Actually not a fan of the word expat but that's what will help it come up in search, so.

Throughout my move to Germany I've decided to write down my experiences, good and bad, to help others. I am moving in a little over a week so I am still stateside--I CANNOT give any advice for activating abroad, but there are multiple threads on the subject. It's way easier to do in the US so for my fellow Americans looking to live abroad, add this to your "do before you leave" list.

BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING:

Make sure your phone is unlocked. When in doubt, call your carrier and ask. If you have an iPhone, you can also go to Settings > General > About > scroll down to Carrier Lock. If it says "No SIM restrictions", you should be good. But again, your carrier is the best source of truth on that. If your phone is locked, you will not be able to add a new number or switch until it is unlocked.

Make sure your phone is compatible. Tello as a nifty little tool so you can make sure your phone is able to run the network anyway, which would be a handy thing to know before giving them your credit card information. As their instructions say, "Dial *#06# on your phone and you'll receive your phone's IMEI code" OR on iPhone you can go to Settings > General > About and scroll down to see the IMEI.

PHASE 1: GETTING THE ESIM

STEP 1: Sign up for Tello. Was super easy. As I was starting in the US I picked the unlimited plan, which is still only $25 a month. I used my legal U.S. address for the account/for tax and area code purposes. I got access to my dashboard immediately as well as an email welcoming me to the platform.

STEP 2: eSIM activation. I have an iPhone 14 which is eSIM only but supports dual eSIM. With the QR code open on my laptop, I scanned with my phone camera and followed the instructions. It was very simple and took about 2 minutes to activate.

STEP 3: dual eSIM configuration. My iPhone prompted me to label my new secondary line as well as my original (Verizon) line. I was able to choose my default voice and data line, which I left on my primary for the time being. Don't worry about having the second number--you can replace it with your old number later.

STEP 4: Testing. I switched off my primary line and texted my sister from my new number, and asked her to test out texting/calling me. Worked perfectly. I live in a bit of a dead zone so I wouldn't say it was lightning speed internet browsing, but it was the exact same with my old carrier (Verizon). Call quality was just fine. Also, this little test helped satisfy Tello's "you have to use the line in the US before activating international roaming" requirement (although that was tricky, more info on that below).

STEP 5: The app. I guess it's not a necessity but I downloaded the My Tello app for easy access to settings. Have them send you a one time SMS code to log in (you have to initiate it, the login doesn't do it automatically).

PHASE 2: INTERNATIONAL ROAMING

This was a little tricky. I knew I needed Wifi Calling at least initially while abroad so I turned it on during carrier setup, using my current US address as the E911 address. However, this turned out to be a problem when trying to activate roaming. So this is what I ultimately had to do to get it set up--again, while in the US.

STEP 1: Disable Wifi calling (or just don't set it up right away).

STEP 2: Turn off the primary line to force your phone to ping T-Mobile towers on the Tello plan.

STEP 3: Add Pay As You Go credits, minimum $20 plus tax.

STEP 4: Use your phone. Make calls/texts, browse the internet. It may take up to 48hrs for this activity to show up in your account.

STEP 5: Correct settings on your phone's side. For iPhone, this is under Settings > Cellular > your Tello number. Scroll down and ensure the network selection is Tello, Wifi Calling is off, Voice & Data is LTE, and Data Roaming is on.

STEP 6: If all of this doesn't work, do the ol' refresh. Turn your phone off and on. And finally--what actually worked for me at the very end of all of this! Reset the cell network settings. On iPhone, go to Settings > Cellular > your Tello number > Cellular Data Network. There should be an APN with the name "wholesale". Scroll down and hit "Reset Settings". Then go back to your Tello Dashboard and try again. This is what finally allowed me to turn on International Roaming on the Tello account side. I was definitely pinging US towers but I think it just wasn't getting through until I refreshed things.

NOTE: You will still definitely want Wifi Calling/a travel eSIM when you travel abroad because Tello's international roaming prices are insane ($50/GB). It's just a good thing to have as an option for emergencies. You can enable or re-enable this once you've turned on International Roaming.

PHASE 3: PORTING YOUR OLD NUMBER

If you don't care to keep your old number then skip this. You can just cancel your old plan on your time.

STEP 1: Verify eligibility. The first thing you'll need is to find out if you can even port your old number. Under your Tello Dashboard, go to Number Transfer and check your old number. If it is possible to transfer the number, they will give you a bunch of fields to enter your account information into (account #, porting PIN, etc).

STEP 2: Get information/the breakup convo. Getting this information right is critical to ensure the port works (I think of it as like doing a bank transfer--make sure the names and numbers are 100% accurate to the letter). For the best accuracy, you will want to go to your old carrier and request this information. Awkward. But they have to give it to you. If you have Verizon, you can actually get the "Number Transfer PIN" generated from your Verizon account. Less awkward.

STEP 3: Submit the information and start the port. Your old number will replace the new number. Note that if you only had a single line on your old phone plan, this port will effectively cancel your previous phone plan so you will be billed for any outstanding fees/payments if your phone isn't paid off. (This is another reason you want to talk to your old carrier beforehand--if you are in a contract, you need to know how much it will cost to break it. If you have a promo plan, you need to know how much is left to be paid off.) For me, the transfer was done in literally 3 minutes.

