How Far Will You Come?

Dragon Con: those words mean something different to different people. To some, it’s a way to cosplay and let their fantasies fly. For others, it’s a way to hang with like-minded geeks who get the Star Wars or Supernatural quotes. Others get to game with people from all over the world. For everyone, it’s a way to reconnect to “family.”

All over the world? Yes. Not only are there fans here from all over the United States, people travel here from other countries just to be here at Dragon Con. This year, there are fans from the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Australia. Why?

Tracey and her husband Eric are from just outside Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. This is their fourth Dragon Con, and they love it. I lucked out in meeting this couple while grabbing a quick bite in the food court (sharing a table can be a great way to meet new friends).

According to this couple, coming is not terribly expensive. Since the dollar is down, the conversion from the Australian dollar to ours is about $0.80/$1. Round-trip tickets were less than $1,000 each. The hotel cost (off-site, but around the corner) was about $600. Food varies, but they go out to eat a couple of times in nicer restaurants than the food court, and they limit what they purchase in the AmericasMart, since they have to be concerned with packing it. The big drawback is not being able to cosplay like they want to. Since additional baggage can be expensive, their cosplay outfits are constructed of fabric that folds flat and does not require weapons (especially with the TSA watching).

Like most fans, Dragon Con has become a “must-see” event. Eric told me that his friend “from the States kept going on and on about this Dragon Con, and thought I should check it out. I finally listened to him. I was sold, just from reading the events on the website. I told Tracey about it and we agreed we would try it the first year. After that, we were hooked.”

After all, Dragon Con is the largest and best con ever… or at least we think so.

Author of the article

Award-winning author Amanda Faith may have been raised in Dayton, but her heart and home is in the South. With a lifelong love of teaching and writing, she had plenty of encouragement from teachers and friends along the way. Loving a good puzzle has always been a fascination, and writing gives her the outlet to put all the pieces together. Being adventurous and loving to try new things, it wasn’t long before her characters found themselves in unusual situations. She loves to put people from two different worlds into new situations and to see how they interact, taking them on journeys they would never have normally experienced. Her current adventure working as a high school English professor turned Media Specialist, writing, and doing paranormal investigations doesn’t slow her down from having a great time with a plethora of hobbies. Her published credits include several short stories, poetry, several journal articles, her doctoral dissertation, and her award-winning book Strength of Spirit. With multiple degrees, she has a passion for learning and exploring new venues. She is a staff writer for The Daily Dragon at Dragon Con. Check out her new website (www.amandafaith.net) or on Instagram (@dramandafaith)