Meet Luca Mertens. Originally from Belgium, but you could also bump into him in Thailand nowadays. He splits his time between these two countries, but is in the process of moving back to Belgium. But once he is back in Belgium, he won’t stay there for long. In his agenda are other plans for exploring life abroad. Next destination: either Greece or Italy.

Luca has worked in sales and business development recruitment for 2 years during his job as a business development consultant. It gave him the opportunity to work with companies and build sales teams. Luca knows how challenging it can be to find a good job in today’s market, especially one that allows you to live abroad and experience a new culture. For him, the most fulfilling part of being a recruiter is helping people unlock those opportunities and take that step toward a new chapter in their lives. Knowing that he played a small role in someone’s personal and professional growth is incredibly rewarding.

The first time Luca tasted life abroad, was when he went for a one-year study exchange in South Korea. He ended up living in Busan. It was an amazing experience that really opened Luca’s eyes to living in a different culture and stepping outside of his comfort zone. From that moment on, the international lifestyle became part of his identity. While he was still in his final year of university, Luca got the opportunity to work and focus on the Southeast Asian market. Because of its strategic location and vibrant startup ecosystem, he decided to move to Bangkok. That experience was again incredibly enriching and confirmed that living abroad is something he wants to continue doing long term.

Luca really enjoys the personal growth that comes with living abroad. You learn to adapt, become more independent, and gain new perspectives on life. On top of that, meeting people from different backgrounds and cultures is something he really values and enjoys.

In his free time Luca loves exploring new cities and discovering local food spots, especially street food and hidden cafés. He’s really active, so if you lost him you can find him in the gym, or taking a hike. Another fun fact about Luca: he went to cooking school, which taught him discipline, creativity, and the importance of hard work.

Luca has one important tip for anyone that wants to start living abroad: Be open-minded and patient with yourself. Things won’t always work the same way as back home, and that’s okay. Embrace the differences, put yourself out there to meet new people, and don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. That’s where the best experiences usually happen.