Vancouver Blogger Meetup – Lots of Fun!
Just came back from the Vancouver Blogger Meetup and I have to say, it was a lot of fun! Taking place at Shennanigan’s on Robson, I didn’t know what to expect. In fact, I didn’t even know why I was going other than to meet the people I’ve been Twittering with for the past few weeks.
I met quite a few really interesting people. Erika (the designer) and I had great conversations on design to sustainability,later being joined by Simon and Diana, then Barbara. Each person offered his or her own perspective on the issues and it turned into a well rounded series of discussions.
Being a good host, Raul made sure that everyone was having fun and was part of the action! No pressure of course, he just said hi and let us know that he really does care. Thanks to Raul for that by the way.
Nearing the end of the night, I announced my intentions to leave and was pulled further into conversation after conversation. Normally I’d be staring at the door waiting for it to stop, but here I felt comfortable. At home speaking with like-minded people on topics I care about. Sooooo glad to have been delayed.
I think it’s just another example of the new culture that is breeding from online communities. Everyone pursues thier passions even in as simple a form as a blog about what they care about. That makes them interesting people because they are passionate about their beliefs and interests. You’re not speaking to robots trying to promote themselves but rather living, breathing, and caring individuals that just want to reach out and make friends.
In my fourth month in Vancouver I’m finding myself more and more at home. With great people like Raul, Jan, David, and the many others that attended, I feel a strong sense of a community of millions of people. So strong in fact that I’m already counting down the days to the next meetup!
Raul 10:34 am on April 10, 2009 Permalink |
Glad that you came, Jeff! I do care profoundly, and I’m always trying to make sure everyone is having a good time. I’m a natural extrovert, so I like helping people transition from being introverts to talking more openly
Erika Rathje 8:35 pm on April 10, 2009 Permalink |
I definitely enjoyed that evening! I stayed later than I should have but I always find it hard to pull myself away from good conversation, especially with new people. You’re really interesting, too. I hope we can chat again soon, that was really great. Glad you had fun and didn’t regret sticking around a little longer.
raincoaster 3:09 am on April 11, 2009 Permalink |
Vancouver is actually a difficult city to make friends in; it’s very cliquish. To their credit, the Vangroover social media people are extremely welcoming; it’s a great way to get to meet good people and learn about the city.
jeffswan 8:56 am on April 11, 2009 Permalink |
Really? I haven’t found it ‘cliquish’ at all. I guess I’ve joined some of the better groups because I’ve felt very welcome in each of the events I’ve attended, not to mention made some good friends along the way.