I’m home from it, and not only was this my first ever time travelling with friends and my first ever pony convention but also the first time I’ve eve not been happy to be home… to say I was emotional when it all came to an end is an understatement. It might have only been a weekend but it was something incredible. Something I’ve never experienced before in my life.
I’ve been to conventions before, mostly MCM comic con in London. Big, impersonal and only really fun if you’re with a group of friends, or else after the first couple of trips when the excitement of being around all these cosplayers all but wears off it’s just a glorified shopping trip.
There’s also a small otaku convention in my local bookstore that I don’t think will be happening any more, but that was always more fun because it’s small and people can chat together.
But it was nothing like this…. nothing even close, and I have become a new person after this weekend. this trip to Ludwigsburg, Germany changed me so much.
Let’s not forget I got to meet with a whole bunch of friends I talk to online all the time, one of whom I’ve known for many years and getting to finally meet her in person was incredible. It felt so great to be meeting all these friends and for the first time getting to see the faces behind the names.
But more than that… I’ve never experienced anything of this magnitude before, and i was almost blown away by being around all this pony stuff at this amazing convention.
I’ve never been around so many other bronies before. for me, living in the UK, if I catch a passing glance of pony on a magazine or a brushable figurine on a shelf of a store maybe, it makes me feel happy just to see the world i’m so familiar with, it gives me the confidence to keep going. but meeting another brony out in the world just hardly ever happens. so you can imagine how bizarre it was for me to be around all these people cosplaying and wearing pony shirts, and carrying plushies too! Oh I had my beloved Pinkie Pie of course and I’ll be posting all my photos later.
I keep looking back at the stuff I bought, the pictures and posters, the shirt I got for my plus ticket (if only I hadn’t accidentally left most of my posters with my friend in London, haha), the commission I bought too of my OC.. and most importantly, the signatures on the back of my card… signatures of fandom names, signatures of artists that have shaped my work and inspired me, signatures of staff who work on the show we love so much, and to me, most importantly, the signatures of my best friends. and every time I see them I’m flooded with emotion as the memories I now hold flash through my head.
I’m crying right now as I write this. I really am. I will treasure this for the rest of my life. I never expected Galacon would feel like this. to be around all these people from all walks of life, with different lives, different languages, different jobs, different hobbies… and we all come together in this culmination of love and unity that brings us into one big family. I didn’t feel even one tiny bit that I was surrounded by thousands of strangers, not at all. because everyone there was my friend, even if I hadn’t met them before. I felt so at home there that I can’t begin to describe it, and the feelings I feel when I think about how amazing it was, what a huge privilege it was just to be there around this atmosphere it makes me cry all over again.
I was so sad when it ended and I was even more sad when I had to say goodbye to my friends at the pub. if only my travelling friend and I didn’t have a hotel all the way out in Filderstadt, we wouldn’t have had to leave so soon. but I did have to restrain myself from crying on the way back.
I want to personally thank each and every single person who attended, be they regular bronies, vendors, community guests and show guests, or the incredible volunteers and staff who ran the event.
this was an experience I will never forget, not one single second.
I was so scared to come because this was something I have never done before, travelling without my family, but I knew, I KNEW deep down it was something I had to do. and i was right. because I have memories now that mean the world to me, I’ve made entirely new friends, become much closer to those I already knew, and I got to experience something beyond even my wildest dreams.
I loved this show and I loved this fandom already, but I never understood just how it feels to be surrounded by the things I love about them so much.
This has CEMENTED my love of ponies forever if it wasn’t already. And I just…
I can’t wait for next year.
Thank you all so so so so so so much… i love each and every one of you, and you’re all my good friends. I can’t wait to see you all again next time.