mateno:Universala Kongreso is a wonderful place. The whole town is ours. Anywhere you run into people wearing congress badges -- and you can speak to them in Esperanto, with confidence that you will be understood.

My first UK was in Zagreb, 2001, and while I wasn't exactly a komencanto then (I spoke the language more or less fluently), it was my first big international event (I had gone to some regional meetups in my country with its share of Esperantophone environment and its share of crocodiling).

The key is -- to book the accommodation through UEA, but not so that you would be staying with your country-fellows. I was on budget and would have liked to stay in the amasloĝejo, but unfortunately I wasn't properly informed about it so I booked a youth hostel. My roommates were esperantists from different countries -- so they were the first friends I easily made there

I do consider myself an introvert but somehow I never found myself alone in the congress (a friend of mine who organises events is saying that calling them "congresses" is actually an anachronism as they actually are more of festivals). Exactly as Robb says, my biggest problem was to choose from all the options and possibilities where to go!

One thing to look for is the Junulara Programo, which usually has a plenty of fun an enjoyable programeroj, but often is not very visible so you better go and ask around (at the TEJO budo or similar), otherwise you might as well not find out.

This is because Junulara Programo (similarly as amasloĝejo) is prepared often at the last moment and almost never makes the deadline to enter the official congress print.

Alkanadi:

jdawdy:

this is why police and EMS workers travel in pairs also. even if they don't like their partner, they eventually bond with them anyway