Lisa Niver's Blog: We Said Go Travel, page 25
October 31, 2023
ALL GHOULS GALA 2023 for Autism Care Today
ALL GHOULS GALA 2023 for Autism Care Today was on Saturday, October 28, 2023. We had a spooktacular evening with frights, fun, and fabulous costumes at our haunted gathering.
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The All Ghouls Gala honored special guests with the “Lending Your Voice” award. This award goes to a person, entity, or work of art that has elevated the conversation of what it means to be differently abled, and those who uphold the belief that “different” is never “less.”
This year’s class of honorees includes Dr. Temple Grandin, Joe Mantegna and Areva Martin, Esq. Each has been an outspoken advocate for the rights of individuals on the spectrum. Dr. Grandin is an international speaker and award-winning author. Her early life was the subject of the Emmy Award-winning HBO film, Temple Grandin. As a young autistic woman, she broke down gender and neurodiversity barriers in the cattle industry to rise and become an internationally renowned expert in the design of meat processing plants. Dr. Grandin is a full professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University. She balances her time between teaching, writing award-winning books, and traveling the world to let others know about like and work on the spectrum.
Joe Mantegna is an award-winning actor best known for his roles on Criminal Minds, The Godfather, Searching for Bobby Fischer, and his Emmy-nominated portrayal of Dean Martin in HBO’s film, The Rat Pack. He is also beloved for his performance of “Fat Tony” on the Simpsons and as the dying father of a young man on the spectrum in the critically acclaimed series, As We See It. As a father to two talented young daughters, one who is on the spectrum, Joe has been an outspoken advocate and tireless ally to those on the spectrum.
Areva Martin, Esq. is an award-winning civil rights attorney, media personality, autism advocate, author, and entrepreneur. She is known for her pioneering work at the intersection of autism and social justice. She is Founder and President of the Special Needs Network, and as such has raised millions of dollars for autism and related causes. Notably, Areva Martin has successfully launched California’s first-ever comprehensive medical and developmental center at the Jacqueline Avant Child and Family Center. She is the host of Areva Martin in Real Time on KBLA 1580, the only Black-owned and operated drivetime national news and podcast network in the United States.
Autism Care Today is a national nonprofit501(c) (3) organization whose mission is to raise awareness and provide treatment services and support to families to help their children with autism achieve their full potential. Your donation will help children find their voice using communication devices, ensure their safety by installing fencing around their homes, pay for their invaluable therapy copays and so much more. Proceeds from our fundraiser will go directly to grants for families affected by autism.
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an Autism Spectrum Diagnosis. Every child with a diagnosis is part of a
family.
FACT: Supporting an individual with autism spectrum disorder costs a family
$60,000 a year on average. The cost of lifelong care can be reduced by 2/3 with
early diagnosis and intervention. According to a recent study, the lifetime costs of
autism average $1.4 million to $2.4 million.
ACT helps families to be able to afford treatment, services, and support they might not
otherwise be able to afford. Families are able to request a grant for what their individual
need is.
FACT: Being nonverbal at age 4 does not mean that a child with autism will never
speak. Research shows that, with early treatment and support, most will learn to
use words and nearly half will learn to speak fluently.
ACT provides grants for co-pays so a family can maximize their insurance benefits toward
fostering vocal and non-vocal communication.
FACT: Children with autism are 160 times more likely to drown than typical
children. Therefore, it is critical to teach them to swim and to utilize intensive
safety measures when water is nearby.
ACT gives grants to families for safety equipment including fences, pool, window, and door
alarms as well as tuition for swimming lessons.
FACT: Each person with autism spectrum disorder is a unique individual; people
with ASD differ as much from one another as do all people. Children and adults
with ASD may speak or interact with others. They may have good eye contact.
They may be verbal or non-verbal. They may be very bright, of average
intelligence or have cognitive deficits.
ACT give grants to families for what they request. One family may need an iPad, another
might request help with camp tuition, and someone else might need help paying for an
assistance animal specially trained to detect seizures. The needs are not one size fits all and
neither are the grants.
Autism is more common than juvenile diabetes, pediatric AIDS and pediatric cancer combined. Early and intense therapies have been proven to be effective yet most children go without due to financial restraints. Autism Care Today fills a necessary gap by providing assistance for these children today to ensure they have a better tomorrow.
