I'll never forget that day in 2017. I was a small-town kid, fresh out of my comfort zone and wide-eyed in Munich, Germany. TUM was the goal — one of the best computer science master's programs around. I ditched the US with its crazy tuition fees and landed here, ready for the adventure of a lifetime.
Hackathons, Coding All-Nighters, and…Wait, I Won?!
Okay, the transition wasn't always easy. German was a whole new language (the coding kind was easier!). Introvert that I am, my student dorm was actually a relief at first. But that extra alone time sparked something in me. I got obsessed with hackathons. My first one at Celonis? Two sleepless days of coding, networking, and mind-blowing tech. Then – BAM! – I won first place! A cool gadget, sure, but bigger than that... a new world of possibilities opened up.
Hackathon after hackathon followed. Microsoft, Google, Oxford, BMW... the wins kept coming (over 100 so far!). They pushed me to learn, to connect. Suddenly, a "student job" at Edag turned into a crazy opportunity – BMW, Microsoft, and cutting-edge AI projects for a 20-hours-a-week gig that basically took over my life.
From Munich to Tokyo and Beyond
Semester one, and my company sends me to Tokyo! Talk about culture shock. Germany vs. Japan, the wild contrasts just made this whole overseas journey even more epic. Leading a team of 30 developers followed, and let's just say the "study just for exams" method at TUM definitely served me well. I thrived in this whirlwind, growing like I never could have back home.
Master's on Hold, Startup on FIRE
Cooking? Cleaning? Finances? Forget the helpers from home – I learned to manage it ALL. From dependent to independent, my German years were about self-discovery on overdrive. Eventually, the startup itch got too strong. My master's is a mere 8 credits away, but building my own company? That fire takes every ounce of energy.
Seven years have flown by. That kid who barely left his hometown is unrecognizable. Germany – the tech, the culture, the opportunities – changed everything. I might be a different person, but that feeling of leaping into the unknown? That's what I want to share.
Thanks for reading it, and I can fully recommend getting outside of comfort zone and trying out new things to grow yourself! 🚀