Travel hasalways been abigsource of fulfillment inmy life.Not just summer vacations orlong weekendsaway from the officebutIhavespent most of my adult life traveling internationally.Now,as the worldhas shifted,and travel haspausedin many ways-Isee the beautyinhow I amabletocontinue 'traveling' virtually at Cisco because of our global community. 

Throughout my career,I have been fortunatetohavejobs that provided me with the ability totravel.Whether it was working as anevent planner for cruise ships or as aprogram coordinator for resorts oreven as a nanny in Switzerland-if there was travelinvolved,I was always onboard.  

Choosing to work atCisco was aneasydecisionin this case,because I knew that working for a global company meant that there would be opportunities to work with differentteamsandpeople from all over the world-both in person and virtually.Now,after5years in technology, I am proud to have friends on nearly every continentin the world. 

I havealways valued multiculturalism andlove that Ciscocultivates aninclusive culture.Beinga part of an innovative and diverse team that uses technology to help the greater good and build a brighter future for allleaves mefeelinginspired.  

Growing up in asmall town, educating myself in different ways of life and living, learning different languages, and immersing myself into different cultures was a bigpriority for me. I believe it has made me a morecompassionate humanwitha greater, more open-mindedunderstanding of the world we live in.I know thattravelhas definitelyopeneddoors to new opportunities, ideas, and creativity thatI likely would nothave been exposed towithout it.  

So,when the opportunity came aboutin March 2018 to work with anotherengineering teamfor 18 monthsin Prague, I jumped at the chance!  

I began working for Cisco in 2015 with the AMP engineering team(a Cisco acquisition)in Calgary, Alberta.The team had a 'start-up' vibethat fostered open communication, strong teamwork, andan inclusive culture. I was sad to saygoodbye to them, even though I knew this was an opportunity I could not pass up and prepared myself for a totally different office culture in Prague.  

To my surprise, the longer I spent with theCognitive team in Prague, the more I realized that even though Czech and Canadian cultureshave their differences, the Cisco inclusive culture remained!  

Whilein Prague, not only did I feel welcomedinthe office, but so many of my Czech colleagues wanted to inviteme to lunchto enjoy a traditionalCzech meal,or togo outto their favourite local "pivovar"for a beverageafter work or even into theirhomes to meet their lovelyfamilies. The friendships I made in Prague are something that I will always cherish. Those connectionsgo far beyond just the 9-5workday.  

Even now that I am back inmy home countryin Canada,and with travel limited,I still feel like I am part of a global community.Through remote work,and Cisco technology,I still feel the connection to bothmy Canadian and Czechteams-even with an ocean and thousands of miles between us. 

My love of travel has always shown me that when we areexposed to different cultures, wecanbecome more flexible in our thinking, build stronger connections, and replace fear of the unknown with trust in humanity.  

Cisco fosters this conscious culture and I am very proud to say that I work for a company that makesthis value front and centerby providing opportunities to work cross-functionallywith different teams, cultures and locations around the globe. 

Ready to join our global teams?Apply now. 

Subscribe to the We Are Cisco Blog