There's a photo of me standing on a pedestrian bridge in Guangzhou, China. Behind me, the Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre towers 530 meters into the night sky, its blue-tipped crown glowing against the darkness. The IFC Tower stands nearby. The whole Zhujiang New Town CBD stretches out like a futuristic dream — LED lights, glass facades, and the quiet hum of a city that never stops moving.
I remember that night clearly. After a long day of classes at Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, I walked to Huacheng Square — Flower City Square — to clear my head. The cool night air mixed with the energy of the skyline, and I felt something I can only describe as possibility.
Back then, I thought I knew exactly where my life was headed.
The Dream I Had in China
When you're standing in the middle of one of the world's most advanced business districts, it's easy to dream big. And I did.
I saw myself working for a company like Microsoft. A giant. A name that meant innovation, stability, and success. I updated my CV. I learned Java, C Programming, Web Development, Database Management — everything I needed to be ready.
I applied.
And I didn't get in.
I tried again. Other companies too. Nothing worked out the way I had imagined.
Looking back now, I realize something: I was preparing for a life I thought I should want, not the one that was actually meant for me.
The Return I Didn't Plan
After graduation, I returned to Burundi. No job offer from Microsoft. No corner office in a skyscraper. Just me, my degree, and a country I loved but was still figuring out how to serve.
It felt like a step backward. For a while, I was lost. I had all this knowledge — programming, web design, databases — and nowhere to apply it.
But here's what they don't teach you in university: your degree is a tool, not a destination.
I started looking around. Not at skyscrapers this time, but at my own city. Bujumbura. The markets. The small businesses. The people hustling every day to build something from nothing.
That's when I found myself at Siyoni Market, selling kitchenware.
The Turning Point
Selling plates and pans wasn't in my five-year plan. But standing in that market, talking to customers, negotiating prices, managing inventory — I realized something important:
I was still using my skills. Just differently.
The same problem-solving I learned in computer science helped me manage my business. The same patience I developed in coding helped me deal with difficult customers. And the same dream that once aimed for Microsoft found a new target: helping people right here.
I started this vlog — Dona Vlog — for three reasons:
- To let people know who I am. Not just as a seller at Siyoni Market, but as someone with knowledge, talent, and a story worth sharing.
- To promote my skills. I can build websites. I can design systems. I can help businesses grow online. This vlog is my living portfolio.
- To help others. Whether it's teaching HTML to a beginner or sharing my journey to encourage someone who feels lost — if one person reads my story and feels less alone, it's worth it.
Where I Am Now
Today, I'm in Bujumbura, Burundi. I sell kitchenware at Siyoni Market. I build websites at night. I write blog posts between customers. I'm not in a skyscraper, but I'm building something that's mine.
And that photo from Guangzhou? I still look at it sometimes. Not with regret — but with gratitude. That version of me had no idea what was coming. He thought success looked like a corner office. He didn't know it could also look like a market stall, a laptop, and a dream that refuses to die.
What's Next?
Honestly? I don't know exactly.
And for the first time, I'm okay with that.
Here's what I do know:
- I will keep building this vlog — sharing tutorials, stories, and photography from Burundi.
- I will keep offering web development services to businesses that need an online presence.
- I will keep learning. About tech, about business, about people.
- I will stay open to opportunities — whether they come from a skyscraper or a market.
Maybe one day I'll combine everything — technology, business, and storytelling — into something bigger than I can imagine right now.
Maybe I'll help transform tourism in Burundi through technology.
Maybe I'll build a platform that connects small businesses to the digital world.
Maybe I'll surprise myself again.
The point is: the story isn't over.
A Message to You
If you're reading this and feeling stuck — if your plans didn't work out, if you're somewhere you never expected to be — know this:
You're not behind. You're just on a different path.
The skills you're learning now, the struggles you're facing, the detours you didn't choose — they're all preparing you for something you can't see yet.
Keep going.
From a bridge in Guangzhou to a market in Bujumbura — this is my story. And it's still being written.
What about you? Where has your journey taken you that you didn't expect? I'd love to hear your story in the comments.
— Dona
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