Day 3 - Symposium and Opening Day ... Monday May 14, 2012

Monday morning, the Montreal team of three (Meagan, Mingsha and Eunice) having just arrived late Sunday, proceeded to do their project set-up.  Team YSC and Team BASEF had a relatively late (8 am) breakfast at a spot called the "au bon pain", loosely translated by my friend Jean Michele from Montreal as "good bed".(...oops, corrected "good bread")

All of the chaperones had a morning schedule of listening to the kids presentations in order to receive a little coaching/recommendations.  I listened to six and I am floored by their high level of knowledge and their smooth delivery.  These kids aren't kids when it comes to science; some work are senior University level research.

Right after, it was lunch.  Stef had booked reservations at the Smithville restarurant (spelling?) and Ben Gulak was suppose to be there to meet the kids.  Unfortunately, Ben could not make it and to make matters worst, the food was terrible.  Let it be known that Team Canada is not going to patronize there again.  Cathy missed all of this having had to attend a morning of Advisory meetings at ISEF.

For the afternoon, it was decided that it would be beneficial for all of the team to attend a symposium on Judging at IISEF.  It was a good investment of time as we all got clearer messages on what the time restrictions for the presentations are. After the symposium, it was back to the hotel to wind down and get ready for the Opening Ceremony.  Because much of this writing is after the fact and subject to recall errors, I am not sure how dinner was achieved.  But I am sure we ate somehow.  .... Oh yes, I just remembered.  There was a huge buffet of chicken, fish, salad, rice and vegetables at the Convention Centre.  I am not sure if all ate well but I surely did.  The dessert table was endless.  Needless to say, so was my waistline after.

The Opening Ceremony was held at the Convention Centre in a huge open area.  The atmosphere was electric and our TEAM CANADA did not disappoint in adding to it.  A bouncing CANADA Beach ball and a huge Canada Flag being paraded around the concourse by a several Team Canada members told everyone that Canada was there.  It was amazing to see how the enthusiasm and energy just kept on escalating.  Kids who I only saw as being quiet suddenly transformed themselves into patriotic Canadian zealots. But we were not alone.  Other countries were just as crazy.  While on the floor trying to take pictures, I actually got steamrolled by a train of South Korean fanatics ... I almost dropped my camera.

Entertainment was headlined by this eccentric musician name That1Guy (check his website, www.that1guy.com ).  He plays a mean Magic Pipe, a musical instrument that he designed that resembles advanced plumbing and appropriately scientific high pressure fittings.  Several Nobel laureates were introduced but I am embarrassed to say that I did not recognize one of them.  I made it a point to go to their Open Panel Discussion scheduled for Tuesday.  Three of our students are chosen to have a lunch with them and then to ask them a question.

The highlight of the ceremony, especially for Team Canada was the introduction of Ben Gulak as the Keynote Speaker.  Ben was a BASEF Alumna who I believe particpated at IISEF 2006 and 2007.  Ben was chosen as the lead speaker because I believe he embodies a new marketing message from IISEF to science students.  That new message is to attract young students to science with the entrepreneurial tangent.  Ben has taken his IISEF science projects (the Uno ... I will attach appropriate link later) to an incredible level of success of being pending commercial successes.

He came out looking pretty cool ... witness his sneaker shoes with his suit.  I was given this as the link that had the livestream of his speech (http://demo.livecast.com/isef2012HD# ).

A poignant moment came near the end when selected groups of each member country were announced on the big screen and then ran onto the stage carrying an identifying poster.  In the picture, Canada is to the far right.

Team Canada was definitely one of the most spirited teams; we remained one of the last team to leave the Hall.  A VIP named Wolfgang whom I was told was a CERN delegate who had supreme powers deciding who goes to work at CERN in Europe, actually spent a considerable amount of time with our team.  We have a posed picture with him as proof.

The evening ended with a posed picture with Ben Gulak and his family.  Tired but still excited, the team retired back to the hotel for our end of day "meeting".

Day 2 - Set-Up Day ... Sunday May 13, 2012

Happy Mother's Day ... I hope all our kids did the obvious.

Day 2 started with an early 7:30 am meeting in our designated Canada Meeting room just off the front foyer.  Stef, the Head Chaperone from YSC typically heads the meeting.  Because the chaperones were not able to find time to coordinate a more affordable breakfast venue due to yesterday's arrival, a decision was made to have breakfast at the Bigelow Grille, the hotel's restaurant.  Ouch $$$$$.  Don't worry Eleanor, we all have our receipts.

We are all told that the ISEF Fair is held at the Convention Centre and that it is only a 10-15 minute walk from the hotel.  Although there is a courtesy shuttle, everyone decided to make the trek to carry their projects to the Convention Centre.  By 9 am, everyone from the Team had made it over and proceeded to assemble their projects.  However, Dennis and Mangot had a SRC violation that necessitated a noon meeting with the SRC Review Board to address the violation.  As I approached the Convention Centre, I was astounded by the huge magnitude of this event; I have been at past CWSF and have enjoyed them but this INTEL ISEF is impressive and I am sure it makes the kids feel especially important as they begin their particpation.

