To introduce the founders of Globally Locals to you who follow our posts here on the blog, we interviewed each of the co-founders. We previously posted the interview with Alessandra (you can check it here), and soon you will meet all of them!
Today, say hello to Lucas! :)
What inspired you to create Globally Locals and to build the Pathfinder? We wanted to help people to find the best places for them to live, to study or even to travel based on their interests. Making this big move to a new country, with a new culture, requires extra attention from its bureaucracies to the weather. In the past we all relocated to Germany, and struggled with its bureaucracy, slowness and paper-like communication. We all think this could, and can be easier. We want to expand this knowledge by connecting people that want to move abroad, with people that have already relocated abroad, to make things simpler and objective.
How many times have you relocated in the past? It's my first time living abroad, and Germany was my home for almost three years. Now I am relocating to The Netherlands, and I could definitely say some processes are similar, but less bureaucratic and faster than in Germany! I have a lot to discover but my first impressions are good so far.
How old were you when you first relocated? How old were you when you relocated last time? I was 25 years old looking forward to experiencing new cultures, food, language and countries around Germany! I am now 28 years old, have just relocated to a new country with lots of plans and expectations!
What were the main challenges you had to go through when you relocated abroad? Language barriers in Germany are true even living in a multicultural city like Berlin. Doing some papers in the City Town Hall sometimes requires a lot of patience because people there are not willing to speak English with you, but it turns out that at the end of the day you will get your business done. I also could point that internet connection, water quality and specially the weather are barriers when it comes to challenges in a new place. The weather in the north of Europe is really cloudy and it rains a lot, especially during the winter and spring. Summer is something that everybody must experience because it's like a big city event where everybody is happy and drinking beer outside.
What are the most exciting aspects of your experience so far? I grew a lot as a person and human, by understanding and experiencing different cultures and opinions. Germany is a well-located country which easily allowed me to travel to lots of different countries with a cheaper price. The transportation in Berlin is also good, where you can easily take trains as a locomotive to travel in cities and countries on the surrounding.
What would you have wanted to know in advance before relocating? Taxes, salary ranges and housing. They are very different from the place where I came from and it turns out that I pay lots of taxes in Europe just for being single. 42% is something that for me is outrageous and I don't quite agree with this amount. Housing is a very delicate topic because the rent price is raising absurdly, but I guess this is everywhere, huh?
Would you be open to relocating again in the future or would you recommend it to someone else? I definitely recommend to everyone that moving, and living abroad is a rich experience that everyone should do once in a lifetime. Values and lessons are unique and you'll never forget. Do it while you can, you'll never regret, ever.
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