In recent years, Spanish expat partner Paola Guerrero Carrillo has considered pursuing a number of fulfilling occupations but she’s glad that she held off (until now).
On the road
“Having lived in multiple places, and having started a family as an expat, the one thing I’ve learned is that your priorities change!” says Paola, who had been a chemical engineer in Seville when she met her Scottish husband Duncan. “I moved to Amsterdam, where I found work related to my field, but our first official assignment as a couple really began in Singapore.”
New beginnings
“Finding a job in Singapore was not straightforward. In fact, we had to get married a little earlier than planned so I could get a work permit! I did find a job, as an engineering consultant, which I thoroughly enjoyed for two years. When my first son was born, I resigned after my maternity leave for which you only get eight weeks in Singapore!” says Paola, who started to consider other paths to spend more time at home.
Double checking
“My idea was to import certain gourmet Iberian food products. I had many brainstorming sessions with my husband and my Global Connection consultant but, in the end, I decided it wasn’t the right time or place so I shelved the idea,” says Paola, who was still interested in doing something related to food, in particular, nutrition, after moving to Lisbon. “At that stage, my second child was on the way, I found a great course in Madrid. But it would have required a lot of travel, which wouldn’t be feasible for our family.”
A new path
“But I’m glad that I decided against it as, more recently, I’ve made a firm decision for the future. In March 2021, I will start a 10-month Masters that will qualify me as a high school physics and chemistry teacher. To be honest, just a few years ago, I’d never have imagined becoming a teacher but now it feels like the right choice. I believe as a teacher I’d have a good life-work balance and I’m really excited about the idea of engaging students. I feel like I didn’t receive much career guidance in school, so I hope that I can use my own life experiences to advise students on their own future paths.”
Photo: Paola with husband Duncan and their two children
