Everyone is thrilled at the reading of the latest letters on "International Conventions", just ecstatic!! Why, you msy ask? If you are JW who is exemplary ( that leaves me out, I assume. I can't get appointed because of low field serve-us hours and can't run microphones, so I guess I am NOT exemplary) Then YOU can be blessed with spending thousands of your own money to go to an International Convention!!! You still get to dress like the GB tell you to, God be praised!! Here are the most important highlights from the Applicant Instructions!! Thanks Atlantis!
1) Of course, all applicants should give attention to important factors such as their personal finances and family responsibilities. [ Yes, you are paying your own way after all. Remember you already paid to send others to Conventions this year]
2) We request that no blue jeans be worn for the duration of your trip. You are expected to comply with these standards for dress and grooming while traveling, attending the convention, associating with the local brothers, and sightseeing. [ We will not help you in any way, shape, or form. You must dress as we tell you, even in your free time, in another country, on your own..] I request that you kiss my.....
3) Please note: If the elders in the congregation determine that a publisher has lost his exemplary status, that person would no longer qualify to participate as a delegate to an international convention. If this change of status should occur after one has entered into a business agreement with a travel agency or other travel provider, such as an airline or a hotel, such a person is still responsible to pay any and all ex-penses due (such as cancellation fees, unused air tickets, etc.) right up to the time the person was sched-uled to depart. Such a person will be fully responsible for any financial loss associated with his abrupt disqualification as a delegate. [ WTH?!?!? If you pay your own way, and get in trouble at the KH before you go, the ELDERS will tell you that you have to eat thousands of dollars. I would laugh in their face and go where I wanted. I will never waste my money going there anyway.]
4) The delegate will be expected to help defray the bus expenses by putting something extra in a contribution box at the convention [ After you have done everything yourself, you are expected to contribute more money. This is the case even though the WTBTS says that they never solicit funds.]
5) For convention lunches, in most cases, the host branch office will make arrangements with a vendor to provide a box lunch for the three days of the convention. In such cases, the delegate can defray the expenses by contributing a little extra in a contribution box at the convention site.
6) As previously mentioned, the use of a travel agency is optional. However, as in the past, a selected delegate may wish to use a travel agency to arrange a sightseeing tour to adjacent areas or countries while in the region. Such tours would only be arranged for the time prior to arriving at the convention city or after departing the convention city. [ You may pay for your own site-seeing tour when we say so.]
7) Please do not apply unless you are sure you will be available to go and can financially cover the costs, whether using a travel agency or planning your trip personally. As a reminder, all applicants should be in good health with good mobility and not in need of the assistance of someone else nor dependent on a wheelchair, an auxiliary oxygen supply, or similar health-related devices. [ Just like China, the WTBTS does not want any genetically inferior people dishonoring Jehovah by their presense.]
8) Have a nice trip.