Although it wasn't easy dragging myself away from what I had planned
for the day, I'm glad I attended the Social Tech Brewing planning
session for the upcoming topic: women in technology.

Jane and Nadia are thinking of putting together a workshop right
before the Social Tech Brewing August event. The workshop will teach
foreign-trained IT professionals the basics of (social) networking,
giving them greater confidence and helping them make the most of the
session. I'd love to help out with that!

There _are_ cultural barriers. I'm lucky because I can speak English
clearly and confidently. I'm lucky because school gives me a natural
opportunity to get work experience – that all-important Canadian
experience that people look for. I'm lucky because networking is fun
for me. I like connecting with people.

Not everyone is that lucky, and hey, I struggle with cultural
differences or self-doubt from time to time…

In this, too, I want to be an evangelist. Evangelizing IT and
inspiring confidence in women isn't a matter of talking _at_ them, but
rather I need to listen to people's concerns and tell people stories:
stories about other people who've faced similar problems, stories of
approaches to try, stories of who they themselves can be in the
future…