{"id":11871,"date":"2025-12-16T12:44:23","date_gmt":"2025-12-16T11:44:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/workingremotely.nl\/how-emigrating-to-and-from-togo-completely-changed-my-life-and-work\/"},"modified":"2025-12-16T13:08:36","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T12:08:36","slug":"how-emigrating-to-and-from-togo-completely-changed-my-life-and-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/workingremotely.nl\/en\/how-emigrating-to-and-from-togo-completely-changed-my-life-and-work\/","title":{"rendered":"How emigrating to and from Togo completely changed my life and work"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’m Mignon, mother of Emma (8) and Semme (5), partner of Chris and entrepreneur, although I didn’t know that about myself before we moved abroad. My husband Chris was born in Togo, I in the Netherlands. Two different continents, two roots, two frames of reference. Our lives played out somewhere in the middle. Until we decided to literally shift that middle. <\/span><\/p>\n

Two origins, one family and one giant leap toward the unknown<\/b><\/h2>\n

In 2022, we moved to Togo with the idea of staying for one year. A sabbatical, we thought. A year to give our children their second origin, to get to know Chris’ roots better, and to get away from the Dutch rhythm for a while. But that year turned into three years. And those three years changed everything: who I am, how I work and how I look at the world. <\/span><\/p>\n

Why we ventured to Africa<\/b><\/h2>\n

When I met Chris during our studies, I hardly knew where Togo was. I was someone who never went to live in rooms because I found it too exciting. But parenthood changes a lot. And when Emma started asking questions about her origins and skin color, I felt very strongly, “We need to get to know your second home as a family.” <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Mignon's \"Mignon<\/p>\n

Three years of Togo: where our entrepreneurial journey began<\/b><\/h2>\n

I was trained as a skin therapist and enjoyed doing this work for over 14 years. When our trip lasted longer than a year, I lost my job in the Netherlands. I was able to continue my work online for a while, but eventually I had to let go of that position permanently. Then I was hired as a freelancer by the professional association for skin therapists (NVH) for various projects. <\/span><\/p>\n

Where one door closes, a new one opens – that’s how it felt to me.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

We left with no entrepreneurial plans. But Togo gave us exactly what we never had in the Netherlands: space and time for creative rest. And from that came the following: <\/span><\/p>\n