Conference Fun

This past week, I (Karen) had the incredible opportunity to attend a College Board Conference for International School Counselors. There were 58 of us representing 36 countries who gathered at Georgetown University (in Washington DC) for 5 days of training. I learned as much from the presenters as I did from my colleagues. I also came home with a renewed appreciation not only for the opportunity to live overseas, but also for the US. Even with all it's faults, America really is an amazing country. Georgetown's beautiful campus
we "got" to sleep in the dorms! They didn't seem all that small- I've gotten use to Japanese sizes!A special treat was having Mrs. Staggers as one of the presenters! Mrs. Staggers is the college advisor at Cary Academy! Nothing like learning from the best of the best!! (what a small world!) one of the highlights of the week was a Night of Sharing- heard so many touching stories from around the world- and laughed a lot as well! The pic above is one of the counselors sharing a tapestry from the Congo. Below is a Hungarian gingerbread cookie. (these two ladies were a riot- one is from Hungary, the other, Serbia.)

The only 'bad' thing about the conference was that my list of places I want to visit has grown! Met some incredible folks who are working in the Ukraine, Latvia, Macedonia, Germany, Ecuador, Vietnam, Malaysia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, Myanmar, Guatemala, to name just some of the lands!