Immigrant care professionals: What it takes to feel home in a new country

An ice cream parlour in Schwäbisch-Gmünd. Vanilla is actually her favourite flavour. But today Shibina Jose wants to try something else. The 37-year-old Indian woman leans over the colourful selection and ponders. Sigrid Hegele stands next to her. The pensioner has already made her choice: "Pistachio," says the 66-year-old. So Shibina Jose also opts for pistachio: "Mmm, delicious!" The two women sit down at a table in the pedestrian zone with their ice cream. "How are you getting on with studying for the German exam?" asks Sigrid Hegele. "Quite well," replies Shibina Jose. "But it's quite a lot of material."

Shibina Jose works as a care worker at the St. Ludwig nursing home. She came to Schwäbisch Gmünd from her home country of India in August 2023. And initially alone. "I wanted a turning point in my life." The words sound convincing. In India, it is almost impossible to find a suitable and fairly paid job. And she is also concerned about her two children, who still live with her husband back home. "My children are only five and eight years old," she says. "They will certainly have a better future here." The 37-year-old grew up in a mountain village in the southern Indian state of Kerala and lived with her family on her parents-in-law's farm. "We had a big house and fields with coffee and tea plants."

Shibina Jose is in contact with her family in her distant homeland every day. They send each other photos of their trips. The pictures from India help to alleviate her homesickness. When she talks about her husband, she clutches her golden wedding necklace. He works at a bank and wants to start a German course soon, because the family wants to be reunited in Germany in the near future.

To do this, however, Shibina Jose needs a permanent residence permit. Her qualifications have already been recognised. Now she still needs to pass a language proficiency test with job-specific technical terms. She is studying for this every day before and after her shifts.

"Shibina is incredibly determined and hard-working, her German is already so good," enthuses Sigrid Hegele. The two did not cross paths by chance. They met as part of the Mentoring program to strengthen the social participation of foreign nursing professionals - a programme offered by the Development Agency for Social Education and Innovation. The scheme is offered at ten locations across Germany and is funded by the Robert Bosch Stiftung and the Bosch Health Campus. The aim of the programme is to enable newly arrived care professionals to get to know the people in their new country of choice and to participate in as many areas of life as possible outside of their job. So that they settle down well in Germany, feel emotionally and socially comfortable here - and stay for the long term.

After a short training course, people from the region take on the role of mentors to share their local knowledge and networks with the newly arrived care professionals. They help them with questions about everyday life: How do I use the bus? How does the library work? Or: Where is the nearest ice cream parlour? They also support the care professionals in pursuing their hobbies or getting involved in social activities, for example by establishing contacts with suitable clubs and organisations.

Shibina Jose also had a lot of questions after her arrival. Her employer, the Haus Lindenhof Foundation, was able to answer some of them. Their HR department also refers new nursing staff to the STaF programme. The 37-year-old applied in autumn 2023 - and met Sigrid Hegele there. They have been meeting regularly ever since. The pensioner has already shown Shibina Jose all her favourite places. They do a lot together.

When they sit on the long wooden benches in the town garden, they talk. "We talk about all the things that are currently pending: Documents that need to be filled out, about the learning programme and things that are needed," says the pensioner, who has a large network of friends, family and acquaintances in Schwäbisch Gmünd.

They once looked for a shop that sells the typical red rice from India. In the shared flat where Shibina Jose lives with two other Indian care workers, they cook almost every day, just like at home. "I also love Maultaschen," a kind of Swabian ravioli, she says with a laugh. "But many German dishes are simply not spicy enough for me, I like it spicy." She gets many ingredients in normal supermarkets. "But I had to search longer for our red rice." Thanks to Sigrid Hegele, she found what she was looking for. Looking at all the exotic products, Sigrid Hegele wondered what she could cook with them. "No problem," Shibina promised her and invited her to her home for a home-cooked curry.

The pensioner is convinced by the concept of the STaF programme: "Only those who feel comfortable and accepted here, who are allowed to live out their interests, will want to stay, work here and get involved." The Swabian also wants to set an example with her commitment. "Time and again, I come across people - even in my close circle of friends - who harbour resentment towards people with an immigrant background. That frightens me. It annoys me. And it makes me angry."

Shibina Jose has long since arrived at the St. Ludwig nursing home. She is needed and appreciated here. She puts her heart and soul into her work, which she learnt in India and practised in maternity and intensive care units. When her father had a stroke many years ago, she saw him get back on his feet thanks to her mother's care. "Back then, I thought that good caregivers are angels and that's what I want to do when I grow up."

In Schwäbisch Gmünd, the 37-year-old is working intensively with older people for the first time. "People in care homes not only need medical treatment, but above all emotional support," says Shibina Jose, describing her day-to-day work. She tries to build relationships and talk a lot with the residents. For example, during a relaxation massage, where she sometimes incorporates elements from the Indian healing art of Ayurveda.

Yoga and meditation are also part of the Indian woman's everyday life. This relaxes her and puts her in a good mood, just like dancing and music. She usually plays classical Indian music on her mobile phone. But she also likes to sing karaoke via an app and shares the clips on her social media channels.

She will soon be attending a musical theatre performance with Sigrid Hegele, who has long been her friend. She would also like to sing in the theatre in the future. And then there's cycling, which Shibina Jose really wants to learn how to do. The two of them have already bought a second-hand bike together at a German Bicycle Association workshop in Aalen. "Now I just have to practise," says Shibina Jose, laughing and pushing aside her own scepticism. "I'll be fine."