Since 2005, Autism Care Today has distributed more than $1.85 Million in grants of up to $5,000 to more than 1,562 families with autism. As our organization has grown, so has our ability to provide assistance. In 2011, Autism Care Today began distributing grants quarterly. Autism Care Today’s Quarterly Assistance Program provides families with real help by directly paying their child’s service provider for services they would otherwise not be able to afford. Areas of support include but are not limited to: Applied Behavior Analysis Therapy, speech and occupational therapy, bio-medical testing, supplements, assistive technologies (i.e.- iPad, communication apps), safety equipment (such as safety fencing, GPS tracking devices and autism service dogs), social skills groups, special needs summer camps, and many more.
Autism Care Today grants are designed to provide access to individuals and families affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders. Grant payments will be made directly to pre-approved treatment providers, assessors or materials vendors.
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Celebrate Brave-ish and my BIRTHDAY! Oct News 2023
Oct News 2023 with Lisa Niver & We Said Go Travel:Thank you for all the birthday wishes! I loved my doors-off helicopter ride over Central Park with NYONair! I signed my BOOK at AdWeek NYC 2023 in the Equality Lounge with The Female Quotient. My memoir was on the book-SHE-lf!I am praying for the hostages in Israel. #BringThemHome. I am very concerned about the rise of anti-semitism. Please sign the ADL letter to the U.S. Department of Education to Make Colleges Safe from Antisemitism.View this post on InstagramIn Los Angeles, I loved the grand opening of the Lobby Library at the Sheraton Grand in collaboration with Reese’s Book Club! Make sure to stop by and find your next favorite book.A post shared by Lisa Niver
(@lisaniver)
View this post on InstagramThank you to everyone for joining me to celebrate my new book! I have videos from my events in Santa Monica at Zibby’s bookshop and in Pasadena with Ms. Magazine at Vroman’s Bookstore.Join me at my next events in Philadelphia and New Orleans: click here for details! More cities coming soon forA post shared by Lisa Niver
my memoir,
Brave-ish, One Break-up, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty
, and I am very grateful for your support. 
!
NEW ARTICLES and INTERVIEWS about me and my BOOK!
Condé Nast Traveler: Women Who Travel Book Club10 New Books We Can’t Wait to Read This Fall: BRAVE-ish: “I can’t wait to dig into Niver’s honest account of how she transformed her life by committing to doing 50 new things by 50: diving with sharks and pulling 3-Gs while bobsledding. I love inspirational books, especially when travel, adventure, and gutsy women are involved.”
Making Life Changes At Age 50 – Lisa Niver On Good Day LAAuthor Lisa Niver joins GDLA to discuss her book ‘Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents, and Feeling Fearless After Fifty’.
Fox 5 Good Day DCFOX 5 sat down with author Lisa Niver to discuss her book, ‘Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless after Fifty.’
Lisa Niver, Author Of ‘Brave-Ish’, Shares Her Journey Of Leaving Her Broken MarriageTraveling the world with the love of your life is everyone’s dream.
Lisa Niver was doing exactly that until it turned into a nightmare….
The Daily Blast Live Facebook Watch video has been viewed over 55,000 times!
Small Steps To Begin AgainAuthor of BRAVE-ish and Jewish Journal contributor, Lisa Niver, is the guest speaker during the 29 Sept 2023 Shabbat service at Stephen Wise Temple.
Ms. Mag Event At VROMANSThank you to Vroman’s Bookstore for the wonderful book celebration for
50 YEARS OF Ms with Ms. Magazine consulting digital editor Carmen Rios, Nayereh Tohidi and Nohelia Canales—both members of the Ms. committee of scholars—and author of BRAVE-ish and Ms. contributor Lisa Niver.
Starting Over Late In Life With Lisa Niver, Author Of Brave-IshWhat happens when you feel like a failure? When you’re pushing fifty, getting divorced and moving back into your parent’s home to start from scratch? Well, if you’re like Lisa Niver, you start by taking one “braveish” step at a time. Each step took her away from her old world and into her new world of travel writing.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Lisa Niver
Lisa Niver On Frommer’s Travel PodcastS1E513 – Doing Portugal Right, Plus Author Lisa Niver on Her New Travel Memoir “Brave-ish”. Lisa Niver discussed her tale of a using travel to repair a life upended by divorce.
