For expat partner Oscar Lopez Lacalle, accessing partner support ahead of his relocation to Monterrey helped turn his and his wife’s anxiety about the immediate future into excitement.
Another major move
A native of Gran Canaria, Oscar is no stranger to moving overseas. His career as a game designer has already taken him across Europe, with 10 years in Oslo followed by seven in Amsterdam. Yet despite this experience, the prospect of relocating to Mexico raised some uncertainty. “It’s a huge opportunity for my wife, so we had no hesitation about saying yes. But as I don’t have a job lined up, it’s only natural that I was left wondering what I would do,” he explains. “Should I start looking for a job straight away? And if I can’t find work, what will I do? Everything felt up in the air.”
‘Let’s do this!’
Before leaving Amsterdam, Oscar completed a Needs Assessment with Josien Berkenvelder, his Global Connection consultant. “It was extremely helpful to consider my needs and gave me a lot of reassurances about relocating to Monterrey,” he says. “Josien was kind, empathetic and had an instinct for what I was worried about. Everything was explained so clearly.” Those timely conversations helped him reframe his thinking. “When the call ended, I thought: everything is going to be great, let’s do this! When I told my wife, she felt the same. Our anxiety turned into excitement.”
Alternative options
“I’m a very active and outdoorsy person, so I’m not short on interests and I’m looking forward to exploring a new country and meeting new people,” he says, listing padel, bouldering, jujitsu and mountain biking among his hobbies. While he remains hopeful he can continue his career as a game designer, he accepts there is no guarantee he will find the right role. “Thanks to Josien, I know that studying could also be an option. I’ve always been interested in permaculture and the idea of having a small farm one day…”
Open to all possibilities
“So maybe this move will create an opportunity to take a different path and start a new chapter? Let’s see!” he reflects. “Basically, I’m open to what comes next. Knowing that personalised support is there, and that I have options, gives me a great feeling. I really appreciate that my wife’s employer and Global Connection can offer that kind of peace of mind.”
Photos: Oscar Lopez Lacalle
All Global Connection’s corporate clients are leading multinationals. Due to some of their policies, we do not use their name in public articles. However, expat partners signed in to our private Media & Network can see the multinational’s name.
