By: Paulo March 21, 2018December 10, 2018 Automattic, Education, Japan, Personal, WordPressa8cday, career change, happiness engineer, internet, remote work, technology, The 'W' Series12 Comments

My Journey of How I Went From Teaching English in Japan to a Career in Tech With The Coolest Company in the World

Oh So Bittersweet

The teaching life was an interesting experience while it lasted, but it was finally time to move on. There are of course elements and particular parts of my teaching experience that I will always love i.e. seeing those lightbulb moments on students’ faces, helping eager students progress toward their goals, sharing ideas of personal development & education.

However, it was ultimately the uninspiring environment (unproductive meetings, monotonous non-teaching related tasks, etc.), subpar working conditions (low pay, job instability, regular six-day-weeks, overtime, etc.), and inability to pursue my real passions that steered me clear of continuing on with the English teaching path.

After a little over six and a half years of teaching English in Japan (also the exact amount of time I’ve lived here), I made the change into a career I never knew I always wanted. Continue reading “My Journey of How I Went From Teaching English in Japan to a Career in Tech With The Coolest Company in the World”

By: Paulo April 21, 2018July 14, 2018 Automattic, Japan, Office For The Day, WordPressremote work, sapporo, The 'W' Series, work with us3 Comments

Swagged Out

It’s been a while! And I just want to reflect on the past 5 weeks since I started with Automattic. It’s been a roller coaster ride with the time moving by so quickly these days. Perhaps, I’m living parallel by the old adage — time flies when you’re having fun. Continue reading “Swagged Out”

By: Paulo May 8, 2018July 14, 2018 Automattic, WordPressremote work, The 'W' Series, WordPressLeave a Comment

Putting The ‘Flex’ In Flexibility: What It’s Like To Work On My Own Time

The option and ability to work when I want has been an amazing employee privilege since joining Automattic. There are a lot of obvious advantages to choosing my own schedule, so I wanted to share what a typical week looks like for me — what better way to do that than to share this week’s schedule 🙂 Continue reading “Putting The ‘Flex’ In Flexibility: What It’s Like To Work On My Own Time”

By: Paulo July 9, 2018July 14, 2018 Automattica8c, remote work, The 'W' SeriesLeave a Comment

Home Office, Cafe, Coworking Space, Oh My

Nearly four months ago, it took me almost an hour to go from door-to-door for my commute to work.

I’d wake up at 6am, fix breakfast for myself and my son, get dressed, drop my son off at daycare at around 7am-ish, hop on the morning train, get off at my station and walk another 10 minutes to reach my workplace, then another 10 minutes to get settled down and find myself actually in my seat at 7:50am. So in total, it took almost 2 hours between waking up and getting to my desk, ready to work.

Fast forward to present day — I wake up, take about 5-10 seconds to walk over to my computer, and I’m here at my office ready to work 🙂 Continue reading “Home Office, Cafe, Coworking Space, Oh My”

By: Paulo July 13, 2018August 17, 2018 Automattic, WordPressremotework5 Comments

There’s No ‘I’ In Team

I’m grateful to have a joined a company that is built on remote work culture, as I quite enjoy having the autonomy and freedom to work on what, when, and where I want, but more than that, it’s the folks working behind the curtains that make all the difference, at least for me.

As of this writing, there are 751 Automatticians in 66 countries speaking 81 different languages distributed across the globe, all working remotely on different teams.

I work alone, but never have I felt lonely. For me, opening up Slack on my computer is sort of like the equivalent of walking into an office. Certainly, that’s a major difference between working remotely on your own, versus working remotely with a team.

The ‘who’ is really what ties my Automattic work experience all together in this type of remote environment. I’m part of a small team that spans across the APAC region of the world, and we’re known as Team Patronus 🙂 Continue reading “There’s No ‘I’ In Team”

About

Forward movement toward a goal.
Continuous personal growth.
Pursuing ambitions.

Contact

Hi friends!

Everything Builds

Applying personal flavor, creativity and a touch of altruism in everything I do — I help individuals grow and make a difference.

