I initially was going to do a post on what you should wear to a conference, but there are lots of blogger posts on that. Instead, I’m going to do a post on what you shouldn’t wear. And I saw nearly all these items in the first hour I was at the conference in Chicago, and the day just got more interesting from there.  I work in a field with lots of doctors, veterinarians, lawyers, as well as hippie humanitarians. So there isn’t a single style or dress code. You don’t have to wear a suit, personal style is appreciated, and you can get away with classy jeans and an appropriate shirt (both men and women) if that’s what floats your boat. It really shouldn’t be that hard, though it apparently is…

Sky High Heels

I know you think you look great in those heels, and you do. But not when you are walking barefoot by noon or toddling in obvious agony when giving your presentation. If you have to wear heels, either 1) be sure you can walk in them all day…particularly to meeting rooms nearly a mile away, 2) carry them until your presentation and slip them on, or 3) carry flats to change in to when your feet get sore. Walking barefoot at a public health conference makes you look like an idiot, and let’s face it, is disgusting.

Spandex Body Hugging Dresses

Sure, you may get some attention. But do you really want to be known as the girl that wore that dress? You don’t. I know some of you are still in your early 20’s with great legs, but it is not appropriate for a work conference, especially one where you have to sit. Buy a dress (it can even be tight), so you can sit down without squirming and climb the stairs into the bus shuttles without flashing everyone. Otherwise, you draw exactly the kind of attention you don’t want. And, yes, that is a true story.  She was looking for a job, too.

Men’s Sandals

Okay, so maybe this is a personal taste thing, but do you really need to bring your old, ratty sandals with open toes to a professional conference? If you have foot issues, even sneakers would be better.  Your fungus nails (untrimmed, I may add) are distracting and just kind of gross. Additionally, it is November. In Chicago. Don’t you think you are gambling just a bit with the weather? For what it’s worth, this person was a faculty member from a stateside university, so I’m not being culturally insensitive.

Workout Clothes

I get it, it’s a public health conference where we are all worried about public health. But men–and women–workout clothes should be saved for working out (or at least walking outside of the hotel). Strolling in to a talk in yoga pants or gym shorts is just weird. Am I alone here? I love my yoga pants, and trust me, I totally think it’s ok to wear them in the airport. But to a work conference? Ehhhhhh.

Anything Showing a Midriff

Does this require further explanation? Really? Men–buy shirts that cover that belly (and probably tuck in). Women–showing a midriff/your belly button ring really, really, doesn’t do you any favors. I think some women wear it as a “because I can and people shouldn’t judge” kind of thing, but I maintain, if it’s not a beach (or if you aren’t running somewhere humid when it’s above 90 degrees), there really isn’t any reason for it. At all. Call me conservative…

What have you seen people wear to work or at work conferences?

I went to Vienna for a work conference over a long weekend.  The conference was good, but I was really surprised by how much I liked Vienna.  Even in February. Even with snow everywhere.

Well…there is more to the story. Vienna is the home to the Spanish Riding School.  I told you I used to ride–all the time–right?  Vienna is beautiful. And I would love to go back in the summer to see Belvedere in green. But the real reason I loved Vienna was because of the horses at the Spanish Riding School. I may or may not have walked down by the riding school multiple times just to catch a glimpse of the horses busy eating in their stalls.

I unfortunately am too dedicated and actually went to the conference instead of skipping some of the best talks to see the horses perform. But that’s ok, I’m familiar with all of their moves from my knowledge of classical dressage, so it was just as fun to tour the stables and see them in person later.  All of the horses there are Lipizzaners, which are bred on the Austrian National Stud Farm.  The school itself is also stunning, particularly the arena of the Winter Riding School, which was built from 1729 to 1735.I honestly had forgotten much of the important history of Austria before I went.  And I still find Austrian history pretty overwhelming. I mean, from the Romans to Napoleon to the Allied bombing of Vienna in 1944? The crazy stories about the grandeur of the Habsburgs? Incredible. Complex. Fascinating.Belvedere was clearly expansive and beautiful, particularly the sphinx statues, with the lion bodies and human heads. I would love to go back and visit the gardens in the summer. Obviously, it was pretty bleak and brown in the winter, particularly when it was entirely overcast.  The Belvedere was built as the summer residence for Prince Eugene of Savoy, and the construction began in 1714. Over the years, art galleries, such as the Baroque Museum, have been added.Oh, and the most amazing ice rink ever!! I would absolutely love to go back and try it out.  It’s like a raceway…with curves and some gentle slopes, that winds in front of Neues Rathaus in the beautiful Rathausplatz Park.  The kids, and the adults, looked like they were having such a place on the course.

