Dear Docents,
Early March brings me to spring break. Yes, I am still governed by a “school” schedule. Teaching at Loyola University gives me a month off around the new year, four months off for summer, and a week for spring break. The term “spring break,” often brings to mind a picture of sandy beaches filled with overserved 18 year-olds….but for my 57 year-old self, spring break means heading to the mountains of Colorado, the best place for me to take a break and get refreshed.
Refresh is an important concept for docents in March. With “tour season” starting in April, it is time to dust off notes and refresh regarding the “script” for each of your tours. We all know how important it is to remind yourself of your tour content. I am sure many of you, like me, have given a tour after a long break and felt disappointed about things you forgot to say or point out. I have learned that a little preparation before the tour season eliminates those disappointments.
For many of us, the dust on our tour notes is quite thick after a COVID layoff. Even those who have given tours over the past couple of years likely have a few tours that we have not given. Tour directors are offering refreshers to talk through tours. Many of us are approaching a two-to-three-year anniversary of the last tour for which we are certified! That is a long time. So, I encourage you to attend refreshers. And it is always a good idea to get together and discuss tours…. we learn so much from each other.
Remember that as of now the tour requirements for 2022 are as stated in our docent handbook—a minimum of 10 tours to maintain active docent status and at least one of each tour for which we are certified to maintain certification. Pandemic metrics continue to improve, and we hope to avoid COVID restrictions again.
My normal year has brought me to Colorado for early March. It was 1 degree Fahrenheit this morning and perfect weather for cross-country skiing. I try to be in the mountains as much as I can in the winter. For me the term “snowbird” means going TO the snow, not trying to escape it.
So, please relax and refresh, as we gear up for a robust walking tour and river tour season!
Kent
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