Bora Balos

II earnedearned mymy Master’sMaster’s degreedegree inin ComputerComputer ScienceScience atat ISEPISEP Paris,Paris, wherewhere II spentspent yearsyears honinghoning mymy technicaltechnical skillsskills andand divingdiving deepdeep intointo softwaresoftware engineeringengineering andand design.design. ButBut oneone ofof thethe mostmost definingdefining chapterschapters ofof mymy journeyjourney happenedhappened farfar fromfrom Paris—onParis—on thethe otherother sideside ofof thethe world,world, inin Sydney.Sydney.SpendingSpending aa semestersemester inin SydneySydney waswas oneone ofof thethe mostmost incredibleincredible experiencesexperiences ofof mymy life.life. II hadhad thethe chancechance toto learnlearn fromfrom insanelyinsanely talentedtalented designersdesigners andand engineersengineers fromfrom companiescompanies likelike Canva,Canva, Bloomberg,Bloomberg, andand Spotify—peopleSpotify—people whowho trulytruly openedopened mymy eyeseyes toto newnew waysways ofof thinkingthinking aboutabout designdesign andand technology.technology. ButBut beyondbeyond thethe academics,academics, whatwhat reallyreally stuckstuck withwith meme waswas thethe citycity itself.itself.SydneySydney isis just…just… different.different. TheThe energy,energy, thethe people,people, thethe diversity—itdiversity—it allall mademade meme feelfeel atat homehome inin aa wayway II didn’tdidn’t expect.expect. II fellfell inin lovelove withwith thethe culture,culture, thethe spontaneityspontaneity ofof everydayeveryday life,life, thethe endlessendless foodfood spotsspots wherewhere youyou couldcould tastetaste thethe wholewhole worldworld inin oneone city,city, andand ofof course,course, thosethose golden-hourgolden-hour walkswalks byby thethe beaches.beaches. ItIt waswas thethe kindkind ofof placeplace wherewhere everyevery dayday feltfelt likelike anan adventure,adventure, andand leavingleaving itit onlyonly mademade meme moremore suresure thatthat II wantwant toto comecome back.back.SydneySydney feltfelt likelike home,home, andand II can’tcan’t waitwait toto gogo back.back.