Aitana Forcén-Vázquez
After spending 12 incredible years in New Zealand, I’ve been back in Spain for the past two years.
The question I get asked most often these days is, “Where do you live now?”
Honestly, I still find myself hesitating to answer. Sometimes, I half-jokingly reply, “I live in my car,” and while that’s not entirely true, almost everything I own does fit in the back of it.
This journey of mine began long before I realized it. I can still remember a moment at a family gathering when my aunt casually asked me, “So, what’s next?” I had just finished high school and was contemplating my next steps, deciding which university to attend.
I looked at her and said, with more conviction than I even felt at the time, “You know my life won’t be like everyone else’s, right?”
I didn’t fully understand what I was envisioning back then, or where those words would lead me.
But in that instant, I challenged every expectation—both my own and the world’s. Without knowing it, I set in motion a lifelong dream. Looking back, it feels like the Universe paused for a moment, leaned in, and whispered, “This is going to be interesting—let’s see what she can do.”
“Not all those who wander are lost;”
There is a Before New Zealand and an After New Zealand in my life.
I guess you could say that everything in my life has always been linked to the ocean. Before I set foot on New Zealand soil, I was searching—playing, exploring, and looking for the things that would ignite my joy and satisfy my endless curiosity. Much of my life was dedicated to sports. I played basketball for over a decade, climbed mountains and walls, and sailed for nearly two decades. My love for the ocean ran deep, and I spent years sharing that passion as a sailing instructor.
At the same time, I balanced two undergraduate studies—Sports Teaching and Oceanography. Sports Teaching deepened my connection with performance, coaching, and teamwork, while Oceanography fuelled my intellectual curiosity, especially about the polar regions. My fascination with Antarctica grew through reading the stories of polar explorers and the science I learned in my studies. It became an obsession, an untamed land that represented both adventure and the unknown, calling me to explore further.
My greatest introduction to the world of high performance came when I had the incredible opportunity to be part of two America’s Cup teams. Luna Rossa Challenge was my gateway into the intense world of elite sailing, and with Oracle, we took performance to the extreme, winning the 2010 edition of the America’s Cup. It was in these moments—where precision, focus, and teamwork reached their highest level—that I truly began to understand what it meant to push beyond limits.
The combination of my experiences in the America’s Cup and my love for Antarctica pushed me to look for more. I knew there was more out there—more to experience, more to push myself towards. The precision, focus, and teamwork I learned at this level were invaluable, but they also left me hungry for something greater.
When I was finishing my Oceanography master’s degree, I was invited to join a research voyage from Cadiz to Cape Verde—four weeks of open ocean and pure Science. I had spent plenty of time at sea while sailing, but this was another level of freedom. During that voyage, my dream crystallised: I had to go to Antarctica.
And that’s when New Zealand entered the story. I believed that pursuing a PhD in Physical Oceanography on “an island just north of Antarctica” would give me the opportunity to finally reach the frozen continent.
New Zealand quickly stole my heart. What began as a three-year PhD adventure turned into a 12-year love story. During my time there, I sailed twice to Antarctica, witnessed the midnight sun over the endless sea ice, and fell in love with long-distance swimming—completing two 10 km marathon swims. Cold water swimming soon became my favorite winter ritual. I sailed thousands of miles across the Southern Ocean, leading two research expeditions into the wildest waters on Earth.
Beyond the research, I built a corporate career, working with a successful SaaS startup, selling specialized meteorological and oceanographic software in South America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. I collaborated with tech innovators, offshore technicians, and even defense military teams.
New Zealand taught me to love the wild wind, the rain, and the extremes of the outdoors. It shaped my resilience, passion, perseverance, and endurance on a deep, core level. Eventually, I became a proud citizen of New Zealand, and even now, I dream of the day I can return.
After 12 years, the time came for me to return to Spain.
Packing up a lifetime of experiences and memories was heart-wrenching, and after weeks of saying difficult goodbyes, I began the long journey home. But what I didn’t expect was that the place I had once called home no longer felt like it. It took time to realize that home isn’t a physical location—it’s where I feel inspired, challenged, and at peace with myself. And sometimes, home isn’t a place at all—it’s a feeling.
Back in Spain, I spent my first year navigating the corporate world while also developing my coaching business. Living alone on the other side of the world for so long had equipped me with the tools to thrive, even in unfamiliar or challenging environments. After years of exploration, discovery, and professional growth, I felt a deep urge to share those lessons more directly. Coaching became a natural extension of my journey—helping others navigate their own challenges, whether in life, performance, or their own inner oceans.
Eventually, I realized that my heart was calling me back to the wilderness. The pull of remote, untamed places was too strong to ignore. I embarked on a new chapter as a polar guide, merging my scientific background with my love for the polar regions. Now, for six months of the year, I share my knowledge and passion aboard a cruise vessel, guiding others through some of the most remote and awe-inspiring landscapes on Earth. The other six months, I dedicate to inspiring people to find their own freedom, building the courage to live a life that defies convention.
My hope is that through my stories, struggles, and passion, I can encourage you to be brave, challenge the rules, and find your own way.
“I like my oceans cold, my coffee strong, and my plans flexible. ”
Let’s stay connected
hello@aitanaforcen.com