In late January, we started a new series of articles on foreigners who, for various reasons, chose to live in our city. Today, we are publishing an interview with Asier Rios Molina.
Born in Madrid, he came to Wroclaw for the first time in November 2007 as a part of the popular Erasmus student exchange programme. "I have to say that at first I was quite shocked", said Asier. "My plan was to stay here for an entire year but once I arrived I decided to reduce it to only the second semester. Now I eagerly tell everyone participating in the programme to make Wroclaw their first choice!", says Asier who, as an Erasmus student in 2008, was one of about a dozen Spaniards who lived in the "Ołówek" dormitory. Now his compatriots occupy a half of all the rooms in the dormitory.
"In Madrid I would take the subway train and here I discovered a new lifestyle, the pleasure to reach various important places by walking", explained Asier who identified the clearly defined centre of the city as the reason for its vitality and attraction. "I feel comfortable when I meet people in the streets; also, it is easier to establish bonds and communities of people sharing the same values and competencies. In my home town I would have big problems organizing projects in English - Wroclaw is so much better than Madrid in this regard!", he added with a smile.
Asier is the Community Lead in the Google's offices at Plac Bema. He was responsible for organizing the first two editions of Startup Weekend Wroclaw and in his work he focuses on supporting business ventures that are based on knowledge and new technologies. "Through joint work we can promote Wroclaw as a strong centre in the sector and reach a broader group of addressees, so as to even further increase the diversity that enables implementing ambitious and courageous projects. My experience with the Poles that I work with is very good: all you need to do to get them involved in a project is to make them enthusiastic and passionate about it."
Foreigners see the achievements of Poles in many fields and for many of them Poland stands for new technologies and sustainable economic growth. The strong presence of foreigners is also an important signal to foreign investors who want to establish their businesses in Poland. "This city can be proud of its very diverse cultural offer and the huge creativity of its residents. The "wow" effect is guaranteed after you come to Wroclaw. This is why the European Capital of Culture 2016 and the World Games 2017 are excellent opportunities for consistent development of marketing focusing on foreign markets", added Asier who also mentioned the second edition of the WrOpenUp social campaign which promotes openness to cultural diversity in Wroclaw. Regardless of whether it was love or professional concerns that made foreigners to come to Wroclaw, one thing is for sure: cooperation between representatives of different nations is truly beneficial to everyone.
Marcello Murgia
