When I was a child, I was always amazed to see the airplanes flying on the sky. I dreamed about a life when I can afford flying over the clouds and see the world. Nobody I knew that time had ever taken a plane, so I didn’t know how it feels and what it looks like in the inside, and couldn’t discuss my dream with anyone.
But I didn’t give up. I kept dreaming.
Fast forward more than three decades, I am thinking about this dream today. As I have this title “Travel Craziness” written down, I realize how silly it is. Now I definitely have a life when I fly more than enough. I visit new places every year and get back to familiar cities even more. It cannot be crazy! This is what I was dreaming about!
After traveling lot in Sep-Oct already, in the last two weeks I had the privilege to speak at some further major conferences:
KMWorld / Enterprise Search and Discovery in Washington, DC
Live! 360 in Orlando, FL
European SharePoint Conference in Dublin, Ireland
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Getting ready for the Search Clinic expert panel in Dublin, Ireland #ESPC17
If it would not be enough, I organized a 2-day workshop in Seattle, WA in between. This ended up as a 13-day trip in total, with over 10K miles flown. I stayed in 5 hotels in these 4 cities. I did 4 full days of workshops, 3 conference sessions and one expert panel. I also took a red-eye flight on my way back to Europe, and rushed to the Convention Center in Dublin to do my session only 2.5 hours after landing at the airport.
Was it exhausting? — Definitely.
Did it worth? — Absolutely.
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I met many new faces, and saw very good friends. I had inspiring and meaningful conversations, and also lots of fun.
After my 4-workshops-in-7-days in the beginning of this trip, I also had a day off in Orlando, FL, which I used to 1) relax, 2) do some planning for the year ahead.
Was great to be able to focus on these important things and not being rushed after that crazy week before — while enjoying the beautiful Florida weather.
Now I am all prepared for an amazing, exciting and challenging year of 2018 now.
Goals set, I am ready to rock it!
Dear Child-me, I am not sure if it’s possible to send a message back to the past but I wish I had it known 30+ years ago it is possible to have such an amazing job which makes traveling possible.
I wish I had had the self-confidence those days I have today.
and you, Little Girl who’s reading this post somewhere in this world, anywhere, please know: It. Is. Possible!
Keep dreaming and work hard. It always pays off.
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