About
I'm Manuel Sousa, a software engineer and entrepreneur based in Brussels, originally from Lisbon, Portugal. As the eldest of four siblings, my journey has been shaped by continuous movement and diverse experiences across continents.
Global Journey
My childhood was marked by international moves that formed my adaptable nature. From early years in Zimbabwe, I moved to Angola where I attended a French-speaking school, then to Switzerland, Portugal, and Brazil where I completed high school. After graduation, I spent a transformative gap year in China, teaching English at a primary school in Wu Jiang, working with students from kindergarten through age 13. The city was perfectly situated, just two hours by bus from Shanghai and twenty minutes from Su Zhou.
Mathematics and Art were my strong suits in high school, and I often approached other subjects through a logical lens. This led me to participate in the early stages of an international mathematics olympiad. Most of my education took place in English-medium international schools, with the exception of my time in Angola where I studied in French. I speak Portuguese with my family.
Career Evolution
After returning to Portugal, I began university twice - first in economics, then in computer science - before deciding to gain real-world experience instead. My early career was varied, including roles in telemarketing, stage construction, and working as an Airbnb laundry driver.
These experiences led me to culinary arts, where I spent four years as a professional chef. The most challenging part of my culinary career was working on river cruises in the Netherlands, while my most exciting project was running a Vietnamese pho and banh mi popup at an architecture triennial.
World Explorer
My travels have taken me to over thirty countries, including a full year living in hostels and witnessing Santa Claus's reindeer in Rovaniemi. A particularly memorable experience was a two-month hitchhiking adventure around Poland. Throughout my journeys, I did some Vipassana meditation retreats: one in Barcelona, another in Poland as a volunteer, and a third in Germany at a former East German Stasi training camp.
Tech Transition
My return to technology (from its beginnings tinkering with nintendo 64 emulators and that one year at computer science university) began unexpectedly when my brother, who's also my best friend, met a Barcelona coding bootcamp owner during the early days of programming bootcamps. After completing my travels and Vipassana retreats, I returned to Lisbon to join Le Wagon's web development bootcamp.
Through a colleague on my final bootcamp project, I secured a position with a wealth management software startup in Brussels. After that one final Vipassana retreat in Germany, I relocated to Brussels, where I've worked as a software engineer for the past six years.
Continuous Learning
My commitment to education continues through 42 School, which I joined when it opened in Lisbon, and now attend as Campus 19 in Brussels. Professionally, I've worked with various businesses requiring software engineering services, which I now provide through my own consulting company.
While this gave me my first taste of entrepreneurship, I'm currently exploring a new venture - a deliberately simple side project that could evolve into something.
Personal Life
I share my life with a beautiful Belgian wife who enriches every day. My interests span meditation, thriller movies and TV shows (but also well written dramas like Sucession and The White Lotus), Bitcoin, and artistic beauty. I maintain a deep passion for cooking and food exploration, enjoy reading financial non-fiction, and regularly seek relaxation in the sauna.
Through it all, I maintain a philosophy of continuous learning and growth, always seeking opportunities to level up in both personal and professional spheres, and doing the best to enjoy the moment while doing so.
About This Website
This website serves as my technical blog and professional portfolio, documenting my software engineering journey and providing a home for my software services company. Here you'll find technical articles, explanations of concepts I'm learning, and demonstrations of projects, particularly those from my time at 42 School.
While the content spans various topics, it maintains a technical focus, serving as both a learning resource for others and a showcase of my work. The site includes my business details for potential clients interested in my consultancy services. It's a space where I can share knowledge, demonstrate capabilities, and connect with those interested in working together, all while maintaining a professional, technically-focused approach.
For more professional details check out my CV.