Not every bold move works out, and when it does not, precarity is real and community is essential.
This week, we travel from New Zealand to Germany to learn from Kern Mangan-Walker’s experiences as an international student exploring, and living through, the global geographies of inequality.
Kern Mangan-Walker is a 34 year old New Zealander. They are currently studying their masters of Geography of Global Inequalities at Freie Universität Berlin in Berlin, where they moved to 2 years ago. As part of attempting to make enough money to survive there, they have found themselves becoming bartender, assistant mushroom farmer, grant writer, organiser, video podcast editor, and youth worker. They are currently researching how communities respond to these new landscapes of precarity we collectively face. In the past they have been involved with the founding of several social enterprises including turning recycled plastic into furniture using 3D printing in New Zealand and early learning technology in Australia. They have also worked in philanthropy NGO fundraising for 10 years.
I deeply appreciated Kern’s openness to share about their journey, and the struggles they still face as an international student making ends meet in Berlin. Throughout our conversation, they highlighted how important it is to consider the systems (legal, financial, and so) that you are walking into, and to be prepared for the unexpected. In their words:
“(...) make sure that you have a lot more than you need, if you can, or at least have some kind of support structures in case it doesn't work out. Be prepared that it might take much longer to set up those foundations.”
I resonate with their statement deeply. In all transparency, the first year of building a business was much, much more difficult than expected and being prepared to survive the waves goes beyond the financial and legal aspects of whatever goal you have in mind.
That leads me to another part of this discussion, where Kern and I talk about what has been helping them go through this time, one day at a time. The answer is one you are familiar with if you are here: their community. They highlight one aspect of community that is fundamental: to be comfortable with asking for support when you most need it. While they share about the grief, shame, and anxiety of where they are at, they also point to various joys that have come up from them opening up to ask for support and being (and creating) in community.
My question for you this week, inspired by my discussion with Kern, is this one: What is one situation in your life today where you feel there is a chance to be courageous, and ask for the support you need?
Once you have your answer in mind, let’s get curious: What do you sense is holding you back?
As always, I am here to support and root for you, so if you are looking for additional coaching in exploring these or any related questions, I invite you to grab a time on my calendar here. Yes, that would also count as asking for the support you need.
I look forward to hearing your insights and reactions to this newsletter and our episode. Please share and review to help us grow our community, and continue our discussions on what it takes to build lives and careers we love, even when it gets hard.
See you in a couple of weeks,
