Viva Las Vegas!

If you want a Las Vegas experience away from the strip I would recommend Red Rock Casino & Resort in Summerlin! My first experience at Red Rock was the movie theater. My brother and sister live in the Summerlin area with their families and this is one location we have gone for movies. This Casino and Resort opened in May so everything is still pretty new. SRC was invited to be the "surprise" keynote speaker at an event in Las Vegas at Red Rock. The Casino and theater part of the resort are very different from the hotel. You walk into a large lobby that opens up to a lounge that is very posh. Overall I was very impressed with the hotel. The rooms were amazing...very contemporary and spacious. The bed was...well, as Matt M. described the beds at Snowbird, "like fudge". You just sink into it and you are enveloped with comfyness. It was wonderful! Large flat screen TV plus a small flat screen in the bathroom were two pluses to the room as well. The swimming pool, which I could see from my room is round and looks very tempting from above.

The event was great! SRC hit a home run with this group. The intent of the keynote was to inspire, motivate, WOW!, and instruct on work/life balance. SRC did just that and left everyone feeling inspired and ready to tackle whatever comes their way. The executive who introduced SRC got up at the end to close the session. He thanked SRC for coming and said, "Aside from sitting in the back blubbering (crying), I learned many valuable lessons..." It was awesome to be part of that.

Once the event was over we had 70 minutes to get to the airport, get through security and board the plane. We were on the plane with 10 minutes to spare. I will admit that we cut to the front of the security line. Right as we were convincing a gentleman to let us step in line they opened up another line which we immediately went to. Big smiles and many words of appreciation help in situations like these. By the time we got onto the plane (Southwest) the majority of the seats left open were middle seats. Have I mentioned how much I LOVE middle seats. I love "my space". I have a very spacious and comfy bubble that I take good care of, so a middle seat is something I try to avoid. SRC found an aisle seat and and I found a middle seat in between two fine looking men. The flight might not be so bad afterall.

Those who are reading this...please explain something to me. Perhaps I could get all of the married men reading this to help me with something. What is the purpose of a wedding ring if you are not going to wear it? For those women who are single...at least for me, I like to act like I am not "looking" for Mr. Right but I always try to put my best face on, attempt at flirting when appropriate and try to make a good impression. So, here I am on this plane sitting between two men who are not wearing wedding rings and we are engaged in good, interesting conversation. Man on the left, 35 minutes into the flight mentions his daughters. Man on the right, as we land mentions that his wife is picking him up at the airport. Either these men were so turned off by me that they would rather lie than risk any further contact or they truly are married. Seriously, explain this to me. From now on, I am going to assume every man, regardless of finger jewelry, is married. Call me shallow, call me cynical, call me desperate (don't you dare!) but a ring would be helpful! I mean, come on! Don't get me wrong I wasn't sitting there planning my future with either of these men but I did have a moment of, "hmmm, seems interesting enough...perhaps a date?"

What is a single girl to do?

Brussels, Belgium

SRC and I spent the most time in Brussels than any other stop on this European trip. We arrived Wednesday night and received a warm welcome from the FC Belgium office. The FC office in Belgium is part of FranklinCovey Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg) and can I just say that I was more than impressed with everyone that I met and the event they put together. I went to the event location that same night for my AV rehearsal and was very pleased with what I found. The AV set up was, again, a great set-up. Three screens: two side screens for graphics and films, middle screen for SRCs image. The AV tech tables were up in this balcony area which was really very cool but required a bit of maneuvering over boxes, cables, people, etc. Everything was so well organized and no detail was left undone. This speaks for the entire program as well. As I reviewed the AV with the tech crew and realized that everything that was required was provided, plus a few extras, I said, “I am in heaven right now”. Again I received a few “crazy blonde American” looks but that is what makes it so fun.

The program venue for this event was an old Cinema (movie theater) one that Charlie Chaplin performed in. So there was a bit of famous history for this event. There is also a gorgeous ballroom in this building as well which was used for breaks and lunch. It really was a great venue for this event. The main event room was filled to capacity with 400 participants attending. I did not see much of the audience from where I was sitting but SRC commented more than once that the group was very intense, in a positive way, as well as interested and intrigued by what they were hearing. SRC took them through quite a few interactive activities that got them involved in what was being taught. He took them through the Empathic Listening exercise which was a huge success with this group. At the conclusion of the program, Claudia, the main organizer of the event met SRC on stage to thank him and to present him with a big bouquet of flowers. She then asked that I come to the stage. Here I am up in this balcony surprised by her request and trying to make my way down as quickly as I can without tripping over cables or falling down the two flights of stairs. Once I made it to the stage I was also presented with a large bouquet of flowers. Very lovely indeed! It was a pleasant surprise that is for sure.

SRC and I made our way back to the hotel to unwind and change out of our business attire. We met up with Paul, Claudia, Anne, Joris and a tour guide. We actually did some sightseeing. I was so excited! Can I just say that I was very impressed with what I saw? There were two highlights for me: seeing a Chi Chi’s restaurant in the middle of Brussels and walking through the town market. We walked down this narrow street (walking only) with shops on either side. This street took us to an open square with more shops and restaurants. “Tis the season: we were lucky enough to see a huge Christmas Tree decorated with white and blue lights. It was already dark outside so it really was a beautiful sight. As we stood there listening to the tour guide tell us about the market and the buildings a laser light show started. As it turned out the show actually starts December 1st but we were there to see a bit of the rehearsal. It really was spectacular!

