How TCO and Topcoder Changed My Life

In everyone’s life, there are always events that give an extraordinary turn in your life; like a wedding, a new job, a new baby in the family, an accident, graduating from college, and many others.
Personally speaking, I got married, I graduated from college two times, and I survived an accident many years ago; all these events has changed my life in a particular way, but participating on a TCO has really marked my life.
A year ago, I was finalist for TCO15 on the UI design track, were I ended 5th in the final competition. Being able to travel more than 30 hours literally around the world, testing my skills against the world best designers, sharing some amazing times with friends from around the world and different cultures, is something that not everyone has the opportunity to live in this life.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="731"] Indonesia Trip with Topcoder Family[/caption]
Beyond the competition, that is really a challenging and amazing by the way, for me, the most valuable thing from every TCO event, is to expand your personal borders to unknown limits. Spending time to talk with members from every country, to know about their cultures, religions, clothes, languages and even their food, is a real gift. I never imagined in my life that I would have the chance to have lunch with someone from USA, to share a room with someone from India, laugh with friends from Indonesia, Romania, Thailand and China; all in a single event, is simply amazing!
I returned home from that event with a new vision of life, inspired to work more and better, with more friends, committed to be a better person and a better professional, fascinated by knowing that there is much more in this world than the 4 walls of an office.
A year later, I repeated the experience. This time I did not win any trip or big prize to go to the event, but I did not hesitate on going there to personally say hello and laugh out loud with my world wide friends. TCO16 was the brick that completed my wall of love for Topcoder.

All the time friends and family asks me why this sudden passion for this community, and my answer is always the same, People! Friendship is a big word that not everyone is ready to face, but Topcoder members, this community, has everything that a friendship needs.
Being a full time member is an experience that I really love, I would quit my job again a hundred times to live this.
Thank you community for so much…
Thank you Topcoder…
Terima Kasih