International conferences are never just about formal sessions and presentations. My journey to the Wikimedia CEE Meeting 2026 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, gave me far more than professional experience, it brought me lifelong memories, funny moments, and unforgettable friendships.
Wikimedia CEE Meeting 2026 Group Photo
The Journey Begins: Midnight Flights, Luggage Drama, and Hotel Hunting
My trip kicked off on September 16th with a night flight. During the layover in Istanbul, I had the wonderful chance to meet members of the Georgian Wikimedia community and received a special gift for the Turkic Marathon. But international travel rarely goes smoothly… Upon arriving in Cluj, my luggage was severely damaged and practically unusable, and to top it all off, I accidentally checked into the wrong hotel!
Because of these minor misadventures, I arrived at the Learning Day a bit late. From the very first minutes, my inner paparazzo kicked in, and I started capturing my new acquaintance, Nal Mencin, on camera, a habit that continued right up until the end of the conference.
CEE Youth: Freedom and Uniqueness
This time around, I felt completely at home in the CEE Youth group, communicating openly without a single trace of feeling like an outsider. Being the only girl in a hijab in Romania made for a fascinating experience where I felt a bit “exotic.” I spent my time joyfully with my peers, making wonderful new friends. We wandered the city until 1:00 or 2:00 AM, rediscovering its stunning night views over and over again.
Central Asian girls
Central Asian girls
CEE Meeting 2026 (Youth Group/Social media team)
CEE Youth Group
And oh, bringing a whole suitcase of clothes only to constantly change outfits until I’d worn every single piece was a delightful little chore! During the first Party Night, I left a lasting impression on many Wikimedians with both my outfit and my relentless energy on the dance floor. The funniest part? Even though I stayed up late every night and was the absolute last to leave the night party, sleeping only 3 to 4 hours, I felt no fatigue at all, I was simply overflowing with energy.
Warm Connections and Shared Laughter
From the Learning Day onward, I spent most of my time with my Azerbaijani and Turkish brothers and sisters. Ironically, I went to the conference aiming to improve my spoken English, but I ended up accidentally picking up and memorizing everyday Turkish and Azerbaijani phrases instead!
Turkic Wikimedians
Through my EduWiki mentor Egezort, I also met Zemxer and I’m fully convinced that if Egezort had been there in person, he would have found me a boyfriend right alongside some new friends!))) Nikos Likomitros and Darina’s brilliant idea for a Wiki wedding highlighted the creative spirit of our community and sparked genuine warmth among us all. Who knows, maybe we’ll actually turn this playful idea into reality one day…
Meanwhile, teaming up with my compatriot Mirzaolim to introduce foreign Wikimedians to Uzbek sweets and qurt (dried yogurt balls) and watching their priceless, bewildered reactions, brought both of us endless joy.
Ideas, Grants, and My First Lightning Talk
Throughout the trip, dozens of ideas constantly buzzed through my mind.
I had productive conversations with Christopher Schilling and Toni Ristovski about applying for a Rapid Grant to organize meetings for CA Youth Community members, and discussed community challenges with Asaf Bartov. I also had wonderful chats with the organizer of the upcoming Wiki Loves Food.
I delivered my very first Lightning Talk! Though it was only 5 minutes long, it remains a cherished memory. Even though technical glitches replaced the gorgeous presentation I spent days building in Canva with a quirky, static-sticker version, the room’s warm support and positive feedback afterward completely made my day.
On the second day, I had the pleasure of joining the WikiWomen lunch alongside so many wonderful women. Sitting around the table and sharing stories with such passionate and inspiring minds gave me a fresh wave of motivation. It was one of those quiet, beautiful moments that truly reminded me why our community and sisterhood matter so much.
WikiWomen lunch
I captured dozens of videos and hundreds of photos for the CEE Youth Social Media group. Only later did I realize that by taking so many pictures of everyone else, I didn’t have a single photo of myself left! Even so, I was thrilled because I successfully managed to upload nearly 300 photos to Wikimedia Commons.
Final Adventures and Heading Home
During our free time, my friends and I explored the city’s historical sites, and I even purchased a rare book on stained glass windows. I proudly shared stories of Uzbek architecture and national cuisine with my new acquaintances. The fact that the fast food I tried in Romania (KFC and McDonald’s) wasn’t very appealing made me appreciate just how incomparably delicious our traditional home-cooked meals truly are.
On the way back, we decided not to waste our 6-hour layover in Bucharest and went exploring, which nearly resulted in us missing our flight, adding one final, heart-pounding adventure to the trip! Returning home, I realized I had missed my native food so much that my appetite vanished, causing me to drop 2 kg, a funny little statistic of this journey etched into my memory.
This CEE Meeting was hands down the best Wikimedia conference I have ever attended. I am deeply and sincerely grateful to Barbara Klen, who provided the merit scholarship that made my participation possible, and to Claudia Serbanuta, who never tired of repeatedly sending me conference updates despite my weird email address.