Goodbye, 2017
This post is just to remember some moments that happened throughout this year for me, it’s a very simple summary.
I started 2017 trying to get a new job, this time outside of Brazil. At that time I was working remotely for a company in São Paulo, building a cool app with React Native. It was a really nice experience and I miss those days. But, you know, new year, new things… and I always wanted to live the experience of working and living abroad.
I’ve tried a lot in the past, but, this time finally I got it, after weeks of testing and interviews, I received an offer to work as a Front-End Developer at HelloFresh, in Berlin!
ReactLondon - London - England
So moving on, to the end of March, I had everything booked for a short one week trip to London, where I would help at ReactLondon conference, as a volunteer, and, of course, explore the city a little bit… but I still had to schedule an appointment to get my German work visa, fortunately, everything works well, and I managed to schedule everything for after my trip to London.
Ah, London, what can I say? Beautiful city, an amazing experience was that one week there. I miss London so much, hopefully I’ll be back there with more time next year.
![The St. James Park - London](/assets/images/01-st-james-park-london-820w.jpeg)
Walking through the city... I mean, the park
![React London logo on the wall - London](/assets/images/02-react-london-wall-london-820w.jpeg)
Such a beautiful piece of wood :)
![Bridge and Big Ben - London](/assets/images/03-bridge-big-ben-london-820w.jpeg)
Tributes to the victims of the terrorist attack of 2017
![Parliament Square - London](/assets/images/04-parliament-square-london-820w.jpeg)
London classic
![The View from The Shard - London](/assets/images/05-the-view-from-the-shard-london-820w.jpeg)
Amazing view!
![Hyde Park - London](/assets/images/06-hyde-park-london-820w.jpeg)
One of the most beautiful parks I've ever been
After London…
Back to the German visa thing, in the earlier April, I went to another state, Rio Grande do Sul to get my visa done. After one week, I’ve received my visa and then, I was ready to go. To Berlin. To work for HelloFresh. Away from my family and friends. Well, that sounds a little sad and maybe scary, and you know what, it was.
Moving to Berlin was the most intense thing that happened this year for me. I won’t describe all the details here, but since the day I received the offer, it was an intense rush to get the visa, schedule the flight and all the bureaucracy things involved. I was very fortunate to have HelloFresh backing me up providing all the support I would need to moving abroad.
So, on April 26th, I left Brazil. CWB > GIG > LIS > TXL.
I spent 12 hours and Lisbon, well usually that’s not a big deal, you can do a lot of cool things in a new city with 12 hours, but…, I couldn’t sleep in the airplane. I was like a zombie walking in the Lisbon airport.
![Just a charming building in Portugal - Lisbon](/assets/images/07-lisbon-820w.jpeg)
Sunny Lisbon
After my 12 zombie hours in Lisbon, plus 2.5 to 3 hours to flying to Berlin from Lisbon, I finally arrived and went straight to the hotel. I don’t need to say that I slept like a child, do I?
Overall, Berlin exceeded my expectations, the city is so vibrant, a mix of different cultures that compose to a city which dynamics are so unique.
![TV Tower, people, bus and buildings - Berlin](/assets/images/08-something-old-something-new-berlin-820w.jpeg)
Something old and something not that new
![Brandenburger Tor - Berlin](/assets/images/09-gates-berlin-820w.jpeg)
The Brandenburg Gate
![TV Tower - Berlin](/assets/images/10-tv-tower-berlin-820w.jpeg)
Sunny day in Berlin
![Potsdamer Platz - Berlin](/assets/images/11-potsdamer-platz-berlin-820w.jpeg)
Yet another sunny day...
![Bike and trees in Berlin](/assets/images/12-bike-berlin-820w.jpeg)
The view from a restaurant in Berlin
React Native EU - Wrocław - Poland
Last year, after ReactEurope, the good folks from Callstack announced a conference focused on React Native, the React Native EU.
Living in Europe, I thought, why not go as a volunteer again? And so I did, once they released conference dates, I applied as a volunteer and on September 5th, I flew to Wrocław for yet another awesome conference.
![React Native Europe stage - Wroclaw](/assets/images/13-rn-panel-wroclaw-820w.jpeg)
Amazing panel!
![Sky Tower - Wroclaw](/assets/images/14-sky-tower-wroclaw-820w.jpeg)
Tallest building in Poland
![Lots of books - Wroclaw](/assets/images/15-books-wroclaw-820w.jpeg)
Really neat!
Scream for me, Edinburgh - Scotland!
Bruce Dickinson was launching a book; “What does this button do?”, and with that, he was doing a series of presentation in the UK about his book and other things. I’ve never been to Scotland before, so why not? I took some vacations day and went there. I loved that city!
![A famous monument in Edinburgh](/assets/images/16-monument-edinburgh-820w.jpeg)
Beautiful architecture!
![Bruce Dickinson's book - Edinburgh](/assets/images/17-what-does-this-button-do-820w.jpeg)
What does this button do? Awesome book!
![Hory Rood view - Edinburgh](/assets/images/18-hory-rood-view-edinburgh-820w.jpeg)
No words for this view!
![Hory Rood lake - Edinburgh](/assets/images/19-hory-rood-lake-edinburgh-820w.jpeg)
A sunny day in Edinburgh
![Hory Rood entrance - Edinburgh](/assets/images/20-hory-rood-path-edinburgh-820w.jpeg)
Which path would you take?
Wrapping up
And here I’m, back in Brazil for vacations, after 9 months in Berlin, living and working there. Well, this was a very special year for me, and I’m very thankful for all the support of my family and friends in this journey!