{"id":5658,"date":"2013-06-26T12:29:11","date_gmt":"2013-06-26T12:29:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thesojournseries.com\/bavaria\/?p=5658"},"modified":"2013-06-26T12:29:12","modified_gmt":"2013-06-26T12:29:12","slug":"public-speaking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.thesojournseries.com\/bavaria\/public-speaking\/","title":{"rendered":"Public Speaking – A First Attempt…"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Last Friday saw me winging it back to London with only this gorgeous view and a note book to keep me company.\u00a0 The purpose?\u00a0 To take part in, and speak on the Food Panel at BritMum’s Live 2013 – a great writing\/blogging conference that takes place in Shoreditch each year.\u00a0 Jumping off the plane and heading straight to Moorgate was a little hectic, but like every time, it felt sooo good to be home.<\/p>\n

Being able to talk freely to my fellow countrymen is always something I relish and (usually) enjoy when I am back on home turf (other Expats will understand me on this one!), and my favourite experience of this trip has to be the cab driver who made me laugh my head off when he (very nicely) refused to take me to the venue as it was “just around the corner, and would be a waste of money”!<\/p>\n

I was also up for an award on the Friday night for my travel writing, but alas it was not to be.\u00a0 I didn’t really mind as the prize went to the multi-talented Family Adventure Project<\/a>.\u00a0 Kirsty was in complete and utter shock at the announcement, but we managed to calm her nerves with a big glass of something medicinal before she had to go up to collect her prize…<\/p>\n

Awards ceremony over, I made my way back to my sisters (getting slightly lost at Edgeware road), with a bottle of wine and lots of catching up to do.\u00a0\u00a0 As is the rule with loved ones I don’t get to see very often, we stayed up far too late yakking, which meant that the super early start the next morning was less than easy.\u00a0 I am glad I made the effort though, I got there in time to see that morning’s opening speech by the hugely inspirational Katie Piper<\/a>.\u00a0 Not only is she beautiful and incredibly brave, but she’s a fabulous speaker.\u00a0 Her tribute to her mother had the vast majority of us in tears, and her strength, bravery and determination completely made me forget any nerves I might have had for the Food Panel later that afternoon….<\/p>\n

My fellow Panel Members, Kerstin Rogers<\/a>, Helen McGinn<\/a> and Jeanne Horak Druiff<\/a> are far more practised than me when it comes to public speaking and being authorities on all things edible (and drinkable!), but I am passionate about food, and in my capacity as the Food Round up Editor for BritMums, I hope I contributed a few helpful tips when it comes to food photography, and what readers look for in a good food blog…<\/p>\n

Job done (45 very long minutes later!), I could finally relax and listen to a few more speakers and meet some brands (Small Girl couldn’t believe I had managed to get my hands on a big box of Harry Potter’s “Bertie Botts Every Flavoured Beans” from Warner Bros., and both she and her brother spent quite a while playing “Russian roulette” with the contents when I got home!)!\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 More importantly, I finally got to spend some time with people I have “known” since starting my first blog in Copenhagen at the beginning of 2010 (although sadly I didn’t get to meet everyone this time!), and I am more than happy to report that like that old Irish saying goes, “there are no strangers, only friends we haven’t met yet!”.<\/p>\n

If you are a parent, and passionate about blogging, do look into attending BritMums Live 2014<\/a>.\u00a0 Tickets have just gone on sale…<\/p>\n

\"jelly<\/a><\/p>\n

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