Every journey you take will absolutely change you. One of the greatest journeys in life is overcoming insecurity and learning to truly not care about other’s people opinion. Here my 7 unexpected journey :
1. 2013 : Changed me
Entering the unknown journey like it was mine already, like I knew my destiny in advance. And yet 8 years ago I wasn’t confident, I wasn’t prepared, I never was. I decided to take the risk to travel to Indonesia for an internship. It was important to me to escape the lack of adventure and the routine I was in. Surprisingly or not, the first month in Jakarta were uncomfortable, shocking, and morose. I was the tiny French guy learning in the jungle of Jakarta, tom hanks in the terminal, Kevin heart in Jummanji.
I felt quickly small, weak and lost between the ocean of creativity that Indonesian expresses in their daily life and the chaos of Jakarta. Thanks God the Nasi goreng never makes me explode. But I knew deep down that I was not afraid to try. I learned by doing, needed to feed my curiosity with experiences that led me to seek more risks. The year of 2013 has definitely boosted my confidence, emphasised my love for adventure.
2. 2014 : the year of doubt
Fews weeks before my internship ends, I start reflecting about my future. I was really excited to return home, getting back to the routine and the lack of experience that I was escaping. Except of the excitement I had to see my loved ones again. Sure enough my feeling start keeling between two countries, two homes. Like the famous quotes “Always one decision away from a total different life”. After few weeks in France, I got hired by Gallery Lafayette ; I worked as a sales manager for a luxury brand during almost the whole year of 2014. Somehow I knew that I wanted to return to Indonesia. I applied for any job in any cities I could every single day. Few days later, I had an interview and I got a job as an intern in Bali. I immediately accepted and flew back to Indonesia in 2015
3. 2015 : Bali and marketing
Living and working in Bali is a dream for every expat. And I was grateful to be able to realise this dream. I wasn’t expect that life in Bali will be so different from Jakarta. I had to readapt myself and adjust my behavior to the island I was living in. It is probably that year were I was lucky to have this amazing opportunity of working alongside with one of the most inspirational woman I ever met Lydia Ruddy. She guided me in every step trough my marketing learning process. She always took time off her very busy schedule to share advice and guide me in my work. Having her as a mentor put me on the right path for the journey I am taking now as an entrepreneur.
The process is the most important part of the journey, appreciate it while you have it.
4. 2016 : Between broke and hope
2016 is the year where life taught me how to love your ups and enjoy your downs. She taught me how to step back and meditate. In January 2016 I moved back to Jakarta to work as a creative director for an advertising agency. At first when I met my boss, she was very open and welcoming. However, quickly enough I noticed a completely different behavior. I start hating myself of getting this job. We haven’t even sign my work contract that I was already working. Which is actually illegal.
6 months later, they fired me and refused to pay my 3 past month salary and kicked me out from the office (where I used to live). I couldn’t dwell on what was happening to me, so I decided to travel to Makasar to find an opportunity to make ends meet. Couple days later I found myself in Maluku where I worked for a small project that leads me to be hired by a cosmetic brand in Jakarta. I got a contract with the cosmetic brand, an apartment paid by the office and a visa. Within 8 months life has completely changed for me. One of the 7 unexpected journey that taught me to be more grateful with what I had.
5. 2017 : The year of freedom
In 2017, I worked as a Marketing manager for a cosmetic brand, after few months I felt that the philosophy of make up and skin care in Indonesia wasn’t part of my values. One of my value was to celebrate the diversity of beauty that Indonesia posses. And said remove the words “whitening” and “lightening” from the Indonesian society. But this is another topic that needs to be discuss.
After resigning I decided to take a trip from Jakarta to the farthest I can (ideally Papua). You can read my article on how I travelled for less than 400$ around Indonesia during a month and half. Without a doubt it was the 6 happiest weeks of my life. I felt free and happy, what a man can ask for more ? do you prefer to cry in your ferrari or be happy in your honda ? I was happy on foot. From Island to Island I stuffed my eyes with the beauty of Yogykarta, Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa. Sleeping on the floor, in the train, on the ferry, in the mountain. One the 7 unexpected journey that gave me hope and make me fall in love with Indonesia.
6. 2018 :The year of risks
Indonesia was not designed to make me comfortable. I knew the second I landed in Jakarta. Indonesia is an extraordinary country of, dogged by problems that can seem insurmountable; where anything seems possible. At the end of 2017 I was prospecting every advertising agency in Jakarta. Most of them rejected me.
Then, I decided to open my own advertising agency with a small saving. Here you can read the whole story on how I started my own company in Jakarta. Amongst the 7 unexpected journey, this year has given me so much strenghs.
7. 2019 the year of loneliness
If there is a year where I felt the most lonely is 2019. There is lot of thing to do with opening a company. You lifestyle change, you hang out less, and you have weird hours of work. Eventually you start to doubt, having a lots of conversation with yourself. When you live abroad and take the risks to open a company from scratch every penny counts.
I learned how to spend time with myself, how to price myself, start to get better at everything… Problems and failures exist but they don’t stick. The time will blow them away. The process. The moment you don’t see.