Travel Expert Lisa Niver On Being Brave-Ish & Fearless After 50 – Fearless Fabulous You!Travel influencer and writer, Lisa Niver, has lived on the road for much of her life, from working cruise ships to hostel-hopping in Asian. But it was her 50th trip around the Sun that made her decide to make a “50 in 50” bucket list to step outside her comfort zone and try new things on her own after her divorce.
I call it her “Now or Niver” moment.
Lisa Niver To Appear In Author’s Corner At DEMAPADI Divemaster and author Lisa Niver is set to appear at two locations at this year’s DEMA Show in New Orleans, Louisiana. Niver will be at the Author’s Corner and the Solomon Islands booth. Her memoir is “BRAVE-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty.” At the Author’s Corner, she will be discussing her memoir.
Author/Divemaster Lisa Niver Unveils New Book – “BRAVE-Ish”: Meet Her At DEMA Show 2023The DEMA Dive show is about to get an infusion of courage and adventure as Lisa Niver, PADI divemaster and author of the memoir, “BRAVE-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty” appears at author’s corner as well as in the Solomon Islands booth to talk about her with her 50 Things Before 50 project.
THANK YOU to the PENN GAZETTE and Penn Bookstore
BRAVE-ISH Featured In The PennGazette – Briefly NotedThank you PENN GAZETTE: “Niver seemed to be on the adventure of a lifetime, traveling around the world with her husband. But in private, she was keeping a dark secret: her marriage was failing. At age 47, she finds the courage to set course on a new life, trying 50 new experiences before she turns 50.”
READ my Oct articles on We Said Go Travel, MSN & Google News:
THANK YOU for watching my podcast! It has now been seen and heard in 40 countries on 6 continents! USA 
India 
Canada 
Ireland 
Puerto Rico 
UK 
Italy 
Australia 
Philippines 
Singapore 
New Zealand 
Portugal 
Saudi Arabia 
Switzerland 
Hong Kong 
Mexico 
Japan 
Fiji 
Seychelles 
France 
Latvia 
Netherlands 
Kenya 
UAE 
Cambodia 
Israel 
Guatemala 
Germany 
Uruguay 
Bangladesh 
Spain 
Panama 
Thailand 
Uganda 
Greece 
South Africa 
Costa Rica 
Bosnia and Herzegovina 
Sri Lanka
Romania 
WATCH my podcast, “MAKE YOUR OWN MAP: Are YOU ready to be BRAVE?” on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Podcast, Google Podcasts, Audacy, Audible, Anchor, Pandora & iHeart RadioWHERE CAN YOU FIND MY TRAVEL VIDEOS?Here is the link to my video channel on YouTube where I have over TWO MILLION views on YouTube! (now at: 2,000,228 views)
Thank you for your support! Are you one of my 4,130 subscribers? I hope you will join me and subscribe! For more We Said Go Travel articles, TV segments, videos and social media: CLICK HERE
Find me on social media with over 150,000 followers. Please follow on TikTok: @LisaNiver, Twitter at @LisaNiver, Instagram @LisaNiver and on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and at LisaNiver.com.
My Podcast: “Make Your Own Map!”
Fortune Cookie SAID:“Embrace today with joy and courage. Great things await you. Happy Birthday!”
“Your words have the power to ignite hearts and minds. Keep writing and watch your dreams unfold.
BRAVE-ish, One Break-up, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty
Happy Birthday to me and my sister
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October 28, 2023
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October 27, 2023
🇵🇷Puerto Rico: Experience the Enchantment of the Caribbean Gem 🌴🌌🇵🇷
Puerto Rico, a Caribbean gem, invites you to discover its enchanting wonders without the need for a passport. With the ease of using the American dollar, delve into its vibrant culture and history. Sink your toes into its sun-kissed beaches, relish the flavors of its delectable cuisine, and wander through the charming streets of Old San Juan, where history comes alive. Embrace the rhythmic salsa beats and lose yourself in the island’s vibrant fiestas, leaving with memories that will last a lifetime.
WHERE TO STAY? Fairmont El San Juan Hotel Puerto Rico Puerto Rico at night- El San Juan Hotel
Experience enchantment at Fairmont El San Juan at night! 
