One of things about my new job that I was looking forward to the most was the travel. I love to travel and try new things and I really like the idea of not working in the same office all of the time. The last week of October, I went on my first business trip. Early Monday morning, I picked up my rental car and drove to Montreal. This was an extremely big deal to me because barely drive. I don't even count the driving I do in Sudbury over the Christmas Holidays because it is statistically insignificant. I used to drive a lot when actually I lived in Sudbury, but that was almost 10 years ago. Also, I have never driven to a place I had never driven to before, alone, for longer than 20 minutes at a time. Well, except this summer when I drove my parents' van from St. Jerome to Mont St. Laurier, Quebec (~200 km) but I white-knuckled it the whole way, not doing more than 100 km/h and Costin was in the car ahead of me, leading the way. However, even though I hadn't driven in a long time and the idea of driving makes me nervous, I felt that that in order to enter full-fledged adulthood, I should just suck it up and do it. I was surprised when I arrived in Montreal, a city that is notorious for bad drivers, unscathed.
The business part of my trip to Montreal, well Laval, was interesting. It was strange that people took me seriously and treating me like I was an important person, especially since I still see myself as a graduate student who doesn't really know anything yet. I think this was also an integral experience to me accepting my adult, with a real-job, status.
My office put me up in a Best Western just off Hwy. 15.
It was filled with people who were also on business trips. Staying in a hotel with two double beds when you are alone is very strange. I am so used to finding the cheapest hotel and cramming it full of people that staying in such a big room, by myself, for free is surreal. And lonely! What did people do before the internet? Luckily a few people phoned me and I had Ravi's DNA scarf with me to work on. A few hours of Franco-TV later (thankfully I speak french), it was done. If only I had brought my pins! Then I could have blocked it and worn it to the International Genome Canada conference I was going to later that week in Quebec City.
The Genome Canada conference had amazing food, equally amazing wine and way too many talks. I don't feel as though I absorbed as much as I could have but the speakers did give me a lot to think about. My poster was also well received.
One strange thing about the conference though was that I was acutely aware that genomics is a male dominated field. There were even some instances where I felt wasn't being taken seriously because I have breasts and blonde hair. One man, who had come to look at my poster, told me that it was difficult to talk to me about it because my eyes are so beautiful. As if. Here I am trying to convey what I think are interesting and important ideas and this guy wants to talk about my eyes? I suddenly wished I was Kim Cattrall's character on Sex & the City and could make him feel very small with a very piercing remark.
At least my hotel room was nice.
Ahhh. Our little Allers is all growed up! We really need to brainstorm a few comebacks for those dirty old science men and their icky thoughts!
Posted by: Choochie | November 11, 2006 at 04:35 PM
Business trips can be fun and very scary. My first was to Toronto (hmmm...that might have also been my first trip out of the U.S.) and I was teaching grizzled assembler programmers (at IBM, no less!) the intricacies of the software product I was supporting. Talk about intimidating! A bonus: I got to stay at the Four Seasons.
And a hint? It might take you a good five or ten years to feel like an adult. Its been 26 years since I graduated college and there are time when I still feel like a kid!
Posted by: Teri S. | November 11, 2006 at 09:05 PM
From the 40 something with 3 kids perspective...a hotel room...alone!...with knitting!!...and control of the remote!!! Bliss girlfriend. Pure Bliss. And the dirty old men - smile brilliantly, accept the compliment, and then dazzle them with knowledge and skill. I also like the way you dressed - always wear nicely cut trousers, with proper shoes or boots, a nice blouse or button down shirt, and a jacket. You'll look and feel grown up and capable.
Posted by: Gina | November 12, 2006 at 10:18 AM
It is about time you grew up and started acting like an adult. Now I can go back to being the bratty younger sister. Oh wait, I still am.
Posted by: Bus | November 12, 2006 at 04:01 PM
funny...coming from a field where we have conferences all the damn time, I consider "sleeping alone in a double hotel room" a major component of my grad school experiene.
Also, you look pretty witcha big bad poster.
Posted by: lisa | November 13, 2006 at 10:11 AM
being an adult is weird. at least it allows for buying new clothes.
the poster, btw, looks amazing!
Posted by: suelas. | November 13, 2006 at 11:59 AM
You should have a little form for creepy men to fill out that says something to the effect of: "Yes, I agree to give up my rights as a human for the purpose of furthering Scientific testing. From now on, please designate me as an animal".
Posted by: StevieP | November 15, 2006 at 09:22 AM