S2 EP005 | Joyride With Expatriates – Leaders Of Venezuela Now In The US

 

[00:00:00] INTRODUCTION

[00:00:00]

[00:00:05] Taty Fittipaldi: Hello and welcome to The Leadership Nest podcast. This is season two of the global leadership podcast that combines stories, knowledge and science to soar the leadership in you. I’m your host Taty Fittipaldi. During this season, we invited 20 different expatriates from around the world to share their stories, their learning journeys, and they’re tips to make you a better leader and an inspired person. You can also watch the live interviews on our YouTube channel search for coaching expatriates channel, then select the playlist called joyride with expatriates.

[00:00:43] Taty Fittipaldi: In today’s episode, we will talk with Gina Martin, a leadership and performance coach who originally comes from Venezuela and now leaves in the U [00:01:00] S. Here is her story.

[00:01:02] JOYRIDE WITH AN EXPATRIATE

(This section’s transcript was AI-generated and may contain errors)

[00:01:04] Taty Fittipaldi: Gina, welcome. Thank you so much for joining our show today.

[00:01:09] Gina Martin: Oh, I’m so happy to be here with you, Tatiana. Thank you so much for having me.

[00:01:14] Taty Fittipaldi: I’m very happy too, Gina. I’m so excited. So, Gina, how about we warm up and start by you telling us a little bit about your background. So where did you come from originally, what did you used to do there or either you or your parents. Tell us a little bit about your background.

[00:01:34] Gina Martin: Sure. So I am originally from Venezuela. Um, and, uh, believe it or not, I came here when I was just about to turn 18 years old. It was the month of August and, um, I came, my birthday is in September, so, uh, just shy of 18. And, um, prior to coming, I was actually enrolling college. I had just started college. [00:02:00] I was doing a marketing course and, um, I had a full time job, of course, because I was already a young mother.

[00:02:07] Gina Martin: I had a three and a half year old and, um, I had a full time job as a secretary while going to college. Um, so yeah, it was a pretty different journey for me.

[00:02:18] Taty Fittipaldi: Wow, that’s exciting. So you came really when you were young and you were already doing a lot of things there in your country, so I’m curious to know what drove you to move to a different country?

[00:02:31] Gina Martin: Well, unlike some of the other guests you have had in this, in the show so far, I actually, I was in love. And, um, you know, wanted to seek out, you know, better opportunities for my family. I knew that here, um, as a young couple with a child, we wanted some opportunity to build a new future for our children.

[00:02:55] Gina Martin: Um, and we decided to check, take a chance and go after the American dream. [00:03:00]

[00:03:00] Taty Fittipaldi: Absolutely. Who wouldn’t want that for themselves and for their children, right?

[00:03:05] Gina Martin: Right. Yeah.

[00:03:06] Taty Fittipaldi: So tell me how was, so since you came, you came very young. So how was your adaptation process? And tell us your story from that time until now and what you’re doing right now.

[00:03:18] Gina Martin: Yeah, totally. Um,

[00:03:21] Gina Martin: so I would say adaptation was pretty, I, at the beginning, it’s pretty difficult because when I came, I didn’t really know any English. Um, I barely knew how to ask for water in the plane. So it was very, very difficult at the very beginning. I think you, as soon as you come into a new country, you realize quickly that you have to learn the language or you’re, you know, you’re going to be missing out.

[00:03:49] Gina Martin: You know, fortunately no matter what education you have if you can’t really speak the language It’s going to be very difficult for you to get ahead. So I would say that first [00:04:00] couple of years was difficult um, I We came to this country with very low. We had 300 in our pocket. So You know, there wasn’t really a lot of resources for us to school We have to right away find jobs and start making some sort of money.

[00:04:16] Gina Martin: Um, so The funny part is I actually thought myself how to speak English. I, um, I used to stay up at night, watch cable, something we didn’t have in my country back then. And I would watch movies and, um, and learn from people’s, you know, body language and from their pronunciation. And then I joined a book of the month club, which it was a thin back then, 20 something years ago when I got here.

