Inspiring Women Magazine November 2021

November 2021, Volume 5 Issue 4

profiles
7
13
CONTENTS
Merging
American and
Norwegian
Traditions
Pamela
Wurschmidt
loves nothing
better than
hosting a party.
Life With a Headset and Clipboard
Sanya Jefferies works as a professional
events planner.
35
38
“Travel is
Back!” Leslie
Nelson’s exotic
career in the
luxury travel
business.
“Like Water for Chocolate”
Ariadna Martinez-Imbert believes
cooking is an act of love.
25
“You Should Be in Greece!” Stacey
Papaioannou on the welcoming lifestyle
of Greece.
44
The Enjoyment
of Entertaining
Large Groups
Susie Lentz on
cooking for many
and pottery.
29
Drawn to Event
Planning From an
Early Age Mallery
van der Horst on
luxury event planning.
48
“You’re Only Limited by Your
Imagination” Charlotte De Witt
recounts an impressive life of festivals
and events.
56
Talking Turkey—à la Française
Véronique Bauwol and the trials and
triumphs of hosting American Thanksgiving.
56
Changing Lives One Person At A
Time Ulrike Näumann does what she
can for the refugees she meets.
2

features
10
Making Dreams
Come True Janet
Darrow’s friendly
style has made
her a success in
helping people
find their new
homes.
17 24 Hours in Florence, Italy, The Gem
City of Tuscany Kimberly Breeze invites
us to her favorite places in this beautiful city.
32 Food Eases Homesickness for
Refugees Juliah Rais-Morres helps young
refugees settle in and feel at home through
food.
41
Simple
Moments
Make the
Memories Mary
Stange talks
about how travel
experiences can
create emotional
memories.
20
23
Hotel Apprentice, “German Style!”
Training for a Career in a
Different Culture Matt Dugan tells
us about learning his profession “the
hard way.”
Visiting Wine
Country in a Post-
Pandemic World
Amy Patrick gives
us her tips for
going wine tasting.
52
60
A Club Inspires
AWA Kenya
Cruising With FAWCO to Help
Others Ann De Simoni describes
some of the wonderful cruises she has
organized for a most discriminating
clientele – US!
in every issue
4
Advertisers Index
62
Inspiring You
5
A Note from the Editor
Liz MacNiven
63
More About This Issue
6
“Be Our Guest, Be Our Guest”
More about what you can find in this
issue from Elsie Bose.
64
65
Coming January 2022
That’s Inspired!
3

advertisers index
We appreciate the support of our advertisers!
The Short List p.47 The Short List assists students with the college
admissions and application process. Ask your club to schedule a
webinar to acquaint members on how to get started.
London Realty Intl. p.16 London Realty Intl. is owned by AWC
London member Lonnée Hamilton, a worldwide property
consultant. Her firm works with the best agents across the globe to
fulfill your property needs.
London & Capital p.34 FAWCO Club Workshops is hosting a webinar with our partners, London &
Capital, “Investing as an American Overseas” on May 26 th . They will present strategies that will aid in
“financial wellness”. Details and the registration link are on page 53.
Lauren Mescon, Rodan + Fields p.61 Lauren, member of AWC Amsterdam, works with the #1 premium
skincare brand in N. America, Rodan + Fields, offering you the best skin of your life.
Janet Darrow Real Estate p.12 Around the corner or a world away,
contact Janet Darrow, FAUSA member, to find the best properties. FAWCO
referrals to Janet help the Target Program!
The Pajama Company p.22 The Pajama Company, founded by Ellie
Badanes, member of FAUSA and AW Surrey, sells pajamas that are cozy,
cheerful and online!
Yummylicious Serums Paris p.37 Yummylicious Serums are an ecofriendly,
pure, all organic and all natural line of healthy serums for our skin
and hair designed by AWG Paris member, Kristina Soleymanlou.
Throughout the years FAWCO has relied on advertisers and sponsors to
augment its income. This revenue has allowed FAWCO to improve services
and the flexibility to try the latest innovations to enhance the FAWCO
experience. FAWCO’s advertising partners believe in our mission and
support our goals. Some directly support our activities and projects.
We encourage club leadership throughout the FAWCO network to share our publications with
their membership. Please support them! Our advertising partners have valuable products and
services and we want your members to take advantage of what they offer. For more
information on these advertisers or if you have any questions about FAWCO’s advertising
program, please contact Elsie Bose: advertising@fawco.org.
4

“P
eople will forget
what you said. They
will forget what you
did. But they will
never forget how
you made them feel.” Maya Angelou
A Note from
the Editor
I’ve been thinking about the concept of hospitality,
what it means to different groups and its history.
In Ancient Greece, for example, there were strict
codes of behaviour for both the host and the
guest. In Hinduism there is principle called Atithi
Devo Bhava, meaning “the guest is God,” which is
why so many Hindus are so gracious to their
guests. Judaism turns to the Bible to see how to
treat guests: Hachnasat orchim is all about
welcoming guests and the obligations of offering
hospitality to those in need. In Christianity
hospitality is considered a virtue and followers are
expected to welcome visitors. The prophet
Muhammad taught followers of Islam that they
were obliged to treat guests kindly. So the main
religions basically see it in very similar ways.
Hundreds of years ago, when road networks
weren’t as common as they are today, finding
somewhere to stay while you were travelling was
quite a challenge. You either had to camp or find a
local who would take you in. Then as travel
became more common, inns and taverns started
to offer basic accommodation to travellers. But it
wasn’t until the 18th century that the first purpose
built building was constructed and the hospitality
industry started to take off.
By the 1950s there were 25 million travellers
needing hospitality, which grew to 1.4 billion by
2020, a growth of over 5000%. Today the industry
represents a massive 10% of global G.D.P. and
there are 313 million jobs worldwide in the sector.
For some small countries, such as the Maldives, it
is as much as 66% of their GDP. In Europe it is
most important for
Iceland (34%), Croatia
(25%), Greece (21%)
and Portugal (20%).
Even in the US it
makes up almost 8%
of GDP.
Hospitality is big
business and
Inspiring Women
magazine likes to
tackle the big issues,
so here we are!
The women featured
in this issue certainly
provide outstanding
hospitality whether professionally or privately.
They go the extra mile so guests feel amazing and
have an unforgettable experience.
I hope you enjoy reading the profiles and features.
Please do let us know what you think by
completing our survey (p.58) or sending me your
thoughts at inspiringwomen.editor@fawco.org.
Liz x
5

“ Be Our Guest, Be
Our Guest”*
Inspiring Women Magazine Founder Elsie Bose
introduces our hospitality theme.
As 2021 draws to a close, getting together with
family and friends for year-end celebrations is a
very real possibility this year. Those celebrations
will be very special as we have waited so long to
be with each other. Postponed reunions,
weddings and other family events are back on the
calendar, and everyone hopes for a grand and
beautiful experience.
Enter some of FAWCO’s hospitality experts. We
have curated a special collection of profiles and
features about people who know how to create an
event or activity that makes everyone feel
special. Not only do they know how to “par-tay”,
but they can also do it in different languages and
in unusual venues.
There are interesting stories about those who
have moved from their home countries and taken
the time to learn the traditions and customs of
their host countries and relish at the challenge of
hosting parties and dinners. I have very fond
memories of the local residents in the countries
where I have lived, who have opened their homes
to us and shared their warmth and wowed us with
their savior-“flair”.
Hospitality is more than food and drink
(really!) How one is made to feel welcome is the
very essence of hospitality. Planning an event on
the behalf of others that is beyond any
expectations, yet appears effortless, is the dream
experience. Sharing secrets about your city is the
best gift for any guest. And because FAWCO is a
worldwide organization, we have the added
perspective of exploring these experiences in
different cultures.
Whether as a profession or as a passion, our
members profiled and featured in this issue share
the ability to exhibit “grace under pressure”, they
can think on their feet and will do whatever it
takes achieve the dreams of their guests. Many
times, they experience the crazy, the fantastic and
the impossible in this quest. But one hopes that it
is always in the name of fun.
If you are planning to welcome family and friends
or hosting an event for people you have never
met; if you are participating in a time-honored
event in your community or traveling to another
country to participate in their big activity; if you
will welcome two or two hundred, take time to be
part of the experience. “A good time was had by
all” includes you!
Elsie
advertising@fawco.org
*From the Disney musical, Beauty and the Beast Lyrics by Howard
Ashman, Music by Alan Menken.
6

PROFILE
Merging
American and
Norwegian
Traditions
Pamela Patrick-Wurschmidt, a
member of AWC Oslo, loves
nothing better than hosting a
party.
I grew up Texas as an only child. With no siblings
around to keep me company, I was always excited
when visitors came by, even adults. Whenever the
doorbell rang, I was always the one who ran to
open the door and see who was there. If it was
the Avon Lady, I was even more excited. I wasn’t
particular, though. Any visitors were welcome and
I am just as thrilled when my doorbell rings today.
Pamela Patrick-Wurschmidt
From an early age, I loved to help my mother
decorate and get ready for the holidays. Any and
every holiday! My favorite thing about Christmas
growing up was when my parents held their
annual open house. I absolutely adored helping
get the goodies and buffet table ready. When I
was old enough to be allowed to make Mom’s
famous pineapple-and-cream-cheese-candy-caneshaped
cracker, spread with pimentos as the
stripes, I felt like a real grownup.
Leaving home
When I graduated high school, I attended Texas
A&M where I received a business degree in
marketing. I always had an interest in interior
design, and love flowers especially since my
grandmother was a florist. When I had an
opportunity to take two semesters of floral design
as an elective, I jumped at it. One of my favorite
ways of making a home or table welcoming is to
incorporate flowers.
The next phase
I met my Norwegian husband, Trond, at A&M. We
moved to Munich, Germany in 1994, where I
quickly learned that, if I wanted to enjoy my
favorite foods, I was going to have to make them
for myself.
Today we are blessed with Pinterest and recipes
galore at our fingertips. Back in the day of course,
it wasn’t so easy. My first order of business was
tracking down a Tex-Mex cookbook. That’s when
my love for cooking really took off.
After Germany we relocated back to the US and
then eventually to Oslo. By this time, we had three
children in tow and my focus switched from fresh
salsa and enchiladas to mac and cheese and
chicken nuggets.
With my family
Over the years my culinary skills have grown with
our family and their tastes and lifestyles. Today
my oldest son and I are pescatarians; my husband
and other son are carnivores, and my daughter is
a vegan.
7

Getting ready
Though they no longer all live at home, cooking a
family dinner when they are can be a challenge. I
love a good challenge, though. For example, one
of everyone’s favorite dishes is lasagna, so when
we have that I make three different types – one
meat, one veggie and one vegan version.
What is “good hospitality”?
To me good hospitality means that your guests
feel welcome from the moment they set foot into
your home. So much so that they don’t want to
leave. I think one of the most important ways to
make people feel welcomed is enjoy their
company while they are there. That’s why I always
plan and prep as far in advance as possible. It’s
never fun to sit awkwardly, waiting for your host to
start dinner.
Socializing Norwegian style
I have always enjoyed cooking, decorating, and
having guests. In Norway, unlike in the US, it is
much more customary to socialize in private
homes rather than going out. Dinner parties are
usually more formal – long sit-down affairs that
can often extend into the wee hours. This took
some getting used to at first, but now I love it.
Holidays and birthdays in particular are important
times for celebration. Norway has come a long
way since I moved to Oslo 20 years ago, but
prepared foods and certain ingredients are not
always readily available. I’ve learned to adapt and
be more creative and I always love a theme.
Learning about hostessing
I am a self-educated hostess, though I learned a
lot about party planning and Norwegian etiquette
from my mother-in-law. She was the
quintessential hostess. She would clip out recipes
from magazines all year long in anticipation of her
big New Year’s Eve dinner. I still go by some of her
unwritten rules, including the following:
1. Always offer your guest a drink within the
first five minutes and make sure their glass is
never empty (that’s my husband’s job and he
is very good at it).
2. Never cook a dish for the first time when you
are having a party or it’s inevitably going to
fail.
3. Never put the same dish on the menu at two
consecutive parties unless it’s your signature
dish.
4. Never leave your guests sitting at the table
while you clean the kitchen – the mess will
still be there in the morning.
8

Themed parties
As I mentioned, I love having a theme for my
parties. I like the food, table décor and other small
touches to work together; I’ll even throw costumes
into the mix. Planning a menu and creating the
table setting are my favorite parts. Much like my
mother-in-law with her magazines, I can read
recipes and browse Pinterest for days on end,
searching for my next inspiration. I really enjoy
the creativity involved in all of it. The flower
arranging is just the icing on the cake, although I
enjoy baking and icing actual cakes too.
My least favorite part is the mundane bits –
cleaning, shopping, cleaning some more and
Table dressings
Socializing during the pandemic
I turned 50 this winter and debated long and hard
about how and if to celebrate. Norway was still in
lockdown at the time, so there were not many
possibilities. A friend gave me a fantastic
suggestion and I ended up hosting an online
party. It wasn’t your average Zoom meeting, but
was an online drag show, and our host queens
taught us how to make sangria. We all dressed up
and had a blast in our separate homes. I delivered
a special goody box to all my local guests, with
champagne and cupcakes, to make the event feel
less socially distant.
Fun at Halloween
putting everything away. I think it’s always a little
sad when I put the last glass back in the cabinet.
Thanksgiving parties
My absolute favorite party is Thanksgiving. Over
the years this has also become a favorite with our
friends, both American and Norwegian. We
normally have anywhere from 25 to 40 people. We
have the customary spread, where everyone
brings their signature dish.
I suppose we may continue to see more of this
sort of thing in the future. Although it is a
wonderful way to spend time with friends who are
far away, I think that in-person celebrations will
always be preferred.
The pandemic has taught me that, no matter the
occasion or how few people are attending, every
meal together can be a special event. Take the
time to make good food; buy or pick some fresh
flowers for your table, and don’t hesitate to take
out the good crystal, even if it’s just for you!
One of the reasons I enjoy this so much is that we
have created the perfect blend of our American
and Norwegian traditions: a potluck with turkey
and all the favorites. My husband always has a
football game on and I’m surrounded by my
American “family” (aka my dearest fellow AWC
Oslo friends). No matter how many people come, I
always put out a long formal table, white
tablecloths and all. My husband often has a wine
tasting set up, and there are always heartfelt
speeches, in particular the mandatory Norwegian
“thank you for the food” speech at the end of the
meal. Finally, in true Norwegian style, no one
leaves until the wee hours.
A Virtual 50th Birthday Party
9

