WordCamp Torrelodones – In Sierra Noroeste de Madrid for the first time

Each project comes with its own set of challenges, whether it’s writing an article, building a house, or creating a plugin. It takes a lot of effort, passion, and commitment to achieve the desired outcome. Similarly, organizing a WordCamp, from arranging the schedule to securing sponsors and finding the right venue, can be complicated. But with determination and a positive attitude, it will result in fulfilling and rewarding experience. 

Despite the challenges, a team of skilled experts took on the task of arranging the inaugural WordCamp in Sierra Noroeste de Madrid. The event, WordCamp Torrelodones, hosted 212 individuals on March 11 and 12 who had the opportunity to learn from presentations, share knowledge, and connect with the community. 

Of course, we couldn’t pass up the chance to show our support and participate in this event. We had the pleasure of reconnecting with the Spanish community, mingling with WordPress enthusiasts and engaging in conversations with several YITH customers. 

On the 10th, we went to Torrelodones for dinner with sponsors and speakers. It was a tiring day as we had to carry our suitcases through the center of Madrid (which we wouldn’t suggest to anyone). However, it was a special ocasion to connect with other professionals from the community. 

The following morning, the much-awaited day finally came, and, as soon as we woke up, we got busy with setting up our booth to welcome all visitors. We made sure we were ready to answer any questions they had regarding our plugins and even gave away some of our cool t-shirts and stickers as souvenirs. 

Overall, the WordCamp conference covered a range of topics related to website building, including themes, plugins, design, development, SEO, marketing, and entrepreneurship. The opening speeches included a talk by Víctor Sáenz on strategic planning for WordPress projects and another by Vanesa Gómez del Río about using WordPress to travel the world with two children.  

Time passed quicky as we spent the morning attending lectures on Google Ads and block editors, before we knew it, it was time for lunch. However, during this time, we were lucky enough to have some great conversations with clients, users, and friends in the community. 

We were happy to see a lot of visitors at our booth, who were not only interested in our products but also wanted to know more about our brand, share their experience with YITH, or simply greet us. We appreciate everyone who took their time to stop by and say hello! 

During the amazing event, we all had different experiences. As a matter of fact, one of the attendees accidentally picked up Ivan’s cell phone and we all felt anxious while searching for it for a few minutes. But overall, we had a great time together. 

At the end of a long day of presentations, Pablo Moratinos and Fernando García Rebolledo ended WordCamp on a high note with their talks on the topics of “Your Brain Betrays You: Biases Exploited by Marketing” and “Create a Custom Query Loop Block”. It was a great way to wrap up the event! 

If you want to review the conferences or watch them for the first time, you can do so at WORDPRESSTV 

The after party was an essential part of WordCamp, and we couldn’t conclude the event without it. We enjoyed each other’s company, raised our glasses, had a good laugh, and had a great time together.  

Iván Sosa

It’s always a good idea to keep some extra room in your suitcase while traveling by airplane so that you can bring back some goodies that sponsors give out. WordCamp is an amazing chance to connect with people, and who knows, it may even lead to new business ventures. So, make sure to be prepared for anything!

Despite the lack of rest, our crew joined with enthusiasm for Contributor Day, there were still plenty of enjoyable experiences to be had. 

Tania González

I found the WordCamp program to be really engaging. During the Contributor Day, José Luis Losada and José Ramón Bernabeu shared their experience of volunteering in various WordCamps, which was quite insightful. Additionally, there were some fantastic presentations by experts like Víctor Sáenz, Carlos M. Díaz, Néstor Angulo, and Wajari Velásquez. Overall, it was a great event filled with interesting discussions and valuable insights.

We were given the chance to participate in the support table and gain some interesting insights about translation and marketing. It was a wonderful experience spent with talented professionals who were willing to share their knowledge. 

It’s important that we work together to support WordPress and give back to the community. By each doing our part, we can create and benefit from an amazing project that is available to all. 

Unfortunately, we had to depart before the day’s end as our flight departed at noon. After saluting our friends, the organizers and the community, we made our way back home. 

Tania González

One of the best aspects of WordCamp is the people who make it happen. While sharing knowledge is crucial, having casual conversations about everyday life is equally valuable as it helps us connect on a human level. Whether over a cup of coffee or a cold beer, discussing our lives and interests adds richness to the event.

The journey back home was also enriching. Ivan’s explanations helped Tania learn some programming basics (HTML and CSS), and it was quite a productive three-hour flight. 

The Torrelodones WordCamp was a great success and we’re looking forward to many more in the future. Reconnecting with the Spanish community is always a pleasure, our sincere gratitude to all those who made this event possible. We hope to see you all again very soon!