On the end of a trip
I'm officially back home, back in my computer office, with the same broken coffee maker.
I may not be a seasoned traveller. Hell, this is only my first international trip, but I think I understand a bit of reverse culture shock: my job seems flat and uninteresting after spending a week surrounded by great minds, thinking about how to make the sum of human knowledge available to everyone. I feel different, but I can't say what exactly has changed, if anything.
This was my first Wikimania as well. It's hard to get a hold of the event's size and scope if you've never attended one: lots of projects, ideas and potential flying through the air in every conversation. Every person you meet has some sort of idea, a different point of view on this subject or the other. I met incredibly intelligent people there. People whose lives are now dedicated to something greater than themselves.
Our job is to make this happen next year. I get the full picture now, it's «only» a matter of bringing it down to earth, piece by piece.
I miss it so much, but I'm glad to be back, to know where the cars are coming from when crossing the streets.
Postscript: I'll publish some of my notes on the trip on regular daylogs. Thank you Clockmaker for assisting me throughout the trip. I wish we could've met. Thank you everyone for your messages and support during this week. I don't have words to express my full gratitude towards you. Thank you London and your kebabs. I followed gnarl's advice and did not urinate on any walls. Cheers.