The big day has arrived and on 5th of March at noon I was about to get in the plane to Bangkok to attend Linaro Connect. It was an aventured that lasted about 13 hours but Sunday, 6th of March, at 9am I was in Bangkok with an arrival visa in my hands.
The next step was to get to Centare Grand Hotel, to settle in and to meet Alex Elder, my mentor.
Somewhere around noon I had the occasion to meet Alex and get to spend some time visiting the surroundings with him. It was a great experience, better that I have expected (and I was expecting to be great). Alex had some great advice about what I should do to make the most of the following week.
What TO DO when attenting your first technical conference?
1. Talk to as many people as you encounter.
2. Go to the technical sessions and ask questions. People will
be more than happy to answer them.
3. If you know beforehand a person that is attending that
conference, ask him/her to introduce you to people. It will
make a difference in the future.
4. Don't panic if you don't know everything that is discussed
there. Later you will find out that you are not the only one.
Best approach is to ask.
What NOT TO DO?
1. Don't be shy. Tell your story, ask for opinion and advice.
2. Don't be afraid to speak your mind (in a civilized manner).
3. Don't just spend time in your hotel. Get out, plan meetings
and go to meet people. It will help your career but also you
will have a great time.
I will be adding more tips when I remember them.. but in the mean time.. That’s it.