PROFILE FEATURE
Making Dreams Come True
Janet Darrow, FAUSA member, uses her skills at helping people buy and
sell homes to further her philanthropic goals.
I’m practicing my royal wave: elbow, elbow, wrist,
wrist! That’s an exaggeration, but I DID receive my
Keller Williams (KW) Cultural Ambassador SASH,
pin, ribbon and special invitation to participate in
the swearing-in ceremony at the KW Mega Camp.
As a KW Ambassador, I am recognized as a leader
in my business and community, and living the KW
values and belief system, which essentially boils
down to honesty, integrity and philanthropy. It is
wonderful when your personal values align with
your company’s. It is also wonderful that my
company has spread this overriding culture of
values throughout our many offices.
Becoming a real estate agent
I came to my real-estate career late in life. In
Vienna and Dubai, I was a volunteer, and out of
the traditional workforce for 13 years. Prior to
living abroad, I had owned and operated an
industrial employment agency. Shortly after
returning to the US, my husband and I were
divorced, and I needed to determine a way to
support myself. Real estate sounded great — I
could create my own schedule, and there was no
ceiling on how well I could do. Of course, I didn’t
realize that there was also no floor limiting how
much money I would sink into the business and
no guarantee that I would ever sell anything. I
went into this career with an amazing amount of
HGTV-inspired naivete. I liked houses and people!
Selling real estate is an interesting way to make a
living. Most agents are independent contractors.
In California’s competitive market, there is one
active agent for every 131 people in the state,
meaning that most people have several realestate
agents in their circles of family and friends
from whom to choose. Competition is tough, and
aggressive agents have led agents to be ranked
below used-car salesmen in trustworthiness. The
average agent sells only 1.5 houses per year in
California. Eighty per cent of newly licensed
agents aren’t selling real estate after two years in
the business. Real estate isn’t complicated, but it
isn’t easy, either.
Finding my feet
The first two years were brutal. I did not set the
world on fire. It took me a year to make my first
sale. That’s a year of working without getting paid,
a year of absorbing the yearly and monthly fees,
and marketing costs. But I became smarter and
more serious and found unique ways to
differentiate myself from the average agent.
Listing Kathy Coughlan’s home a few years ago
I learned to build my business on mundane,
everyday tasks. I work by referral, rather than cold
calling expired listings and “for sale by owner”
properties. This means I talk to and stay in touch
with everyone in my database. When I began, I
called old high-school and college friends to let
them know I was in real estate. I asked them if
10

they were buying or selling a home or, if they had
a friend who was buying or selling, would they use
me or refer me? Yes, no or maybe! There is no
sense in being a “secret” agent. I had to put myself
out there, let people know what I was doing and
see if there was a chance they would use me. In
addition to winning business this way, I got the
wonderful side benefit of deepening my
friendships with people, because now I make a
point of staying in touch!
Setting myself apart
If you had visited Long Beach recently, you could
have joined me at one of my front-porch concerts.
These events are my way of keeping a joyful spirit
in my neighborhood. My last concert celebrated
the solstice, with local performers, an ice-cream
truck, a cooler of beverages and a collection box
for a local charity aiding the homeless population.
I love entertaining, and community events are a
great way to get to know my neighbors and do
some good for a non-profit organization. It is also
a subtle but effective way to make people aware
that I am a real-estate agent. I am also known as
the “Bra Lady” in my neighborhood, as I hold a
huge bra drive for Free the Girls each year.
Sometimes my role in life is a bit like Julie’s, the
Cruise Director on The Love Boat.
As one who believes in lifelong learning, I have
added designations and certifications to show my
skills: Certified International Property Specialist,
Seller Representative Specialist, and Military
Relocation Professional. I like to take classes to
enhance not only what I offer but also what I
deliver to my clients. I may never become the
number-one top agent, but I will do everything in
my power to make sure that I am able to do an
excellent job for my buyers and sellers.
Striving for excellence
I want my clients to succeed in purchasing or
Door wrappings
selling a home, so I educate and prepare them for
the current market. I provide them with
informative “snapshots” of their neighborhood,
assist them with the required paperwork and
develop winning strategies. Some clients are
unable to come to a decision unless they have
every scrap of information available. I make sure I
provide what they need. I help my sellers prepare
their properties for market, from staging to
making needed repairs and pricing their home
appropriately. If they can’t be there to meet a
contractor, I will be there.
During the process, I communicate regularly,
keep clients on task with deadlines, navigate
receiving and sending in the offers, negotiate
repairs and chase down lenders to make sure that
we close in a timely fashion. When a client has
made a successful purchase and escrow has
closed, I wrap their new front door with a big bow
and give them celebratory gifts. I follow up with
them if they need repairs or contractors, and
check in regularly to make sure that all is well. I
want them to feel they are assisted both during
and after the transaction, and I want to be their
go-to agent for life, for their questions and
referrals. Communication and follow up are key
elements of my job. If a problem comes up, I do
not hide from it; I handle it.
Connecting FAWCO and real estate
With Tony for a concert on my front porch
I serve a niche market as an international
REALTOR®. Bill and Elisabeth Soteroff were
friends of mine in Vienna, and he turned Remax
into an international brand. When he learned I
was getting my license, he told me he was going to
do the same for KW and that I should get on
board. Joining KW was a great decision for me, as
the training was first rate and the international
connections I have made through the company
are invaluable. I am also linked to agents all over
the world through the International Association of
Real Estate Professionals (FIABCI), and my network
of fellow Certified International Property Specialist
(CIPS) designees.
11

eferrals. That is a win for everybody: me, my
clients and, most important, our Target Program.
In short, I entered almost by accident a profession
that I love and have been able to make my own. It
enhances my friendships, gives me some stature
in my community, and grants me the ability to
pursue philanthropic endeavors. It enables me to
help realize people’s dreams of owning a home,
and to continue to be part of the global
community. It really doesn’t get better than that!
Running an international KW meeting
So I am well qualified to research and refer my
fellow FAWCO and FAUSA members to excellent,
vetted agents globally, and I can assist them
directly when they are buying, selling or investing
in California. I donate 5% of my commissions from
transactions with FAWCO/FAUSA members, or
people they refer, to the FAWCO Target Program.
To date, I have been able to give over $9,000 to
the current project, Hope for Women and Girls
Tanzania, through our member clients and
Janet Darrow is licensed real estate agent
DRE#01977602 for Keller Williams Coastal Properties
in Long Beach, CA. She is the proud owner of two
Corgis, writes real estate parody songs for fun, and
loves to travel with her
long-time boyfriend,
Tony Armand. She
previously served as
FAUSA President for four
years.
12

PROFILE
Life With a
Headset and
Clipboard
Sanya Jefferies, member of AWC
London, on why there is never a
dull moment as a professional
events planner.
Sanya Jefferies
I was born in New York City, and I am a New
Yorker at heart. I moved to a small town in
Connecticut about 45 minutes outside of New
York when I was young and stayed there through
high school. I spent a lot of my time acting and
dancing, and at one point spent upwards of 18
hours a week doing classical ballet.
One thing that sticks in my mind from my
childhood was my parents’ ability and drive to
fully immerse me in the world of the arts. Even
though we were outside of NYC, we were
constantly making the quick trip into the city to
see Broadway shows, go to museums, experience
different exhibits and even to stand on the red
carpet of the MTV Video Music Awards for more
years than my dad is willing to count.
Leaving home
Once I graduated from high school I moved to
South Carolina to attend the College of
Charleston. My love for theatre and the arts never
waned; but wanting a career that was not built on
auditioning over and over, I decided to major in
arts management, which is a business
management degree with a strong focus on the
arts. I loved living in Charleston and getting to
experience a new area of the country. Also, being
15 minutes from the beach made for a pretty
great college experience.
During my senior year of college I decided to
study abroad. I was never great with languages,
and there wasn’t one specific country I was drawn
to. I decided to do my semester abroad with
Semester at Sea, and it was one of the best
experiences of my life. I was able to travel by ship
visiting 12 countries over three months and met
some of my best friends to this day. It was an
experience that I wouldn’t trade for anything.
Next steps
Early days
After graduating from college, I fulfilled my dream
of moving back to New York City. I was hired as an
executive assistant at MTV, a place where I had
dreamed of working since I was a young. I loved
being able to help create the pop culture that
everyone in the world got to experience. I then
went on to work on global experiential events for
a stock photo company, Shutterstock. This was
great because I got to pair my passion for travel
with work. I was able to execute events all over
the world including Singapore, Cannes, London
and Berlin. This was also where I started to get
exposed to and build my love for design. After my
time at Shutterstock, I began working at a midsize
event agency called Production Glue. While at
13

The thing I like least about hosting events is
budgets! I always wish we had enough funds to do
everything that we wanted!
My favorite event
On my wedding day
Production Glue I was able to work on everything
from conferences to 20,000-person festivals.
I married my husband, Tim, a few years after
graduating. Fun fact: we are actually high school
sweethearts and had been together since we were
15! We had always wanted to live abroad and were
waiting for the opportunity to come around. It
finally happened when Tim’s company asked him
to transfer to London in 2019! I took a leap of faith
and quit my job and starting over as a freelance
event producer in a new city. It was going great
until COVID-19 hit; now we are finally starting to
see a resurgence in the industry, and it seems like
people are ready to come back with a vengeance!
Early memories of good hospitality
I’ve hosted a ton of different events and they’ve all
had their ups and downs. If I had to pick one I
would say it would be “Pixels of Fury.” It was an
experiential event that I hosted when I worked at
Shutterstock. The event included a live design
competition for graphic designers whose design
challenge had to be completed in 20 minutes only
using stock images from Shutterstock. These
designers would work in real time on huge
screens situated around the venue, while
attendees would cheer them on and then vote on
their favorite at the end.
When I was working at Shutterstock, we decided
to fully rebrand this event, and I got to work on
every aspect of it from the ground up. This
rebrand really piqued my love for design and
event design. It was so much fun to have an
impact on every aspect of the event: choosing
locations and venues, event design, catering and
on-site activation.
We took Pixels of Fury on a world tour, bringing it
five countries and as many US cities. This event
really meant a lot to me because it was something
I was able to develop and build from start to
finish. I love working in events and seeing an
entire project from beginning to end.
I was surrounded by events at an early age. My
family always had a party or a to-do for
everything. Some of my earliest memories of
events are from the Academy Awards parties that
my parents hosted every year. The planning for
these events took months from figuring out the
themed invitation to the menu - the scale was
huge!
The year Titanic was nominated, my mom made
the entire last meal they served onboard; when
Babe was nominated, we served an entire roast
pig; and for My Big Fat Greek Wedding, we went into
Queens and rented a gyro machine. (We ate gyros
for weeks.) The invitations were just as creative:
they were printed on dog tags (Saving Private
Ryan), engraved into rings (Lord of the Rings) and
even printed directly on to chocolate (Chocolat).
The process of getting creative and seeing my
ideas come to life is one of my absolute favorite
parts about events!
What I enjoy/don’t enjoy about it
I love to see people enjoying the work that I put
into an event. There are few jobs where you can
actually see your creativity and thoughts come to
life, and I love knowing that something I did is
putting a smile on someone's face.
Setting up for an event
14

Hospitality disasters
We were activating a Pixels of Fury event at
Cannes International Lions Festival of Creativity
that would be our largest of the year. We had
prime real estate on the French Riviera with over
one thousand RSVPs and even more trying to get
through the gate. With the main competition
over, the event was still going strong - we had
plenty of booze and a great DJ and people were
having a wonderful time. At 11pm, the
bartenders unanimously decided that they were
done serving and left the site. I was shocked! We
had the venue for another hour and a thousand
guests still on site – and they were thirsty!
Refusing to let my party down, I rallied the
production crew and recruited two people to join
me in tending the bar. For the next hour, it was
myself and some colleagues serving the beer
and wine to thirsty partygoers; and we were able
to make sure that everyone there had a great
time and plenty to talk about in the morning!
Entertaining friends
I love cooking and baking food from my home
country. In England, a lot of foods are similar, but
some are drastically different. I love seeing locals
try to “put their finger on” what they are eating. It
is always a good laugh to see what local dish
they can compare it to. My favorite time was
With camera operator (and friend) on the Red Carpet, 2013
Video Music Awards in Brooklyn, New York
when I made a berry cobbler, which was looked
at very skeptically until someone decided it was
just like an apple crumble. After that, everyone
ate it happily, although they seemed to think it
would be better with custard than ice cream.
With co-workers after working 15 hour days for 7 days non stop. We had just finished our last day and decided to go to the
Pride Celebrations in NYC instead of going home for some much needed sleep!
15

The importance of planning
I am always the planner! Whether it is drinks with
friends, dinners, birthday parties or even BBQs, I
am always the one finding a venue or planning
the menu. I would say that I am a walking
rolodex of restaurants, venues and event spaces
in any city I live in. Sometimes it is fun, but
sometimes it would be nice to just relax and
enjoy! That is why I hired a wedding coordinator
for my own wedding. My friends and family were
surprised, but I wanted to make sure I could
enjoy the day and not attend my own wedding
with a headset and a clipboard.
A dream place to work?
I have always dreamed of working at Disney
World. Disney is always at the forefront of event
technology, hospitality and creativity. Their
attention to detail and the resources they offer
would make working there so exciting. I think it
would be inspiring to enjoy so much creative
freedom and to be able to work with their
storylines and characters.
Working on a tight timeline for a Nike Pop Up Store. It was
all hands on deck so I picked up a roller and started painting
to get it done in time!
Why not advertise in Inspiring Women?
FAWCO club members - do you want to take your business worldwide?
Contact Elsie Bose at advertising@fawco.org to get started. We offer
great rates and comprehensive packages for almost any budget.
16

FEATURE
24 Hours in Florence, Italy,
The Gem of Tuscany
Kimberly Breeze, member of AILO Florence, gives us her top tips for a
day in the city.
The city of Florence is a world famous cultural and
historical site. It has almost 400,000 inhabitants
and a metropolitan area population of over 1.5
million. Founded during the Roman Empire,
Florence flourished in the Middle Ages and
became a world famous banking center, funding
much of the artistic and cultural flowering called
the Renaissance. The population of the city is
strongly international with over 40,000 Americans
in the Tuscan region. Each year over 30 study
abroad programs host hundreds of students from
all over the world, studying the art, language and
history of Italy and the Roman period. But like
much of Italy, Florence also has a substantial
population of healthy elderly, including quite a
population of centenarians.
Firenze, the Italian name, is the home of the
famous Mediterranean climate: wet fall, moderate
winter temperatures and hot dry summers. Spring
and fall are the best times to visit, but full summer
is nevertheless filled with visitors from all over the
world. Make your plans far ahead, as ranks of
visitors fill the hotels and agriturismi (rural farm
stays) from June to September.
Where to eat
The best experience of Firenze may be had by
staying in and exploring a neighborhood. Small
piazze are all over the city, and there you will find
morning coffee with a pastry – the Italian start to
the day – in a Pasticceria (pastry shop) frequented
by locals for their espressos or cappuccinos. That
same locale – and others like it - will have
reasonably priced, simple dishes for pranzo
(lunch), saving you quite a lot compared to the full
meal in a restaurant. If you want a full meal,
however, chose lunch over dinner. The typical
17

Italian meal is four plates: antipasto, pasta, meat/
fish/fowl and dolce (dessert). Dinner costs at least
50% more for much the same food. However,
nothing compares to a dinner under the stars –
we don’t eat before 8 or often 9:00 pm – with wine
and candles, while admiring the last bits of sun on
the façade of a fabulous building.
My neighborhood, Oltrarno
This is an artisan area with several delightful
piazze: San Niccolò, Pitti, Santo Spirito, Carmine,
San Frediano and Rondinella. They all have
outdoor seating with trees and charm, restaurants
and little shops. Restaurants abound, and almost
all are of good quality. In Santo Spirito, my piazza,
I recommend Gusta Pizza, Casalinga, Gusta
Osteria, Gusta Panino, Cabiria (late night bar),
Volume (aperitivi), Borgo Antico, the long famous
Caffè Ricchi and Tamerô, with a pizza room deep
inside, facing the back street.
Places to see
Once you have had your coffee and brioche, you
can walk from the Oltrarno to a museum, which
open mostly at 10:00 am: the Uffizi (fine arts), the
Galileo (science) or La Specola (natural history); or
to the Ponte Vecchio. This famous bridge is best
viewed at dawn, when nobody is there, and all the
shops are buckled up shut, like luggage in their
ancient wooden armor.
Visiting the Duomo complex - the 15th century
cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore with its dome
(still the largest masonry dome in the world,) the
Giotto bell tower and the Baptistry (ca. 900 AD) -
can fill at least one whole day. The cathedral has
its own museum just behind it. The Accademia
Gallery, which houses Michelangelo’s statue of
David, and another wonderful museum with
renowned, Fra Angelico frescoes at Piazza San
Marco, are a good walk down Via del Corso, past
the Palazzo Medici Riccardi (the 15th century
home of the powerful family) with its frescos by
Gozzoli. It is all walkable but then you might want
to take a taxi home.
The less frequented “treats” in the city are to be
found in the side streets, where many specialty
shops hold treasures from fabric to jewels, and
from special teas and cookies to handmade pasta.
I recommend the daily, lunchtime, food markets
in many piazzas, where you can buy a fruit and
veg picnic, or the public, covered markets like San
Ambrosio. There you will find sandwich purveyors
and a tiny restaurant where you sit cheek by jowl
at the same table as the workers. By the way,
always ask for the special menu of the day, a fixed
price simple meal designed for the workers and
good value for money. Wherever you go, always
try the side streets for a sweet surprise.
The afternoons in regions south of Emilia-
Romagna are very quiet from 1:00 to 4.00 pm
because the locals are home eating and NAPPING!
This is a pretty good time to visit a museum, but
buy lunch first and take it with you because the
shops will be closed. You will find this practice a
great idea as well to rest up for the evening
events, which last until midnight at least.
The area around Florence also has its own special
attractions. Fiesole, above the city, has large
Etruscan and Roman ruins and offers the very
best view of the whole of Florence from the
18

