My Road to Steemfest 4--Likely to Happen, but Big Potholes for Me

I went to Steemfest 3 last year, and it changed my life.

If the 2018 event hadn’t been such a critical turning point in so many ways for me, I probably wouldn’t consider attending SF4. The location is a big turnoff for me. As most of you know, I’m very active in animal rescue, and Thailand is listed as one of the primary Asian countries guilty of engaging in the horrifying and sadistic dog meat trade. Dog meat is rarely consumed in major metropolitan areas like Bangkok, but is sold openly on the street in places like Tha Rae. I won’t include a photo of this because it’s graphic and disturbing and I’m quite sure there are no CC pics of that available, but a quick look at this image search on Google should satisfy your curiousity...and your doubt.

I’m disappointed and somewhat shocked that Steemfest organizers didn’t know about this before condemming all participants to contribute money to that country’s economy. See my post about that here. But I was appeased after learning that Soi Dog has successfully ended legal dog meat trade in Thailand and has undercover operatives in place to make sure it doesn’t re-emerge. Still, though, in outlying regions like Tha Rae, the black market guarantees big money for Thai smugglers who bring dogs--often stolen family pets--across the Mekong River. It’s a lucrative industry, and happening only a few hundred miles from the event center of Steemfest 4.

Finally I decided that since Thailand’s government has been cooperative about ending this atrocity, I can suck it up and go. I also supposed that if I contact Soi Dog, they’ll give me pointers about ways to safely raise awareness while in Bangkok, and possibly a little money for their nonprofit. I would love to see Steemfest organizers get behind Soi Dog officially and turn this into an entirely positive experience for all.

With that burning issue out of the way, I do have a few more things to say about Steemfest. I have no doubt the event itself will be divine. @roelandp blew me away last year with SF3. He’s definitely a pro. The group of attendees was essentially a collection of Steem Who's Who that anyone with a good idea for the platform needed to meet. And meet them I did! Steemhouse Publishing has moved mountains since we presented there last year as The Writers’ Block, and this is largely because of relationships forged right there in Krakow. A random attendee of our presentation on the Balcony Stage at Stara Zajedznia is now leading the company as co-owner and CFO. Other relationships were formed or strengthened at the event, and I can safely say we would not be where we are now with the publishing house had I not attended SF3 last year.

A fangirl moment for me--snapping a photo of @ezzy (on left)--and instead I also captured my future business partner and Steemhouse CFO in the shot, @michelios (on right.)

I do hope to present again this year for Steemhouse Publishing and have reached out to event organizers via email. We have so much to tell! I will do my best to keep my personal blog updated with news about this journey, as well as the @steemhousepub blog if we do, in fact, get the opportunity to stand in front of the crowd and let them know what we’ve been up to.