Check out Pauline’s website: http://paulinemenage.com
I am from France.
What do you do?
I am a software engineer, a freelancer who creates websites for clients, and a trainer who mentors and teaches students on-site or remotely in software. I help these students learn the technique of coding or how to create websites; usually, these students are enrolled in a 6-month course.
What are you currently working on that you’re most excited about?
This week, October 9, I am working on a 4-day boot camp for students in Asia, specifically India, the Philippines, and Singapore; I’m excited to work outside of France. I am also currently creating a website for townhall, or city hall, in France by creating a directory to assist the elderly to locate a nurse that is closest to them.
I did not choose Prague for a particular reason, I just wanted to move away from France. I had heard Prague was an amazing place, so I decided to have a trial period of 3 months and decided to stay.
I chose a coworking space to meet new people because I was alone in a new city. I wanted to make friends and it’s also a better work environment than sitting in my room because I feel more productive while watching other’s work rather than being tempted to watch a tv show instead.
When I was looking online for a coworking space, reviews said that Locus was the best for a small cozy workspace. I decided to get a membership at Locus on the first day because other people invited me to lunch with them and I decided Locus was the place for me.
Actually, I was still working on-site before I joined Locus so I did not have many challenges. Locus is my first remote location and it’s great.
Making friends has been working out, it’s a big benefit, for me, when working at a coworking space. Another benefit is being able to network with other members at Locus. For example, I had some problems with a project and a fellow Locus member helped me, they were able to freelance with me for this project. It was a challenge for me because I don’t want to bother people, so when I needed help and had to ask, it was amazing being able to ask for help and get it. It helped me get over the freelancer stereotype of being completely independent and have the ability to ask for help when I need it,
The city is beautiful, it is nice to be able to take a break and walk around the city. For me, that is super important when looking for a spot to work. I also like that there are so many technical events about coding through Meetup. I was able to see interesting conferences and network with like-minded professionals, in this sense, the community is very active.
I will be going to Cape Town for 8 weeks. The company I will be joining is called Hacker Paradise. Hacker Paradise organizes trips for remote workers. The trips usually last anywhere between 4 to 8 weeks and can be in any city in the world. The goal of Hacker Paradise is to prepare everything, so they put together accommodation and reserve a coworking space, a sim card and build a community. By being part of this experience, I can work on personal projects but also build a community through events and side trips. On this specific trip, one of the side trips that we will be doing as a community is a safari, which will be fun. The main concept of this organization is for freelancers and the like to be able to work and travel at the same time while not feeling alone, by having a group of people to join you.