AILO Florence Christmas Bazaar
restaurant Terrazza 45 in Piazza Mino. Further up
the hill in Fiesole, you can sit on the terrace of the
Casa del Popolo with a beverage and view the
opposite vista of the Florentine Hills
Evenings in Florence
Evenings you may chose to eat light at a bar
spread called an aperitivo, or apericena, if it is more
substantial. From 6 or 7 to 9:00 pm, you are
entitled to eat all you like from the buffet for the
price of a slightly more costly beverage. In some
places, it is served at your table. Their clientele is
mostly the younger set but all are welcome
including children and dogs.
Music and concerts start at 9 or 10:00 pm. Florence
has several concert halls, and some musical events
are held in small, once private theatres and
chamber venues. There is a zone in the Oltrarno
where jazz clubs can be found. Check the listing in
the English language newspaper The Florentine or
in the Tuscan Trends online newsletter on the
website magentaflorence.com for details and
times.
As it is in much of Italy, the nightlife in Florence
lasts long into the night, and if you are up early,
you may find the last of the celebrants still up at
7:00 am. It is a student city after all.
About AILO Florence
The American-International League of Florence
(AILO ODV — Organizzazione di Volontariato) has
an international membership and was founded in
1975 by American women. AILO's mission and
purpose are to contribute to the community’s wellbeing
through projects of social assistance and
fund-raising for charities within the city and
province of Florence. It also endeavors to promote
friendship and understanding between its more
than 150 members and the Italian community
through cultural and social events.
The most important club event is an annual
Christmas Bazaar, where donated goods, new and
used, and hand made by club members or friends
are sold to the public to fund grants to certified
charities in the province of Tuscany.
Kimberley Breeze has been
the President of AILO
Florence since 2019 and
member of the club since
2009. Originally from
California, she began
visiting Italy in the 60s
during a three-year
European “walkabout,”
passing “across the top” in
the winter and from Sicily to
Switzerland in the summer.
Widowed in 1999, she came
back to Italy annually to revisit her walkabout route
and then in 2008, moved back for a “short time”. She's
still there!
19

PROFILE FEATURE
Hotel Apprentice, “German Style!”
Training for a Career in a
Different Culture
Matt Dugan tells us about learning his profession “The Hard Way”!
I grew up in and around the Tampa Bay area of
western Florida. Most memories are honestly
pretty good and rather hot (which is expected
living in the Sunshine State). Anyway, I had a
rather diverse education growing up. I’ve been
homeschooled as well as attended public, private
and charter schools.
I used to think my family was crazy for these
decisions but looking back now I have to admit I’m
grateful for it. I have in no way had a traditional
upbringing, but have instead always been
encouraged to try different things. I think this has
really defined my life so far, sort of in a constant
state of change, willing to take on the next
challenge no matter how crazy it sounded. For
instance: when I left Florida to go live in Germany.
Leaving home
My family actually left me first to go live in
Germany. My early adulthood can honestly be
best described as fast-paced and overworked. I
was attending a state college for two semesters
while also working probably close to 50+ hours a
week just to survive. I was working in fast food
and also as a sushi chef, while trying to balance
whatever form of social life I had. By no means
did I ever think that I was going to end up in
culinary or becoming a chef. The sushi chef gig
really just stuck out to me as something unique
and as much as I loathed my job in the fast food
industry, I must say it really inspired me to pursue
a more successful career field. Eventually Florida
became redundant and I knew I needed a change.
Moving to Germany
So I moved to Germany in late 2016. I saw no
future to be had in Florida and my parents could
not stop raving about the opportunities in
Munich. It seemed like the right idea given my
current record. Picking ‘Gastronomy and Hotel’
was not a set decision, but the opportunity to
work in an environment where my English was
necessary and my German could be bettered was
too good of a chance to pass up.
It turned out to be the right decision (one I have
not come to regret even with the current situation
of things). I just recently finished two years of my
apprenticeship and am currently in the midst of
graduating after completion of my third year.
This has been a most challenging adventure but
one I believe will really enhance my language
skills and better me as a person. My family is also
doing great and absolutely loving all that Munich
has to offer. There is something absolutely
amazing about the quality of life being offered
here, and the opportunities really do feel endless.
What is good hospitality?
With my parents
In a professional sense, good hospitality is
defined as a “lived experience.” The guest should
receive a service that equates to a life experience.
I have always found this a bit broad. It tries to
20

inspire without any clear instructions on how to
achieve this effect.
For me good hospitality is simply a feeling of equal
satisfaction between worker and guest. As a guest
you get a feeling of importance, and as a worker
you get to enjoy the satisfaction knowing you have
the skills and means to satisfy the needs and
wants of said guest. “Your luggage was lost at the
airport?” Not a problem, you can rest and relax
and we’ll inform you immediately once the
luggage has been found and sent here. “First time
staying with us?” Well welcome, can we interest
you in a welcome drink on the bar? “You can’t find
a single bar that knows what a Manhattan is?” No
problem, do you want Rye or Bourbon? It’s the
simple things that go a long way.
The best and worst of the job
It is simply great to be part of a team and pull
something off with high praise from everyone. You
truly feel the success of the event after all the
planning, coordination, decorations, fixes,
alterations and so on. Events are by no means an
easy feat and I’ve been part of some disastrous
events in the past. Honestly, I would even go so far
as to say that events really show off a hotel’s
overall ability to communicate with each
department in an effective manner. Worst part of
an event? Easy, clean up. No one wants to do that.
Biggest hospitality disasters?
So we had planned to do a New Year’s Buffet. In
the past they had been quite well attended and
popular. For whatever reason, this year it was
decided to announce the event on the actual day,
i.e. 31 st of December. Needless to say most of our
guests had already made plans of course.
In the end, due to some poor decisions and a lack
of communication, there was a serious waste of
food. I actually think more employees were served
drinks than actual guests. The whole event is now
fondly remembered as a big inside joke. However,
we won’t be having any New Year’s Buffets
anytime soon.
At work with some of my colleagues
Biggest hospitality challenges to
overcome?
Try the whole language barrier. It’s one thing to
learn a new trade, but a complete other thing
when you struggle at times to understand HOW to
learn said trade.
I have had some seriously embarrassing
moments; however, I am a firm believer in
overcoming challenges and bettering yourself
from them. Truly, I think there is no finer way to
learn a language then being forced to
communicate in it. In some ways my misfortune of
not fully understanding the German language has
made me quite fortunate!
Hospitality in a post-pandemic world?
The recovery process for the hotel industry has
been a slow one at that. Although vaccinations are
on the rise, it feels at times that we are still far
from out of the woods. However, I remain
optimistic and see little by little each day some
resemblance of normality trying to crawl its way
back in.
For the most part guests also seem to be very
excited to have a chance to visit Munich again. We
still have rather strict rules within the hotel itself
which at times can be rather bothersome. In the
end, COVID-19 has really left many with a feeling
of uncertainty. Yes, the signs are there that things
will get back to the way they once were, but so far
no one can truly say when that will be.
Working in a fast food restaurant
Some employees even treat guessing about the
end of the pandemic as a taboo. You just don’t
guess. YOU DON’T GUESS!! COVID-19 has without
a doubt, been the biggest challenge for hospitality,
more challenging than any gala dinner or the
most difficult of guests. Still, it is a great feeling to
be working again and greeting guests for the first
time in months!
21

At work in Munich
Would you change your past?
I honestly don’t think I would. Isn’t the point of
regretting something to acknowledge it, thus
bettering yourself and moving on? How else can
you learn? Still though, there was this one time I
drank way too much white wine during a Wine fest
and woke up with an absolute stinger of a
hangover the next day before a 6am shift. Yeah, if
I could have a do-over that would be the moment.
Who am I kidding; I would probably do it again…
procrastination, lack of motivation and
spontaneous laziness at times. I have never been
proud of this at all. Granted that it is nice to
succeed in tasks, I have really just had too many
close calls on things that could have completely
been avoided had I taken more time to accomplish
them sooner. My mom jokes and calls this my
modus operandi, but she’s not wrong either. It is
incredibly aggravating to be stuck time and time
again in these situations that could have been
easily avoided. Yet in some ways, I have also
grown as a person and learned some really
valuable lessons due to the “hard way.” Wouldn’t
it be nice to magically wave your hands and have
these problems disappear? Then again, I would
probably find fixings things “magically” too easy
and end up doing things the “hard way” still…
Matthew Dugan, son of
Munich IWC member Lori
Dugan, was an Education
Award Recipient in 2021
and used the award to
fund his studies.
What would you magically change about
yourself?
I have this terrible tendency of learning things the
“hard way”. This comes in the form of
22

FEATURE
Visiting Wine Country in a
Post-Pandemic World
Amy Patrick, member of FAUSA, gives us some tips on how to
go wine tasting!
We’re all breathing a collective sigh of relief that
the worst of the global pandemic is hopefully
behind us and looking forward to making up for
lost shared experiences. There were many
business casualties in 2020, but most industries
were not as decimated as the hospitality industry.
We’re all excited to support those restaurants,
wineries and hotels that made it to 2021, even
though things may look a little different than what
you remember. I spoke with two wine country
hospitality professionals to get the inside scoop
on what’s changed, how happy they are to see you
all again, and how you can help keep your favorite
places open for business.
Book Everything Early, Arrive on Time
The days of walk-in, ‘belly up to the bar’ wine
tastings or walking into restaurants are over in the
busiest wine tourist regions, with very few
exceptions. Wineries and restaurants were forced
into a fairly stringent appointment-only system
during the pandemic, and extended labor
shortages in the hospitality industry have meant
that these practices have not been lifted. Make
your wine tasting and most dining reservations
when you make the rest of your travel plans. It
may sound rigid, but it will be better than finding
out upon arrival that your favorite places don’t
have room for you.
Be prepared to pay in advance when booking
wine tastings or paying a deposit when booking
a restaurant. Businesses that lost 80% or more
of their income in 2020-21 cannot afford for
tables to sit empty due to last-minute
cancellations or no-shows. Promptness is
appreciated now more than ever, as well as
booking reservations for the total number of
people in your party, regardless of whether they
will all be tasting. It’s perfectly acceptable to share
wine tastings – it keeps costs down for visitors and
prevents guests from over-imbibing, which makes
the roads safer for everyone.
Tracey Hoff, Estate Director at Pine Ridge
Vineyards in Napa Valley, has this advice: “We are
not alone at Pine Ridge in having to reschedule
parties if they’re 15 minutes late or more. If you’re
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going to be late, please call the winery. It gives the
team an opportunity to work around your delay. I
would suggest a minimum half hour between
appointments, even if the wineries are close, due
to traffic. As Napa gets busier, so do the roads.
They are all two-lane highways and can be
unforgiving during peak times. Also consider that
during harvest, trucks and extra workers are all
populating the roads as well. Before you go,
program the wineries you’ll be visiting into your
phone. Having their phone number and address is
helpful for quick navigation or reaching out if
you’re going to be late.”
Silver Linings
Stephanie Wycoff, Estate Director at Seghesio
Family Vineyards in Healdsburg (Sonoma County,
CA) freely admits that while the pandemic was
horrible for so many people, it was also a wake-up
call for the winery. “The pandemic forced us to
make better use of our outdoor space and
develop processes for serving guests away from
the tasting bar.”
Kunde Vineyard, hilltop tasting
though wineries have needed to raise their hourly
rates and even offer signing bonuses to get staff
back to work after reopening. This competition for
workers has been particularly hard on small
wineries that relied heavily on visitors before the
pandemic, because many can’t afford a fancy
checkout system. Cash is king at these lesserknown
gems if you do want to show appreciation.
Take it Home with You
Titus Vineyards
Stephanie and Tracey both report that the small
group, reserved seated tasting experiences
implemented during the pandemic allow winery
staff to give a higher level of customer service to
guests and allow visitors to have a more insightful
tasting experience than waiting to be served at a
tasting bar. Even though maximum guest
restrictions have been lifted by state and local
governments, many wineries are keen to keep
the maximum guest count at six to continue
devoting staff energy to giving these more
personalized experiences.
To Tip or Not to Tip?
If you really enjoy the personal service given
during your wine tasting, should you tip your
host? There are no set rules to tipping in wine
country, it is not expected but always appreciated.
Tasting room point-of-sale systems were already
adding tip lines to the checkout process before
the pandemic and this feature has become highly
desirable in recruiting hospitality staff, even
When your wine country journey is over,
remember that rules vary by state but most will
allow you to ship any wine purchased in a tasting
room to your home. To protect your wine from
extreme temperatures, tell your host when you
will be back home to receive packages so they can
hold your shipment until then. Consider joining
the email list or club at wineries you particularly
enjoy to receive nice perks, access to wines not
available anywhere else, and discounts on your
purchases. Wineries relied heavily on their club
members to weather the pandemic closures and
will continue to do so during increasingly severe
fire seasons. If your budget is tight and you plan
on purchasing later, take a picture of the label of
the wines you like so you can remember that
delicious wine when you
get home!
Amy Patrick has worked in
the wine industry for more
than 20 years in various
capacities. She is currently
the Marketing & Public
Relations Manager for the
nonprofit Sonoma County
Vintners, which combines
her love of wine with giving
back to the community. She
and her British husband recently moved back to the
USA after living in England for a decade. Amy has a
WSET Level 3 certification and runs a monthly virtual
wine tasting group for FAUSA members.
24

PROFILE
“You Should Be in
Greece!”
Stacey Harris-Papioannou,
member of AWO Greece, tells us
how the pull of the Greek way of
life proved impossible to ignore.
Stacey Harris-Papaioannou
As a 60+ sexagenarian, my Greek heritage has
shaped every step of my journey as a child and an
adult. My lineage is Greek, deeply Greek. My
mother’s family immigrated from the island of
Mykonos to the US before World War I. Born in
the US, she was raised in a very Greek
neighborhood in Joliet, Illinois. My dad was born
in Mykonos. He immigrated to the US in the mid-
1950s. He sought out other compatriots and
ended up in Joliet, where he met my mom.
Our friends and family were very much
entrenched in Greek language, traditions, cuisine
and ritual. My father spoke Greek to me
exclusively – something for which I resented him
at age six, 12 and still at 16.
In the Greek community, there was a very distinct
line drawn between Americans and us. Kids in the
neighborhood would come over to see an entire
fish plated on the dinner table, eyeballs and all.
After school, there weren’t just Brownies and
ballet: there were also language lessons in the
mother tongue, with two dedicated afternoons at
Greek School at our parish. And there were plenty
of summer visits back to Greece to see the family
– specifically Athens and Mykonos.
I have precious memories of running barefoot on
the flagstone narrow streets from my
grandmother’s house when my grandfather
would sail back into port on his kaiki-a hand-hewn
wooden fishing boat with the day’s catch. When in
Greece, I appreciated being bilingual; it made
such a difference in developing relationships with
my cousins and aunties, neighborhood kids and
of course, boys!
Leaving home
I finished high school in three years. I was in a
hurry to get on with being a grown-up. Looking
back, I didn’t exactly go very far. I went to a state
university in DeKalb, a 90-minute drive from
home. I arrived at college, aged 16, and a life of
independence from parents and all that I knew.
As a toddler
I majored in journalism and education. During my
time at school, I wrote for the campus publication
(the Northern Star), worked in both my dorm and
the cafeteria, completed my student teaching and
received my degree. The aspiration of being a
writer morphed into teaching high school
journalism, English composition and advising
student publications.
25

