@hopeful33250 Teresa, it used to be a fallback of mine to say I "must have been a Boy Scout in a former life, because I always tried to be prepared". You're right, I do try to learn as much as I can about a situation prior to heading into it to understand what I might be facing. I also try to learn as much as I can about any new place. In three weeks I will be going to a Zentangle workshop 400 miles away. I have looked at maps to gauge where I will be driving/staying and where the workshop will be so that I will not feel so overwhelmed. I thought the workshop will what's going to be at the same hotel but it is a mile and a half away. So during the lunch break I will take a break in my car 2D stress and also to gain my bearings back. That will be important for me to do since it is 2 days of mixing with over 40 strangers. I have explained to the instructor, and I will be seated in the front row on a corner with an aisle next to me. That is my safe space for me in such a situation. Likewise I will not participate in the group dinner, as I need quiet time to myself.
Ginger