Webinars & Online Training Programs

Platform Stability:
- “Sometimes the EF platform has issues, but overall, it’s pretty stable.”
- “Occasionally, there are glitches, but nothing major.”
Training Program Overview:
- “Yesterday, we hosted 65 webinars and trained around 1,000 students!”
- “That’s a huge number of participants!”
- “The webinars are synchronous (live, with a teacher), but students complete asynchronous (self-paced) pre-work beforehand.”
Training Process:
- “Students complete e-learning modules before attending the webinar.”
- “They also discuss sales strategies with their managers before participating.”
Scheduling Challenges:
- “Did all 1,000 students attend at the same time?”
- “No, we divided the day into six segments to manage the flow.”
- “We also made sure not to place employees from the same branches in the same sessions.”
- “It was very complex to organize, but we made it work!”
Project Management & Team Size:
- “I work on this project with my colleague Alisa as project managers.”
- “We have two additional colleagues helping us, but even four people is a small team for such a large project!”
- “That’s a lot of responsibility for just four people!”

Heavy Workloads:
- “Managing such a big project reminds me of my publishing days.”
- “We had deadlines as late as 11 p.m., and after working that long, you couldn’t just go home and sleep.”
Unwinding After Work:
- “Back then, we used to go out for drinks after work to relax.”
- “Now, I couldn’t imagine that lifestyle—it would be too exhausting!”
- “When you’re in your 20s or 30s, you can handle it. Now? No way!”

Paddle Ball & Handball:
- “We have paddle ball and handball here, but our version of handball is different from European handball—it’s played indoors.”
- “Do you play paddle ball outside or inside?”
- “Both! It depends on the weather. In winter, we play indoors, but there are also outdoor courts.”
Different Racket Sports:
- “There’s also squash, which is played inside with four walls.”
- “It’s a very fast-paced game!”
- “Badminton used to be very popular, but not many people play it anymore.”
Badminton’s Popularity in Schools:
- “In Italy, badminton has never been very popular.”
- “However, my teenage son, Filippo, plays it sometimes during gym class. Strange!”

Changing Trends:
- “When I was in school, soccer wasn’t even part of the curriculum.”
- “We had to play it in the summertime because it wasn’t offered during the school year.”
- “Now, soccer is in every school and incredibly popular.”
Soccer in Orlando:
- “Our local team in Orlando is new but improving quickly!”
- “They’re not the best yet—not like Miami, where Messi plays—but they’re getting better.”
Soccer’s Popularity in Italy:
- “In Italy, soccer is extremely popular!”
- “However, women’s soccer is still not as widely recognized as men’s soccer.”

Challenging Vocabulary List

Glitch (GLITCH) – A small error or malfunction in a system.
Synchronous (SIN-kruh-nuhs) – Happening at the same time (e.g., live webinars).
Asynchronous (AY-sin-kruh-nuhs) – Happening at different times, self-paced.
Segment (SEG-ment) – A part or section of something larger.
Project Manager (PROH-jekt MAN-uh-jer) – A person responsible for leading a project.
Exhausting (ig-ZAW-sting) – Very tiring.
Unwind (un-WYND) – To relax after stress.
Curriculum (kuh-RIK-yuh-lum) – The subjects taught in school.
Recognition (rek-uhg-NI-shun) – The acceptance or acknowledgment of something.
Fast-paced (FAST-paysed) – Moving quickly or requiring quick reactions.