STEP 4: Reboot and set your new voicemail. You'll get an email from Tello once the port is complete with instructions, which basically boil down to this. Check your Cellular Settings first to make sure the new number is in there (note, your old eSIM will probably stick around, so it'll look like you have two eSIMs with the same number, but the old one will be inactive). Once you've confirmed your old number has been brought over, restart your phone. I relabeled my Tello eSIM as primary and was able to set up my voicemail from the Phone app, but the Tello email will contain alternate instructions to do that if you don't have an iPhone.

STEP 5: Final test and delete the old eSIM. Make one last round of calls and texts. Browse the net. Make sure you've turned wifi off so you're actually testing the cellular data. Once you've confirmed your Tello eSIM is working, you can safely delete the old one. Hit the road, Jack, and dontcha come back no more no more NO MORE no more...

STEP 6: Paying your final bill. If you're an ex-Verizon customer, you should still be able to log in to your My Verizon account. I literally just ported my number this morning and while it's showing me what my charges (which is mainly a small device payoff) will be it's not letting me actually pay. I'm guessing it will show up on my next billing cycle. I have auto pay enabled anyway so I'm sure they'll come back and get what they want.

I hope this helps somebody. This is my first time doing this--I got this number 12 years ago when I signed up on my family's Verizon plan right before I went to college. Funny enough, we all eventually broke off in different carrier directions and I was the last Verizon customer, mainly out of laziness and the fact that they were paying my phone off. So far Tello has been very easy to use and the service is just fine considering the area I live in which is notorious for having bad service anyway. It's mainly music streaming and internet browsing which are slow. Texts are ok and calls are clear. Outside of my particularly touchy neighborhood, all service has been great. I'm not planning on using it much while overseas but it'll be a nice thing to have when I'm visiting home. $25/mo for unlimited with 50GB of high speed data per month is a pretty dang good deal IMO.

Danke und viel Glück ;)

Hello!

To start, I’m soon-to-be 31F, 4 years into remission. Had a total thyroidectomy + 107mci RAI for 3 de novo occurrences and regional lymph mets. Was totally asymptomatic and a healthy twentysomething so it came as a shock.

What also came as a shock was sudden weight loss after treatment that I think was predominantly muscle. I believe this because 1) my waist line didn’t change despite a 20lb weight loss in ~3mo, 2) I began experiencing fatigue, stiffness, and muscle twitching in my legs, and 3) my legs started to look like sticks and my yoga pants started hanging on my thighs. For the next couple of years walking any distance would be incredibly difficult and painful.

I was very active before cancer so this was quite unexpected. It dramatically impacted my life, affecting my mobility, causing me to ultimately gain the 20lbs back (and then another 30 LMAO). I became less social because I felt ashamed. My doc at the time said my blood levels were fine so it was probably nothing (although my TSH was way, WAY low…ridiculously so).

I changed doctors and we brought my blood levels to a more manageable state, and I also started seeing a dietitian, started weight training again and walking every day. It took about 3 years to get back to a point where I can easily walk 7-10k steps a day, and my legs also look more filled out like they did before. But I still have some bad days on occasion and I still suffer from feeling pain/stiffness/fatigue in my legs. My current doc suggests I take magnesium and I may start doing that soon (I’m sorta in the process of moving abroad so have been a wee bit distracted, but I’ll get to it lol!)

I was just wondering if anyone else experienced muscle loss particularly in their legs. A high protein diet and strength training (and losing 20lbs so far) have helped me, but it’s definitely still an issue. Occasionally if I’m fatigued my legs will still buckle under me/I’ll trip. I usually need to use my arms to stabilize me if I get up from sitting on the floor. It just pops up in my life in different little ways and it’s easily been the most bothersome long term side effect of treatment. Especially being someone who is young and doesn’t “look” like they should have mobility issues.

Hope this helps someone!

BEFORE THE APPLICATION

• Got my uni degree evaluated through ZAB and got a Statement of Comparability (this takes about 3.5mo so do it early)
• Ordered a duplicate copy of my diploma and transcript from my university (they are more interested in the diploma).

ONLINE APPLICATION (scanned PDFs)

• Passport (ID page, signature page, all pages with stamps)
• For Consular residency requirement: my driver’s license, a pay stub with my address on it, utility bill (phone or Internet works)
• Combined PDF of my diploma and transcript
• Combined PDF of Anabin entry and Statement of Comparability
• Health Insurance (EDUCARE24 by Dr. Walter, I got the L package)
• Financial Proof: I initially did bank statements and it was accepted during precheck but at the appointment they wanted a Blocked Account. Depends on your Consulate. But you’ll need either 3mo of bank statements of the 06 Blocked Account Confirmation
• Motivation letter (I actually didn’t attach this online because they didn’t ask for it, but I’d read that others needed it so I wrote one and printed it out to take to my appointment. They asked for it so for your app attach it under “Other Documents” if you can’t find a place for it)

