WordCamp Asia 2024 held in Taiwan marked my second attendance at this event and my third flagship WordCamp overall. Surprisingly, Taiwan wasn’t initially on my travel wishlist, but the chance of connecting with like-minded WordPress enthusiasts and contributing to the community made it an unmissable opportunity.

Image Source: https://twitter.com/WordPress/status/1766375139690602962/photo/1

My Experience: Insights and Connections

Reflecting on my previous role as an organizer at WCAhmedabad 2023, I’ve learned not to limit contribution solely to direct involvement in organizing events. There are many ways to contribute, from attending WordCamps and sessions to sharing ideas, developing products and services, advocating for WordPress, and even proudly displaying a WordPress badge on your attire. 

Currently, I’m engaged in developing five products, two of which align with Matt Mullenweg’s vision for the future of WordPress regarding data liberation. You can explore UiChemy and WDesignKit to learn more about these initiatives.

The journey from Ahmedabad to Taipei spanned almost 24 hours, involving a flight to Vietnam and a layover, totaling approximately 10 hours of flight time. As with previous WordCamps, Twitter flooded with excitement as attendees shared their anticipation of #WCAsia2024.

Days at WordCamp Asia

The first day of the event was dedicated to contributions. After attending the keynote, I had intended to immerse myself in one of the various contribution departments available, such as Documentation or Marketing. It’s essential to note that contribution extends beyond core development alone. I highly recommend everyone to participate in the contributor day, as it provides an excellent opportunity to engage with like-minded WordPress enthusiasts. 

However, due to scheduled meetings, I couldn’t fully engage, though I did manage to reconnect with several friends and partners in the WordPress ecosystem. I met Verdi Heinz from Elementor team, Parth Pandya, Jinal Patel, Anand Upadhyay, Rahul Bansal, Ankur Chotai, Davinder Singh, Simrandeep Singh, Chetan Prajapati, Vishal Kothari our fellow WordCamp organizers, and many more.

The second day featured exhibitions and speaker sessions. It was the first Exhibition day and Speaker session. Shilo Eish Yemini, Rami Yushuvaev, Miriam Schwab, Akshat Chaudhari, Vova Feldman, Matt Mullenweg, Darius Sveikauskas from Patchstack, Benjamin Intal from Stackable team, Vikas Singhal, Verdi Heinz, Devin Walker from GiveWP and more. Unfortunately, I couldn’t attend any sessions as planned due to prior commitments. I had hoped to participate in discussions on accessibility and engage in one-on-one conversations. 

On the third day, I had the pleasure of meeting Anne Bovelett for the first time, although our meeting exceeded our planned time. I also visited various booths, including those from FastSpring, Bluehost, Hostinger, InstaWP, and BookingPress, where I had insightful conversations with industry professionals. 

The day concluded with an enjoyable afterparty with the WordCamp Asia Organisers, which provided a relaxed setting for networking and further discussions.

WordCamp Asia left a profound impact on me, both personally and professionally. It provided invaluable insights and connections that will undoubtedly contribute to my growth as an individual and grow POSIMYTH to new heights. I urge everyone to approach WordCamps with an open mind, as the long-term benefits and unexpected opportunities they offer are truly invaluable.

Excited to continue this journey and meet you all again in Manila, Philippines!