I went to dinner that night with Paul, Claudia, Anne and Joris. We took SRC back to the hotel and then drove to another area of Brussels to find the restaurant. From what I was told the cuisine and ambiance of the restaurant is Brussels: the food was delicious, I must admit. Paul and Joris had mussels as their entrée. I had never actually seen anyone eat mussels before so it was quite interesting to watch. Joris had this technique of using the shell as tongs/fork to extract the meat of the mussel from the other shells. Quite impressive! Oh, before going into the restaurant we passed more shops and I decided I had better go into a chocolate shop to buy chocolates from Belgium. I asked the gal who was assisting me what she would recommend. She recommended an assortment of chocolates. I wanted to make sure that I did not end up with a lot of alcohol filled chocolates. Why am I telling you this? My comment about no alcohol intrigued the group I was with so they asked me if it was a religious thing that I didn’t drink alcohol. This led to a discussion of the LDS church. I know I did not do a very good job but at least I was able to answer their questions. I was even asked about polygamy. It was great to be out with such fun, talented, and good people. I had a great time!

I have decided that words like “awesome”, “fabulous”, “cool”, “hoot” (my favorite word) don’t work well in these European countries. So, I found myself saying things like, “lovely”, “splendid”. Not bad words but also not part of the forefront of my vocabulary. Perhaps I will begin using them instead of the American slang. In Belgium, I found that the residents speak 2, 3, 4 languages: Dutch, German, Flemish, English, French. Here I am, an American, speaking one language and knowing a few words in two. SRC tells this joke when traveling internationally: “Those who speak three languages are trilingual. Those who speak two languages are bilingual. Those who speak one language is an American.” He always gets a laugh. It sure has me thinking about studying other languages.

So, here we are flying home. We are just about to complete the first leg: Brussels to New York (JFK). I am ready to be home but so happy about how this trip went.

I know…

I know when I am past my tired point when my eye starts twitching…and I have my deep throat voice going (very lady like)
I know when I have been in one too many hotels over a short period of time when I can’t remember my room number when checking out.


Stockholm, Sweden

SRC and I arrive in the dark and left in the dark. Right now there are 8 hours of daylight in Stockholm…tis the season. The sun came up about 8:00 and started it’s descent at 4:00 p.m. The city lights of Stockholm are quite beautiful. We saw the tower where the Nobel Prizes are celebrated (dinner…very posh gala event). We also saw the building where the Novel Prizes are actually presented to the recipients. Quite something… During lunch today I had a few extra minutes and my camera so I decided to take a walk. It is not often that I get outside during a program but today I took advantage of the 8 minutes that I did have. I took a few pictures just to prove that I was actually in Stockholm…city streets, quite narrow, with interesting buildings on either side. It felt good to be outside in the brisk winter air. As I rounded a corner I came face to face with to mothers (could have been Nannies) pushing strollers (prams) with small children bundled in their winter suits. Quite a scene!

The event today was with a smaller group but it was fantastic! SRC did an amazing job drawing the audience out with a lot of group interaction and question and answer throughout. The location was interesting to say the least. It is normally used as a Jazz Bar and for special musical events: concerts, orchestras, etc. There was a disco ball hanging from the ceiling and a bar off to one side. All of this added to the uniqueness of the event and the group. It is amazing to watch SRC on stage drawing his inspiration from the crowd. He follows that inspiration and at the end of the day he has hit a home run. The audience leaves with new information, feeling inspired and wanting to make a difference in their jobs, families and relationships in general.

I don’t often talk about the food but today I have to tell you about the lunch we had. To say it was steak and potatoes would not do it justice. It was SO good. The mashed potatoes melted in my mouth. The steak was delicious and both were topped with this sweet, yet salty, sauce and bacon curls. They were more than bacon bits so I will call them bacon curls. The gentleman who served the food told us the name of the dish. He said it in Swedish but to me it sounded like, Shoemakers Box. It was delicious!

One more stop…Brussels, Belgium!

Let’s talk toilets!

Don’t worry I won’t get graphic or leaving someone throwing up in their mouth a little bit. As we exited the plane in Copenhagen, SRC said, “We should have practiced going to the bathroom on a garbage can before coming here.” Now, I’m thinking to myself, “What in the world is he talking about?” Then, I saw the toilets. Seriously, I have to wonder how the little children do it…let’s call it the “mouth” of the toilet is like the opening in a round trash can. There’s no settling in for a long sit on these toilets. Anyone with a substantial bazwazwa (bum) would be fine but a person lacking in that area of the body might just slip and fall in. Is this too much information? Too bad!

The flushers (I don’t know what else to call them) come in all types: a button on top of the toilet, a knob that you pull up (also on top of the toilet) or a large, and I mean large, button on the wall behind the toilet. It’s a discovery adventure every time I enter a new restroom or hotel room.

I am thankful that there are pedastle toilets in these countries and not the, how can I say this quietly, holes in the floor like those in Singapore.


