One of my Own, Far from Home.
So I'm here in Petaling Jaya, a satellite city and a completely different world from Kuala Lampur, and everything is strange to me.
I am at the CPLS where I will be teaching this week, setting up my labs. As I wait for my virtual machines to copy from machine to machine I walk around the training centre; I am always curious to see the similarities and differences between the training centres from city to city, country to country. I have taught in many (as well as learned in a few ;)) and there are always comparisons to be made. For example, every training centre has a Wall of Accolades, where they proudly display plaques, awards, and credentials. Info Trek is no different, and I was appreciating a prize (CPLS Partner of the Year for Malaysia!) when I noticed something familiar out of the corner of my eye...
It was so familiar to me, and so unexpected that it took a moment for me to realize what I was looking at...
...An MVP Award!
Gerald Hoong, Microsoft MVP: Windows Server System - SQL Server is the Training Manager, as well as the principal consultant trainer at Info Trek, and when I asked someone who he was it turns out that it was him. We spoke for a few minutes - he is a new MVP and very proud to be, as he should be. We discussed the MVP Summit, and he was disappointed that he had not been awarded in time to come to the previous summit, but would make every effort to come to the upcoming one in April.
We spoke for a few minutes before we both had to go back to work, but I felt better just knowing that there was another Microsoft MVP around who could help when I needed it... I have met many MVPs over the last few years and am proud to call many of them friends. Of course I am sure that there are some who are not great people willing to lend a hand... but I have not met too many of them.
Thanks Gerald, for displaying your award and making me feel at home... especially when I am so very far away from home.