Not Just Coding — Finding Direction: How Coders Who Travel Changes Lives

Posted on June 23, 2026
By Michelle Aguda

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There’s a massive difference between learning to code and actually knowing where those lines of code are supposed to take you. Before I walked into the lab, I knew neither. I had joined the school’s Robotics team for the simplest reason possible: I wanted to try something new. I had a vague interest in tech, and I figured this was as good a place as any to start. No big grand plan, no high expectations. Just me, showing up.

But the second I stepped inside, the air felt different. All I heard was “CWT, CWT, CWT.” To be honest, I thought it was just the latest school catchphrase that I had missed out on. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

I walked into that first session with a knot of nerves in my stomach, wondering if I was out of my depth. But before things even kicked off, I noticed something small, something that stuck with me.

Music.

It wasn’t high-energy or distracting; it was soft, calming, almost therapeutic. In a room full of computers and cables, that music felt like an invitation to just breathe. It sounds small, but it changed the temperature of the room. It took the pressure off. By the time we finished introductions, I knew I was in the right place.

I quickly realized that CWT is more than just a skills workshop; it’s a compass.

There are a thousand platforms online that will teach you how to write any computer language. But very few of them bother to teach you how to build a career. Through their career guidance and mentorship, CWT does not just treat you like a pair of hands typing on a keyboard. They teach you how to position yourself. They take you through the grind of crafting a CV and developing a clearer understanding of what employers are actually looking for.

From crafting a CV that actually gets noticed to understanding what employers are truly searching for, the program forces a mindset shift. You stop seeing yourself as “just a student” and start carrying yourself like a professional. In today’s world, knowing Python or JavaScript is just the baseline. The real magic is learning how to tell your story, present your value, and navigate opportunities with strategy.

The mock interviews were where everything started to come together. We had to dress professionally, show up properly, and respond in real time like it was an actual opportunity. At first, it was a bit intimidating. You can prepare answers in your head, but speaking them out loud under pressure is different. But once we got into it, it started to feel more natural. It was not just about what you say, but how you say it. How you carry yourself. How you handle questions you did not expect. After that experience, something shifted for me. I stopped thinking about internships as something far away or “for later.” I actually started researching them seriously and paying attention to what I needed to do.

Another one of the exercises we did was creating a mind map. At first, it felt simple enough. Just mapping out skills, interests, experiences, and general things about yourself. But the more I worked on it, the more I started noticing patterns I had never paid attention to before. Things I had done casually. Skills I had picked up without naming them. Interests I had downplayed. It slowly became less about filling in a diagram and more about understanding myself properly.

Creating my LinkedIn profile was one of those moments that quietly changed how I see myself. Before, I always thought platforms like LinkedIn were for people who already “had it figured out,” such as graduates, professionals, or people with years of experience. Not students like me. But building my profile made me realize that professionalism is not about how far you have gone, it is about how you present where you are right now. As I added my skills, experiences, and interests, I started to see myself differently in a more structured, intentional, and serious way. It gave me a sense of identity I did not know I was missing. Suddenly, I was not just learning, I was positioning myself. That shift alone boosted my confidence in a way I did not expect.

And then there is the founder, Afia Owusu-Forfie.

If you have ever been in a high-tech environment, you know it can feel rushed, cold, or intimidating. Afia is the opposite. Her presence is calm and incredibly intentional. You can tell immediately that she is not just there to check a box or finish a lesson plan; she actually cares if you get it.

She takes her time. She listens. That kind of patience is rare in this industry, and honestly, it is what made the difference for me. It was not just about the tech; it was about the fact that someone as skilled as her was willing to slow down for us.

In conclusion, Coders Who Travel has been a life-changing experience and helped me discover who I am and who I want to be.

I came in thinking I needed more skills.

I left realizing I already had a foundation, I just needed to recognize it.