Wahey! Having booked my flights and hotel to attend my first ever RootsTech Conference in 2016, I was delighted to hear yesterday that my application to be a conference Ambassador had been approved! Apparently, this means that I have been recognised as having “significant influence that can help build awareness of RootsTech events”. There were plenty of requirements in order to even apply, with one being that applicants “maintain a website or blog with new content posted at least weekly”. Tick! Another desirable quality was that ambassadors should be “outgoing, confident team players”. Well, I will certainly give that my best shot [big grin].
My initial thought on booking to attend was that I would be going as a ‘normal delegate’. No speaking, no stand/booth commitments…. just being me. Oops! I am now on the speakers list and an ambassador. Epic fail, me thinks. Never one to shy away from networking, certain opportunities have presented themselves and they will definitely ‘make my boat row faster‘ [thanks Adrian Chase] so I have agreed.
I am really excited about working with an amazing team of ambassadors, many of whom I am friends with on Facebook and/or follow them on Twitter and/or read their blogs. Some of these wonderful folk I have met before and I would call my genea-buddies but the vast majority, I will be meeting for the first time ever. I can hardly wait until February. In fact, I will be flying in January to ensure that I spend my birthday in the US of A. Lots of planning to be done prior to departure and decisions to be made about what to see and do in Salt Lake City.
Regular readers of the FWL blog will know that I have only been to America once in my life – to New York in 2014, en route back home after the Ontario Genealogical Society Conference at Brock University. So, 2016 sees the spreading of my wings yet further…. now that I am ranked 9th in the international genealogical world, I guess I need to be seen more in America to raise my profile further. After all, 9th leaves room for improvement next year, don’t you think!!