[00:04:43] Gina Martin: And every month I will get a new book and I would literally just use my dictionary and teach myself English so I would say those first couple of years were the hardest struggle because I had to learn the language But I would say I found that the community was very [00:05:00] welcoming and everyone wanted to help me And every time they saw me struggle with my, my English, they will find ways to either correct me or, or help me say it, say it the right way.

[00:05:12] Gina Martin: So um, it was a lot of fun. And you know, of course I also started from scratch. You know, I started here, uh, doing very entry level jobs, waiter, you know, cleaning offices, doing things that perhaps I wouldn’t have done in my country, but that I had to do in order to work my way up. Um, so as the years passed and, um, I, I had my second child and now I had two kids in school, you know, it became a little bit easier to integrate.

[00:05:43] Gina Martin: I think, you know, uh, being able to have a mix of friends, you know, whether they were American or from other cultures helped me a lot learn about other cultures that integrate a little bit quicker into the society. And it’s also what helped [00:06:00] me network and. Start getting jobs and in positions and work my way up so it was later on in the year 2000 where I landed my first retail job and I actually um, I actually established myself as a retail leader for the past 25 years and being able to work for companies such as victoria secret gap guests, um and have had a very Successful career ever since.

[00:06:25] Gina Martin: And as you know now I, with my recent career transition, I’m actually a leadership and performance coach. And, um, I love what I do, just like you do as well. But it definitely is really exciting to have been able to go through such a great transition in this country and, and gotten to. point now where I can have my own business as well.

[00:06:47] Taty Fittipaldi: So what’s interesting about this story is that you were really resilient and very resourceful since the beginning. So it’s so fabulous to hear and very [00:07:00] inspiring as well to see a story like yours, where you fought hard, you worked hard and you were compensated by life and, by becoming the person who you are and having the opportunities, uh, in life.

[00:07:15] Taty Fittipaldi: So that’s, that’s very, very empowering. So you, mentioned, a little bit about what you were doing right now, tell us how that came about.

[00:07:26] Gina Martin: Sure. Still, as I mentioned, I spent the last 25 years in retail leadership roles and one of my passions were, uh, People development and coaching, you know, those are things that I’ve been able to impact throughout my career and I’ve been able to help promote people, um, and leave a great legacy behind.

[00:07:44] Gina Martin: And after going through a job transition about a year, year and a half ago, I, um, I was in the market for a new position and I started looking at what I really wanted to do next. You know, I’ve already been in retail for such a long time. And I said, you know [00:08:00] what? Do I really love doing and, and where can I make an impact?

[00:08:04] Gina Martin: And as I started looking on my life, uh, a little bit more holistically and, and how I wanted to continue to make a difference, I came about the opportunity of becoming a coach. I was having a conversation with a career coach and she was like, have you ever thought of becoming a coach? And I was like, Hmm, I don’t know.

[00:08:23] Gina Martin: You know, I never really thought about it. But for some reason, do you know how you always have this one dream in your life, you know, I always wanted to be a motivational speaker. It was just something in me, you know, I’ve always watched Tony Robbins and I’m like, Oh my God, this is like so cool, right?

[00:08:41] Gina Martin: Being able to speak in front of like a ton of people. And I always had that in my back of my mind, my dream job will be a motivational speaker. So when she said coaching, I was like, okay, I can get a little closer to. My motivational speaking job, um, and that’s when I started, you know, researching schools and [00:09:00] I came across the concept of core coaching for energy coaching and I loved it.

[00:09:05] Gina Martin: Um, and I decided to embark in the journey and it’s been, it’s been fantastic. So now I get to help my clients, you know, really hone in and those self leadership skills, um, and to control their lives, you know, so they can live a more holistic and fulfilling life.

[00:09:21] Taty Fittipaldi: Absolutely. And everyone deserves to live a more fulfilling and holistic life, right?

[00:09:28] Gina Martin: Yeah.

[00:09:28] Taty Fittipaldi: I can see how fulfilling it must be for you as it is for me, as I do something similar. So tell me, When you first came to the country, what was the most significant change of mindset you had to have, in order to adapt here?

[00:09:47] Gina Martin: You know, I think one of the biggest things is, um, I think every immigrant struggles with Not wanting to lose their [00:10:00] culture and you know where they came from, right?

