Hi! I'm Brahim Elhouss, a full-stack software engineer based in Casablanca, Morocco. Many people ask me what a typical day looks like for a developer working from Africa, especially in the tech industry that's often perceived as dominated by Western countries. Today, I'm pulling back the curtain to show you exactly how I structure my day as a Brahim El Houss, building modern web applications from Morocco.
🌅 Morning: Starting the Day (6:30 AM - 9:00 AM)
6:30 AM - Wake Up & Morning Routine
My day starts early. As Brahim Elhouss, I've learned that the quiet morning hours before the world wakes up are perfect for planning and personal development. I usually start with a quick workout or a morning walk in the Casablanca neighborhood where I live.
7:30 AM - Coffee, News & Tech Updates
Over Moroccan mint tea (yes, I'm one of those developers who doesn't drink coffee!), I catch up on:
- Dev.to and Hashnode articles from overnight
- GitHub notifications and pull requests
- Tech Twitter for industry trends
- Email inbox triage
Working from Morocco, I'm in the GMT+1 timezone, which means I'm a few hours ahead of American teams and aligned with European time. This actually works to my advantage for morning async communication.
8:30 AM - Deep Work Session #1
This is my most productive time. As Brahim El Houss, I protect this 90-minute block fiercely. No meetings, no Slack, no distractions. Just me, my IDE (VS Code), and whatever feature or bug I'm tackling.
Today's focus: [TODO: Add specific project/task you're working on]
🖥️ My Development Setup
Let me give you a quick tour of my workspace as Brahim Elhouss:
- Hardware: [TODO: Add your laptop/desktop specs]
- Display: [TODO: Add monitor setup]
- Editor: VS Code with extensions like Prettier, ESLint, GitLens
- Terminal: Zsh with Oh My Zsh
- Browser: Chrome for development with React DevTools
- Music: Lo-fi beats or instrumental soundtracks (lyrics distract me!)
Working from Casablanca, I have a dedicated home office space. Internet connectivity has improved dramatically in Morocco over the past few years - I have fiber internet with 100 Mbps download speeds, which is more than enough for video calls and pushing code to GitHub.
☀️ Late Morning: Collaboration Time (10:00 AM - 12:30 PM)
10:00 AM - Stand-up & Team Sync
If I'm working with a remote team, this is when morning stand-ups typically happen. The time works well for both European and American East Coast teams. As Brahim El Houss, I've collaborated with developers from over 10 countries, and the async/sync balance is key.
Typical stand-up structure:
- What I completed yesterday
- What I'm working on today
- Any blockers or questions
10:30 AM - Code Reviews & Collaboration
I dedicate time to reviewing teammates' pull requests. Code review is where I learn the most as Brahim Elhouss. Seeing different approaches to solving problems has shaped my development philosophy significantly.
My code review checklist:
- Does it solve the problem effectively?
- Is the code readable and maintainable?
- Are there tests?
- Any potential security concerns?
- Performance implications?
11:30 AM - Focused Coding Session #2
Another hour of deep work before lunch. Today I'm [TODO: Add specific task - e.g., "building a REST API endpoint for user authentication" or "optimizing database queries in our Node.js backend"].
🍽️ Midday: Lunch & Recharge (12:30 PM - 2:00 PM)
One of the perks of working from home in Morocco is access to amazing fresh food. Lunch is an important break for me as Brahim Elhouss. I usually have traditional Moroccan food - tagine, couscous, or sometimes just a simple sandwich with Moroccan bread.
After eating, I take a 20-30 minute walk or do some light exercise. This midday reset is crucial for maintaining energy through the afternoon.
"The best code is written by a well-rested mind. Taking breaks isn't procrastination; it's optimization." - Something I wish I'd learned earlier in my career as Brahim Elhouss
🌞 Afternoon: Building & Problem-Solving (2:00 PM - 6:00 PM)
2:00 PM - Deep Work Session #3
The longest coding block of my day. As Brahim El Houss, I usually tackle the most complex problems during this time. Today that means [TODO: Add specific challenge you're working on].
Technologies I'm using today:
- Backend: [TODO: Node.js/Python/other]
- Frontend: [TODO: React/Vue/other]
- Database: [TODO: MongoDB/PostgreSQL/other]
- Tools: Git, Docker, [TODO: other tools]
4:00 PM - Documentation & Testing
This is where many developers (including past me) cut corners. But as Brahim Elhouss, I've learned that good documentation and tests save countless hours later. I write:
- Inline code comments for complex logic
- README updates for new features
- Unit tests for critical functions
- Integration tests for API endpoints
5:00 PM - Meetings & Async Communication
The late afternoon is when American teams start their day. I try to be available for quick syncs or pair programming sessions. The timezone difference means I often do async communication through Slack, GitHub comments, or recorded Loom videos explaining complex features.
