2008/7/28 Al Tally majorly.wiki@googlemail.com:
It's now been a week since I got back. I enjoyed the actual conference, and meeting everyone in person. However, I have made up my mind that I never want to go to Egypt again, nor the next Wikimania.
[...]
I was so disturbed and put off by my experience of Egpyt, there is no way I'd consider going to Buenos Aires. While I'm sure they are very different places, I don't want to risk anything like the harrassment, the poor hygene, the dangerous roads and the poor organisation again. It'll be way too expensive for me as well, and I doubt I'd get a scholarship. I'd rather go somewhere closer to the UK where I live, or where the culture is more similar to here.
I'm sorry my words are harsh. This is not a dig at anyone, just my honest concerns about how this whole thing turned out. I know for sure others feel the same way I do about a lot of the things I said.
Dear friends:
I'm happy to see that this thread turned into a more constructive discussion about things we can do better in next wikimanias. I can't imagine how could the egyptian team change the local taxi drivers' culture just for our comfort.
While we (in Argentina) are taking notes on every comment about things to do and things to improve, I'd like to say a few words, about some concepts that didn't sound well to me.
I was very happy to be in Egypt. I knew (as every one of you) that the taxi drivers -and other people- would try to cheat me, that transport media would be below european standars -although the train service from Cairo to Alexandria was quite fine-, that traffic would be terrible, that poor people would be everywhere. Welcome, my friends, to the South.
And I was very happy not only for the great job and friendship of the egyptian team, not only for an outstanding conference venue, but also because when we say: "a world in which every human being..." we are also talking about this people. We are talking *most of all* about this people.
Of course, nobody is forced to go anywhere if is going to be uncomfortable. But you can't go to Egypt (or to South America) and complain because you didn't find the services of a Nordic country.
We are taking notes and working: you'll find enough plugs in Buenos Aires, and enough wifi, and enough social room and activities... and perhaps you'll find a city that fits with most european standars (please, read [[en:Buenos Aires]] for further reference). But if you walk the city, you'll meet poor people, at night you may find families of waste pickers, you'll see homeless. Sorry about that. We are not able to hide them for you and I think we don't want to do so.
So, let's talk about things we can work out. And forgive me if my words sound bitter: I just couldn't help.
Patricio