[00:10:02] Gina Martin: So I think everyone wants to hold on especially once you once you’re at an age that you understand You know what your culture is all about and all of that. I think everybody wants to hold on to that and sometimes that could hinder them to really You know integrate Into the new culture. So I will say the biggest mind shift was really about embracing not just Not just the fact that I had moved to a new country and I needed to speak English.

[00:10:33] Gina Martin: I think embracing that I was now becoming part of a new culture of a new society. Um, and if I wanted to do that successfully, I needed. to be able to learn, right, um, learn their costumes, learn their, their history, learn what’s important to them and learn how, you know, how things are differently. Learn a little bit more about the [00:11:00] everyday like folklore and, and, and culture and nuances of, of being an American.

[00:11:05] Gina Martin: And I. think that that’s probably the biggest mindset because mindset chef, because I think sometimes in, in, you know, I speak from experience of people that I met in my journey, you know, I knew people that had been here 10, 20 years and didn’t speak the language. I also knew people that only had friends from their own country, you know, and that only hinders you because it hinders your own learning, your own personal growth.

[00:11:32] Gina Martin: Um, I, you know, I appreciate, I would say, um, you know, the United States and, and New York, uh, overall because it’s just such a big, you know, melting pot of like all these different cultures. And I think we, we owe it to ourselves to be open to learn, you know, from what makes up everybody’s cultures. And I, and I think that’s the biggest.

[00:11:57] Gina Martin: I will say biggest learning.

[00:11:59]

[00:11:59] Taty Fittipaldi: I love this [00:12:00] take. I also think it’s so important to embrace the new culture in order to adapt, but not only the new culture, but as you said, the nuances and for that, you really have to go all out and integrate, with the society, locally. And speak the local language.

[00:12:18] Taty Fittipaldi: That’s a fabulous tip, Gina. I loved it and I’m sure that the viewers will love it too. So tell me what was in this whole story, what was your biggest challenge during this time, up to now?

[00:12:31] Gina Martin: I would say the biggest challenge, um, it has to do with the same thing that I’m talking about and is. Um, integrating into that new culture, but then not losing, you know, your own culture, still being able, you know, and, and still being able to hold some of those traditions, you know, and, and some of those things.

[00:12:57] Gina Martin: And I, and I think I, I hang, I hung on to them [00:13:00] for as long as I, I could. And I continue to do even passing them on to my children. I know that, you know, one of the things that was very important to me as, you know, when I came here, my youngest, my oldest daughter was three and a half. And my second daughter was born and something that I was very adamant about is that I wanted them to speak Spanish, you know, I, I wanted them to be able to have the second language.

[00:13:27] Gina Martin: I also wanted them to be able to learn from our traditions, you know, so when it was time for like all the holidays, yes, we celebrated Thanksgiving, we celebrated everything. But when we celebrated Christmas, you know, I was doing all of my. Uh, dishes, you know, the traditional dishes from Venezuelan cuisine and in trying to keep that, um, so that my children could still have a little bit of a taste of that culture, um, and not lose myself completely into the new.

[00:13:54] Gina Martin: So I would say that’s probably the biggest challenge, you know, and even now with the circle of [00:14:00] friends that I have, I speak more English than I do Spanish. So that continues to be a challenge because my Spanish is not as fluent now as It used to be, you know, 20 something years ago, so that, I would say, is the biggest challenge.

[00:14:16] Taty Fittipaldi: And speaking about traditions, you talk a little bit about sharing your traditions and the language with your family. ,and I know that, uh, your kids were really, really young when they came, but tell me a little bit about your family’s adaptation. What kinds of things you had to do or your partner at the time, or your children. How was that for your family?

[00:14:42] Gina Martin: And, you know, when you say adaptation, you mean, um, logistically or more like, more like the traditions and things like that?

[00:14:54] Taty Fittipaldi: That’s a good point. I think logistically is important because it’s the first aspect most [00:15:00] expatriates see themselves having to handle. But also tell us about this other part, that part that, sometimes, overwhelm us a lot more than just the practical part.

