I’d always loved travelling, and having worked for Wotif.com for 5+years, I’d done a lot for both work and play. But when I was given the opportunity to live and work in Bangkok, it pushed me to the edge of my comfort zone. However, I’m happy to say that I took the experience by the proverbials and it was life-changing – both professionally and personally. Best of all, I’m still working for Wotif.com today, another 5+years later. I wholeheartedly encourage you to also live and work overseas if you ever get the chance. Here are my top five reasons why:
1. Learnings explosions: From both a business and a personal perspective, living and working in a new cultural environment challenges you and the way you look at things from so many angles. Things don’t necessarily work the way they do at home. Embrace it!
2. Expanding your circles: From a career perspective, circulating in an expat community introduced me to some amazing contacts and mentors. And by getting out beyond my comfort zone I found a great group of new friends to holiday with that I’m still close to today.
3. Unique travel opportunities: Living in a new country gives you the opportunity to discover all the local travel possibilities in a unique way. By talking to locals, you discover new routes, hot tips, and itineraries you’d otherwise never hear about. Things like the best weather windows, local festivals not listed online, and the not-as-popular-but-just-as-beautiful alternatives to crowded tourist destinations are secrets you only unlock over time.
4. Developing brand ‘you’: Taking away your personal safety nets gives you the opportunity to spend time with yourself, grow in confidence, and discover your own unique ‘brand’ all on your own. Some of my favourite trips were the ones I took solo. I did things I never thought I’d do, like getting certified in scuba diving.
5. A fresh perspective on home: Once I settled back into life in Australia (i.e. got used to the lack of street vendors, traffic, and chilli), I found a new appreciation for the people and places I missed. My goal moving home was to live like a tourist in my own home town, and I’m still using this enthusiasm to see more of Australia. However, I definitely need lots of overseas holidays to make the attitude stick (that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it 😉 .
I still travel a lot for work, even though I’m now based in Australia. While it can be demanding on your personal time, you get so much out of crossing borders and working face-to-face with new teams. Travel and work have shaped the person I am today, and given me opportunities I hadn’t even contemplated until I sat down to write this blog. Find your opportunity and take it!
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