WordCamp Asia 2025 Experience
I would like to begin by expressing my heartfelt gratitude to my sponsors, createIT, for generously covering my travel and accommodation expenses for WordCamp Asia 2025. This WordCamp Asia 2025 experience is something I will cherish throughout my career, as the event reignited a passion that had dimmed over the years.
Sessions
If only I could attend every session, I would have been there each day. Fortunately, all the sessions were recorded and uploaded to YouTube. This ensures no one misses out on the WordCamp Asia 2025 experience! My first WordCamp was in 2018. Back then, I was overwhelmed by the schedule and missed sessions I intended to attend.
This year, I took a proactive approach by plotting my own schedule and printing it. I created physical copies of my WordCamp itinerary. I marked each session as complete once attended, which helped me stay focused. I’m glad the website’s schedule page allows marking and emailing the schedule list. However, I preferred creating my own to familiarize myself with the schedule and format it to my liking.
Most sessions I attended were technical. I wanted to enhance my skills and stay updated on the latest WordPress developments. I first attended Ryan Welcher’s session, “The Block Developer Cookbook: WC Asia 2025 Edition.” It was a workshop where I enjoyed “cooking” blocks with him! Initially, I found creating blocks intimidating. Ryan’s cookbook, with its clear explanations and provided code, made me realize there was nothing to fear. I thoroughly enjoyed the workshop!
More Valuable Sessions
Other sessions I found valuable included Celia Rozalén Martín’s “Pocket to Post: Manage and Automate Your Site from Your Phone,” where she demonstrated how to automate posts from your phone to your WordPress site, encouraging a more relaxed lifestyle—live a chill life. Milana Cap’s “WordPress Gems for Devs: Fresh New Features You’ll Actually Want to Use” showcased the WP_HTML_Tag_Processor as a replacement for preg_match(), and the Interactivity API, which provides standard interactions for blocks. Birgit Pauli-Haack’s “Create a Demo with Playground” explored WP Playground, demonstrating how you can instantly run WordPress to test themes/plugins. When asked about security concerns, she mentioned they are working on it, but for now, it’s best to run locally to secure premium plugins and protect intellectual property.
Interactive Activity
The organizers of WordCamp Asia 2025 added a unique touch to the event by gamifying the interactive activities, enhancing the overall experience. One standout activity was the “Duck Challenge,” where participants hunted for miniature rubber ducks. A special prize awaited those who found the “duckling egg” (Nickname: Balut), while regular ducks offered bragging rights as a treasure hunter.
This game drew inspiration from the concept of “Rubber Duck Debugging,” popularized by Andrew Hunt and David Thomas. It’s amusing how we ‘hunt’ the rubber ducks—well played, organizers! Essentially, rubber duck debugging is a technique for solving coding problems by explaining your code aloud to an inanimate object, like a rubber duck. Over the years, my “rubber ducks” have been my desk buddies.
Being competitive, I found the duck hunt challenging until I unexpectedly succeeded. While engrossed in completing the “Bingo Game” (which I’ll explain later), I approached an organizer, Anand, and we struck up a conversation. I asked if he could sign the bingo card box for “Connect with an organizer,” and he gladly obliged. We chatted about his experience in the Philippines and his visit to one of the best tourist destinations, Palawan. It was delightful talking with him. Before we parted, he asked if I had found a rubber duck. When I said no, he handed me one! I didn’t expect that, and he explained it was because I was genuinely connecting with people, not just collecting signatures. I will never pass up a great conversation, as I believe everyone carries a fascinating story worth hearing.
Bingo Card Game
Next, let’s dive into another engaging activity, the “Bingo Card Game,” brilliantly devised by Anand. This bingo card game challenged participants to answer trivia questions about the Philippines and the event venue, place stickers collected from each session, and gather signatures or names of people who met specific criteria.
Initially, I was determined to complete the bingo card, but some boxes remained unfilled because I couldn’t attend Contributor’s Day. Instead, I shifted my focus to meeting people, using the bingo card as a wonderful excuse to get to know them. My extroverted side flourished, and I made new friends and connections.
Listening to their stories and experiences made me realize that I wasn’t just engaging with people to complete the game; I was using it as a conversation starter. I’m thrilled this game existed. As a bonus, my raffle ticket was selected, and I won a prize for completing the bingo card game!
Community
The WordCamp Asia 2025 event attracted a diverse group of attendees, not just from Asia, but from all over the world! The massive support for WordCamp Asia was evident, showcasing a community built on inclusivity and empowerment. Everyone was there to learn from the best, and this is what I truly miss—learning in person. I met new friends and connections, which I will cherish. Learning from insightful sessions and discovering stories and cultures from people around the globe. These types of events are what strengthens the organization.
To the organizers and volunteers, you did an outstanding job pulling off one of the best WordCamps yet. Your hard work truly paid off! Everyone was accommodating and incredibly helpful. Kudos to all of you!
Let’s also acknowledge the sponsors for believing in WordCamps and helping attendees understand more about their products, while giving back through fantastic raffle prizes! There were a couple of sponsors whose products I’ve used. I don’t know about you, but when I meet the people behind the products and plugins I use and get to talk to them personally, I feel proud. Maybe it’s just me fangirling, or perhaps it’s the confidence that they are improving their products based on consumer needs.
Exciting news—the next WordCamp Asia will be held in Mumbai, India! How thrilling is that!?
Takeaway
Reflecting on my WordCamp Asia 2025 experience, I have several key takeaways that have made this journey both educational and inspiring. Firstly, the importance of community was evident throughout the event. Meeting new friends and forming connections with people from diverse backgrounds enriched my understanding and appreciation of the global WordPress community. Secondly, the technical sessions provided invaluable insights into the latest WordPress developments, enhancing my skills and confidence in using new tools and techniques. Lastly, the interactive activities, like the Duck Challenge and Bingo Card Game, highlighted the value of engaging with others and learning through fun and creativity. This experience has reinforced my belief that there is always something new to learn each day and countless amazing people to learn from. It reminds me of my journey into technology, as shared in my article “Tech and I, How I Got Into It.” I truly value this experience and look forward to applying what I’ve learned in my future endeavors.