Also, if you are more familiar with Austrian history than I, I took from the Sisi Museum that there is some weird obsession with Empress Elizabeth? The Sisi Museum was quite interesting, but in places there was a very, very strange vibe…like it’s made for stalkers almost, for lack of a better way to phrase it. It’s so weird to me that essentially there is a museum about someone’s personal life. But I suppose when you are an Empress, nothing is that personal anymore…

I would also love to go back for more beer and linzertorte. Together. Probably for dinner (and lunch).

Belvedere Palaces and Gardens

AMAZING! Neues Rathus

Spanish Riding School 

Burgtheater

From reading (perhaps an unhealthy amount) of travel blogs from nomadic or long-term travelers, I started thinking about the things I’m missing by not traveling for longer periods. I think there are certain things that are more difficult or impossible to experience on shorter trips. I’m not talking about personal growth, learning how to adapt, and living outside your comfort zone (all important, don’t get me wrong)–but things specific to traveling or living somewhere new for longer than a few weeks.Here are five things that I think I’m missing as a part-time traveler.

1. Holidays/New Traditions: We rarely travel over holidays–either holidays here in the United States or holidays in other countries.  Everything is booked more expensive and more crowded. Sure, it means we save some money, but we also miss experiencing holidays in other countries, and we miss being introduced to new local traditions that we wouldn’t ever know about.  I’d definitely like to get to some holidays–like Diwali–but I don’t think that just “dropping in” gives you the same experience.

2. Making longer-term friends: Sure, you can meet someone (a local or a fellow traveler) on a two week trip and really hit it off. But most of the time, the relationship ends when you part ways, or after some half-hearted emails back and forth.  It’s definitely not due to bad intentions or animosity, but often you don’t have as much in common anymore. Sure, some connections will last, but a few days really isn’t enough time to get to know someone in a way that makes you really want to stay in touch–at least not for an introvert like myself. Not saying it’s impossible, but its definitely more difficult.

3. Learning language skills: I take language classes weekly, but there is nothing like being immersed in another language to achieve proficiency or fluency.  Sure, some languages are incredibly difficult to learn, particularly for someone like me who isn’t a gifted language learner. But even learning the basics, or being able to read but not speak, is a huge accomplishment–and much harder to do if you don’t stay in a country for more extended periods of time.

4. Understanding cultural references: Yea, there are lots of things even I don’t get about American cultural references either, but you really miss out on understanding the cultural references in other countries with shorter trips. Sure, you can have someone explain things to you, but you probably won’t be able to use them in conversation or really understand their genesis.

5. Trusting locals (and people in general) more. In many places, I’m still suspicious of locals who want to help, particularly in major tourist areas and sites.  Yea, I bet you want to show me the best view of the pyramids…yea, I totally bet your cousin owns the most awesome restaurant. But we almost missed an awesome experience in Cambodia because we didn’t quite trust our tuk tuk driver, and we were SO wrong. Important lesson learned.  Sure, some of this comes with experience, and getting off the beaten path.  But I think a lot of it also comes with staying in a location a bit longer, or traveling constantly so you get a better feel for what’s altruistic and what is not.  It’s like a travel spidey-sense, most often possessed by long-term travelers.

I’m a nester at heart.  I like to be home.  No, I LOVE to be home.  When I go on a trip I’m just as excited to fly home as I am to fly to a new place.  Sure, I still think about traveling (and plan for trips) pretty much constantly. I know that full-time travel isn’t for me right now, and I’m totally content in that decision (but always leaving wiggle room for the future, in my ever-capricious nature!). But there are definitely things that are much harder to experience with this style of travel.