u/Necessary_Dream9332

Hey everyone,

I’m 19 from Morocco and honestly just looking for some advice or even just some positive words because keeping up the consistency completely alone in my room is starting to get really tough.

My original plan was to move to Germany for university, but the blocked account (Sperrkonto) is a massive financial wall for me and my family. Freezing that much money just isn't possible right now. Then I found out about Ausbildung, which felt perfect since you get a stipend and don't need that huge amount of money upfront.

To start preparing, I saved up and went to a private language academy here in Morocco. Long story short, I got scammed. They took a lot of my money, the teaching was non-existent, and I learned barely anything compared to what I paid. I was so depressed and stressed about the money loss that I completely quit German for a while.

But this last month I realized I can't let that scam school ruin my future. I'm 19 and I need to make this work. Since I can't afford another school, I decided to self-study the rest of the way.

Right now my level is around a solid A1 (I know basic structure, word order, modals, and basic Dativ rules), but my goal is to hit B1 by October so I can start applying for Ausbildungs.

I made a schedule to study 4 hours every single morning, but doing this totally isolated is mentally heavy and some days I feel stuck.

For anyone who self-studied from A1 to B1:

• How did you stay consistent when you felt overwhelmed or unmotivated?
• Are there any good free/cheap resources that actually worked for writing and listening?

Any tips or just some encouragement would mean the world to me right now. It’s been a rough couple of weeks but I really want to pull this off.

Thanks guys.

Hey everyone,

I need some honest feedback because I feel like I’m missing something on Upwork.

I’ve spent around 250 connects in the last 3 weeks and still haven’t landed my first client.

I’m a computer science student and I also do freelance work in web development and digital marketing. I’ve built a couple of projects and worked with local businesses in Morocco (mostly hotels and tourism stuff), helping with websites, SEO, and Google Business Profile optimization.

My main experience includes:

• Building websites (React / Next.js / WordPress)
• Local SEO and Google Maps ranking
• Digital marketing for small businesses (especially hotels/riads)
• Managing and improving online presence for clients

I also ran marketing work for a riad in Marrakech where I helped improve their visibility and bookings, and I’ve worked on growing a travel agency’s online presence too.

But on Upwork, I’m getting almost no responses. No interviews, no hires.

I’m starting to wonder if my profile is the issue, my proposals, or maybe my pricing.

If anyone has experience on Upwork, can you tell me honestly:

• What looks wrong or weak in my profile?
• What would you change?
• Am I positioning myself incorrectly?

I can also share my profile link if needed.

Thanks in advance.

I never thought my life at 19 would look like this.

After high school, I left Morocco and moved to China to study Computer Science. It felt like I was finally starting the life I had always dreamed of building for myself. I worked hard, adapted to a completely different country and culture, and completed my first year at university.

Then everything changed.

My parents got divorced, my family's financial situation became difficult, and I had no choice but to leave my studies and come back to Morocco. Leaving China felt like leaving my dream behind.

When I returned, I didn't sit and complain about life being unfair. I started looking for work immediately because I'm the oldest child in my family, and I wanted to help my mother financially.

My first opportunity was in a guest house. Officially, I was there for IT, but I ended up doing much more than that. I managed OTAs, worked on the website, handled the channel manager, and helped improve operations. During my time there, the monthly revenue grew from around 25,000 MAD to more than 30,000 MAD.

I was proud of what I achieved.

But being young sometimes means people think they can take advantage of you. I was saying yes to everything because I was afraid of losing the opportunity and because I genuinely wanted to help. Slowly, I found myself carrying responsibilities far beyond my position in a very toxic environment.

Eventually, I left.

Despite everything, I don't regret it because I learned more in that job than I ever expected.

Later, I joined a travel agency. I rebuilt their website, helped wherever I could, and put my energy into improving the business. My coworkers and manager appreciated my work and often told me I was doing a great job.

Today, I got fired.

Before letting me go, the owner looked at me and said:

"You're still a kid. You're stupid. You don't know anything."

I won't lie, those words hurt.

Not because I believed them, but because after everything I've been through over the last two years, I hoped my effort would matter more than my age.

So why am I writing this here?

Because I don't want to give up.

I'm 19 years old. I've lived alone in another country, studied abroad, rebuilt websites, managed booking systems, worked in hospitality and tourism, and learned lessons that many people don't learn until much later in life.

Right now, I'm trying to start freelancing and get my first client, but starting with no reviews and no reputation is hard.

I'm also trying to continue supporting my mother and my family while figuring out what comes next.

If you've been in a similar position, if you have advice, opportunities, or even just a few words of encouragement, I'd genuinely appreciate it.

Maybe this isn't the end of my story.

Maybe it's just the chapter before everything finally starts going right.