Immerse yourself in the breathtaking beauty of Puerto Rico under the moon’s captivating glow, with views that will leave you mesmerized. 
Whether you’re seeking a romantic getaway or an adventurous journey, Puerto Rico has it all. Explore the vibrant local culture, savor the delectable cuisine, and revel in the warmth of the island’s hospitality. 
Experience the magic
I absolutely loved my stay at Fairmont El San Juan Hotel ! From the moment I stepped into the lobby, I was swept away by its captivating charm and warm hospitality. I walked on the beautiful beach, savoring the stunning views and enjoyed lounging by the pool. 
WHAT TO DO: ART & CULTUREExplore the Treasures of Old San Juan: Hotel Palacio Provincial, Anita Gelato, Barcelona Handmade
Explore Old San Juan like never before! 
Indulge in the ultimate rooftop pool experience at Hotel Palacio Provincial, with breathtaking views of the historic city. 
Treat yourself to a delightful gelato at Anita La Mamma del Gelato and savor the authentic flavors of Italy in the heart of Puerto Rico. 
Take photos at the iconic rainbow umbrella street and immerse yourself in a vibrant world of colors and joy. Capture the perfect Instagram moment amidst the kaleidoscope of hues! 
Don’t forget to complete your Old San Juan adventure with a unique touch. Discover the artistry of Barcelona Handmade and take home a pair of beautifully handcrafted avarcas sandals. These one-of-a-kind treasures will be the perfect memento of your unforgettable journey! 
Discover Puerto Rico and create memories that will last a lifetime.
Step into the Artistic Wonderland: Santurce Art Murals in Puerto Rico!
Wander vibrant alleys, capture stunning visuals, and embrace Puerto Rico’s dynamic art scene. Immerse yourself in the magical gallery of awe-inspiring murals that adorn every corner of this artistic paradise. The colors, stories, and cultures woven into each masterpiece create a rich tapestry that reflects the heart and soul of Puerto Rico’s dynamic art scene. Wander through the colorful alleys and witness local artists as they work their magic, transforming ordinary walls into breathtaking masterpieces.
MEET A LOCAL ARTIST: Art 
with Heart 
in Puerto Rico
Discover the enchanting world of Copperina, created by the talented artist Beatriz Perez Blair! Inspired by her love for the Caribbean Islands and her home, Puerto Rico, Beatriz brings her artistic vision to life through stunning copper murals, mobiles, lamps, and more.
WHAT TO DO: GET ACTIVE
A Day of Wonder in Luquillo, Puerto Rico! Calling all nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers! 
into the serene beauty of the mangroves. 
Navigating through the intricate network of mangrove tunnels was like entering a secret paradise of tranquility. The lush green canopy above and the calm waters below created a serene ambiance that felt like a world of its own.
The mangroves were teeming with diverse wildlife. It was a magical experience being so close to nature and appreciating the delicate balance of life within this unique ecosystem. We went to a stunning beach where turtles come to lay their eggs.
WHERE DID WE EAT? Savor Puerto Rico’s rich cuisine! 
Unleash your inner chef with a cooking class at Cocina Abierta and savor Puerto Rico’s rich cuisine! 
Indulge in a magical dining experience on the patio at Dreamcatchers Hotel Restaurant. 
Embrace the flavors of the island and create unforgettable foodie memories! 
I have been fortunate to visit Puerto Rico many times and whether you seek adventure, relaxation, or a cultural awakening, Puerto Rico promises an enchanting journey that will leave an indelible mark on your soul. Discover the allure of this Caribbean gem and unlock the secrets of its captivating charm, where every moment is infused with the essence of the tropics and the warmth of its people. Embrace the magic of Puerto Rico and create memories that will linger long after you depart its shores.
Thank you to Fairmont El San Juan and Discover Puerto Rico for an amazing adventure! My next article is about my stay at Dorado Beach, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve!
More Puerto Rico:TODAY.com my article, “Family Fun in the Sun: Puerto Rico!”
