Lucky to Be Here is a podcast that showcases those who took the leap to build lives and careers across countries. They share their stories, their lessons, and their advice to show us what it means, and what it takes, to build a life and career abroad.

Our first bonus episode reconnects us with Veronica Bianchini, our very first guest in Lucky to Be Here!

Since our first episode, Veronica has now completed her first year in her Master’s of Cognitive Science and AI at Birbeck College. We discuss the steps she has taken since our episode recording, in part sparked by our discussion, to align her professional steps with her long-term vision for her life and career.

In this episode, we also discuss her perspectives on AI, informed by her observations and learning as part of her program, and what she highlights as the not-so-knew discussions we continue to have about technology and how we position ourselves within its rapid change. In her opinion, it is not only about the pace of technological change, but how we also perceive it and behave as a result.

You can find Veronica and follow her journey and writing on Medium at https://medium.com/@VerBianchini or on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronicabianchini/

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Join our Patreon https://www.patreon.com/LuckyToBeHere for free to receive our episodes in your inbox and our newsletter with career development reflections and resources, including career events. Subscribers also get access to live chats with Analía and behind-the-scenes updates.

Lucky to Be Here is hosted by Dr. Analía Gómez Vidal, C.P.C. and produced by AGV Services LLC.

Sponsored by Creative Colony Spaces.

Lucky to Be Here is a podcast that showcases those who took the leap to build lives and careers across countries. They share their stories, their lessons, and their advice to show us what it means, and what it takes, to build a life and career abroad.

Season 1 is officially done... but we are not, and we want to hear from you!

This summer/winter, we will continue sharing bonus episodes before launching Season 2 of our podcast. In these episodes, we reconnect with some of our guests from our first season to explore what has changed (or not) since our initial conversation, what they have learned, and what insights and topics they want to share more about with us.

We are also working on a special episode with key insights from our first season, and I would love to hear from you. Can I count on you? All you need to do is share with us a takeaway (or many) that stood out to you from the episodes you have listened to. Share your comments on our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/LuckytoBeHere or emailing us at hello@agvservicesllc.com before the end of June 2026 so you can feature you as part of our episode.

Thank you for being a part of Lucky to Be Here. I cannot wait to hear from you, and stay tuned for our bonus episodes before officially launching Season 2 later this year.

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Lucky to Be Here is hosted by Dr. Analía Gómez Vidal, C.P.C. and produced by AGV Services LLC.

Join our Patreon https://www.patreon.com/LuckyToBeHere for free to receive our episodes in your inbox with career development reflections and resources and to connect in between episodes. Subscribers also get access to behind-the-scenes updates and live chats with Analía.

Sponsored by Creative Colony Spaces.

Lucky to Be Here is a podcast that showcases those who took the leap to build lives and careers across countries. They share their stories, their lessons, and their advice to show us what it means, and what it takes, to build a life and career abroad.

Veronica Sepehr has developed a career that truly embraced pivots across industries and countries, having covered from academia to corporate research to UX to product operations to now Canadian immigration, and I am very excited to discuss with her her own story, as well as her perspective as an immigration lawyer on navigating lives and careers across countries. If there is one throughline in her story, she shares it clearly: “We don’t quit.”

Veronica shares her journey moving from Ecuador to rural Canada first, coming back to her home country and deciding to pursue a Ph.D. back in Canada later on. From there, and ever since, she has experienced first hand what is to navigate immigration, career pivots, and building a life abroad across countries. Now, she is a registered Canadian immigration professional, supporting others who, like her, want to build a life and career in Canada.

