As I look back at 2024, I can't help but smile. From accidentally attending two conference dinners in one night to hiking in snowy Utah while locals sunbathed, from sparking new IDE features to connecting with Java communities worldwide – these are my adventures as a part of the BellSoft Developer Advocate team.
As Tradition Goes: Another Year Begins in Brussels
As every year, 2024 started with the FOSDEM and OpenJDK Committers’ Workshop in Brussels. There's something special about starting the year in this city – perhaps it's the unique charm of my familiar walking routes, or maybe it's just the chocolate. Speaking of which, I've scientifically proven (through multiple rigorous trials) that Belgian chocolate makes for a perfectly acceptable lunch substitute. Looking forward to continuing these "research studies" in 2025!
Spring Beginnings: London Calling and Amsterdam Dreams
My year of travels continued in May with Devoxx UK. Being my first time in London, I had to tick off some bucket list items – and yes, riding a double-decker bus was absolutely one of them! Between sessions, I managed to channel my inner detective with a visit to Hercule Poirot's house. Who says tech conferences can't have a dash of mystery?
Amsterdam followed, where the JetBrains office proved to be as impressive as their IDEs. Meeting old friends there was a highlight – what started as quick catch-ups turned into conversations lasting for hours.
The European leg of my journey wrapped up in Cologne, another city that holds a special place in my heart. Though I have to report a serious regression in this year's JCON conference – the traditional Bratwurst sausages were mysteriously absent from the menu. If any conference organizers are reading this, I can assure you that Java performance isn't the only thing that benefits from proper optimization! After all, some hot meat is needed to focus on garbage collection discussions.
The Tale of Two Dinners in Barcelona
Spring I/O in Barcelona marked one of my most memorable conference experiences, though perhaps not for the reasons you'd expect. Picture this: I show up for what I think is the speaker's dinner, enjoy some great conversations, only to realize I'm at the wrong dinner! Being the dedicated speaker that I am, I headed to the actual speaker's dinner afterward.
The conference itself was a huge success for BellSoft. Both Pasha (whom I finally met in person!) and I delivered talks, and our booth buzzed with Spring developers. Learning that many developers are embracing the latest Java versions was a pleasant surprise – though perhaps not as surprising as my accidental dining adventures.
Before Spring I/O, I had the pleasure of speaking at the Barcelona JUG, and what an experience that was! The JUG was hosted in an office with a stunning terrace overlooking Sagrada Familia – not your everyday tech talk backdrop.
Speaking of Sagrada Familia, I made sure to visit Gaudi’s masterpiece properly. Having learned from past adventures, I booked my tickets well in advance – sometimes being a planner has its perks! The magnificent architecture left me speechless, though I did manage to take plenty of photos.
American Adventures: Coast to Coast
August brought me to the sunny shores of California, where Pasha and I dove into the JVM Language Summit. There's nothing quite like being surrounded by people who get just as excited about JVM internals as you do! The summit was packed with insights, and being able to visit our San Jose HQ afterward made it even more special. There's something irreplaceable about those face-to-face conversations with colleagues you usually only see in video calls.
The trip took an East Coast turn as I headed to New York, where I had the pleasure of speaking at the New Jersey JUG. The venue alone was worth the trip – New Jersey Drew University's beautiful old-fashioned building had me seriously contemplating a return to student life. There's something inspiring about discussing modern technology while surrounded by classical architecture.
This is not my first time in New York, but the city never fails to surprise me with its scale. I attempted to explore the Metropolitan Museum, but quickly realized one day isn't nearly enough – it's enormous and packed with incredible art! Definitely need to come back for more visits.
The Great Native Image Debugging Plot Twist
Here's a story of how one conference talk led to an unexpected feature in IntelliJ IDEA.
Back in London, I gave a presentation about debugging native images using Eclipse IDE, as it was the only one supporting this feature at the time. Little did I know that JetBrains' team lead Alexey Stukalov was in the audience. He reached out after the talk, curious about bringing this capability to IntelliJ IDEA, and we had many discussions about features and workflows useful for developers.
Several months and many discussions later, I found myself at the GraalVM Summit in Zurich, scheduled to present with Alexey. The twist; JetBrains had just finished developing their updated native image debugging plugin – literally the night before our talk! We spent the evening rewriting our presentation to showcase this brand-new feature. From discussing "what could be" in London to demonstrating "what is" in Zurich – that's what I call an exciting plot twist!
Between sessions, we managed to tour Zurich with a tour guide none other than Thomas Wuertinger himself. I visited Einstein's locker at ETH Zurich (no quantum equations were harmed in the process), and a chocolate factory. I must confess I might have behaved like Augustus Gloop from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. But hey, wouldn't we all?
The UK Tour: A Test of Transportation and Tenacity
October brought what I like to call my "Three Cities, Three Days, Three JUGs" challenge. Starting in Brussels (where chocolate is an acceptable lunch), I navigated through Lille, Oxford, and Manchester. Despite the British transport system's best efforts to destroy my plans with delays, I managed to make every single talk. The secret? Always plan for delays, and never underestimate the power of a backup for your backup plan!
Final Adventure: KubeCon in Salt Lake City
My year wrapped up at KubeCon in Salt Lake City, where our team faced an unexpected challenge when one member fell to the flu, leaving just the two of us to manage the booth. But the real adventure came after the conference, when I went hiking in near-freezing temperatures. Fully equipped in my warmest gear, I felt slightly overdressed when I encountered locals jogging in shorts and – believe it or not – sunbathing in swimsuits!
My symbolic hike to Bells Canyon (a nod to BellSoft) and trek up to Ensign Peak offered stunning views and a perfect opportunity to reflect on what a remarkable year it had been.
Looking Back
Looking back, 2024 taught me that the best moments often happen off-script – from delayed trains leading to unexpected city explorations to conference talks sparking surprising collaborations.
As I look forward to 2025, I'm grateful for every person who made this journey memorable, every JUG that welcomed me, and yes, every piece of Belgian or Swiss chocolate that substituted for lunch.
Here's to another year of adventures and innovation!
