A maker’s journey in France – story from the MiR
In this blogpost, read the testimonial of Asem Kamal, one of the four makers who participated in the Makers-in-Residency program this past summer. He shares his experience at La Bricothèque FabLab in Southern France, one of the European makerspaces that hosted the program.- November 07, 2024
- 3 min read
My name is Asem Kamal, and I am a YouTuber and maker based in Giza, Egypt. My work revolves around creating DIY projects and documenting the process. I typically work on projects ranging from home furniture to gardening and recycling. As a maker, I have always wanted the opportunity to network and explore new creative spaces, which I was able to do through the Makers-in-Residency (MiR) program. This opportunity allowed me to collaborate with other creatives, learn new skills, and engage with the world beyond my Egyptian context.
Makers-in-Residency in France
I spent the next four weeks in the quaint town of Pernes Les Fontaines in southern France, working at La Bricothèque FabLab on a smart wall calendar designed to track tasks and meetings in a playful way. As someone used to working with wood, I had never ventured into coding or embedded systems, which I always found intimidating due to my lack of experience. I wanted to use this opportunity to add smart features, like backlit LEDs controlled by Arduino, and the FabLab team was incredibly helpful in guiding me through it.
The makerspace team was integral to my project, sharing their expertise throughout the process. Olivier, Aurora, and Frank all contributed by offering their knowledge, tools, and time. They weren’t just great colleagues, but quickly became friends, and we spent time outside of work having picnics and pizza nights together. They were a crucial part of my creative journey and my time in Pernes Les Fontaines.
Attending re:publica in Berlin
In May, I embarked on a journey, leaving Giza, Egypt, to attend re:publica in Berlin, Germany. Not only was it my first time in Europe, but it was also the first time I attended a large-scale creative event of this kind. There were many interesting topics and talks, and I spent most of the three days at the GiG Maker Space, which offered fun and interactive workshops on robotics, printing, and recycling. We also visited various makerspaces, like the Berlin Textile Coop, to see the prototypes they were developing. Engaging with the city of Berlin itself was inspiring, as it felt dynamic and creative in its own ways.
Networking at GIGweekend24
I then attended GIGweekend24, where GiG members gathered to network. It was a great opportunity for me to introduce myself and share more about my work. I met many interesting creatives who practiced similar techniques, and we exchanged ideas and experiences. This was new for me, as I rarely have the opportunity to meet and collaborate with makers outside of Egypt.
One of the challenges during the residency was the language barrier in the town. While everyone in the makerspace spoke English, the local residents did not, which made simple tasks like grocery shopping more difficult.
I am deeply grateful for this opportunity to meet like-minded creatives, visit new cities, and expand my own work. I left this experience feeling inspired and excited to take on more coding and Arduino projects in the future.
By Asem Kamal
Social media contact: LinkedIn
Read the other testimonials from the MiR participants:
