I've been everywhere, man.

It's finally time to catch my breath.

Over the past four weeks, I've been to a whole bunch of places with a whole bunch of people and learned a whole bunch of new things. I'm so grateful to Discover Halifax for helping make that happen, Destination Canada Business Events | événements d'affaires de Destination Canada for their work, and all the fantastic colleagues I work with daily.

Most importantly, I've been left with thoughts on post-covid travel, events, conferences, and collaboration.

Oh, the places you'll go...

About four weeks ago, I was in Bethesda, Maryland, attending Informa 's Pharma forum , then it was back to Halifax for The Economist 's #WorldOcean #Conference while also attending DEFSEC Atlantic (special thanks to the Halifax Convention Centre for a fantastic layout that allows two shows to happen simultaneously and seamlessly).

From there, it was time for a #SiteInspection and #FAM with the always amazing and globally recognized Virginie De Visscher - we toured the town, played with #lithiumionbatteries, saw some #zebrafish, and talked #sustainability.

Then, it was off to IMEX in #LasVegas. Finally, I attended some of the CSAE conference in #Halifax.

In summary, six airports, eight flights, three time zones, and so much more.

These are the people in my neighborhood...

Anytime I get a chance to showcase Halifax's people, sectors, and thinkers, I go to my happy place. I'm so proud of my city and the place I call home. What makes it unique, however, are the people. At every event I mentioned above, I had the chance to discuss why Halifax is unexpected. We're not a backwater, we're not simple, we're not underdeveloped, and we don't have an airport that has flights just to Toronto. We're so much more. Here are a few things that blew the minds of people I chatted with.

We're leading the way. Touring the jeff dahn Tesla #BatteryLab at Dalhousie University shows Halifax's unexpectedness. How many cities have a lab like this? Well, very few. Dr. Dahn is one of the preeminent leaders in battery tech, and he's right here in Halifax. And, if you ask nicely, he'll let you play with some incredible things in his lab.

Yes, we play with our fish. Halifax is home to a #Zebrafish #Lab. Zebrafish are a versatile vertebrate developmental biology model. Zebrafish can gain insights into human diseases, including cancer, cardiac development and function, neurologic diseases, memory, and other phenomena.?(I feel smart just typing that)

And we're collaborators. The all-new #PIER (Port Innovation, Engagement, and Research). It's a global center of excellence for innovation in marine transportation, supply chain, and logistics. Through The PIER, they convene partners, stakeholders, researchers, students, and entrepreneurs dedicated to tackling problems within those three areas. A special thanks to Patrick Bohan, PPM, MBA, CCLP , for getting us through on a busy day when the Creative Destruction Lab was hosting an event at the PIER.

Without people like Hope Scheller , David Malloy , and those mentioned above, we'd be just another city...

Find inspiration in the people you meet...

Meeting people is THE true perk of travel. Not the hotels, the meals, or the drink. It's all about the people. Oh, and the new places. To be honest, here are simply a few pictures that document some of the sources for inspiration. Join me below for my thoughts on travel/conferences in a post-COVID world...

Meeting and working with people like Lynnea Adrian , Jeffrey Fehr , Pamela Wilton , Tatiana Der Avedissian , Warren Edge , Justin Trudeau , Lisa Martin , Jennifer Diggens , Dawn Baldwin , Jennifer Beatty, DES, HMCC , Carissa Koral , and others inspires me every day.

My Thoughts are wondering...

Still with me? Amazing! Here are a few thoughts on travel and conferences in a post-covid environment:

• It's needed more than ever. People need to get back and be together. We are social creatures that need collaboration, permission to interrupt, and the ability to engage organically and naturally. That can't happen online, no matter how good your camera is.
• In-person is the next new (old) thing. Only in person can you truly experience things that will change your perspective and beliefs. Speaking 1:1 with people, I can paint a narrative about Halifax - to be successful, I use tone, storytelling, body language, random drawings, music, and more. I get to read their reaction, and they get to share my energy. We all win when we're together.
• Open your mind. I loved sitting and meeting people who honestly said, "I have no idea what Halifax is all about; let's start with a map?" I love that. They're open to new things, ready to learn, and want to understand. Being locked in the "virtual world" of social media and Teams calls, we've gotten away from being inquisitive and ready to hear new things or learn. Let's get back to that.
• Be PATIENT and be HUMAN. It seems this one should be simple. But it's not. One of my flights had challenges, and I was "rebooked" on a later (the next day) flight. The gate counter folks were tired and worn from a day of battling angry travelers. No matter the issue, it fell to them to resolve. When I got to the counter, they started "bracing for impact." It wasn't their fault, nor was it their decision - so would I get angry with them? We worked together and chatted like humans - I wasn't going to be getting on the flight, despite holding a ticket (which was no longer valid with the rebook), so I just wanted to make the best of the situation and find a good solution. We were as happy as we could be (at 11 pm at Toronto Pearson), and we moved on. Travel can be challenging right now. Don't be part of the problem.
• Remember your people. Travel is great, but I'll be the first to admit home is where the heart is. Make time for those calls to say good morning or good night. Be present and be with your people when you're home (even for a few hours). They'll be the ones to recharge and rebuild you for your next junket. Even a trip to the grocery store and soccer practice can fill your "happy tank".

Get out there!

There's a whole world out there to explore - go do it! And, if you've got a conference, let's talk about why you should host it in Halifax. See you in the skies!

-Paul