I have been conferencing.
Not a particularly cutting edge scientific program, but the social events make it worthwhile, for networking. A professor of medicine once told me that to get an international profile, one must attend international conferences.
I proudly hung my poster. Like most of the posters, nobody much looked at it. Oh well. It was a big deal for me. I have my name in the abstract book.
At the social events, I met some folk, some quite well known in certain fields. Email addresses exchanged. Whether it comes to anything, though, I shall see.
I met the editor of a major geriatrics journal. He introduced himself. I said, oh yes, pleasure to meet you. You rejected my article.
(I said this with good nature)
He was very contrite, actually! I said, no, don´t worry, hide like a rhino etc.
Lots of vino, lots of food. My arse feels like it is growing.
I would now like to relate something that happened a couple of nights ago.
I was at the conference welcome drinks. I was alone, knew nobody. Some shit had gone down (without further elaboration) and I was feeling sad, nostalgic and lonely. I missed everybody.
Despite this, I went out and mingled anyway, fortified by quite a few glasses of vino tinto. I met an Australian. A prof. of medicine from Italy. I was feeling pretty proud of my valour. The organising committee had put on a flamenco show and a show with a dancing andalusian horse.
At the end of the night, everyone left quite quickly, and I found myself nearly alone in a big room. The sads hit quite quickly. I drunk-dialled a friend, it was quite early in the morning for them, and they were still groggy so I rang off.
I got up to find a taxi. I was sobbing and ready to catch the next flight home.
I felt a hand on my arm and something in spanish. A small, elfin, concerned face was looking at me.
“are you alright¨, she said in a heavy spanish accent.
“just gotta get (sniff) a taxi (sniff)”
“joo here alone”
“yes”
“noooooo!”
Then she started talking in Spanish, and all of a sudden, about 5 other ladies descended on me, making sympathetic noises.
They introduced themselves as members/workers for the spanish geriatrics society, the organising body of the conference. I was introduced to el presidente, Juan antonio. I was even introduced to the flamenco dancer, Pilar.
“joo like manzanilla” “vino del Malaga”
“joo come out with us, si?”
I was whisked into the car, and I met the ladies- Rosa, Elena, Maria. They interrogated me as to what was upsetting me. I told them.
“Don worry. We look after joo”
So with these lovely people I was brought out to have tapas and wine. I had a lovely time, listening to their ebullient chatter, even though I did not understand them.
They rescued me, that night.
Off to dinner tonight, where I hope to see these gorgeous ladies again. Off to sweden mañana.
Photos pending. Hasta la vista.
How lovely of them to take care of you.
Hope you are OK… xx
Sorry to hear you were feeling sad 😦 but how wonderful that it was turned around for you with some kind and generous spirits. A sign your adventures must continue, for sure!! xxx
That is SO AWESOME! The kindness of strangers! So sorry to hear you were feeling sad but lovely to know it turned around so beautifully!