Live Construction Ahead!

By: Paulo December 10, 2018December 10, 2018

PersonalLeave a Comment

It’s about time my site gets a much needed appearance overhaul. I’ve been wanting to do this for quite a while now actually. The idea has been sitting on the back burner of things, but just never got around to it.

Automattic Grand Meetup 2018: Sunshine State

By: Paulo October 13, 2018October 18, 2018

Automattic, WordPressa8cgm, a8cgm2018, diversity and inclusion, remotework, WordPress5 Comments

Sun. Food. Drinks. Entertainment. And meeting hundreds of highly talented, creative, and lovable humans wrangled from all over the world to work, collaborate, and just have a grand old time at a single location — what more could I ask for in a company meetup. This is a snapshot of my experience at my first Grand Meetup! 📸

Continue reading “Automattic Grand Meetup 2018: Sunshine State”

Journey Back To America: First Contact

By: Paulo September 29, 2018

Automattic, WordPressa8c, a8cgm1 Comment

Since coming to Japan, I’ve only gone back to the US once, and that was nearly five years ago in 2013.

This year will be the first time coming back since then, and I have this opportunity because my company’s Grand Meetup is taking place in America this year. Granted, the meetup is in Orlando, Florida — the opposite end of San Diego (my hometown) — I still feel at home.

Leaving Sapporo

Bus to the airport

Lunch

Connecting flight

The main leg

Upon Arrival

Immigration Officer: You currently live in Japan, but you’re here on business?

Me: That’s correct, sir.

Immigration Officer: And what field of work is this in?

Me: Web development.

Immigration Officer: Ah, so I.T. then.

*stamp, stamp, stamp*

Immigration Officer: *hands me back my passport* You have a good day. Welcome home.

Me: Thank you, glad to be back, sir.

Hotel Hilton Orlando Buena Vista

Giant GM decal right when you walk the front!

Custom Automattic message in the room as well 😀

Local chocolates for the team

My basecamp for the week 🙂

Mandatory Family FaceTime

I’ll be in Orlando for a whole week until October 6th, spending time with the entire Automattic crew! I’ll try to make a daily post of my experience if I can. Otherwise, if not, expect a long epic one at the very end 🙂

WordCamp Tokyo 2018: Challenge!

By: Paulo September 18, 2018September 19, 2018

Automattic, Japan, WordPressTokyo, wctokyo, WordCamp2 Comments

I was in front of Automattic booth last year, passing by as an attendee. This year I was behind it — as a representing member of the company 🙂 Continue reading “WordCamp Tokyo 2018: Challenge!”

Seven Years. Seven Milestones.

By: Paulo August 15, 2018August 15, 2018

Personal4 Comments

August 15th, 2011 was the day I arrived in Japan for the very first time in my life, and since then, have never looked back. Continue reading “Seven Years. Seven Milestones.”

Try Again!

By: Paulo July 28, 2018July 28, 2018

Personalproductivity, summer readingLeave a Comment

Brown Rice Diet Update

That was aborted after Day 1. Greatest. Fail. EVER. Continue reading “Try Again!”

Brown Rice Diet: Apparently It’s A Thing

By: Paulo July 16, 2018July 16, 2018

Personal#brownricediet1 Comment

I don’t usually do diets, but on a rather spontaneous decision, the other day I decided I’d try this brown rice diet my wife maybe half-jokingly suggest we try. I was intrigued because on the pamphlet she showed me, the catchline went somewhere along the lines of the following: What!? Lose 5KG in 10 days!? Continue reading “Brown Rice Diet: Apparently It’s A Thing”

Team Patronus Meetup #15

By: Paulo July 9, 2018

Automattic, Microbloga8c, Automattic, patronusmeetup3 Comments

Meetup End. (another late post — last one!)

Goodbyes aren’t always easy, and the week sped by to an end before we knew it. Rest assured, we’ll all be seeing each other again soon in few months time at our company’s Grand Meetup, which will be held in Florida this year 🙂