So, where are you coming from???

[julian]

Each year I love to start up this thread to see where everyone is coming from. Instructurecon has become such a great international event over the past few years.

4 years ago I attended my first and I was one of only three from Australia. Last year saw over a dozen.

And it is not just Australia. Now they come from all over Europe, Asia, the Middle East and even Canada (I was informed that it is NOT a northern US state or America's Top Hat last visit).

So, where are you from? Are you road tripping in from the east coast? Flying in from the west? Travelling by husky from the north or swimming in from over the seas?

This thread gives a chance to not only share your port of origin but also will allow you to connect with others from the same region. Maybe you can also connect up at Instructureconcarn and make some new connections.

I will start, for those who don't already know I am based in Sydney Australia (you know, the country where everything is trying to kill you) and have been a long time Canvas user, advocate and now staff member.

Looking forward to reconnecting with all those I have met over the years and keen to meet all those I haven't.

OK, now it is your turn. Post your origin here and tag 3 others to do the same. Let's see just how many we can get here.

Julian

[awilliams]

Good 'ol Bellingham! I was up there for a Linux Fest Northwest conference a few years ago. Lovely place.

[orwinr]

Small world, awilliams‌. I too attended Linux Fest Northwest a few years ago in another life. Bellingham is still one of my favorite spots in Washington State.

[scottdennis]

Same here, Randy.  I miss the days when I worked in the Washington community college system and got to visit there periodically.

[orwinr]

 @scottdennis , I had no idea you worked in Washington for a while. Which college did you work at? Small world.

[scottdennis]

Hey Randy,

I worked at LCC for nine years in the eLearning office and then I moved to SBCTC eLearning in 2009 - good times.  I left there to go work for this cute little startup company in Utah... 

[yujing_ma]

I am from Shandong Province, China. I came here this January after my Mater's degree from Peking University. Now I am working as a PhD student in IVM. Hope to meet more friends here in Canvas. 

[scottdennis]

Greetings and Welcome!  I'm glad you have found your way into the community.  I hope you will make many friends here!  Are you going to travel to Colorado for the conference this summer?

[yujing_ma]

Thank you flor your greetings! No, I will not go there. So interesting that many people will go there. 

[scottdennis]

Ah well.  We hope you will still learn a lot remotely.  Many of the presentations will be streamed live or available later as recordings and there are already some interesting conversations starting around blog posts by people who will be there in person.

[yujing_ma]

Thank you Scott, I registered just now. Hope to join you remotely. 

[awilliams]

 @yujing_ma ‌ if you would like, you can find a lot of ways to stay involved in the conference remotely (as I will be doing) in this blog post, Come one, Come all!‌ You are destined to meet many great Canvas friends around the digital activity of InstructureCon 2018. I hope to see you there and here

[Kevin_W]

Grand Rapids, MI, USA! Beer City, USA!

Looking forward to my 3rd InstructureCon! Can't wait! Always a good time and lots to learn!

[beverly_gavin]

I am coming from the beautiful Capital of Florida, Tallahassee, where it's really hot, but a great place.  Beverly Gavin.

[szabarovska]

Flying in from 518' to 9,173'---AKA Booneville, MS to Keystone, CO!

See you there!

 @sfarris1 ‌  @bdoggett ‌  @akinsey ‌

[straussi]

Don't forget the drive up to Keystone, through the Eisenhower Tunnel at 11,158'

[miranda_marshal]

I'm coming from Salina, KS but no one else from this area is attending.  I'm arriving with the Barton County folks.    Happy to be meeting any and all!

[lientjie]

I everyone! I'm from Cape Town, South Africa but doing work in UK and US! This year will be my 2nd conference and really looking forward to it! proveristy‌

[krgiffith]

I'm coming from Tennessee!    I work for a small liberal arts college and I'm a department of one.  I can't wait to network with other folks! I'm hoping to connect with people involved with the CCCU. liberalartscccu‌ 

[kerri]

I will be flying in from Brisbane, Australia (via Sydney and San Francisco for a quick holiday first). Looking forward to meeting lots of new people and learning some great tips and tricks and making our courses even better 🙂

Looking forward to attending  @dnoud ‌'s session on the Thursday!

[jayoder]

I am flying in from Southeastern Pennsylvania about 40 miles NW of Philadelphia! Can't wait!!!

[BethCrook]

Hi neighbor!  *waving*

[aguy_sandbox]

Canada!!! I'm the new Canadian Regional Director for K12. We are not a top hat, but maybe a cozy toque. Can't wait to meet you! 

