It was really good.
Yup, this is the best line I've come up with to begin this post. But the event really changed me personally and professionally (looking at my wiki activity as my volunteer work). I will jump to the things I truly appreciate since I'm seriously getting tired of trying to write an impressive intro. Wikimania 2016:
1. Improved my perspective of minority wiki projects and minority-related things in general. This is one of the things Wikimania does best- it brings together remarkable people. You go back home loaded with positive ideas and ready to share them with your local community.
2. Increased my engagement in the wiki community. Working behind a screen can demotivate you. I was getting there. Those gatherings, though, help a lot.
3. Made me feel like I belong there for the first time in my years long wiki activity. Maybe because Wikimedians took over a whole city this time so I felt like it was Wikimedia's village haha. It felt like we own the place rather than just guests. In Esino, you could find Wikipedians at every corner. Everybody spoke non-stop about wiki stuff and that was oddly nice. It's just hard to do that with other people who don't really get what you're doing.
4. Taught me new wiki stuff. I've struggled so much with IdeaLab before- I never understood what exactly it was and that made me feel guilty to have its sticker on my laptop at some point and so I peeled it off. Same applies to Wikidata. I got them now thanks to the amazing Learning Days. Ooo and I also started using Phabricator to report bugs and issues.
5. Gave me a long wiki to-do list. I'm determined to pursue a couple of things: 1-start the 1st GLAM project in Egypt (already looking for candidates), 2-Prepare a Wikimania guide for new wikimaniacs to make the most out of the event (already started drafting), 3-start 100wikidays (already compiling the list), 4. organize a wikidojo (I'm actually thinking of integrating this in the upcoming local wep conference), 5. Promote the use of the Education Toolkit (I liked it very much!).
6. Made me meet amazing people and have interesting discussions. One of the things I'm holding on to and hoping to see in Wikimania 2017 is more communication between developers and users/editors.
7. Allowed me to complain about the Visual Editor to many people. Isn't it just awesome to find many people asking you about your opinion and how can they improve your experience with that thing?
Yup, the event is worth attending. :)
Yup, this is the best line I've come up with to begin this post. But the event really changed me personally and professionally (looking at my wiki activity as my volunteer work). I will jump to the things I truly appreciate since I'm seriously getting tired of trying to write an impressive intro. Wikimania 2016:
1. Improved my perspective of minority wiki projects and minority-related things in general. This is one of the things Wikimania does best- it brings together remarkable people. You go back home loaded with positive ideas and ready to share them with your local community.
2. Increased my engagement in the wiki community. Working behind a screen can demotivate you. I was getting there. Those gatherings, though, help a lot.
3. Made me feel like I belong there for the first time in my years long wiki activity. Maybe because Wikimedians took over a whole city this time so I felt like it was Wikimedia's village haha. It felt like we own the place rather than just guests. In Esino, you could find Wikipedians at every corner. Everybody spoke non-stop about wiki stuff and that was oddly nice. It's just hard to do that with other people who don't really get what you're doing.
4. Taught me new wiki stuff. I've struggled so much with IdeaLab before- I never understood what exactly it was and that made me feel guilty to have its sticker on my laptop at some point and so I peeled it off. Same applies to Wikidata. I got them now thanks to the amazing Learning Days. Ooo and I also started using Phabricator to report bugs and issues.
5. Gave me a long wiki to-do list. I'm determined to pursue a couple of things: 1-start the 1st GLAM project in Egypt (already looking for candidates), 2-Prepare a Wikimania guide for new wikimaniacs to make the most out of the event (already started drafting), 3-start 100wikidays (already compiling the list), 4. organize a wikidojo (I'm actually thinking of integrating this in the upcoming local wep conference), 5. Promote the use of the Education Toolkit (I liked it very much!).
6. Made me meet amazing people and have interesting discussions. One of the things I'm holding on to and hoping to see in Wikimania 2017 is more communication between developers and users/editors.
7. Allowed me to complain about the Visual Editor to many people. Isn't it just awesome to find many people asking you about your opinion and how can they improve your experience with that thing?
Yup, the event is worth attending. :)