Back in 2017, Ukraine had a very active IT community. There were always things going on - hackathons, meetups, conferences. At that time, I lived in Kyiv and often went to BeerJSKyiv. I remember how every Thursday we met at a bar and talked about all kinds of topics. It wasn't always about work - we discussed whatever was on our minds. Honestly, it was great. You'd show up, see familiar faces who shared your interests, and now and then someone new would join. You'd get to know them, and that's how your network grew, naturally.
The people behind BeerJSKyiv also organized other events for developers - just under different names.
There was real energy in all of it - something was always happening, people were meeting in person, forming connections, building something together. I was so inspired by the community that I decided I wanted to speak at meetups and conferences. That was probably one of the best times in my life. I was young, traveling between cities with friends, sharing what I knew, learning from others. It felt alive.
Then COVID came. It changed everything. We moved fully online - events, work, even everyday conversations. Zoom became the new normal. At first, I actually felt a bit of relief. No more commuting to the office. I was also feeling a kind of internal overload, so slowing down felt right. But the pause lasted longer than I expected.
After COVID, things started again - but not in the same way. Everyone had changed. We had all learned how to work and communicate remotely. And the offline community that once meant so much to me didn't feel the same anymore. I'm not sure why, but I stopped going to events, stopped showing up. I pulled away. I kept working like that until February 24, 2022 - the day the full-scale war began. Russia attacked independent Ukraine. That day changed a lot.
If I look back and compare who I was then to who I am now - I see two different people. And I believe the change is for the better.
Now things are very different. I don't live in Ukraine anymore. I haven't seen my father in years - he's at war. I'm working, trying to build a life for my family, trying to grow as a person.
At the same time, as an engineer, I've started feeling a kind of existential tension. I often ask myself what's next - how to move forward, how to adapt. AI has become such a big part of our work that sometimes, when I use an AI assistant, I wonder: was that really me who did it? Was that my idea? My solution? I'm not saying AI is bad - it's a powerful new tool that's reshaping our world. But adapting to this shift isn't easy. And that's what I'm talking about.
Companies are laying off developers - and not just developers. Hiring processes haven't changed much, but the way we work definitely has. These days, being active in open source doesn't always count the way it used to - even though contributing is still a great way to learn and build something meaningful.
Adapting is difficult. Trying to make sense of the modern world can feel harder than before.