How I Got Here: Petra Canan Trudell

I’ll never forget the moment I found out we were moving to Japan because I nearly burned dinner. While my husband and I had been looking to move out of the United States and out of our native Michigan, Asia wasn’t on our radar. It just seemed too far, too hard, too removed from everything we were used to.

But now, almost three years later, I can’t imagine having chosen another path. We made the move to a place where every daily task can come with its own unique challenge, and we’ve become better people for it.

For me, the hardest part was leaving behind a career that had taken so long to get going. Many people I encountered expected me to do little more than go shopping and socialize as a steadfast, silent cheerleader for my husband. Taking the first steps to put myself out there was a challenge that left me wrecked by anxiety some days, but it was through the amazing women I’ve met in Japan that I found my place here and pulled myself away from the draw of comfortable stagnation. They kept their ears open for job opportunities, passed along names and email addresses and set me up on blind friend dates. They checked on me when I was sick and invited me to spend holidays with them.

Joining FEW was a first for me as well, but I was welcomed with open arms. The genuine interest in helping one another succeed flies in the face of awful stereotypes associated with women. We’re not here to compete with each other but to propel each other forward. And that’s a beautiful thing.

I’ve accomplished more professionally and personally in these three years than I ever thought possible. Each little milestone has served as a reminder of the strength, determination and grace inherent in all women . . . we just have to tap into it.