I learned with my own personal experience, that we only know better our own culture, education, bias, and our own self, when we have lived at least few years in a different country and different culture (especially amongst locals). These (many years living in different countries and cultures) have expanded my horizon and my own identity, both professionally and especially personally. There is an emotional cost of "expatriating" oneself, but it is also truly a gift. There are many things that we cannot fully comprehend with only short visit, books or else, they have to be experienced over and over.

It emphasizes the proactive mindset needed when seeking opportunities. Instead of waiting for opportunities to come to you, take action, be creative, and actively pursue your goals. Whether it is related to your career, personal life, or any other aspect, you can create opportunities through your efforts and determination. Open yourself to the possibilities; if you wait until you are ready, you might miss a unique chance. Be willing to have the hustle muscle to figure it out. Some opportunities might only come once, SEIZE them :)

A friend invited me to apply as a software developer, so I did. When I got the results from the assessment test – the examiner informed me that I failed the exam but suggested me a QA position. I immediately jumped on the opportunity without knowing what QA was. The manager offered me that opportunity in the company as he knew my learnability. Nokia provided training, coaching, and mentoring, and I enjoyed the work. As I developed my knowledge, an architecture and specification position opened, and I was excited about it. But I thought I was not yet ready for the role. I consulted my manager about it and asked for his opinion, and he encouraged me to go for it and to try it out. Fast forward to hardship and several leaps of faith, and I am excited to grow and try new things. This year I started my new position. Looking back, I am grateful to mention three key points: 1. Don’t be afraid to try new things. There’s no additional knowledge if you already know it – what is QA? 2. Develop your knowledge. Learning is a never-ending process: if you don’t know – study! 3. How will you know if you don’t try? You might regret it one day if you haven't tried.