[00:15:13] Gina Martin: Yeah Um, well, I would say logistically we were lucky enough that we had, you know At least one family member that was here So I think at the beginning we had at least a point person, you know that could guide us a little bit but we obviously had to do a lot of Yeah, outsourcing and researching on our own, but definitely having a couple of people that, you know, I think a big rear, a big resource to that people forget is either community centers or churches.

[00:15:46] Gina Martin: Our church was like so welcoming. Um, so Immediately being able to integrate yourself into like a community that’s from your you know native Um country, I think it’s really [00:16:00] helpful because everyone here is always willing to help, you know So I think in that sense Finding either church or a you know community center where you can start meeting people right away and making Some connections because definitely child care is something that it’s you know was a challenge Um at the beginning we had to take turns you know, we had to have like different shifts in order to be able to take care of my My oldest daughter, um, but then as things, you know, progress and we started making friends and things like that, you know, uh, obviously things change.

[00:16:36] Gina Martin: So I would say immediately it’s important that you find ways to make new friends so that you can then have the ability to find those resources that you need. And I think challenging, I, I’m going to say probably You know, uh, my daughter probably suffered most of the adjustment because once she learned English and once she started [00:17:00] kindergarten and she was like learning English, she did not want to speak Spanish.

[00:17:03] Gina Martin: She was just, no, you know, it was, uh, so that was a challenge and an adjustment. Um, so for me it was a struggle because I was trying to learn English. But then I created this rule that at home we only spoke spanish because it was the only way that I felt we were going To keep that. Um, so it was it was a lot of fun.

[00:17:24] Gina Martin: I’m going to say for the first few years. Um, It was a lot of fun, but I think I was so adamant about it that, you know, it was a rule in the house. We spoke Spanish outside of the house. We spoke English and, you know, and it worked. And then when my second daughter was born, she was raised bilingual from the minute she was a baby.

[00:17:43] Gina Martin: Everything we talked to her, it was in two languages. So it was, it was a lot of fun. Um, but I would say raising children could be, you know. a little bit difficult because you’re trying to learn yourself. Um, and it could be really easy to say, you know, let’s just speak English and, you know, let it go. [00:18:00] But I am grateful now that my daughters are 25 and 32, and they speak multiple languages.

[00:18:07] Gina Martin: My youngest loves languages and now she speaks Italian as well. And she’s learning French. So, um, I think they’ve learned the value of being able to communicate in different languages, but it wasn’t easy.

[00:18:23] Taty Fittipaldi: Yeah, it’s funny that there are a lot of foreigners that tell me that, oh, I talked to my Children in my local language, and then they respond me in English or German or which they are, in the country they are.

[00:18:37] Taty Fittipaldi: So it’s funny that you’re saying that. In that regard, is there any tip you want to share with parents, you know, having the same trouble?

[00:18:47] Gina Martin: I’m going to say consistency is the key. You know, you just got to stick to your guns. Um, I mean, I did a lot of things, I did a lot of things by force back then.[00:19:00]

[00:19:00] Gina Martin: I’m messing with you. No, I think explain, you know, once your children get a little older, once they’re in a, you know, that elementary, uh, school age where they understand a little bit more, it’s a little bit easier to explain the whys. You know, explain the whys and, um, and get the reasons behind it, but consistency, that’s what’s definitely gonna, gonna work.

[00:19:25] Taty Fittipaldi: Consistency. It’s a good tip. I love that. I love that. And I’m sure if other parents use this tip, they will also be very successful. So, let me ask you something. Share with us a story or an event or something that happened in your life, either at the beginning or right now, it doesn’t matter the timing, but something that helped you, feel more fit in, into the society and the culture, something that happened.

[00:19:56] Gina Martin: That’s a good question. [00:20:00] Um, I’m going to say probably

[00:20:03] Gina Martin: it was probably, uh, once my, my kids were in school and I started making, um, I started making more friends, you know, I was able to join more of the school groups and started to get a little bit more involved with school. Um, and I had been participating really actively into my daughter’s. Spores and you know, she was just into everything.