materialized once we were married. His parents
often moved in with us for periods and finally his
father stayed permanently. As much as I loved
Greek culture, the suffocation of family was the
element I never embraced.
Today, 15 years post parting as a couple, we
reside on the same property and have an
amicable relationship. Our sons, 24 and 29, still
live at home with me and have taken over the
management of our property rentals. Ironically, I
am living a life my younger self would have been
shocked by—yes, I cook for my adult sons and do
their laundry and they probably won’t move out
until they’re in permanent relationships!
With my sons Dimitri and Aristos
But always there was Greece, a mini-Satan on my
shoulder telling me I should be there. I loved
Mykonos, I loved the culture and I loved the
people (a couple of male people in particular).
Teaching offered me the opportunity to travel for
a few months every summer. Friendships grew
and summer romances blossomed until finally I
couldn’t ignore the deep need, the draw of my
roots, my lineage.
One of the summer romances was the gamechanger.
I had said no to several guys from the
summer romance grouping who wanted to
become permanent fixtures in my life. But I
couldn’t get past the wall of family that was a part
of their package; most of these men were adults
that still lived with their parents in the family
home with their mothers looking after them.
Moving out and having your own place before you
were married was not a part of the mentality at
the time—for that matter, it still isn’t today! Greek
families were an integral part of any married life
you would have with a partner.
The resentment I had for my dad as he would
speak to me in Greek in public haunted me every
time I was out and spoke to my children in English.
I would say something in English, heads would
turn, my sons would stare at me in horror—
preferring my accented Greek so they wouldn’t
stand out and be different—something most
FAWCO moms are quite familiar with!
Aside from running a retail operation, we
eventually branched off into property
development. Property has always been a prime
need in Mykonos. So, we built an apartment
complex, one of the first on the island – a 20-unit
rental property of one and two bedroom
apartments. Today we still rent these apartments
out, mainly to seasonal staff working with the local
hotels and restaurants.
Today, I am retired from both retail and building
management, and am exploring the next chapter
of change in my life. I am once again working in
publication, writing and editing for an online
media outlet that focuses on Greek news
published in English.
The candidate, Vasili, was a charming electrician
who had moved to Mykonos independently of his
family, opened his own business and had his own
apartment. He was a modern man with wit and
humor: I also happened to be crazy about him.
We got serious over a couple of summers with
plenty of letters and transatlantic calls. He offered
me a life with him in Mykonos, without a family to
hover over us, and I couldn’t resist. He arrived in
March, we were married, I finished the school year
and packed up for Mykonos.
GR84600 has been my permanent zip code for
more than three decades. Vasili and I ran a record
shop, book shop, toy store and office supply
business together for 27 years. We raised two
sons and built a home and rental properties
business together.
The marriage survived for 20 years. The
independent electrician’s family suddenly
Entertaining author Aurelia in Mykonos
26

core function was to make sure they enjoyed the
island. Beyond the basics of polite service, my
customers were always a bit stunned when a very
Greek-looking woman stood across the counter
from them as they purchased a book, a postcard
or a cd and spoke to them in perfect American
English. Curiosity overruled good manners and
most sought the story behind it. I would almost
always take the extra time to share a bit of
information. More times than not, this led to long
conversations, with many folks coming back
during their stay wanting local tips and some tales.
Many of those encounters turned into lasting
friendships over time.
Outside Billys in Mykonos
What is “good hospitality”?
There is a word for hospitality in Greece that dates
back 3000 years – Philoxenia. It literally means
Friend/Philo to the Stranger (foreigner)/Xeno. In
Greece, there is a cultural tradition of embracing
the foreigner.
I have vivid memories of sitting in my
grandmother’s kitchen at lunchtime. The door was
open to the quiet street and any passersby could
see us dining at the table. One afternoon, a
bearded young man came to the door and in
broken Greek asked where the hardware store
was. My grandfather rose from the table and took
him by the hand a few streets away to Kontarini’s,
the local ironmonger. When he returned, my
grandmother scolded him that his food had
gotten cold and the flies were at it. “What could I
do Marina?” he responded. “Explaining how to get
there would have taken longer than walking him
there.” Being gracious and kind was innate. As a
fisherman, there were often long periods at sea, at
the mercy of the weather, sometimes having to
dock on remote islands. My grandather was
fortunate to find hospitable residents that would
often share food and water when he could not
travel back to Mykonos. He often reminded me
that were it not for the kindness and hospitality of
these individuals, he might not have survived.
Our home was designed with a guest bedroom
with its own bath and depending upon the time of
year friends or relatives arrived, they might enjoy
a studio or furnished apartment for their visit. For
those new to Mykonos, there was always a bit of
cultural dissemination—local customs, cuisine,
folklore and a bit of touring to great spots not
included in the guidebooks, such as a pig festival
or the celebration of a saint’s day.
Summer always meant smiling a lot and making
time for everybody. There was always the notion
that this person may never return so give them
the best experience possible, whether family,
friend or retail client. It’s tiring and time
consuming but you are making memories for
yourself and for your visitors, so the exhaustion is
worth it.
The pandemic demonstrated that the memories
of lives filled with travel and exploration have
become a precious commodity to us after 16
months or more of lock-down.
No food, too much wind
Delos is one of the most important mythological,
historical and archaeological sites in Greece and is
only a 30-minute boat ride from Mykonos. You can
easily see it from many of the island’s south
beaches; it’s that close. A few years ago, I found
Harsh times with few conveniences were a reality
across Greece for the period following the wars.
The country was industrialized but a large portion
of the population still lived in mountain regions
and islands with very limited modern
conveniences, even up until the late 1960s. The
islanders were especially sensitive to being
welcoming to strangers.
My involvement
Although not formally involved in the business,
hospitality became a part of the package of living
in Mykonos. As the owner of a retail business with
customers who came in from across the globe, my
Entertaining visitors to Mykonos
27

myself assisting a 20-strong interactive performing
dance troupe on the island. However, for three
days, there were gale force winds and none of the
small boats that travelled to the archaeological
site could make the crossing, including the one
with their food!
Fortunately, the guards and archaeologists
opened their hearts, cupboards and refrigerators
to the artists. They shared their groceries and
cooked and dined together. In the end, the
performance never took place with an audience.
In fact, any performance scheduled to take place
on the island seems to have run into some sort of
trouble thanks to natural forces—high winds,
rough seas—the stuff of mythical gods wreaking
havoc for humans.
Hosting the FAWCO Cultural Youth
Volunteers
Hosting the cultural youth volunteers was the
most rewarding hosting experience I have had. I
was completely in my element. Teenagers are my
favorite age group. I think it is why I happily turned
to teaching high school English and journalism
instead of pursuing a path in editing or writing.
Lots of energy, curiosity, sensitivity and readiness
to embrace adventure could sum up each youth
volunteer I’ve met.
It was great fun and highly enjoyable to introduce
the youth to Greek culture, landmarks, cuisine and
opportunities to give. I would happily stage a
group reunion—it was such a pleasure to be
around the energy and enthusiasm of the October
2019 Athens youth!
Creating memories
While in Greece, dancing and great food are the
two ingredients that create memories for a
lifetime. And in Greece, both eating and dancing
are quite spontaneous. You will find folks dancing
on the streets while they take healthy bites of a
souvlaki pita wrap. Music is ever present as is the
smell of good food, whether you are at a
restaurant or in a residential neighborhood.
Celebrating USA Independence Day with Ambassador and
Mrs. Pyatt with AWOG
My memoirs
A book about my life would be dedicated to my
“Mykonos Gal Pals” – the foreign women who have
been my allies, confidants and source of joy and
good times as I have navigated life in a country
not of my birth. I would not have survived without
their support and friendship. They have been coconspirators
in all my adventures.
Something I would change from the past
If I could wave a magic wand and return to my 24-
year-old self, with a few years of teaching
experience and financial independence, I would
take a year off to live in Mykonos. I always knew I
loved the place but for whatever reason, I didn’t
have the courage to abandon my life in the States
for an adventure of likely “not professional”
employment in Greece. I was willing to do it for a
marriage proposal and a commitment to a man,
but I was unwilling to commit to myself -- plotting
untraditional adventures and lifestyles. My
contemporary feminist self is much more willing
to take chances.
Cape Sounion with the 2019 FAWCO Youth Volunteers
28

PROFILE
Drawn to Event
Planning From an
Early Age
Mallery van der Horst, member of
FAUSA, works as a wedding and
events planner.
Mallery van der Horst
I was born in Wichita, Kansas and grew up in
Sugar Land, Texas. My parents instilled
strong values in me from a very early age:
integrity, respect, responsibility, honesty, fairness.
I very clearly remember the “Golden Rule” from a
very early age…treating others the way you
wanted to be treated.
This foundation serves me in my day to day life
but also in my work in the events and hospitality
industry. I always try to create wonderful
experiences for those around me, giving the time,
care and attention I would want to receive if I
were in their shoes.
I also did ballet as a child for about 10 years;
sometimes my rehearsals would take 8-10
hours a week. Juggling my ballet rehearsals with
school and my social life took a lot of
coordination and time management, something
my job requires a lot of now. I think this
prioritization and early need for scheduling has
helped me a great deal in life.
Leaving home
Once I left home, I went to Texas A&M University
where I earned a degree in Recreation, Park &
Tourism Science along with a minor in
Horticulture and certification in Professional Event
Management. During my time at Texas A&M, I
interned with an event planner in College
Station, Texas and was the President of the
Student Event Planners Association.
Moving to the Netherlands
Two weeks after graduating from college, I
moved to the Netherlands to be with the love of
my life, Menno. My time in the Netherlands was a
great adventure. I met so many wonderful people
while living overseas and was able to volunteer
my time with the American Women’s Club of The
Hague. I served on the board and worked on
several fundraising events; this allowed me to see
firsthand how events can truly change people’s
lives for good, on a global scale.
Back to the US
Upon the completion of my husband’s PhD in the
Netherlands, we moved to Houston together. We
have two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels - Pippa
who is 10 and Palmer, born in February 2021. My
parents also live nearby. They, too, lived abroad
before my father retired last year.
Me as a little girl
I currently work alongside a team of seven other
ladies as a “Belle” at Belle Events, led by Rebecca
29

Moments before the ceremony, Mallery helps one of her brides with her bow.
30

Martens. We are a full-service luxury event
planning company that plans weddings, corporate,
non-profit and social events.
I couldn’t imagine a more supportive,
kind, talented and warm group of women to work
with - I sometimes feel like I hit the jackpot! I
enjoy having a career that uses a wide range of
disciplines - many days I am looking at budgets
and contracts while I also deal with design, food
and beverage, family dynamics, marketing, trend
forecasting and more. I absolutely love what I do
and that each day is different from the next.
Starting young
From a young age, I have always seemed to be
drawn towards event planning and hospitality.
I planned my family’s Walt Disney World vacation,
hotels, dining reservations, fast passes and all at
age 12.
Over the years, I set up itineraries for multiple
family vacations and would even plan itineraries
for “dream trips” inspired by books I would read;
most notable was the trip to Prince Edward Island
after falling in love with Anne of Green Gables.
From a very young age, I have loved things like
helping my mother prepare for her Bunco parties
for her friends or designing our family’s party
invitations for Christmas and birthday. Once I was
a little older, I made a binder that laid out the
Helping a bride with her shoes
plans for a Christmas Café, a café where
Christmas was to be celebrated year round. I had
drawn out the plans, created a sample menu and
everything. I have always been creative, but
also very organized, which really helps me in my
role as an event planner.
Training for my role
I was formally trained as my degree relates to
what I do now, but I will say there is no substitute
for hands-on learning on the job. I have been so
fortunate to have had wonderful, patient,
generous colleagues and teachers along my
journey in this role.
I am very grateful to my former boss, Sarah Bett,
for taking a chance on me upon my return to
Texas from the Netherlands. Working under her
set so many great things in motion for my career
and I will be forever appreciative. We now work
together at Belle Events.
Something I love to do
I really enjoy setting a beautiful table for my
husband, family and guests. I was very spoiled in
the Netherlands with the most gorgeous flowers
from the Dutch flower markets. I loved being able
to pick up beautiful bouquets of fresh, local
flowers to adorn my table. I still enjoy setting a
beautiful table, but with a few less tulips than
when they grew down the road.
What would I change magically?
Nothing. I would be very cautious about going
back and changing something as I truly believe
that everything in my journey has led me to where
I am today. I am very grateful to all of my teachers,
friends and family. I’m even thankful for the things
that didn’t quite go according to plan along the
way as they were actually not failures but more
learning and growing experiences.
With my husband and our dogs
31

FEATURE
Food Eases Homesickness for
Refugees
Juliah Rais-Morres, member of Heidelberg IWC, explains how she got
involved in supporting a group of young refugees.
In ancient cultures hospitality involved welcoming
the stranger and offering him food, shelter, and
safety. In Malaysia, my home country, “Have you
eaten?“ was the first question a guest was asked.
I would never have thought that losing my
landscape architect job in 1998 would become the
turning point of everything that has happened in
my life for the past 23 years. Being jobless was the
most challenging, frustrating, and devastating six
months of my life. For the first time, I found my
self feeling worthless.
Serai Catering was born out of desperation, just
like many other great startups that are often born
in times of crisis. Even though I returned to my
profession the following year, I kept the catering
business running on the side and catered mostly
private events such as birthdays and weddings.
I am a firm believer that every single thing
happens for a reason. The good and bad all led
me to where I’m meant to be today: to help others
with my hospitality and my catering business‚
Serai, here in Germany.
In March 2016, I founded Cooking for Hope (CFH),
a small personal charity project to support
unaccompanied minor refugee teenagers. Some
of the refugee teenagers lost their parents and
family in the war in 2015 and arrived heavily
traumatized here in Germany, a foreign country.
Although they were safe here in Heidelberg, they
were facing so many difficult challenges. The first
challenge was the language and the second was
the food.
This is where I could step in to help with my ability
and passion for cooking. Besides being a bridge to
connect these cultural differences, especially the
delicious home cooked food, I could also help to
ease their homesickness and hopefully reach
their hearts.
The first meal I offered a group of 20 teenage
refugees at their shelter was a chicken curry with
rice shortly before Christmas 2016. It was their
first few months in Heidelberg. Later they told me
that it was the most delicious food they had had
in months after fleeing their homeland.
Taking full advantage of all Serai’s available
catering equipment, I started to cook and
organized events for up to 40 teenage refugees
who had come from three different groups in
Heidelberg since 2017. We had lunch buffets for
the celebration of Ramadan, and for Chinese New
Year, a charity buffet, a BBQ picnic, cooking
Some of the refugees together
32

classes and also other social activities. Members
of HIWC who volunteered during the events have
become the main supporters of CFH.
Another important purpose of the events was to
get them involved in the cooking activities and
teaching them how to cook at the same time.
Together we took part in the city’s yearly festival
called “Lebendiger Neckar” and “NCT Run against
cancer” with a food stand. The boys were helping
out with the food preparation, cooking, selling and
cleaning up after the event. The generated funds
were used to finance future activities.
At the same time I also let some of the boys take
part in my catering business activities, helping out
with cooking and with delivery. This gave them the
opportunity to meet other people and see new
places. In 2019, I accepted a catering contract for
a wedding in the Black Forest and three of them
accompanied me. After the event, we spent the
night in a family room of a guest house which I
booked in advance. On the next day, after a
nice breakfast, I took them to see the highest
fresh water lake called “Mummelsee”.
Meanwhile all the boys have grown into adults
and had some real successes. Two of them, who
come from Gambia and Guinea, successfully
finished their vocational training last February and
have both been employed and can now live
their lives independently without government
assistance. One of them successfully obtained a
residence permit which was a wonderful reward
for all his persistence and hard work.
These boys have become a steady part of my life
for the last five and a half years. We have shared
not only happy moments but also some tragic
ones. A few months ago, one of the boys was
hospitalized because of severe depression and
suicidal thoughts. I visited and brought him food
every week. Unlike other boys who are making
good progress, he needs more time to find his
way and he knows that I am there for him if he
ever needs my help.
Juliah Rais-Morres, originally
from Malaysia, is a member
of Heidelberg IWC, Germany.
In 2016 she founded Cooking
for Hope, a small charity
project for unaccompanied
refugee teenagers.
33

