In May, Milèna Audino, Associate Trade Advisor, traded prairies for skyscrapers as she spent the month living and working in New York City.
While there, Milèna worked remotely from the World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) offices in Lower Manhattan. Between new routines, long commutes, reconnecting with friends, and building new relationships, her time in NYC offered a firsthand look at how global connections shape both personal and professional opportunities.
Now back in Winnipeg, Milèna reflects on her experience and what she learned from being immersed in “The City That Never Sleeps.”
What brought you to New York City?
Adventure and change, honestly.
An opportunity to stay in New York came up and I immediately said yes. WTC Winnipeg was really supportive and allowed me to work remotely, which made this whole experience possible.
I think I just crave change sometimes, and I’d also never been to New York before!
What surprised you most?
How big everything is.
I knew New York had five boroughs, but I didn’t realize each one feels like its own city. Everything is just so much farther than I expected. A “close” commute here can easily be 45 minutes, and that kind of long commute is very normalized.
The other thing that surprised me was how friendly everyone is. New York has this reputation for being fast and intense, but I found people incredibly welcoming.
There’s also a strong sense of community, especially when it comes to their sports teams. I was in the subway the night the Knicks made it to the finals, and everyone was chanting. You could really feel the energy.
You spent part of the month working from the WTCA office in NYC. What was that experience like?
Everyone at WTCA was very welcoming, and I had the chance to meet the team and join them for lunch when I first got here.
One thing I realized as I spent more time there is that every World Trade Center operates differently depending on the team, structure, and type of work being done. Going into it, I think I expected things to be a bit more similar, but it really showed me how different organizations can be. Even though we're all part of the same global network, every office has its own dynamic and way of operating.
How does the WTCA network help Manitoba businesses?
The biggest thing is access.
If a Manitoba company wants to enter a new market, find distributors, explore suppliers, or connect internationally, the network creates introductions that would otherwise take a long time to build.
Recently, I worked with a fashion company from Paris that wanted to explore opportunities in Canada. Winnipeg wasn’t necessarily the best fit, so I connected them with WTC Vancouver.
What’s really cool is that they kept in touch with me afterward, so I got to see what happened next and how that initial introduction helped move things forward.
Without those introductions, businesses might send hundreds of emails and hope someone replies.
The WTCA network makes those introductions more credible and opens doors faster.
Why are international relationships so important right now?
Things change all the time. Tariffs change, borders change, markets change.
Having relationships internationally helps businesses stay informed and manage risk. It helps with things like navigating borders, understanding regulations, preventing issues before they happen, and just having support when things shift.
I think a lot of it comes down to risk management and economic security.
Did this experience change how you think about global collaboration?
Definitely. I kept thinking about how cool it would be if the WTCA created more exchange opportunities between offices.
We have WTCs in major cities around the world, and I think there’s a lot we could learn from each other. A month felt like the right amount of time because after the first couple of weeks, you really start understanding the environment.
You learn how another office works, understand a different market, and bring that experience back.
I think there’s a lot of potential there.
Outside of work, what was your favourite NYC memory?
Oh my, there are so many.
I won the Broadway lottery and saw Aladdin, so that was pretty cool. I also spent time with close friends from university who now live in New York, and I even made new friends along the way.
But honestly, one of the biggest takeaways was realizing how global friendships become.
You meet people somewhere, everyone moves around, and all of a sudden, you have connections in different places all around the world.
I think that’s really special.
Milèna's month in The Big Apple was more than just a remote work experience. It was a chance to explore a new environment, learn from a different market, and see firsthand how valuable a global network can be.
Through the WTCA network, Manitoba businesses have access to those same connections.
Interested in learning more? Book an appointment with a trade advisor today.
