Nah, no medals. I'm just a button masher at heart and happened to have a ready answer for you. I wouldn't turn down a lvl 100 heroic geared ret pally tho if you offered it to me ;)

You have to "find mesh". Once you're connected you'll see everyone else and they'll see you too.

See the "find mesh" button in the lower right? Click that.

I was having same problem earlier today. Once I clicked it everything came pouring through like normal.