Making Asia Part of Your Life

Guy Nantel

The 1994 Grand Prize winner of the "Course autour de monde", Guy Nantel, passionately tells us about this experience. Translated as the "Race around the world", it is an experience of a lifetime, says Guy whose words betray his enthusiasm.

"The race was very demanding but was rewarding spiritually, personally and professionally," Guy said.

He explains that being alone, without having time to read or watch television forces a person to confront and trust oneself. Solitude allowed him to develop a sixth sense which he dubs "instinct". This powerful instinct is a guide and allows a person to make good decisions on her own without being influenced by the surrounding environment.

He explains that there is more than one reality in any country and that everyone's reality can be found there as well. As such, he thinks that the planet has no borders.

"Due to the speed of communication, cultures can mix," he said."There's not one single thing that can be found in just one place in the world."

Guy says that he didn't feel disoriented nor did he experience culture shock while travelling which he attributes to the person in question rather than the country visited.

The following is his recipe for succeeding in Asia: mix one cup of open-mindedness with a healthy dose of patience and sincerity.

"It's by speaking wi th an honest, patient, open-mind and focusing on the person rather than the nationality that we'll end up understanding each other," he said. "It is also very important to let yourself make mistakes by giving yourself a chance so t hat you can enjoy yourself in another country."