After years of hesitation, procrastination and unsubstantiated perfectionism, I've been told to cast the net and start my website/blog in its imperfect state.
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Unapologetically ambitious
in Life, Entrepreneurship
As the founder, I was asked to give an opening speech. The theme of the event was "Unapologetically Ambitious", but the word ambitious felt alien to me. What is ambition? What is success?
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The back of my Dell XPS 15 when I had to open it up to dry it after a water spill.
From hardware to software
I think I seem crazy at times. I already dedicated 8 years of my life to studying, don’t necessarily think I’m better off for it, and yet I still felt the need to apply to a software engineering course. Here’s why:
Read MoreComing out as a survivor
in Life
I never thought coming out as a survivor, on a website that nobody reads, would be so hard. Yet, I find myself struggling describe myself as a survivor. A survivor of what? What do I tell people?
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The view from Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara
It's good to be back
It’s been a year since I’ve written and a lot has changed. I dropped out of Entrepreneur First, lived with my parents in Barcelona for a year and just moved to Lisbon.
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Today is a gift
in Life
I’ve been back in the Netherlands for about four months, during which I have been working 20 hours per week for Prime Coalition and spending the other 20 hours figuring out what’s next.
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Vliegschaamte (Flight Shame)
in Life
While enthusiastically telling my aunt and uncle about my experience in San Francisco and future plans, my youngest cousin asked, “How do you feel about flying all over the world, if you’re such an advocate for sustainability?”
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Leaving San Francisco
Leaving San Francisco feels unreal, as though I’m not actually leaving and that this move is only temporary. In less than six months San Francisco has come to feel like home, maybe even more than the Netherlands and I’ve been pondering why.
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Go big or go home
in Life, San Francisco
After 4 months in San Francisco, I'm finally beginning to understand the magic of Silicon Valley. It's the American "Just do it" mentality, it's either go big or go home.
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Hidden doors
My expectations for San Francisco included meeting lots of passionate and ambitious people, with big dreams to change the world in a meaningful way. I started wondering “Where are all the people with world-changing ideas?”
Read MoreThe halfway mark
Besides, me trying to figure out what I want to do in life, it's been an uneventful month. For the first time in my life, I have the time and mental space to think about what I want to do in life.
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The opportunity cost
in Life, San Francisco
Lately, I haven’t been as set on staying in San Francisco as I originally was. Having spent at least half of my mental energy trying to figure out my next step, I came to the conclusion that I only want to stay for the right reasons.
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How I felt when I graduated
in Life
Throughout high school and university, I always knew what was next. Then finally, after years of anticipation I graduated. The prospect of graduating, getting a job, having some form of (hopefully) decent pay and finally being able to afford rent, food and go to festivals instead of working there sounded good.
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Starting the job search
It’s been a crazy rollercoaster ride the last few weeks, where the euphoric feeling that I had when I arrived is slowly dissipating. I decided to look for jobs in San Francisco, little did I know things would go so differently here than they did for me in the Netherlands.
Read MoreSecond month in San Francisco
As you might have noticed, I’ve dialled down on writing about my adventures. Not sure if it’s because I’m doing less or because everything isn’t as new anymore. Either way, the last months have also given me some time to think about whether or not I want to stay in SF and how that works visa-wise.
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Things I wish I thought about before starting a new job
in Life
Starting a new job with limited experience, especially right after your studies, feels a bit like walking into the wilderness. How do we find a job we enjoy and can use our skills? Here are some of the things I wish I’d thought about earlier.
Read MoreLet's talk about education - why masters?
in Life
It seems a bit as though we take getting a degree in the Netherlands for granted sometimes, but being in the US has really made me think twice. Why do recruiters in the Netherlands seem to value a master’s more than other places?
Read MoreA month in SF
Moving to another country is exhausting and even though I’m slowly getting settled and really building a social life, I’m really starting to notice the toll moving is taking on me.
Read MoreThat homey feeling
So far, San Francisco has been incredible. I finally got a bicycle and cycled through the city. People are amazing, it feels a bit like home (Shanghai) and there are some cultural differences between SF and NL.
Read MoreUpdate on the last two weeks
It’s been great the last two weeks with so many things to do and explore in the city, meeting lots of great new people.
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