TESOL 2019: Atlanta

Last week, I traveled with colleagues to the TESOL 2019 convention in Atlanta, GA. This is the biggest convention in my field (with about 6000 attendees!), and one I try to attend each year if I can (I've missed a few, but I usually get there). It's a good time to connect with current and former colleagues, and I also ran into two of my professors from grad school. Of course, there are tons of sessions on just about any topic you can think of in the field.

Angela, Julie, me

our big group dinner at a Turkish restaurant

Julie, Angela, me

current BGSU ESOL faculty (all of us!)

This year, I attended sessions about international teaching assistants (ITAs), program administration, teacher education, and universal design. I saw some really good sessions, got to support my colleagues who presented, and co-presented on multimodal feedback.

Ana and Kimberly presenting at the Electronic Village

Ana's session on arts-based pedagogy

Fernanda presenting at the Electronic Village

Me and Lucinda presenting at the Electronic Village

This was my first visit to Georgia (outside of passing through the Atlanta airport a few times in the past), and it sure was nice to experience some true spring weather after the bitter cold we'd had in BG in early March. Eating lunch outside one day (without even a jacket on!) was a big highlight for me. I also got to try some fun local food.

Korean for dinner

lunch outside!

bread service at Turkish restaurant

Lamb kebab at Turkish restaurant

Gus's fried chicken (with coleslaw and fried okra)

coconut pie and chocolate chess pie
(also at Gus's)

local pizza at Max's

the delicious spread at the closing party
(there were cute, tasty desserts, too)

Our hotel was about a mile from the convention center, so the walk was pretty similar to my usual commute at home, except with some hills (which I actually like, since it's so flat here). Also, we walked right through this huge, beautiful park between the hotel and the convention center. We were also near the World of Coke and the Atlanta Aquarium (where TESOL hosted a closing celebration in this cool ballroom with views into two of the aquarium tanks).

Olympic park

our group walking across the park toward the convention center

this splash pad is also shaped like Olympic rings

skyline with Ferris wheel

Convention Center entrance

also in the park

the aquarium

World of Coke

closing party in the Ocean Room

these whale sharks were huge!

me and Ana, enjoying the live entertainment :-)

So that's another TESOL in the books. Next year is in Denver, which I'm pretty sure was the location of my first TESOL ever, so I hope to be able to attend again.