to focus on openings in Izmir and Ankara. I wanted to spend some time away from Istanbul, gain new experiences in a different city, and take a kind of break from the challenges of life in this busy city. Eventually, I reached an agreement with a company in Ankara and moved there, though my heart stayed in Izmir.

While reviewing the positions, I came across one in Hamburg, Germany. The conditions were ideal for me, so I applied. After two unsuccessful attempts at a video interview, we finally connected on the third try. From that conversation, I learned some lessons that I’m writing here.

1. I’m not as bad at English as I thought, even if my only communication for six months has been with several coworkers. Practice, practice, and more practice.
2. In any conversation, if I don’t understand a question, I should politely ask it to be phrased differently instead of guessing and giving an answer. One key reason I lost this job was misunderstanding a question, which made my answers ridiculously silly.
3. If I don’t have time to research the company, I should postpone the interview.
4. I shouldn’t expect everyone to interpret “full proficiency” the same way worldwide. From the start, I should explain that my understanding of full proficiency means being able to solve problems that may arise and knowing how to find the solution.