Programme Erasmus + Europe on the move : Migration Biographies
Theses
countries . It could be assumed that the ethnic conflicts , concerning every member of post-Yugoslavian ethnicities , including the ones living abroad , would affect the harmony in such discos , but for those young people , that mostly escaped the war , politics were not important when going out and trying to have fun . Among others she met a nurse from Split , who she befriended and who offered her a place to sleep after she could no longer live with her aunt . 26 This friend of hers also introduced her to the Croatian community near the “ Theresienwiese ” in Munich . She went to church as often as she could and took advantage of the community ’ s offer of folklore classes . She enjoyed the company of fellow Croatians and appreciated the support she got from the priests and the members , but working whilst knowing she could support her family and earn her own livelihood , gave her a lot of stability as well . 27 Unfortunately most of the immigrants , who she was friends with were deported after the first signs of a Croatian end of war in 1996 and a Bosnian end of war in 1997 . 28
3.4 . The Journey to Integration : “ Becoming German ”
In the summer of 1995 Gabrijela visited her parents in Sarajevo for the first time in 2 years while still planning on going back , to continue studying architecture at the time . Shocked by the total destruction of her hometown and recognizing that almost her whole generation was either dead or emigrated she decides to apply for her studies in Germany instead and therefore stay there permanently . She then uses the opportunity of being at home to get her graduation certificate to submit her application the same year . Although she had to wait another year to begin her studies , due to bureaucratic complications , she eventually got a place at the TU in Munich . Gabrijela , who was now a university student in Germany and freshly married to a German since 1997 , could prevent being deported , like most of her compatriots were . Now a new phase of her life began , in which university and the jobs she had to finance her studies took up most of her time . She had to buy books , a personal computer and material for the models and support her parents financially at the same time . Being this occupied she did no longer have time for the Yugoslavian networks on the one hand and didn ’ t feel like she had to rely on them anymore , as she now had a German circle of friends at the university and was happily married on the other hand . She felt safe and well integrated . Despite the stress she managed to make up for what she missed as an adolescent by going to parties and joining excursions offered by the university . She then even got two children in 2002 and in 2004 , all during her studies . By now she is an architect , working at the airport in Munich . 29 For handling this complete restart so well and finally achieving stability and integration on such a high level for a war refugee , it is no wonder people describe her as a “ stand-up guy ”. 30
3.5 . Transnationalism and Relations to her Home
Today Gabrijela has not only taken a German name but also defines herself as German by now . For one thing because she had to give up her Bosnian and Croatian citizenships when she accepted the German one 31 and secondly because she was disrooted at a very young age and grew into the German society . 32 She appreciates the social security system and the working moral and identifies with German mentality and ideals more than with the Croatian ones . But she still keeps good relations to friends and family in post-Yugoslavia , as she and her family travel to Croatia for special occasions like weddings , family gatherings and other celebrations . For example on Christmas all family members , scattered through emigration and therefore coming from Belgrad , Sarajevo , Germany and England , meet at her parents ’ house in Split to celebrate the traditional Croatian way . This family , bond by mutual heritage and tradition rather than ethnicity , serves as a showcase example of Transnationalism among Yugoslav emigrant-families . Transnationalism in this sense means that migrants
26 ( Schneider , Biographie 4 , 2019 , S . 28-32 )
27 ( Schneider , Biographie 4 , 2019 , S . 21-27 )
28 ( Schneider , Biographie 4 , 2019 , S . 18 )
29 ( Schneider , Biographie 2 , 2019 , S . 17-24 )
30 ( Schneider , Biographie 1 , 2019 , S . 5 )
31 ( Schneider , Biographie 1 , 2019 , S . 1-4 )
32 ( Schneider , Biographie 2 , 2019 , S . 27 )
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