There’s nothing like upping your skills in paradise. Taught poolside at a private villa in Bali, learning to code at the 10-day coding course, Institute of Code is one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself and my business.
Learning to code is something that I had always wanted to do, but it felt like too daunting a task. After teaching myself the basics of WordPress, SEO, photography, video editing, and all of the other things involved in running a blog, I knew the one thing missing was coding.
And, of all of the languages that you can learn on this beautiful planet, programming languages are some of the most beneficial– especially for a blogger.
But, I’m always on-the-go and I knew I wouldn’t be able to give myself the time I needed to sit down and teach myself to code.
For a limited time, I’m offering a $500 SCHOLARSHIP to 5 lucky readers!
Sessions
August 22nd – 31st, 2016 in Sayulita, Mexico (NEW LOCATION!)
September 7th – 16th, 2016 in Sayulita, Mexico
To Enter, apply on Institute of Code’s website, and mention you’re entering into The Blonde Abroad’s Scholarship on your application!
My Experience at Institute of Code
Thanks to Institute of Code, I went from zero to hero with my coding knowledge and abilities. I custom coded my website homepage from scratch in just a few days, all while getting to explore Bali and connect with other students from around the world.
While I had some experience with basic html, I had zero experience with css and didn’t even know where to begin. So, this course is perfect for anyone with little to no experience with coding. And it’s especially beneficial for freelance creatives, entrepreneurs, business owners, marketers, digital nomads and graphic designers.
Education
The education was broken down each day so that it was easy to digest and not get too overwhelmed. Most days we’d start our day with yoga, a yummy breakfast, then get cracking on coding. Lunchtime was a game of “last one into the villa’s pool is a rotten egg” and some days we even took half-days off from coursework to go and explore Bali.
Breaking up an intensive program like IOC is essential to make the experience both enjoyable and effective.
I also really connected with my mentors, who I found truly inspiring, and still keep in close touch with today. I feel comfortable reaching out to them, even months after my program ended, with questions about my website and furthering my knowledge.
Accommodation
The Bali course is held in gorgeous villas around the island. Everyone stays in the same villa, so it has a sort of “summer camp” feeling. I chose to book a single room and, while my room was insanely gorgeous and I appreciated the alone time, I was actually a little jealous of the fun that the other roomies were having as they bunked up together.
Food
For me, the food was probably the best “other category” thing about IOC. Private chefs prepare three meals a day. As a pescetarian, none of my dietary restrictions were an issue. No matter what your diet, IOC can accommodate.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a group of vegans, vegetarians, diary-free eaters, celiacs, and meat eaters completely stuff themselves and say “that was the best thing I’ve ever had” all while sitting at the same table.
Activities
Even though I’d been to Bali before, having organized activities lets students not only learn to code, but get an unforgettable travel experience.
Over the course of the week, we explored Ubud and the Monkey Forest, went parasailing, rode a giant inflatable banana pulled by a speedboat and enjoyed plenty of sunset missions, including a visit to the one of my favorite spots in all of Bali, La Laguna.
I just can’t imagine a better experience for learning to code.
What I Learned at Institute of Code
During my 10-day all-inclusive course, I learned how to use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to design, create, and build a website from the ground up. Here’s a full list of topics we covered in the program:
Web fundamentals
Talk-the-talk with developers
HTML, CSS & basic Javascript
How to build a responsive website
How to create a blog
Setup an ecommerce store
Embed videos & interactive maps
Create galleries, contact forms & sliders
Cross-browser compatibility
How to set up hosting & domain names
Optimizing your site for Google
Whatever your field is, these are stellar skills to have to accelerate your career.
Why I Would Do It All Over Again
I was honestly surprised that I could have learned as much as I did in just 10-days. I know that it sounds too good to be true, but I experienced it first hand and know how it has impacted me, my blog and my business.
The program offers an all-inclusive program (except for flights), meaning your meals, accommodation, activities and the 60+ hours of coursework are included in the price listed on their website. No hidden fees. No gimmicks.
Learning to code is empowering and endlessly useful. If you’re asking yourself questions such as: How can I take complete creative control of my blog? How can I build out my website on my own? Or, plain and simple, “How can I learn code?”, then the Institute of Code is something I would highly recommend to you.
So what are you waiting for? Apply Now!
READ NEXT: Learning to Code from a Private Villa in Paradise
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My Experience Learning to Code in Bali is a post from: The Blonde Abroad