Fun Tour Guru Goes Off the Beaten Path

Celebrate International Day of Older Persons

2022-09-30T15:28:00.003-07:00

United Nations International Day of Older Persons

I am pleased to join with multiple global organizations and celebrate the United Nations International Day of Older Persons, October 1, 2022. The 2022 theme is Resilience of Older Persons in a Changing World that offers a unique and complimentary approach across countries. Thank you for this awareness and support from my conversations with Canadian and USA colleagues a few months ago.

Clarity came to me this year on letting go of the past data with old government systems and embrace living longer and healthier lives because of new ideas and innovations supporting each of us. These new ideas are changing each of us and our daily stories are all valued.

Older Women Collaborating on Story Ideas
Picture is Shared Courtesy centre for aging better unsplash photographer

New York Commemoration: “The Resilience and Contributions of Older Women”

I celebrate the special New York Commemoration “The Resilience of Contributions of Older Women” because I am a part of three generations of women throughout the past 100 years.

“While older women continue to meaningfully contribute to their political, civil, economic, social and cultural lives; their contributions and experiences remain largely invisible and disregarded, limited by gendered disadvantages accumulated throughout the life course.”

“UNIDOP 2022 is a call to action and opportunity aimed to embrace the voices of older women and showcase their resilience and contributions in society.”

Objectives of International Day of Older Persons 2022 #UNIDOP2022:

To highlight the resilience of older women in the face of environmental, social, economic and lifelong inequalities
To raise awareness of the importance of improved world-wide data collection, disaggregated by age and gender
To call on member states, UN entities, UN Women, and civil society to include older women in the center of all policies, ensuring gender equality as described in the Secretary-General’s report, Our Common Agenda

The 2022 theme of International Day of Older Persons (UNIDOP) and "Older Women" serves as a hallmark and reminder of the significant role older women play in traversing global challenges and contributing to their solutions with resilience and fortitude.

Three Generations of Women - My Celebration Story

Mother and I are a part of three generations of women stories who have seen the milestone achievement of 1919 of women voting rights amendment in USA, career women working outside the home during the second world war, balance of raising family, and contributing to local communities they are a part of.

My Grandmothers lived a short distance from each other in Kansas and Oklahoma in the early 1900s in USA without ever knowing each other. They both shared the experience of relocating to different locations and starting lives and beginnings in their new communities - one moved across state lines and the other relocated as an immigrant from another country each focused on a better life for themselves and family.

Mother, Teacher, and Career Woman

Mother was a child when women received the right to vote, and I have her silent example of how important it is as a female to have our voting opportunity, She never missed the opportunity to vote in each election and I follow this example today.

Mother, graduated from college and worked first as a school teacher. I saw multiple people, students, return several years later and tell her thank you and how she helped to change their life. She saw the many challenges as a working woman in the 1940s yet resilient and never giving up. She never spoke about the working challenges she encountered.

My siblings and I had this same teacher in our childhood years, she was caregiver to her parents with cancer and late life diseases, and as a community activist during this part of her life. The fourth cycle she enjoyed her time with children and grandchildren, travel, and as a painter with self-expression.

I thank her and all older women across the world who continue to face inequalities and show us what great role models look like - we can and will continue to do better.

Let's make a difference by sharing our older women personal stories now and record them now.

Sharing my family roots stories.

And Celebrating My Family Roots Stories ~ The Fun Guru Tour

Resource: United Nations International Day of Older Persons

#UNIDOP2022

Ocean Energy, Surfers, Beach View, Lighthouse Love, Santa Cruz, CA

2022-05-13T13:19:00.006-07:00

There is nothing more calming and centering than a ocean views and a beach state of mind.

“And the wind whispers, "Don't be afraid. I am here. Close your eyes, smell the salty air, and let the spirit of the ocean move you."

“There is nothing more calming and centering than an ocean view, bright sunshine and a gentle coastal breeze. A beach state of mind is the best state of mind."

Wouldn't you agree?

Santa Cruz Surfers Lighthouse Calming Energy

I celebrate my popular picture taken a couple years ago. 20k views since 2019, 99 downloads that I shared on another web page group. Thank you.

My offer today is people may order this special treasure gift photography print for youself or a special person in your life to embrace this ocean energy and beach state of mind in your home every day. Share this special coastal place that I frequent each year.

Many thanks for sharing this and supporting me as an independent small woman business locally in Santa Clara, CA.

Profile link: "Buy my artwork and prints" @MeetDonnaW on Twitter and Instagram.

I am grateful to share with you this piece of coastal living and ocean energy I experience.

I am happy to support you in setting up your orders for prints, contact me at my website.

