By Sheerin Vesin, TechChange Vice President of Business Development

One of the most exciting aspects of working at an international social enterprise like TechChange is having the opportunity to support amazing events in a wide variety of locations – both online and in person across the globe. Whether near or far, we help our partners bring their visions to life for global conferences such as AccessNow’s RightsCon and the Society of International Development (SID-US)’s annual Inclusive Development conference.

As the head of our business development team, I love joining these incredible convenings. Right now, I’m gearing up (and packing!) to attend our Global Digital Health Conference, which will be held in Nairobi, Kenya–and worldwide, online–on December 4-6. 

Whether you’re joining us at GDHF or planning to travel for a different convening in the near future, here are some of my key tips for successfully preparing to attend a conference abroad. 

Prepare to make the most of the agenda–and the destination 

Spending time with the conference agenda ahead of time is a MUST. I like to review all of the options and then make an advanced plan for the three sessions a day that are “can’t miss.” Usually, there’s about five more that are on the “nice to see” list– and I get to those if I can, but the “can’t miss” ones I make sure I get there. I try to be realistic about my time and leave room for spontaneity.

I also check out the speaker list ahead of time, to see if anyone is on there that I definitely want to connect with. Pro tip: I send a message ahead of time on LinkedIn. Something like, “Hey, I’ve registered for the conference, and I’m going to be there in my capacity as {insert role here}. I’ve been following your work and I’d love the opportunity to meet up there.” The beautiful thing is you don’t actually have to set up the meeting in advance. Just go up to the speaker after their session, and they will most likely remember your outreach– and then it’s like you know them already! 

Another tip… I love my TechChange coworkers, but I usually limit time with my team to one after-hours hang out – whether dinner or happy hour – and then use the rest of my non-conference time to maximize connections with people I don’t have the opportunity to interact with as often. It can be super tempting to want to spend all my time with people I already know so I have to fight that impulse to grow my network. 

No matter how often you travel, going to a new country is special. I’m there to work, but I want to see a little bit of the destination too. First I’ll consult a local colleague or partner for ideas on what to prioritize. (Bonus points for anything involving nature or the outdoors!) Then I’ll pick one thing that feels worth putting effort into, but not so ambitious that it will be draining to make happen (no in-country flights or six hour minibus rides, for example). After GDHF next week, I’m excited to check out Nairobi National Park. Fingers crossed that I catch a glimpse of a leopard in the wild, right on the outskirts of this thriving megacity! 

Travel tips on arrival and departure

People definitely have their preferences on the best time to arrive before a conference, and when to leave. Some manage their schedules right down to the wire– dragging a suitcase into the registration table, and leaving before the main speaker has even put down the mic to make it back to the airport. 

Not me.

I like to arrive a full day before conference proceedings begin so I can get my bearings, start to acclimate to the local environment, and rest and recharge. This also allows a grace period for travel snafus such as delays or cancellations.

On the other end, I make arrangements to leave the day after the conference ends. You just never know what encounters you’re going to make on the last day, and if you don’t have the pressure of getting out there it can yield some wonderful and spontaneous encounters, like the time I wound up on a beach in Cyprus with a bunch of new conference friends. 

One of the things I see a lot of people struggle with is that they try to live their lives back at home while also being present at a conference. These are the folks you see trapped in the hallway most of the day, carrying a laptop or talking urgently into their ear buds. To me, they’re stuck in between.

When I’m at a conference, I clear most if not all of my other meetings and then sandwich the things I have to do (email, Slack, etc.) in dedicated windows of time. This allows me to really make the most of the time I’m there AND fulfill the obligations that don’t stop just because I’m traveling. Naturally, it’s easier said than done. I usually have to start rearranging my schedule 2-3 weeks ahead to make the puzzle pieces fit. But it’s worth it: I conserve the energy it takes to constantly multi-task, and put that energy toward engaging with the content or connecting with others.

I also plan ahead with my spouse well in advance of the conference so that my family has what they need when I’m gone.

It pays to be present, and open to new experiences and connections– you never know what you’re going to learn, or who you’ll meet.