Gurasis: 0:02

so, miguel, now I want to get with the final segment, but before that I introduced this another segment I call it know your host where I give my guests an opportunity to ask me a question, although I know you have asked me a couple of questions on your podcast, but is there anything else you want to ask me today? Please go ahead okay.

Miguel: 0:19

Question for you is if you could redo your immigration journey to canada, what would you do differently?

Gurasis: 0:26

I think I've thought about that. I will do nothing differently. I will not. I think I am absolutely okay and absolutely grateful how several of the things unfolded. The only thing, one tiny thing, would be.

Gurasis: 0:38

I will tell my younger self, the person who came good as he is, who came the initial months, that work somewhere, like even if you get like two hours a week just to work somewhere, because, to be honest with you, I was so occupied with my studies because my college was five days a week and even on the weekends I was just going to the college for the group meetings, do projects, and I absolutely love my program and I feel like my program is what prepared me to get into the workforce.

Gurasis: 1:05

But I think I would say that good is that at least work somewhere for two hours, if you can, a week. Not because you needed that money, of course you did who doesn't like more money? But just I think it will it allow me to build that a little bit more connections and I think you also feel a bit of more uh groups you kind of be part of. You feel more belonging, I feel like. So that's why I would. That's what exactly I would say, but otherwise I'm absolutely happy with how several things unfolded, yeah I love that.

Miguel: 1:35

It's something that is more like a community as well, compared of community and networking and yeah, I love that exactly perfect.

Gurasis: 1:42

So now we get in the final segment of the podcast. I call it Beneath the Accent. I'm going to ask a couple of questions. You can answer them in one word or a sentence, or however you feel like. The idea is just to know more about you. So, ready, ready. So my first question is what advice would you give to your younger self, and at what age?

Miguel: 2:01

Let's keep it within the last chapter of my life, which is the Canadian chapter, because I have many tweets or many messages that I would like to send myself, my younger self, and I will say vulnerability is a superpower, gratitude is your compass and mentorship is what is going to transform your life. So keep it short and I can expand, but I will say yeah, focus on uh, being vulnerable, asking for help, focus on gratitude, because there is no point in comparing with others. That's a waste of time, that is, it's impossible to compare with others because so many different factors. Just compare with yourself, with yourself. And mentorship.

Miguel: 2:44

There is power in mentorship, but to get to mentorship, you need community, you need networking. So you need to learn to those two skill sets. Oh and lastly, the skill that is going to change your life is to master information interviews. So that part is like if you can focus on mastering information interviews, then you're going to be really good at networking, then you're going to be really good at networking, then you're going to be really good at community, then you're going to be really good at mentorship and navigating either job promotions or opening businesses, you name it.

Gurasis: 3:13

Great answer. And what advice would you give to your? Not advice like what would you like to say to your 60-year-old self.

Miguel: 3:20

Oh, I have questions for my 60-year-old self. I will say how can you find? How did you find, harmony? Because, um, the question why I have a question for me, harmony is success. For me, like success is not financial, like that's an outcome, that's a symptom, that's uh, that's something that happens just because you're focused on the right things. But harmony is in this world where there's so much and so much distraction and so much flashiness and things that are quite golden and distracting you from what is important.

Gurasis: 3:54

Yeah.

Miguel: 3:54

Harmony is like doing the right things at the right time and giving the right mindfulness. So, for example, being a father, being, being a husband, being a business person, being an employee, being a friend, being a brother, like putting all of that into the right moment, right time and the right mindset. Mind like the right share of wallet in your mind, kind of thing. So it's sometimes it's almost impossible, sometimes it's like, oh, you need to sacrifice something for other things, so yeah, no harmony is huge.

Miguel: 4:29

So again, how did you go to that? Because I I'm envisioning my 65 or older self I was able to accomplish. So it's like, how did you go there? Like what, what are the steps? Like, tell me more about it, I just need to do it now, you know, because I'm so, um, sometimes I I get myself into like just need to do it now. You know, because I'm so. Sometimes I get myself into like I want results fast. I want, you know, the microwave solution is just 30 seconds and I'm there. But no, it's like, what can I do? Because that comes with discipline, that comes with mindfulness, that comes with oh, again, another episode on. Let's talk about harmony.

Gurasis: 5:03

But by that age I feel like you would be able to learn how to tackle all that right. But keeping that in mind, what would you say Like if it's not a question, but like a statement to your 60-year-old self?

Miguel: 5:18

what would you say? Oh, okay, I would say, did everything I do was worth it. Again, another question. I guess I talk with questions. I will say something like I hope this worked. Or I like yeah, like I hope the outcome of this was meaningful or significant. Or I wish I knew better, but this is with the information I had. I did all of this, so something like that.

Gurasis: 5:46

Okay, we will go past that. Okay, tell me about one dish from your home country that always brings you nostalgia, oh wow.

Miguel: 5:54

Mole. Mole is like an indian curry uh well, mexican curry which is made with so many different spices and and so many different ingredients. Um, the reason it brings me nostalgia is because my grandma used to make it by herself and by scratch. So it takes hours, sometimes days, to make it and and it's delicious. It's quite flavorful and quite complex. Sometimes people ask me describe yourself with one dish. I would say mole. Just because of that, it has so much and it tastes so different whenever you try it. And yeah, it's beautiful, it's amazing. It's my go-to, my recommendation If you want to try some Mexican cuisine mole.

Gurasis: 6:37

Okay, perfect. Tell us about your first friend that you made in Canada and how did you meet them?

