From history to the automobile industry

Marek is a Senior PHP Developer at Scalo. In the interview, he shared his experience working on key projects, his passion for history, modeling, motorbikes, and scuba diving, and his approach to health and work-life balance in the context of remote working.

How long have you been working at Scalo, and what have you been doing on the project?

I have been working at Scalo for over a year now, and my key role is Senior PHP Developer. In addition to programming, I support the sales team with my experience.

You are interested in history. Which historical period fascinates you the most? And why is that?

I have always been interested in history. It started with looking at history books, and my fascination took off when I participated in a competition on knowledge of the ‘Renaissance.’ After reading Sienkiewicz’s trilogy and a dozen or so books by Jacek Komuda, I became fascinated by 17th-century Poland, constantly ‘on fire’ and full of noble adventures straight out of Westerns.

What historical event would you like to see live? Is there a historical figure you admire? For what?

It’s a tricky question, but I must choose between the Battle of Beresteczko and the Battle of Vienna. My favorite figure – undoubtedly – is the Great Crown Hetman and Great Crown Chancellor Jan Zamoyski. He was a true Renaissance person who, over the years, became the most powerful magnate of all time – the first to hold the two highest offices – and built his own city! He was, in fact, the architect of the great republic of the late 16th and first half of the 17th centuries.

What is your favorite assembling model? And why?

My favorite model kits are airplanes and warships. I combine my love of history with this hobby – I collect all available aircraft models, ships, and other vehicles from 1918.

How many models do you have in your collection? Have you taken part in any modeling competitions?

I have about fifty models. I started recently out of boredom during the lockdown, and it has eventually turned into a fully fledged hobby.

What motorcycles do you own? What is your longest motorcycle ride?

I have a Suzuki Intruder VL 800 and a Benelli Leoncino 500 Trail. My longest ride is a tour of the Kłodzko Valley with friends.

Do you belong to any motorcycle clubs? Please tell us what you do in such a club.

I founded a motorcycle club in my hometown in 2014. We organize rides together and support the local community, including organizing parades and visiting orphanages such as Moto Santas.

What is your favorite dive site? Why?

My favorite memory is diving in Egypt, where I enjoyed the beautiful reefs and wrecks.

What is the deepest part of the ocean you have dived in?

While diving in Egypt, I went down to 40m, the limit for recreational diving, to see the wreck of the Salem Express ferry.

What courses or training have you recently completed?

As I became more aware and mature as a programmer, I found that I needed to go one step further and start thinking about how to structure my own work and that of others. So, I first took a business analyst course and then, after a short break, a BPMN notation course. As I have always been more interested in using technology for business than the technology itself, I also took the Implementing AI in Enterprises course.

How do you take care of your physical and mental health?

As I work remotely, I make sure I get together with friends in all sorts of ways – from going to the pub to holidays and trips together to sleepless nights playing board games. As for physical health, walking the dog is necessary since I spend most of my day in front of a computer. I go to the gym once a week to tone up and take care of my spine. I also try to go to the swimming pool.