17/05/2024
"I was born in Curacao, and when I was three, tough times landed me in foster care in Holland. Imagine being in a new country without speaking the language – it was tough. One of my earliest victories was at six, overcoming my fear of the dark. That moment taught me to be strong and self-reliant.
My life changed at 14 when I got my first computer. At first, I was just curious about the internet, but that curiosity led me to discover software, starting with FL Studio, which made me fall in love with music production. I also got into breakdancing and basketball, but tech was my calling.
High school brought a big change – a friend showed me a Flash website, sparking my interest in web development. I studied media technology at Hogeschool Rotterdam, and though I struggled with programming at first, I had a breakthrough in my second year and started to excel, mastering languages and frameworks that once seemed hard.
My first internship was at a small company in Rotterdam, working with WordPress. This experience pushed me to find more exciting opportunities, leading to an internship at Superhero Cheesecake. There, I worked on campaigns for KitKat, Audi, and Adidas, gaining invaluable experience.
In my third year, I ventured into game development, creating my first game, Lucidity. Encouraged by my professor, I kept innovating, leading to the creation of Pool Party Panic, a game that went viral and even got nominated for the Dutch Game Awards.
After graduation, I joined Enrise, a company known for its self-managing teams. Despite challenges, I built a solid portfolio, showcasing projects like a React-based music player and an HTML game called M-Strike. Seeking new opportunities, I moved to The Flexus, where I learned advanced concepts like unit testing and hybrid app development.
Now, I'm with HeadFWD, as a consultant for KPN. My journey from Curacao to becoming a software developer in Amsterdam has been a pursuit of growth. Each step taught me something valuable, shaping me into the professional I am today."