IN PERSON

• Appointment confirmation email
• In the above email they will give you a link to fill out the application AGAIN in a different format. You will print this out and sign it, and it will have a barcode. Very silly and redundant but just go with it.
• Passport
• Biometric photo (Walgreens can do German passport pics, just make sure they know it’s for Germany)
• Physical diploma and transcript (they only wanted the diploma but bring both in case)
• Fees for application + return shipping (I brought cash but turns out they accepted my Visa card)
• I printed all of my VIDEX docs just in case
• Of course bring anything else your Consulate asks for

The actual appointment was very easy, got there 15min early. The German Consulate in Atlanta is in the Marquis Two tower, 9th floor. Just go to the elevators, hit 9, it will tell you which elevator to take. You can’t miss it. You will leave your phone and smart watch in a clear lock box and take the key with you. Appt took 20min, mostly presenting documents and a couple of questions regarding my accommodations and intentions (I’m going to be staying with my boyfriend so already had that lined up, used him as my reference too). I filled out a FedEx slip for them to ship, paid fees. Easy.

They did ask me to create a Blocked Account but offered to keep my passport and start the process for me. I went with Expatrio—it was fast and I submitted the confirmation a few days after my appointment. From then, it was 3 weeks before my visa was issued.

NOW: THE SHIPPING. That was a nightmare. Whomever sent my passport back completely butchered both my name and address. Thankfully the wrong address didn’t exist and it got stuck in a shipment center 10 miles south of me. I was watching the tracking closely so I was able to drive over there and pick it up in person, but it was also stuck in a smaller town where people are laid back. If the false address had been real, it well could have been misdelivered. And if the shipment center was in a big city, perhaps the staff would have been more touchy about letting me pick up the package outside of official protocol. I strongly recommend picking up your passport in person even if you live far from your Consulate. Thankfully, I got it!

Aside from that mishap, I was actually very happy with the Consulate in Atlanta. They’re responsive (usually within a day) and very friendly/helpful in person. My visa officer was also quite thorough and I personally cannot imagine him messing up the shipping label but I did notice some stressed-looking young folks in the back office that would come up to him with questions during our appointment, so I’m guessing they have interns for the summer. All’s well that ends well I guess!

MY ADVICE

• Get your Statement of Comparability and do it early
• Get a copy of your diploma
• If you have a middle name and it’s on your passport as a given name (ex. “Doe, John Michael”) then write that as part of your first name. Germany doesn’t have middle names so they consider your first and middle to both be “vornamen”. So under first name, you’d write “John Michael” even if you go by John.
• If you are applying in Atlanta, you will need a Blocked Account even though the online application says bank statements are ok
• Opt for passport pickup over shipping

FINAL TIMELINE

• April 7th: submitted online for precheck
• April 8th: precheck cleared, invited to schedule appointment
• May 1st: appointment, needed Blocked Account but was allowed to email document later
• May 7th: submitted 06 Blocked Account Confirmation. Consulate confirmed receipt within 30min
• June 1st: visa issued
• June 3rd: I tracked down my passport to a rural FedEx before it got returned to sender like a Hallmark movie love interest stopping the sassy protagonist from flying back to New York to continue her high stakes city girl career as a lawyer, and instead embrace the spirit of Christmas
• It did kinda feel like that tbh

Speaking of hitting the big city life, I fly out next month. FFM✈️🇩🇪

Good news first: after 3 years long distance we’ll be closing the gap! He is Danish but living in Germany. I am American and I’m moving to Germany on a long term visa which I will hopefully convert to a work permit. We are basically using this period as “trial marriage” so we can live together for a bit but marriage is the endgame. My flight is in a few weeks so we are literally at the finish line, which is incredible!

You’d think all the stress would be over, but NEIN! It is only beginning. Throughout this whole gap-closure process, I’ve learned a few things about myself:

1. I am terrified of the unknown.

2. If the unknown involves paperwork and bureaucracy, I am even more terrified. (Yes, I am aware of the comedy involved in having Germany of all places be my destination. Thank goodness my sense of humor has persisted amongst the stress and so this still seems kind of funny to me.)

3. I may have OCD, heavy on the Obsession part. Particularly “what-if” catastrophe scenarios. What if I don’t find a job, what if I DO find one but the Ausländerbehörde takes several months to process my application, what if I do my taxes wrong, etc. I’m not self-dx-ing, but it runs in my family and my therapist suggested my recent thought and behavior patterns are strongly suggestive of OCD.

4. I have regular panic attacks and nightmares now.

I’ve struggled with mental health demons before, mainly depression. I refuse to let them get in the way of the life I want to build with my partner, so I started seeing a therapist who specializes in people who move abroad for love or career. She is fantastic!

However, I wanted to appeal to the Internet to see if anyone had experiences like mine. How did you work through it? Any habits that helped (or didn’t) once you moved? Did you ever learn to accept what you can’t control? Life is chaotic everywhere, but the US is my home turf, the devil I know. I know how to navigate BS here. I will be more or less clueless in Germany.

(BTW yes I have prioritized learning German. I was learning Danish for a while so I didn’t get serious about it until a year or so ago, and I’m just starting B1-level coursework.)

Danke schön 🤣