Women’s “Travels for Peace” Launched

We all know that women love to spend time with other women: talking, sharing, laughing, and helping each other. Now a travel company has created an experience to help women fulfill their dream of assisting their sisters in other parts of the world—while deepening their own sense of purpose, personal value, and connection to a greater whole.

Peace Through Travel is headed by Linda Rivero, a veteran traveler and travel business owner. Linda believes fervently in “mindful” travel; and, she adds, “that requires exciting preparation.” Linda spent four weeks prior to her departure for a Senegal trip, refreshing her French skills, learning the culture and history of her destination, and staying in constant contact with her hosts in Senegal.

All this effort stood her in good stead when she arrived to spend ten days in the villages of Senegal’s southern Casamance region.

“I spent time with some of the most engaging and warm-hearted women I’ve ever had the honor to meet,” says Ms. Rivero. “By Western socio-economic standards, they have little; yet they have a deep joy, a love of life, and connection to community and spirit that gives them an indefatigable and solid self-esteem. They have a sense of purpose and belonging that’s often missing in our fast-paced, industrialized world.”

“I’ve traveled to dozens of countries, yet I’ve never felt the connection to women—the powerful sense of sisterhood—as I felt it here, working, talking, cooking, laughing together. No doubt millions of women around the world would love a similar experience. I want to help them feel what I felt.”

From November 7-15, 2008, Linda will personally accompany six women to Senegal to assist local village women in completing the community project necessary for their entrepreneurial efforts and economic advancement: building a well.

Linda is passionate about her travelers’ enjoying deep joy and personal growth from this adventure. As a result, pre-travel preparation and post-travel conversation are fundamental to the Women’s Travels for Peace concept.

Prior to departure, the six participants will—in the comfort of their own homes—prepare their minds and hearts for the dramatic transition to West African life.
They will:
• Learn French for Travelers so they can communicate with many Senegalese
• Learn basic Wolof, the national indigenous language, so they can chat with the village women
• Learn how to function seamlessly in Senegalese culture
• Participate in Q&A sessions with their escort and hosts in Senegal
• Join in an on-going and supportive conversation with other group members.

Following the trip, Linda, who holds an M.A. in Counseling, will facilitate an online forum for participants to continue the dialogue they began in Senegal and create ways to apply their deep experience to their everyday lives.

Women’s Travels for Peace: Senegal, November 2008 will include
• all pre- and post-travel learning and enrichment
• a full-time trilingual escort
• local English-speaking guides
• all lodging in a comfortable, roomy, European-style Guest House
• all meals, most prepared by our private chef
• all transportation within Senegal
• and a philanthropic contribution to materials for the women’s project.

see Linda Rivero’s video at youtube.com and her itinerary at . WomensTravelsforPeace.net

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