Miguel: 6:45

Oh wow. First friend in Canada was a church. I started going to a church and just by being genuine, by being myself. I was not looking for a job at church, I was not to have a hidden agenda or anything like that, I was just like there just to listen to the sermon, to volunteer, to whatever. And I think that freedom allowed me to be myself and be genuine and and that helped me to create a great relationship. And and then, without looking for it, that friend became pivotal to for me to have my biggest uh career promotion in my, in my, in my canadian experience like my journey.

Gurasis: 7:26

Are you still in touch with them? Yes yeah, okay, perfect. Tell us about this one canadian tradition that you have adopted wholeheartedly. It's been like more than a decade. You are here, so tell us about that. That you have any wholeheartedly it's been like more than a decade. You are here, so tell us about that that you have any certain traditions, certain festival in Canada that you have adopted?

Miguel: 7:43

When I was living in Toronto I visited all of them. I love the Greek one, I love the Poland that I had back in Bloor, my favorite, I would say the Greek, the greek festivals uh, just because the food again with food.

Gurasis: 8:04

Yeah, yeah, okay. So what's something that you ate for the first time in canada?

Miguel: 8:10

oh, wow, memory lane, the first thing that I ate in Canada was sushi. Okay, yeah, it was a restaurant in Toronto and I was like, oh, let's try it out. And it was pretty good.

Gurasis: 8:24

Okay, and do you continue to love sushi, or have you just stopped?

Miguel: 8:27

Yes, I love it. The difference is that sushi in Mexico is very different. They put chocolate, they put mango. Yeah, sometimes it's like different flavors, very rich. Again, I guess it's part of the culture where let's test it out, let's see if it works. And, yeah, it's amazing Again, imagine sushi with mango, imagine sushi with pineapple, and different flavors. Of course, the restaurant I went to was more Japanese and the flavors were just, you know, straight, very authentic, and I was like, oh, exactly, very authentic. So I was like, oh, and that reminded me of a trip where I went to Japan and I was like, yeah, it tastes like Japanese sushi. So yeah.

Gurasis: 9:08

So my next question is if you had to describe yourself as any creature, what would it be?

Miguel: 9:14

Wow, these questions are quite cool. If I can describe myself as any creature, I would say it's a combination between a dolphin and a turtle. Why? I know a dolphin is quite smart, fun and social. A turtle is more like introvert, but very wise. So I guess that would be a perfect description of sometimes what I am.

Gurasis: 9:38

Very unique answer I've got. Okay. If you had to create this one law that everybody has to follow, what would it be?

Miguel: 9:47

I will reuse a commandment from a religion which is love others as much as you love yourself as much as you love yourself. And I think that if people were able to do that, or if people did that, in my opinion there would not be wars, there would not be issues, because if I love you as much as I love myself which a lot of people love themselves a lot then we would live in a world full of love.

Gurasis: 10:19

Yeah, absolutely Great answer. So describe Canada in one word or a sentence.

Miguel: 10:25

I would say Canada. It's a lovely struggle once you make it.

Gurasis: 10:34

Absolutely. Yeah, I can relate. So, finally, if you could leave me with one piece of advice, what would it be? Absolutely, yeah, I can relate. Yeah, so, finally, if you could leave me with one piece of advice, what would it be?

Miguel: 10:42

oh boy, I see you as a mentor, so if I can give you, some advice yeah, my piece of advice for you is you, you are focusing on the right thing and you're doing it at the right moment. My question is can you do more? And I know it's not a piece of advice, it's more like a challenge, and potentially the answer is yes, potentially the answer is no, but it's why always focus on more? Because growth mindset, so it's like what else is out there for you and if you can, if you have done all of this with so little, I'm just wondering what else can you do which is impressive, and I would like to see more you know I actually love that.

Gurasis: 11:25

That's a great way to push me, to push my own limits, you know, to go beyond my limits. That's a great way to say that. But once again, it's Miguel, so you can expect a question from a question. You're so right.

Miguel: 11:42

It's funny because my mind goes to the questions. I don't know why, but you're right. Like you know, growth is found outside comfort zone. So if you are comfortable right now, awesome. If you want to be comfortable in your life, awesome. But if you want to grow, let's get uncomfortable, and yeah. So, of course, like it's pushing the limits.

Gurasis: 12:04

Awesome. So, finally, how would you describe your experience of being on this Matic Accent podcast?

Miguel: 12:11

My own experience being here. I loved it because I have never shared so many different things. I talk with you, my own experience being here. I loved it because I have never shared so many different things. I talk with you. It's one of those things where it was also I felt therapeutic in a way. I felt therapeutic in a way because some of those questions were like oh, you're right, I think now everything connects, the reason why I want to help people, the reason that I do this, everything had a reason.

Miguel: 12:32

So, going back to the question of if you didn't want, want to change anything, the answer is very similar to me because, um, I didn't want to change anything, just because my struggle became my, my journey, and now I'm helping people because of that. If my journey was perfect, I will not be helping people. So maybe there was a way and there is. There is a why and there is a way of all of this, um, the importance of it. So, yeah, it's. It's one of those things that is like everything has a purpose and for people like you, I'm very happy that you're listening to to the message in a way that you're listening to yourself, like you're listening to inner god, and say like, yes, let's, let's do it. So, yeah, I'm super happy and for me, being in this podcast has opened my eyes to be like maybe I can do more, maybe I should be doing more, because just looking at your example is like, oh, wow, yeah, there is so many ideas I can do better.

Gurasis: 13:26

Yeah, well, that's amazing to hear. Thank you. Thank you for being on the podcast and adding value to my listeners.

Miguel: 13:31

Miguel, thank you. Thank you so much for inviting me.