For the first eleven years of my life, I did not have citizenship to any country. I was born inRiga, Latvia when it was part of the USSR, which classified me as a non-citizen. Yes that’s athing, and yes it certainly had a massive impact on who I am today. Then my life went intoa wild direction when my family decided to immigrate to Canada, where I received immediate citizenship and spent most of my life growing up, studying and working. The process of relocating and adapting to a brand new country has had further impact on me. It was such a massive change! I needed to learn a new language, new cultures, and build new relationships. This intensive experience has taught me what it means to “survive”, as I overcame challenges on a daily basis. Having gone through such a significant life change also taught me that I am capable of so much more than I could have ever imagined. And I believe this applies to all humans on the planet.
When I was studying in university, I was still struggling to figure out what is my purpose and path in life. I had some ideas, but nothing felt certain. All I knew was that I wanted to see as much of the world as possible, and meet as many different people as I could. I knew that would mean making some life-changing decisions, and as scary as it seemed, I felt like it would be scarier to live with the regret of never having done what I truly wanted to. Eventually I decided to become an English teacher abroad, and after completing all the necessary schooling, I took the opportunity to live and work in South Korea. That was a complete 180 degree change from life in Canada! Those two years felt like living on a different planet, but I am eternally grateful for them, because the experiences I had were worth the challenges I faced. And it further fuelled my desire to see more of the world, to connect with even more people, and learn as much as I can about humanity.
After enjoying my time in Asia, I decided it was time to explore a new continent, and experience change on a whole other level! I packed my things once again, and moved to Prague, Czech Republic. “Why Prague?” was the most common question I got from people, and I always answered with “Why not Prague?”. It’s a beautiful, historical city, with a vibrant energy, and the potential for a comfortable life. However, building a life from scratch in a foreign country, completely on your own, is no easy feat. It took several years of working, adapting, and developing, to feel like my feet were finally on the ground. Every laborious step was worth it though, because at that time in my life, it was exactly the life I never knewI always wanted.
After 8 years of living in Prague, change was once again knocking on my door. This time, however, it came unannounced, when my work visa was rejected by Czech Republic, and I had 90 days to leave the country. Boom! Shock to the system! What?! I could have easily freaked out and gone completely insane, but I decided to accept the situation, and work with it rather than against it. Sorting out the logistics, managing all my stuff, and saying goodbye in 90 days was intense, to say the least, but I managed it! And this experience revealed to me even more of my abilities and my strength, so I am definitely not upset about how it all went down. I was also very fortunate that I was able to go to Canada, and stay with my parents, who I love and who are always there for me in tough times of life changes.
I ended spending almost an entire year in Canada, in my family home, which I was nervous about beforehand, but soon realized is actually a gift in disguise. It turns out that I really needed this year to recover from the massive life change that I went through, and to figure out the next steps of my life. I realized that I really needed this kick in the ass by the universe to move me forward. I was definitely lost and confused in the beginning, it felt like my life was in a fog, which can seem uncomfortable, unsettling or even scary, but I decided to look at this as an opportunity. That’s how you beat fear! Once I freed myself from the clutches of fear, I was able to take the time and reflect on my life; where I’ve been, where I am, and where I would like to be. Can you guess what happened? The fog cleared! New thoughts and ideas filled my imagination, new feelings fuelled my motivation, and I knew exactly what I needed to do next.
Another life change is in front of me, this time in Guatemala! If you’re curious how I’m handling such a dramatic shift in life, follow my instagram page @karina.coaching for daily updates! And feel free to DM me with any questions, thoughts or comments, I’d love to hear from you!