Santiago Castro has traveled to 17 countries across North America, Central America, the Caribbean, South America, Europe, and Africa. Some of the most impactful lessons he has learned include understanding other cultures by getting involved in their daily lives, how education can transform opportunities, and appreciating nature and diversity. Travel has been essential to his personal and professional development by exposing him to new perspectives and allowing him to understand different people and places through their history, politics, religion, and more.

1. CURACAO
TRAVELING: ESSENTIAL FACTOR IN MY
BELGIUM
PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL
COLOMBIA
DEVELOPMENT, AND THUS DEFINING WHO
I AM
GERMANY
Santiago Castro
CURACAO
December 2013
BELGIUM
COLOMBIA
GERMANY

2. TRAVELING: ONE OF THE ACTIVITIES I ENJOY THE MOST IN MY LIFE
Personal
Definition of
Travel
My Travels
North America
Central
America and
The Caribbean
South America
Europe
Africa
One of the activities I enjoy the most in my life is traveling. It has been an essential factor in my personal and
professional development, and thus defining who I am
Despite of how dictionaries define “travel” or “traveling”, I have developed my own definition according to my
experiences:
“Travel” definition by Merriam-Webster
travel
verb tra-vəl
• to go on a trip or journey : to go to a place and
especially one that is far away
• to go through or over (a place) during a trip or journey
• to move from one place to another
“Travel” definition by Santiago Castro
• Traveling is more than moving from one place to
another or to have a quick view of landscapes and
architecture in new places
• It is the experience of getting temporarily involved in a
new culture through people, food, architecture, politics,
religion, sports, art, and history, among others
• It is the opportunity to understand, partially or
completely, the people, the place, and its history
• It is also a first-hand experience with cultures from
which one is able to learn and replicate positive
attributes to one’s daily life

3. TRAVELING EXPERIENCES
Personal
Definition of
Travel
My Travels
North America
Central
America and
The Caribbean
South America
Europe
Africa
I have had the opportunity to travel to 17 countries and to have first-hand experiences with people
from a wide range of countries and regions of the world
However, there is still a whole world waiting to be discovered…
My travels:
North America
Europe
• United States
• Mexico
• Spain
Central America
• England
• El Salvador
• Guatemala
• Panamá
• Scotland
The Caribbean
• Austria
• Curaçao
• Czech Republic
• France
• Belgium
• Germany
• Hungary
South America
• Colombia
• Argentina
Africa
• South Africa

4. NORTH AMERICA (1/2) – MEXICO AND UNITED STATES
Personal
Definition of
Travel
My Travels
Mexico
2005
Mexico’s Takeaway:
If people centuries ago with a lack of
technology were able to build the
pyramids, what is the world’s potential?
North America
Central
America and
The Caribbean
South America
United States
2007
USA’s Takeaway:
Education and research lead the country
Europe
Africa
United States
2011
USA’s Takeaway:
Why not come back and live a
different experience in the same
place?

5. NORTH AMERICA (2/2) – MEXICO AND UNITED STATES
Personal
Definition of
Travel
My Travels
United States
2011
USA’s Takeaway:
History, food, and travel…
everything in one city!
North America
Central
America and
The Caribbean
South America
Mexico
2013
Europe
Africa
United States
New York - 2013
Mexico’s Takeaway:
Teotihuacán: Impressive urban
planning
USA’s Takeaway:
“The best revenge is massive
success” Frank Sinatra

6. CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN – CURAÇAO, GUATEMALA, PANAMA, AND
EL SALVADOR
Personal
Definition of
Travel
My Travels
Curaçao
2010
North America
Central
America and
The Caribbean
South America
Europe
Guatemala
2010
Curaçao’s Takeaway:
A calculated risk is totally worth
living
Guatemala’s Takeaway:
Violence can literally hamper
the economic development
and foreign investment in a
country, regardless its potential
Curaçao’s Takeaway:
How can misery coexist in
paradise
Guatemala, Panama, and El Salvador
2010, 2012, and 2013
Central America’s Takeaway:
Increasing purchasing power and
fragmented markets, the ideal scenario
for private equity
Africa

7. SOUTH AMERICA – COLOMBIA AND ARGENTINA
Personal
Definition of
Travel
My Travels
Argentina
2008
Argentina’s Takeaway:
Passion for soccer can actually drive a
country
North America
Central
America and
The Caribbean
South America
Europe
Africa
Colombia
1986 - 2013
Colombia’s Takeaway:
Diversity throughout the country shapes
different perspectives of life
Colombia’s Takeaway:
Opportunities that with education
provided by IE can transform into
awesome projects

8. EUROPE (1/2) – SPAIN, SCOTLAND, AND ENGLAND
Personal
Definition of
Travel
My Travels
Spain
2003 and 2008
Central
America and
The Caribbean
North America
South America
Scotland
2007
Europe
Africa
England
2007
England’s Takeaway:
Two months living a diverse
multicultural experience and an
opportunity to improve my English
Spain’s Takeaway:
One thing crossed out from my
bucket list and …
…an added value that IE offers
Spain’s Takeaway:
“If I have seen a little further it is
by standing on the shoulders of
Giants” Isaac Newton
Scotland’s Takeaway:
Lets get in-depth knowledge
about a industry in which I am
completely ignorant… cheers!

9. EUROPE (2/2) – GERMANY, AUSTRIA, CZECH REPUBLIC, HUNGARY, AND FRANCE
Personal
Definition of
Travel
My Travels
Germany
2008
Germany’s Takeaway:
Wounds might heal, but scars
can last for a lifetime
North America
Central
America and
The Caribbean
South America
Austria, Czech Republic, and Hungary
2008
Takeaway:
Keeping an open
mind will allow you to
explore beyond
conventional ideas
and find beautiful
things
Europe
Africa
France
2003 and 2010
France’sTakeaway:
I never thought
museums could be
so enthralling

10. AFRICA (1/2) – SOUTH AFRICA
Personal
Definition of
Travel
My Travels
South Africa
Johannesburg - 2010
South Africa’s Takeaway:
“If you want to make peace with your
enemy, you have to work with your
enemy. Then he becomes your partner”
Nelson Mandela
North America
Central
America and
The Caribbean
South America
South Africa
Cape Town - 2010
South Africa’s Takeaway:
Four Nobel Peace Prize Winners,
something that must be learned and that
we do need in Colombia
Europe
Africa
South Africa
Robben Island - 2010
South Africa’s Takeaway:
Mandela was 27 years in this jail: a
lesson of selflessness

11. AFRICA (2/2) – SOUTH AFRICA
Personal
Definition of
Travel
My Travels
South Africa
Cape of Good Hope - 2010
South Africa’s Takeaway:
Seized the opportunity to taste new
flavors…
Subtle differences have broad
implications at different levels
North America
Central
America and
The Caribbean
South America
South Africa
Pilanesberg National Park - 2010
South Africa’s Takeaway:
Although it is a developing country,
there is a deep respect for nature. An
example to follow
Europe
Africa
South Africa
Soccer World Cup - 2010
South Africa’s Takeaway:
Another tick mark in my bucket list:
FIFA World Cup Final 2010
Spain 1 – 0 Netherlands