Thread by @davedelong

This should probably be a blog post, but I’m lazy and it’s easier to ⌘N in @tweetbot:

I had the privilege of attending and speaking at the Tokyo edition of @tryswiftconf recently. I had a fantastic and inspiring time, and want to share a couple observations with you

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First off, I was totally impressed with the organization and logistics of the whole thing. It is HARD to pull a conference off well, but the @tryswiftconf team did it admirably.

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Second: a huge kudos to the @tryswiftconf translators. Simultaneous translation is one of the most mentally taxing things I’ve ever done; to see these folks doing it for two days straight, at super-speed, with crazy amounts of technical language was awe-inspiring

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Third: this conference reinforced for me one of the things that I find most valuable about attending, and that is the spontaneous conversations with other attendees.

Over the couple of days I was there, I had several conversations that I’ll be thinking about for a LONG time

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At the absolute top of my list was the ones I had with @bugkrusha. We spent quite a bit of time talking about all sorts of things, and it was a deeply rewarding experience. The perspective you get by talking with others is invaluable. It makes you a better person

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Seriously, if you haven’t had a chance, sit down with @bugKrusha and chat with him for 5 minutes. You will count it as some of the best 5 minutes you’ve ever spent in your life. Spend more if you can (and if he’s willing, of course! 😉)

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(And if you’re organizing a conference, you want @bugKrusha in your speaker lineup)

The other conversations I had were equally fulfilling, with @mostgood, @mennenia, @NatashaTheRobot, and countless others whose names and twitter handles I’ve forgotten.

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If you go to a conference just for the talks, that’s fine. But go for the other attendees too. Go for the conversations, and go because together they will make YOU a better person

That’s what @tryswiftconf has done for me, and I’m looking forward to repeating the experience

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