34

PROFILE
“Travel is Back!”
Leslie Nelson, member of FAUSA,
uses her time living and traveling
all over the world to find the best
trips for her clients today.
Leslie Nelson
I grew up in northeast Iowa with four siblings. I
was the fourth child of the five of us. I had a fun
childhood. One memory that really sticks out is
that we used to see the northern lights from time
to time in Iowa. I don’t know what happened and I
actually had to check the memory. Was it global
warming or pollution? No idea! Anyway, I
associate it with playing kick the can and red light
green light outside until our mothers yelled at us
to come inside. I really want to experience them
again, maybe a winter trip to Norway or Alaska.
Who’s in?
Leaving home
I went to the University of Iowa, then began a
gypsy life where I lived or worked in 15 states and
4 countries. One year I spent 300 days away from
home! It turns out the road warrior life isn’t for
me. I got incredibly burned out and started to
hate chain restaurants like Olive Garden and Red
Lobster where I felt ok eating alone at the bar.
My career in hospitality had begun working at
Club Med in Florida in 1989. It still stands as the
best learning opportunity in how to seriously
provide hospitality. I’d never do it again (and
would counsel against it for any sane person, but
still. I learned a lot!)
Moving back to the US
With all the places I’ve lived, when it was time for
me to leave southern California due to divorce, I
decided I wanted to “go home.” Like so many
expats, that’s a loaded statement. What does
home mean? I decided that the Kansas City area
was home to me. It is the only place I’ve ever
moved back to. I expect to tire of it, but so far, I’m
happy. I even bit the bullet and bought a condo a
couple of years ago.
My job
Our first trip to Disney World, the first year it was open. If
you want to know how old this is, this is the upper deck of a
747. They let us go up to see it. How long has it been since
they’d let a family do that?
I have been a travel agent for 30 years. I started in
corporate travel, transitioned to leisure/vacation
travel over a few years, and have been selling high
end luxury travel for the last several years. I work
for a huge corporation that doesn’t allow me to
mention them in print unless my statement goes
through the legal department for approval. Ain’t
nobody got time for that. So please forgive the
seeming error in not mentioning who I actually
work for.
35

Budapest on an Ama Waterways Danube cruise. This is still arguably my favorite vacation ever, although Peru is a strong
contender.
When I started in travel you had to go to travel
school. I already had a degree so I balked at that.
Because of a weird confluence of circumstances
(or the fates forcing me to do what I was meant to
do), I ended up taking the plunge and going
through the eight week program that changed my
life. I have since gotten my Certified Travel
Counselor designation, which you might consider
a master’s degree in travel, although it is not
technically that.
My favorite bits of the job
What I love most about selling travel, particularly
the kind of travel I sell, is the process of getting to
know my clients and finding the perfect vacation
for them. I’ve had people call and say they’re
interested in X vacation. After talking to them I
might say, actually, you want Y vacation, and
here’s why. When it clicks with them and they trust
me, that’s a great feeling.
I also like to be able to take the knowledge I’ve
developed from my various travels as well as
being able to tap the knowledge of my friends
who are better traveled than I, and use it to
impress my clients.
A favorite tour
I arranged an around the world trip for a couple.
He already had a framework but needed me to
complete the puzzle. The first problem was getting
him from Hong Kong on New Year’s Eve to
Singapore, then a gap, then a gorilla safari in
Rwanda before flying home to Colorado. He
wanted to go to the Maldives but couldn’t figure
out how to make it work with the rules of an
Around the World ticket. I ended up suggesting Sri
Lanka. He loved the idea! Then it was just a matter
of finding his hotels. His guideline was he wanted
the best suite in the best hotel in town. His caveat
though was best doesn’t necessarily mean most
expensive. I arranged flights, hotels, transfers and
tours in six countries on four continents in
approximately 30 days.
Scented memories
My sister and me on a Christmas Markets cruise in
Amsterdam. One highlight was meeting a FAWCO “sister”
in the hallway of the ship in her pajamas, putting her shoes
out for Krampus. You really can’t escape!
I lived for a number of years in Dubai and was a
member of AWA Dubai. The first time I went back
to Dubai after moving back to the United States,
what really triggered me was the smell of oud in
36

the air. I remember walking into the Fairmont The
Palm hotel, getting bowled over by the scent and
immediately thinking “I’m home.” Oud is a scented
wood that is burned like incense. It's not to
everyone’s taste but I love it.
Post pandemic travel
Travel is BACK. I’ve been so busy I can’t see
straight. Maybe surprising to people outside the
travel industry, cruising is what my clients have
missed the most and what is roaring back faster
than anything else.
The US National Parks continue to be a huge draw,
and people are waiting with anticipation to feel
comfortable returning to France, Italy and the rest
of Europe. My clients are spending more than they
ever have before. I think the idea that they could
be kept from traveling again means they are doing
bucket list travel and doing it up big.
What would I change about my life?
I’m really a believer that as long as you learn,
nothing should be regretted. There have been a
few times that I wish I’d moved on faster than I
did. But even with a couple of TERRIBLE jobs and a
marriage that really had to end in divorce, I don’t
regret any of them.
It was either five minutes or a lifetime ago. Who can tell!
With Renuka Matthews, Mia Syed and Cynthia Zimmerman
from the AWA Dubai at a party hosted by the Consul
General.
Memoirs
I would dedicate my memoirs to my mother. She
was also a travel agent, and the best professional
mentor I ever had. But she was also the person
who made me believe I can do absolutely
whatever I want with my life. My parents always
knew I was going to be their nontraditional child,
and they never tried to fit me in their box.
37

PROFILE
“Like Water for
Chocolate”
Ariadna Martinez Imbert, member
of AWC Antwerp, believes cooking
is an act of love.
Ariadna Martinez Imbert
I grew up in Ciudad Bolivar, which is in Southern
Venezuela, but always with one foot in Orlando,
Florida. The state where I am from borders Brazil,
so you could say I am almost an Amazon child
given the Orinoco River borders where my city
was founded.
When I was a kid, I went to several schools.
However, the school that created a bigger impact
was a Catholic private school called San Francisco
de Asis. The teaching in this school has shaped
the person I am today.
Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals and
ecology, was born in Italy around 1181-1182. After
a wild youth and a brief career as a soldier,
Francis had a conversion experience that inspired
him to renounce his family's wealth and devote
his life to God. One of the lessons that impacted
me was that we all have a past. He moved
forward and allowed God to love him despite his
sinful past. Each of us must learn to do the
same! Another of his teachings: Like St. Francis,
God will very often call us out of our comfort
zones in life. It is in such situations, where we feel
inept, incompetent, and afraid, that we must rely
on God to do what we cannot. It is outside of our
comfort zones that conversion happens!
Leaving home
I went to college in Orlando, Florida to study for a
Bachelors in Science about Hospitality and
Tourism Management. I had several student
jobs in college, as well as side jobs in the food
court of Florida Mall. We also went on a tour to
the University of Miami. The culinary department
was very insightful and nice to learn how students
are graded.
I learned about working in hospitality through the
Cultural Institute of the Mexican Consulate where
I was the assistant of the cultural director. It was a
super diverse experience because we organized
events for the consulate. We did activities for
migrant workers all the way to the VIP agenda for
the Consul of Central Florida.
Also while in college I was the President of LASO
(Latin American Student Organization) and there I
had the great experience of attending several
conferences for example the National Council of
La Raza, HACU Hispanic Association for Colleges
Me in my 20s.
38

and Universities. The focus was always on
leadership and skills development.
Many of my friends thought I was going to end up
in Washington in a caucus or in an organization
working for human rights of some sort.
I met my husband via the internet while I was still
in Orlando finishing my studies. The last job I had
in the US was the coordinator for volunteers for
the People for the American Way Foundation.
People For the American Way works to build a
democratic society that implements the ideals of
freedom, equality, opportunity and justice for all.
We encouraged civic participation, defend
fundamental rights, and fight to dismantle
systemic barriers to equitable opportunity.
Moving to Belgium
At that time, I met my now husband and that is
why I moved to Belgium. In Belgium I worked for
some 11 years for several marketing companies
doing medical research, interviewing physicians. I
specialized in interventional cardiology, but to be
honest I have done many projects in different
fields within the medical world.
While I was working full time and being a mom of
two kids I started making cakes, party decorations
and doing some catering. I started doing it for my
kids and the friends of my kids. It was not long
before I switched from catering for friends to
starting my own catering business. Eventually I
was so busy that I decided to switch to working
four days at the marketing company and three
days on my own business.
What is good hospitality?
Hospitality is the relationship between a guest and
a host, where the host receives the guest with
some amount of goodwill, including the reception
and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers.
I believe to have a good hospitality experience you
have to make people feel welcome, try to fulfill
their needs and be useful, friendly.
Me with RESPOND colleagues
Early days
I think in the days when I was at home with my
kids going from party to party, I started developing
a passion for cooking and entertainment.
However, I am thinking that being a Latina you are
always surrounded by music, food and
entertainment; I kind of grew up in an
environment where this is important. In schools,
there was always a celebration, and on special
days you did not only recite a poem, but you had
folkloric dances and created a special atmosphere
that made each event special.
Learning to cook
I have attended culinary schools in Belgium,
however, I do not hold a professional chef title, I
am self-taught to make those special “tapas
fusion”. Because of my background I do a fusion of
Venezuelan cuisine, Mexican (father’s side),
Dominican (mother’s side) and slowly including
some Cuban, Puerto Rican, American and Dutch or
Belgian twists.
Where I am professionally well trained is in cake
decorating. I hold a Masters Certificate PME
Professional Diploma specializing in sugar paste,
royal icing and sugar flower.
Favorite aspects of entertaining
With my family
The effect on people after the hard work and
seeing their faces glow from the presentation, or
seeing them happy with what they eat, is what
39

Post pandemic world?
This is a difficult to know what the post pandemic
world will look like. I think people are missing the
social contract that they previously had taken for
granted. Many people are eager to have contact
with others and mingle again. However, I think we
have to be mindful of the post corona stress too.
After being isolated for so long, we should take
baby steps to not get overwhelmed.
In the AWC Antwerp we have not been getting
together in person but we continue having
activities online. So perhaps people should accept
that some socializing will be happening online and
some in person.
With friends from AWC Antwerp
makes it special for me. The biggest compliment I
got was to compare my kitchen to Like Water for
Chocolate by Laura Esquivel.
The phrase "like water for chocolate" comes from
the Spanish phrase “como agua para chocolate”.
This is a common expression in many Spanishspeaking
countries, and it means that one's
emotions are on the verge of boiling over. Laura
Esquivel wrote that quote in her book because she
wanted to emphasize it. She explains that we’ve
lost contact with the kitchen. She wanted to
emphasize the strong relationship between
sensuality and the love of food. Cooking is an act
of love. For me cooking is an art that you master
with love!
Biggest challenges
I also think it is important to have a healthy way of
eating to keep your body in optimum shape so it
might be less compromised by viruses.
Changes I would make
I think the only thing I really miss is the idea that I
could have been working for a big Hispanic caucus
in Washington fighting for the minorities’ rights.
However, if I think of my kids I would not change
anything. They are my greatest and most precious
treasure! They are my legacy :-)
Someone I would love to meet
I would love to meet Kathleen de Lange, the
Master Teacher of the Lambeth method of cake
decorating. She is very passionate about her
career and she has this calm personality, I admire
her. So, working with her would be an honor.
I have to say combining work, family life, kids and
catering has been a big challenge. I do not have
enough hours in a day to do it all.
Working with other people is also very difficult.
Given that I don’t have a professional qualification
it can be hard when I see mistakes in the kitchen,
by those professionally trained, to make them
understand the correct way. Also, in contrast if
you work with some apprentice it could lead to
disaster. So the key is to taste what you are
making and closely supervise people. Supervise
everything and be extremely specific with
instructions, still this will not guarantee it will be at
the same level as if it is totally done by myself so
that is ok. It is important to be a bit flexible too.
I have had times that I worked through the night,
hardly sleeping because I was making sure I did it
all. Time management is an ongoing difficulty
Another difficulty is finding the right ingredients. I
miss the ease of finding everything I need in any
shop. Sometimes there is a special ingredient I
need that I can’t necessarily find in Belgium. It can
be quite challenging.
At a cake decorating competition in Belgium
40

FEATURE
Simple Moments Make
the Memories
Mary Stange talks about how travel experiences can create
emotional memories.
When you hear hospitality, you think of an
industry dominated by bars, restaurants, hotels,
and theme parks. In reality, it incorporates
anything, usually a service, where the guest’s
experience is top priority.
What you may not know is there’s a small subset
of hospitality that begins before you even arrive at
the airport. It begins at that first moment, that
first brain spark where you decide you want to
take a trip. It begins when the inspiration hits. It’s
when the planning begins.
Now, for some people, the most dreaded part of
traveling is actually planning the trip. Where to
stay, what to do, how to get there… the list goes
on. Anyone who’s planned an international leisure
trip knows the sheer magnitude of tasks involved,
particularly if you’re headed somewhere you’re
not familiar with or don’t speak the local
language. How do you know you’re not getting
ripped off or supporting exploitative activities?
Where’s the best place to stay and who can you
turn to for help?
This is where a travel consultant comes in. A travel
consultant is there to advise on your plans and
can be as involved, or not, as you want. They
become your personal travel expert and insider
that can connect you with authentic, ethical
experiences. A good travel consultant can work
with any budget and in the end just wants your
planning experience to be as easy as possible.
When I’m planning a trip with a client, I really try
to put myself in their shoes. I take my role very
seriously because once someone entrusts me to
help them with a trip, I become responsible for
creating the building blocks for how this person
interacts with and experiences the destination. I
provide not only logistical support but emotional
support as well. I need to be able to anticipate
their needs and be in tune with their expectations.
Many times, I make recommendations based on
gut feel based on what I know of this person and
what they like to do when they travel.
While logistics are fun (yes, I can say that with a
straight face), my favorite part of the job by far is
finding ways to create emotional memories. These
are those miniscule moments that are ultimately
transformed into a traveler’s future feeling about
the experience. Whenever I’m working with a
client on a trip, whether it’s their first or fifth that
I’m planning, I always ask them “what do you want
to get out of this trip? How do you envision this
trip? What feelings does this trip evoke?”
We can all look back on the trips we’ve taken and
Vietnam
41

point to the strongest emotional memory where
you can remember how you felt at a specific time
or place. Maybe it was something big like spiritual
stillness at Machu Picchu. Or perhaps it was a
small moment over a meal with friends.
Allow me to share an example. In 2016, my young
family visited Ireland. We took a day trip to Inis
Mor, the largest of the Aran Islands. After a fairly
harrowing experience on the boat out to the
island through the rough waters of Galway Bay (I
should mention I get terribly seasick), we rented
some bikes and got on the trails. Or what we
thought were the trails. Somehow we ended up
on what was most certainly not the trail. Me at
five-months pregnant and my husband towing
Namibia
our very large 2.5-year-old instead found
ourselves up a very steep incline on our way up to
the top of the tallest hill of the island. My husband
and I were both tired and becoming quite
irritated. And then we stopped and looked
Peru
around. Instead of blaming the misnavigation on
one another, we laughed, took a breath, and
rolled with it.
When we stopped at that moment, we realized we
were completely alone on top of the world, except
for perhaps a friendly horse. The moment was
simple. You don’t get a lot of those – especially
when you travel with young kids. We may have
been up there for 10 minutes or less before we
continued on our unplanned adventure. What I do
remember is feeling completely happy to be with
my family in a beautiful space and that moment
remains a defining emotional memory of Ireland
for me.
Emotional memories are often spontaneous so
I’m not trying to create one singular pre-defined
moment. Furthermore, they’re different for every
traveler even when on the same itinerary. I can’t
Tanzania
42

