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| 1 | +--- |
| 2 | +title: Reflecting on my Outreachy Journey |
| 3 | +linkTitle: Outreachy Internship |
| 4 | +date: 2025-03-24 |
| 5 | +author: '[Richard Chukwu](https://github.com/richardchukwu)' |
| 6 | +issue: 6488 |
| 7 | +sig: Contributor Experience |
| 8 | +cSpell:ignore: Chukwu Marylia Outreachy |
| 9 | +--- |
| 10 | + |
| 11 | +Hello world! I’m Richard Chukwu, a Computer Engineering graduate from the |
| 12 | +University of Benin, Nigeria. My journey into tech has been fueled by a blend of |
| 13 | +curiosity and an unwavering commitment to growth. These are the pillars that not |
| 14 | +only uphold my personal values but also form the foundation of my professional |
| 15 | +aspirations. |
| 16 | + |
| 17 | +I still remember the nervous excitement I felt when I received the |
| 18 | +[email](https://x.com/RichardChukwu_/status/1862390957217333461) confirming my |
| 19 | +selection for [Outreachy](https://www.outreachy.org/alums/2024-12/). It was a |
| 20 | +moment of validation, but also one filled with uncertainty. Could I truly make |
| 21 | +an impact in open source? Would I be able to contribute meaningfully to a |
| 22 | +project as vast and complex as OpenTelemetry? Now, as I wrap up this incredible |
| 23 | +journey, I can say with confidence that the experience has been transformative |
| 24 | +in ways I never imagined. |
| 25 | + |
| 26 | +## Overcoming fear: Imposter syndrome didn’t win |
| 27 | + |
| 28 | +One of my biggest fears stepping into Outreachy was imposter syndrome. |
| 29 | +OpenTelemetry is a widely used project, and I worried about keeping up with |
| 30 | +seasoned contributors. However, I quickly realized that the open source |
| 31 | +community thrives on collaboration, mentorship, and shared learning. My mentor |
| 32 | +and the community members were incredibly supportive, always willing to guide me |
| 33 | +when I felt stuck. I learned that asking questions and seeking help is not a |
| 34 | +weakness—it’s how we grow. |
| 35 | + |
| 36 | +## A highlight: Seeing my work make an impact |
| 37 | + |
| 38 | +One of the most fulfilling moments of my internship was when my |
| 39 | +[first major contribution](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-erlang/pull/825)—a |
| 40 | +detailed setup guide for OpenTelemetry Erlang contributors—was merged. |
| 41 | +What seemed like a simple task at first turned into a deep dive into improving |
| 42 | +developer onboarding, documenting tribal knowledge, and making contributions |
| 43 | +more accessible. Seeing community members reference my work and use it to get |
| 44 | +started was an incredibly rewarding feeling. It reminded me why I love open |
| 45 | +source—it's about creating something that empowers others. |
| 46 | + |
| 47 | +This internship stretched my technical and communication skills in ways I hadn’t |
| 48 | +expected. On the technical side, I gained a deeper understanding of: |
| 49 | + |
| 50 | +- OpenTelemetry’s instrumentation and architecture. |
| 51 | +- Observability and its role in modern distributed systems. |
| 52 | +- Documentation best practices and how to bridge the gap between technical |
| 53 | + complexity and accessibility. |
| 54 | + |
| 55 | +On the communication side, I learned how to: |
| 56 | + |
| 57 | +- Engage in meaningful discussions in GitHub issues and PRs. |
| 58 | +- Synthesize feedback from multiple contributors and maintainers. |
| 59 | +- Document processes in a way that is both clear and effective for a global |
| 60 | + audience. |
| 61 | + |
| 62 | +Most importantly, Outreachy gave me the confidence to contribute to open source |
| 63 | +projects beyond this internship. I now see myself as part of the broader open |
| 64 | +source ecosystem, and I’m excited to continue making meaningful contributions. |
| 65 | + |
| 66 | +## Project contributions and future directions |
| 67 | + |
| 68 | +During my tenure, I completed the creation of the |
| 69 | +[setup guide for contributions on OpenTelemetry](https://github.com/open-telemetry/sig-contributor-experience/issues/31) |
| 70 | +and contributed to refining existing documentation. Moving forward, I aim to |
| 71 | +continue my involvement with the OpenTelemetry community, focusing on expanding |
| 72 | +resources that facilitate contributor engagement. |
| 73 | + |
| 74 | +## The role of my mentor |
| 75 | + |
| 76 | +My mentor, [Marylia Gutierrez](https://github.com/maryliag), played a crucial |
| 77 | +role in my journey. She not only provided guidance on technical issues but also |
| 78 | +encouraged me to think critically and independently. She fostered a welcoming |
| 79 | +environment where I felt comfortable experimenting, failing, and learning from |
| 80 | +my mistakes. Her patience and willingness to share knowledge made a lasting |
| 81 | +impact on me. |
| 82 | + |
| 83 | +## What’s next? |
| 84 | + |
| 85 | +As I complete my Outreachy internship with the OpenTelemetry project, I’m |
| 86 | +looking ahead to my next steps. I want to continue working in cloud native |
| 87 | +technologies and observability, contributing to open source projects that |
| 88 | +improve developer experience and system reliability. I’m actively seeking |
| 89 | +opportunities where I can apply my skills, whether it’s in open source advocacy, |
| 90 | +cloud engineering, or observability solutions. |
| 91 | + |
| 92 | +To anyone considering [Outreachy](https://www.outreachy.org/), I say: go for it! |
| 93 | +This internship has been a gateway to new opportunities, networks, and a deeper |
| 94 | +belief in my abilities. I’m grateful for the experience and excited for what the |
| 95 | +future holds. |
| 96 | + |
| 97 | +If you’d like to chat about open source contributions, cloud native technology, |
| 98 | +or potential opportunities, |
| 99 | +[let’s connect](https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardchukwu1/)! |
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