One of our main goals with Explorations is to give everyone an opportunity to meet the fine folks who work at Explorica to help teachers take their students on educational tours across the globe.
This week’s featured Program Consultant is Cora Gomez. Here’s some of our favorite excerpts from our recent interview with her:
Where did you grow up?
Toronto, Ontario.
Where did you go to university?
University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario.
Where have you traveled?
Most of the Canadian provincial capitals, NYC, Boston, Vegas, LA, Miami, Cuba, Venezuela, Jamaica, Barbados, Brazil, Belize, Panama, UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Austria, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Switzerland, and China. I’m adding Mexico shortly.
Which Explorica tours have you taken?
London and Paris with Amsterdam Extension
Madrid, Mallorca & Barcelona
Best of Europe
Beijing, Xi’an, Shanghai with Hong Kong Extension
Italy & Greece
Across the Channel to Vimy Ridge – 90th Anniversary
Favorite band, movie, and/or book…
My favourite music both growing up and presently is easy listening. During my youth while some were exploring angst ridden music … I was swaying to the adult contemporary stylings of Barry Manilow, Diana Ross, and Johnny Mathis.
Surprisingly I wasn’t beaten up while I was growing up.
If you could live anywhere else in the entire world, where would that be and why?
If money was no issue I would live in Spain, Italy and France along the Mediterranean. I’m terrible with languages so this would force me to learn.
I would own a place in all three countries with a driver, chef, butler, maid, and someone to piggy back me around so I wouldn’t have to walk.
I’m trying to convince my husband to take on those roles but with no luck so far.
Which food did you love as a kid that you tried as an adult and found to be absolutely terrible?
Ribena is a concentrated black currant fruit drink that you simply add water to. I used to LOVE it and drank it like no tomorrow. I recently tried it and it (coloured, sugared water) doesn’t do it for me anymore…
What do you like to do when you’re not helping teachers plan fantastic tours?
My family and I all play tennis. It is brutally competitive and we cheat like crazy … but it gives you a warm fuzzy feeling inside to know you kicked your father’s butt on the court and you showed him who’s boss.
On the other hand, my husband is a tennis pro and unfortunately I have been nowhere near to winning … so I’m waiting patiently for him to get old, and requiring some walking assistance to go in for the kill.
What’s your favorite foodstuff that you can only get in Canada?
Flavoured chips such as ketchup and dill pickle.
Why should more Americans visit Toronto?
We offer an experience full of diverse and multicultural influences. Whether it be visiting Chinatown, Little India, Greek town, Little Italy, or little Portugal, there is always a familiar and comfortable place to go.
What’s with you Canadians and your overwhelming love of Tim Hortons?
Donuts and coffee–what’s not to love?
You feel safe with the frequent police donut runs (low blow), its cheaper then Starbucks and you can buy Timbits. Timbits are mini donuts that you can scarf down and not feel as guilty as eating one whole donut….
