Meet Lars Klein

By Ana Dorta

Photography by Miranda Schloat

Lars Klein

Immigrated from Germany, 2011

Lars Klein, senior engagement manager at revenue intelligence platform Gong felt pulled to the United States when he found himself traveling here for work very frequently from his native country of Germany. While work was the initial reason he considered moving to the United States, it was love that ultimately made his decision final.

When did you immigrate to the United States? How old were you? 

I immigrated from Germany in 2011; I think I was 33, 32 years old.

Why did you immigrate to the U.S?

Accenture, the company where I was working, sent me over to Chicago all the time, and I just found myself traveling over to the U.S. a lot of times. At some point, I just figured I’d check out the job openings for the office in New York.

But then I also fell in love, and I think that was probably the biggest driving factor. Being 32, 33, you want to start a family.

What were the main steps of the immigration process, including obtaining your green card and citizenship?

There’s a lot of misinformation about how complex the immigration process is, but if you can read and follow instructions, it’s pretty straight-forward. It wasn’t really a hard process to immigrate to the United States. As long as you’re committed and have some resources in terms of guidance and the framework of paperwork that you need to fill out.

What was the hardest part about coming to the U.S.? 

It’s not as far as being homesick. I think I’m over that because it’s been over 13 years or so, but food is a factor, and the language itself is a factor. Americans eat completely differently than Germans or Europeans. German cuisine is known for its hearty, savory flavors, highlighting meats, potatoes, and bread, while American cuisine boasts diversity influenced by various cultures. Ingredients in German food are mandated to be more natural and healthy by law, which also provides a more relaxed shopping experience.

What was the biggest culture shock when coming to the U.S?

Learning how to make small talk. Everyone says, “How are you?” and they don’t really want to know how you are or how you’re doing. It’s just a thing to say. So as a German, when someone says, “How are you?” they are genuinely interested in your wellbeing. You have to learn to do small talk, and I think that was an important piece for me to overcome that barrier to be accepted in whatever circles I was in back in the day.

Do you still have relatives, friends or family members in Germany?

My parents are still over in Germany, and we do speak very frequently so I think I preserve the language part. We do a lot of European vacations, visiting my friends back in Germany. They have kids now as well, so we’re also having those experiences.

Since arriving in the U.S., do you feel that you can still experience and express elements of your native culture?

We have Oktoberfest, and we have German-American communities here. I was part of the German American Club in Peekskill for a while to just preserve a little of that and stay within the German community. There are certain Christmas traditions we’re doing here—we’re singing German Christmas songs. And I do have German podcasts on from time to time.

How do you feel the community responds to immigrants, especially when it comes to helping them acclimate?

Overall, Americans are very welcoming because everyone immigrated at some point, and I feel that most people remember this and are welcoming, especially in our community in New York or Westchester. I never felt that I was ostracized.

What would you like people to know about immigrants?

I’d like people to appreciate that immigrants contribute a variety of perspectives, skills and abilities that benefit society. They often show persistence, drive and a strong work ethic, positively impacting their new communities. 

This article was published in the July/August 2024 print edition of Connect to Northern Westchester.