This week, we speak with Matej Adam Balint, a Slovak student whose university program has taken him to Lisbon, Paris, and Berlin over the past three years. Each new city has brought a fresh beginning, then all too soon, it’s time to move on again. Matej shares about the cycle of unpacking, repacking, building friendships, and redefining what it means to belong.
For Matej, relocation isn’t just a practical challenge, each move is an opportunity to learn more about himself. In our conversation, he reflects on how each move has revealed a different layer of his identity, and how living between cultures and languages has given him a deeper understanding of authenticity, freedom, and adaptability.
He speaks about learning to let go of places, routines, and even versions of himself — without feeling loss. Instead, he sees those attachments turn into memories, lessons, and confidence for the next step.
We talk about belonging as both comfort and constraint, about how a new culture can unlock new dimensions of self-expression, and about why taking action — “testing your hypothesis,” as Matej puts it — may be the only way to find clarity.
This is a story for anyone who’s ever wondered what keeps us grounded when everything around us shifts, and how movement itself can become a form of home and self-discovery.
P.S. Would you like to share your story of moving across borders? Get in touch.
