role reversal

when i attend meetings, as part of continuing medical education, i tend to sit near the back, either because i'm late or i need to go off early. that way, i can slip in & out & no one's the wiser.

but today's different. i was asked by a pharmaceutical company to chair the meeting, held in the evening at a local hotel. this is new to me, but it helped that the speaker, a surgeon by training, is from Sweden - a country whose exports include Volvos, Ikea, Abba & Bjorn Borg, some things i can confidently engage in conversation with, besides the topic in discussion.

so there i was, sitting nervously at the very unfamiliar front row, sporting tie (which felt like a noose), introducing the speaker, moderating the Q&A session after that & trying to entertain the gentleman (& his wife) over dinner.

it felt so surreal, yet enlightening. it helped that the speaker has visited m'sia many times before, follows the fortunes of his country's football team & is also conversant in non-medical matters. (i didn't know that sweden is in the EU & yet maintain the kroner as its currency)

in the end, the sponsor gave this for "troubling me".


i say, it's no trouble at all, if the next time, i get a trip to the carribean. heh heh!