Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Where are you from, and what brought you to Germany?
I’m Sachin, a software-engineering lead from India who has always dreamed of living and working in Germany. When HERE Technologies offered me a position in their Berlin office, the chance to join Europe’s “capital of tech” while giving my daughter an international childhood was irresistible. My wife, Vishu, and little daughter, Mannat, came along for the adventure.

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When you found out you were moving to Berlin, how did you feel?
What were your first thoughts or expectations?
Pure excitement mixed with a healthy dose of anxiety. I pictured vibrant city life, efficient public transport and weekend trips across Europe, but I also imagined mountains of paperwork in a language I barely spoke. My first thought was, “Great opportunity… now, how do we actually pull this off with a toddler?”

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What were some of the biggest challenges you faced during the relocation? Anything that was harder than expected?

• Paperwork marathon: Blue Card, Anmeldung, Kindergeld - each with different offices and deadlines.

• Housing: Finding a family-friendly flat in Berlin’s tight market was stressful.

• Childcare: Securing a Kita place felt almost impossible.

• Emotional bandwidth: Balancing my new job’s demands with my daughter’s needs while navigating a new culture.

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How did Wilde Relocation support you along the way?
Were there any services or moments that really helped?
Wilde took every bureaucratic weight off our shoulders. They booked Bürgeramt appointments, pre-filled forms, guided us through immigration, all with PoA. Their clear timelines and constant check-ins meant we never felt lost.

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Was there anything that stood out as especially helpful or memorable?
Something that made you feel cared for or relieved?
Absolutely Yes, our consultant, Verena Knels. Late on a Friday she called to say, “I’ve secured a permanent Kita place for Monday - enjoy your weekend.” That single call dissolved weeks of worry. We thanked her with flowers, and her reply - saying they were her first in many years of relocation - made us realise how personal the service truly was.

Also not to forget - Julia Padmanabha, she had took every single problem on her shoulders with respect to re-registering us when we moved to a permanent place and still supporting us in getting Permanent Residency!

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You moved with your daughter — how was that experience?
What helped, and what was more difficult with a child involved?
Having a three-year-old amplifies everything. The hardest part was keeping her routine stable amid jet-lag and apartment viewings. What helped most was Wilde helping in  arranging day-care voucher, Kindergeld and translating parent-teacher meetings. Knowing she was safe and happy each day let us focus on the adult logistics.

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What surprised you the most about moving to Germany?
Good or bad – what did you not expect?

• Good: Berliners are far warmer than their stereotype - complete strangers folded our pram on buses and explained recycling rules in English.

• Challenging: Shops really do close early on Sundays; our first weekend dinner was crisps!

• Delightful: The city’s obsession with children - playgrounds pop up on nearly every block.

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Now that you’ve settled in, how do you feel about life in Germany?
We feel rooted. Vishu volunteers at Mannat’s Kita and also she secured a full-time job as Senior Cloud Admin in Scalable Capital, I cycle along the Spree to work, and German no longer feels like source code. Berlin’s mix of order and spontaneity suits us: appointments run on time; street festivals run all night.

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Would you recommend working with a relocation agency to others?
If so, why?
Absolutely - especially for families. An agency like Wilde compresses months of confusion into weeks of guided steps, letting you focus on your job and your child rather than on translating paragraph 34b of an immigration form.

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A warm thank you to you Sachin for sharing your experiences and taking the time to talk with us. Wishing you all the best for the future in Germany and continued success in your journey.