Business trip
Nov. 21st, 2025 11:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tsuyunoyoAnd then it's suddenly over. The moment it all finally worked out, after we spent a day together, first on numerous meetings, then in a less formal lunch, and finally in the long absolutely informal dinner, where we learned so much about each other and found groups of people with whom we felt most comfortable, at times the people with whom we never cross over the work; and then on the second day started to work together in the unusual environment when we didn't have to use our headsets and could simply reach out to each other with questions feeling that special group atmosphere that is only created when people have certain level of confidence and acceptance of each other, that moment it was over. We only came there for one and half days.
My colleagues are gathering together like this once per three months, not all of them come every time, out of approximately two hundred people about sixty come in average, and some work from India and hence never come. Some of them work directly for that US bank, some, like me, work for IT consulting but are still invited. However, I am the only one from Canada on this project. All other folks attending this event came from various US states, and only I came from abroad. They invited me during the last event, which is three months ago, and it took me pretty much all that time to get my trip approved by my employer and to get ready. The preparations were insane, honestly, my work time could have been spent in a more productive way rather then chasing people for various approvals and filling out numerous questionnaires. My first travel application was actually declined by my IT consulting, and I had to write appellation arguing that if I am booked on the project for four years, and I am the only person from Canada there, and client is willing to pay for my trip, then I should be allowed to go and meet people with whom I am working.
It was worth it. We are social beings, we need to actually physically meet each other at least sometimes. It created lots of warmth inside me, and the energy generated by so many positive emotions will fuel up my work with them for a while.
When I got to the Pearson airport on my way there I suddenly realized I wanted to bring something from Canada for my US colleagues. The choice in the Duty Free was pretty scarce, but I was able to pick some five boxes of maple cookies, ice wine candies, chocolates and nuts in a colorful Canadian packaging. My colleagues were so touched! I didn't think it could mean so much to them!
When the event was over I still had a few hours to kill until my flight, so I went to the Georgia Aquarium located just ten minutes of walk from the Bank tower. It turned out to be the biggest aquarium in the Western hemisphere. It was really lovely! Apart from being simply enjoyable (which it definitely was) it provided a perfect environment for meditating over the last two days to get the emotions to calm down while watching slow smooth movements of water creatures. The colorful ever reshaping jelly fishes were an especially good fit for that.
Why am I writing all this in English, don't I hate this language? I do in a way but... I lived through this trip in English not only outside myself by communicating in it but somehow inside me, too. I felt it in English, so writing it down like this only came out naturally.
My colleagues are gathering together like this once per three months, not all of them come every time, out of approximately two hundred people about sixty come in average, and some work from India and hence never come. Some of them work directly for that US bank, some, like me, work for IT consulting but are still invited. However, I am the only one from Canada on this project. All other folks attending this event came from various US states, and only I came from abroad. They invited me during the last event, which is three months ago, and it took me pretty much all that time to get my trip approved by my employer and to get ready. The preparations were insane, honestly, my work time could have been spent in a more productive way rather then chasing people for various approvals and filling out numerous questionnaires. My first travel application was actually declined by my IT consulting, and I had to write appellation arguing that if I am booked on the project for four years, and I am the only person from Canada there, and client is willing to pay for my trip, then I should be allowed to go and meet people with whom I am working.
It was worth it. We are social beings, we need to actually physically meet each other at least sometimes. It created lots of warmth inside me, and the energy generated by so many positive emotions will fuel up my work with them for a while.
When I got to the Pearson airport on my way there I suddenly realized I wanted to bring something from Canada for my US colleagues. The choice in the Duty Free was pretty scarce, but I was able to pick some five boxes of maple cookies, ice wine candies, chocolates and nuts in a colorful Canadian packaging. My colleagues were so touched! I didn't think it could mean so much to them!
When the event was over I still had a few hours to kill until my flight, so I went to the Georgia Aquarium located just ten minutes of walk from the Bank tower. It turned out to be the biggest aquarium in the Western hemisphere. It was really lovely! Apart from being simply enjoyable (which it definitely was) it provided a perfect environment for meditating over the last two days to get the emotions to calm down while watching slow smooth movements of water creatures. The colorful ever reshaping jelly fishes were an especially good fit for that.
Why am I writing all this in English, don't I hate this language? I do in a way but... I lived through this trip in English not only outside myself by communicating in it but somehow inside me, too. I felt it in English, so writing it down like this only came out naturally.