2. Don’t be afraid to make requests. Your travel
consultant will do everything they can to
make the trip exactly how you want it.
3. Make sure you’re comfortable with this
person. Traveling is usually a large
investment and you want to make sure
you’re working with someone you trust.
Planning unique, authentic cultural experiences is
my passion. I love putting together itineraries for
clients because I know they get so much out of the
trips they take. We travel to have unforgettable,
transformative experiences - to see, smell, and
taste new things. Your travel consultant can help
you get there.
Galapagos, Ecuador
ever predict what it will be, but the joy in my job
comes from the challenge of creating
opportunities for those moments to happen and
pairing what I know of my client to experiences
that will resonate with them.
Here are a few tips if you’re considering working
with a travel consultant for your next big trip:
1. Be as clear as you can about your
expectations. Open and honest
communication is what will make your
relationship, and ultimately your trip, a
success.
Mary is the Owner and Operations Director of Ponte
Travels, a boutique travel company serving worldwide
destinations. Her philosophy surrounding travel is
deeply rooted in respect for the earth and that in
order to be true global citizens we must take care of
the world around us.
With every trip taken,
Ponte Travels makes a
donation to help local
communities and wildlife
as well as offsetting
carbon emissions.
She is a member of the
American Women’s Club
of Bogotá and currently
lives in Nicosia, Cyprus.
Support FAWCO’s Talented and
Published Authors! Buy A Book!
If you are looking for an interesting read for your book
club, to share with your kids, to give as a gift or to
yourself, go to the FAWCO website and visit two very special pages:
* Books by Members * Books by Clubs
Choose from 36 titles, while browsing from the comfort of your computer. Links are provided that will
direct you to each book’s online purchase site. All are available for download; some titles can also be
purchased in hardback. Fiction, non-fiction, cookbooks, photo books and more. The proceeds of some
of the books support charitable projects.
Here are our three latest additions:
• Just Happiness and Fun - Poems for Children A Collection of Poems written and illustrated by
the Members of AWA Vienna. All the proceeds will go to a local Vienna charity, Die Möwe, a
children’s protection organization.
• Hope is the Thing with Feathers: Portraits of Human Trafficking Survivors and Change-Makers
Photographs by My-Linh Kunst, AWC Berlin, Essay by Robin Meloy Goldsby, AIWC Cologne, and
Mary Adams, AWC The Hague. Your $20 donation will support the Breaking the Cycle FAWCO
Foundation Human Rights Development Grant, sponsored in part by AW Eastern Province.
• The Drinnglennin Chronicles by K.C. Julius, AIWC Düsseldorf. The Drinnglennin Chronicles,
her best-selling epic fantasy series, is available in paperback, hardcover, and digital editions in all
Amazon stores.
If you are a FAWCO member (or FAWCO club) with a published book that you would like
included on the FAWCO website, contact advertising@fawco.org
43

PROFILE
The Enjoyment of
Entertaining
Large Groups
Susie Lentz, member of Munich
IWC, reflects on her life
experiences, cookery and pottery.
Susie Lentz
I am Susie Lentz, and I have been a member of
the Munich International Women’s Club, the
MIWC, for 24 years. I was born and grew up in
Peoria, Illinois, USA, and I now live in Zorneding,
Germany, about 20 km east of Munich.
My childhood was marked by my father’s death
from cancer when I was eight years old. That has
a big impact on a child. Saying that, I was always a
happy, out-going child, always wanting to please.
I met my husband, Brad, a month after high
school. It was love at first sight (yes, I believe in
that!), and we were married 11 months later.
Remember, decades ago, people got married
younger than today. Brad and I have been
married for 58 years. OK, have you added that up
yet to find out I am 76 years old? Luckily I certainly
don’t feel my age!
My education has been in life experiences. I
started working as a secretary, typing on the nowantique
style of typewriters, and before
computers were common. I worked as a secretary
at Harvard Business School, and did extra typing
of Harvard student papers in the evenings and on
weekends, while Brad got his PhD in History from
Harvard University. We had two children within 16
months, so while our young kids were running
under my feet, I typed his dissertation twice, all
550 pages of it with carbon copies.
We lived in university environments for seven
years, and that was where I started to learn about
hospitality and entertaining. In fact, I really didn’t
know how to cook when we got married. I did not
grow up entertaining others, so I started to
observe and experience others who did know
how to entertain. Entertaining in the 60s and 70s
involved dinner parties usually of eight people.
That started me out nicely with entertaining
smaller groups.
Me with my Dad
After the first nine years of marriage, Brad
decided to change careers from professor to
working in business at Texas Instruments in IT. It
was 1972, and computers weren’t common in
homes yet. Brad started without training as a
systems analyst. Then in 1976, our expat living
experience began, and we moved to Italy a bit
44

north of Naples for a year with our son, nine years
old, and our daughter, eight years old. We initially
thought we would be in Europe for one or two
years. But here we still are 43 years later, having
spent eight years in the Netherlands, 10 years in
France just over the border from Geneva,
Switzerland, and now 24 years in the Munich area.
We have loved every country for different reasons
with their customs and ways. Languages have
certainly been a challenge for me.
My passions in my life are making pottery for 40
years, playing tennis, and cooking and
entertaining. I have not trained in the hospitality
area. However, I have collected cookbooks and
recipes along the way.
My entertaining of larger groups started in the
Netherlands. We would invite Brad’s management
team and wives for dinner, perhaps 20 or 25
people. Then when we lived in France, our house
had a large enclosed veranda where we could seat
30 people. I would invite my women’s club for
lunch at the beginning of summer, and Brad
would invite international business associates for
dinner with perhaps 25 people.
Here in the Munich area, we bought an older
Bavarian house built in 1903. It has more rooms
but is certainly not open plan. We needed a house
that had space for a pottery studio and a photo
darkroom for Brad. We made a space upstairs into
a party space that can seat 22 people comfortably,
and often more people squeeze in there.
Downstairs our dining room can seat 14 to 16
people. Over the years, we have slowly added
more dishes, wine glasses, and cutlery so we can
easily entertain 50 people.
I mentioned earlier that pottery has been a large
part of my life, and it ties in here. The dishes,
bowls, serving bowls, etc., are all ones that I have
Upstairs set up for Thanksgiving
made. I make functional/utilitarian stoneware
pottery, and people coming to dinner at a potter’s
house expect handmade plates, bowls, and mugs.
I started out by taking pottery hobby lessons, and
in Holland, I fell into a fantastic situation that I had
never imagined. I met a Dutch professional potter
whose pottery I loved. Guul Jacobs is definitely my
mentor and dear friend. He took a chance on me,
and I learned so much about pottery, form,
design, and decoration working in his studio. He is
a production potter, making multiples of each
form when he works, like 200 mugs in a morning. I
often work in a series, but I am much slower.
When the MIWC celebrated 25 years in 2015, I
made and decorated 150 mugs, one for each
Mugs for the MIWC 25th Anniversary
45

place-setting at our celebration lunch for the
women to take home.
I don’t remember when I started offering to the
MIWC a Thanksgiving Dinner American style, but it
has been perhaps 18 years ago or so. This is open
to Club members and their mates/companions,
and we usually have around 30 to 35 people. One
year we had 45 people. I found it difficult to turn
people away but have eventually tried to stick to
between 30 and 35 people. This is a sit-down
dinner with tablecloths and cloth napkins.
I cook two organic turkeys, the dressing, gravy,
cranberry sauce, and perhaps the mashed
potatoes. This is more traditional American. Then
it becomes international and more fun, as people
each bring a dish to add to the table. This ends up
a noisy and fun evening with people clogging the
hallway or having conversations all over the
house. Thank goodness, a big advantage this
house has is two kitchens, one upstairs and one
downstairs. That means two dishwashers to help
with the clean up. The many rooms and long
hallway from front to back where people get
clogged are actually an advantage, as people stop
and talk to others. I serve buffet style, so that
people can easily move around and connect with
more people.
We have an auction in the MIWC every two years
of offers from club members, including walks,
dinners, concerts, a photo portrait, etc., to benefit
our charities, including the Frauenhaus/Women’s
Shelter. Since we couldn’t organize our offerings in
this COVID-19 time, I have my three offerings still
to do. I have a BBQ for summer, an offering with a
friend for a piano concert at her house around the
corner with dinner here at our home for 14
people, and the Thanksgiving dinner. I started to
offer the dinner at the auction perhaps four years
ago, realizing how many people enjoy this dinner
and ask for it, and it has made nice money for the
charities. I think in the post-pandemic world,
people are just waiting and craving social activities
A gingerbread village
and getting back to “normal.” I certainly am when
we can all do it safely.
I also became connected to the Frauenhaus
through the club. I started perhaps around 2005
organizing a gingerbread house building and
decorating workshop here. I promise the women
volunteers a lunch break, offering two different
soups and a salad. The five sets of the houses are
mixed and baked the day before. Women without
any experience have great fun learning to build a
house, and decorating it inside and out with a
variety of candies, using an icing bag to stick
pieces together. I give them ideas on making sofas
and chairs for inside, rugs on the floor, a table and
benches, an ice pond outside for the gummy
bears to skate, fences, etc.
The giggles as they work are great! After all, aren’t
we all just big kids loving to play? The Frauenhaus
loves getting these, and they are hidden to
surprise the different age groups with a house
during December. Yes, I think they enjoy looking
inside the houses and then demolishing them. The
residents at the Frauenhaus also enjoy seeing
these. Giving joy and pleasure to people is so
rewarding! This event has basically become an
annual tradition.
To perhaps sum up my story, I do what I enjoy
doing, whether in the pottery, the kitchen, the
garden, or entertaining. Oh, perhaps I would like
to be taller, and I hate shrinking now (people
already short shouldn’t have to shrink, too!), but I
wouldn’t change anything in my life. I have really
enjoyed the adventurous life I have had, and I
learned and grew with each experience. How lucky
we are! We have room in our home to welcome
and entertain larger groups, and I am just crazy
enough to do it and enjoy it all.
Susie with her husband Brad
46

47

PROFILE
“You’re Only
Limited by Your
Imagination”
Charlotte DeWitt, member of
FAUSA, started as an educator but
went on to have a long career in
event organizing.
I grew up south of Boston in the beautiful village
of North Easton, the only girl in a neighborhood of
22 boys. My father encouraged me to be all I
could be, regardless of being a girl, arranging for
me to play baseball on a local minor league
team—the only girl in the town to do so—and
supplying me with as much lumber as I wanted
from the family lumberyard to build my own tree
house in the woods next door to our house.
In high school, I was captain of the girls’ field
hockey and basketball teams, which were league
champions. Being part of a winning team
influenced me my whole life: you are only as good
as your team.
Leaving home
I graduated from Drake University in Des Moines,
Iowa, earning a BA in 1968 with a double major in
English and French. After graduation I taught
school in the Midwest for five years, returning to
Charlotte DeWitt
Massachusetts’ beautiful North Shore in 1973. I
applied as a teacher in a school for drugdependent
teens… but had no experience with
drugs, so I enrolled in hotline training at Project
RAP, a nearby social service agency.
Becoming an entrepreneur
I evolved from an educator to an entrepreneur,
helping the agency start a new program called
Child in Crisis, providing temporary homes and
counseling for abused, runaway teenagers. I
learned grant writing, fundraising, budgeting,
public relations, and project management—skills
that I have used ever since. Child in Crisis became
a national model, and… I was suddenly salaried!
After Child in Crisis, I moved to Newburyport,
Massachusetts, a haven for artists, performers,
musicians, and actors, writing grants that founded
a professional theatre company, the
Communications Theatre Group. My first grant
salaried 22 full-time people and included
childcare workers for the actors’ children… BUT…
we had no theatre. So of course, I wrote another
grant funding a feasibility study to convert
Newburyport’s historic waterfront fire station into
a self-sustaining performing arts center.
At the conclusion of the study, however, the city
would not release the building. Frustrated, I took
the whole concept outside, behind the fire station
on the newly finished waterfront boardwalk to
show the city the possibilities. The Newburyport
Waterfront Festival débuted in 1979 and was a
great success.
Festivals
Planting tulips with my granddaughter Annie in 2006
By 1981, I had decided to expand the concept to
other seaports. The result: my first company,
Waterfront Festivals, Ltd., which specialized in
waterfront marketing and tourism development
through festivals.
48

It took Newburyport another 18 years to create
the Firehouse Arts Center. By that time, I had
become a CFEE (Certified Festivals and Events
Executive) and in 1992, Chairman of the
International Festivals and Events Association,
founding its European branch and moving to
Stockholm, Sweden, as its President/CEO in 1994. I
lived in Stockholm the next 10 ½ years.
The Millennium
The Millennium was coming! I left IFEA Europe in
1997 to start a new company, International Events,
Ltd., producing “TOWARDS 2000: Behind the
Scenes of the Future,” an international Millennium
summit meeting in Greenwich, England, in 1998. I
subsequently produced the finale of Singapore’s
Millennium Chinese New Year celebration,
Chingay, working in collaboration with Dr. Annie
Sidro from Carnaval de Nice (France) and utilizing
artists and performers from fourteen countries
alongside Singapore’s own native Chinese, Malay,
and Indian populations. Live street audience:
250,000 people; live TV broadcast: one million
viewers; re-broadcasts over the next two years: 33
million. A lot of people!
Our team returned the following year to produce
another finale in Singapore, and in 2006, the
grand opening parade of the Kuala Lumpur
(Malaysia) International Buskers’ Festival. Both
were broadcast live. The cultural dynamics were
huge, as each celebration featured international
performing artists from as many as 14 countries
working in an Asian setting—particularly in
Malaysia, which is predominantly Muslim.
Today, I have produced over 150 festivals and
international events, working in some 30 countries
in 40 years. For many of those early years, my son
Chris Hansen, now 54, worked with me,
graduating from selling popcorn at age 10 to
eventually running the entire summer series of
Waterfront Festivals when I moved to live in
Sweden in 1994.
What is “good hospitality”?
Good hospitality for festivals and events involves
welcoming people, whether performers or
audience members/guests, offering interesting,
stimulating experiences, and being efficient, wellorganized,
and safe. It’s the same no matter what
the size of the event.
In the case of Singapore’s Millennium Chinese
New Year’s celebration, communication was
challenging. We had performers from 14 countries
speaking numerous languages (but not Chinese
and very little English) who all needed to feel at
one with their fellow performers, while
simultaneously engaging a Chinese-speaking
audience in the celebration of the century.
A core part of our celebrations is to teach local
people new skills, such as float-building, costumemaking,
specialized dance routines, and giant
puppet-making. The visiting celebration artists had
to feel welcome, so we would often arrange
outings where they got to know the local people
and customs, as well as each other. Finding food
they would enjoy was sometimes difficult, and the
dress codes for women often required long
sleeves and head coverings. But we were all
Dancing inflatable elephants
49

committed to creating the best, most spectacular
event ever.
Learning my trade
There was very little in the way of education for
festival professionals when I started Waterfront
Festivals in 1979, but I already had excellent
training in grant writing, fundraising, corporate
sponsorship, and by necessity, profit centers. I
learned a lot about arts promotion from Brenda
Ahlstrom, a seasoned promoter of for-profit arts
and crafts shows in Boston and part of our CTG
team. As each door opened, so to speak, I
entered…
IFEA
My biggest learning curve came when I joined the
International Festivals and Events Association in
1985 and was elected to its Board of Directors in
1987 as the representative of their commercial
members. Waterfront Festivals was an unusual
hybrid—a for-profit festivals company at a time
when most North American festivals were nonprofit
organizations. I became a CFEE (Certified
Festivals and Events Executive) through IFEA ‘s
program with Purdue University.
In 1988, I initiated an IFEA by-laws change for one
class of membership and the same year, started
the first-ever IFEA trade show/Expo (another profit
center for them). I also started a corporate
sponsorship consultancy with Dan Mangeot, CEO
of the Kentucky Derby Festival, and Bruce Skinner,
past CEO of the Fiesta Bowl in Phoenix, Arizona—
two of the industry’s most prominent and
successful experts in corporate sponsorship.
Corporate sponsorship was the biggest gamechanger
in the world of festivals and events, and
something Europeans had little knowledge of.
By 1991-92 I was elected Chairman of the Board
and frequently visited European festivals on
behalf of the organization. I learned enormously
from these visits, as IFEA only had five
international members. European festivals were
Gimje Horizon Festival, South Korea: wedding ceremony
(and guest speaker)
different! In 1992, with my Board’s approval, I
proposed founding IFEA Europe, and it was
ratified at our annual conference in Rotterdam.
We had 65 charter members, which I increased to
135 members in 21 countries by 1997. The
Stockholm Water Festival offered an office, and I
moved to Sweden in 1994 as the President/CEO of
this new organization, spending the next 10 ½
years there—a good match for both of us, given
our love of waterfront celebration.
The Waterfront Center
In the ‘80s I also joined The Waterfront Center in
Washington, DC, one of the only festival producers
in an organization of urban waterfront planners.
Again, I learned enormously through their
conferences and speakers, becoming a member of
their advisory board. In 1985, I participated in a
charrette organized by the Center for the Thames
Water Authority in London, which resulted in my
first international consultancy. Celebration artist
Marilyn Wood, a Waterfront Center conference
speaker, had a profound influence on my
evolution into the potential scale of a city
celebration using skyscrapers, bridges, and boats.
If it moved, it could be choreographed.
Both IFEA and the Waterfront Center offered site
visits and interaction with two things very dear to
me: festivals and waterfronts, and people were
very generous in sharing information. Because
these site visits were both national and
international, I experienced hospitality on a very
first-hand basis—something that helped me in
creating welcoming, friendly, interesting festivals
of my own.
Professional event production requires
professional skills. Today International Events, Ltd.
is an internationally recognized conference
producer for festival and events producers,
managers, and directors. Our signature “Behind
the Scenes” industry conferences give experiential
learning opportunities at some of the world’s most
successful festivals.
In Léon, Mexico for the Congreso Especializado Para Ferias
Populares y Festivales
My philosophy: if you can envision it, you can
make it come true. You’re really only limited by
your imagination.
50