Bucharest, Romania

We have been to and are now leaving Bucharest. We arrived last night about 9:30 p.m. and were quickly whisked away to the Marriott in downtown Bucharest. Beautiful hotel! As we drove to the hotel I was amazed at the number of large, old buildings with amazing architecture: columns, ornate carvings, etc. Our driver took us by the event location and my jaw fell to the floor. It is called the Parliament Palace or Peoples Palace and it is larger than the Pentagon. Once we checked into the hotel I went over to the Parliament Palace for the AV rehearsal. I learned a bit more about this building There are 12,500 rooms…the rooms I saw were huge; the hallways expansive and filled with marbled and beautiful chandaleires. The doors were at least 12 feet tall, if not taller. The windows were also very tall with beautiful tapestries covering them. This building used to be home to one family (husband, wife and three kids). Apparently over 100 homes were torn down in order to get the land to build this palace. It is now used for public events and houses some businesses. Amazing! These pictures do not even come close to showing how amazing it was.

The program today was fantastic! SRC came away with a great feeling of having connected with the people. A book signing was built into the day and I think SRC signed at least 400 books, maybe more. There was a Q&A after lunch and the book signing. I think I enjoy these sessions more than the straight teaching sessions because it draws out the participants more and it humanizes SRC. The Q&A today was great: the questions were well thought out and insightful. Those asking the questions asked in English and many had prepared the question ahead of time writing it down so they could say it correctly in English. I found that interesting! It was a great event with close to 800 people attending. They were all given a copy of the 8th Habit in Romanian. SRC was so excited to see that book. One of his granddaughters served an LDS mission in Romania so he is excited to show her the book. The Romania people were very respectful and seemed quiet but I think a big part of that is they feel shy in approaching SRC and speaking English.
I am sure the AV crew thinks I am this crazy blond from America. Right before the Q&A I walked over to the AV table and as I did I could hear music playing and the music was the type that made you want to dance. So, I said, “This music makes we want to dance a jig”. I then proceeded to dance a jig…just a short one. The AV crew just looked at me like I had lost my mind. I got a kick out of it! Sometimes I just crack myself up.


We had a police escort on the way to the airport tonight. It was crazy but saved a lot of time! We drove over curbs, the wrong way, over large medians...it was quite an experience.

Scott, don’t hate me but I didn’t get any coins from Romania.

Off we go into the wild blue yonder…Stockholm, here we come!

Copenhagen, Denmark

What a beautiful country! I found it interesting to look out the window as the plane was preparing to land and see windmills in the water. These are, I am assuming, large like those I grew up seeing in Fremont, CA. Denmark also appears to be very flat…at least that is my impression from what I saw on the plane. Although I did not get to see any sites while in Copenhagen, I enjoyed my time there. My brother, Clark served an LDS mission in Denmark so I was really looking forward to seeing this country that he called home for two years. Sunday did not work out quite like I thought it would so I did not get out to see any “landmarks” of Copenhagen. I did meet fantastic people and, dare I say, some very good looking men. Wow! (Scott, I will leave the sightseeing to you during your visit to Copenhagen in a couple of weeks.)

As we were preparing to land I thought about Clark and how he must have felt landing in Copenhagen knowing that he would be living there for two years. How would that feel? I can imagine a rush of emotion: excitement, uncertainty, scared to death, sad knowing you were so far away from family and friends. I was talking to Gitte, one of the event organizers, about missionaries and giving her a brief insight into how mission calls are given, etc. It was very interesting to talk to her about it. I can tell you that I now have a better understanding of why Clark enjoyed his mission so much. The people are so friendly and the city streets relatively clean. It looks like many families live in apartment buildings but I did see individual homes as well. Driving on the city streets I wondered if we were passing any apartments that Clark would have lived in.

We stayed at the Hilton Airport Hotel so I had a great view of the airport and heard planes coming and going throughout the day. When I got into my room I was a little taken back because there were two twin beds. I can sleep on a twin bed but these seemed a little more narrow than what I am even used to. It was like sleeping on a narrow sofa but I was so tired when I finally closed my eyes at 12:00 a.m. that I did not move at all during the night. That is a good think considering there was a narrow space between the two beds which I am sure I would have suffocated in if I had fallen off the bed. The other side of the bed also posed a problem with the bedside table and a larger glass table...certain black eye or goose egg on my head if that had been the way I had rolled off the bed.

Clark, I wonder if your fascination with cows comes from Denmark. We flew out of Roskild Airport…a small aircraft airport and there in the waiting area was a huge cow…huge plastic cow. Close by were plexi glass boxes on stands that were displaying the Denmark flags and miniature plastic cows. Black and white spotted cows. I nearly laughed out loud.

Danish is a very interesting language. Some words I can make sense of but others…forget it. You know when your typing gets out of hand and you look down and you can’t make sense of anything. That is what some Danish words look like to me. 15-26 letters long (I made that up) and looking totally incorrect. For example, svtekfdsloskafalda (not a real word) in Danish probably means something wonderful but it could also be a profanity. I must be tired because now I am just babbling.

Speaking of being tired, last night SRC had a Community Program in Copenhagen. I had not slept much on the plane flying to Copenhagen and allowed myself a 45 minute nap during the day so I would be sure to sleep last night. At the Community Program I really began to feel sleepy: eye lids heavy, a little slack jaw happening, if you know what I mean. Anyway, I closed my eyes for just two seconds and was rudely awakened as I almost fell off my stool. Seriously I began to feel myself tipping over. It was a hoot! I stood up the remainder of the program.

The Community Program was held in a place that is normally used for concerts. When I walked in I was hit in the face by the smell of cigarette smoke and alcohol. It was, for the most part, clean but I was shocked when the AV tech I was working with lit up a cigarette right before the program started. Nothing against him...just different. The Mayor of Copenhagen presented a small gift to SRC and said some very nice things welcoming SRC to the country and thanking him for coming.

