I spent 5 days in Vancouver, Washington for Instructor Development Training. The place I stayed - Hilton - wasn't that great. It was basically a glorified Big 8 Motel. Internet cost $6.95/day, there was no continental breakfast, and the rooms were very basic. It's disappointing.
Another participant and myself ate out a few times around the area. Just across the Columbia River is Portland, Oregon. On the last day, we went to eat at an Irish pub and then had Voodoo Doughnuts. If you haven't heard, they were on TV's Man versus Food. I witnessed a customer attempting to complete the challenge of eating a very large donut in so many minutes (not sure exactly how man). The shop was also on No Reservations and another one.
The course was pretty good. It was fun and easy-going. We were required to enter the course prepared to train the other participants with an instruction module we had prepared. We were video-taped and given feedback, good and bad. At the end of the course, we were assigned to train the participants again using the knowledge we attained throughout the course. We were expected to implement the knowledge and train the participants well enough to merit a passing grade.
Vancouver, Washington is not on the northern border of Washington but on the southern border across from Portland, Oregon. When I arrived in Vancouver, the shuttle driver informed me that Vancouver, Washington was originally occupied by the British. But when the boundaries of the United States moved, the British moved up to what is now British Columbia, Canada and founded another city and named it Vancouver as well. That is why Vancouver, Washington is not on the United States border. What I just said is probably too confusing to understand. Oh well.
It's good to be home with Heidi and the kids after five days. I was able to get back home on an earlier flight on Friday, so that was nice.