Do you feel discomfort when planning a destination? Be sure to visit it

Introduce yourself in a few words..

My name is Kalin Kavrakov and I am the Manager of Pentax Medical Bulgaria, one of the few companies in the country engaged in the repair and production of high-class medical equipment. A large part of my career path has been in the field of fast-moving consumer goods, having gone through all levels in the hierarchy – from Intern to Operations Director. The companies I have worked for include: Kamenitza AD, Prestige 96 AD, Carlsberg Bulgaria AD, and Ficosota OOD.

In the past year, I started my coaching practice, helping middle-aged men to break free from monotony and unleash the exciting part of their lives.

For you, traveling the world is?

An adventure, pleasure, and enriching experience.

How many different countries have you seen so far? Tell us a curious story or highlights from your travels?

I am a lucky person, because I have had the opportunity to visit over 20 countries, mainly in Europe and Asia. I have traveled quite a bit for work and at least as much just for pleasure.

One of the most memorable places I have had the fortune to visit is Malaysia. What I saw there, the economic situation, the ecosystem created around electronics and pharmaceuticals, the culture of the locals, and the way different communities communicate with each other is hard to describe briefly. I strongly recommend Malaysia and Singapore as a location for anyone interested in business, as well as curiosity about cultural exchange in the so-called “cultural melting pot“ locations.

Do you like to repeat destinations? Give examples and motivation “for” or “against”?

I love to repeat destinations, but with some conditions. I can repeat a destination for pleasure, as well as to gain a more realistic idea of the place and the people living there. I also find myself repeating destinations, when they have impressed me and I want to share them with my whole family.

A person trusts most in what they have seen with their own eyes, and unfortunately our perceptions are influenced by emotions and our recent experiences. With each visit, we take something different from the destination. On this topic, I share the opinion of Heraclitus.

What was your first trip that truly changed you as a professional and can be said to have changed your thinking?

My first and only trip to the USA greatly influenced my way of thinking and created some trust in me towards meritocracy. To a large extent, it was there that I first saw the advantages of working hard, rather than just being present at my workplace.

What do you learn about yourself and your professional skills, when you are in a new cultural environment?

After each instance of immersing in a new culture, the answer to this question is different. However, I personally notice every time how some skills can be useful to you, regardless of which culture you are communicating with. Some of them are the ability to listen, to understand another's point of view (without accepting it), to synthesize information, and to present it in a way accessible to your interlocutor.

Have you met people or ideas during your travels that have influenced your career Vand path?

Of course. Almost every trip I encounter people who influence my way of thinking. So far, I have been most influenced by a group of expatriates living and working in Singapore and Penang. I met them through a mutual acquaintance during one of my trips in Asia. It is hard to describe briefly, but meeting people of the type “citizens of the world” is always enriching, and with these gentlemen, it was simply unforgettable.

Do you think that your travels help you expand your professional network? How?

When you travel for work, this is implied, but even during pleasure trips, you have a chance to meet interesting people. On vacation, you meet both people who have chosen this place for relaxation and locals. Expanding your professional network in these cases happens through showing curiosity. Be interested in others, why they chose this place, what attracts them, what they like to do in their free time besides traveling. The key is to seek genuine contact with people, not purposeful enrichment of your professional network. These things are felt by the other side.

What skills do you develop the most when you travel, and how do they reflect on your work V?

Mental flexibility and communication skills. When you are in an unfamiliar place, in another culture, customs, laws, and physically different infrastructure, you need to learn quickly and know how to find information and even help from locals. It also often requires you to make quick decisions. All these skills, navigating in an unfamiliar environment, communication, and making quick decisions are essential skills in business.

When you are in an unfamiliar country, do you feel more motivated or more distracted? Why?

Definitely more motivated. Traveling takes me out of the monotony of everyday life and makes my brain work for a while outside the status quo. As a result, very often after returning, I look at my regular tasks from a different angle, and notice things that didn't impress me before. This new perspective makes everyday life more interesting and increases my motivation to work.

Are there destinations that act as a “restart” for your creativity and ambition?

The more culturally remote the destination, the more creative I feel when I return. There is nothing that “restarts” me like seeing with my own eyes entire societies that live by different rules than those I am used to. You quickly realize that most of our limitations are beliefs locked between our ears.

How do you see the future of digital nomadic life?

For a person like me, this kind of life cannot be more than a niche. I believe that without contact with other people, your influence on business and community will always be limited. The lone wolf can achieve much less than the same individual with a team of people around them.

Of course, the knowledge and skills needed in both cases are very different, but perhaps that is why, digital nomadism will remain a niche against the backdrop of the overall global business. It may become a larger niche, but it will always remain a niche. This does not mean at all that some industries and places around the world will not be more saturated than others. I definitely do not expect the influx of digital nomadic starting teachers to Siberia to outnumber the marketing experts working from Portugal.

What are the destinations that you would definitely recommend to be visited and why?

I recommend everyone to visit a distant destination and culture. The more discomfort it creates when planning, the more important it is to visit. If it doesn't create any discomfort when you think about it, then you might aim further. For me personally, Asia, South America, and Africa are good examples. Unfortunately, I still have not had the chance to visit all three of the mentioned continents, but all three are on my personal “bucket list”.

I am confident that if you follow the principle above, encountering a very different culture will not leave you indifferent.