more solo travels

Just came back from eating at an excellent east indian buffet called the East India Company. It helped tremendously that several of our dining party had lived in India and knew what everything was. Soooooo tasty with just the right amount of heat! So, life as a single person where you're normally a couple has been quite an eye-opener. Kelly is the mingler in our family and I usually just float around on his coattails. Without him here that wasn't an option. It is a very different thing to travel solo as a woman, especially at a conference like this one. Here are some of my observations: * breakfast is the most awkward meal to eat alone in public * it is far more uncomfortable for me to sit down with a group at a table than it is for the group to have me sit down with them * it is a good idea to seek out the other lone females in the room and stick together! * men are way better at doing the solo thing than women Some gifts that I've enjoyed: * corporate worship, there is nothing like standing in a crowd of Mennonites when they start singing * some excellent speakers who inspire and teach * being able to see up-close some of the things that God is doing in this city, in our country and around the world * being able to talk with people face to face that you'd normally have to use a phone to reach * networking and meeting new folks from different areas of the country * the Vancouver gathering had a lot of gray heads, I have noticed that there was a significant increase in younger generations at this gathering * the friendly and congenial atmosphere among the delegates * having the opportunity to talk freely with the Excecutive Board members and BFL members as they dispersed themselves liberally among the delegates for more information on the Gathering visit the MBHerald blog at: http://gathering.mbconf.ca/eventblog/