[00:20:31] Gina Martin: You know, she was a brownie. She was a girl scout She was you know a cheerleader and I actually got selected to be a head coach for the cheerleading team

[00:20:42] Gina Martin: I’ve never been a cheerleader, right but you know, I I was doing so much and I was so involved that I think everybody was appreciating my passion. Um, and I got the opportunity to be a coach for the cheerleading [00:21:00] team and I think that was it was really meaningful for me at the time, you know, it definitely made me feel like I belong because it was just such a mixed group of parents.

[00:21:12] Gina Martin: Um, And it was just a great opportunity. It came with a lot of challenges because I rather spend time with the kids than with the parents that are trying to manage what their kids are doing. Um, but it was great. It was a great opportunity. Um, and I did that for about a year and it gave me, uh, I would say, uh, Bigger chance to show my contribution towards the community and it kind of got me started into volunteer work I’m, really passionate about volunteer work.

[00:21:40] Gina Martin: And I think that that was probably one of the you know, the points in my journey where I I really saw the value, you know in doing something without Precisely getting, you know, money monetized for it, right? Or getting some sort of pay. So that was a lot of fun.

[00:21:57] Taty Fittipaldi: You know, some of these small facts, and [00:22:00] opportunities like this one, oh, to become the coach, uh, for the cheerleading group.

[00:22:04] Taty Fittipaldi: Sometimes, these are opportunities that we don’t think about them at first as something that will help us adjust. But this, I’m so glad you brought it up because it’s such an interesting example of how we can integrate into society and, also enjoy and, amplify our network.

[00:22:23] Taty Fittipaldi: It’s awesome that you brought this up. And since you brought this up and the network and, creating more friends, I was wondering what kinds of support or support groups besides the church and, the community, your first Venezuelan community, you had along your way to, to help you grow and become the person you are today.

[00:22:50] Gina Martin: I’m gonna say, you know, aside from the initial things that I obviously did, you know, as I was starting to establish myself here, I think once I [00:23:00] started getting, uh, further into developing a career, I would say is, um, really having a strong network, um, and utilizing anything that you can to, To build that network.

[00:23:15] Gina Martin: I think you know back then obviously there wasn’t social media, you know, there was no social media. There was no um linkedin Uh, but however as soon as linkedin came up, which I think it was 2008 or something like that as soon as linkedin was available That was a place where I immediately started connecting and growing my network.

[00:23:37] Gina Martin: Um I’ve been working in that connection and I have built so many relationships in every job that I had most of my best friends today I made through Either being their boss or being their co worker in one of my old jobs. So I think really Making some [00:24:00] strong connections with people that you work with, staying in touch, finding ways to network and to support each other because, you know, I’ll be helping you today.

[00:24:09] Gina Martin: And then that person might help you in the future. Um, I think probably my leadership journey has given me the biggest, um, opportunity to network and to Impact other people’s lives, you know, i’ve been able to mentor so many people through all the different Leadership roles that i’ve had in different positions That I think being able to contribute to someone else’s career Someone else’s growth or development has given me the ability to now have a really big network of people.

[00:24:43] Gina Martin: So I think staying in touch, even if it’s once a year, you know, even if it’s a quick hello, but finding ways to staying in touch with people and show them that you care and that you’re still connected and, and helping both ways, right? You never know when you’re lending a hand, you never know how [00:25:00] that’s going to be paid forward to you in the future.

[00:25:02] Gina Martin: Um, so I will say that’s probably one of the biggest things that you can do is just grow your network, um, and bring value. I think a lot of times, um, People forget that even just sharing their story or, you know, sharing something they’ve learned and providing value without expecting anything in return, it goes a big way.

[00:25:25] Gina Martin: So I think any opportunity along the way that I had to help others, whether it was through volunteer work or just lending a helping hand. I think it’s important to

[00:25:37] Taty Fittipaldi: So, you mentioned some tips here that I loved. So you said about growing your network in order to build your support group, giving a hand to people and volunteering.

[00:25:49] Taty Fittipaldi: So you already shared some very valuable tips. What other tips would you have for other people, other foreigners, expatriates, immigrants, that are coming to a [00:26:00] new country and what they can do to better and quicker adapt to their new reality.