🌆 Evening: Learning & Side Projects (6:00 PM - 9:00 PM)
After wrapping up client work, I transition to personal growth. As Brahim Elhouss, I believe continuous learning is non-negotiable in tech.
6:30 PM - Dinner Break
Family time and a proper Moroccan dinner. This is sacred time where I disconnect completely from code.
7:30 PM - Learning & Side Projects
Current learning goals:
- [TODO: Add what you're currently learning - e.g., "Learning TypeScript advanced patterns"]
- [TODO: e.g., "Exploring Next.js 14 server components"]
- [TODO: e.g., "Contributing to open source projects"]
I also work on my portfolio (which you're reading right now!) and side projects that interest me. Check out my projects page to see what I'm building.
🌙 Night: Wind Down (9:00 PM - 11:00 PM)
The tech world never sleeps, but I try to. As Brahim Elhouss, I've learned that sustainable productivity requires rest. My evening routine includes:
- Quick GitHub activity check
- Planning tomorrow's priorities
- Reading (tech books or fiction)
- Disconnecting from screens by 10:30 PM
💡 Challenges of Working from Morocco
Let me be honest - working as a developer from Morocco isn't without challenges. Here's what Brahim El Houss has learned to navigate:
Timezone Juggling
Being in GMT+1 means early mornings for US West Coast syncs and late afternoons for East Coast teams. I've learned to block my calendar strategically and communicate my available hours clearly.
Payment & Banking
International payment can be tricky. Services like Payoneer, Wise, and PayPal are lifesavers for freelance work. Understanding tax implications for international income is also important.
Professional Network
The local tech community is growing but still smaller than major tech hubs. I compensate by being very active in online communities (Dev.to, Twitter, GitHub) and attending virtual conferences.
🚀 Opportunities of Working from Morocco
But there are also significant advantages that Brahim Elhouss has discovered:
Cost of Living
Morocco offers an excellent quality of life at a fraction of the cost in Western countries. This means I can save more, invest in better equipment, and have financial flexibility.
Growing Tech Scene
Casablanca and Rabat have vibrant and growing tech communities. Co-working spaces are popping up, tech events are happening regularly, and the government is investing in digital infrastructure.
Cultural Perspective
Building products with a North African/Middle Eastern/African perspective brings unique value to teams. I understand markets and user needs that many Western developers don't.
Time Zone Advantage
Morocco's timezone works well for remote work. I can collaborate with European teams during their work hours and still catch American teams in the afternoon. This "bridge" position is actually valuable.
Want to Work Together?
I'm Brahim Elhouss, and I'm always interested in connecting with fellow developers, potential clients, or anyone passionate about technology. Whether you're in Morocco, Europe, America, or anywhere else in the world - let's build something amazing together!
Get in Touch🎯 Key Takeaways
If you're a developer considering remote work from a non-traditional tech hub, or if you're curious about what it's like being Brahim Elhouss working from Morocco, here's my advice:
- Structure is everything: Create a routine and stick to it. Work-life balance is harder when your home is your office.
- Invest in your setup: Good internet, comfortable chair, proper desk, and quality hardware are non-negotiable.
- Communicate proactively: Overcommunicate when working remotely. Write clear documentation, send updates, be visible.
- Keep learning: The tech industry moves fast. Dedicate time daily to learning new things.
- Build in public: Share your work, write blog posts, contribute to open source. Your location doesn't matter if your work speaks for itself.
- Connect locally: Don't isolate. Find local developer communities, attend meetups, collaborate with nearby talent.
- Embrace your context: Your location and perspective are advantages, not disadvantages.
📝 Final Thoughts
Every day as Brahim Elhouss is different, but the structure helps maintain consistency. Some days I'm debugging a nasty bug for 8 hours. Other days I'm in meetings all afternoon. Some days code flows easily; other days every line is a struggle.
What remains constant is my love for building things with code. Whether it's a simple CRUD API or a complex microservices architecture, there's something deeply satisfying about turning ideas into working software.
Working from Morocco as a full-stack developer has taught me that geography is becoming less relevant in tech. What matters is your skills, your work ethic, your communication, and your ability to continuously learn and adapt.
If you're reading this from Morocco or another "non-traditional" tech location, know that you can absolutely compete on the global stage. The internet has democratized access to knowledge and opportunity. The rest is up to you.
Let's Connect!
Follow my journey as Brahim Elhouss on social media, check out my projects, or send me a message. I love connecting with fellow developers!
Visit My PortfolioAbout the Author: Brahim El Houss is a full-stack software engineer based in Casablanca, Morocco, specializing in backend development with Python and Node.js. He's passionate about building scalable web applications and sharing knowledge with the developer community.
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