People often ask me how Global Nomadic got started and where the inspiration came from. The short answer is that it came from a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. The long answer goes something like this.

After studying Sociology at the University of Reading in the UK I was geared up to start a postgraduate degree in international development- except, as I found out, I had just missed the cut-off marks by a few percentage points. I was frustrated (with myself mostly) that my development dreams seemed to be at a standstill, but then I decided to go the ‘experiential route,’ i.e. impulsively buying a one-way ticket to Senegal.

I arrived in the country and started literally knocking on the doors of NGOs until through an unlikely chain of events I was taken in by an organization in the Gambia. Wide-eyed and believing I could save the world I started a project to build an agricultural school in a very isolated, rural part of the country. I worked with the local community to assess how the school should be designed, wrote a number of proposals for funding, met with village leaders and slowly saw the project get off the ground. But meanwhile I was running out of money and needed to return to the UK to work for a few months. My cousin offered me a job selling door entry systems, and slowly two months turned into two years doing a very unfulfilling job.

Stuck but not defeated, I went abroad again- this time to South America. And again, after knocking on a few more doors I found an NGO job in Bolivia where I stayed for a year, long enough to be able to speak Spanish fluently and to fall in love with the continent. But again, the money ran out. Back to London, and back to school- this time I was accepted into a Masters programme in Latin American development, a fantastic learning experience that introduced me to great people. But development jobs do not exactly grow on trees, and before I knew it I was back selling door entry systems.

‘It wasn’t meant to be like this!’ I thought. And then I thought harder and harder, and realised it doesn’t have to be. Now, armed with international volunteering experience, I could help people like me get a foot in the door or further their career with solid project placements around the world; not just in development but in medicine, journalism, human rights and a number of other fields. I set up the website, registered the company, and started growing a network of high-quality project providers, many of which I have visited personally.

Global Nomadic has now evolved with myself personally. Initially we sought to help young people at the start of their careers get their foothold into the industry of their choice – just like I did. Now, however I am older, and I am experiencing the evolved needs of our generation as we transition into the next level of our lives, and crave a Meaningful Second Act. Global Nomadic Rewire is designed to help us take that crucial time out, reflect on where our lives are currently, and find that next step to give us that meaning and fulfilment that many of us need, it’s not too late!