[newbym]

I will be on my way from Minneapolis. Would love to meet some others from the area! My first conference was great last year and looking forward to this year.

[lsproat]

Howdy from the Lone Star State! I will be coming in from the Houston area for my 2nd InstCon!  ysmalls maybe we will be on the same flight   

[ysmalls]

 @lsproat , we leave on Monday the 23rd when do you leave?  We must all get together there ... so excited!!  :smileylaugh:

[lsproat]

We are flying out Tuesday morning. I can't wait, I'm bringing my CHUG shirt 

[kenneth_rogers]

I'm driving this year with my family to get in some time in Denver before hand. If you see me, or if you're hanging around until Friday for the Unconference, be sure to stop me so we can chat!

[kenneth_rogers]

Love the Texan crowd!

[timothy_maw]

I'm heading on out from Utah. I'm looking forward to the drive out honestly since it was beautiful last year. 

[DrNufer]

Coming from the Sunshine state.  I practically live at Disney, so I'll just say that I'll be flying out of Magic Kingdom.  

[Chris_Hofer]

I'll be at WDW this coming week!  Can't wait!

[DrNufer]

Pixar Land opens tomorrow at Hollywood Studios.  I watched the dedication this morning on the parks blog.  It looks fun.  

[mpb]

Greetings, everyone. This will be my InstructureCon debut -- and I'm pretty excited! I've heard such amazing things about this event, mostly about the positive energy that is stirred up through the dedicated educators that attend. 

I am Faculty Mentor, Digital Innovation for the California Community Colleges and am also known as brocansky. I provide professional development for faculty through two statewide projects: the CCC Online Education Initiative (OEI) and @ONE (Online Network of Educators). Our system includes 114 community colleges and we've adopted Canvas as our common course management system, with support from the OEI. Join me for my session, Taming the Lion, on Wed, 7/25 at 2:30 to learn more about some of the creative ways we are supporting our vast kingdom of 90,000+ Canvas users.

I can't wait to see my CCC colleagues in CO and to meet laurakgibbs‌ (who I have learned SO much from over the years) in person for the first time and reconnect with many others including  @kbv7001 ‌ and  @bstachowiak ‌. Kim, I look forward to your session on Thursday!

Cheers!

Michelle

[kerri]

HI Michelle

This will be my first time at InstructureCon as well. I'd love to hear more about what you do with professional development for faculty. I hope to make it to your session!

Kerri

[joel_mills]

InstructureCon virgin here... I will be arriving late Sunday night from Hull in the UK after about a million hours travelling.

Looking forwards to seeing familiar and new faces there and propping up a few bars... I mean "Events".

Look me out. I may or may not be wearing my hat depending on the weather.

Joel

[fosterl]

Do bring the hat! It can rain most afternoons (warm, and briefly, but still wet!). See you at the "events"

[kmeeusen]

 @joel_mills 

Keep that hat handy, you would not believe the sun burning that can happen to unprotected skin at 10,000 feet.

Kelley

[miranda_meyerso]

Hi All!!!

Such a great crowd! I can't wait! I will be flying in from Brooklyn, NY. My team mates will be arriving from Las Vegas, Nevada and Sydney Australia! We are excited to meet everyone! 

Miranda 

[kmeeusen]

Well, Deactivated user, after your recent tweet, are you still attending InstCon this month?

Or more importantly, will your Tim Tams make it there with or without you. Inquiring minds need to know this! I mean we all greatly appreciate you, but we especially appreciate that you carried Tim Tams halfway around the globe to share with your panda friends.

Kelley

[julian]

Hey Kelley,

Sadly I am no longer coming to Instcon this year. Really wanted to come but sadly the company has denied the request (it's not cheap flying us Aussies over). It sadly also means my planned keynote at the Unconference won't be going ahead either. I am so sorry for putting  @kona in the position of finding one such last minute. I will help however I can and I am sure she will get an awesome presenter!!

HOWEVER, I will be sending Tim Tams and a bunch of shirts with another of the Aussies attending. Once I know who is locked in I'll post it here. I may not be there, but I still want that Canvas Aussie fun, flair and chocolate to make the trip. Instcarn this year is looking to be the best yet and I can't wait to see what cool content comes out of it from the community.

I also plan to stay part of this community. We have such a great group of passionate educators here. No way I am leaving this behind! Plus, I now have over 40 different Canvas shirts #swag . . . . you can't just let go of that level of investment :smileygrin:

Stay tuned for updates.

J