Today’s the day – I’m flying back to join the Mobile Tour Team in Green Bay, Wisconsin!
Depending on where the team is located, travel days can look pretty different. This time around, I decided to take advantage of the team being in the Midwest by taking a quick trip to visit family friends in Minneapolis, Minnesota before continuing on to Green Bay. That means I get to take a speedy hour-long flight this evening to rejoin the road.
Mobile facilitators travel pretty light: I typically travel with a suitcase, a backpack, and a tote. We can also leave a small “road bag” with the road team when we leave for office stints so that things like toiletries, personal spices, and yoga mats don’t have to get flown back and forth. With all of these bags, I have everything I need to make it through the next 8 weeks. Road stints typically range from 8 to 13 weeks, but can be longer or shorter depending on circumstance.
When I finally land in Green Bay, my co-facilitator Shira is there to pick me up in our Team minivan. Even though I knew I’d be arriving late at night and offered to Uber home, Shira insisted on picking me up, laughing about how “that is the Mobile way.” Shira and I started our Mobile journey together back in October 2022 – after all this time together, we’ve formed a strong bond.
August 31st
This morning I woke up in our gorgeous Airbnb in Green Bay, where the team has been living since early August.
Today is a Thursday, which is a work-from-home day for the road team. This means I have plenty of time to catch up on emails, fully move into our housing, and get situated for a full recording day in the airstream tomorrow. The team records in the booth every day of the week except for Tuesdays and Thursdays, hosting up to 6 recording appointments a day. I’m gearing up for a full weekend of meeting participants and hearing some great stories before I have my “weekend” off on Monday and Tuesday! First and foremost for me today, though: I need some groceries.
A silly novelty about living in so many different parts of the country is the regional grocery stores. Whether it’s H-E-B, King Soopers, or Festival Foods, I love doing my initial grocery shop at a store I’ve never been to before. As we move between stops we always bring our communal spices, cooking oils, and very old cans of beans that we just can’t seem to part with. This makes it easier for people coming on and off the road to not have to start building their pantry up from scratch. After some Festival Foods time, I am stocked and ready for the next 10 days in Green Bay before we drive to St. Louis, Missouri.
Another way I like to orient myself to a new tour stop is by going on long walks or jogs. Being outside is such a peaceful way to acquaint myself with the area and settle after traveling. After cooking myself a warm meal in the kitchen for the first time, I take a stroll around the neighborhood, which is full of green trees, parks, and quiet driveways.
As I settle at the kitchen table to work, I’m excited to facilitate my first recordings in Green Bay tomorrow. Be sure to tune in next week to hear about my experience in Green Bay, the participants I’ll meet, and the recordings I’ll listen to!
