The unavoidable globalization of our society is currently also echoed in research. In this talk, I will provide my perspective of working in four countries (three continents) while performing research in both academia and national laboratories and collaborating with industries. I will present suggestions on how to (i) quickly adjust to different working cultures, (ii) navigate language barriers to effectively communicate, and (iii) foster knowledge when exchanging ideas while pondering the ascending interdependence of countries. Junior investigators in photonics are living in exciting times to advance innovation and can excel upon adjusting themselves to the current, global landscape in research.