I thought it would be interesting to share a picture of a pretty average AV set up for me. This was slightly different from other events in that I actually had some table space to work on. In this picture you will see my laptop, a preview monitor, DVD player and switcher off to the side and my slide index. I was at the back of the room looking down at the stage. I enjoyed this set up today…very conducive to efficient and effective AV support for SRC.

A private jet was booked at the last minute for the “in country” flights. SRC and I flew commercially to Denmark but will be on a private jet to and from Romania and Sweden. The plane is very nice and pretty quiet. I am including a picture of the plane so everyone can feel at ease that we are in a nice plane. The pilots are very friendly as well…and they speak very good English. The co-pilot is female which I think is so cool. In my next life, I want to be a pilot.

As we flew to Denmark, I was reminded of some benefits to flying commercially…I will share two: in flight movies and accessible restrooms.

Next stop, Bucharest, Romania.

Home sweet home!

Arriving into the United States last night in Texas I wanted to salute the flag and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. I am proud to be an American and love my country. I also feel blessed to have had the opportunity to travel to these countries, learning about the culture and the people, seeing the poverty and poor conditions of some areas. Regardless of the tough situations there were smiles everywhere and friendly voices saying, "Hola" or "Buenos Dias". I finally have a understanding of what LDS missionaries experience when they serve. For those serving in foreign language speaking missions they can't help but learn the language because they are surrounded by it. For all missionaries in general I can see why they come to love the people so much. At the customs office last night as we were waiting for the plane to get fuel SRC was talking to the customs officials. They had been asking him questions about the trip, etc. The female customs officer summed it up beautifully. She said, "Everyone is good. Everyone has good inside of them but it is because of circumstances, life situations that causes them to do bad things." I agree with that!

Early on in my training for this role, Kara told me, when arriving at an event, to quickly identify my team. In four of the countries, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Nicaragua I had a great team. Manuel has been given the assignment to help me with whatever I needed. As we continued to work together in each country Manuel began to anticipate what I would need before I event asked for it. Plus, he was a very valuable translator even though he is still grasping the English language himself. I cannot tell you how much all of this mean to me and my confidence in the AV techs or SRCs route out of the meeting room, etc. For example, yesterday I was sitting right by the speakers and sitting that close it was LOUD. Manuel came over to the table and told him about the volume...it wasn't a problem for the attendees because they were sitting out further in the room. After a couple of minutes Manuel walked out of the room. He was back in about 15 minutes with a set of ear plugs. He had remembered seeing ear plugs in a bag of toiletries in our hotel rooms. Talk about problem solving. It was hard to drive away from the hotel yesterday and say good bye. This is a picture of me and Manuel.

Darla sent me these highlights about the trip:

In the past 15 days

You have traveled 27,382 miles(24,900 circumference of the earth);
Counting the USA and fuel stops, you have been in 9 countries and 13 cities;
You have done at least 18 presentations;
Met with 2 or 3 presidents of countries;
Interviewed at least 5 times.

Wow! Below are a few pictures that highlight the trip.

The pilots were so great! SRC and I were commeting on this as we were driving home last night. We did not worry about the plane or the pilots once on this trip. We knew that everytime we arrived at the airport to leave the pilots would be there. It was a great feeling. Plus, they were fun and easy to like.

OOPS! This oxygen mask hatch kept falling open. It really isn't a big deal but trying to get the masks back in the hatch was almost enough to make you swear. I am sure Andrew and Ryan (pilots) had a couple of moments when that is exactly what they wanted to do. Try shoving these masks back into that small box in a tight, cramped space with hot and humid temperatures. I noticed last night that the hatch was taped closed. No worries this was not the only hatch with oxygen masks.

I really don't know what it is with me and cows. I am fascinated by them. The one on the left is Andrews cow, Fluffy. Can you seen their toupees?







I have many more pictures that I could share but the size of this blog would be too huge if I posted all of them. Enjoy!

San Jose, Costa Rica

Costa Rica was a breath of fresh air after being in El Salvador and Honduras…mild temperatures and little, if any, humidity. I loved it! As I looked out over the hills and valleys I commented to Stephen that it reminded me of California. Add a little more brown to the hills and it would be extremely similar. What a great experience in Costa Rica. Monday was a semi-relaxing day. SRC had a TV interview early in the morning so we were both bright eyed by 6:30 a.m. The interview was great! Later in the morning as I was sitting in my hotel room following up on emails my eyes began to get very heavy. So, I did what every woman would do…I went shopping. There was a great mall within walking distance of the hotel so I took a stroll and made my way to the mall. It was great therapy for me and I even bought something…for me.

Later in the afternoon SRC had more interviews; both TV interview and press conference. SRC learned a lot about Costa Rica from these interviewers just by listening to their questions. At the conclusion of the press conference we made out way over to the Coca-Cola plant. SRC had been asked to give a short presentation to select members of this particular plant. They presented SRC with a plaque that was in the shape of a Coke bottle. It really was a good experience. I had quite a time with the AV…let’s just say there is a first for everything and every situation.

That evening I had the pleasure of going out to dinner with Pepe, Paola, Eric and Carlos. We went to a Peruvian restaurant and the food was delicious. It was the second meal that I actually ate outside of a hotel the entire trip. It was good to be doing something different and not spend another night in my hotel room eating room service food. Not to say that Room Service/Hotel food is bad but it is not easy to know what to order that will give you taste of what the local food is like.

