Rebecca’s Gift – The Magic of Rebecca
Rebecca Second From The Right
Writing Retreat Learning
I have mentioned before in the article to walk or not to walk how much I loved the fact that Rebecca has local knowledge.
Rebecca use to live here and her partner Benjamin’s family are from this village too.
Rebecca by the way is Karen’s support and guide and helps other coaches run effective retreats abroad.
Rebecca has sourced the venue and organised everything from daily walks, food hampers, airport transfer and the evening meals.
But it is more than that, there is something about her that is just such a gift.
The more I listen and really pay attention, the more I tune into her magic- she loves people, she loves the story behind story. She loves this country and she has a thirst to learn.
Rebecca’s Magic
As I listen to her I watch her eyes light up and that smile that she has from ear to ear. She loves the knowledge and wisdom she has collected having lived in Spain and living with a Spaniard.
She is currently living in Bristol in a caravan on a farm and she loves the space but you see the yearning to get back out here to live – to share this space with others. This is where her heart is and her passion and she shares it in abundance. She also loves language and she is articulate and caring to share what she is saying.
The Power of a Guide
Rebecca has not only shared pearls of wisdom about this beautiful region she has also highlighted to me the vlaue of a confident and skilled guide. Someone that loves the stories they are sharing and the experience of making you feel safe and supported.
Rebecca brings to life every day information that as a tourist I would miss and as a retreat attendee I could so easily be consumed by my own thoughts and ideas that I forget to look around and appreciate the moment I am.
Time with Rebecca is a refreshing break for my mind and sets me up with a new perspective every time.
I smile as I fondly remember Mark has a vision to be a guide on our retreats – in the winter taking clients skiing and in the summer for cycle rides. We have already noticed as a couple that learning to take turns to follow and lead is vital and physical activities are a great way of dipping in and out of mental stimulation and physical.
I now understand why I was a little nervous travelling without him.
Mark is my guide – he does the research – he is curious and he is confident travelling even though he does not speak any foreign language it never phases him.
Our recent visit to Belgium is a good example and I so remember his excitement and curiosity about taking me to see the ‘famous peeing boy’.
Sightseeing was so off my radar, without him – without my guide I would have missed so much. 
It occurs to me now that my lack of confidence to learn and remember has created a behaviour that has prevented me from being curious about history and the story behind buildings.
And I am also noticing a change, I am becoming more curious and people like Rebecca and Mark inspire me to learn more about my environment.
Now what is also interesting is that I stopped booking retreats abroad when Mark one year had to last minute cancel because his IT contract ran over.
I am so pleased to have now met Rebecca because it means I can now organise retreats in Spain with her support.
Without a Guide
Without Rebecca I would have loved the scenery and the quaintness of the town but the stories and the history would have been lost. I would had played safe and probably eaten in my room and missed the friendliness of the local people.
Her confidence and clarity of the local cuisine has meant I have tried new things and things are changing inside.
Her courage to travel sparks an inspiration in me that I can run retreats abroad again and that I can even get over the my reservation of travelling alone.
Rebecca is like what?
Rebecca is bridging the gap between my desire to travel and my confidence to travel with paying clients. Little things like what happens if a client needs a doctor ? Where do I get specialist food? All these are taken care of.
Just being around her I know I will grow more confident and I will travel more in the future.
The Local Area
As we walk the streets Rebecca shares her stories – which house makes the cheese, where the cured ham comes from and where the lady lives that made some of the costumes for the Harry Potter Movie are all part of the gems that add value to this experience. Local knowledge and confidence are priceless.
When I tell her that I value her stories she says “I am just nosey with a little chuckle”
I hear a little contempt in her voice as though being nosey is a bad thing. Right now I am so grateful for her gift of nosiness and her willingness to share.
I can’t tell you the details and right now could not even tell you where the houses are but I will never forget the feeling she has blessed me with. As we walked the streets it’s like the personalities and purpose come alive.
Rebecca has walked these streets – she has done her research – she loves the stories of the local area and the local culture.
She is not reading a guide script – the stories are from the heart and you see her reconnecting with the feeling and warmth she experienced when she was herself first told the story and she has great pleasure sharing that experience on.
I recall her talking about spending time with some of the older women in the town – she talks with such glee and pleasure of the wisdom the older generation were able to share with her. A youthful and gleeful gratitude shines from within and blessed that they would share their wisdom with her. Telling her which houses you should buy and which ones you should steer clear of because of the salt in the walls from the cheese and ham.
It is no chore for her to give these women her time, she loves listening and is happy to share and learn from them.
She walks side by side you, she has listened and she is listening – she is not judging and she is curious.
Conversations, tradition and stories that make her smile and have touched her life are her gift to me this week.
She wants to know more and I feel safe. Yes that is why I love Rebecca.
I feel safe.
About the Author – Sheryl Andrews – The Strength and Solution Detective
Sheryl Andrews, Founder of Step by Step Listening, is well known for her fast speaking and her passion to make things happen. But what many of you may not know is that in private behind closed doors she was also no stranger to challenging conversations, lapses in self belief and an overwhelming sense of not being good enough. Sheryl use to find it difficult to speak up and have her needs met and was often hurt by the feedback and opinions of others.
Today, Sheryl loves resourcing you to do more of what you love and ditch the critic that says you can’t.
Fancy a virtual coffee and chat, then please feel free to book a complimentary clarity and confidence session or check out the “How to do, delegate and ditch with confidence” free webinar.
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