Listen to our episode to find out more about Veronica’s experience, including her advice on what helps ground her throughout the ups and downs, and build each step in her life along with her husband and family. You can find Veronica on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronicasepehr/ and work with her through her company, Westdale Immigration by visiting its website https://westdaleimmigration.com/ and booking a consultation at https://tidycal.com/westdale

Keywords

immigration, career pivots, Canada, Ecuador, United States, international students, resilience, cultural adaptation, professional growth, global perspective, family, immigration law, bureaucracy

Chapters

00:00 Veronica's Background and Education Journey

06:35 Initial Motivations for Moving Abroad

10:03 Adjusting to Life in Rural Canada

11:53 Experiences with Racism and Cultural Preconceptions

15:26 Balancing Personal and Professional Life

18:54 Returning to Ecuador and Cultural Reverse Shock

21:30 Building Independence and Financial Stability

24:21 Finding Home and Family Support

28:02 Reflections on the Immigration Journey

33:07 Leveraging PhD Skills in the Workforce

37:23 Parallel Between PhD and Immigration Challenges

43:47 Future Aspirations and Career Pivots

47:31 Advice for Future Immigrants and International Students

Lucky to Be Here is hosted by Dr. Analía Gómez Vidal, C.P.C. and produced by AGV Services LLC.

Join our Patreon https://www.patreon.com/LuckyToBeHere for free to receive our episodes in your inbox with career development reflections and resources and to connect in between episodes. Subscribers also get access to behind-the-scenes updates and live chats with Analía.

Sponsored by Creative Colony Spaces.

Lucky to Be Here is a podcast that showcases those who took the leap to build lives and careers across countries. They share their stories, their lessons, and their advice to show us what it means, and what it takes, to build a life and career abroad.

What started as hopping on a bus in Cochabamba became a life and career focused on international public service. Erick Gonzales Roach is a development economist with a Ph.D. from Kobe University and experience in international organizations; he resides in Geneva, Switzerland, where he works as an Economics Affair Officer.

Erick shares his inspiring journey looking for new opportunities and horizons that led him to become an international student, and eventually a professor, in Japan, until his most recent move to Geneva, Switzerland. He highlights the importance of perseverance, cultural adaptation, and strategic planning throughout his experience in international education and career development. He also shares practical insights on scholarship applications, cultural integration, and building a global career in public service. He is also a firm believer of the importance of sharing and opening spaces for more professionals from the Global South in development and leadership.

Keywords

international education, scholarships, Bolivia, Japan, Europe, public service, cultural adaptation, perseverance, career development, global south, boy scouts

Structure

00:02 – Welcome and Erick’s background intro

01:17 – Early influences and service-oriented motivation

02:23 – The Japanese scholarship as a life-changing opportunity

03:43 – Navigating the application process and cultural adaptation in Japan

04:51 – Thoughts on choosing Japan and language priorities

07:19 – The drive to generate real impact through education and development

08:45 – Asian growth models versus Latin American development

10:43 – The structured process of studying in Japan as an international student

13:05 – Cultural shocks and how he bridged Latin American, Japanese, and European perspectives

16:26 – Moving to Japan and initial impressions

18:23 – Facing challenges with a goal-oriented mindset

20:50 – Lessons learned from setbacks, stress, and acceptance

22:20 – Comparing education systems and resilience training

27:09 – The role of identity, competition, and self-acceptance

33:48 – The decision to leave Japan for Europe and new opportunities

35:05 – Embracing life balance and cultural enrichment in Switzerland

37:15 – Living in Europe and cultural integration

41:23 – Surprising elements of his international public service career

44:21 – Persistence and perseverance as vital qualities

47:44 – Advice to his younger self and future international students

Lucky to Be Here is hosted by Dr. Analía Gómez Vidal, C.P.C. and produced by AGV Services LLC.

Join our Patreon https://www.patreon.com/LuckyToBeHere for free to receive our episodes in your inbox with career development reflections and resources and to connect in between episodes. Subscribers also get access to behind-the-scenes updates and live chats with Analía.

Sponsored by Creative Colony Spaces.

Sponsored by Creative Colony Spaces.

Lucky to Be Here is a podcast that showcases those who took the leap to build lives and careers across countries. They share their stories, their lessons, and their advice to show us what it means, and what it takes, to build a life and career abroad.

What may start as a short adventure to try something different might become the journey of a lifetime, or at least over a decade. That is what happened to our guest in today’s episode, Florencia Colella after she accepted a Fulbright scholarship.

