Before I look ahead to what’s coming in November, I want to thank everyone who helped pull together our lab events this past month. At the beginning of October, we had our Db2 LUW Lab Day; only a week later we kicked off our Data Tech Summit at the Silicon Valley Lab in San Jose, California. Both events were big successes, generating a lot of buzz and attracting great groups of attendees. Thank you to the planning teams, IBM for their support and all attendees who joined the events, either in person or by calling in.
Ever since I joined IDUG as a proud member of the EMEA Conference Planning Committee in 2007, I’ve found the busiest time of year to be the month leading up to the EMEA conference. Even as I’ve taken on different roles with IDUG volunteer teams, this hasn’t changed. The past month has been packed with planning. Now, only a few days from the start of the conference, there are still so many things to finish before I can pack my bags and head to St. Julian’s in Malta.
With so many meetings taking place before and during the conference, there are still a lot of preparations in the works, including preparing outfits for different social events as well as walking shoes for some sightseeing after the conference (just a girl thinking of reasons to go shopping :) ).
One of the things I’m personally looking forward to is the opening session. Although speaking in front of such a large crowd is somewhat intimidating, I know that being among friends will put me at ease. I’m also extremely proud to join my “stage partner,” Mateja Jankovič, the IDUG EMEA 2018 conference chair. Mateja is a long-time friend and colleague, so it is particularly special for me to have the chance to share the stage with her.
With all the efforts invested in different IDUG activities throughout the year, with all the political and logistical challenges we face, everything pays off in the end with the huge amount of positive energy generated by meeting friends from all over the globe. The constructive meetings, tasks completed, evening parties, all the enthusiasm from happy attendees, and the energized conference planning team make me really look forward to seeing you all in Malta!
How are you preparing for the conference in Malta? Be sure to download the mobile app and prepare your conference schedule, and don’t forget your sunglasses and umbrella. It looks like the weather in Malta in early November is like a pleasantly warm but moody spring.
Ready? Steady… GO!
Mirna