I never thought I would travel halfway around the world this year. Even though it's November, I didn't expect that I would encounter a sunrise I hadn't seen yet due to my laziness while waiting for a transfer at Amsterdam airport. (If I had been a bit more diligent this year, I might have seen it already.) I dreamed of becoming a developer to be a digital nomad traversing every corner of the world. And now, I'm heading to Porto, Portugal, which will be my third office.
The first city where I attempted to be a nomad was Chiang Mai, Thailand. I was incredibly excited about traveling abroad alone for two weeks and happy that I could freely do what I wanted according to my own will. Although I jokingly say that development is my hobby, the experience of working as a nomad was truly blissful. However, the realistic and economic issues seemed too overwhelming, so I decided to postpone the life I had longed for and settle back in Korea. Then this year, my health deteriorated rapidly. Perhaps living in one neighborhood for my entire life has created a destiny of wanderlust.
My third departure as a digital nomad is envied by my acquaintances. However, just as the grass is always greener on the other side, I wonder if a well-settled life in my hometown might actually be more peaceful. I decided to go to the farthest place from Seoul to find my nest.
Half the World Away
There's a song that has become my life's theme for 2024. I happened to hear Oasis's "Half the World Away" amidst the dopamine rush of short videos, and I was struck by the harmony between the narrator's desire to leave their current city and the live performance video. Interestingly, if you travel halfway around the world from the UK in the video, you end up in Korea, a realization that left me both amused and somewhat deflated.
I chose Porto as my travel destination for several reasons:
- It's a city halfway around the world from Seoul, only reachable via connecting flights (as of late 2024)
- It's walkable and digital nomad-friendly
- I preferred a place not colder than Korea
Humans seem to be more sensitive creatures than we realize, influenced not only by the people around us but also by what we eat, drink, and even the air we breathe. While life in Seoul was happy, I feel it's time to find new stimuli to drive my life forward. Among the books I read this year, the most striking was learning about the etymology of "Inspire," which originally meant "to breathe into," signifying breathing life into humans, and has evolved to mean providing inspiration or motivation. Fortunately, while breathing the Atlantic air in Porto, I found inspiration for a new app.
Europe, 2019
My first European experience was in Germany, during my mechanical engineering days, through a design-engineering collaboration course. (I also took a day trip to a nearby Dutch city then, and now I'm transiting through the Netherlands again - it seems my relationship with the Netherlands is destined to be fleeting...) At that time, I wouldn't have thought I'd return to Europe in five years, let alone as a developer. 2019 was the year I first attempted something new of my own volition. I learned to break away from the process-of-elimination mindset ingrained in K-engineering students through numerous exams, and instead learned to enumerate new ideas. I also encountered the most artistic works in my life. Now, while developing apps, I've become slightly more familiar with UI/UX design, but back then, I was such a novice that I would be criticized by designers for even choosing a single color.
Although it was just one semester, I personally think it brought about a bigger change in my life than any major course. In Korea, the wall of "major" acts as a thick barrier, but it seems stranger to me now that knowledge learned in four years of early twenties should dictate one's entire life. Learning different fields is a process of broadening one's general knowledge of life. While designing indie apps, I sometimes recall the class from five years ago, and while drinking port wine, I can explore from a mechanical engineering perspective why cork is used as a stopper, making life more interesting.
Tile Do
Currently, I have so many things I want to create. Since starting development, I think I've participated in about 4-5 services. For the remainder of this year, I plan to focus on conceptualizing new ideas and creating prototypes, something I haven't done in a while. Going back to basics, I decided to create a to-do app that I would use the most and that would be versatile. In fact, I started the project in early November and thought it would be completed in 2-3 weeks, but I'm realizing once again how cumbersome it is to go from 0 to 1. Learning the syntax of upgraded frameworks is quite tedious, but I'm trying to create better UX (User Experience) and DX (Developer Experience) with better technology. It's similar to visiting a new country for the first time - it's awkward at first, but after a few days, you become accustomed to the culture and find it interesting.
You might think, "Another to-do app?" But the significance of this app lies in executing it in a direction I've never tried before. The most striking thing I noticed in Porto was the blue tiles called Azulejo. These tiles can be found throughout the city - in cathedrals, train stations, and even ordinary homes - and they're truly beautiful when they harmonize with the blue sky. Originally, I had designed the app in a neumorphism style, but due to my lack of sense and motivation, progress was sluggish. However, designing the app with azulejo was so enjoyable that I was able to create and implement it in just a few days with the help of Midjourney.
As I write this, it's two days before I return to Seoul. I'm still anxious about how I'll live next year and whether it's okay to live like this. However, creating software, generating new ideas, and solving problems are incredibly enjoyable for me. Just as the me from five years ago couldn't have predicted who I am now, I'm curious about how I'll be living in the future.
Although it rained at times, I enjoyed Porto's weather throughout the trip as it wasn't cold.