Florencia is a financial facilitator in agri-food systems. She fosters conversations around economic issues among farmers, academics and other public and private organizations. She was also a Fulbright recipient to pursue graduate studies in the US, where she has since lived on and off for over a decade.

Florencia shares her journey from Argentina to the United States starting as a Fulbright grantee for a two-year program, and navigating cultural differences, immigration challenges, and building a life abroad along the way. Throughout the conversation, we touch on several practical insights for international students and immigrants, including the financial system and the importance of building a credit score, and the role that having built a local community played when sorting out moving back and forth.

Keywords

international students, immigration, cultural adaptation, US visa process, life abroad, Fulbright scholarship, cultural differences, community support, visa challenges, personal growth, bicultural relationships

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Florencia Colella

02:28 Journey to the US: The Fulbright Experience

04:18 Cultural Adaptation and Belonging

10:58 Navigating Relationships Across Cultures

13:22 The Reality of Migration and Job Offers

17:23 Settling in the US: Challenges and Community Support

26:36 Life in Fremont: Family and Stability

38:01 Reflections and Advice for Future Migrants

Lucky to Be Here is hosted by Dr. Analía Gómez Vidal, C.P.C. and produced by AGV Services LLC.

Join our Patreon https://www.patreon.com/LuckyToBeHere for free to receive our episodes in your inbox with career development reflections and resources and to connect in between episodes. Subscribers also get access to behind-the-scenes updates and live chats with Analía.

Sponsored by Creative Colony Spaces.

Lucky to Be Here is a podcast that showcases those who took the leap to build lives and careers across countries. They share their stories, their lessons, and their advice to show us what it means, and what it takes, to build a life and career abroad.

We may have an idea or goal in mind, but the conditions might not work in our favor. The key? Keep what drives you top of mind and adapt. The barriers may make it hard but you can still thrive. That is at the heart of today’s episode with Dr. Gertrude Nonterah.

Dr. Gertrude Nonterah has a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology. She's a scientific communications professional by day and shares post-PhD career insights for those seeking careers outside academia. Gertrude recently published a book called Navigating the P.I.V.O.T., which is a handbook for PhDs and academics looking to pivot to fulfilling careers outside the ivory tower.

Gertrude shares her inspiring journey from international student to successful science communicator, highlighting the importance of self-discovery, strategic networking, and financial planning (and guilt-free ambition!) in building a fulfilling career outside academia. We discuss the importance of being proactive about your career development from the beginning, and how adapting with creativity can still offer a fulfilling career.

You can find Dr. Gertrude Nonterah and her work, including her book Navigating the P.I.V.O.T. on her website at https://theboldphd.com/.

Keywords

career development, international students, PhD, science communication, networking, financial planning, career pivot, US immigration, personal branding

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Dr. Gertrude Nortra

04:08 Navigating Career Pivots

06:47 The Reality of Academia

09:53 International Student Challenges

12:46 Finding Stability and Self-Discovery

15:48 The Birth of The Bold PhD

22:07 Navigating the Transition from Academia to Industry

25:10 The Power of Personal Branding

28:17 The Importance of Early Career Development

31:18 Embracing Vulnerability and Community Support

38:44 Advice for Future PhDs: Start Early and Value Money

Lucky to Be Here is hosted by Dr. Analía Gómez Vidal, C.P.C. and produced by AGV Services LLC.

Join our Patreon https://www.patreon.com/LuckyToBeHere for free to receive our episodes in your inbox with career development reflections and resources and to connect in between episodes. Subscribers also get access to behind-the-scenes updates and live chats with Analía.

Sponsored by Creative Colony Spaces.

Lucky to Be Here is a podcast that showcases those who took the leap to build lives and careers across countries. They share their stories, their lessons, and their advice to show us what it means, and what it takes, to build a life and career abroad.

Sometimes our immigration journey starts long before we even step foot in a new place. This week, we explore this with Osvaldo Sosa Echanis, who set himself the goal to move from Argentina to France and invested a decade into preparing to achieve it (and then some).

