Community Magazine 
When I received my acceptance to speak at JoomlaDay USA 2026, I was excited, honored, and honestly a little nervous.
This wasn't just another Joomla event for me. It was my first visit to the United States, my first JoomlaDay USA, and my first time speaking at a Joomla event in America.
After a long journey, I finally arrived in Delray Beach, Florida. What immediately stood out was how welcoming everyone was. Even though I had worked with many people in the Joomla community online for years, meeting them in person felt completely different.
One of the best parts of the event was finally meeting people I had known only through meetings, chats, and community discussions. It was great to spend time with Laura Gordon, Joe Sonne, Olivier Buisard, Todd Woodward, Adam Melcher, Brian Mitchell, Robin Clapp, and many other volunteers and attendees. We talked about Joomla, community projects, life, travel, and of course shared plenty of laughs along the way.
As the time for my session got closer, I started feeling the usual speaker nerves. Standing in front of an audience in a country I was visiting for the first time was definitely outside my comfort zone. But once the presentation started, those nerves quickly disappeared. The audience was friendly, engaged, and interested in the topic, which made the whole experience enjoyable.
What I loved most about JoomlaDay USA was the community atmosphere. It never felt like a formal conference where people only attend sessions and leave. Everywhere you went, people were talking, helping each other, sharing ideas, and making new connections. Whether it was during a session, over coffee, or at dinner, every conversation seemed to lead to learning something new.
The event reminded me why I have stayed involved with Joomla for so many years. Yes, Joomla is a great CMS, but the real strength of Joomla has always been its people. The volunteers, organizers, contributors, and users are what make this project special.
Looking back, JoomlaDay USA 2026 was much more than a speaking opportunity. It was a chance to meet friends, make new connections, share my experience, learn from others, and finally experience the Joomla community in the United States firsthand.
A big thank you to everyone who helped make the event such a memorable experience. Special thanks to Laura Gordon, Joe Sonne, Olivier Buisard, Adam Melcher, Brian Mitchell, Robin Clapp, Todd Woodward, and the many other volunteers and attendees who made me feel welcome from the moment I arrived.
I returned home with great memories, new friendships, and even more appreciation for the amazing Joomla community.
I hope to see many of you again at future Joomla events.
What’s next with JDAYUSA
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Videos are available for all participants of JDAYUSA. Login to the site visit:
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Need a video pass? You can purchase one!
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A Day of Code
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Join us, Thursday, August 27 for a full day of code, this will be a hands on HYBRID workshop
Upcoming: Joomla World Conference
Would you like to meet other Joomlers, share knowledge, learn a lot and have a good time? Join the Joomla World Conference, October 16th - 18th 2026 in Potsdam, Germany!
For info about Tickets / Sponsoring opportunities / Speakers, see: https://conference.joomla.org/
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