I’ve always been someone who liked challenges and trying new things. Since I was young, I dreamed of traveling and experiencing other cultures, but I never imagined that this would lead me to form my life here in Ireland.
The opportunity to live in another country came about after a lot of planning and a certain degree of risk and it completely changed my life, bringing me experiences that I would never have lived if I had stayed in my comfort zone.
Challenging the comfort zone
I had just graduated from college when I received a good job offer at a large company in Brazil. I confess that I could start a good career there in the finance area in the country.
I was even excited about the idea, however, the dream I had of living abroad was much bigger. It was like I needed to go through this experience. If I hadn’t decided to change, maybe I would still be unhappy today.
So I took the first step, dropped everything I had and ventured out. The first shock I had was adapting to the local culture. Living in a country where traditions and customs were different from mine took time and patience to adjust.
Learning a new language was also a challenge, but little by little I got better and got used to the routine. At first, I worked as a waiter, and as I improved my English, I grew professionally.
New opportunities
One of the most important benefits of living abroad that I see for myself is the possibility of meeting people from different backgrounds and cultures. It opens doors to opportunities that I never would have had if I had stayed in my hometown.
In addition, exposure to new knowledge, experiences and ways of thinking is invaluable for personal and professional growth. When I set up SEDA, I had the chance to work on projects with teams from different countries and I learned a lot from it.
Not to mention that starting a business in a different country gave me a broader perspective of the business world and prepared me to deal with challenges that I previously thought were insurmountable.
Personal enrichment
Living abroad has also provided me with a wealth of personal experiences. Knowing new places, trying different types of food and experiencing traditions opened my eyes to a much wider world than I imagined.
Every day I learned something new and it helped me to grow as a person and to appreciate cultural differences.
Living away from home helped me develop skills such as independence, resilience and the ability to adapt to new situations. Learning to fend for myself, without the help of family or friends, has made me a stronger and more confident person.
New perspectives
Finally, I can say that by living abroad, I also had the chance to see Brazil from a new perspective. Distance has allowed me to more critically evaluate things that I previously took for granted.
This helped me to have a broader view of the world and to understand that there are different ways of thinking and living. Therefore, I believe that living abroad opens unimaginable doors in our lives.
And that’s why I embraced the exchange as one of the causes of my life, helping people who also have that desire!
