Distance learning opened up avenues that may not have come to light had I followed a structured system. Admittedly, it freed up more time than expected, so I worked part time with Dhithi Infoserve Pvt Ltd and volunteered with wildlife conservation organisations. My exposure to software development, coupled with the extensive use of excel for data analysis, sparked an interest in upgrading my technological expertise. With the help of internet resources and incredible mentorship from the folks at Dhithi, I began learning HTML, CSS, JavaScript, ASP.NET, C# and developed my Microsoft Excel skills.

I began interning at Nature Conservation Foundation in February 2014 and after my graduation, I was offered a Research Affiliate position. My time at NCF made me realise that wildlife conservation is much more than travelling around and spreading awareness of our environment. A large amount of the work is done in offices and many a time in government offices. I was certainly interested in the research but was not keen on the bureaucracy.

This time around, I worked on the same technologies and since I had prior experience with some of the projects, I was tasked with training the newbies. In doing so, I developed a liking to the process of transferring knowledge, which lead to a few freelance gigs. During this time, I undoubtedly developed more confidence in writing code but more importantly, I realised that even a basic understanding of modern technology and its applications can open up avenues and greatly contribute towards financial and geographic freedom.

I read somewhere that freelancing is the bridge between employee and entrepreneur. A year and a half of freelancing has given me glimpses of the entrepreneurial world and allows me to work with each aspect based on my dreams and ambitions.