Hello from Graz! My name is Antonino, from Italy, and if you had told me a few months ago that I’d be spending my Easter Sunday reflecting on an entrepreneurial journey in the heart of Austria, I probably would have smiled and moved on with my day… Yet here I am! My background is a mix of International Relations studies, language teaching, and a strong curiosity for how to produce impact in the world of education, no matter if formal or non-formal. After having determined to build my own reality in this field, I went on to look for an opportunity where I could get a good “reality check” for my ideas.
While my interest in knowledge prompts me to read about many disparate areas of personal development, I felt the urge to see how impact can be produced “from within”, like a backstage where all the strings are being pulled to get the best strategy and, ultimately, the best results for one’s community. So, why the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs? I chose this programme because it offers the opportunity to be faced with the everyday life of an organisation, including challenges and adjustments, while reflecting on how I want to sharpen my tools and contribute to the organisation’s workflow.
Graz, with its multifaceted cultural scene and its life-sized urban dynamics, more and more appears to me to be the right place for such endeavour. If my German skills might still lag behind the wheels of a bike here, my capacity to listen and adapt my plans to what is around is already benefitting from a healthy workout.
Isn’t it the point of every enterprise, that of adapting and gearing up to novelty, after all? And isn’t it the point of every entrepreneur’s success, that of embodying – not just performing – these qualities and keeping them well trained over time despite every hurdle?
One of the tropes of learning is that it occurs through iteration, besides a clear communication of needs, meeting each other halfway to see how we can make our life simpler, more meaningful, more impactful. I do hope that working alongside my Host Entrepreneur will become the next iteration towards a new, successful adventure.