The main event on Tuesday was awesome! 600 people sitting theater style in this ballroom…the room was packed and full of energy. Aside from the group in Barbados I think this group had the greatest number of those who speak and understand English. I was so impressed with the FC Costa Rica office staff. The event was so well organized and every need was being met. Hats off to that group!

SRC met with the president of Costa Rica for about 45 minutes. It was a good meeting and very interesting. This man is an intellectual and as we were driving away SRC said that he felt like he was back in school…back in the academic world. It was interesting to hear President Arias’s views on the U.S., CAFTA, and the condition of Costa Rica. The meeting took place at the President’s home and what a home. From the outside it looks very un-imposing. Once you get inside you realize how beautiful it is: dark wood floors and ceilings, amazing paintings, statues and flower arrangements. SRC presented the president with an Indian Talking Stick, The 8th Habit book as well as Everyday Greatness. It still kills me that I am meeting these country Presidents…pinch me, am I dreaming?

Pepe, Paola, and Mano were traveling with us from Costa Rica to Nicaragua. Arriving at the airport we were all feeling a bit punchy. Going through security was a hoot. After retrieving my bags I pulled out my purple feather boa and said, "Crazy or boring." SRC was on the other side of the metal detector removing his knee brace, shoes, watch, suspenders, etc. After we were on our way Mano said, " I don't know what to think, SRC doing a striptease and you wearing a feather boa." It was hysterical.

One more country, two more flights….the countdown is on!


Managua, Nicaragua

I did not know what to think as we flew into Nicaragua. It was dark so all I could see was city lights…Managua is a huge city. As we drove from the airport to the hotel I learned that in the late 70’s the city of Managua was almost entirely wiped out by an earthquake. The one main structure that was left standing was the Crowne Plaza Hotel…the hotel we were staying in. That was a comforting piece information as we drove through this city that appeared to be so poor. We drove past this city park that was littered with simple structures of cardboard boxes, tarps, stiff plastic, etc. That was sad to see. In the morning as I looked out the window I saw a beautiful city with a lot of trees and a large lake off in the distance. Walking outside I was hit with a thick wall of humidity…yuck, especially with a suit on.

The event site was very nice…a large convention center across the street from the hotel. I arrived at the meeting room at about 7:00 a.m. My trusted companion, Manuel, was nowhere to bee seen and no one in the room spoke English. I had a moment of panic as I realized the men trying to talk to me were asking me questions about the AV. Yikes! I finally called out in desperation, “Is there anyone in here that speaks English?” A nice man came over and became my interpreter until Manuel arrived. I walked up to him and in the voice of a little child said, “I came in and they started talking really fast in Spanish and I couldn’t understand a word they said and I was getting really worried because I couldn’t find you and they told me we didn’t have a DVD player and…” Manuel just looked at me with this funny smile on his face, took me by the arm, and led me to the AV table to get set up. I am a professional I tell you!

What was so amazing about this event is that it is the first of its kind in Nicaragua. There have been other large events but not like this one with the ticket price, etc. There were about 400 people there…a great group who warmed up to SRC as he went along throughout the morning. I was so impressed with the FranklinCovey Nicaragua country manager, Emilio. He is very distinguished looking with white hair and a strong stature.

SRC was able to meet Daniel Ortega, President of Nicaragua. He actually takes office in about 10 days. President Ortega’s wife came with him along with the press, who were waiting at the door as he exited his vehicle and entered the hotel. The meeting was about 30 minutes in which both SRC and the president commented on different things. SRC talked about poverty and Muhammed Yunus; the Indian Talking Stick; and asked the President about his family. The President in turn talked about the conditions of Nicaragua and the things that he will be focusing on during his presidency. It was really neat to see the two of them engaging in conversation.

I am typing this on the plane…we are on our way home. We actually just stopped in Brownville, TX for fuel and customs. The end of our trip is here. I am so excited to get home, do laundry, sleep in my own bed, etc. I am taking the day off tomorrow!

Greetings....Central / South America

As is custom in the Latin American countries the proper hello and goodbye when greeting each other is a kiss on the cheek or an "air kiss". In the time that SRC and I have been traveling to these countries I have become quite adept to this practice. I have, on occasion been called "ice princess" so this may come to a shock to some of my friends and family. People can change!

So, don't be surprised if, the next time I see you, I take your arm (just below the shoulder), lean in and give an "air kiss". Prior to my travels I would have backed away from such a gesture (ice princess). So as not to be rude to the custom of Latin Americans I have adapted...I know, don't be shocked!

It's the simple things...happy feet!

I was so ill prepared for Babados. I did bring shorts and my bathing suit but no fun sandles. So, I bought these fabulous green and yellow flip flops and had a pedicure. Yahoo! I have happy feet!

Paradise in Barbados!

Take a look at this photo! It is not a postcard, it is not a painting, it is not a dream. This is my view from my hotel room. The picture was taken with my camera. It is as beautiful as it looks in this picture. The beach is incredible: warm water, warm and soft sand. AMAZING!

Saturday was a day of rest and relaxation for SRC and me. It was wonderful. We swam in the ocean, sat by the pool, had smoothies, and just enjoyed being outside. In the afternoon I met up with the pilots, Andrew and Ryan, to go exploring. They had rented a car and it was a HOOT to watch them try to drive. Barbadians drive on the left side of the road and the steering wheel is on the right side of the car. Plus, the roads are very, very narrow, which made it even more interesting. We had a map but as we made out way further around the island we lost track of where we were on the map. We had a general idea but there were so many roads it was hard to know which way to turn. Luckily we came upon locals everyone once in a while and they were very helpful. The roads eventually led us back to Bridgetown where we stopped for dinner at a steakhouse.

