[Board] Travel expenses for FOSS4G Seoul

[Jeff McKenna]

Hi Mike /Treasurer,

I've added my travel expense report
for FOSS4G Seoul to the "OSGeo-finance" DropBox folder at 
/accounts_payable/travelexp/2015/foss4g_2015_seoul/jmckenna/, as well as 
the major receipts.  The total comes to
$2,168.69 CAD.

Let me know if you need anything else.  Thanks,

Discussion
----------

(below this message I have included a breakdown of expenses, for those 
not on DropBox)

You'll notice that I have included 200 CAD for meals and travel
incidentals.  I'd like to discuss this openly now, especially as next
month I will travel to Moscow as president.  To be honest, this
incidentals total feels very low, especially considering I spent time in
4 different airport, just for my trip there.  One could argue that cost
would be just for my meals on the way to Seoul even, considering it took
me almost 40 hours one way.  So, how do we handle this?

I remember discussing this topic with Cameron years ago publicly, and it
was agreed that OSGeo advocates who are invited to speak be covered for
expenses per http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/OSGeo_Advocate#Expenses  That
does mention meals, and points to the US State Department guidelines
(here are the rates for Seoul
https://aoprals.state.gov/web920/per_diem_action.asp?MenuHide=1&CountryCode=1129).

If I were to follow those guidelines, my costs for meals & incidentals
would be close to 1350 USD / 1700 CAD, which, does seem extreme for
OSGeo.  However 200 CAD seems not realistic either.

You know me, I always make sure to keep costs very low, to respect the
foundation.  I stayed in an apartment with 5 others in Seoul, instead of
billing the foundation for possibly thousands.  But in this case, for
Seoul, there were incidentals and I somehow feel guilty even for
reporting 200 CAD, but I know I shouldn't feel guilty.

So, I'm just looking for your own opinion on this.  I am also fine for
bringing this publicly as well (insert: I sent this at first to 
treasurer@ and was asked to take this publicly).  I'm not looking to
"pull a fast one" on the foundation, but my gut instinct sees that
incidentals total and it just feels wrong.

Thanks for listening to this long email :)

Talk soon,

-jeff

****

OSGeo Travel Expense Claim
==========================

Name: Jeff McKenna

Travel Dates: 09/12/2015 to 09/21/2015

Itinerary: from Halifax Canada to Seoul, South Korea

Reasons for travel: Represent OSGeo as president, at FOSS4G 2015

Expenses
--------

Flight to Seoul: 1435 CAD
7 nights stay in Airbnb apartment (with 5 others): 330 CAD
Bus to and from Incheon airport in Seoul: 36 CAD
Park-n-fly at Halifax airport: 84 CAD
Gasoline to Halifax airport & return: 50 CAD
Travel medical insurance: 32 CAD
Misc (food during travel and other incidentals): 200 CAD

Total claimed: 2168 CAD