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<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>It sounds like there are 4 areas of
discussion here:</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:47.25pt;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face=Symbol><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'>·<font
size=1 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></font></span></font><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Feelings of inclusion / helpfulness
of the every-few-months call that currently has a few representatives from many
different countries on it</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:47.25pt;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face=Symbol><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'>·<font
size=1 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></font></span></font><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>The idea of having one
in-person ‘main’ WOSonOS per year – whether or not there are
also other OSonOSs or WOSonOSs any other times and locations</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:47.25pt;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face=Symbol><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'>·<font
size=1 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></font></span></font><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Decision-making process for
deciding on WOSonOS future years’ sites</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:47.25pt;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face=Symbol><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'>·<font
size=1 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></font></span></font><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Need / value / usefulness
of knowing WOSonOS site 2 years in advance</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>You may see some other threads here.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in'><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>I am one of those people
who thrives in international mixed group gatherings (in my home country or
elsewhere) as they stretch me far outside my known areas and enhance my
learning – showing me what I do not know and what I still need to learn,
as I interact with diverse people and cultures that are not like my own.
I also find it is so nutritious for me to get together in person with my ‘tribe’
– my fellow Open Space facilitators from around the world. So I
really look forward to the times when I can come to one of these once a year
in-person WOSonOSs. I find it recharges my learning, and strengthens my
sense of community. And: I am very grateful for knowing 2 years ahead of
time when the WOSonOS will be – as it helps me put something on my
calendar in advance, so I can arrange my complicated life around it and see if
I can afford to come (jobs, elder care, finances, savings)</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>But for this message, I would like to focus
on the thread of conversation about how much preparation / time is needed. Let
me add some thought from perspective of one member of one Host Team.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in'><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>I totally support that
there are all different ways to host an OSonOS or a WOSonOS and all different
styles of doing so.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in'><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>I have been to great OSonOSs
where (for example as you did, Harrison) a host said ‘I found a room,
here is the time and place, this is what it costs, here is how many people our
site will hold so first come first serve, and I look forward to seeing you
there’. And it was fabulous. Folks found their own ways, went out
to get their own food, found their own lodging, and had a wonderful time and
rich learning.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>I do not wish to imply that any of you who
generously create a nutritious space for people to come and do fabulous work
together are in any way not working hard to create a welcoming space.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>However, to me - in my style of doing things
- invitation – and by that I mean invitation welcoming diversity - is an
extensive set of tasks and design, which takes a lot of lovely and creative
work. This joyful burden takes place from the moment of first message out
up to and throughout the event itself. Or that is how I do it. </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>To me, this kind of invitation broadens the
richness of ‘Whoever Comes’ – because it identifies and works
on issues of <u>access</u> – more like... ‘Whoever is just as able
to come as the others who can come’. By ‘access’ I mean
all kinds of elements - funding, language, mobility, connection to greater
community, age, location, sophistication at seeking resources, experience
traveling, special foods, physical or emotional needs, connection to internet,
access to a visa, years’ experience, ability to have pocket money for
books or dinners, and so on.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Invitation like this is to me an
interesting, creative and gratifying job. Our Host Team worked really
hard, to do whatever it took – to ensure that people with all different levels
of access and ability were able to join us. And I believe that it showed
in the mix of people who were at our WOSonOS. I will give you some
statistics – this is also to share a bit with the Taiwan and the Berlin
Host Teams, who have been interested in hearing about some of our tasks and our
lessons learned.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>I do not say the following
to ‘blow our horn’ (for you non-English-as-a-first-language speakers:
to brag about how fabulous we are) – but instead to give you a sense for
why I am glad we had the knowledge we would be hosting a little over a year in
advance and had a year to work on it, and how I see the tasks that may be
unpleasant for some were delightful to me.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>123
attendees (from 13 countries) came to the 2008 WOSonOS, I’m happy to say.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Out
of those 123 people, 76 people paid the most they could –and- because
that was less than our per-person costs, Access Queen and her partners made up
the difference for 76 people.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Could
those 76 people have joined us if this were not the case? I am guessing
many could not have – and then we would not have been enriched by their
presence.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>In
order to include everyone who had the desire and passion to join us, it took
quite a bit of advance work – to identify resources, research options, and
design survey of needs and resources into our registration process, for
example.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Access
Queen is a project, not a fund, although there is a little funding each year
due to contributions. This is a resource-sharing project I do for each year’s
WOSonOS where I invite those who need to ask for support and those who have to
share their resources.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>So.
