Note from Linda

What’s On Your Mind? Your Travel Questions Answered

Where is Linda? New York, Washington DC, London

Feature Article: Women-Helping-Women Worldwide: 5 Fun and Mighty Ways to Do Good

PTT Recommends: 16-Minute Responsible Travel Audio Summary

Lingo Tidbits: French? Who says that's French?

Dear Responsible W.O.R.L.D. Traveler,

To my sorrow, summer is beginning to wind down. Crimson forests and the aroma of burning leaves are just around the corner.

But I have two great sources of consolation.

One is that I’ll soon be back in London, UK for a one-day Intensive Masterclass on Sustainable Tourism Marketing, hosted by Travelmole.com’s VISION on Sustainable Tourism. Interesting material and outstanding presenters! And London, which was my home for two years many moons ago, is always a beauty and a joy to visit.

My second—and enormous—consolation is that in just three short months, my fabulous Women’s Travels for Peace traveling companions and I will be completing our women’s community project in southern Senegal…and making a significant contribution to the lives of women and children. Now that is what I call exciting!

During the past several months, the concept of women helping women has been on my mind every day.

The unhappy news is that there is so much need, all over the world—including right here in the US.

The good news, though, is that there are many ways you, as a responsible Citizen of the World, can get involved. And in nearly all cases, your gender makes no difference. What matters is your caring.

This month’s Feature Article, Women-Helping-Women Worldwide: 5 Fun and Mighty Ways to Do Good, offers you five ways you can put your time, passions, interests, and/or financial resources to work to help other women in need, around the globe.

 Happy Reading!

 With love and peace,

Peace Through Travel

Over the past month, more than twenty people have asked why we’ve chosen Senegal as the country to visit for Women’s Travels for Peace in November. Here’s the answer.

From the moment Women’s Travels for Peace was born in my imagination less than a year ago, I knew my first destination would be in sub-Saharan Africa. I quickly developed connections in several African countries including Kenya, Gabon, Uganda, Tanzania and Senegal. I was excited about each and every one. I knew my mission was to contribute to the lives of women and children by bringing together women from divergent worlds to help and teach each other.

From 10 years of experience in my previous travel business, I understood that the most important and essential factor in creating this travel experience was to work with the "perfect" person or persons in my destination.

After much research and conversation with all my contacts, it became clear that the travel professionals I knew in Senegal were the best "match" for Women's Travels for Peace.

So I got on a plane, spent time with my colleagues, traveled with one of their own groups, and got to know the village in which we will be working this November. All the relationships blossomed perfectly, and Women’s Travels for Peace to Senegal, November 2008 was born!

Our adventure begins on November 7 for one week, and we still have 3 spots open! Interested? Give us a call today!

 Do you have a question? Send your question to lrivero@peacethroughtravel.net. I’ll be answering these in upcoming issues.

Women-Helping-Women Worldwide: 5 Fun and Mighty Ways to Do Good

By Linda Rivero

Nearly every woman with whom I speak about the concept of women-helping-women responds with the same enthusiasm. “Yes! That’s so true! We love helping each other!” Or, “It’s just so easy with us. We instinctively connect. We understand each other!”

That’s my feeling, too. We do indeed connect, and we enjoy empathizing, listening, and supporting one another.

There are several ways to contribute to the lives of women in need while enjoying your own interests, resources, and passions. Many organizations aimed at helping women are founded by women and, naturally, utilize our own natural communication styles.

Here are five powerful yet fun approaches to making the world a better place for women and children.

By the way, you don’t need to be a woman to participate. These organizations welcome caring individuals, whether women or men. So, gentlemen, we invite you to join us.

1. Talk, Listen and Share

We women do this all the time, and we love it. We call our girlfriend to tell her what happened yesterday at work or our sister to vent about our teenager who’s driving us crazy.

There are organizations that utilize our natural enjoyment of listening and sharing to better life for women around the world. Peacexpeace.org is founded on the principle of sharing and offers many opportunities to speak, listen and share. Hear the stories of fascinating women making history abroad on live phone conversations, or share your own individual story. It’s all about establishing communication between women worldwide and building our strength together.

