On a warm June Thursday afternoon, I was catching up with two regular customers in the Irish Pub. I told them I was looking for an internship, they pitched the open position in their company and one week, I was sitting in their office at an interview.

I spent four years with them. Intern, student "Werkstudent" and finally a full-time employee.

Next to that, I finished my bachelor's degree in International Business and my master's degree in Controlling.

As I received my master’s diploma, they offered me a job. "Finally" I thought, "the dream I had worked for for years came true". It was everything my 24-year-old self had wished for: work with German engineers, unlimited contract, good benefits and height-adjustable tables. 

It was the first time I talked to people outside academia and business. Or better said, the first time I had real conversations and listened. And the first time I took time to listen to myself, too. I came to understand that there are many definitions of a content life, and all those definitions are legitimate.

I visited five countries: for culture shock, for freedom, for family, for friends and for love. The last leg was walking on the Way of St James, better known the Camino, for almost eight weeks. Five years later, I could channel my experience into two books: a reflection booklet that can accompany you on your pilgrim walk, too; and a short memoir where you can join me on my journey.

Yet, first I needed a job to pay the bills. I started working as a controller. In the end, that's what I studied for. I chose to work for companies where I agreed with their mission and purpose, such as coaching and sustainability. I chose to work in small companies with 10-40 employees, so I could benefit from the familiar environment and assumed responsibility in my role.

Parallel to that I started my initiative, Careers in the Common Good.  Learning from the conversations on the road, I discovered that there are many who live someone else's dream instead of their own. Many who wake up in their 20s and 30s asking "is this what I studied for?" That's how we started. 

Over the years, I saw various manifestations of the American dream in Germany, some of them turning out a lot more challenging than expected. Working with youth, I understood the increasing pressure young people face about their career choice, already during high school. Through numerous interviews and discussions, I understood there is no one-size-fit all recipe, everyone needs to craft their own path. However, there are various tools that can help finding and designing your path.

Over the years, I dedicated more and more time and attention to my role in my initiative and to exploring the questions of a fulfilling and balanced life.  

• I read about conscious career choice, self-awareness and professional development.

• I started to live and learn about more mindful life and closeness to nature.

• I discovered the joy and potential in delivering workshops, and organised more events.

In the end, there was only one logical way to proceed:

So 5-month volunteering in the hills of rural Nepal gave me stability, gave me routine, gave me a community.

It was a beautiful but challenging time. I have made a few attempts to express what I learnt about the locals, myself and the world. You can get snippets in this blog article, in LinkedIn updates... but I am still looking for the right world. 

Even though I lacked a coherent vision, various aspects were clear. Career transition. International lives. Solution to feeling a-synch. And I organised dozens of events. 

During my travels, I created communities.

• Language Café in Herzberg, South Brandenburg: inspired by my own need to connect to locals, I initiated a weekly gathering in April 2023, which brings together local elderly and refugee community on a weekly basis ever since.

• Thanks to funding from the Wild Wonder Foundation, I could bring nature journaling to our youth empowerment project in Nepal and (re)introduce the joy of creative creation.

• During my short stay in Lima, I hosted a few Walk & Talk events. The format found the right audience quickly and one participant took over the role of host: a group of locals and expats have been gathering weekly and exploring the city together.

These unexpected projects are wonderful. If we look at my IKIGAI: it is what the world needs, what I am good at and what I love doing...

Here I am, your trainer, facilitator and career counsellor: