My name is Oscar Ayra and I am from Lima, Peru. In 2024, I had the privilege of being part of the volunteer team at Kubernetes Community Days (KCD) Lima. It was an enriching experience where I actively contributed to building a stronger and more connected community around cloud native technologies. I was motivated by seeing how, together, we managed to bring these tools closer to more people in our city.
Volunteer Group at KCD Lima 2024
Due to my commitment and enthusiasm during the event, the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) surprised me by awarding me a full scholarship to attend KubeCon + CloudNativeCon North America 2024 in the United States. It was incredible! It was my first time traveling to that country, and the excitement couldn’t have been greater.
At KubeCon + CloudNativeCon, I had the amazing opportunity to connect with experts from all over the world, learn from their experiences, and strengthen my network within the cloud-native community. Every conversation was a source of inspiration, surrounded by people just as passionate about the ecosystem. I also enjoyed exploring the latest technological innovations, attending insightful talks, and, of course, collecting tons of swag (always a great bonus!). The energy and enthusiasm of the event made every moment unique and motivating.
I learned so much from the talks, like where new tools, methodologies, and best practices shaping the future of cloud computing were discussed. Each session provided me with innovative ideas and knowledge that I now want to apply in my work and share with my community in Lima.
Additionally, all the scholarship recipients took a group photo, reflecting the diversity and spirit of collaboration that unites us.
I also had the opportunity to take a photo to remember this incredible moment.
This experience has greatly motivated me to contribute even more to community projects, get involved in open-source initiatives, share my knowledge, and help improve technological solutions so that more people can benefit from them.
Here’s a photo of the Peruvian community at KubeCon 2024.
After returning to Lima, my motivation to share this experience with more people grew even stronger. I realized that my journey could inspire others to get involved in the community, participate in events like KCDs, and not be afraid to apply for opportunities abroad. In the end, being a volunteer is not just about helping in the moment—it can also open doors you never imagined.
I am deeply grateful to the CNCF for this opportunity and for giving me such an amazing experience. I hope to continue contributing to the growth and strengthening of the cloud-native community in Lima and to inspire many more Peruvians to become part of this incredible technology ecosystem.If you want to learn more about my experience or connect with me, feel free to follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oayras/. I’d love to exchange ideas and continue strengthening the cloud-native community together!