Our registration fee was a ‘pay the most that you can’
amount. Everybody did. </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Registration
also had built into it a ‘donate some more if you can’ and many
people did. These are some of the Access Queen partners.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>We
also asked whoever was able and interested to donate some additional funds
towards operating expenses. More fabulous partners.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>We
also invited some organizations and individuals to act as sponsors. More
partners.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>37
attendees had special diets or other special needs.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>We
provided attendees with 8 meals, including custom-designed meals and snacks for
those with special dietary needs and also for several attendees whose family
members joined us for evening events. </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Several
attendees requested and received translation. </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Many
months in advance, a lovely team went to visit every single accommodation site
on our accommodations list – to ensure that we would only put on our list
those sites that were clean and safe.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>We
made reservations at hostels or hotels for 11 people – as most of those
were unable to access internet, or have a credit card, or make an international
phone call.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>We
found homestays or room shares for 5 people. More partners – thank you
gracious home stay hosts.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Our
Visa Team interacted with 22 people about receiving visa invitation letters and
created 20 custom-designed letters (to make a strong ‘case’ for
each asker).</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Our
Registrar interacted on an ongoing basis individually with all 123 registrants -
ensuring that any questions or needs were answered, sending out ‘things
to know’ information, and offering a warm personal connection, whether
the attendee was a many-years-connected-to-this-community person or someone totally
new to this work and this community.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>An
anonymous donor donated $20,000 worth of ‘seed’ (advance) money so
that we could afford to reserve (as required, in advance, before we would have
funding from registration) our conference sites, which included costs for
rental, liability insurance, alcohol permits, staff overtime, audio visual,
wireless access and more. This money also covered materials and supplies,
and catering.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>All
of that money was paid back – due to the generosity of everyone who
attended – registrations at any cost anyone could afford, sponsors’
donations, extra donations during registration, operating cost donations,
people buying Harrison’s new book, funds for the Access Queen Project
generated through Global Village Marketplace, Silent Auction, and additional
donations – lots of creative ways to raise income to cover costs –
all of which took time, planning, processes, people to administrate and offer
the use of their checking accounts and credit card processing accounts, and
more.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Amazing
Justin worked with me over many months (bless you Justin) to create a website
that could provide everyone with information for their self-organized needs –
from travel to accommodation lists to information on the Author Evening.
This took months of development in addition to Justin’s ongoing
adjustments and updates.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>All of these things required a dedicated
team of hard workers. All of these things took time.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>All were done so that – ideally –
any attendee would find it would feel very simply to come, join, and be.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Host Team members were part of the team for
as long as they felt useful and interested, took tasks they felt passion and
responsibility for, took on roles as Author Evening coordinators or Host Team project
manager or sponsor donation asker as they felt inspired to, and did not do what
they did not have interest or passion for. A living, breathing Open Space
organization.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>I can only speak for myself: It was a huge
amount of work, and joyous work – it was a huge amount of fun, and
totally gratifying.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>You might do it a different way. And I would
love to come to your event, and I know I would feel welcome and delighted and
honored to be there.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>I am just saying that each of us does this
in different ways. This is a way that works for me, and (if I am understanding
some of your viewpoints) it doesn’t feel like an institution, or a bureaurocracy,
or the imposition of structure, or a dampening of richness at the event, or a
burden. To me, it feels like a joy, and a welcoming, and an amazing
experience. Just a different point of view; a different person’s
experience.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>I look forward to hearing the thoughts of
others, including those of you who have totally different experiences and
viewpoints than mine,</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Lisa</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'>___________________________</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 color=blue face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:blue;font-weight:bold'>L
i s a H e f t</span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:blue'>Consultant,
Facilitator, Educator</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:blue'>O p e n i n
g S p a c e</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><a href="mailto:lisaheft@openingspace.net"><font
color=black><span style='color:black'>lisaheft@openingspace.net</span></font></a></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><a href="http://www.openingspace.net"><font
color=black><span style='color:black'>www.openingspace.net</span></font></a></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
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