Dear Reader:

When I look back on all the advice I received (after I was a single mom) it was the people who begged me to travel (which I fought back on) that were the true illuminators to my life. They understood what I didn’t… one must spread their wings and fly out into the world occasionally in order to understand different cultures… to understand life.

Then God intervened and put me in the right place at the right time for travel opportunities that were paid for through different historical and teaching organizations.

It all came about because Carol Poole and I started working for the state providing workshops to teachers around the state. The next thing we knew we were invited to fill out paperwork for a place on the Goethe Scholarship and each of us won a slot for a fully paid trip to Berlin and East Germany and surrounding areas …unimaginable trip.

One thing that stood out from that experience was the amount of graffiti on monuments, billboards etc. … especially in Berlin. I was horrified at first preferring order and natural designs.

Of course today our country( especially large cities) are filled with graffiti. And I have seen this issue presented differently … telling the artists’ stories behind the works. Beautiful stories… their own form of storytelling and recognition.

Another time…the state department in Social Studies presented me and some friends ( who created an award-winning project) an opportunity to trade places with an educator in Denmark – two weeks teaching there and two weeks them coming here… Copenhagen and Benedikte Christensen coming to live and teach in Summerville.

It was quite the opportunity-paid for completely by the state! We still see several Danish friends who have returned to visit!

After Carol Poole and I retired we continued to have traveling opportunities-more within the US and (Carole and her husband still travel frequently.)

Then along came Anne Peterson who had just retired and she got me to Ireland and Maine! Both beautiful!

When I went to Ireland and Maine.. I was retired and fighting cancer…but now I understood what I had not earlier… my whole being was seeking new places and opportunities… now I understood the importance of seeing the world upclose and personal!

And what fills my memories these days? my wonderful trips…I thank God for providing the way for me… leading me onto new paths. 🙏🏻

Enjoy the week … and the groundhog making his prediction! Hope! February… yeah!!

PS. None of my trips would have been possible without the help of my amazing Dingle family who always offered to help out at home and encouraged me to take advantage of the opportunities to travel.