Intermission: ICANN 57 – The lighter side!

This week I was in Hyderabad, India at ICANN 57 wading through the murky waters of ICANN with my fearless colleagues. ICANN meetings are filled with interesting people from all over the world. Attendees fight for power and position to forward their individual agendas, but ironically often work in groups to do so.

I have been attending ICANN meetings for several years now but for many of my colleagues it was their first experience at an ICANN meeting, and their first time in India (me as well). Aside from the work, here are a few other things I learned by attending ICANN 57.

The people of India are gracious and accommodating. I will be back – thank you India for your hospitality.
In the transition of the often mundane sessions, auto-rickshaws (tuk-tuks) are a must form of travel in India and can make for interesting and needed mind-jolting transitions as you risk your life dodging oncoming traffic.
The constant eardrum stimulation of honking of horns may keep you up at night but it also saves your life when you are you are on the roads.
Always go with a brand name hotel chain…we didn’t and it was unsettling at times. Luckily, we had each other to create enough levity to make it bearable, and without the option for hot showers, having cold showers does help wake you up after only 3 hours sleep each night.
Singing Happy Birthday to someone doesn’t make it their birthday no matter how many times you do it…but it is funny afterward watching others wish them ‘happy birthday’.
You can throw the biggest party you want but if you don’t have the right people there then it just isn’t a party. We managed to have all of the right people from the ICANN meeting at our launch party.
If it isn’t an acronym ICANN doesn’t use it. “I saw members of the GAC sitting with the GNSO talking about the IANA transition while the IETF and SSAC listened in.” Rosetta Stone are missing a huge market.
Sleep is the only thing that is optional at ICANN.
Lastly, hugging is the ultimate form of comfort while watching US elections with US citizens (there is lots of room here in Canada!)

Looking forward to ICANN 58 in Copenhagen in March!

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