[00:26:08] Gina Martin: Yeah, I would say, aside from trying to immerse themselves in the culture and really learning quickly about the culture, I would say also assume positive intent.

[00:26:19] Gina Martin: Um, I think it’s really easy to make up stories in our head about what people might think. Um, especially when we speak with an accent or, you know, when we have broken English. Uh, I think, you know, a lot of times we even, um, are a little shy of putting ourselves out there because we think that because we have an accent, people are going to judge us, you know?

[00:26:46] Gina Martin: So I think one of the biggest things that I would say is don’t, you know, don’t Don’t assume right, you know, just assume positive intent put yourself out there be confident You know your accent doesn’t define who [00:27:00] you are. There’s so many actresses look at Sofia Vergara You know, she has this accent and she’s made such an empire so don’t be afraid to really putting yourself out there and The more you practice, the more you pronounce, the more you risk yourself in putting yourself out there and, and speaking the language, the quicker you’re going to learn.

[00:27:24] Gina Martin: Um, and I, I think just don’t be shy, just put yourself out there, uh, go have fun. I think if I will give a piece of advice is a lot more fun. to be here. And I think we stress ourselves a lot. We already stress because we’re integrating into a new culture. We are, we probably have some financial constraints, you know, we’re trying to do everything perfect, protect our children, uh, because it’s a new environment.

[00:27:51] Gina Martin: There’s so many things that are already stressing us that I think, you know, just remembering to have fun and to enjoy the journey [00:28:00] is also a huge thing.

[00:28:02] Taty Fittipaldi: Yeah, I think, enjoying the journey and having fun is a big one, Gina, that’s an awesome one. So, so you shared some tips which will be very valuable to a lot of people.

[00:28:15] Taty Fittipaldi: Share with us, now what do you think a person has to develop in terms of skills in order to be more flexible and adapt, to all these cultural changes and a new environment and all the challenges, especially in the first years.

[00:28:34] Gina Martin: Yeah, I think obviously the language is going to be key, you know, quickly, the quicker you can do, and there’s so many ways to learn the language, you know, now.

[00:28:43] Gina Martin: Yeah, but I, but I think that the language piece is huge and being able to make yourself comfortable, not only speaking it, but also, you know, listening to it and adapting to that. Um, I think the other piece from a skill [00:29:00] perspective. Is definitely going to be your networking skill because you’re using networking No matter where you’re at.

[00:29:06] Gina Martin: So i’m going to say practicing an elevator pitch is huge Especially if you’re looking to get higher, um I always laugh when I hear the term elevator pitch and I never understood what the elevator pitch was about…

[00:29:20] Gina Martin: (laugh)

[00:29:21] Gina Martin: do you get in there You get in an elevator on the first floor and you only have a couple of floors to go.

[00:29:26] Gina Martin: It’s gotta be quick, right? But I think really being able to be a good networker and somebody that can pick up a conversation with anyone, um, is key because I have been able to get so many opportunities just from being able to make new friends. And that helped me a lot, even before social media. So I think it’s important that you put yourself out there, practice on the elevator pitch.

[00:29:55] Gina Martin: Um, I think it’s also really important that you [00:30:00] study the industry that you’re in. Um, I found that throughout my career, the, the way job titles translate from one country to another could be very different. Um, and someone that used to be a director of communications in their country. When you translate that to what the skills are for for what that job looks like here is very different So I think learning whatever industry you’re in quickly learning the terminology Becoming very comfortable with the verbiage um and even trying to pick up some additional courses that will give you a better understanding of what that looks like I I do find that education and job titles are very different, um, and I know that because I have hired so many people in my career and as you go through interview processes, you’re, you know, you learn about all of this, uh, this [00:31:00] little differences.

[00:31:01] Gina Martin: So I think learn about your industry is, it’s a big thing as well. Um, and I’m going to say, uh, probably, you know, having a very diverse circle of friends. I can’t stress that enough. I think that a lot of people tend to just be, you know, in their little groups and that hinders your possibilities to see what’s out there too.

