This year (2016) I received my first Microsoft MVP Award and attend my first MVP summit at Redmond, Seattle from Nov 6th to Nov 10th. From the first day till my last day I meet many new friends and learn lot of new things from Summit. I was really glad and happy to meet Technet Wiki Ninja Richard Mueller, Pedro, Ken, Ryen Tang, Santhosh, Chendrayan and Chervine for the first time. Believe me all of them are such a simple and friendly person’s and we had such a great time with lots of fun and discussion.
Myself with Richerd Mueller,Santhosh,Ryen,Chen and Ken having lots of fun.
Do you know Pedro gave Ninja Sticker for all TechNet wiki Ninja team in MVP Summit, we are all happy and proud to paste that in our name tag.
Here we can see mine and Ken Name tag with Wiki Ninja Sticker. Many friends asked me what is this sticker and what this sticker means. Thank you, Pedro, for arranging this Sticker.
Last but not least here is our TechNet Guru ED Price with all our TechNet wiki Ninja During MVP Summit. I have missed to meet ED Price, hopefully for sure I will meet him in next summit without fail.
What is MVP Summit ?
The MVP Global Summit is a multi-day event that is hosted in Bellevue and at Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, Washington. With a large catalog of technical sessions (offered only in English) and a variety of networking opportunities, the MVP Global Summit enables MVPs to connect with other MVPs, build relationships with Microsoft product managers, and provide feedback on Microsoft products and technologies. Every year Microsoft will arrange for MVP summit During October end or November. (https://mvp.microsoft.com/en-US/Summit)
If you receive your first-time MVP during 2017 don’t forget to attend the MVP Summit.
Why should we need to attend MVP Summit?
By attending MVP Summit, you can learn new technology from experts like Scott Hanselman , Miguel de Icaza and etc... You will get more ideas for upcoming years. You can meet all technology leaders and experts in one place. You can meet many new and old friends globally in one place. You can give your feedback or ideas directly to Microsoft .Net Teams. You can meet many community friends and extend your knowledge globally.
How to Economically make my MVP Summit Plan.
This is a simple tip and hope this blog will be useful for future first time Microsoft MVP’s who are planning for visiting MVP Summit for the first time. Few of my friends told me that they are not attending MVP Summit this time as they don’t have budget for travelling and all. Here are few tips for all first time visiting friends. The MVP Summit is very important, if you are a MVP and don’t avoid to join for MVP Summit, you can meet friends and experts globally in various technology in one place. You can gain more new ideas which will lead you to next level.
- Applying US VISA:
Once you got your MVP award for first time don’t hurry up for applying US Visa. Wait till you get official mail from Microsoft for MVP Summit registration. If you going to MVP Summit or not firstly register for MVP Summit once you get official mail from Microsoft for MVP Summit registration.
Once you register you will get Visa Document for Microsoft Team. Prepare all other necessary document and apply for US Visa with the Visa letter you got from Microsoft. Answer positively to the Visa officer and give him confident as you will come back after the MVP Summit from US to India. Hopefully within a week you will get the US Visa for few friends it takes more than 2 weeks so always be confident and wait for your US Visa. In my case I got within 2 days.
- Registration and Microsoft Hotel Booking:
As I told you in point 1 after received your MVP award wait till the official mail for MVP Summit registration. Hopefully you will get the registration mail from Microsoft from Mid of August or during Mid of September. Microsoft will provide rooms for 4 summit days. You can get all this information from the registration link and also from official Microsoft MVP web site (https://mvp.microsoft.com/en-US/Summit) Firstly book your rooms from Microsoft listed hotels. When I register, Microsoft provide options as if we select double bed and sharing with one more MVP then the room is free of cost, yes we no need to pay any amount if we do share room with another MVP, we also can mention as my roommate is Indian preferred. All the Microsoft provided hotels will give free Breakfast so we no need to spend money for our breakfast for 4 days stay. Microsoft will provide lunch for 4 days during summit. Regarding Dinner for 4 days it will be awesome as daily there will be party and you will be having lots of fun and meet many new friends.
- Flight Ticketing
After you register and got your visa check for your budget range flight and book as early as possible. If you like to stay only for 4 days for actual days and not visiting any nearby places in Seattle, then you need to spend only this flight ticket and Microsoft will give you hotel and food and free shuttle bus from hotel to Microsoft campus all the four days morning and in the evening.
One important tip if you want economic travel and like to avoid other extra expenses like taxi, then take bus as that is the cheaper and you can get bus to all places with in 3$ for one travel. From airport to your Microsoft provided place bus will be available which will cost you only 3$ and if you take taxi which will cost more than 50$ and even shuttle express will take more than 20$.To avoid unnecessary expenses use bus which will save your pocket.
- Hotel Booking for extending your stay
If you like to visit few places in Seattle and do shopping then firstly try to find other MVP friends who are all visiting for MVP summit, talk to all of them and try to book hotel for your extended stay with group of friends. Check hotels which provide free breakfast, Airport drop and in has facility to travel Seattle Downtown by bus or by Metro train. Metro train is more better to reach Seattle downtown.
Orca Card: If you plan to extend your stay and planned to visit more places in Seattle by bus or by train then it’s better to buy Orca Card. In Seattle, we need to give the exact change in bus, we don’t get any change if we give 5$ or 10$. If we take bus and get down in 2 stops and take another bus, then again we need to spend 3$ Plus 3$ for both buses. If we have card, we can use that in both in bus and also in train If we take bus and get down in 3 stop and take another bus we need to pay for first bus example 3$ and for second bus .25$ or .50$ quarter or half dollar (Less than 1 $) The Orca card will save our money and time.
- Shopping
If you plan to do shopping like Dress, Chocolates, Toys or basic house hold items then Walmart and Costco are the best and economic oriented place to visit.
Microsoft will provide 200$ range voucher for all MVP. We can use that to purchase any items from Microsoft Store.
If you visit Seattle downtown, you can purchase few more things like Starbucks Coffee and etc.
- Places to visit
Place to Visit in Seattle
1) Snoqualmie Falls (* Salish Lodge & Spa, 6501 Railroad Ave, Snoqualmie, WA 98065)
2) Discovery Park (* 3801 Discovery Park Blvd, Seattle, WA 98199, USA)
3) Kerry Park (211 W Highland Dr, Seattle, WA 98119, USA)
4) Pike Place Market (Seattle Downtown) +
5) Pier 57 (Seattle Downtown) +
6) Smith Tower (skyscraper in Pioneer Square in Seattle) +
7) Waterfront Park (Alaskan Way, Seattle, WA 98101, USA) +
8) Gum Wall (Post Alley, Seattle, WA 98101, USA) +
9) Seattle great wheel (1301 Alaskan Way, Seattle, WA 98101, USA) +
10) Space Needle ( 400 Broad St, Seattle, WA 98109, USA)
11) The Center for Wooden Boats (1010 Valley St, Seattle, WA 98109, USA)
12) Chihuly Garden and Glass (305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA 98109, USA)
13) Museum of Flight
14) Paramount Theatre
15) Bicycle Tree on Vashon Island
Hope you all like this blog post. If you have any question’s kindly leave me a comment. See you all soon with another blog post.
Thank you all
Your’s
Syed Shanu
