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 Lucas (you can check it here). Today, you can say hello to Michelle! :)
What inspired you to create Globally Locals and to build the Pathfinder?
I've always loved traveling, and from the first time I lived abroad (back in 2014) I knew how being an immigrant ended up making me complete. The feeling was as if my homeland wasn't enough, and I always wanted more. Living in different places, learning new languages, getting to know different cultures, all of this really moves me, so creating Globally Locals with my dear partners was something very natural for me, I truly believe in the power of being an immigrant and discovering yourself every day. I hope that through our project, we can inspire and encourage many people to immigrate too, with true information and a community to support those who need it.
How many times have you relocated in the past?
My first time living abroad was during my 1.5-year exchange program in the US. The second time I explored my immigrant side was in 2021 when I moved to Berlin, Germany, to pursue a Master's degree in Digital Marketing. More recently, I moved to Amsterdam with my boyfriend and our two cats, and I'm loving being an immigrant here.
How old were you when you first relocated? How old were you when you relocated last time?
When I moved to the US I was only 20 years old, I had many dreams, but also many fears. The second time, when I moved to Berlin I was already 27 years old and now, at 30 years old, I moved to Amsterdam in the Netherlands.
What were the main challenges you had to go through when you relocated abroad?
I faced different challenges with each move. At 20, I feel that in addition to learning a new language from scratch, my biggest challenges were related to the maturity I experienced living abroad and being away from my family in Brazil. When I moved to Berlin, in a post-pandemic scenario, my challenges were a little more "adult", if I can put it that way. I faced a difficult search for an apartment, German bureaucracy (which is not friendly at all) and professional issues. In Amsterdam, I feel that my experience as an immigrant, and the fact that I had started a family, helped me a lot to make this third moving process much easier!
What are the most exciting aspects of your experience so far?
I feel like living abroad has taught me a lot about myself, about empathizing with others, and about seeing my country in a different way. I have learned a lot about resilience, and how my choices have consequences, but that if they have a purpose, it is all worth it! I love having the feeling of freedom and security that living in Europe gives me. As a woman, that is priceless.
What would you have wanted to know in advance before relocating?
My life as a new immigrant would have been much easier if I had more accurate information about each destination, and a real point of view from other people who live there. It would also be easier if I knew more about the bureaucracy I would face, or if I had a larger support network to help me with the first steps of this long life project.
Would you be open to relocating again in the future or would you recommend it to someone else?
Definitely! I feel that Amsterdam is not my forever home. I am open to experiencing other destinations, cultures and colors. I don't think immigrating is for everyone, but if you have a very clear purpose in relation to it, I encourage you to give it a try! You will only know how your experience will be if you give it a try.
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