At OpenBB, we are a fully remote company. A few months ago, some coworkers suggested that I take advantage of this opportunity and travel from the United States to Europe to visit them. I had never left the country before, but I decided to embark on this trip to meet the people I work with. After all, why not?
The trip began with a road trip in Paris. My coworker Chavi and I spent a week driving from Paris to Annecy, and then to Marseille. Along the way, we also spent a day in Geneva, Switzerland. It was my first impression of Europe, and it was incredibly beautiful. I enjoyed seeing the architecture and trying new foods that I hadn't had the opportunity to try while in the US.
After that, I visited Portugal. Since OpenBB has many team members in Portugal, I had the chance to connect with each of them individually.
It was fantastic to work together and brainstorm innovative ideas that could help make the OpenBB Terminal the best investment research application in the world.
In Portugal, I had the opportunity to visit the cities of Coimbra and Lisbon, both of which were rich in historical landmarks, including centuries-old cathedrals and walls built by the Romans.
After that, I traveled to Spain. Although I didn't have any coworkers there, I explored the city of Madrid and immersed myself in the country's culture. Following my time in Spain, I returned to France for a couple of days.
The next destination was one of the most personal and memorable experiences for me. Initially, Didier mentioned that he would travel to meet me somewhere in Europe, in a city he hadn't visited before. However, it turned into a mini team reunion over a weekend in Luxembourg.
That weekend was incredibly enjoyable. We spent most of our time in our AirBnb, hacking the platform and discussing problems and solutions together.
It was during that time that I truly grasped the fact that maintaining a fast pace of shipping and having a strong vision to transform the financial industry are integral parts of OpenBB's DNA.
After Luxembourg, I spent a week in London with our CEO, Didier Lopes. It was surreal to go from meeting him on Reddit a year prior to spending a week at his house.
Exploring the iconic city of London was a fantastic experience. Moreover, Didier allowed me to shadow him during some meetings, which allowed me to grow professionally beyond my developer skillset and gain insight into his daily activities and their significance.
Following London, I spent some time in Belgium before heading to Utrecht, Netherlands. Spending a week in the Netherlands with my coworker Jeroen was a blast. I had the opportunity to explore the cities of Utrecht and Amsterdam, which was a lot of fun.
Additionally, I indulged in the delightful food they have to offer. After the Netherlands, I made stops in Germany, Hungary, and Serbia before visiting my next coworker.
Theo, our Head of Engineering, was the next coworker I had the opportunity to visit. I stayed with him in Montenegro, where we explored the stunning beaches of the Adriatic and also visited different co-working spaces in various cities.
It was fascinating to learn more about Theo's background and his journey from starting as an "ape" contributing to an open-source project while working on cancer research for Harvard to eventually becoming our Director of Engineering.
Closing thoughts
Spending three months in Europe visiting my coworkers was an absolutely incredible experience. I am deeply grateful to work for a company that not only allows but encourages its employees to have a fulfilling lifestyle as long as they maintain high productivity.
Meeting a team of like-minded individuals, all dedicated to creating an exceptional product, was truly inspiring. I eagerly look forward to continuing this journey with OpenBB as we strive to revolutionize the financial industry.