Hive Open Days 💛 - the grace and gratitude of finding your place

What is it about Hive people that just feels so much more real...?

Was one question I asked as we were winding down the calle during those last few Alicante hours. Maybe some of you will know what I'm asking.
The first event in our world I attended (in pre-Hive days) was in Krakow, 2018. I was only a kid then, so I figured maybe I just don't have enough real-world experience. Maybe this is what grown-up interactions are like. Yet, in the eight years since, I've attended a few more Hive events with some amazing people and... the feeling's the exact same.
In that time, I've felt properly seen a good number of times in my "other" life. I've had the experience of meeting some truly unique people outside Hive. Of being understood and recognized on a very deep level.

Yet, Hive events just hit different.
I love the way you can sit down with a random person from the blockchain you've never met before and have a deep, meaningful first conversation within minutes. It seems to me sometimes the fact that you are an engaged member in this larger online space that we share "vouches" for you immensely. So that perhaps you don't have to prove yourself to some people.

Some of you may remember I came to Hive Open Days a little bit cynical and doubtful. And in a way, I still am. Everyone talks about onboarding. Yet, down the years, I've met so many amazing people who just found Hive (or its predecessor) more or less randomly, without any aggressive onboarding, and just... stayed. To me, it felt like one of the easiest, most natural decisions.

Though now, as the plane rolls off the Spanish soil, I'm baffled and hopeful too. Why wouldn't you want to stay?

Time and again, meeting Hiveians reminds me of the wonderful possibility of connection that exists in the greater beyond. I must say, I'm tremendously grateful to have encountered you all on my journey.

What was Hive Open Days like? I won't give you a frame-by-frame account. There's more skillful people for that. I also won't be dropping a slew of selfies. I'm much too shy for that. Though I will share with you the event through the eyes of my stuffed companion, little Lisbonilă, who appreciated meeting you all as well.

Not having slept all through the previous night and having various flight troubles down the road, I thought I had no patience for people the first unofficial night. I felt the same in Graz (and stayed in with Netflix), but here, hunger and proximity eventually lured me out of the accommodation. And I'm glad it did. The minute you run into Hiveians, it's like your brain changes. You switch on, you come alive. In that Spanish McDonalds equivalent, we ended up having a cheap-sangria blast, meeting old faces and new.

We skipped some of the talks on the first day in favor of the beach, but in between, I caught some great ones.

Hive account@alessandrawhite being the awe-inspiring force that she is delivered a fantastic welcoming and rallying cry for Hive and for this brilliant community that we've built, which made me want to open another account (or ten) here.

Later, she and the wonderful, talented Hive account@mipiano gave a fantastic piano and clarinet concerto of some famous songs, including my personal favorite, a Lord of the Rings theme that had us checking around for Hive account@gtg at any moment.

My beloved Hive account@ninaeatshere gave us a beautiful presentation on behalf of Hive account@worldmappin, and all the exciting things happening there that made me realize how little I interact with that place. Should change that. I always like hearing Nina speak (and speaking with her, of course). She is so warm, so real. A perfect example of the brilliant people you can meet here, if you're lucky. Alas, I didn't get a picture as my bag was across the room, but I did snap this lovely one a little later that day on one of our mandatory coffee outings.

What luck, to have such brilliant people speaking on our behalf, eh?

Day 2 saw us taking a boat ride out to the island of Tabarca, where they gave us fish and paella and ice cream, and the water was too cold to swim in. Bastards.

Actually, the exciting part for me was the #CleanPlanet walk, as I found I enjoyed it more than I expected last year and was really looking forward to it. Since I'm not competitive by nature, I just took an exploratory walk around the island with my love and my trash claw, ended up receiving some campers' trash, seeing a locked cemetery, then running back to our boat.

Speaking of the amazing Hive account@godfish, since no venue was planned for that night, he actually shephereded us on one of his infamous beer journeys at this lovely little place. It was last minute; it was an impromptu "table" that somehow kept squeezing in more and more hungry Hiveians. It was the best dinner of the event for me and not because of who organized.