This is where you may order the prints yourself.

Santa Cruz Surfer Lighthouse is surrounded by hills of beauty that hikers enjoy, as well as water and beach activities. It is also a spiritual and relaxing place to turn off the electronic devices, and enjoy mindful conversations with the the locals. ~ The Fun Tour Guru

Yes I am offering this special picture to purchase so you may enjoy this special ocean and beach energy vibe.

Thank you - with gratitude and kindness.

Do you like this article? Tell us in comments below and share with your friends.

Anonymous quote shared on the internet and no reference to mention.

Picture rights Donna West, FunTourGuru

Please see this offer from the web host I use that I am sharing with you. Yet I do receive a commission payment.

Finding Family History and Christmas Again in Germany

2020-12-05T16:28:00.007-08:00

Finding Family History and Christmas Again in Germany

My Top Christmas Destination shares my family history, travel, and local communities engage with family owned businesses surrounded with amazing architecture - some reproduced.

[My short story first appeared with eight other bloggers in a December 2016 collaboration article "9 Travel Bloggers Share Their Top Christmas Destinations" from Brian Ballman. The article is not online at this time.]

I chose to visit Germany in December for these reasons – my family history – my Grandmother grew up 100 years ago in Ruhland, near Dresden, Germany, and after losing my parents a few years ago I needed an extra dose of our family, traditions, and festivities.

Dresden, Germany Christmas Markets 2014 Picture by Donna West

I love living in the California, I often miss this special time of the season of the outdoor lights, aroma and scents in the freezing cold night air, and festivities of the small communities when growing up in the Middle West USA. I chose this particular German Christmas Market Tour departing Frankfurt with the final destination of Berlin where I stayed an extra week with my cousins many who I never met before in person and walked the sidewalks beside my Grandmother's spirit of a 100 years ago.

My Grandmother picture I carried on my trip. Donna West

In side our family church, Ruhland, Germany 100 years -
Picture by Donna West and Cousin

I had the opportunity to see the popular larger markets in towns like Frankfurt, Rothenberg, and Nuremburg. The special likeness about these is that each community has an individuality. For example, Nuremburg is where I eat an unhealthy dose of Lebukuken (gingerbread cookies). I found the smaller communities like Eisenach may have a different regional type of Gluhwein recipe or German sausages. I walked through Wartburg Castle that was decorated with a medieval Christmas setting and saw local merchants selling handmade wares like wooden string puppets and there were outdoor wood fires to keep warm by.

Architecture and String Puppet Merchant
Inside Wartsburg Castle Picture by Donna West

My favorite is the Dresden Striezelmarkt which is one of the oldest German markets. Perhaps it might be a favorite because I inherited a 1930s black and white postcard from Dresden, Germany looking across the Elbe River at the church and government buildings. I was entranced with the history of Dresden – I enjoyed seeing the historical architecture of the Zwinger Palace, Semper Opera House and the Church of Our Lady even though most of these buildings were destroyed in war. Yet the buildings are now re-created for us to enjoy.

The markets were scattered around these buildings. I discovered many of the small business merchants did not know how to speak English and I learned to use my sign language to communicate as I purchased small treasures and gifts. People were friendly and a kind gentleman who spoke German walked over and helped me talk to one of the merchants. I saw a man, merchant, wind up by hand an old wooden merry-go-round for children to ride on and tasted my first hot white chocolate when I went inside a chocolate store to warm up.

Wooden Merry-Go-Round, Dresden, Germany 2014 Picture by Donna West

My tip is don’t forget to check the schedule of Christmas pageant music in the newly renovated Church of our Lady. Our group sang holiday songs while riding on the cable car on a Funicular Railway to our dinner on a hilltop overlooking Dresden where we of course saw fabulous views of the city. My favorite memories was the tour of the regional Christmas cake bakery, a Dresdner Stollen bakery and talking with the bakers.

Tasting Chocolate in Dresden - Donna West

Warming up from the cold air - Donna West

I am inspired by both paternal and maternal Grandparents stories as my research and talks show how they moved to different locations in their own past life times. It is our personal history now we share authentically.

Finding Family History

Watch my personal heritage journey trip. Finding Family History Germany.

Let's make a difference through our personal stories now and record them now.

Be a part of our complimentary exclusive Lighthouse traveler group and receive deep insights by email into your personal heritage journey and local community history globally. Each personal heritage journey trip you go on you will receive a family group sheet of your ancestry family tree. Tap and join today.

Fröhliche Weihnachten and ~ My Familienwurzelnand (Family Roots) Stories ~ The Fun Guru Tour

 
Highlights of the 
Family History Trip