Pulsewire.net is a news and social networking site that “connects women around the globe to share ideas and opportunities that can change our lives.” You’ll find news updates relative to women’s issues, and you can also establish your own personal account, or “voice,” to become more deeply involved.

2. Meet and Organize

Are you more of an activist, preferring to get involved with others on projects that are more concrete, such policy change? Women Thrive Worldwide may be a perfect fit for you. Believing that “ending global poverty begins with women,” Women Thrive Worldwide aims to influence U.S. policy for the “greatest impact on reducing poverty through women.” You can add your signature to important proposals, become a Women Thrive delegate, or organize your friends to create your own local force for good.

3. Shop—in the Comfort of Your Bathrobe

Opportunities abound to shop online while helping women around the world. You can browse for hours — and easily buy for hours — at sites such as Paper to Pearls, featuring stunning beaded jewelry made by Ugandan women; The Amber Chand Collection with jewelry, fashion accessories and home décor items made by women in the Middle East, Africa and Asia; and Women for Women International where you’ll find jewelry, clothing, photo note cards, and more. As the holiday gift-giving season rolls around, keep in mind these online outlets for soulful gifts of beauty that also promote the economic independence of women in need.

4. Donate—Your Resources of Time and/or Money

Naturally, any not-for-profit organization will happily accept your cash donation, and nearly all will be thrilled to have a portion of your time, as well. A financial contribution will, of course, provide you a year-end tax deduction as well as the joy of supporting an effort you believe in. A donation of your time will not only help your chosen organization get their work done; it will also connect you with women of like mind. What a wonderful way to make new friends.

Yet there are organizations that will also put your financial contribution to more specific use. Women for Women International, which works with women from war-torn areas, offers you the beautiful opportunity to “sponsor” a woman. Your monthly contribution to a specific woman, with whom you actually communicate by letter, offers her not only the economic stability to “get back on her feet” but also provides “the hope and emotional support that are the keys to rebuilding her life after war.”

If you are in a position to make a larger contribution, Tostan, a unique and highly successful organization based in Senegal, offers you the possibility of adopting a whole village! Tostan’s acclaimed educational Community Empowerment Program, entirely voluntary and locally run, focuses on critical issues of Health and Human Rights. To date, thousands of village in Senegal and neighboring countries have voluntary chosen to abandon the practice of female circumcision as a result of Tostan’s Community Empowerment Program.

5. Travel

If you love getting out and exploring your world, spending time with women abroad and working with them side-by-side to create a tangible improvement to their lives, then Women’s Travels for Peace is the experience for you. Teach what you know, and learn what you don’t. Share laughter, song, and dance…and the joy of accomplishing a critically important project together. What a perfect way to benefit your sisters, your world, and yourself, all at once!

Confused about responsible travel? Got 16 minutes to lend an ear? For an entertaining, thumbnail audio description of responsible and green travel, listen here.

In this brief, information-packed interview, Linda Rivero chats with Bonnie D. Graham, host of the popular weekly radio show, “Up Close and Personal,” about exactly what it means to travel green.

 Do you wonder what this adventure will feel like? Just click here.

Because so much of my attention is focused on the French language these days, I’ve been noticing the remarkable number of French words and phrases we use routinely in English—and don’t even realize are not English!

Take a look at these words below, used in everyday English…that are actually everyday French. Ask yourself: When is the last time you used this word, thinking it wasn’t actually English? Most likely, it’s been quite a while!

a propos armoire art nouveau avant-garde ballet bric-a-brac brunette cafe carte blanche chic cliche concierge cul-de-sac decor

eau de toilette en masse entree façade faux pas femme fatale fiance genre Grand Prix hors d’oeuvre laissez-faire macrame malaise motif

mousse naive papier-mache passé petite rapport repertoire sabotage baton unique venue vinaigrette vis-a-vis voyeur

This list proves, once again, that language is a living, breathing entity that grows, expands and changes form every day.

Exciting, isn’t it?

 Love and Peace,