[00:31:24] Gina Martin: So having a really diverse team, you know, a group of people is also important. Um, I think it’s also important that if there’s something that you love doing. You find it right away. That’s the best way to make friends. If you love, um, If you love bike riding if you love soccer if you love football, you know Just that is a huge opportunity for you to connect people connect quicker through hobbies And sports then they do one on one So that is definitely something that I recommend.

[00:31:59] Gina Martin: So if you have a [00:32:00] hobby, if you have something that, you know, that you love, um, I would join a group right away. And, you know, they have meetup now. That app is amazing. Uh, that meetup app. I met a lot of people through there and people just, you know, I love bike riding and they just get together, they go bike riding, they make new friends.

[00:32:16] Gina Martin: Um, so, you know, just use your resources.

[00:32:19] Taty Fittipaldi: Absolutely. The, um, tip about meetup is also very, very interesting. Not everyone knows about this. So interesting that you brought this up. I think it’s also fabulous that, uh, you are stressing so much about connections.

[00:32:36] Taty Fittipaldi: Something that is really important. When we want to understand, our environment and everything around us. And I also loved that you said about diversity, because, When we stay just with our, little group, as you said, we don’t see all the opportunities that are out there. They passes us by without us knowing just because we were not looking. So [00:33:00] I love that you brought that up. So now we’re almost at the end of our session right now and I, I wanted to, to know if you want to do an experiment with me today with the deck of cards that coaching expatriates is going to launch.

[00:33:19] Taty Fittipaldi: How does that sound?

[00:33:21] Gina Martin: I’m, I’m game. Let’s do it.

[00:33:23] Taty Fittipaldi: Oh, so basically I am going to show you the card. You are going to read it out loud. And then you can tell us anything that comes to your mind, that relates to, your adaptation here, or the cultural changes or a story that you want to share, that connects with, whatever the card is saying.

[00:33:43] Taty Fittipaldi: How about that?

[00:33:44] Gina Martin: Okay. Sounds good. I’m good.

[00:33:46] Gina Martin: So it says, I decide to always be thankful. I am in control of my life and then, uh, bless are those who give without remembering and take [00:34:00] without forgetting.

[00:34:01] Gina Martin: Elizabeth Vivesco. So this card is about being thankful.

[00:34:06] Gina Martin: All

[00:34:07] Gina Martin: I think, you know, when I think about being thankful and what comes to my mind, I think, you know, we can get so caught up in what’s happening in the moment, in the drama or in suffering or in a challenge. Um, and we can get. so caught up, um, that we forget to really be grateful and thankful for what we have.

[00:34:33] Gina Martin: And you know, I could share a personal story of something that happened with me. I was, um, I was going through a very difficult, uh, relationship with my second husband and we had a beautiful home. We had a beautiful home in upstate New York. I had a great job. I mean, I had everything going for me, but I was in a very, uh, unfortunately very unhappy marriage.

[00:34:59] Gina Martin: [00:35:00] And, um, I had the opportunity to go back to my country and I was there for about two weeks. You know, I, I was so blessed that I was able to go back and look at my family, but, you know, after being there and going back home and, you know, really coming back and realizing how blessed I was, how everything is.

[00:35:25] Gina Martin: so perfect here. You know, we have everything. We have water, we have mail, we have electricity, we have just about anything and we can do anything we set our minds to. This, this continues to be, even with challenges, right? It continues to be the land of opportunity. And I think, you know, I came back from that trip and it really that I was not being thankful, you know, I was not really being grateful for everything that I had built and that I had accomplished.

[00:35:56] Gina Martin: Um, and just getting a taste of what a [00:36:00] struggle could be back in our countries because some of, you know, the countries we come from, unfortunately are going through really tough economical situations, uh, you know, financial situations, uh, government issues. Um, and then just being able to realize that I had I started a life here.

[00:36:18] Gina Martin: I built something here that, um, you know, I wanted to continue to be thankful and grateful for, but that you could easily forget because you just get caught up, you know, in your own little drama, and I think we forget the bigger picture. Um, I think having the opportunity to come to this country and make something out of yourself and provide for your family, uh, is just amazing.

[00:36:45] Gina Martin: And we should, we should not forget that, you know, we should be grateful every day for the opportunity we have in this beautiful country.

