My Citizenship Story: From Dream to Reality

Imagine pursuing a goal FOR TEN YEARS, wondering if it will ever happen and whether you should give up because the journey seems too challenging. If that sounds familiar, this newsletter is a sign that YOUR GOAL IS JUST ONE STEP AWAY! And I’m living proof.

The huge goal I’m talking about is getting citizenship in the country that became my home from the start - the country where my great-great-grandfather lived, where I fulfilled my childhood dream of becoming a successful designer and artist, starting FROM NOTHING.

When I arrived in Germany, I had only 200 Euros (or maybe 300 - I honestly don’t remember). But I had a big dream: to earn my second design degree, get my passport, and build my dream life from scratch. 

I faced numerous obstacles, like living with a German family (where I was told I was too old to start my second degree in design at 23, and that design and art weren’t serious fields). I also struggled with switching visa types. My parents did the impossible by finding the funds needed to change my visa.
I remember that week in 2016, when I was volunteering in Weimar, and had to stay focused despite the uncertainty of whether to accept the invitation to study interior design at a German university or find a simpler path. Guess what we chose? :D

Accepted the invitation to study interior design, I faced another struggle: how was I going to support myself as a student?

A very important lesson: When I realized I had no money to pay my rent, I printed my CVs and went to every single shop open in Wiesbaden (the city where my university was located).

“Do you happen to have a job?” “I can help you with anything,” or “I’m passionate about interior design and art, I know I can be of assistance.”

No one called back until I found a hotel where the owner - a self-made millionaire - understood my struggles, saw potential in me, and offered me a front desk position, even though I wasn’t fully ready. He just believed in me. I didn’t let him down. That hand-drawn project I often show you as an example of my hand-drawn skills is for that hotel.

This shows how important it is to keep showing up and searching because you never know when someone will believe in you.

Think that’s all? Next challenge: super time-consuming interior design studies with endless physical models, sketches, and projects (if you’ve studied interior architecture, you know how it is), AND working part-time in a hotel while mastering management, sales, and guest communication.

How many times did I wake up in the night shaking from exhaustion, calling my parents and telling them I couldn’t continue? Even though they knew about my goal, they still told me, “You always have your home, come back any time.”

A very important lesson: you are worth it even if you haven’t achieved anything. I always thought the contrary. You are enough. You are an incredibly fantastic person as you are. Period. Don’t let overachievement take this away from you as it did for me for many years.

Okay, we did it - Bachelor presentation. One professor put me down in front of everyone, and I cried. A detailed story is in this YT video, not here.

FINALLY, the silver lining: I found my dream job in a well-known interior design studio. FINALLY, my efforts were paying off.

NAH. NOT THIS TIME. Guess why? The pandemic hit, and my offer was canceled. Well, not officially - they just said, “We have to wait until the situation is clear.” They never called back.

The decision: WHAT’S NEXT? Go back to my parents’ home and basically give up, OR… start my own thing and give my passion a real try. I mean, what’s the worst that can happen? I’d go back to my parents’ home. So, LET’S GO.

Even though I officially founded And She Draws Big back in 2019, during my studies, I gave it a real try only in 2020. And this is how you found me :)

The end of this chapter, but not my story. Because this is just the beginning.

This story isn’t even about getting the passport, as honestly, I felt German right from the beginning. With this newsletter, I wanted to show you that literally everything is possible, BUT it won’t be handed to you on a silver platter.

You have to fight for it - even for years. Great things are never easy, but they ALWAYS happen. Stay focused, keep your WHY and big vision in mind, especially during the periods you want to give up. Do the necessary work, and you’re all set ;)

Now, I have two citizenships - German and Belarusian, my place of origin. One of the next topics I’d like to discuss is how your mind creates your exact reality. This is how I projected getting my citizenship in August 2024 and manifested my apartment in Munich years before the house was built. Our mind is capable of truly extraordinary things.

Keep fighting for your dream!

Lots of love,
Anna at @andshedrawsbig