Do you have a passion for exploring new careers, nationalities, people? If so, then you’re going to love Aashim’s story. A guy belonging from a small town in Punjab, believed in his passion for exploring new lands, learning new things and always dreamt of living in big cities. The best part, absolutely nothing could stop him from achieving new heights in life.
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“I started my journey from IHM, Bangalore in 2010 and always had a knack for travelling across the globe, learning new things, interacting with people from diverse cultures. As a result, in 2013, right after my graduation, I got a chance to join Taj Exotica, Goa. It is a lush green property spread out on 56 acres of land facing Benaulim beach including golf and tennis courts. My time working over there gave me an altogether exquisite experience and further even added to my taste for travelling and exploring new countries.
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Within a short period, I found a job in Boston, U.S.A. at a French and Japanese Restaurant- ‘UNI’, earlier known as ‘CLIO’. Honestly, it was one of the best decisions I ever made as the learning curve was huge. Moreover, the U.S.A is, in reality, a melting pot. You will encounter people with different nationalities exchanging cultural values, food, styles, adapting and accepting the differences that ultimately unites everyone. Also, coming from the Hospitality sector, I believed that ‘food unites us all’ and our love for various cuisines and species is the first step towards cultural acceptance. Thanks to the USA, I experienced it all.
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Being a traveller at heart, you can’t settle at a place for long. So I had already decided to explore Canada as my next destination. Initially, I went there in 2016 on a tourist Visa (The process was simple, easy and quick). I did not have any intention to study or work there but still wanted to explore my options. I went through some of the Courses at Canadian Colleges and decided to investigate further but later found the country to be a bit ‘Desi’ as per my requirements of learning. Although I did visit Canada twice, something was always missing. Maybe the College experience was not meant for me, or I did not share the Canadian dream as almost everyone around me. So, I went back to India and stayed there for quite some time.
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Still, my zest for the ‘International exposure’ wasn’t over. In 2018, I decided to pursue a Masters in Management at IMT Business School (Institut Mines-Télécom Business School), France. The programme helped me enhance my managerial skills along with an opportunity to explore new streams matching my potential.n
Also, France, as a destination, brought new kicking challenges to my life and gave me a chance to stay back in the country for two years post Masters. Moreover, I was attracted to the French culture and wanted to experience French wine as a significant part of the culture and my love for sports, especially Tenis. The first time I visited a Winery, I was awestruck and even planned to explore Wine trading soon.
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A barrier anyone is most likely to face when in France is the language. It was easy for me in the USA and Canada. Still, in France, it is challenging to even land a part-time job without knowing proficient use of French, but again, I got lucky because of my previous experience of Hotel Management. One thing that is the most added benefit of working in France is the post-education employment process is simplified and easy. Also, France is famous for its employment law and firing an employee is notoriously tricky. There are two types of employment contracts for International students:
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CCD (Contract Duration Determinée)– It is a fixed-term contract or temporary employment contract. It is issued for six months, during which the employment laws are stringent for employees.nCDI (Contract Duration Indeterminée) – It is essentially an open-ended contract or permanent employment contract that offers job insurance. It makes it difficult for an employer to let you go on a simple note.
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As far as study options in the country are concerned, the technical courses offered in the country are very cost-effective and require good knowledge of the language. Also, the state provides quite the right amount of scholarships, particularly in the STEM section. My institute too (IMT Business School, France) comes under ‘Charpak Master’s Program’. This scholarship is for one to two years, (September – June, ten months per academic year) of studies in France at the Master’s degree level for all streams and fields of education. They also offer a living allowance of 700 Euro/month. I wish I knew about it at the time of admission. Still, anyway, I have enjoyed my experience in the country and don’t regret a thing. However, I’m not sure for how long I’ll stay here, but my biggest advice to all out there would be to explore, explore and explore! One should travel, learn, engage with other nationalities, and adapt to new surroundings. These learnings reflect on your personality immensely, and I wouldn’t want to trade my entire journey so far for anything”.
