It's been a week since KubeCon Europe 2026 and I can already feel it slipping away. Not the big moments, but the small details, the random conversations, the exact feeling of being there. So I wanted to write this before it turns into a generic "yeah it was great" memory.

This was my first KubeCon. I went with Juan and Ainhoa from Zondax, and it was their first time too. We didn't go in with a super structured plan, just a simple goal: absorb as much as possible about CNCF projects and the whole cloud native ecosystem.

I don't think I was prepared for how overwhelming it would be.

The moment you walk into the venue, it just hits you. It's huge, loud, dense and every company, every project trying to show why they matter. "Sales pitch" is the easiest way to describe it, but it didn't feel fake. It felt like everyone genuinely believes they're building something important, and this is their shot to show it.

I found myself constantly switching modes, sometimes just listening, sometimes questioning everything, sometimes trying to break down what's actually useful vs what's just well presented. Being a student in distributed systems, I think I naturally leaned into that. I didn't just want to be impressed, I wanted to understand what's actually real.

The keynotes were honestly great. Very much on the edge of what's happening right now in Kubernetes and everything around it. One talk that really stuck with me was Kubernetes at the edge, running on a glider. They literally had a glider on stage, with the pilot there.

That was such a cool moment.

It wasn't just "look at this tech," it was tech in a real, slightly crazy environment. That mix of engineering and adventure is exactly how I imagine enjoying tech in the future.

AI was everywhere, which was expected, but the vibe around it was interesting. It wasn't doom or hype, it was more like, "okay this is here" and let's figure out how to actually use it properly. Most talks kept it pretty positive, and I liked that. There's already too much negativity around AI outside, mostly because people don't know what the next few years look like.

At KubeCon it felt more grounded.

At some point during the event, I had this weird mix of feelings. On one hand, I felt kind of useless. Like I didn't really have anything to offer there. I was just consuming everything. On the other hand, I felt completely enriched. The ecosystem is way bigger than I had imagined, and just being around people building things at that scale was inspiring.

I think it also made me think a lot about the future, maybe even entrepreneurship. Just seeing how many ideas are out there, how people position them, how they talk about their "moats", overall it was interesting to observe beyond just the tech.

I spent a lot of time at sponsor booths, talking to engineers and teams. Most people were friendly. Engineers especially, probably because it's easier to relate. With others, you can kind of feel it when you say you're a student. Not in a bad way, just… less interest. It's fine, part of the game I guess.

Some of the best moments were just random conversations. I had lunch with people from German IT companies, a consultant from Iceland, and a really curious guy from Greece. We ended up talking about everything from tech to how close you can get to an active volcano in Iceland. Those were surprisingly warm interactions, the kind you don't plan but remember.

I wouldn't say I'm very extroverted, but I realized I actually enjoy talking to people a lot. I just don't always initiate it. This event kind of pushed me to do that more, and I think I want to carry that forward. Especially talking to engineers.

Also yes, I took a fair amount of swag. And the after parties were fun. KubeTrain was easily the best one.

And then there was Amsterdam.

Outside the event, I spent time exploring the city with Ainhoa. She knew some really nice spots, not just the obvious tourist places, and that made the experience much better. Slowing down a bit in between all the chaos helped.

We went to the Van Gogh Museum, and that was honestly one of the most impactful parts of the trip. Seeing Vincent van Gogh's work in person hits differently. It's beautiful, but also kind of heartbreaking when you think about how his life went.

I don't know, it just makes you reflect a bit. About passion, about timing, about how things unfold. Also what gives a bit of hope is that he started late, so maybe trying new things later in life isn't that crazy.

And yeah, maybe I'll try painting someday. Slightly wishful thinking, but still.

I also got to spend more time with Juan, which I was really looking forward to. We had worked together but not very closely before. He's someone I respect a lot who is very sharp, very curious, and just fun to talk to. Walking around with him, listening to how he thinks about things, you end up learning a lot without it feeling like learning.

I'm glad I got that time.

Overall, KubeCon was a mix of everything quite overwhelming, exciting, slightly intimidating, but very energizing. I learned a lot from the talks, enjoyed the conversations, explored a new city, and came back with a lot to think about.

I went there mostly as a consumer.

I came back feeling like I want to find where I can actually contribute.