At Behere, we’re constantly inspired by the amazing women in our community. We’re thrilled to feature some of their stories and share how they’ve made traveling while working possible. From unconventional roles, to starting businesses abroad, these women have made exploring new places a priority. They share their biggest learnings, favorite memories, and advice for someone thinking about living in a new city for a month.
Today’s Behere community feature, Clara Uyttendaele, is a translator who is no stranger to living in new cities. Originally from Belgium, Clara booked her month in Bali this fall using Behere. She wanted to travel to pursue more – and connect with other inspiring women in Bali. Read on for her story
You’re a translator, what does that look like for you?
I graduated as a translator last year and I’ve been working as a one for two years now. I work for a company in Brussels and their content is usually about travelling, so right up my alley! I worked in their office for one month and then moved to Spain. They wanted to keep me so they gave me the opportunity to work remotely, and it has been absolutely amazing!
But as much as I love translating, I want more. I took a month in Bali to figure out what else I could do apart from translating. And wow, did I learn a lot! I met a lot of inspiring people in the workspace that gave me so many ideas! I ultimately decided to finish my masters degree in England. I hope that with everything I learn there and from online courses I’m taking, that I will be able to have my own business soon. I am so excited about that! Keep your eyes peeled ;).
How did your typical day in Bali go?
In Belgium I have always been more of a night owl, but in Bali I was an early bird and I loved it! I would go for a tasty breakfast (the smoothie bowls are out of this world and cheap!) Then if I felt like it, I would hit the gym. In the afternoon I would go to the workspace to ‘work, work, work‘.
The amazing food and drink at the cafe in my workspace were also the perfect fuel! If possible, I would catch sunset – the sunsets in Bali really are special! On days I didn’t feel like working (and hey, that’s totally okay some days!), you could find me hanging by the pool.
My weekends were usually composed of exploring more of the beautiful island of Bali with my new friends. The nature in Bali is unlike anything I have ever seen, simply breathtaking. Occasionally, you could also find me at Old Man’s – the place to be in Canggu! You’ll believe it when you see it ;).
How was Behere helpful to your journey?
Going new places is always exciting, but figuring out where to stay is difficult, especially when you are going somewhere for a full month! Behere made this step so easy. On Behere I booked everything from my apartment, to workspace, to my gym membership. The apartment I stayed at in Bali was absolutely amazing. I had a cute, modern bedroom with a kitchenette and spacious bathroom, and on top of that the best accommodation manager!
Other women from the Behere community booked the same building, which was awesome! Oh yeah, we also had our own pool! It was a perfect location, on the main road and close to the beach! Most importantly I felt safe there. Not having to worry about finding and arranging that myself took away a lot of stress!
I had the pleasure to meet the founders of Behere in Bali, and I love them so much. They are doing incredible things with Behere and genuinely care about their customers. I am already contemplating where I want to go next with them!
We love hearing highlights from our communities adventures, what was one of yours?
Discovering a new place and culture is always cool and Bali exceeded all my expectations. But what I will remember the most from this trip are the people I met. Especially the women I met there.
I have said this many times before and I will say it again: women supporting each other is the most powerful thing there is. It is honest, pure and life changing.
The women I met in Bali had their own stories and backgrounds, but from the moment we connected, magic happened. We shared very meaningful moments together and they will stick with me forever. I can’t wait to see where their lives and businesses will take them. Having had such a supportive community was what made this experience so amazing!
Finally, what’s your #1 piece of advice for women who are thinking about living in a new city for a month?
Just do it.
It is scary, I admit it. I had serious travel anxiety myself when boarding the plane.
It’s also important to give yourself time to adapt when you get there – it’s normal to feel a bit insecure at first as it’s a new place. But in the end, and this I promise you, it will be so damn worth it!
Feeling inspired to push past your fears now and travel somewhere new? Learn how booking on Behere will help make it your reality, and connect you to spaces and people to feel productive and supported.
Images and words courtesy of Clara Uyttendaele.
