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Connect Moderator

[RECAP] Let's Get Together- Dallas & Virtual Meetup

It was 13 January, 2018. 

 

It was just an ordinary day, yet not so ordinary. It was the day when I hosted my first meet up in Dallas.

 

There were two particular reasons why the day was not-so-ordinary and rather very special to me. One- as I have already mentioned above, it was my first ever meetup in Dallas, and two- I hosted an international hangout meetup at the same time and we had a wonderful session with @ErmesT@HelloSamsonR and for a very limited time with @OSAMA.

 

The meetup was scheduled at 3.00 PM. @MuhannadK and I went to the venue a little before the scheduled time. Starbucks was totally packed with customers that day. So we thought we would sit outside. But it was a freezing cold day. I could not sit there for more than 5 minutes. I had to go back inside. The reason I am talking about the weather here is, looking at the weather report, I started getting a little worried if people would really show up for the meet up. But to my surprise, I spotted @RussellR standing at the queue for his drink. Well, I was at least expecting him to be present for the meetup as he already promised earlier that he would.

 

I won't say Dallas people are lazy, but it seems like they are not very active in terms of social activities. From our previous experience in the Worldwide Food Crawl meetup, Muhannad and I had a bet between us. He said, the total turn up would not exceed 3, including the 2 of us. But I was confident that at least 4 would be there, if not 5. After meeting Russell, we had Pavan (he is still not in Connect), level 5 and after a while @ToyinOy, level 4, joined us. And that made me win the bet with Muhannad. 😛

 

 

The introduction part was a little funny. I came to know that Russell was a tea lover. He said, if he had a factory, he would make tea there.

 

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Pavan turned out to be the 'too busy' guy and hence he never had enough time to try new food. I already offered him to tag along with me, so that I could help him try all the junkies from Texas. 😉

 

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Well, Toyin, on the other hand, seemed to be fun. Because, she said she had always wanted to live in Australia or Singapore. Like I always wanted to live in New Zealand. After all wise girls want alike. 😉

 

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And my Yosemite partner, Muhannad, said if he had a factory, he would make spaceship in that. I just hope one day he really makes one and I could buy it for my trip to Venus. 

 

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I loved this fun discussion.

 

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We had a very fruitful discussion among ourselves, along with Ermes. We shared our views about contributing to maps. We came to know that Russell, who is a trusted street view photographer and has over 30K points for his amazing photos and reviews in maps, had two wonderful 360 cameras that take amazing photos, without much noise. He definitely is a Visualist, a Multimdia Guru, an Advocate and the Fact Finder all together. Pavan, on the contrary, seemed to be a little quiet and shy guy. And Toyin is fun and a Visualist, of course. 

 

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Russell showed us some amazing tricks of editing photo using some free appsRussell showed us some amazing tricks of editing photo using some free apps

 

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 We spent more than 2 hours time over tea. Eeven though Starbucks is famous for coffee, but I realized we all had tea that day. Not sure if it's the weather or something else, but one thing was for sure, Russell was going to do good business from his tea factory. 😉

 

 

If you want to go back to that moment and spend some time with us, you may want to go to this album.

 

Lastly, Ermes, I loved our virtual meetup a lot. As usual, you had been very helpful and cooperative, and stayed there up late for us, it meant a lot to me. Sammy, this was the first time I had heard your voice, even though I could not see you on the screen, but I enjoyed talking to you thoroughly. After that virtual meetup, now I feel like hosting more meetups like this. We should do this often, what do you think?

And Osama, I could neither see you nor could hear your voice, I just saw you logged in there and something happened and you just disappeared. Don't do that next time, okay? 🙂

 

And finally, Muhannad, I want thank you specially for supporting me all the time. Without your support I would not be able to host this meetup. Thanks a bunch, my friend. And by the way, thanks for making me get addicted to Green Tea Latte. 🙂

44 comments
Level 9

Re: [RECAP] Let's Get Together- Dallas & Virtual Meetup

@SoniaK @MuhannadK Glad to see you meet up again again and again 😄 Thank you for the recap. 