[00:36:54] Taty Fittipaldi: Absolutely. Oh, that’s a beautiful story. It’s a good thing also to share that we should remind [00:37:00] ourselves to be thankful for things and for even the little things that we have in our lives sometimes, definitely, we forget. That’s lovely that you brought this up. So, before we part, is there anything else you want to share with our viewers? Any tips, any final notes you want to share with our beautiful viewers?

[00:37:22] Gina Martin: Oh my goodness. Thank you. Well, I first want to thank you for having me here today This has been a lot of fun.

[00:37:28] Gina Martin: Not every day you get to tell your story, right? Um, so this was a lot of fun. I think the one thing that I I definitely would like to share and obviously I’m sure this resonated throughout our conversation, is that this is the land of opportunity, you know, and anything you set your mind to, you can do here.

[00:37:50] Gina Martin: And I think that no matter how many times I had to at one point in the 28 years, it’s crazy, it’s been 28 [00:38:00] years I’ve been here. No matter, you know, how many times throughout those years I I hit an obstacle or I had to literally Rebuild my life for whatever event was happening. There was always that opportunity, you know, and there was always that chance Uh to make something out of what was happening and and go after the next opportunity so I think what I would say is You know, just see every obstacle as a learning opportunity, an opportunity to grow.

[00:38:30] Gina Martin: Um, and almost like something that’s going to catapult you into the next, right? It’s like just pushing you into whatever your journey needs to be and just stay strong and stay really focused and just work hard. I will tell you that’s all it takes. It takes a good plan, it takes hard work, it takes giving back, um, and it just takes, you know, that, uh, [00:39:00] mindset of always learning, growing, um, and Just going after your dreams.

[00:39:06] Taty Fittipaldi: I love this. I love the mastery , orientation, uh, mindset. You know, you have to always think about learning and growing and, things will come out of that. You don’t have to force things. Things will happen naturally by just you wanting to be open to grow and learn.

[00:39:24] Taty Fittipaldi: I love that, Gina, that’s an awesome final note for, for our interview today. I loved it. So thank you so much for being here. Taking advantage of the card. I am very thankful for you, for you being here today. Thank you very much and for sharing your story for being so, so frank and candid with us and sharing all your story with us.

[00:39:46] Gina Martin: Thank you so much, Tatiana, and best of luck with the show. I love that. Thank you.

[00:39:51]

[00:39:52] HIGHLIGHTS

[00:39:52] Taty Fittipaldi: This brings us to the end of these Leadership Nest episode. I trust you found value in acquiring insights that [00:40:00] can elevate your decisions and performance in critical global leadership roles and situations. Stay tuned for a next joy ride with expatriates interview! we promise to surprise you with new stories and concepts to help you learn more about international relocation, acclimation and cultural integrations.

[00:40:19] Taty Fittipaldi: Wherever you are in the globe, this is Taty Fittipaldi wishing you a beautiful day.

[00:40:25] Taty Fittipaldi: If you have any questions, you’d like us to answer in a future episode of this show, just go to speakpipe.com/tatyfittipaldi or click the link in the show notes, to leave us a brief audio message.

[00:40:43] Taty Fittipaldi: Make sure to visit us on our website www.theleadershipnest.com, where you can subscribe to our show anywhere podcasts are streamed, so you never miss the fun.

[00:40:56] Taty Fittipaldi: While there, if you find value in our show, you can [00:41:00] also subscribe to our global leadership weekly newsletter from Coaching Expatriates®, where we deliver bite-sized lessons on global leadership, decision-making, and cultural competence to help you learn how to think, relate and strategize in a whole different way as a global leader.

[00:41:18] Taty Fittipaldi: If you liked our show, you might want to check her online global executive leadership program. A nine week leadership development and learning system, that will help you lead internationally while making financially conscious and impactful business decisions.

[00:41:33] Taty Fittipaldi: Taty Fittipaldi is also available for private coaching. See the websites for more details at www.coachingexpatriates.com/executive-coaching.

[00:41:46] Taty Fittipaldi: Thanks for joining us this week on The Leadership Nest podcast. I trust you found a value in acquiring insights that can elevate your performance in critical global leadership roles and situations.

[00:41:58]