Although we spent some time "lost" we probably saw parts of Barbados that not many tourists get to see...this windmill for example. And, there are cows...black and white cows all over. Andrew named two of the cows Fluffy and Spot. He talked about these cows for quite a while. Barbados really is a beautiful island with rolling hills, mountains, and sandy beaches. Lovely!

Sunday was a day of, well, work. There were two presentations: one to 250 people and the other to about 1,000 people. Both sessions were fantastic and as SRC said, "They were eating it up...so hungry for this information". I worked with terrific AV crews at both sessions. Although there was no language barrier I still had trouble understanding the English because of the heavy British/Barbados/French accent. Quite a mixture.

I will definitely come back to Barbados for vacation.

San Pedro Sula, Honduras

Prior to leaving on this trip I sent an email to my family and friends letting them know of this blog and providing a few details of where I would be going. My oldest brother replied and at the end of the email closed by saying, “…have fun among my people.” Murray served/lived in Chile for two years on an LDS mission and he became very fond of the Chileans. Not having visited Central or South America before I had no idea what was in store for me. The people in these countries are beautiful, polite, friendly and so kind. I can see now why Murray would say “my people”. It would be easy to become attached to them because of their beauty…within and without.

Honduras is said to be one of the poorest countries in Central America. I saw only a fraction of what I am sure is the level of poverty. We traveled in nice vehicles, stayed in a plush hotel with room service, a pool, and air conditioning. I feel selfish with what I have been given and what I have been blessed with. I don’t know if this trip will change me in regard to my material possessions…but I can tell you have I new appreciation for what I do have. Honduras is a beautiful country with green, plush mountains and, like El Salvador, Palm Trees. Talk about hot! I thought I was going to burn up in my suit.

I arrived at the main event location yesterday morning to find a fantastic auditorium for SRCs speech but it was hotter than hot and muggy. Now for those who know me well you will understand when I say, I wanted to turn around and go back to my hotel room. I had a job to do so I removed my suit coat and got to work. Luckily I had worn a shade shirt (white, with sleeves) otherwise I would have had to keep my suit coat on. It was not until I got back to my hotel room in the evening and removed my suit coat and looked in the mirror that I could see that mom would have died if she had seen me. Not as bad as a wet t-shirt contest but close. I will leave it at that and let your imagination take it the rest of the way. Yikes! Luckily it was not bright as day in the auditorium.

The event yesterday was fantastic…a small group of about 150 in the morning and a large group of 500 in the afternoon. Between the two sessions a meeting with the President of Honduras had been arranged. We were to have an l hour lunch meeting with the President and his aide/right hand man. When the president came into the room he said hello to everyone, including me. I was at the table getting the AV set up as he came over. I stood up and he came forward and in the way of the culture said hello, placing his hands on my shoulders and pulling me in to give me a kiss on the cheek. I was pretty well rehearsed in this practice from the previous Central American countries so I did the same, also taking him by the shoulders and [air] kissing his cheek. Can you believe it? The President of a country?! We said our goodbyes in the same way. SRC presented him with an 8th Habit book and The Speed of Trust. Both were well received by the President. It was a good but short meeting.

SRC and I went to the mall last night, had ice cream and enjoyed walking among the people. As we were perusing the food court our pilots, Ryan and Andrew, came up to us. They had been sitting in a restaurant and saw us pass by first saying, “who is that blonde girl?” followed by “its Chelsea and SRC”. It was fun to see them there…and in normal clothes. (For the girls who are reading this, let me just say, WOW! to how cute they looked.) It was also a bit strange to see other white Americans among the Honduras people.

Today SRC taught a group of LDS leaders from San Pedro Sula. This event had been arranged by the BYU Alumni Honduras chapter President. It was a small group but wonderful to see the fire in their eyes and feel of their spirits. At the conclusion of the film, Masterpiece, SRC stood up with his interpreter by his side to give his closing remarks. The interpreter could hardly speak he was so overcome by the message of Masterpiece and also the spirit of SRCs message. I was very touched. The interpreter, Steve, is the chapter president and the one I worked with to pull the event together.

And now, we are on our way to Barbados. All of us, SRC, Ryan, Andrew and I are so excited to have some time to play.

Another mention of Sao Paulo, Bazil

While in Brazil, SRC and I had a "handler". Paula was with us from the moment we landed in Brazil until we left. She picked us up, dropped us off and interpreted when needed, etc. Paula has worked with SRC before as well as Nancy and Kara (two of my colleagues). I was looking forward to meeting Paula because of the wonderful things I had heard about her before our trip. Paula was so wonderful. She even helped me find coins...sending a hotel porter on a "mission impossible". Nineteen coins were found and the completed his mission successfully.

Here is a picture of me and Paula.

San Salvador, El Salvador

Picture if you will two pilots and two passengers flying north west from Sao Paulo, Brazil to El Salvador stopping twice for fuel. As each leg of the fligh comes to an end the pilots professionally greet the ground crew and begin their tasks of getting fuel and charging the bettery. The two passengers basically come falling out of the plane. One is a bit like a zombie and the other is just hoping hair and make-up look semi in place. (SRC is always worrying about his make-up and hair.) I am sure it is very comical to the onlooker.

