GETTING TO KNOW YOU
When Begimai joined the CCT team last autumn, we must admit being a little apprehensive. No doubt she had performed well on the video call and fitted our job description for a junior software developer exactly. But there was the unspoken cultural aspect. Would she feel comfortable as the only Kyrgyz person on board? Would she adopt to our work environment, our food? And, although we use English all the time as an international language, would she feel out of place with our Lithuanian small talk?
Begimai, too, had braced herself for a culture shock. But she was a bit more confident because of how the interview went:
“From the very beginning I empathize with their energy and character, so I knew I would get along with them — and my gut feeling was right. My colleagues are extremely friendly people and try their best to make me feel at home. Obviously, there is a downside. Sometimes it feels like you are missing out since you do not know the local language. But you just have to let those worries go, because most of the time they’re useless.”
Begimai’s mentor was impressed by her quick adaptability to change. It involved not only a new career path, but also doing it in a totally new environment far from home. From Day 1 she applied herself to learning the coding system hands-on.
“The first couple of weeks were challenging because she had to familiarize herself with the basic structure and flow of projects. But she persisted and did an amazing job of quickly picking up best coding practices and processes. After that, Begimai started working on agricultural cooperation and sharing platform project. She’s improving every day and shows plenty of potentials to be an expert one day.”
Begimai is highly appreciative of the warm supportive environment. She is able to perform well because she feels she is trusted and given the space to reach her fullest potential. She is truly grateful that her destiny brought her to the CCT family.
And it’s been a good learning experience on both sides. Begimai has brought a fresh wind to the team with new ideas and perspectives. As we learn to accommodate one another, we are maturing and moving one step closer to being an international collective. Begimai has not only brought us closer together, but she is also now an inseparable part of the team.
What advice does Begimai have for anyone considering professional employment in a foreign land?
“Before you take that step, besides the company itself, pay attention to the culture, to locals, to their attitude to foreigners, their food, their social habits. If that satisfies you, you will do well.
“In the end I would like to encourage you to be brave and get out of your comfort zone! This experience is totally worthwhile. It will impact not only your career but also your personal growth.”
If you would like to follow her example, contact careers@cornercasetech.com