2021 Adventures with the grand opening of Distrito T-Mobile
Welcome Distrito T-MobileWhere to STAY and Where to EATWhat to DO: Zip-line, Movies and Live EntertainmentPuerto Rico: Our Perfect Day Out at Frutos del Guacabo, the Beach and Bacardi Mixology Class!2014 Filming for Orbitz Webseries: #RBQuests
Filming in Puerto Rico in Frankly Penn, More about PR filming by Richard Bangs
The post 🇵🇷Puerto Rico: Experience the Enchantment of the Caribbean Gem 🌴🌌🇵🇷 appeared first on We Said Go Travel.
October 24, 2023
Maximum Beth: The Empowering Entrepreneur Embodies Wonder, Wanderlust, and Wanderful Adventures
I am inspired by all that Beth Santos has created. It was an honor to speak to her for my podcast after meeting her in NYC at the Travel and Adventure Show where we were both speakers. Her LinkedIn says that she is disrupting travel for women but I believe she is changing the world for women! You can watch our interview on YouTube, read the transcript below or listen on your favorite podcast platform.
Wanderful‘s book club will discuss my new book, BRAVE-ish, on Dec 16, 2023. I hope you will join us and I cannot wait to read her new book, Wander Woman, coming on March 5, 2024. Learn more below about Wanderful, Wanderfest and see you in Utah for Women in Travel Summit in April 12-14 2024.
Another title for this interview was “Maximum Beth: Disrupting Travel for Women, Changing the Wander World Worldwide – A Community Builder’s Journey” If you are traveling in Boston, make sure to eat at her Ula Cafe. Thank you to Beth Santos for making time to share her incredible journey!
Listen or watch our interview on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or your favorite podcast platformTRANSCRIPT from our interview below: (filmed Sept 28, 2023)
Lisa Niver:
This is Lisa Niver and I am the author of Brave-ish, One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless after Fifty. I am so beyond thrilled and excited to be here today with Beth Santos. Hello Beth. Welcome. Thank you for being here.
Hi. Thanks so much for having me.
Lisa Niver:
Oh my goodness. It is. I’ve been researching you and it’s hard to sum you up because you are a force of nature. I appreciate that your social media is called Maximum Beth, because I think you are constantly at maximum capacity, what you’ve accomplished for women. I know you focus on women in travel, but I think that you are really changing women in business and women entrepreneurship for everyone, so thank you.
Beth Santos:
Aw, I really appreciate that. That’s really sweet. Maximum Beth is what they called me in college, so the name stuck and I like to keep busy.
Lisa Niver:
One of the things I noticed since you brought up college, let’s start there, is that you have a lot of places that you worked in conjunction. Being in an acapella group is a very specific kind of music where everyone’s piece makes a big difference. You really have to bring everyone along or it doesn’t work.
Beth Santos:
Absolutely. That’s an interesting insight. I also did crew in college, which is very similar to that. Everyone works as a team. Everyone has to put in their unique part, and you make something. That’s how I’ve always viewed leadership. Honestly, in running a business, you are salesperson, number one. When I say sales, it doesn’t always mean financial. It also means you have to sell this idea to every single person that works with you, who collaborates with you. Your team has to believe at least close to as passionately as you do about the work that you’re doing. Otherwise, you’re not going to get as far as you want to go.
Lisa Niver:
I did wonder about that. How did you get involved in crew? It’s a tough sport. 4:30 AM workouts.
Beth Santos:
It’s funny. My husband now is just like, really? You were an athlete. My current hardcore workout is pulling weeds in my garden. But no, I loved it. I actually did it in high school first. I grew up in coastal New Hampshire and so you would do any kind of workout if you saw the view that I went out with. We would do afternoon workouts when we were kids. It’s just something that I fell in love with. When I went to college, I thought I’m going to keep this going. 4:30 AM Yes, it’s pretty rough. But also there’s a lot of comradery in it, to all be together and to see the sunrise. It was a really magical time in my life. I don’t know if I could do it now, but I loved doing it then.
Lisa Niver:
I’ve read a lot of research about women CEOs that make a big impact. Most of them come from an athletic team background and understand how to bring people together and what coaching is required.
Beth Santos:
Yes. I believe that. Absolutely.
Lisa Niver:
You’ve brought together a hundred million women with Wanderful. That is incredible.
