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Back in my office in Antwerp, Belgium with frigid fingers because Spring is struggling to make a full entrance. But I'm back, baby.

Hi Global Minds

There's something uncomfortably poetic about returning home to stillness after so much movement.

The silence is deafening.

My passport is worn, my voice is hoarse from speaking so much in five languages, and my heart is full from connections that spanned continents.

But all of this commotion came at a cost: I've been noticeably absent online. And feel guilty about it.

Have you ever been so immersed in your life that the thought of pausing to document it felt like an interruption?

That's where I've been—caught in the beautiful paradox of creating a digital career that enabled real-life adventures too rich to reduce to posts and stories.

Or am I just being selfish?

But First, 💌 You’re Invited 👇

As we inch toward summer adventures, I'm thinking about how language connects us to the soul of a place.

Language skills give you access to those midnight conversations with locals that reveal the heartbeat of a society.

Come dust off your language skills at our FREE Fluent 101 Workshop on May 17th.

You'll get JoClub Fluent's best language learning hacks and start building your private space to express yourself in your target language—no pressure, just presence.

All levels welcome. All verbal languages are welcome. You'll be joining a global community that will turbocharge your motivation!

If you can't make it live, don't worry, we'll send you the recording to rewatch after :).

Feel free to forward this invitation to a friend 💌

The Paradox of Being Present:

In April, my life was a wild blur of movement. Six cities. Five languages. Four suitcases. Three shoots. Two family reunions and Two retreats.

One exhausted but fulfilled Jo.

I’ve been filming a secret project (eeeee, can’t wait to share more in the coming months), and decided to squeeze in family trips (and somehow fit them in between the retreats I had already planned).

As an entrepreneur, I try my best to plan life so it’s not so overwhelming.

But one of the "downsides" of endless possibilities is that often, all of those opportunities come to you at the same damn time.

So I did my best to not lose my cool while wheeling my bags down various airports around the globe.

My work project brought me to São Paulo, Brazil for a short week, and I decided to surprise my 91-year-old grandfather in Rio (adding on another plane ride to an already insane month).

When I walked through the door, his face lit up in a way no camera could ever fully capture.

The warmth of his hug after two years hit me like a dose of home I had forgotten.

I had 48 hours to catch up on lost time. We spent our afternoons chatting on the porch while the Brazilian breeze touched my skin like air designed just for me.

It felt good to be back.

I told him I live in Antwerp and explained in Portuguese that I was now fluent in Dutch.

"Education is your ticket to opportunity, keep on going," he responded.

He asked what I did for work, and I assured him I built a solid career traveling and documenting my learnings.

As a lifelong traveler and student, he grinned proudly.

I confessed that I inherited the builder’s mindset from him; which is worth much more than anything physical they could leave us.

I held back tears confessing my gratitude for his presence in my life.

When an ocean separates you from your 91 year old grandpa, every minute together counts.

He has always been a stoic man, but his age softened him, allowing my compliments to seep in.

I thought about filming it.

But my gut told me not to.

So I savored the moment.

Then I popped over to see my family in Connecticut for a quick weekend after a three day shoot in New York.

My short visit turned into an impromptu singalong, instigated by my sister who travels with a keyboard in her car.

We blended English with Portuguese, singing songs that my niece and nephews belted, despite not speaking our mother tongue.

The Portuguese sounds they gleefully yelled connected them in a line of lives that traveled thousands of miles for better living.

But they still have no idea.

So I took videos to show them one day when they’re older.

I didn't share these memories online.

It felt like posting it without having time to digest it for myself first would deplete it of its value.

So I savored the moment.

Here's what keeps me up at night 👇

The very platforms I sometimes want to escape from create the freedom for these brilliant experiences to happen.

Without sharing my journey online, I wouldn't have built an audience or founded JoClub. I wouldn't have been filming this secret project or running retreats that bring people together from across the globe.

And during said JoClub retreats, I witnessed something transformative (sticking to the theme lol).

People who initially connected through screens formed strong bonds in person that swallowed digital interactions whole.

One retreater admitted, "I feel like I've known these people my whole life," despite having only met them 10 hours earlier.

It's hard to capture bonds happening by the minute.

So I savored the moment.

The Hidden Language of Presence

Sometimes, the most profound connections happen when we pocket our phones and simply exist together.

Presence happens when we comb through each other's stories, finding meaning in the attempt of connection itself.

And no, the irony isn't lost on me that I'm sharing these thoughts about not sharing... in a newsletter that thousands will read.

But maybe that's the point.

There's no escaping the digital/physical dance of modern life.

The lesson I'm sitting with is about committing to the moment, even if it comes at a cost of going off the grid.

When I'm present with family, guiding retreats, or filming something I'm passionate about—the richness comes from being all there, jetlag, discomfort, anxiety and all.

And once I’ve processed the goodness for myself, I can share with you, and relive it all again to find new meaning altogether.

Stay introspective and don't forget to savor the moment.

PS: Here's your journal prompt for your week: When was the last time you were so immersed in an experience that you forgot to document it? How did it feel to be fully present?

We're Growing Our Team!

JoClub is looking for a Membership Coordinator to join our remote team (CET time zone preferred). If you're tech-savvy and passionate about building community, this part-time role might be perfect for you!

​Learn more about the role here​

🚨 Apply here before May 14th! My team will reach out the following week to invite those who qualify for interviews.

Let's create something beautiful together!

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Other goodies to make this week above average:

📚 Currently Reading: Pitch Anything by Oren Klaff – This book has transformed how I think about presenting ideas. Klaff's "frame control" concept has been game-changing for my approach to the secret project I'm filming, and my future pitches! Read it here.​

📸 Favorite Tool: Canon Ivy Mini Printer – For someone who struggles with the digital/physical balance, this tiny printer lets me create physical mementos to share with loved ones in person. It's a huge hit at all the retreats, and a great gift for the summer. Get it here.​

✈️ Language Hack: A super secret travel hosting project that has me brushing up on my Italian with a private tutor on Preply... more details soon, just know, it's absolutely insane!!!! Get 50% off your Preply Tutor here​

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