Moving away from the Düren district for a job? For Stefanie and Andres Bäker it was out of the question. The pair simply feel too much at home in the region to think about changing their location. Good transport connections enable day-to-day commuting to work in the Ruhr region.
Stefanie and Andres Bäker sit for almost three hours every day in their car because they commute to work – from Linnich to Mülheim an der Ruhr. “In the morning on the way it means more quality time for the two of us, and in the evening it’s like going on holiday” states Stefanie. The time they spend in the car together is a great method of shaking off stress and work. They both look forward to the end of the day at home. The decision for a common living location was not difficult because Stefanie, who actually comes from the Ruhr region, visibly enjoys living in a neighbourhood of Linnich. “Although I come from the city, I just feel freer in the countryside. It’s simply more attractive and relaxed here than in the Ruhr region, and that’s the reason why travelling to work didn’t put me off.”
Three questions for Stefanie and Andres
You both work in the Ruhr region but live in the Düren district. Why?
The district of Düren is very well connected but it hasn’t got the disadvantages of an urban concentration. We really love Linnich and the fertile plain, and we quickly realised that you don’t have to live where you work. If both are perfect, the distance between them isn’t really a proper distance at all. And another plus – from here we can quickly reach the surrounding larger towns and cities – an evening at a Cologne cinema or a stroll around Aachen are no problem. Back home we simply enjoy the peace and quiet and the variety of nature. We’re almost on talking terms with the little owl who flies around the village in the evenings. We step outside the door and look out across fields and meadows – it’s simply wonderful.
Doesn’t commuting get on your nerves at some point?
We’ve got used to the commuting and we’ve found our rhythm, so the driving part isn’t a stress factor. We enjoy the time together and use it to discuss or plan different things, and that means even small disagreements can be quickly solved. But commuting alone is also no problem. The distance means that we really leave our work at the place work. So if you can get to the motorway or onto the train quickly, what’s against commuting?
What connects you both to the Düren district?
For us, the region is both holiday and our home in one. Everyday life and relaxation aren’t a contradiction, and that’s precisely the feeling that has meant we’ve continued to commute back and forth for nine years. And the fact that we made the right decision is backed up each and every week when we discover something new in the district – whether it’s on a hike, a bike tour or one of the many leisure activities people can do here.
