Matt Haynes, a Shreveport, LA native and Director of Operations at To Exceed, works remotely while living in Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany. He previously worked at Nerdy By Design and General Dynamics before joining To Exceed’s Shreveport office, then relocated internationally in 2023. Remote work transformed from office fantasy to reality, and Matt has remained productive abroad while overhauling the To Exceed workflow and earning certifications along the way.
How did you end up working in Germany?
Matt’s wife is a Speech Language Pathologist specializing in children, and American companies in Germany hire native English speakers to work with military families. He chose Germany for its central European location, which makes affordable travel throughout the continent easy. The couple visited nine European countries in their first year, leaning on public transportation and budget flights.
Advice for Remote Workers
Matt recommends considering three factors:
- Cost: Living expenses vary significantly. Germany offers competitive costs compared to the U.S., with groceries approximately 30% cheaper as of early 2024, though fuel costs more. Switzerland was excluded due to expense.
- Safety: Germany’s culture of rule-following creates peaceful environments—it’s common to see children walking to school independently, even in darkness.
- Convenience: EU membership eliminates customs barriers between countries, facilitating borderless travel. Language barriers exist but are manageable given English’s global prevalence.
Protip: Matt advises maintaining emergency savings for unexpected cultural differences. He describes discovering that apartments in Germany come unfurnished, requiring purchases of counters, sinks, ovens, and refrigerators— expenses his budget accommodated.
Staying Connected with Colleagues
Matt maintains connection through Teams meetings and online platforms. His social life shifted toward digital interactions, including gaming with colleagues and friends. The group plays Dungeons & Dragons biweekly via Roll20, with Matt playing a paladin. His three primary games for connection are Smite, Overwatch, and DnD over a virtual tabletop—the same kind of in-game community that led our team to hire a colleague we met through mobile gaming.
Managing Time Zone Differences
Matt wakes at 5am, completing 4-6 hours of focused work before colleagues awaken stateside, reserving remaining hours for meetings. He prioritizes sleep consistency, noting that improved food quality and increased walking boost energy levels, mitigating sleep schedule strain. He invests in quality coffee preparation.
“All-in-all, I would recommend it for anyone who has the opportunity and wants to do it. It’s an experience that will enrich you and let you see things from other perspectives.”