I sometimes find it hard to put stuff out there.

It rarely feels finished. It could always be more polished. It could always be better.

I’ve been running a business for a little over a year now called SourceAcademy. I’ve told people about it in person and at different events (like the GSEA) but I’ve never really put it out there online. This is me finally forcing myself to do that.

It’s been 71 days since I’ve been home. I’ve visited 27 towns and cities in 18 countries across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

I’ve spent the past few months exploring new places, catching up with friends and making new ones. I’ve been to countries observing four of the five major world religions. I’ve visited ancient wonders in Greece, ridden a camel to the Great Pyramids of Giza, I’ve lost my wallet in Bangkok, experienced welcome like no other in Bahrain, and I’ve gotten food poisoning at least three times, just to list a few.

I’ve taken over 1000 photos, over 200GB of videos, bought a drone in Vienna, and I’ve been working too. I’ve been building sites and helping clients from Ireland improve their online presence with the help of some talented freelancers. I’ve incorporated a company in Ireland, and in Delaware, and I’ve hired two actual employees - like with employment contracts and paying tax and everything. But more on that in my next post.

I’ve had an incredible eleven days.

Friday before last I flew to Toronto to represent Ireland in the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards. Incredible is the only word to describe it - I really find it hard to believe how impactful the trip has been for me.

Student entrepreneurs from 54 countries all over the world gathered in Toronto to represent their country and present their businesses, their life experiences, and their visions of the future they are determined to make reality. These inspirational and uniquely interesting young women and men came from all over from - Argentina to Bahrain, from Costa Rica to Finland, from Sri Lanka to New Zealand, and just about everywhere in between.

Have you ever felt like you don’t belong somewhere?

I’ve often felt myself surrounded by people - people who seem like they know what they’re doing. They have it all figured out - they belong.

It happens at work, on committees, in competitions, in college, in social settings. That assumption that everyone around you knows better than you and belongs more than you you.