I consider myself an independent person, pretty strong and not afraid of too many things. However, there are certain situations that make me a bit uncomfortable. Manaus, Brazil for instance. Here we are, landing for fuel at 12:30 in the morning. I might mention that at each stop we all take a bathroom break. This particular stop I walked to the terminal building with SRC and co-captain Andrew. The entrance to the men's restroom was outside of the terminal. The entrance to the women's restroom was inside the terminal...the completely empty terminal except for a few ground crew...all men. I got the first day of school nervous stomach, stopped, looked around, and looked anxiously at co-captain Andrew. There is alwasy a first time for everything...I asked him to stay inside the terminal while I went to the restroom. He thankfully obliged.

Landing in El Salvador I had no idea what to expect of this country. As we exited the main terminal to get in the car I couldn't help but notice how humid it was...and green. The drive to the hotel was fascinating. Palm trees mixed in with other trees and foliage, very green and beautiful. I was also amazed to see the number of people standing in groups on the side of this expressway/highway waiting for the bus or other transportation into the city. We also passed a number of trucks with people standing in the back, dressed for work. The trucks had hard and soft top covers on the bed of the trucks. I was amazed at all of this.

Did I mention that we flew all night and landed at about 5:15 a.m? By the time we got to the hotel it was 6:30. Hello! I had enough time to shower and it was definately going to be an up-hair day. Overall I was feeling quite good. I got into the event room which turned out to be this beautiful ballroom and started my set-up routine. It was here that I met David and Rodolfo (Rodo). They were terrific the entire presentation and after. David was with me at the morning event and the luncheon Q&A for AV support. Rodo was there at my every turn to answer questions, translate or relay messages. Talk about finding my team!

As we were driving to the airport I noticed a police vehicle following us...security detail. Three men deressed in black, dark sunglasses and big guns (but only at some locations). I became quite attached to these men and asked to have my picture taken with the, Do you love it?

Stay tuned for news from Honduras...

Sao Paulo, Brazil

Wow! The size of this city is amazing. We drove for over an hour the other night and we were still in Sao Paulo. They say the traffic is bad here and I will agree...it reminds me of Chicago. Our time in Sao Paulo has been good...busy...but good. So far SRC has given 5 speeches in two days with one more to go this afternoon.

The Community Program was amazing! There were over 3,000 people there and they were all interested in learning. Families, couples, young and old were in attendance. SRC had a translator who stood so close to him on the stage I thought at one point they would trip over each other. We left right at the end of the program...out the back door but SRC was still met by people for photos, signature, and hugs.

As we go into each country there is always a small hear that I will say something that does not translate well or make a han gesture that is completely inappropriate. When I work with the AV techs I typically have one person that speaks english very well but I have to communicate with everyone: video, audio, etc. Normally I give a thumbs up or the OK sign. However, I found out that the OK sign use in the US is offensive to Brazilians. It became a big joke yesterday with the AV crew. The thumbs up sign is a bit offensive as well but we decided that would be a good way to say OK during the presentation. A smile goes a long way when you can't understand each other. I am fascinated by the portuguese language.

The HSM set up for each event is incredible! For the group size it would have to be! Four huge screens for graphics and films plus IMGAG screens in the center. From the back of the room SRC looks like a small action figure.

I slept in this morning, went to the gym and am now catching up on emails. It is a good day!

Tonight we fly to El Salvador!

Mexico City and Cuernavaca

So, here I am at a beautiful resort in Cuernavaca, Mexico. We arrived at about 8:30 p.m. so it was already dark and I was in awe as we drove into Mision del Sol. I cannot wait to see it in the daylight. This next statement tells me a lot about myself…the first thing I did when entering my room was to glance around at the layout, décor and then look for the TV. (Which by the way, there is no TV, nor is there wireless or high speed internet service. How am I supposed to get any work done? There is this beautiful, relaxing music piped into the room and here I am typing on my computer. I don’t know what I am going to do with myself before I close my eyes for the night. I would read by everything in the room is in Spanish and my books are on the plane.

This room is amazing! I am not going to get too attached because we are only here one night but I have taken some pictures so there is proof that I was here. The shower…oh my goodness, I can’t wait to take a shower tomorrow morning.

Today was a good day. We flew into Toluca last night and drove into Mexico City for the night. The view from my hotel room was amazing…this city reminds me of San Francisco, Vancouver (without the water) and a bit of Boston…at least the parts with a lot of trees. The view from the gym was of a park…I can’t remember the name but it has something to do with crickets. Anyway, off in the distance I could see an amusement part, a roller coaster, etc.

The program today was with the Mexico Chapter of the BYU Alumni Association. It was a great group and SRC did a terrific job teaching them. The group consisted of BYU Alumni, spouses, friends, and colleagues as well as Senior Couple Missionaries. I very much enjoyed meeting the man that I had been working with to plan this event. It is always good to finally put a face to a name.

SRC participated in a Press Conference tonight which was pretty well attended by the media. SRC talked about the 8th Habit and also Everyday Greatness. The questions asked by the media were good and led to great answers by SRC. He enjoyed this group of media because they are not cynical and they care about their country and want to make it better…looking for the good and not focusing mainly on the bad.

