The move was worth it!

Ivana Petrovska has only been living in Görlitz since November last year. She was drawn to the border city by the prospect of attractive employment. “I found the opportunities offered by the upcoming structural change in the region unique and exciting.” In addition to the chance to meet many highly qualified and committed people, the young Macedonian was especially curious to learn about German culture and lifestyle. She had already traveled to the USA as part of the Work and Travel program and also lived in Malta for some time. But she had never been to Germany before. Already after just half a year since arriving in Görlitz, she is sure: the move was worth it!

Ivana looks back on her early days with gratitude: “The people of Görlitz were very nice and helpful, so it didn’t take me much time to settle into the city and feel at home.” The beauty of Görlitz also contributed to this, as Ivana immediately fell in love with the city. She was always surprised anew by the architecture of the picturesque historic and well-preserved buildings. So she was not surprised to learn that Hollywood has chosen Görlitz to shoot so many popular movies.

Moreover, she could not imagine living in a big city again. Even in her hometown of Skopje, she experienced the hustle and bustle that seems to have no end. “It’s always extremely busy, it’s noisy, people are on the run and pretty stressed most of the time.” Görlitz, on the other hand, seems like an oasis. “Life is quit here, peaceful and relaxing. You can hear the birds chirping, there’s a lot of greenery, and in general, the city and nature are very well connected,” Ivana enthuses, “Plus, everything is pretty close and you can reach any destination on foot or by bike.” Last but not least, she is fascinated by the possibility to “jump” from one country to another and cross the Polish border with in five minutes.

Görlitz is already very beautiful as it is. But Ivana believes the city has the potential to become even more. Entertainment facilities and programs, stand-up comedy events and art festivals would make Görlitz even more attractive, especially for young people. She also misses the internationality of the cuisine a bit. But Ivana has long been able to overlook those aspects.

Today, she works as a project assistant in the innovation team of the Entwicklungsgesellschaft Niederschlesische Oberlausitz mbH (ENO) and deals with funding and development programs, as well as innovations and solutions in the field of sustainability. She enjoys museum visits, walks through the old town, and trips to the Landeskrone, which offers an impressive view of the city. She is also impressed by the modern movie theater Filmpalast Görlitz, especially since it shows current films in English. Ivana is completely satisfied here. She has been warmly welcomed, has found an attractive job, and can enjoy art and cultural offerings to the fullest. All of this here in Görlitz, a fairytale city that combines history with modernity.

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