Delfina Tebay seems always looks cheerful in front of camera. The girl born of Nabire, Papua, always show her happy face whenever she shares her happy store while living abroad in German with her husband through social media like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Delfina, who married a German man, have a YouTube channel called Keluarga Papua Jerman. She already shares a lot in that channel. She also made various content in her channel, including tips to live in German to must-visit places in German. In her videos, she usually accompanied by her husband, colleagues or friend, and her children.
Her videos already made thousands of views, some even reached hundred thousands views. Moreover, Delfina also has quite big fanbase in Indonesia, and obviously not just from Papua.
From all of Delfina’s many videos, one of most watched content of her is her tips to live in German, especially for Indonesians who wants to study in German. Through one of her videos, Delfina shares some valuable tips to her viewers.
“I did not study in German with a scholarship. I did it by myself, so, I have to work part-time. I did part-time job since studienkolleg until i finished my study in university,” said Delfina. Studienkolleg is a school prep, and must be taken by foreigners before joining a German university. “In my college years, I have worked in many companies such as Amazon, Porsche, and McD. I even worked as a deliveryman for a newspaper company and also worked in DHL. I took any job that i could do, just to survive,” she said.
She advised that it is better to live in a small town like Leipzig for a college students because the living cost is fairly more cheaper. She also said that “if you want to study in German, you must be eager, discipline, and can manage your time. I got that lesson from my own personal experience.”
Delfina began her studies in Leipzig University since October 2013, mastering in Bookstore Publishing. Aside from working part-time, she also runs online shop bussiness with her sister from Papua. She have sold products from German, such as hair care to beauty products, to Papua. She started this bussiness in 2017.
“At first, I sold a hari care products, and thats just a few. Now, I sold various kinds of hair care. And that’s how it is, when I was in a pinch, this brain of mine started to work,” said Delfina in her other videos. She said that in the beginning, her goods were only delivered once or twice a month. Currently, she could do it once a week.
“I hope a could motivate you all to start your own bussiness and more eager to have your own second source of income. I’ve started my own bussiness since 2017 and I am still doing it until now,” she told her viewers in one of her videos.
Now, Delfina has already graduated and continue to live and work in German. She now lives in Leipzig with her husband, Sören E. Tebay. She did often came home to her hometown in Papua. But, since Covid-19 Pandemic that was happened all over the world, she has to held her urge in coming back home. She admits that she miss her family back home at that time.
“I really miss my family,” she said back in February. “I also miss various kinds of Indonesian foods, the food there is really the best. I really miss Papuan beaches. In broad daylight, i often just sit around the beach or run along the beach, swim, or even just hanging around the trees,” she said.
Delfina said that she will definitely returns back home when the pandemic situation has gotten better.
Delfina Tebay was born in Nabire, Papua in year 1991. She grew up there and finishes her study in Nabire untul junior high. When she was about to go senior high, she wanted to continue her study in Yogyakarta. Her parents initially reject her wish because it was too far, but in the end her parents granted her wish. In Yogyakarta, Delfina joined Santa Maria High School of Yogyakarta, which is a boarding school for girls only.
After she was graduated from high school, she then continued her study in German, but before that she has to learn the language for a year. Then in year 2013, she finally started her college life in Leipzig University.
In year 2017, Delfina married a German man, Sören E. Tebay. Tebay himself is a clan name from Papua, from Delfina. He also got the name of Sören after he married Delfina. Sören himself has just finished his Postgraduate studies, and now works as a lecturer and language researcher in Leipzig University. From their marriage, the couple has blessed with a son.