We had security detail in Mexico City. It was actually a reassuring feeling to know that someone was looking out for us when we were so busy and engaged in the work we are here to do. On the way to the airport our driver, Ruben, used his loud horn and flashing lights to get us through traffic. SRC looked over at me and said, “When was the last time you had a bodyguard?” I am finding there are a lot of firsts with this job…having a bodyguard is one of them.

Our pilots, Ryan and Andrew, are great. Funny, they are wearing the same clothes every time we see them…black pants and white shirts. They look very official in their uniforms. It is always good to see their familiar, smiling, faces at the end of a long day. SRC and I end our work day and theirs begins.

Amarillo by mornin’, up from San Antone…

I can’t help but sing that song as we fly away from Amarillo, TX. What a great day this has been! SRC was speaking to a group of about 1200 people in the city of Amarillo. This was an ethical conference so much of his speech was on trust, personal greatness, leadership greatness and organizational greatness. At the end of the speech SRC participated in a panel with two other people and a moderator. It was an open dialogue with answers to great questions dealing with ethics and personal responsibility. Now, before I tell you this next part I will begin by saying that every time I hear SRC speak I learn something and I feel lucky to have the chance to hear him speak so often. The highlight of my day today was meeting President George H. W. Bush. SRC and I were able to get our picture taken with him and the President put his arm around me, so…I put my arm around him. I have no idea how the picture will turn out but to know that I have met him and as SRC said, “had him in my arms” was a highlight. We stayed to hear Pres. Bush’s speech and it was so good. I had no idea what to expect but he was funny and personable and…well, human. GHWB talked about his family and shared funny insights into his life as a father, son, dad, grandfather; his work with President Clinton, and he touched on ethics/values in leadership. I think one thing that impressed me the most was at the luncheon held before his speech to the large audience. Pres. Bush stood to say a few brief words and told the crowd of about 100 that the highlight of his life right now is being a grandfather, father and husband. He got choked up while he was saying this. Wow! It was quite something. I don’t know that you can really prepare to meet someone famous or of great importance. For the most part I am able to stay calm, cool and collected…and freak out afterward. Really, it was an honor to meet President Bush and shake his hand. He even made fun of Dana Carvey who made fun of him while Pres. Bush was president. It was hysterical.

I am constantly impressed with the people that I meet. The AV crew was great and so helpful and friendly. Each member of the client staff was terrific and also very helpful. I was able to meet and talk to the Mayor of Amarillo…she is a ball of fire. What a pleasure to visit cities, states, countries and meet such genuinely nice, kind people. There truly is kindness in the world.

Next stop…Mexico City, Mexico.

Tomorrow marks the start of a 15 day tour of Central America with one stop in South America. I feel nervous and am full of anticipation...oh how I wish I would have paid more attention in my Spanish classes. Luckily those I have been working with speak English relatively well so I at least know I can communicate with them. Tonight I will be focusing on my packing. It becomes very strategic trying to balance the amount of travel (comfy clothes), presentations (business suits), time available to work out (gym clothes), and downtime (casual clothes). I learned from my first international trip that over-packing is not fun nor is it a good idea. It just makes your suitcase unnecessarily heavy.

So, stay tuned for updates from the road. This map will give you and idea of where we are going. Here is the order of countries visited: Mexico, Brazil, El Salvador, Honduras, Barbados, Costa Rica, Nicaragua.

Fall Beauty!

I don't know that we could have been in Sun Valley at a better time during the year. The trees and bushes were turning and in some spots it was absoulutely breathtaking. I will get to the business details of the trip but to start with here are some fun highlights of the trip. KH was also on this trip and we had a hoot of a time! Picture if you will, two beautiful babes driving down the highway in a silver cadillac, listening to the comedian Brian Regan, and laughing so hard we were in tears. It was great! We arrived into Sun Valley Thursday night and did not realize the beauty of our location until the next morning. We were in Sun Valley for the weekend and in between presentations and audio visual rehearsals we were able to enjoy being outside, good food, down time, and believe it or not, sleeping in one or two mornings.

To explain the tail feather's in the air. These are swan's and yes, they are searching for food. Did you know they have huge feet? I got a big kick out of the feather's in the air.

Oxygen Please!

I have just completed a five day tour to Rexburg and Sun Valley, Idaho. We had been planning for this tour for months. SRC and I left Provo the afternoon of September 27th for an easy, short flight to Rexburg...or so we thought.

Prior to take off the pilot ran through the safety measures and exits for this particular plane. As we began the ascent out of Provo the pilot was busy pushing buttons, talking into his headset and doing what a pilot will do. SRC and I were busy in the back reading the paper, going over details for the events of the day and just enjoying the flight. Our relaxation was interupted as the oxygen masks came falling from the ceiling. Whoops!

Inner dialogue: "What the...?"; "I can't breath!"; "The air is getting thinner.";

I looked at SRC, he looked at me and we started laughing. I shouted up to the pilot, "Should we be concerned that the oxygen masks just fell from the ceiling?" After a couple of minutes he turned around and said, "Sorry, that happens sometimes." That happens sometimes!? Not funny! Once my breathing got back to normal I settled back into my seat and continued going over the logistics for the events. All the while the oxygen masks are swaying to the movement of the plane.

Has it ever been said that knowing others will be reading your writings creates a need to make what you write more interesting and detailed? I cannot guarantee that what I write will be interesting to you but I will spare no details...within reason, of course.

It does not seem fair that the record of my travels and experiences be kept in a hard cover journal to be put on a shelf so, a blogging we will go.

Enjoy!