Come to the FPP Awayday: advice for participants attending from abroad

By Manal Elsehrawi

I currently live in Egypt, but that hasn’t stopped me from attending the FPP Awayday in Oxford. Twice. I enjoy going to this event because of all it has to offer. In fact, it’s one of the best investments I’ve made for my freelance career. I decided to write this blog to encourage other freelancers to come to the Awayday too. So, if you are thinking of travelling from outside the UK, here are some points you might want to consider:

1) It’s worth it. Don’t miss out on what the Awayday has to offer! The conference has grown from very humble beginnings (basically a casual lunch between friends and colleagues involved in writing ELT materials) into a resounding success. There is a reason why the event keeps growing and selling out each year. It is an important industry event for those working in educational materials. Each time I go, I gain so many industry updates and information from the talks and panels. More importantly, it’s given me a unique chance to network with other freelancers in person and meet publishers. I leave feeling inspired and excited about the potential of the connections I’ve made. I’m happy to say that the Awayday has both directly and indirectly helped me to land work on projects that may have been hard for me to reach while I was on the other side of the world. So, while it might be a fair distance to travel and the costs may weigh on your mind, consider it as an investment in your career too because, like me, you’ll get so much out of attending the Awayday. You’ll make friends with other freelancers and walk away with so many contacts because everyone there has come to network.

For more details about the benefits of this conference, read my blog on the first Awayday I attended in 2022. You can also explore other blogs on the Awayday.

2) Come a little early. If you're travelling through different time zones and continents, you’ll obviously be tired and in need of some rest and refreshment. That’s why you should plan to arrive a few hours or even a day early before joining the meet and greet, having social drinks in the lobby and/or attending the pre-conference dinner (which are on the same day – the afternoon and evening before the conference). The actual conference starts the following day at 9am and ends around 6pm. If you only plan to come on the day of the conference, I highly recommend you arrive well before it starts to avoid feeling stressed and be fresh enough to network with industry professionals. But if you have decided to make the trip, then you should make the most of it and attend all elements, if you can.

The pre-conference 'Walk and talk' event is a great chance to meet new people and see historic Oxford.

The last time I went to the Awayday, I travelled by plane for five hours to London then took the coach to Oxford. I arrived just in time for the dinner at 6:30 pm. I was very disappointed that I missed the welcome ‘Walk and talk’. By 9pm, I was completely shattered. I'd been up and on the move since 4:30 am, so I didn't have much energy left to socialize and had to excuse myself before the quiz (the really fun part of the night) to drag myself up to bed. I remember I also felt tired the next day at the conference. I wish I had had time for a quick shower or change of clothes, something to eat and drink or perhaps just a little lie down. But that's just me. If you can travel long distances and still be coherent and energetic, then good for you! 

The pre-conference dinner and quiz is a fun, relaxed way to form new connections. 

I want to also point out that in Oxford, you may take a while to reach your accommodation because traffic must stay on the main roads as vehicles are not allowed to take short cuts through back streets or residential areas. So be prepared for some traffic jams. This is something you should factor into your schedule if you want to arrive early.

3) Be prepared to market yourself hard and fast! The true importance of the Awayday is networking. It's what we all come for.

• You will be meeting and talking to people all day, so having a business card will definitely come in handy.

• If you have some kind of small souvenir from your country, then bring it along to give to the people you meet. I took some papyrus paper bookmarks with hieroglyphics and gave them to people I met (and liked). It was fun watching them learn what their name would look like in ancient Egypt. More importantly, it was meant to serve as a reminder of the writer from Egypt they had met at Oxford. Hopefully! (Apologies if you didn't get one in 2023 – I'll bring extra next time.)

4) Stay at the venue. For many reasons, it just made sense to me for my accommodation to be where the conference was taking place:

• I didn't have to worry about finding a taxi or waiting for a bus to attend any of the events.

• As a solo female traveller in a foreign city, I also felt it was safer, because I simply went downstairs when it was time for an event, then back upstairs to my room when it was over. I want to point out that the pre-conference dinner finishes quite late, so for me, I didn't have to worry about safely finding my way back to my accommodation.

• During breaks, I could go for a quick lie down if I needed it or to use my own bathroom instead of waiting in line for one downstairs. The thoughtful conference organisers have arranged for a quiet room for those who need to take time out from all the noise and action, but having my own room at the venue was super convenient for me.

• The voco® Oxford Spires is very comfortable, clean and quiet. I’m a city girl, so for me, the views of lush green fields with horses grazing are quite breath-taking.

• The food and staff are also lovely, and you will get a great B&B deal for the conference (quote FPP when booking).

5) Stay a little longer. After the conference, stay for informal meetups like dinner or coffee with some of the connections you’ve made. Arrange to meet for breakfast or a chat the next day if you’re staying overnight.

