{"id":112,"date":"2014-05-07T20:50:56","date_gmt":"2014-05-07T20:50:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/m4tx.pl\/en\/?p=112"},"modified":"2014-06-07T12:07:36","modified_gmt":"2014-06-07T12:07:36","slug":"google-code-in-2013-grand-prize-trip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/m4tx.pl\/en\/2014\/05\/google-code-in-2013-grand-prize-trip\/","title":{"rendered":"Google Code-in 2013 Grand Prize Trip"},"content":{"rendered":"
Jest r\u00f3wnie\u017c dost\u0119pna Polska wersja<\/strong> wpisu tutaj: Google Code-in 2013 Grand Prize Trip<\/a><\/div>\n

Generally…<\/h2>\n

I received the first information about that I become a Grand Prize Winner as an E-mail entitled “Congratula<\/span>tions you are a Google Code-in 2013 Grand Prize Winner with Wikimedia” sent January 13th. The E-mail was comprehensive and it was describing paperwork I have to do before I’ll go. Google was funding the trip not only for me, but also for one of my parents. In next E-mails I received bunch of useful informations – for example, that I’ll have funded 4 nights at Hyatt Regency hotel in San Francisco (what gives one additional day spent at SF\u00a0since\u00a0all the events lasted 4 days), I’ll receive an ATM card with $350, etc. Grand Prize Trip lasted from 13th to 16th of April. Google was paying for everything, beginning with airline ticket for almost $1500, ending with $25 Starbucks gift card.<\/span><\/p>\n

conversation with a cashier\u00a0in one of Starbucks cafes<\/small>– What’s your name?
\n– Mateusz. – she looked at me with questioning glance, so I spelled it – M-A-T-E-U-S-Z. It’s a polish name.
\n– Oh, that’s a cool name!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/p>\n

Day\u00a00<\/h3>\n

As I said before, all events lasted from 13th to 16th of April, but Google was paying for 4 nights in hotel, what gave 1 additional day for… whatever I wanted. I could choose that day – so it was either 12th, or 17th of April. I chose the first one – that day I arrived to San Francisco; “the opening” of Grand Prize Trip was, of course, the next day…<\/p>\n

Day\u00a01<\/h2>\n

The opening started almost exactly at 17:30, although I already met some people a few minutes before. The event took place at Hospitality room in the same hotel we were accomodated. At the enter, we were greeted by Stephanie Taylor and Cat Allmon – two of a few people responsible for organizing and preparing the contest and trip. The event started with more or less one hour time for eating prepared goodies.<\/p>\n

\"Otwarcie<\/a><\/p>\n

After the time spent on eating and meeting other Grand Prize Winners and their families members, we received backpacks full of swag<\/a>, and then there was a\u00a0game. Students received a list of peoples’ descriptions (such as “Can paint”, “Has a dog”, “Can speak fluently 3 or more languages”, etc.), and they had to find a person who matches the\u00a0particular description. The winners were 2 people who collected the largest number of people. The prizes were some small mascots; the main goal of the game was to start talking to each other… \ud83d\ude42 The winners had 18 names written; I was really close, because I collected 16. After the game, we received more swag, and – what was quite surprising to some people – Samsung Chromebooks.<\/p>\n

\"Swag<\/a>
Swag we received at the first day<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We also received some useful documents, such as event itinerary for the next few days.<\/p>\n

\"Plan<\/a><\/p>\n

Day\u00a02<\/h2>\n

The next day was the Googleplex day. It was started in hotel lobby at 7:30 by Stephanie with IDs for each person and small breakfast. Then everyone got in the bus and we reached Mountain View after about 50 minutes. Although, before we arrived to Google Building 1900<\/a>, where most of the events were going to take place, we were cruising around the various buildings of the Campus. There was quite a lot of them. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

\"Widok<\/a>
The view that is showing up after entering Google Building 1900<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Before 10 o’clock we had brief introduction\/reminder what was the contest about and presentation of various informations and statistics. After that, there was Awards ceremony – we received symbolic statuettes and plaques.<\/p>\n

\"Przed<\/a><\/p>\n

The person who was giving the statuettes and plaques to each Grand Prize Winner was Chris DiBona<\/a>. Then we took a group photo and… went to lunch \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

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