My dad used to bring me the chocolates a hotel would leave
on his pillow at night. That was my
impression of “work travel” – candy and someone else making your bed for you
every morning. There were chocolates on
my bedside table last night when I checked into my second hotel in two days and
the room was certainly plush, but I’ve come to realize work travel is heavier
on the work than I once imagined.
My job comes to life on the road. Back at Towers, it’s all spreadsheets and
photocopies and conference calls. But on
campus I get to meet the people behind the resumes. You become three-dimensional, as opposed to
flat stacks of paper. I get to match a
voice from the other end of a phone line with a smile and a handshake in
person. Work travel is not glamorous
(there’s a pile of dirty laundry in the backseat of my car right now) but I
think it’s worth it for the chance to meet you all in person.
I’m heading home tonight from my last trip of the season. I have an empty fridge and that carload of
laundry but at least I’ll be making my own bed tomorrow morning. And trading in those pillow-top chocolates
for a leafy green vegetable or two.
Thanks for keeping me company while I’m on the road. Til next season!
- Jenny
