Homesickness or a feeling of home? This is how West Germans live in MV!

Homesickness or a feeling of home? This is how West Germans live in MV!

The border region of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is attracting more and more people, but not everyone feels at home there. In the home column “I’m here again” on the platform Northern Courier is published, the author shows how different the attitude to life is when locals and newcomers meet.

After spending a year in Neubrandenburg, the author describes his arrival as positive, even if he faces challenges. He repeatedly notices that the locals in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania tend to keep to themselves. “There’s something going on” – the networks often only seem to exist within the locals. These separate societies mean that many returnees who originally decided to return to their homeland are considering leaving MV again for the same reasons.

Insights from newcomers

An example from the experiences of a native of Baden-Württemberg: He is tormented by the feeling that he is not fully accepted as a “Wessi”. He expresses his feelings and challenges in his feedback. A critical reader, on the other hand, also noticed negative aspects after moving from North Rhine-Westphalia and criticized the “whining” of the locals, which she found to be a hindrance to integration.

The author's autobiographical stories also offer insights into the different mentalities he encountered after his return to his roots. In addition to the social difficulties, he also learns about the economic challenges that characterize Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The deep changes in life in Poland after the fall of communism as well as the difficulties of the first years after joining the EU can partly be traced back to the current situation.

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in focus

But what makes MV so special for many? With a population of 1.61 million and an area of ​​23,174 km², the country is not only spacious, but also offers an impressive natural landscape with lakes, forests and rivers. Nevertheless, some aspects cannot be overlooked: The largest city, Rostock, only has around 208,000 inhabitants, and leisure opportunities are often limited to larger cities, which can be a challenge, especially for young and extroverted people. Wanderlust introvert describes Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania as rather quiet, which has both advantages and disadvantages.

You can also see that the cost of living in MV seems low at first glance, but has been increasing in recent years. Many people are planning to settle there and are delving into local social media groups to learn more about housing options and recreational activities. Due to the structural differences between Mecklenburg and Western Pomerania, not all areas are equally well developed.

The author encourages his readers to share their experiences in order to gather different perspectives and exchange ideas about the deeply rooted mentalities in the region. After all, it is often the exchange of experiences that brings both newcomers and long-established residents closer together and eliminates misunderstandings. This exchange could potentially promote integration and also change the image of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania among the broader public.