It all began as an idea, a recurring dream of sorts. I blame it on the books I held and gazed at even before I could barely read or walk. Making no literal sense, the random lines drawn in my diary were a testimony to how unique (read: weird) of a toddler I was. Yes, I owned a diary when I was 2, way before the bullet journal fad. I love my Dad so much for thoughtfully giving me this. He probably understood early on that this kept me happier than any Barbie doll ever could. All I wanted was my family (especially my Mum) in sight, books, lots of fried chicken, and the occasional appearance of Sunil Shetty (another story for another day).

I have a bazillion ways to connect my early story to the present. Everything makes sense when you look back on life.

I currently reside in Amsterdam and am happy to call it home after living in multiple countries. Born and raised in Bahrain, I graduated with a Bachelor’s in Architecture from NIT Calicut. I moved back to the Middle East, where I worked tirelessly as an Architect for years, proudly designing spaces and towers and amassing tons of technical and life skills along the way.

I started getting into UX when I wanted to explore and grow into the tech world. Reflecting on my decade of experience in design thinking in Architecture and how I addressed design challenges, I realised I always wanted to understand people to make their lives better—both personally and professionally. Where previously, the design outcome was a physical, living space or structure, now I focus on digital apps and websites that can make millions of people’s lives easier. The approach was all the same. It was a perfect transition.

My creative side—designing and writing—has always found its way, both in UX and architecture. You can find me exploring this on Medium.com, where I constantly share my stories through writing and visual illustrations. I have been a Toastmaster for years and love to talk at public speaking events. I often volunteer at local NGOs because it gives me a sense of purpose. I'm an avid reader. Want to catch my interest? Ask me about my current reads or what's on my TBR list, and you'll definitely have my attention!

When you feel your values align with the role you are looking for, you know it makes sense. These experiences have made me better at not just solving problems but how I perceive them. A huge part of my life has taught me to understand cultural diversity, behavioural differences, and empathy. I like to travel (over 20 countries so far) and saw myself as a polyglot (can speak 8 languages) until I stumbled across Dutch. It’s taking longer than the others, but I’ll get there.

The story never really ends. In fact, it is just the beginning. I’m currently looking for an opportunity to work on exciting projects with an organization that shares my values. I am open to remote work too.

Thanks for taking the time to get to know me a bit. Feel free to reach out for networking or collaboration!