Devconnect + ETH Global Istanbul 2023

Now… Experience at Devconnect:

Arriving at Ethereum events is always spectacular; there is an atmosphere where everything seems possible, with people from all over the world eager to build new things.

Being my first hackathon, I had many doubts about how it would work, especially since I was completely alone and not an experienced developer.

Accommodation:

Fortunately, after thorough research, I found a place where most of the event attendees or people involved in the web3 ecosystem would stay, thanks to the great project of (CNC) Crypto Nomads Club. Upon arrival, I received a welcome gift and the accommodation process was very easy. Everything was prepared, and the choice of hotel was perfect in terms of its condition and proximity to the event, which saved me a lot of time and money on transportation… it also allowed me to exercise with the short walk to the event Haha.

First Days:

On the first day in Istanbul, I had breakfast with some of the people staying at the same hotel. As we walked to the restaurant/cafe, I started talking to very friendly people, whose lives already revolve entirely around companies related to web3. Those conversations were a kind of additional welcome and they encouraged me to see what can be achieved with great dedication and knowledge. Then, I connected with some people and headed to the coworking space organized by Devconnect.

The main coworking space, despite creating an interesting environment, also gave me a feeling of rejection towards those who believed that I couldn’t contribute anything significant to their hackathon project. After talking a bit with several people, I understood why: for many, attending hackathons is a fixed job, so they can’t afford to waste time teaching someone. This rejection, combined with the feeling of loneliness and difficulty in expressing myself due to the language barrier (even though I speak English well), caused a strong downturn in my mood. Thus began my roller coaster of emotions, as I felt welcomed at breakfast, but then in the coworking space, I felt like I didn’t belong there.

Taking a Moment if Nothing is Working:

I felt that I had made a big mistake traveling so far (Colombia — Istanbul) to realize that I wasn’t prepared. So, I decided to take advantage of the trip in a different way the next day and explore Istanbul a bit. I visited some mosques, the Basilica Cistern, the Grand Bazaar, spent some time in a large nearby park, and in an area with a beautiful view. Then, I returned to the hotel and felt much calmer (The moral is that it’s good to stop and take a breath for a while).

Change of Attitude:

After several days of emotional ups and downs, a special event arrived, well, two: Pragma Istanbul and Cafe Istanbul. The first consisted of a series of one-day conferences, along with partner booths explaining their innovations, and the second was a space to meet and connect with those who intended to participate in the hackathon. This took place at the Intercontinental Hotel and it was totally awesome, and there was a spectacular view from the rooftop restaurant.

Throughout the day, I had the fortune to talk to people who were or had been in a similar situation to mine: being alone, coming from other areas of knowledge, being beginners. They gave me very good advice.

In the end, in that place with that great view, I managed to spend the afternoon talking to someone who I can say is a spectacular mentor. He helped me overcome fears, gave me good advice, spoke from his vast experience, and helped me discard and define ideas. From that point on, I felt a lot of confidence to talk to others because I understood how to highlight my knowledge. Then, with the good organization of CNC, I went to dinner at a typical restaurant and it was a lot of fun. The change of attitude to face things is everything.

My First Hackathon

The big day of ETHGlobal Istanbul arrived. I already had the idea defined and all the attitude, but I didn’t have a team. The event started at 1:00 PM.

There was a stage within the event for which I prepared, but during the week I thought it wouldn’t happen anymore… As soon as I entered one of the workspaces, there were booths from a large number of partners. With my experience from the previous year (Devcon Bogota), I knew what I had to do: collect as much merch as possible, although I don’t feel so proud of this process, I think I will always do it haha, I even had to go back to the hotel to drop off bags and come back again. It should be noted that this time, I took advantage of each stop to learn something significant or solve technical doubts.

Well, I came back to reality: I didn’t have a team! I asked several people I met and got nothing. A curious case is that at that point, I kept running into Spanish speakers and many Colombians. I even found one who has the same first and last name as me. But that didn’t solve the team part, although I learned that many managed to come without having to invest their own money for the trip, something I should review to avoid a lot of headaches. 💸

Finally?

Within the small loop of searching (greeting, introducing, asking, checking Telegram and Discord groups), a possibility finally appeared on Discord (Sara and Miquel). As soon as we met, I started explaining my idea to them. It was very pleasant to be able to do it in Spanish and explain every little detail.

They liked it and we decided to form a group. We felt that it would be best to find one more person, and that’s how our final member, Allard, joined us. At first, it was very difficult to convince him because he wanted to participate with the best group and was constantly evaluating options. Then he left, and we thought it would be just the three of us, but he came back, asked a few questions, and finally said he would be on the team.

Throughout the process, there was a very pleasant atmosphere and I learned the importance of every detail in the development of a project. I finally solved a thousand doubts I had regarding the creation of a functional project and also set clear goals to become an excellent developer for future events. All team members are very good at what they do, and I thank them for such an enriching experience. When it came to uploading all the project information, it was a lot of fun, and seeing the message that we did it was a relief and a very gratifying feeling.

What is Sleep?

Out of the 36 hours of the hackathon, we rested for approximately 5 to 7 hours on the first day. After that, we didn’t stop, even after delivering the project, because there was still the presentation to the judges and attending the award ceremony, which concluded around 6:30 PM. This added up to a total of approximately 45 hours without rest!

Many fell exhausted after delivering the project and waiting for the closing event.

General Learning from the Experience:

I can highlight that the chances of success can be significantly increased by applying the following:

• It is ideal to have a pre-formed team.
• Have a clear project, including the problem it addresses and how the solution will be achieved concretely.
• When having the project, also plan taking into account the specific conditions of the promoted prizes and define clear priorities.
• It is recommended for the project to be modular, in the sense that it can do without certain functionalities and still fulfill the main objective, especially when time is limited and quick decisions need to be made about which elements to eliminate.
• Before the event, it is beneficial to talk to many people about the problem and general idea, which will provide different perspectives that will help form a more solid approach.
• Both the project documentation and the demo video should ideally be ready one hour before the submission deadline.
• Always maintaining a positive attitude is key, as well as understanding the team’s state and maintaining constant communication to provide support in different areas.
• Depending on the specialty, it is useful to practice basic integrations at home in order to not waste time on simple or standardized technical aspects, such as connecting wallets.
• It is convenient to have tokens for all possible testnets.
• Enjoy the process and learn a little about everything, even if it’s not in your own area of expertise, is essential.
• Practicing the pitch and demonstration of the project is fundamental, as the only way to generate interest from others is to present the idea in a fluid and visually appealing way.
• Lastly, according to conversations with experienced hackathon participants: don’t get overconfident! A series of positive results does not guarantee future ones; you always need to give your best effort.