Who is Digo?
This is not a simple "About Me" page. It's an unfiltered collection of memories, chords, sports, and some funny situations that brought me here. Grab a coffee, press play on the soundtrack, and enjoy the journey.
The mischievous and curious kid
If you see me focused on VS Code today, you might not imagine that my journey began by taking things apart as a child. I was that kid who liked to see what was inside things, and it didn't take long before I started disassembling and reassembling toys, computers, video games, and even a fan (which never worked again).
Raised on a farm, one of my most unforgettable (and perhaps hilarious) moments was when my parents raised pigs in the backyard, and I, with all my genius, decided to grab a piglet to show it to my dad. The result? The little pig got so scared it started squealing and its mother ran after me (spoiler: she bit me, and that's the reason for the scar on my chin).
Math and school
In childhood, I confess I didn't like to study, but besides taking things apart, I also had a curiosity for numbers. Math was one of my favorite subjects, and I loved solving problems and challenges, which led me to participate in regional knowledge competitions, where I won some prizes.
My first medal was related to that!
My first sport: Soccer
My relationship with sports started early, and curiously, with soccer, thanks to my dad, who took me to the games of the team he coached.
United team pre-game.
Martial arts: Kung Fu
During my childhood, I had the opportunity to practice my first martial art, in a project at my school at the time. It was there that I got to know Kung Fu.
The brief passage through Kung Fu taught me discipline, focus, and the importance of doing everything with excellence (or at least trying). It was an incredible experience that deeply marked me, and to this day I carry some teachings from that time.
Martial arts: Muay Thai
In my early adolescence, I had the opportunity to practice another martial art, Muay Thai, in a social project of a local church in my city.
Over time, I became one of the most dedicated students and received a scholarship from teacher Júnior Shaolin to train at his gym.
The day they threw me a surprise party at school
I never gave much importance to my birthdays, but one day, still during my middle school, my friends got together, without me knowing anything, and threw me a surprise birthday party at school.
It was such a remarkable moment that even today, when I remember it, I feel very grateful for having such incredible friends. And of course, the party was amazing, with cake, brigadeiro, and lots of fun. Special thanks to my 9th-grade class, who made that day so special for me.
My middle school graduation
And perhaps the most awaited moment for kids came for me, the graduation. It was certainly one of the most rewarding things I've ever experienced. Together with some teachers, we organized fairs, raffles, and other activities to raise funds for the graduation party.
When the big day arrived, it was simply incredible. Thanks to teacher Paulo Bernardo, I wrote the first excerpts of a book, which was also written by each of my classmates, printed and given to each of us as a memento of that so important phase. And of course, the party was incredible.
I was approved to attend High School and Technical at Etec!
My first embedded systems classes
A record of the day when we had a challenge to assemble a traffic light circuit using Arduino.
My first day of class at ETEC
I remember arriving, and everything was new, new teachers, new classmates, new rooms and laboratories, everything was magical!
My first written codes
Here my journey with codes began. Everything very ambiguous and new for a 15-year-old boy. It was a process of trial and error, but each line of code written was a small victory.
My first programming tests
And the tests were like this, with a bunch of handwritten codes, and me trying to understand what was happening. It was a challenge, but also part of the set of triggers for my love of programming.
First chords
During the covid-19 pandemic, staying months at home, the curiosity to learn new things emerged again. Among them, playing musical instruments. And that's how I started learning guitar and ukulele.
A record of the day of my first performance playing guitar, in the choir I participated in at Etec.
Martial arts: Jiu-Jitsu
Here began my relationship with Jiu-Jitsu, which is the sport that most marked me and taught me the most throughout my life. I started practicing as a hobby, but within less than a month, my teacher, Huelder Motta, had already signed me up to compete. Without expecting it, I was champion in all the championships I fought at white belt. That's when it all started.
Being an atypical case, I was promoted to blue belt in 3 months, even without really knowing what I was doing. Even so, I kept improving, winning the competitions I participated in, and in a short time, I started receiving sponsorships, scholarships, and invitations to train at other gyms.
In the photo, Maria Eduarda Ayres, Leona do Nascimento, and I, preparing the project for the final presentation of the Hackathon.
1st Inovagro Congress & Bruto Hacka
Without any doubt, this was definitely the watershed moment for my career choice. It was the first time I participated in a hackathon, and amidst so many uncertainties, nervousness, and inexperience, it was here that I realized I was really on the right track. I saw that I could really solve real problems of society, doing what I loved to do, even with little experience at the time.
First newspaper article
The beginning of a legacy
A record of the day of my first newspaper article, where one of my first Jiu-Jitsu titles was documented.
Magazine appearances
I have always been a very shy person. Exposing myself, as a model in adolescence, was one of the ways I found to overcome that. Without expecting it, I received some awards, some contracts, and gradually I lost my fear of the public.
First TV appearance
Over several events, I had the opportunity to appear on television programs.
First college entrance exam approval
And one of the most pressured moments in a high school student's life came, the choice of college. And for me, it was a very difficult process, full of doubts and uncertainties. At the time, I had been accepted at several universities, but I ended up choosing to study Computer Science at UTFPR.
Obviously, everything was magical, the joy of passing, the anxiety of starting, the change of state, the expectation of what college would be like, all of this was a mix of emotions that, when I see others going through it, reminds me of how it was for me, and I feel genuinely happy.
Ideathon FAEP/SENAR System
Already in college, but still in the context of technical education, I had the opportunity to participate in the Ideathon of the FAEP/SENAR System, a hackathon where I could develop, in a group, a business model for the agricultural sector.
Receiving the award from Ricardo Ost and Jefrey kleine Albers