Level 9

Re: [RECAP] Let's Get Together- Dallas & Virtual Meetup

Thank you very much @SoniaK for initiating the meetup , it was one more success to the local guides and was fruitful for sure .. Russell as well gave excellent advice on media management  

 

On the others hand its really nice to meet the local guide for fun, having tea .. and for sure planning a spaceship 😊 

 

Sure again big thanks for all who was part of the meet up looking forward for many meet ups in 2018 

 

 

Connect Moderator

Re: [RECAP] Let's Get Together- Dallas & Virtual Meetup

Dear @SoniaK and @MuhannadK

I think the "virtual side" of the meetup is an interesting option, the possibility to have some "guest" from a remote part of the planet. It is nice.

I enjoyed it too much, it was quite funny to see the people watching your phone, trying to see me. Yesss, it was and it will be againg, Sonia

Unfurtunatelly I wasn't able to take more than one photo, but it was interesting to talk and interact with all of you.

I would like to have a big stamp, for this meetup

Approved

 

Ermes

Level 10

Re: [RECAP] Let's Get Together- Dallas & Virtual Meetup

@SoniaK It was a lovely moment speaking to you for the first time, though virtually but I felt it like a real experience. Thanks for organising as well, Local Guides Rock.  First time to I met & spoke to @ErmesT :). You guys had a great time out. And I learnt something from you too as well Sonia. Anytime I organise a meet-up, should incase  some people are not going to be able to attend, I would try to also invite them to join us virtually if they can. And it seems like we had a 2nd Nigerian too in the meetup, @ToyinOy. I couldn't get the chance to say hello to her.  

Connect Moderator

Re: [RECAP] Let's Get Together- Dallas & Virtual Meetup


@ErmesT wrote:

Dear @SoniaK and @MuhannadK

I think the "virtual side" of the meetup is an interesting option, the possibility to have some "guest" from a remote part of the planet. It is nice.

I enjoyed it too much, it was quite funny to see the people watching your phone, trying to see me. Yesss, it was and it will be againg, Sonia

Unfurtunatelly I wasn't able to take more than one photo, but it was interesting to talk and interact with all of you.

I would like to have a big stamp, for this meetup

Approved

 

Ermes


 

WOW! That's wonderful, @ErmesT. Thanks a lot. I will go for these sort of virtual meetups more often from now on. 🙂

 

@HelloSamsonR, I am glad that the idea could inspire you. Are you thinking the same that I am thinking? If yes, it will be really wonderful. Well, it was actually @YK1001's idea to host a virtual meetup on the same day, so that he could join us too. (He was the first one to show interest to join me from Hong Kong.) But apparently he couldn't make it. I hope he doesn't meet the next one at least. 🙂

Connect Moderator

Re: [RECAP] Let's Get Together- Dallas & Virtual Meetup

By the way, I am not sure if @ToyinOy is from Nigeria or not. I haven't asked her. But she is a fun girl, that's for sure. 🙂

Connect Moderator

Re: [RECAP] Let's Get Together- Dallas & Virtual Meetup

Thank you @HeyJoe. Ya, lately we are having very frequent unofficial meetups along with @MuhannadK. But the golden days are getting over soon. He is going back home. 😞

Level 10

Re: [RECAP] Let's Get Together- Dallas & Virtual Meetup


@SoniaK wrote:

By the way, I am not sure if @ToyinOy is from Nigeria or not. I haven't asked her. But she is a fun girl, that's for sure. 🙂


Hehe @SoniaK Toyin is a a Nigerian name . You can be sure to ask her to confirm this :). 

Connect Moderator

Re: [RECAP] Let's Get Together- Dallas & Virtual Meetup


@HelloSamsonR wrote:


Hehe @SoniaK Toyin is a a Nigerian name . You can be sure to ask her to confirm this :). 


Oh really! I didn't know that. Well, that way I am from Europe too, @HelloSamsonR. Because my name originates from there. 😛

 

Hi @ToyinOy, would you like to solve the confusion here, please? 🙂