Congress 2015 Canberra

Alex standing outside the bookshop at the National Library of Australia 2013

Well, first of all I must apologise for the lack of activity on this blog.  I have been consumed with finishing my Introduction to Family History course through UTAS and all things World War I at work.  I've barely time to scratch myself.

However, duly nudged by Jill Ball of GeniAus I have decided that I really must do a Pre-Congress blog, one if possible during Congress and a post-Congress blog.  

"What is Congress?" I hear you cry from the interweb ;)

Congress 2015 or the AFFHO Congress is in Canberra from Thursday 27-Monday 30 March.  It is a triennial event - a hobnobbing if you will of genealogists and the like.  The next one will be in 2018 in Sydney.

It's been two years since I've been to Canberra.  The last time was when I graduated with my Master of Information Studies in Librarianship from the University of Canberra in the Great Hall of Parliament House!

I do so wish I was going for the four days.  Indeed, I would have loved to attend the Librarian's seminar on Thursday 26 March as well... but it's not to be, I'm afraid.  We are too frantic at work. Sigh.

Never mind.  I have created a plan from the schedule with the aid of Carmel's handy shared notebook in Evernote.  You can view my schedule here.

You'll see that I've left myself some choice for some sessions.  And I have marked up Monday's sessions just in case I can negotiate/wheedle my way into having Monday off work.

I'll be skating out of work as fast as my little legs will carry me on Friday afternoon and getting into Canberra at some ungodly hour that night.

It will be a quick walk to the National Convention Centre from my accommodation as per the map here.

There's a bit of me that thinks I'm a fool not to book into the Crowne Plaza but then there's a bit of me that thinks I'll need the exercise sitting in a convention centre all day.  My budget prefers the cheaper internet and breakfast rates too.

I'll be catching up with the Queen of the Tea Cosies for dinner on Saturday night as she is delivering a tea cosy workshop in Canberra that weekend.  So my opportunities for meeting other bloggers and fellow students from the recent UTAS course will be limited to morning and afternoon teas and lunches.  

There's never enough time is there to do all the things we want to do is there?

There will be drinks for the Genealogists for Families Kiva group at 5pm on Sunday night. To find out more about this group and Kiva check out Judy Webster's blog or the Kiva website.

There will be a dinner for UTAS Introduction to Family History students on the Sunday night at 6pm.   Look for Congress dinner in the search bar on the Facebook page to find the details.  Fellow blogger Janelle Collins is organising it. 

If you want to get more of a feel for Congress and what's happening:

1. Subscribe to the Congress newsletter here
2. Read official Congress blogger Shauna Hicks' posts here
3. Read official Congress blogger Jill Ball's posts here 
4. Read official Congress blogger Pauleen Cass' posts here 
5. Watch the recent Congress Bound hangout here
6. Follow the Congress hashtag #affho on Twitter
7. Follow Congress on Facebook here.
8. Get some advice from TavelGenee aka Fran Kitto here.
9. Get some advice from Judy Webster here.

Yes I've ordered my contact cards.

Yes I've submitted my Research interests.

Yes I'll talk to strangers ;)

I hope to see you there!