I'm usually the home-fronter while my DH travels away to amazing far flung places for weeks or months at a time. So I would say GO FOR IT. Seize life with both hands. The dynamic at home will be different while you're away but that's not necessarily a bad thing. If you were considering frequent or more lengthy absences, then yes I would say think long and hard, but this is a very specific opportunity with very obvious benefits to it. There's a certain serendipity to the way the dates & location have lined up for the conference. I think if you chose not to go, you would really need to be quite clear about the reason for turning it down.