ROMA!!!

Yes, I'm off again... this time to ROMA!! I'm here doing a presentation to new Group Leaders on their EF Training Tour. And, since I haven't been to Italy since college...yikes... and it's on the tour I'm doing with kids this summer, I was over the moon when they asked me to come present.



Arrived on Wednesday in the rain and was given quite a ride by our taxi driver. But, the weather cleared up and we had a staff dinner with the other 2 buses that are also here. Some old, dear friends are on the other buses and have made some wonderful, new friends.



Here are two of my favorite people, Bob & Bruce. Bob is on my current bus - I was paired up with him last year on my 1st Training Tour and am quite delighted to be paired back up with him. Bruce, on the right, has been a former partner-in-crime as well for 2 Training Tours, including this past summer in Beijing. He's on the blue bus this time... GO RED!!





Another old/new face on the blue bus is my Tour Consultant, Brian, out of the Denver office. Was nice chatting and catching up with him at dinner. He works so hard to make sure all our tour components are ready before we depart. Great guy - I truly appreciate all the work he does!

Today all the new Group Leaders arrived... and boy are they looking tired tonight.. typically on your 1st day in Europe. We went with the 1st group of early arrivals and headed into center city for a walking tour. Sadly it poured the entire way into town and I was pretty sure our walking tour was going to be miserable. The minute we stopped the bus was the minute it stopped raining - yippee!! We did a lovely walking tour, ending at the Parthenon where we had free time/lunch time... course we had to get some Pizza for lunch....yum! The weather was absolutely gorgeous today - such beautiful blue skies! Our hotel is outside center city, which is common in Rome, but nothing tragic. Headed back into Center City for dinner after we got everyone checked in. Had a lovely meal of red wine, pasta, pork, and tiramisu... 2 nights in a row of Tiramisu... if you insist!! :)

Friday is our presentation day and then we have a free afternoon/evening. Saturday is our tour the entire city day... it may have not been built in a day, but we're gonna see it in a day. Have an appt with the Pope at 10 :) I can hardly wait to bring the kids here this summer! It'll be a tad bit warmer than now, but what I've seen so far has been quite overwhelming, I cannot wait until free time Friday and Saturday's amazing day... YIPPEE!!!

Will post pics tomorrow/Saturday hopefully before I leave a 4 am on Sunday.

Arrevederchi to all!!
~steph :)