I had never left Europe before, so it was a completely new experience for me. In addition, I only spoke Spanish during five months, but I loved immersing myself in Colombian culture. I discovered the typical food that was incredibly varied and I had the chance to travel a lot during my stay. I met a lot of locals, and even stayed with some of them. I also learnt Portuguese at the same time, which was a real challenge but it helped me a lot to integrate when I travelled in Brazil.
After my stay in Colombia, I spent a few weeks in Belgium, but I wanted to see more. So, I seized a new professional opportunity and flew to Montreal, an incredibly cosmopolitan and dynamic city. I am working for a growing start-up and had the chance to taste the famous poutine! I went from immersing myself in a Spanish-speaking South American culture to a North American English and French-speaking experience in less than a year. It was a real cultural shock, but I learned so much about myself and the world.
A different language is a different vision of life…
I understood that human contacts and relationships are essential, and I used this experience to build an international network. So, even though leaving everything may seem scary, I realized that wherever there are humans, we are at home, regardless of culture or language. Diversity is strength and I was privileged to experience two totally different cultures in one year. I’m excited to see where my curiosity will take me next, and I encourage all of you to seize every opportunity to discover new cultures and horizons. And most importantly, traveling alone and discovering new countries and cultures will help grow the entrepreneurial seed in you by confronting you with new challenges every day. The experience you will gain is worth it and you will not regret it!
If You too are an entrepreneur in search of meaning and wish to create new opportunities…