We were all given our special badges and warned that its loss would carry a $200 replacement cost.  I immediately taped it to my neck (just kidding). TEAM CANADA is one of the earliest teams and consequently received a lot of open space to work within as they do their taping, cutting and assembling of their project.

Many of the kids worked together to help each other and this collective cooperation enabled our team to be all done assembled and safety checked by 1 pm or so.  Dennis and Mangot had pre-assembled their project, expecting that their SRC meeting would end up being resolved ... which it did.

The whole TEAM CANADA left at 2 pm, hungry and tired and proceeded to find a place for lunch ... pretty difficult on a Sunday that is also a Mother's Day.  It felt like Moses wandering in the desert but eventually we ended up in an area called Market Square that had a smorgasbord of eateries to cater to everyone's palate.

By 4 pm, we were all back at the Doubletree to freshen up and get ready for the Pin Trading event. It's much talked about and the chaperones warned that the Team is forbidden to trade their jackets.

We met up with the Team Montreal contingent led by chaperones Wilson and Gus.  Wilson was on his 23rd chaperone trip ... unbelievable and he does look older than 40.  Gus, well he's a venerable looking fella ... best way to describe him is that he looks like exactly like Albert Einstein.  I will have to get a side by side picture comparison for all to see.

The Pin Trading event was being held at the luxury Westin, a grand looking hotel connected to the Convention Centre. The kids proceeded to an area where between 7-9 pm, they would be fed and then encouraged to trade their pins for other's countrys' and state fair pins.

The chaperones were in for a real nice surprise.  Ben Gulak, a BASEF and ISEF alumna (2004, 2006, 2007) was to be the keynote speaker at the Opening Ceremony and he was to meet our group for dinner.  I sat next to Ben and had a delightful evening.  He said he was a little nervous for his speech but he did not show it.  Ben came accompanied with a lady friend who is quite easy on the eyes.

Here's a lovely story to beat our chest on.  When Stef was trying to book a table for dinner at the Westin Hotel restaurant, we were initially told that it was going to be at least a 45 minutes.  But when they learned that we were the delegation from Team Canada (I don't know who dropped that on the hostess), we were immediately led to a very prominent table.  Sure puffs up our chests a little.

By 10 pm, we were all back at the Doubletree, some with pin-laden lanyards.  Stef and Cathy had their end of day summation at our Team Canada meeting "room" and reminded us of our curfew and of the 8 am start for the next day.

Day One - Travel day ... Saturday May 12, 2012

Sorry all.  Being a rookie chaperone, I have been slow to get the blog running and I am writing this after the fact.  But I did get the Flickr website up and have posted all of the pics to date (http://www.flickr.com/photos/team-basef/sets/72157629686661958/).  So here goes.

Cathy and I met at the Burlington GO station as planned for 10:30 am. The first thing that Cathy did was gave me was an envelope with $300 US and written on it, "Get the Receipts".  Nothing ever changes ... I get the same envelope at home as well.

Our Team members Eisha, Camilla, Dennis and Mangot were all on time.  Soon the big TEAM CANADA bus rolled in ... hugs and kisses were exchanged between parents and kids, likely with promises to call home to wish the Moms a "Happy Mother's Day for tomorrow.  Luggage and project displays were all loaded.  However, the 10:30 am departure was held up when a flat tire on the bus was discovered.  In a way that was a nice mishap because it prompted the unloading of TEAM YSC while we waited for a tire repair truck.  It was a much easier process to have the kids from TEAM BASEF meet and mingle with the 19 kids from TEAM YSC.  It was a convenient way to do the meet and greet.  We also met the TEAM YSC chaperones, Stefane, Kartik, Si Yue and familiar face Ingrid from BASEF.  I learned that Stef, Kartik and Si Yue were all prior members and winners of previous TEAM ISEF/CANADA.  These kids are so lucky to have such knowledgeable chaperones.

What was anticipated as a temporary delay ended up as a prolonged wait of almost 3-4 hours.  Consequently, a need for lunch ended up with a visit to the McDonalds in an adjacent Walmart.  Although some did succumb to the allure of McDonald foods, many purchased their own healthy foods from the Walmarts grocery section.  (parents cheer)

By 2 pm or so, the bus was finally repaired and on its way.  Or so we thought.  At the US border, our bus was pulled over for a DOT check ... at least another hour delay.  At the same time, our whole bus was emptied and each and everyone of us were paraded by 4 US Customs officer.  Luckily no problems,  all formalites were met and we were on our way.  Pittsburgh, here we come.

In the back of my mine, I am brought to think that unfortunate events often happen in three's.  So I am told. Well, first the tire, then Customs ... what was to be the third delay?  Luckily, nothing unfortunate happened.  Many slept here and there and friendly banter was abundant.  Kids these days ... music seem to be a common denominator to their dialogue and interests.

With a 6:30 pm stop at a Subways for "dinner", the bus finally arrived at 8:30 pm at our destination in Pittsburg ... just a 4-5 hour delay.  The downtown Doubletree Hilton was a welcoming site.Check-ins were smooth and everyone was settled and told that curfew was midnight (I think) with a morning meeting for breakfast scheduled for 7:30 am.