• How would Thibaud describe himself? Tell us a bit more about him.

Thibaud would describe himself as a friendly and outgoing person with too many hobbies and interests to find time for. Thibaud was never the kind of guy who enjoyed structure and dislikes the constraining parameters that society forces onto us. He never loved school and mainstream society pressures to get a good 9 – 5 job, settle down, have kids and a secure retirement plan that you would cautiously save for all your life. Thibaud was always a free spirited guy who loved adventure, freedom and who was passionate about discovering what the world had to offer. Staying in France and getting a 9 – 5 was not an option for him. Despite landing a decent first job in technical sales following his bachelors and despite all his loved ones thinking he was mad, Thibaud’s hunger for something more, started him on his travel journey to Malta at age 21.

• What are Thibaud’s hobbies and passions besides travelling?

Thibaud loves the sea, he is super passionate about diving and loves exploring and discovering the underwater world through freediving mostly. He follows multiple sea related instagramers and loves to learn about anything sea related. You can understand why the Island of Malta was a good option for him! He is also very passionate about Rugby, a sport he has played for more than 14 years and continues to play in Malta. He also enjoys practicing and playing the Ukulele. Another thing he is very passionate about is sustainability and ecology. He is one of those people who follows a non-eco conscious person around the house telling them off about their lack of care for the environment (Emma has come a long way since then). He reads and follows interesting sources on anything sustainability and always dreamed of one day having a business related to sustainability.

• What does Thibaud want to achieve in life?

Thibaud’s main aim is to be able to one day work less and live more. He would like to get to a place where he has an income that just about sustains him and his family to live and gives him the freedom to focus on his other passions and hobbies. Who doesn’t right?! It’s important to him that the work that he does do will need to be something he is truly passionate about (he finds it tiring working jobs that don’t somehow tie in to his passions) and work that will allow him to travel the world. He is working on a plan to try to achieve just that but in the meantime will need to do the 9- 5 job thing (It’s okay, he manages to squeeze in his hobbies in the meantime). Thibaud always dreamt of one day starting an ecovillage, a community of ecofriendly self-sustaining households. This will ideally be cut off from mainstream society.

• How would Emma describe Thibaud?

She would describe him as a social butterfly with a funny and inspiring personality. Thibaud is 8 years younger, but has thought her more about life and about herself than anyone else she has ever met. He has inspired Emma to look at life from a different lens, to push herself out of her comfort zone, to follow her dreams and to never give up – his positivity is inspiring to be around. Emma will not be the only one to say this. Thibaud’s friends and family will definitely concur and can share ways in which he inspired them too. Emma thinks Thibaud is a go getter. She would have never had the guts to move to another country without speaking one full sentence in the local language. That he was able to learn a language through purposely avoiding French speakers and throwing himself in the deep end, through working and thus picking up the local language, is truly inspiring to her, something she would have never had the guts to do. Leaving your country without a plan and just seeing what happens and where life takes you is gutsy and not something most people would have the courage to do.

Checkout ‘Getting to know Emma’ and see the expression of “opposites attract” come to life.