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Transportation: The host institution needs to arrange transportation to and from my homebase in the country. I will not have the time or familiarity to arrange my own transportation. Transportation should be safe, clean, and reasonably efficient and comfortable so that I arrive on campus without anxiety or perspiration. And, respectfully, no “cheapest car for hire” or 2-wheelers please. (Yes, sadly, such transportation has showed up.)
Lodging: The host needs to arrange safe, clean, and reasonably comfortable lodging if the visit is for more than a day, or if the situation makes same-day return to my homebase unsafe or impractical.
PS: At times I come across hosts who like me to visit but demur on making logistical arrangements. I understand their decision but respectfully decline such engagements, because frankly, me spending my own time and/or money to manage logistics would reek of desperation. Plus, my priority is to add value during my visit; not worry about getting to and from venues. (What may be easy, obvious, or cheap to someone local is often not so for me, a visitor.)
PPS: Multiple institutions in the same vicinity could pool/share transportation and lodging to achieve economy, as long as the institutions coordinate between themselves. I am unable to coordinate logistics and cannot fix issues on my own at the last minute if things fall through the cracks due to lack of communication between institutions. (I once had to find lodging on my own in a remote town with no hotels, plus no help or Internet connection. I do not wish to experience that again.)
Food: I do not take any food or beverage during a day visit: not even coffee, tea, or milk. I do not mind other people consuming food and beverage in my presence, but I ask not to be pressured to partake. I will inform the host if my requirements change or if the visit lasts more than a day.
I would like safe drinking water during the visit. If it is not an inconvenience, I would also appreciate some fresh-squeezed lemon juice (just the juice from a lemon with nothing else added), some table salt separate from the lemon juice, a spoon, and a drinking cup. But, just plain water suffices if lemon juice, etc. is a problem.
Internet: I generally bring my own computer and phone, and I will need wireless Internet connection for both devices during the visit.
Peripherals: I like the following peripherals if I make a presentation (which I almost always do on visits):
Please strive to provide an external monitor that is mirrored to the overhead projector so that I can see my own presentation without craning my neck at the projector screen. I like to use my computer’s builtin screen to privately view my notes and scripts related to the presentation.
Ports: My computer has one HDMI port and one free USB-C (Thunderbolt 3) port. Hosts often connect an external monitor to my computer’s HDMI port and mirror the monitor to the overhead projector. (This is also a typical US classroom setup.)
My computer has just one USB-A connector. So, a USB hub will almost certainly be required to connect both an external keyboard and a mouse.
I cannot part with my computer, provide my computer’s password, or allow others to use my computer without my supervision. I also cannot install custom software or change security settings to complete any part of the engagement. However, I am happy to arrive early to check if my computer plays well with the host environment (and I will endeavor to convince it to play well).
Recording: No audio or video recording of any part of the engagement without my prior explicit approval. Obviously, people are free to take pictures of people and such throughout the engagement, but no pictures of slides and other material (projected or otherwise).
I do like seeing pictures and videos taken during the engagement. So, please feel free to share them (or links to them).
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