I remember my first arrival in Belgium as if it happened yesterday. Even though the pandemic ruined most of the experience, I still felt grateful for the chance to experience life in Brussels and Europe.

Life and work abroad are tests of survival. No one talks much about the lonely nights, the days of doubting yourself, and missing home. But once we’re past that survival period, we become ready for growth and transformation.

That’s what happened to me. I used to hide many aspects of my self. I hesitated to speak up and share my insights. But I have changed so much. I can’t barely recognize myself.

Now, it’s my turn to lead others to their own journey of change. If my writing makes you uncomfortable, good. Learning happens when we get out of our comfort zone.

That’s what “Survive and Thrive” is all about. That’s what I’m all about.

How to read these journals?

Build a one-pager resume.

A one-pager resume summarizes:

Remove irrelevant details such as:

Including them can even subject you to unnecessary discrimination. Want to know what a one-pager resume looks like?

Download my template here.

Some of us find ourselves in a new country, living independently for the first time.

From riding the metro/train to buying household items, it can be overwhelming if you haven’t tried these things back home.

One underrated tip I can share based on experience?

Discover and immerse yourself in the local markets.

You’ll be surprised by the variety of goods and the vibe.

Plus, fruits and veggies are cheaper than in a grocery store.

As a child, I hated the markets for their noise and smell (and for a more personal reason).

Later, I came to appreciate the importance of local markets in a community.

From memory, here are some of my favorite local markets:

What about yours? Send me a picture of your favorite market via email.

If you’re aspiring to experience life in another country and you want to know what it’s like to live and work abroad, read my e-book “Survive and Thrive: The Beginner’s Guide to Living and Working Abroad.”

Since I launched my solopreneur business, some people have been asking.

How do I build a business from scratch?

Well, first of all, you don’t build it overnight.

You start with little experiments. Random ideas that you can test and discard

Over months and even years of effort

The best business to build?

One that has zero capital, no machinery, and no initial stocks.

But for these business models, you need expertise and time.

If you’re an expert and you want to turn your professional expertise into a money-making side hustle, I’ve created something for you.

The new “Survive and Thrive” Toolkit is now available. I created this for anyone aspiring to live and work abroad (or move to a different country). What’s inside:

Check out the full toolkit here.

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