You mean, Raspberry Pi isn't a Dessert?

I don't think there is a single person on this earth that would classify me as a "technical" person. I am famous for not knowing how to reboot my laptop, or how to switch the TV setting from Output 1 to Output 2 to watch a DVD. So it is not surprising that news of my internship with a networking company for technology professionals came as a shock to my friends and family. Hell, it came as a shock to me. During my interview, I kept repeating "Are you sure I'm qualified for this? I do events, I'm not a tech person." Nonetheless, I was hired for the position. Last September, I packed both of my 50 pound suitcases that I was allotted for my international flight from Tampa, Florida to London. I found a new apartment, I made a new life for my self, etc.  During my 6 month internship I learned many things.

1.  Do not trust landlords in the city.

1.  API does not stand for the American Petroleum Institute.

1. Ruby on rails has nothing to do with jewels or trains.

1. Raspberry Pi is not edible.

1. Crowd funding has nothing to do with getting paid to crowd surf.

1.  If you hire a fake snow machine for the office holiday party, do not drop it from the ceiling, it will break, and there will be a large fine.

1.  It doesn't matter what industry you are now working in, if you have ever worked for Disney, this is the only information about you that people you meet will care about.

1.  At any tech event, you will most likely be the only female.

1.  At all tech events, ironically there will be some kind of technical issue with the projector, sound, or any other type of A/V equipment.

1.  "Startup" is a term you will hear all day, everyday.

1. Catering in the startup industry= chips and beer

1. Decor in the startup/tech industry= a paper with the name of the event and the venue's wifi info taped to a wall.

1.  Bootstrapping is another term that will become part of your everyday vocabulary.

1. The last train, really means the last train. They do not come back to recover you. You will be stuck at your location until 6am the next day.

1.  Deals are done at the pub, not in the boardroom.

1. You must fake it 'til you make it, if you can't dazzle them with grandeur, then baffle them with bullshit.

1.  In order to fit in, you must know about footy, know your lagers and your whiskey, and learn the buzzwords( startup, hack, HTML, CSS, API, VC, etc.)

1.  If it doesn't have an acronym, chances are it is off little importance.

After learning these invaluable lessons, and as the end of my internship in London drew to a close,  I prepared to return back to the states. Although I really wanted to stay on this side of the pond for a while longer, finding work as a foreigner is not an easy task. I spent hours on job sites, stalked employers on Linkedin,  and reached out to every single soul I knew that I thought might have a connection. It seems that just as I had come to terms with my failure to find work in the UK, the sun came out and shone a ray of light that became the silver lining to my grey cloud(which there is no lack of in London!) An amazing friend of mine came across a job posting for a vacancy. He thought that I fit the description, and sent me the link, and I applied. Then...HALLELUJAH! I was hired!

I am beyond thrilled to be able to officially announce that I am the new Project Coordinator for Young Rewired State! YRS is  network of software developers and designers aged 18 and under. It is the philanthropic arm of  Rewired State and its primary focus is to find and foster the young children and teenagers who are driven to teaching themselves how to code, how to program the world around them. The aim is to create a worldwide, independent, mentored network of young programmers supported and supporting through peer-to-peer learning. Ultimately solving real-world challenges.

In short, I will be working for the organization and planning events that will help youngsters develop their coding skills, as well as meet a group of kids with similar interests, leading to amazing lifelong friendships and unimaginable innovation. At Young Rewired State, we are coding a better future.

I couldn't be more excited to embark on this new career path!