Dinosaur float with girl in hand: Singapore Millennium
What challenges do you have to overcome?
Since our waterfront and international festivals
are primarily outdoors, their challenges are often
unique:
•Extreme weather—monsoons, high winds,
scorching sun
•Permitting and politics
•Loss of the festival venue, especially on city land
•Fire—for example, in the float barn after the
dress rehearsal the night before the production of
Singapore’s Millennium finale
•Cultural differences—e.g. Christians working in a
Muslim country; Europeans & Americans working
with Asians; attitudes towards women working in
a male-dominated field.
•Emergency planning for safety of VIPs,
government leaders (HM Queen Silvia of Sweden;
President Nathan of Singapore; Ambassador
Heimbold of Sweden, etc.), as well as for huge live
street audiences (over 250,000 people).
•Provision for handicapped participants/guests
•Multilingual staffing to make both guests and
performers feel welcome and cared for.
Attendance and artists at European events are
hampered by stringent travel restrictions for entry
into a country—particularly against Americans,
possibly in retaliation for America’s restrictions on
admitting people from overseas. American
festivals have devised creative ways of moving
forward with masks and safe seating areas, mostly
outdoors; COVID-19 screening areas and the use
of vaccination “passports”; and innovative
programming, such as the Kentucky Derby
Festival’s reverse parade, where residents
decorate their houses festively and the audience
drives by the stationary parade in their cars. One
of the most exciting and innovative celebration
concepts is the nighttime Light Festival, often in
waterfront cities such as Amsterdam, with access
timed and audience flow along an official route
monitored. The audio is offered via scanning bar
codes at listening stations along the pedestrian
route, usually with people using their cell phones.
Hospitality in my daily life?
I have always donated my professional skills to
various projects benefiting the community—
starting and funding two food cooperatives to
help low-income people get fresh food; organizing
events such as wine tastings, luncheons, walking
tours, and, these days, guest speaker
presentations via Zoom for different non-profit
groups, including the Neighborhood Association of
the Back Bay (Boston), and the 40 th anniversary
celebration of the Waterfront Center; and helping
a group of deaf-blind writers publish their book.
Within FAWCO I initiated AWC Sweden’s re-joining
FAWCO after a very long absence, then served as
their FAWCO Rep 2001-2003. I was the 2003
FAWCO Biennial Conference Chair, Stockholm,
with HM Queen Silvia guest of honor, and became
1 st VP FAWCO 2003-2005. I’ve also been active in
FAUSA. I was the 2020 FAUSA Conference co-chair
with Nancy Thornley, postponed due to COVID-19
and FAUSA New England Regional Rep until 2019.
Hospitality disasters
It would be a toss-up between the tent supplier
who went into an epileptic convulsion out in the
middle of the deserted six-acre festival site, or the
classic catastrophe of heavy rain and gale-force
winds coming in the night before our Labor Day
weekend festival was due to open, snapping the
heavy centerpoles and ripping the tents to
shreds… And then there was the man who, for
some reason or other, had had enough of crowds
and after kicking out, karate-style, at all the people
in his immediate vicinity, decided to take off all his
clothes in the middle of the show grounds.
Post pandemic hospitality
Festivals and events are cautiously beginning to
revive after a 2-3-year pandemic hiatus.
51

FEATURE
A Club Inspires:
AWA Kenya
Fannie Kagonge, club
Chairwoman and FAWCO Rep
from Chicago, introduces her club
to us. AWA Kenya is one of five
clubs in FAWCO’s Region 7.
When and why was your club started, and by
whom? AWA of Kenya (AWAK) was started in 1958
by a group of women whose spouses worked for
US firms and/or the US Embassy as well as
Americans and other nationals living in
Kenya. Their main objective was to establish a
non-political association of women to promote
community services within Kenya and to foster
social and cultural activities within the association
and the community at large.
How many members do you have, and what
are their nationalities? We have 63 members,
mainly made up of expats from various cultures
and nationalities. Some have spouses that work
here, others are married to Kenyans and have
settled here from other countries, some are
Kenyans with dual citizenship and a small
percentage are Kenyans. We’re a sisterhood of
women from around the world, who come
together to promote community services and
development in and around Nairobi, as well as
provide social and cultural activities for our multinational
members. We’re pleased to be able to
contribute to the development of Kenya through
the empowerment of women.
How does the club run? AWAK has several
committees to help reach our goals of assisting
women’s groups and self-help programs. Our
community services committee seeks out suitable
projects that need our monetary support. The
volunteer services committee is made up of
individuals who wish to get personally involved
and devote their time on a one-on-one basis.
Some of us donate our talents, expertise, or
simply a willingness to help.
We offer a variety of activities, from culturally
enriching lectures and presentations at our
general meetings to socializing at our coffee
mornings. We do group outings, “Out & About,” to
all kinds of destinations around Nairobi. AWAK
puts the FUN in fundraising! Funds are raised from
these activities and other funds come from
membership fees, and special events, such as our
“Special Holiday” lunches.
AWAK Board members
52

It is recommended that all elected officers and
Committee Chairwomen have an assistant or Co-
Chairwoman to help. Lastly, we have an advisory
board, appointed by the executive committee and
made up of former executive committee members
with long-time experience or membership of
AWAK. They serve as an un-official council to the
Board and may be called upon for club history,
financial advice, legal advice or any other advice
appropriate and/or necessary.
African heritage house
We have no offices and, with no paid employees,
virtually no overhead. Our fundraising efforts truly
benefit the projects we support. We focus on
women, self-help groups and the elderly. Prior to
assistance, projects, and charities are carefully
assessed. To assist these groups in becoming selfsustaining,
sometimes only guidance is needed
from our members. If a monetary donation is
appropriate, funds are NOT paid directly, so that
we can ensure the greatest possible benefit is
received by them all.
In regards to elected Board members,
constitutionally, two months prior to our annual
general meeting, our executive committee
appoints a five-member nominating
committee. The committee announces their
proposed candidates for office bearers at our
general meeting one month before the annual
general meeting (AGM), and at this time, there
may also be nominations from the floor. Members
will later vote by secret ballot on the final slate of
candidates at the AGM for office bearers. In
addition, the appointment of our honorary
external auditors is confirmed.
The majority of office bearers are US citizens,
including the Chairwoman and First Vice-
Chairwoman. All office bearers hold office for one
year and are eligible for reelection.
What kind of events do you have in your club?
AWAK offers a variety of monthly activities held on
Tuesdays. Socializing at coffee mornings, held at
member’s homes, take place on the 1 st Tuesday of
the month, board meetings on the 2 nd Tuesday,
general meetings 3 rd Tuesday with culturally
enriching lectures and presentations and our “Out
& About,” group outings to all kinds of
destinations around Nairobi, followed by an
optional lunch that takes place on the 4 th Tuesday
of the month.
AWAK Chairwomen helping at a self-help group
We also have regular fundraising events for
holidays and celebratory activities (i.e., Mardi Gras,
Welcome Back Lunch, Diwali, Christmas, and other
cultural festivities), as well as periodic fun events
including hiking, bowling, virtual shopping, bake
sales and visits to projects that AWAK funds. Most
of our activities are organized by sub-committees
chaired by various members of our Board.
During this COVID-19 pandemic, from April to
September 2020, we literally sheltered at home,
held virtual meetings and communicated with
members via our newsletter. We were, however,
able to continue providing funding for our five
feeding programs and special projects through inkind
assistance from donors and on-going
donations from members.
PPE supplied to the health care workers at an HIV center
Towards the end of March and through December
2020, lots of exciting things happened. Members
were making more contributions, and generous
donations were being made on behalf of AWAK to
projects we support. Thanks to a generous
donation of fabric, we had face masks made for all
53

grateful for having an opportunity to showcase
their wares. We are proud to note that we have
also been virtually hosting Beginners’ Yoga
classes, conducted by one of our members who is
a professional yoga instructor. Once a week a
class is held for our members and their guest. We
intend to plan more virtual and/or Face2Face
activities as appropriate and in compliance with
government guidelines and directives during this
pandemic crisis.
Photos from our Mardi Gras celebrations in 2020
of the project staff, the elderly and orphaned
children in our programs. We also received funds
from members to provide personal protection
equipment (PPE) to the health care workers at an
HIV Health Centre, which included surgical masks,
full-body coveralls, head caps, shoe covers, gowns,
and face shields. Weekly food parcels were
donated to a baby home along with some
accessories. Easter eggs, treats, warm blankets
and children clothing were donated to a children’s
home for orphans, two refrigerators were
provided to a self-help women’s center for their
catering class, and art supplies were given to a
school for children with special needs.
Recently, we have been holding our monthly
Tuesday events, Face2Face with a reduced
number of participants in open-air venues,
wearing masks and observing social distancing:
however, our board meetings mostly take place
virtually. We held our first virtual general meeting
with an impressive floral arrangement demo and
our first virtual shopping event, “Sip and Shop”.
Eight aspiring vendors participated and they were
Tell us a little about your city and country in
general Kenya was a former British colony that
got independence in 1963 from British rule.
Swahili and English are the official languages, and
numerous indigenous languages are spoken.
Kenya’s population is approximately 50 million
and Nairobi is the capital. Neighboring countries
are Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and
Uganda. Kenya’s southeast coastline borders the
warm Indian Ocean, with the equator dividing the
country in half.
Nairobi’s population of five million supports a
variety of fascinating cultures, religions, and
cuisines. Its surroundings are endowed with a
diversity of landscapes, animals, birds, and plant
life. Not too far out of town is Nairobi’s National
Park, the only protected area in the world with a
variety of wildlife near a capital city. The park has
buffalos, giraffes, lions, leopards, baboons, zebras,
wildebeests, and cheetahs … 100 mammal species
and 400 migratory, and endemic bird species.
Kenya is the kind of place that grows on you. It
takes some time to get used to the culture, social
society and the way things work but eventually
you make adjustments and accept it as is.
Kenyans are famous for many things; athletes that
rule Olympic and marathon tracks, rain and traffic
that are almost synonymous, traffic rules being
mere suggestions, being a place where aloofness
reigns particularly concerning the government,
and last but not least, Kenya is the land of
promises that do not really have to be
kept. Despite all these, there are some habits that
inspire some sense of belonging. Kenya is a
magical place, full of exciting experiences and
there are many on offer.
What are a few undiscovered gems in your city
and/or country?
KARURA FOREST is an urban upland forest on the
outskirts of Nairobi. This remarkable geographical
location and natural resource is one of the largest
gazette forests in the world entirely within a city
limit. The forest offers eco-friendly opportunities
for visitors to enjoy the pristine flora and fauna of
all descriptions and trails, bike paths, waterfalls,
caves and a place to simply sit quietly and
experience the serenity of nature in its diversity.
Giraffe and the Nairobi skyline
OLOLO SAFARI LODGE is a small paradise located
on the edge of Nairobi National Park. The villa
provides tranquility and a distinctive feel
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The Great Migration, millions of Wildebeests cross the river
compared to none other. Superb meals, a pool,
and breathtaking views of the national park can
be enjoyed at Ololo. It’s the perfect mix of wildlife
and adventure in a home setting.
THE GREAT MIGRATION One of the world’s
greatest natural spectacles takes place in Kenya
between July and October and the Maasai Mara,
home to a truly breathtaking array of wildlife, is
the setting of the great migration. The massive
herds of wildebeest, whose numbers are
estimated to be in the millions, will embark on
their annual migration crossing of the crocodileinfested
Mara River and are best enjoyed from the
air, in a light aircraft or hot-air balloon.
KAZURI BEADS FACTORY is located in Karen,
Nairobi. This large factory is known for its fine
ceramic beads made by hand. The beads are used
to make beautiful world-class jewelry and the
factory provides employment to over 300 single
mothers in Kenya.
Kenyan events are not RSVP’d in most cases –
RSVP is a very recent and acquired habit by the
middle class. Birthdays, graduations, weddings,
and funerals are social gatherings. The more, the
merrier. Food is prepared in plentiful amounts.
The celebration usually continues in a nearby
drinking den or a party house ‘til the break of
dawn. Partying is so much part of Kenyan society
that there are ethnic “traditional nights” held
annually in celebration of their culture – with food,
drinks, and songs, and dancing.
Kenyans tend to dress in a conservatively,
emphasizing appearing smart and well-dressed as
a matter of pride. To look sloppy or wear revealing
or damaged clothes would mean that a foreigner
would instantly lose a degree of respect amongst
most Kenyans.
Any unusual/interesting traits of the locals?
The Maasai, an ethnic group of semi-nomadic
people who inhabit in southern Kenya, drink cows
blood on special occasions – circumcision of a
child, the birth of a baby and a girl’s marriage. It
also is given to drunken elders to alleviate
intoxication and hangover!
Kenyans are group-orientated rather than
individualistic. Harambee (coming from the Bantu
word meaning “to pull together”) defines the
people’s approach to others in life. The concept is
essentially about various factors: mutual
assistance, mutual effort, mutual responsibility,
and community self-reliance.
With every social event, a goat has to be
slaughtered and served as nyama choma
(barbeque) – whether it is a house warming party,
a baby shower, or celebrating a business deal. In
the western region of the country, this is
substituted with a cow.
Maasai ladies
55

PROFILE
Talking Turkey –
à la Française
Véronique Bawol, member of
AWG Paris, tells us about her life
and the trials of hosting
Thanksgiving in France.
Véronique Dagneau Bawol
I grew up in a small village in the countryside of
France, near Fontainebleau, in Seine et Marne
called Chailly en Bière, an hour southeast of Paris.
I’ve lived in the seventh arrondissement of Paris
since 2002.
I grew up in the countryside and was raised by my
grandparents until I turned six. My grandfather
was a gardener and my grandmother was a cook.
They both worked for the head of the Pasteur
Institute in Paris, Jacques Tréfouël. My other
grandparents were farmers and had grain fields
and cattle. I was raised surrounded by nature. I
always enjoyed biking in the forest of
Fontainebleau with friends and eating healthy
food. My sister and I helped our mother from a
young age in the kitchen, which came naturally.
Leaving home
After high school, I left for Ireland to work as an
au-pair for a year and enjoyed the experience
very much. I took care of three adorable children,
whom I still keep in contact with today.
Next I came back to Paris and immediately found
a job. I worked for seven years in the TV and
movie business as an assistant and married
Steven, my American husband, in 1998. I had met
him at work.
Moving around with my family
I quit my job and we moved to London, where
Steven worked as a TV producer. I took many
cooking classes at the Cordon Bleu. French cuisine
has always come naturally to me. I always love to
cook and entertain. Laura, our first daughter, was
born in London in 1999.
We moved back to Paris in 2002, where our
second daughter, Charlotte, was born. I had
always wanted to start working for an American
association as a volunteer in order to meet more
Anglophones once back in Paris. We wanted to
make more international friends !
At my grandparents aged about four
I also took English classes at the British Institute
when I returned to Paris to improve my English,
but my priority was the education of our two
daughters. I was involved at the girls’ school and
became President of the PTA for a couple of years
while they were there.
56