For me, the best part of Hive events is the afterwards, the cooldown, when everyone is more relaxed and chill.

Oh, and we had some pretty amazing beers for #BeerSaturday, including this one, just to prove to Hive account@detlev I can drink beer with the best of 'em. :D

Sunday was supposed to be a day of rest. We decided to skip the activities, take it easy and enjoy the gorgeous balcony at our Airbnb with a late breakfast. But plans seldom go as they should when it comes to Hive.

We had barely finished our breakfast when we heard a cheeky voice from outside complaining about laziness. With dishsoap bubbles still on my hands, I went out to the terrace to find a pitchfork-wielding mob camping outside our apartment, led by none other than Hive account@ninaeatshere (these Worldmappin folk will get you out and about...whether you like it or not!).

All the thanks to Hive account@palomap3 for this picture, as well as the hugs, smiles and organization. It was wonderful meeting you.

We dressed while everyone had a biscuit and a rest and joined the tour under duress, which turned out to be a good choice; otherwise, we would've missed so many fantastic decorations and street art.

Here, we observe Lisbonilă being rudely photo-bombed by Hive account@edje, Nina and Hive account@nonsowrites. While it was really fun getting to hang with you guys again, I would be more attentive next time. :P

After the tour, we shared a final coffee before saying goodbye to some - Hive account@alessandrawhite and Hive account@bitterirony, thank you so much for the conversations and especially the support for our upcoming little project; Hive account@livinguktaiwan and Hive account@sinochip, it was so great seeing you again, you both have such a good energy, it's just a joy spending time with you.

We also said goodbye to the man behind the event who, I feel, doesn't get nearly the deserved appreciation for all his tireless work towards organizing these amazing events - Hive account@tibfox. Thank you so, so much for taking months of work upon yourself for us. Speaking of great energy, from the moment I ran into you guys at the supermarket randomly, I knew this would be a killer event, and it totally was. Also, much gratitude to the beautiful Hive account@machamorag2 for her presence.

Some of us made our way to the beach later that day and even managed to have a semi-serious conversation about Hive, onboarding, and other important topics while surviving the angry waves.

The last day started with a power-out and a cockroach down the wall but ended up as a lot of chilling around the beach with some very special people. Which brings us up to the beginning of our post.

What makes Hiveians so special to be around? The truth is, I have no fucking clue. I just wish more people knew it. As I said earlier, for me, this platform has been a no-brainer since day one and just continues to get easier with every passing year and meetup.

Aside from those already mentioned, I would also like to say ahoj (and hopefully see you again real soon) to

• Hive account@mightyrockylee - it was so great seeing you again. I enjoyed hanging out and getting to meet Hive account@susieisclever.
• Hive account@ratona, muchas gracias por tu luz y tu energia preciosa.
• Hive account@ph1102, thank you for the big welcoming hug that reminded me I was among friends.
• Hive account@m31 and Hive account@lemony-cricket, after somehow missing you at multiple events, it was a pleasure finally sharing a drink and conversation with you.
• Hive account@schmidi, I loved your energy, warmth and excitement.
• Hive account@haastrecht, you're definitely on my "trusts you with a smile and a story" list. It was so good meeting you.
• Hive account@igormuba, someone who understands my music sense, and such a warm, charming person to be around.
• Hive account@elsurtidor, Hive account@enraizar, Hive account@reiseamateur, though we didn't get to interact much, I felt there was warmth and friendship whenever our paths crossed. And that's not nothing in this great, big, scary world.

As for our newcomers - Hive account@hivevive, Hive account@marinasalvi3, Hive account@iamkaye, nikaradeva, Hive account@anamz, Hive account@juanmatrader, Hive account@dimrad and Hive account@gisse - welcome to Hive. I hope we showed you at least a bit of how great this community can be. Trust me. As someone who discovered this place at 18, knowing nothing about the world, it's helped me grow and blossom so much. Give it a try. And please feel free to tag me in your first posts. I would love to read them.

Overall, I'm coming home excited, happy, hopeful, a little nostalgic, and a little sunburnt. Thank you all so much for the past few days.