Every journey I recorded for my Software Developer's Journey podcast was a delight to discover. In every story, I learned something useful for myself or my career. I had good laughs in every discussion, was moved by emotional stories, and experienced inspiring moments. But sometimes, one story resonates with me more than the others. This is one of those.
I knew of Emmanuel Gaillot through his work on the Agile Open France conference and the Coding Dojo in Paris. But I finally met him through the NewCrafts Conferences in 2023. I even enjoyed introducing a profound and moving session he facilitated at the conference this year, exploring "coding as a mindfulness practice."
On the show, Emmanuel placed the start of his journey in a computer club in the 80s. He described how he learned GW-BASIC and became hooked. He told about his love for music and how his parents encouraged him to pursue "real studies." He explained how he went to the USA to study Computer Science, music, and Japanese... and became a theater composer. He discussed his first job as a programmer and being bored (and bad at it) until he discovered #eXtremeProgramming. He talked about learning #TDD, exploring what became #CodeKata, and creating a #CodingDojo. He spoke about finding psychotherapy, becoming a psychotherapist, and much more. This was a wild ride worth every minute!