Love from Abroad
binational relationships
“Her mother was kind of shocked when she realized her daughter was moving to Germany! But that's not surprising: in Cuba, family is everything!† Andreas Schneider is an outspoken type, never at a loss for a joke, and has been a Cuba fan for decades. “Of course, everyone thinks at first: where did you get your wife from? But we’re very serious, we’re planning everything down to the last detail.†
Alexander Schneider has maintained a friendship with a Cuban guest family since 1976, since the old days of the German Democratic Republic. After German reunification, he flew to Cuba for the first time to visit them, and has returned every year since. “Back then, my friend already had something planned. He wanted to get me together with a woman colleague of his. We sat in a car at the beach, and I said to her, you know, this is a set up, and then we both laughed hard. But as it turns out, we've been married since July 2008. The marriage was great, it took place in Cuba.†
Now the couple has decided to live together in Germany. Alexander's wife Nadxa is 37 years old. She has a seven-year-old son, and she is bringing him along to Germany. “My parents were very relaxed, but they’ve also known the Cuban guest family for many years. Besides, we all live together under the same roof, now they'll be two more. When my mother learned Nadxa had a child, she said: now we'll be getting another son.†
It is just before Christmas, and Andreas’ Cuban wife is flying to Frankfurt. This is her first time outside of Cuba, but she definitely wants to stay. She has already attended a German language course in her home country, and wants to get a foothold in Germany as a bookkeeper. “I'm still wondering how she's going to cope with the winters here. Back in Cuba, I always said to her, you should empty out the refrigerator and crawl inside, just to get an idea of what it's like.† Andreas Schneider is optimistic, he believes everything will go well. He works for a car dealer, and he’s sure his wife will feel at home in Bautzen. “There are a few mixed families living here, I'm already friends with some. It's important that Nadxa should feel somewhat at home here.†
Nadxa’s son is already enrolled at a German school. She has procured a 90 day visa for him, but it will have to be renewed, since there is no longer a family unification clause. They will see how things develop in the coming months. At the moment, their attitude is positive, they are looking forward to an exciting future together.