Osvaldo Sosa Echanis is a Project Manager & Business Operations professional with 10+ years of experience in SaaS Solutions, Customer Care, and Business Development. He is originally from Argentina and has since moved to France, where he is now a citizen.

Osvaldo shares about the cultural challenges, language learning, and personal growth he experienced along the way. He discusses the importance of preparation (and the risks of overpreparation), the adjustments required in his career, and the evolution of his identity as he integrates into French culture. Osvaldo emphasizes the significance of values in navigating relationships and adapting to a new environment, reflecting on how these experiences have shaped him into a better version of himself.

You can find Osvaldo Sosa Echanis on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sosaechanis/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/sosaechanis

Keywords

cultural adaptation, moving to France, language learning, career transition, personal growth, bicultural relationships, expat experience, French culture, identity transformation

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Osvaldo's Journey

06:47 Cultural Curiosity and Language Learning

12:32 Preparing for the Move to France

18:54 Career Adjustments in a New Culture

27:23 Navigating Relationships and Community

35:08 Personal Growth and Identity Transformation

40:03 Values and Mindset Shifts in a New Culture

Lucky to Be Here is hosted by Dr. Analía Gómez Vidal, C.P.C. and produced by AGV Services LLC.

Join our Patreon https://www.patreon.com/LuckyToBeHere for free to receive our episodes in your inbox with career development reflections and resources and to connect in between episodes. Subscribers also get access to behind-the-scenes updates and live chats with Analía.

Sponsored by Creative Colony Spaces.

Lucky to Be Here is a podcast that showcases those who took the leap to build lives and careers across countries. They share their stories, their lessons, and their advice to show us what it means, and what it takes, to build a life and career abroad.

Many of us have imagined what it would be like to build a life around the world. This week, Nicole Moreno-Deinzer shares her experience undergoing a project by herself, for herself: spending a full year across the world.

Nicole Moreno‑Deinzer is a serial entrepreneur, storyteller, and digital nomad from California who earned her bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from San Francisco State University and later completed an MBA in Marketing at Mills College. She founded Epifania Culture Magazine™ and co‑founded A La Mode Branding to help BIPOC women build bold personal brands, and her work has been featured on multiple platforms and at events such as the ALT Summit and Romance Writers of America Conference. As she turns 40, Nicole is traveling abroad for a year, continuing to write, work with clients, and inspire others to live with joy, authenticity, and purpose.

Nicole shares her journey as a digital nomad and entrepreneur, discussing her decision to travel abroad for a year. She reflects on her upbringing, the cultural perspectives on travel, and the planning and logistics involved in her journey. She highlights the importance of self-discovery, the challenges of balancing work and travel, and the emotional labor of explaining her choices to family and friends. She offers practical advice for aspiring travelers, encouraging them to pursue their own paths and experiences.

You can find Nicole Moreno-Deinzer and follow the rest of her journey on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/justnicoleco and YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@justnicoleco, and learn more about her work at https://justnicoleco.com

Keywords

travel, digital nomad, personal growth, entrepreneurship, cultural perspectives, year abroad, planning, logistics, work-life balance, self-discovery, Latino culture, emotional labor, travel vlogging

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Nicole Moreno-Dynecer

07:02 The Journey Begins: Nicole's Story

14:03 The Idea of a Year Abroad

21:57 Planning and Logistics of Travel

29:51 Cultural Perspectives on Travel

36:56 The Itinerary: Countries and Experiences

44:02 Balancing Work and Travel

51:03 Challenges and Surprises

56:02 Advice for Aspiring Travelers

Lucky to Be Here is hosted by Dr. Analía Gómez Vidal, C.P.C. and produced by AGV Services LLC.

Join our Patreon https://www.patreon.com/LuckyToBeHere for free to receive our episodes in your inbox with career development reflections and resources and to connect in between episodes. Subscribers also get access to behind-the-scenes updates and live chats with Analía.

Sponsored by Creative Colony Spaces.