What is it like to move from Cameroon all the way to Northern Europe, Estonia? If you keep reading, you’ll hear the story of Wilfred, one of the members of Beast‘s team. He left Cameroon in 2013, spent three years in Thailand, and eventually settled down in Northern Europe in 2016. Let’s delve into Wilfred’s journey and hear everything from his own words.
First things first, please introduce yourself shortly
My name is Wilfred. Born and raised in Cameroon, moved to Thailand in 2013 to work as an English conversation teacher. In 2013 I found myself in Estonia to pursue a Master’s degree in Environmental Protection. In 2020 I moved across the sea to Helsinki, Finland and now I’m back in Estonia. I’m blessed with the most supportive siblings and I’m also a father to a little man who constantly reminds me of what love in its purest form looks like. I’d also like to think of myself as rather open–minded and adventurous.
Could you name three facts that people wouldn’t expect from you?
- I feel like I was genetically coded to overthink. When I’m alone, I relive most of my daily interactions, which usually include regrets or wishing I had done something differently. It’s like my little skull-sized hell, lol
- I talk to myself quite a bit, and occasionally out loud when I’m in my own company.
- Back in secondary school, I was the skinniest kid in the whole entire class, and got body-shamed so bad that I took matters into my own hands and built my own personal gym at home to bulk up.
All the way from Cameroon, tell us how did you find your way to Beast, to an Estonian start-up?
I first found out about Beast from a friend. Besides having, by far, the coolest name, and how visually appealing Teslas are, the idea of shared carbon-free mobility and the impact it has on sustainability has always resonated well with me. I thought to myself, this is where I want to be. The opportunity finally came when I moved to Finland and Beast was hiring. It so happened that I and my friend, Roy, who had originally introduced Beast to me, had a mutual friend, Tony. He was working at Beast at the time, and that’s how I got a referral and eventually became a part of the team.
The power of connections, amazing! But tell us about your daily life at Beast
I perform a wide range of tasks, including serving as a liaison between departments, supporting the drafting and editing of documents, taking care of general local paperwork, managing emails, and arranging meetings and travel. Essentially, my role is to free up our CEO’s time, allowing her to focus more on kicking ass.
Let’s switch the topic to your personal life, tell us about your free time
My Thai neighbor got me into Muay Thai in 2014, and I have since become a fan of combat sports. I started working out in middle school, so you can find me in the gym on a regular basis. I also like playing basketball, but I don’t get the chance to do it that often. However, I do keep up with the basketball world thanks to talk shows like Undisputed and Inside the NBA. The list is long, but I wouldn’t dare forget to mention my favorite podcasts, such as Hell of a Week, The Joe Rogan Experience, The Daily Show, and The Energy Gang.
From hot to cold. How has your relocating from Cameroon to Northern Europe been?
Different is the word I’d like to use, which is why my stay here has been far from boring. There is so much to love about this part of the world: the nature, the people (when you actually make an effort and get to know them), its rich cultural heritage, and how easy the digital society makes it for people to access information and conduct their daily affairs.
To any foreigner planning on moving to the North, I would tell you this:
No, you don’t have to work on your crude sign language skills
Yes, people around here do speak English too.
Locals can seem a bit withdrawn. That doesn’t necessarily translate to how they feel about you personally, but rather who they are as a people – humble and respectful of your privacy. Not a big fan of the weather though.
You’ve lived in Finland and Estonia, how’d you compare these two neighbours?
The Finnish and Estonian languages might sound similar when you first come across them. However, these are two very unique countries with so much to explore. Personally, it is hard for me to give an unbiased opinion because I have spent so much more time in Estonia. I’d say that Estonia is by far the safest country I’ve lived in.
A big thank you Wilfred for taking this time and sharing your story and your day in a life at Beast. The way you bring your positivity and calmness to the office every day is amazing. Keep on working hard like you already are, and keep being the be(a)st!
