Packing my bag for Guatemala, I started to worry that I was going to let the Legends down. This was the first retreat I've ever hosted and it's also the first retreat I've ever been to. I realized too late in the planning process that I should have gone on some retreats before trying to make one happen. Sounds obvious when I say it out loud, but I've never been interested in retreats before now. They always seemed like a girlboss bromance Christian yoga matching clothes beach villa thing that wasn't for me.
As the Legends network has gained traction, people began saying they'd love to meet each other in person. We've experimented with local meetups this year, hosted by Legends in their home cities. But I also wanted to try to bring Legends together from across the world. I ran a survey last year to feel out the idea of a Legends Retreat and there was enough interest that I started drafting plans for it.
I may not know what happens at retreats but I've been hosting events for over a decade and I know how much goes into them. I didn't want to be responsible for managing the payments or keeping track of people's dietary restrictions or coordinating ground transportation. I also have strange solo travel habits and don't necessarily know how to show a group a good time.
I enlisted the help of Vero at Noma Travels quickly after deciding to host this trip. I met Vero through Saul who saw my request on the Legends Wishlist to find the best travel planner to help us pull this retreat off. Saul had taken a couple trips with Vero's company and highly recommended them. Noma Travels specializes in Latin America and, as soon as I met Vero, I knew they were the perfect partner for us. This would turn out to be the most crucial decision to get right.