Day Zero: Welcome Reception

Day Zero: Welcome Reception of our Conference 6:30 - 8 pm

I arrived at the Lobby of Admin Block of our institute where the welcome reception was to be held around 6pm. For the conference, I was in charge of the keynoters and their respective buddies as well as the invited panelists and their presentation needs. I would take care of the keynoters and their presentation needs and to convey messages to the keynoters via their buddies. I am a buddy to one of the keynoters, a Finnish Prof Hannele N. However, I have already received phone calls from keynoters who aren't buddy-ied to me hahaha. Maybe they don't need their buddies. :P Well, they instinctively looked for me as I am the one who has been in contact with them since the beginning, starting a few months back so they know me in a way.

Tonight, I met up with the keynoters and the invited panelists as well as to hand them their conference dinner vouchers. It was exciting as I finally met all the keynoters (who are really big names in Education) and some of the invited panelists whom I have communicated with via emails over the past few months and a lot more frequently in the past few weeks leading up to our conference. It was extremely nice to hear them say to me that they finally meet me in person after the months of communication and assistance I have given them prior to the conference. :)

After the welcome reception ended, a colleague and I went to pick up my Prof Hannele from her accommodation for dinner. She had arrived too late for the reception. I thought it would be nice though to take her out for dinner. Indeed, she did enjoy the Chinese dinner we took her to. :) We sent her back to her accommodation before 10am before heading home ourselves as we all have an early day tomorrow.