Why not make a holiday of your trip to the conference? You could go to London – an amazing place that’s so diverse and rich in history and culture. I've been there three times and still haven't seen everything! I’m a history and English literature buff, so visiting Charles Dickens’ House and Westminster Abbey, where I paid homage to some of the great writers buried in the Poet's Corner, were surreal, unforgettable moments for me! The shopping is also fabulous. Stay somewhere different each time you come to the conference to see more of the city – that’s what I do.

You’ll find Oxford quite charming and quaint compared to London. The hop-on hop-off bus is a great way to start exploring all the buildings and colleges (There are many similar buses in London too, BTW.). A day ticket (£19.50) is valid for 24 hrs from the time it’s activated, so you can practically use it to get around for two days. The conference organisers will also send you links and suggestions for day trips and places to visit in and around Oxford with the conference details. On my next trip, I want to go to Stratford-upon-Avon to see Shakespeare's birthplace. Anyone interested in joining me?

6) Be prepared for the weather. If you come from a hot country like me, you'll probably love the relief of Oxford weather in September/October. But it can be unpredictable, and it does get quite chilly, especially at night, so:

• Bring warm clothes you can layer on and off, including something waterproof.

• Bring an umbrella or you can share one with someone at the ‘Walk and talk’ and make a friend.

• Wear sensible walking shoes for the Walk and talk as well as the conference because you'll be on your feet and moving about as you circulate for most of the day.

7) Don't be nervous or anxious. If you’re like me, introducing yourself to a lot of strangers can be daunting and a little scary. You might also think everyone there is going to be British and you’ll feel like the odd one out. But I swear you won’t be. It’s a relaxed atmosphere, so people will be friendly and even curious to learn all about you. I also promise you'll be looked after and made to feel at ease:

• During the conference, there’s usually a ninja networking session and various activities that are designed to help you mingle, mingle, mingle!

• The relaxed and fun pre-conference events will help you warm-up to networking.

• The ‘Newbie hosts’ – veterans of the Awayday – are always there to guide you and introduce you to others. I'm looking forward to being one next time I come, so look out for me and come say hi!

8) Choose the Awayday. Personally, I love the flexibility of freelancing, but I miss human connection because it's just me and the computer every day. Even though I connect virtually with clients and colleagues, it is still a lonely business, and it can be quite challenging to maintain a sense of community from a distance. I'm sure I'm not alone on this point. Although a host of annual international events offer freelancers the chance to connect with others in person, the decision to attend is never an easy one. A main reason is the cost of international travel. There's also the impact travel has on the environment and we should always be mindful of our footprint. But if you do decide to attend a PD event in person, make it the Awayday – for all the benefits mentioned above. To maximize the value of your trip, you can also combine it with other professional activities.

After my first Awayday, I went to a meeting with a publisher in Oxford. I had applied for work on a big project months earlier and had been shortlisted. Since I was going to the Awayday, I informed them I would be in town and that I'd like to meet up if possible. They were more than happy to see me in person rather than via Zoom and took me out for a business dinner. Long story short, they hired me and that project became a turning point in my career.

At my most recent Awayday, I met with another publisher who had advertised their project on the FPP website. They asked if I was attending the conference and whether I could bring a sample of my work. I was lucky enough to be hired by them for a project that is currently being released to much praise – another important step in my career.

I want to add that I also like to have breakfast at the venue with other freelancers who are staying there for the conference.  Perhaps you could make similar arrangements when you attend?

9) Be aware of the new entry requirements for the UK. Before 2024, visitors to the UK not in need of a visa entered by scanning their passports at the airport. But now there are new requirements so read about them here.

 10) If you’re coming from Heathrow:

Take the Oxford Tube – a coach service that runs regularly. This coach is a double-decker, so you’ll have great views of some countryside as you leave the city. There are other coach companies too, so check them out and compare prices.

• If you’re feeling in anyway confused or unsure, just ask one of the many friendly people in uniform at the airport for assistance or go to one of the information desks and ask for help.

• Before you board, the coach driver will ask you where in Oxford you plan to get off. St Aldates (outside the Town Hall) in the city centre is the closest stop to the Awayday venue.

• You can catch a local bus from outside St Aldates police station (£3), take a taxi (approx. £9) or walk (17 mins) to reach the voco® Oxford Spires Hotel.

• When travelling in the UK on buses and on all London transport options, the easiest and most efficient way to pay is ‘tap to pay’ contactless payment (watch this useful YouTube video).

So, if you're a freelancer involved in educational materials and you live outside the UK – take the leap! Book a ticket for the Awayday and come see for yourself what all the fuss is about. I guarantee you won't regret it and you’ll want to come every year. See you there!

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