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Juliana Albertyn
Juliana Albertyn

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A New Adventure in Code

I retired last year, after more than two decades in a rigid, high-pressure tech environment, and only then did I realise how deep the burnout had gone. For years I came home with nothing left — just enough energy to get through the basics.

Retirement finally gave me space to breathe - but I felt disconnected from the joy of programming. I tried the full-stack route, got as far as CSS, and felt absolutely nothing.

Then I started exploring Python, and something clicked. For the first time in years, I felt curious again. I’ve been learning, building small projects, and rediscovering the part of myself that loves solving problems.

I even renamed my laptops: the old one is Bagend, and the new one is New Adventure. It feels right. Freelancing later in life is challenging, but this is the start of my new adventure — and it feels good to finally have one.

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Ilias Vlachos

Hello Juliana,
Really fascinating post and really fresh post! 1/3/2026!
In what kind of Tech fast paced environment were you in the past? Was it in RSA? I am trying currently for a career change in Data Analysis and I am also learning Python. How do you feel about ? (Python) Does it feel difficult? best wishes.