TechWomen @Twitter — a View from the Inside

As a woman in IT, I face a lot of challenges, but I’d be lying if I said that these challenges were comparable or more difficult than the life challenges that I face as a mother, as an international traveller, and as a person who is a big picture thinker and can connect dots that no one else seems to see.

I get extremely frustrated with systems (e.g. the school system) that are not able to handle divergent thinkers and people who don’t fit into a box. I get angry with people who question my ability to be a good parent because I travel frequently. I often wonder if there’s something wrong with me because I constantly refuse to conform and “just do what I’m supposed to do.”

But today’s TechWomen event at Twitter reminded me that I’m not alone.

I met women who travel and have many children (some as many as 5); I met women who founded inspirational groups that mentor younger women who are struggling to find their way in IT. I met women who are not perfect and who also struggle to balance work, life, and family. And, most importantly, I met women who also refuse to conform and do so because they want to make a difference.

And, I loved every moment of it.

It’s heartening to be in a room full of people from all corners of the world who face the same challenges, have similar ideas, and who have come out on the other side stronger, smarter, and wiser.