8. What is the impact traveling has on your mind and way of thinking? Gonçalo Abrantes

Why traveling?

• Traveling has been key on knowing myself. Being in over 60 cities, in more than 30 countries taught me to look into the world as a global thinker, by contacting with other cultures. It also made me a more tolerant person and deepen my interest in dealing with people. Apart from having been in foreign lands, I have explored my own country. I visited some of the most successful companies and its managers, which helped me assure management was the course for me.

Countries that have impressed me the most

Europe • London, United Kingdom The last time I have been in London, what fascinated me the most was the economic center. I felt like I was a business man just for walking on those new streets.

• Amsterdam, Netherlands In this city the means of transportation kept my attention. The citizens and tourists used mainly bicycles, metro and taxis which were clean energy ones.

Furthermore, the diversity and liberalism were way more developed than in anywhere else. The acceptance of other cultures, drugs and gays too was so natural that made everyone comfortable with who they are.

This two aspects combined make Amsterdam one example to follow for other cities.

Asia • Siem Reap, Cambodia The reality in Cambodia is completely different from the one in developed countries. There, seeing eight years old children taking care of their younger siblings while raising money to survive, selling souvenirs to tourists, was normal. That touched me due to the lack of consciousness that we have when we take everything for granted not realizing what going through hard times and struggling to survive really is. I saw that as a life lesson.

• Singapore, Singapore Singapore stands out from the rest of asian countries once it is full of wealthy companies, updated education and tall buildings instead of natural beauty and poverty.

Saudi Arabia• When I go to Saudi Arabia I have

noticed that every year they evolve in and develop something bigger. They want to have the best, the biggest the largest and they actually do. It is impressive to see cities like Dubai 10 years ago and now. The sentence that comes to my mind when I think of this country is a quote from Sheik Mohammed bi Rashid that is written in a wall in Burj Khalifa: “The word impossible is not in the leaders dictionaries. No matter how big the challenges, strong faith, determination and resolve will overcome then."

• I strongly believe in this way of thinking, therefor, I follow it as a life's philosophy, because only we can set limits to our capacities.

America • USA The image that comes to my mind when USA is the subject is money. American society is probably the one that was more affected by the consumerism era. It is so simple to buy anything there. You don't need a password or signature to see the money coming out of your pocket. You only pass the credit card in one machine and in one second: gone! The huge investments in publicity emphasizes the consequences of this period.

When it comes to spending money, we need to have self control and understand that we are in charge of our own lives.

• Brazil Brazil is a country that has so much potential however it is not used the right way. For example, the infrastructures were so weak and poor but were being sold for crazy prices. At those prices and locations they could offer much better construction and promote the security and well being of the citizens.

Africa • Mauritius The African Continent is all about beautiful landscapes and good energies. The natural beauty is wonderful and leaves you speechless.

Although poverty is a big problem there, I felt people were happy because their values are not in the money but in friendship.

Apart from that, I do not associate myself with this continent, due to the lack of work motivation. Instead of trying to create some richness, they procrastinate and, unlike asian people, they tend to be lazy and do not make any effort to work and please the foreigners.

Influence in management

I did not want to go to business management until the summer of 2014. I was in Vietnam, on my usual August vacation, and asked my father about his company. He explained me how he deals with concurrence by innovating and diversifying, how he motivates his team of 800 people and he also taught me that I have to do something good for others if I wanted to be successful. Since t h e n , I f e l l i n l o v e w i t h management and with dealing with the market, prices and publicity.

How traveling had an impact on my personal and professional development

All the differences that compose the individuality of every city I have been to made me a more tolerant and creative person. Every place is singular and unique, so I learnt how to deal with religions, foods, cultures that are not the ones in my country. Due to this, I am able to say that it would be easy for me to adapt living anywhere.

Time management and organization are also some skills I had to acquire, once I organized many things in my trips.

Moreover, I found the need of English to communicate with almost everyone, as it is an international language. This way, while improving my social skills, I have also improved my English a lot.

Traveling also increased my self-confidence once I had to lead with unexpected situations and contact or communicate with unknown people.

Traveling so much and having understood so many ways of thinking by contacting with other cultures, made me look into the world in a different perspective because once you start to see the world you start to see everybody's challenges, not just your owns and that really changes your way of thinking and helped me finding who I really am.