Vancouver

Earlier this month we took a trip to Vancouver, B.C. I went up for the regional conference of NAFSA (an organization for folks who work in international education), where I was presenting my master's research about the experience of Saudi women studying in the U.S. I took the train to Seattle and my parents drove me up from there. We spent an evening in White Rock and then stayed a night in a hotel before they dropped me off at the hotel where the conference was being held. After the conference, Mike drove up and met me and we spent a night with John Bandstra's parents. We intended to stay longer, but the weather didn't cooperate at all--it was pouring sheets of rain. So we returned to Seattle, where we had left Koda with my parents and where we had a better idea of what to do indoors.



The Vancouver hotel where the conference was held was probably the fanciest place I've ever stayed at. It was right in downtown Vancouver and we (3 colleagues and myself) had a suite on the 15th floor where we looked out (from many windows) on sky skrapers and water in every direction. I had a lot of fun exploring the city from such close proximity. My favorite place was probably Granville Island, a public market similar (but I think actually even nicer) than the Pike Place Market in Seattle. I actually went there 3 times, more than I really needed--once with my parents, once with my colleague and her family, and once with Mike.



My presentation actually went pretty well, too. I was very pleased with the positive response it got. I am presenting it again again at a local conference this coming weekend and hoping it will be received positively again!