Joining AWG Paris
In 2009, I joined the American Women’s Group in
Paris and the hospitality team. The following year,
I was member at large and joined the board. I
became co-VP membership with Shawn Frisbee in
2016. I have been named Women of the Year
twice, in 2010 and 2016, in honor of my efforts.
In 2010, I started to offer monthly food tours in
the Breteuil market followed by cooking class and
lunch for the American Women’s Group in Paris.
Sherry Johnson, one of the members, always
offered to host the class in her beautiful
apartment located in the heart of Paris.
Starting a business
In the same year I also decided to become an
entrepreneur and I created my company CUISINE
ELEGANTE. Ever since, I have been cooking,
leading culinary tours or catering for various
groups such as the American Friends of Musée
d’Orsay, the American Embassy, the American
Library and the American Church.
The importance of Thanksgiving
As a French woman married to an American,
Thanksgiving was one of the big culinary
discoveries for me. It’s important to me to
celebrate and share traditions with our family
and friends.
I remember being impressed by the amount of
preparation and work that went into the meal my
sister-in-law made for our family. It was truly a
feast. So when my husband asked me if I could
make a Thanksgiving meal for our American and
French friends the year after, I was a bit nervous.
First of all, my kitchen was very small. Then it’s not
so easy to find all of the ingredients that go into
the American meal in Paris. Turkey is not a staple
of French cuisine except occasionally for
Christmas and they are very small as they are
free-range turkeys, and you can’t find Butterballs
in the frozen food section of Parisian grocers. But
I worked to find what I needed, or come up with
French substitutes.
Sourcing a turkey
The most important part of the puzzle was the
turkey. I found a butcher who told me that
he could order one and make sure it was the size
I needed, so that was a relief. But when I went to
pick it up the night before our party, the butcher
presented me with two small guinea fowl instead
of a turkey. When I asked what was going on, he
said that they couldn’t find any turkeys, so he was
giving me two guinea fowl instead!
I was furious, but had no choice, so left with the
two small birds, which I did my best to stuff and
cook. Everyone was very surprised by the
presentation, but had a good laugh when I told
Thanksgiving 2018
57

Me at the market
them the story, and it was one of my most
memorable Thanksgivings, my first one in Paris !
Needless to say, since then I have found a
wonderful butcher who knows where to find the
best turkeys available. Not only that, but if you
don’t have the time or the right oven to cook it,
they will cook it for you so all you have to do is
take the credit. It’s a very busy shop, so my advice
is to go there in person at least a week before to
order your bird, and pick it up the day before your
meal (Les Viandes du Champ de Mars, 122 rue
Saint-Dominique, Paris 75007).
Thanksgiving vegetables
For the vegetables, I always find that the best and
the freshest are to be found in the open air
markets that are a fixture of Parisian life. My
personal favorite is the Marché Saxe-Breteuil
(Avenue de Saxe, Paris 75007, Thursday and
Saturday mornings).
My favorite stand there is called the Bar aux
Saveurs, who specialize in many kinds of
vegetables such as sweet potatoes, Jerusalem
artichokes, turnips, parsnips, pumpkins and
potimarrons (a type of squash), butternut squash
and colorful carrots and beetroots, as well as
many kinds of onions, herbs and fresh sage. Many
of these are older heritage varieties, all authentic
and probably closer to the kinds of vegetables the
Pilgrims ate than the modern produce you find at
most other stands. Magalie, the owner, is
passionate about her products and is used to
helping Americans get ready for the big meal.
An alternative is Marché Président Wilson (Avenue
du President Wilson, Paris 75016) which is
amazing too and is open on Wednesday and
Saturday mornings.
I get fresh cranberries at the fruits and vegetable
stalls on Rue Cler. For the aluminum cooking pan, I
go to The Real Mac Coy, You will find anything you
need at The Real Mac Coy (194 rue de Grenelle
75007 Paris). You will find everything you need
there (Jiffy cornbread, cranberry jelly, etc.) but
watch out, it’s quiet expensive ! If you have a car,
Costco is an option, or La Grande Epicerie Paris
(38 rue de Sévres, Paris 75007) which also has a
US section.
For my stuffing, I order XXL pain de mie, the one
restaurants use for their “Croque-Monsieur”. I
order them at Nelly Julien, 85 rue St Dominique,
five days before and I buy my cornmeal at Bio
C’est Bon or Naturalia (they are all over Paris).
Me and hospitality
When I met my husband, we hosted parties every
other week and often had visitors from all over
the world, so that’s when I seriously started to get
involved and develop my sense of hospitality.
But hospitality was just natural to me. I have
always cooked with my mother or grandmother,
who both were amazing cooks, so organizing a sitdown
dinner or a party was something I always
felt comfortable with. I’m self-educated and I
never had a mentor per se, but I’ve been
influenced by many people in my life, leading me
to develop my own personal hospitality style.
58

To me, the definition of hospitality is someone
who opens their arms wide and is very welcoming,
trying to help at all levels. Hospitality is about
caring, listening, being passionate and generous
to the others.
Since I often host events at my house, hospitality
has become a part of my daily life. I welcome new
guests into my home very often, so I’ve definitely
learned how to make people comfortable and feel
like my home is also theirs.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I organized for
the first time virtual cooking classes, which were
fun but challenging. I definitely missed the
hospitality and the social aspects of my work.
Set for dinner
However, having to adapt to a new medium
through which to share my cooking taught me to
be even more organized and rigorous.
What would I change?
If I could change something about myself it would
be my confidence. It has taken me a very long time
to get to where I am in life, and I believe that over
time I have gained more confidence, but it is
always something I can improve upon.
(I would like to acknowledge the work of Krystal
Kenney in some of my photos)
One of my cookery classes
Click this box to watch a video about Véronique
59

FEATURE
Cruising With FAWCO
to Help Others
In 2006 Ann De Simoni started organizing cruises for FAWCO
members to raise money for The FAWCO Foundation.
I would define hospitality as an activity or service
provided to guests wherever they may be: such as
a restaurant, bar, hotel, conference, airport,
waiting area, in your home, or in a floating hotel
such as a cruise ship. It’s hospitality on cruise
ships that I am best known for in FAWCO.
Thinking outside the box
When asked by The FAWCO Foundation President
Mary Rose Stauder to think of an outside of the
box way to raise funds for its projects that would
include people outside of FAWCO I thought I could
give it a try at what I loved and was passionate
about, cruise sailing.
So in 2006 we set sail on COSTA line’s Fortuna
and we raised $9,000 for Kids Help and the
Hole in the Wall Camps, whose motto is
“Laughter is the best medicine”. The 99 guests
on board which included FAWCO President Emily
van Eerten and her family, along with other
FAWCO members, their relatives and friends and
what I thought was an extra bonus is that some
sponsors joined us as well.
I was so enthusiastic when I watched the number
of bookings coming in I just couldn’t help myself
so I contacted each club in Region 8 ( my region)
which includes all of the Italian clubs and Greece
to join in on welcoming these guests and each
one responded with donations and items for the
guests and the planned activities on board.
FAWCO hospitality
The people of southern Italy are very hospitable
so I reached out to my longtime friend Tricia
Reynolds of AIWC Naples. For those of you who
might remember Tricia and some club members
greeted us in the port, took us on a specially
organized Hop On-Hop Off bus tour of the city, a
walking tour and it didn’t finish there, we were all
treated to refreshments at one of the most
famous bar/restaurants of the city!
As the response was in Italy was so good I decided
to ask our sister club Barcelona Women’s Network
if they had any cards up their sleeve as our ship
was stopping in their city. The hospitality of Spain
was fabulous as the club organized a cocktail
reception in the cruise terminal which included
unlimited flow of Cava bubbles, food and goodie
bags to top it off upon our return after a day
exploring the city sights. This is what I call FAWCO
hospitality.
I have since then organized four other cruises
each time reaching into my soul for ways of
extending this newly created “hospitality” which
has become a way of giving to FAWCO and its
projects.
My favorite photo of the dinner table ladies of the Cruise for a Cause: Ann De Simoni, Georgia Regnault, Mercedes de
Marchena, Terri Knudsen and Nan de Laubadère.
60

provide a stress free and effortless booking,
boarding and on board experience which can give
you relaxation that will improve your mood and
add to your ability to think about the journey, the
wider world and your place in it.
So I look forward to the next travel experience
that I can offer to FAWCO and I am confident that
I can help provide those extra magical moments,
the unexpected feeling of coziness found in group
travel and may you enjoy the hypnotic calm of the
sea while I ensure that your every wish and every
whim is satisfied.
On the MSC Orchestra for the 2011 Cruise for Tabitha
Please and thank you
I would include in my melting pot of hospitality my
smile and the ability to listen to my guests’ needs
which are among my most prominent features,
plus the two golden words “please and thank you”
– they go a long way.
I believe the attentive care that I can give to the
guests on-board guarantees for an unforgettable
experience with opportunities to enjoy an aweinspiring
celebration among your FAWCO friends
while raising funds. I’d like to believe that I can
Ann De Simoni was born in Chicago but Italy has been
her home since 1975. Member of AIWC of Genoa for
over 30 years, in her former life she worked as a nurse
outside Chicago. She worked at the International
Hospital in Genoa for 15 years and then like many in
FAWCO, she had to reinvent herself. Her village
adopted her as their visiting nurse, she has been an
English teacher, innkeeper, travel assistant and
blogger. She says that some of her biggest joys come
from her life as a volunteer in various organizations
and her club which led her
to hold several positions
in FAWCO. You may
already know her if you
have sailed on any of the
five charity-friendship
cruises she has organized
for The Foundation, all
sponsored by her club.
61

INSPIRING YOU
Founded in 1931, FAWCO is a global women’s NGO (non-governmental organization), an
international network of independent volunteer clubs and associations comprising 58
member clubs in 31 countries on six continents. FAWCO serves as a resource and a voice for
its members; seeks to improve the lives of women and girls worldwide, especially in the areas
of human rights, health, education and the environment; advocates for the rights of US
citizens overseas; and contributes to the global community through its Global Issues Teams
and The FAWCO Foundation, which provides development grants and education awards.
Since 1997, FAWCO has held special consultative status with the UN Economic and Social
Council.
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
FAWCO is an international federation of independent organizations whose mission is:
• to build strong support networks for its American and international membership;
• to improve the lives of women and girls worldwide;
• to advocate for the rights of US citizens overseas; and
• to mobilize the skills of its membership in support of global initiatives for
education, the environment, health and human rights.
MAGAZINE FEEDBACK
We want this magazine to be interesting for all FAWCO members. In an effort to provide articles
of interest to all of our readers, we have created an online feedback questionnaire. It
should only take a few minutes of your time to complete and will be a great help to us!
Please click on the link or paste it into your browser
to complete our short five question survey.
SURVEY
THANK YOU!
ADVERTISING DISCLAIMER
FAWCO receives financial remuneration for page space from advertisers. Views expressed or benefits
described in any display advertisement, advertorial or in any webpage visited online directly from these
adverts are not endorsed by FAWCO.
Copyright 2021 FAWCO
Inspiring Women© Magazine is owned and published electronically by FAWCO.
All rights reserved. All bylined articles are copyright of their respective authors as indicated herein and are
reproduced with their permission. The magazine or portions of it may not be reproduced in any form, stored in
any retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy or otherwise –
without written consent of the publisher.
62

MORE ABOUT THIS ISSUE
The Inspiring Women Team
Liz Elsie Karen Berit Michele
For more information about this magazine, please contact a member of the Inspiring
Women team:
Editor in Chief, Liz MacNiven, inspiringwomen.editor@fawco.org
Advertising and Sponsorship Manager, Elsie Bose, advertising@fawco.org
Distribution Manager, Karen Boeker, iwdistribution@fawco.org
Social Media Manager, Berit Torkildsen, iwsocialmedia@fawco.org
Features Coordinator, Michele Hendrikse Du Bois, inspiringwomenfeatures@fawco.org
Acknowledgements:
Thanks to our profilees: Ariadna, Charlotte, Leslie, Mallery, Matt, Pamela, Sanya, Stacey, Susie
and Véronique with thanks also for the use of their photos and those of their friends and
families. Additional thanks to Amy, Ann, Fannie, Janet, Juliah, Kimberly and Mary for their
work on the articles.
The cover photo is of Mallery van der Horst taken in Houston, Texas by Kelli Durham. Mallery
is wearing a dress, custom designed by Sue Sartor. Mallery was born in Wichita, Kansas and
grew up in Texas; she studied recreation, park & tourism science as well as professional
event management. Today she resides in Houston, Texas, with her Dutch husband and their
two dogs. She works as part of a eight person team for Belle Events, putting on all kinds of
different luxury events, including weddings, corporate, social and philanthropic events. This
photo was taken on a festive & celebratory occasion with her team in December 2020. You
can find out more about/follow Belle Events here: www.belleevents.com or on Instagram at
@belleevents.
Special thanks to the proofreading team of Karen Boeker (AWC Denmark), Laurie Brooks
(AWC Amsterdam/AWC The Hague), Sallie Chaballier (AAWE Paris), Janet Davis (AIWC
Cologne), Mary Dobrian (AIWC Cologne), Janis Kaas (AAWE Paris/FAUSA), Carol-Lyn McKelvey
(AIWC Cologne/FAUSA), Lauren Mescon (AWC Amsterdam), Mary Stewart Burgher (AWC
Denmark), and Jenny Taylor (AIWC Cologne and Düsseldorf).
Please note: images used in this publication are either sourced from the authors themselves or
through canva.com.
63

Coming January
2022
Women and the
Environment
Preserving the Planet - Our Biggest Priority
Of all the existential questions challenging the world today, the fate of our planet is “The One”. We must
take care of it. If not, there’s not much point to anything else!
FAWCO has been facing the challenges of environmental disasters since at least 1957 when it sent relief
funds to victims of the Thessaly earthquake in
Greece. The FAWCO Environment Team works
tirelessly to make clubs aware of the issues at hand
and how they and their members can help. Their
hard work brought clubs front and center to the
problem of access to clean water and the work paid
off as FAWCO member clubs raised funds beyond its
wildest expectations for the first Target Water
Project: Tabitha’s Wells for Clean Water in
Cambodia. Never have there been more Inspired
Women!
Our first issue of 2022 will introduce you to the
women in FAWCO clubs who have been supporting
the effort to keep the earth alive.
PROFILES: Inspiring Women wants to profile the educators and activists, scientists and community
workers who have all taken on the “care and feeding” of our earth. We want you to meet the clever
entrepreneurs who have discovered how to incorporate good environmental practices in their products
and services. We want to share their experiences with our readers.
FEATURES: To complement the profiles, we are looking for women to write feature articles around the
theme of the environment. Once again, this is a broad theme; let us know what you would like to write
about. Our features are 700-800 words plus photos.
To nominate candidates for profiles, please send the candidate’s name, candidate’s email address
and a brief description (50-100 words) of why you think they are inspiring and fit the theme for the
issue. Send the information to: inspiringwomenprofiles@fawco.org
To contribute an article or feature, that you think fits with our theme, contact:
inspiringwomenfeatures@fawco.org
Photographs are integral to our magazine. We end each issue with a page of a photograph that
offers a unique perspective on its theme. The photo can be provocative, amusing, entertaining and/or
artistic. The photo should lend itself to a portrait orientation and able to fit an A4 page. To submit a
photo that you think says “That’s Inspired!” for this issue please contact :
inspiringwomen.editor@fawco.org
THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING NOMINEES,
FEATURES AND PHOTOS IS NOVEMBER 25 TH .
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That’s Inspired!
“Vino Salutat Nobis!”
This photo is from Véronique Bawol, member AWG Paris.
Véronique’s “Joie de Vie” instantly breaks apart any cultural
barriers and the offer of a glass of something seals the
friendship. Whether you are new to Paris or a longtime resident,
meeting Véronique for the first time is as welcoming as a warm
Paris day.
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