Brian Teeman

I've just returned from travelling to the USA where I attended a meeting of the Milwaukee JUG and Joomla!Day DC where I had the opportunity to meet many friends, old and new, some of whom I've previously only met online.

One of the great things about meeting in person is to share stories and adventures, consider new ideas and of course get to know the real person behind the avatar or nickname.

Over the next few days I'll be writing several blog posts as a direct consequence of the trip but before I do that I wanted to share a small story about my adventures travelling to the USA this trip.

Perhaps the greatest things that has happened to me by being part of this amazing Joomla! community is that I have met so many people from all over the world.

Of course I'm not alone in that and probably every one of you reading this blog will have made new friends as a result of your involvement in Joomla!

But making online friends is only the start of it.

Last week I met up again with David Towers for our semi regular lunch time gossip.

David has recently returned from a trip to the West African country of Ghana and it was great to hear all about his trip.

Ghana was the first sub-Saharan country to achieve independence from a Western imperial power, in 1957, and lies on the Prime Meridian so is one of the few countries that is in the same time zone as me, here in the UK.

It is also the second largest producer of Cocoa and one of the world's top gold producers.

Wow! what a couple of weeks.

It all started with the "ash cloud" and several days spent in a fruitless search trying to find an alternative route to JoomlaDay in the Netherlands.

For a while it looked like I wouldn't make it but right at the last moment the airlines convinced the governments of Europe that it was perfectly safe to fly through a cloud of volcanic debris.

Are you doing anything tonight?

Do you live in Athens, Greece?

Instead of watching the television or catching up on Facebook why not come and join me and the guys from JoomlaWorks for a beer or three.

The Time: 10pm tonight Thursday 25th Feb.

The Place: Jackson Hall, Kolonaki

This is just a social gathering, please don't bring your list of Joomla bugs and problems.

After a few beers there is no way I would be able to help you!!!

As we approach the end of another year it is traditional in many cultures to look back and see what has been achieved in that time and to give thanks.

For many of us it is a time to take stock and to acknowledge that we may be more fortunate than others. One way to do this is to donate money to a charity.

Why don't you join me and other users of Joomla!™ to raise funds "all together" for Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders).

I have chosen Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Doctors Without Borders, as they are an international, non-denominational, non-political humanitarian aid organisation that provides emergency medical assistance to populations in danger in more than 80 countries.

Regular readers will have noticed, I hope, that last week I was on holiday and was not online.

Due to changed personal circumstances that no longer means picking up a back pack and travelling to one of the more remote parts of Africa, Asia or Arabia. Instead I would be doing a more traditional sun, sea and swimming vaction on the Greek island of Kos.

I checked before leaving the UK and the hotel had wifi in all areas and I was already  taking my laptop with me to watch some movies.

Do I really have to leave?

Now if only the wifi worked and I had a solar generator.

This week I am finally on my summer holiday.