It’s 9:30 AM on a Monday morning, and I’m standing in front of an automated gate at Tse Ado; confused, slightly nervous, and definitely wondering if I’m even in the right place. The gate slides open, and I stroll in like I’ve done this a thousand times before (I haven’t 😅).
That’s how my journey at Npontu Technologies began..
Walking into a new environment always comes with a mix of excitement and uncertainty. I wasn’t emotional per se, but you know that silent voice that whispers, “bro, do you even belong here?” That little imposter syndrome kicked in hard, especially seeing other interns who’d already started, deep in code and looking like pros.
First Impressions
The first thing that struck me about Npontu was the professionalism. You can feel it from the moment you step inside , the well-designed building, the calm workspace on the second floor for interns, and the structure that defines how things run.
There’s an intern workspace that’s actually built for productivity; you don’t see that often. Everyone’s focused, headphones in, working on something real. And the vibe? Friendly, but disciplined.
At Npontu, you show up on time, dress officially, and most importantly, communicate. You don’t wait for your supervisor to ask you for feedback; you give it. That culture of accountability and openness really sets the tone.
Getting Started — The Onboarding
Our first week was all about setup and orientation. We installed PHP, Laravel, Cursor, and got introduced to Npontu’s stack; PHP/Laravel for backend, React and Vue for frontend.
We kicked off with a starter project: implementing an authentication flow using both stacks. That alone helped me appreciate how structured Laravel is; coming from a Node.js and Python background, it felt refreshing to see how Laravel handles logic, routes, and migrations in such an elegant way.
Oh, and the media team pulled up to record a “Day in the Life of an Intern” video. No voiceovers ; just smooth shots of the building, the second floor, the interns at work, and the walls filled with inspiring words. Watching it later, I thought, “Yeah… this is where I belong.”
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DP604f8iIuh/?igsh=MTZycDAxdHIwNTAzaQ==
The Npontu Experience
Npontu isn’t just a tech company, it’s an ecosystem. They’ve got seven departments covering everything from AI & Big Data to Platform & App Development, Value Added Services, IT Consultancy, and BPO.
That means as an intern, you’re not just learning to code; you’re getting a feel for how a real tech company operates at scale; multiple teams, projects, and technologies moving in sync.
And honestly, even small moments stand out. Like when I ran php artisan inspire and got this quote:
“When there’s no desire, all things are at peace.” — Laozi
I dropped it in our intern WhatsApp group, and somehow it fit the vibe perfectly.
The Daily Grind
It’s about an hour’s drive each day from home to Tse Ado — trotro in, trotro out. Not always easy, but it’s worth it. Those quiet rides give me time to think, reflect, and plan my day.
It’s in those moments I remind myself that this internship is part of something bigger — building discipline, consistency, and a mindset that outlasts the vac.
Looking Ahead
My goals for this break are simple:
- Keep growing as a backend developer.
- Keep sharpening my data structures & algorithms(A2SV resources and Striver series got me covered).
- Keep learning deep learning (shoutout to François Chollet’s book).
- And most importantly, build cool stuff that matters.
Npontu is already helping me check a few of those boxes; the environment pushes me to do more, think better, and stay consistent.
Final Thoughts
One week down, seven to go. But if there’s one thing I’ve already learned, it’s that growth doesn’t always happen in big leaps — sometimes it’s just in showing up, learning something new, and trying again the next day.
Here’s to growth, good code, and great people — the Npontu way.
✍️ Written by Stephen Azongo
Intern, Backend Developer — Npontu Technologies
(Trotro edition 😅)
Sources
https://medium.com/@stephenazongo77/my-first-week-as-an-intern-at-npontu-technologies-b4218034c956
