thomas leverett weblog

tesol cities

Of course I admit I don't know all the parameters: the TESOL Convention needs a good city; it has to be in spring; a place with a good working convention center is best (though they got by with New York); transportation has to be doable from Asia, from the Middle East, from South America; etc. I don't know all of their considerations. I have heard that, after Denver, and then Boston, supposedly it will be New Orleans and then Dallas. I will graciously accept Dallas as at least close to the midwest. And then, admit that really the midwest has no convention cities left in the market. Chicago? St. Louis? Minneapolis? These are all ruled out for whatever reason. Kansas City, Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Omaha, Milwaukee, equally unacceptable, I don't know why. But here are a few more:

Montreal: Why has TESOL never been here? Do you think it's too cold in March? Maybe. You couldn't find a better city, in my opinion.

Albuquerque: They don't have a convention center? Don't let that stop you!

San Juan, Puerto Rico: I won a free trip there once, but didn't have a chance to use it. I think it would be a great place!

Mexico City: Apparently they had one there in 1968, but there was a plane crash and the president of TESOL was killed. I may have my facts wrong here, but I guess TESOL as an organization had a kind of organizational superstition about going back. Understandable. But get over it! It's been forty years! There is also, while we're at it, Monterey, Guadalajara, and Veracruz. I have no idea about convention facilities, of course.

El Paso: Worried about March being dismal, cold, rainy, bleak? OK, go to Minneapolis one year, El Paso the next.

Havana: Open up, people. This would beat all of the above, if they made it possible.

Miami: Maybe Orlando has a better convention center. But, who cares about convention centers?

Victoria, BC: Always nice weather. By the sea. Much better than Vancouver. No convention center? Bah!

Anchorage: Actually accessible, from some places. Not as snowy as it sounds.

That's a few to chew on. There are more, I'll bring 'em on a.s.a.p.

Labels: tesol

posted by tom @ 1:03 PM