I am a certified life and academic coach. But before that I worked in Argentina, London, Barcelona and Oxford as a qualified architect.
I specialised, through a Master’s and PhD, in architectural history and industrial heritage. I was always a good student and knew that my studies were an essential part of the kind of person I wanted to be.
Following my academic path, I lived in different countries and learned new languages. I was a foreigner and an international student trying to find my place in the world. It was hard. I thought I knew all the struggles. Then I became a mum in the middle of my PhD. Now, I can tell you, I definitely know how difficult it can be balancing a career and family life. But I was not the only one having difficulties.
I still remember at the start of my PhD, a student who was finishing his dissertation told me: "I can tell that you are just starting because your eyes are still shining.”
I laughed, but I later understood what he meant.
My eyes may not have shined all the time, but I successfully finished my PhD and remained passionate about my subject till the end.
In 2020, I was working as a tutor at Edinburgh University, when it became clear that academic success is about more than just delivering that thesis, book, lecture, conference paper and so on. It is about successfully juggling research, work and friends and family to create a sustainable and enjoyable work/life balance.
So, I decided to combine my academic experience and personal skills and become a life and academic coach, helping students with the tools, strategy and support to make the most of their academic lives and keep their eyes shining.