Beth Santos:
Thank you. Yes, it’s been a lot of fun. It all comes from, when we first started, I was in business school and I was interacting with the startup ecosystem. A lot of businesses start with an idea, and then the second thing they’re trying to do is they’re trying to build a customer base. For us, it was always the opposite. We always had this community and this understanding with each other. It started from when I began blogging and built an audience and then realized we have all these women who are having a lot of the same pains. Let’s create something that addresses that. It evolved organically in its own way. It’s been really fun to just continue to serve the community and to give them great ways to connect with each other and to feel confident and supported in travel, which isn’t always how the travel industry makes us feel as women.
Lisa Niver:
Absolutely. So 2009, kind of the beginning of the blog ecosystem you started Wanderful.
Beth Santos:
Yes.
Lisa Niver:
Then you came up with the Women in Travel Summit, which is about 10 years old now, right? This is going to be the 10th year?
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Beth Santos (@maximumbeth)
Beth Santos:
Yes! We started our very first one in 2014. This year is our 10th one. And then we’ll have done it for 10 full years next year.
Lisa Niver:
It’s really incredible. And 500 people came to Puerto Rico?
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Wanderful® (@sheswanderful)
Beth Santos:
Yes. Over 500. It was our biggest one. It was 550 people and 50 million impressions.
Lisa Niver:
You are a force. And then you invented something else new in New Orleans. Tell us about WanderFest.
Beth Santos:
I started with a travel blog. I was doing a lot of my own travel which developed into an online magazine, which then developed into a community. It was actually over COVID that we leaned even more into the community aspect of things because none of us could travel anywhere and we all wanted to be in touch with each other and to share our travel stories. So we’ve really built out a lot since then. We’ve been evolving for forever. I feel like every year we’re a different company. Women in Travel Summit (WITS) was something that came about kind of happenstance. It’s a travel creator summit. So in 2014 we had been thinking– we’ve started this travel blog. It’s turned into something. We’re seeing a lot of other people and other women that are building travel blogs.
Let’s bring everyone together. And then it took off. WITS has been around now for 10 whole years. And we thought, our biggest event is a travel creator event, but actually our community is mostly travelers, just women who love to travel. We have a very outspoken and very important component of our community that’s content creators and small business owners. But if you look at sheer numbers, most women are just travel lovers. And so we thought, let’s bring them together and celebrate travel and sisterhood. We got an outdoor plaza in New Orleans. We had music, it was a celebration of travel with the context of travel being culture and being world culture and being the experience of trying new things.
It wasn’t all travel workshops; we did a second line parade. We learned about the history of the New Orleans Baby Dolls. We really leaned into local culture. We had music. We had the first and only all women brass band that did a performance that we all danced to. We had all sorts of like small woman-owned businesses that had tables. It was a lot of fun kind of bringing everyone together. The weather was not the best. It was very, very cold. That’s the only thing I probably would change for the future. The day before the event, it was 75 and sunny, we woke up that morning and it was 39 and the wind was so strong that cinder blocks were being pushed by the wind across the stage.
The weather was horrible and a lot of the women went to the mall next door. At Forever 21, they bought hats and coats and then came back to the festival. As a traveler, you learn that the weather is weather. If you travel to Rome for the first time and it’s raining, you still have to go and enjoy it. You don’t just say, oh, I’ll come back next time. So that’s what I love about travelers.
Lisa Niver:
I love that because I agree that you have to take advantage of what it is. Particularly as women, there’s a lot of things that we can’t control and we have to keep moving forward. And so for anyone who’s listening, we’ll link to all of these amazing things that Beth is talking about WITS, the Women in Travel Summit, and Wander Fest. And during Covid, you invented a cafe as well?
Beth Santos:
I didn’t invent it. I actually took over Ula Cafe. It’s a cafe that’s been in our neighborhood in Boston for the last 15 years. It was being sold in the middle of the pandemic. My husband and I looked at each other with no restaurant experience whatsoever except waiting some tables in high school and college. We saw a community gathering space. Community is something that I have always felt a calling for in my professional career. I feel pretty good about my business capability and knowledge. And I thought, maybe we should do it. And we did. We took it over. We’ve been running it now for two years. It’s taught us so many things. There were so many lessons to learn along the way, but I actually think it’s made me a stronger business owner, even for Wanderful too, because these are two very, very different businesses.
And at the core it’s about community and connection. I think for both of them, you know, Wanderful is online and international ULA Cafe, which is our cafe is in person and face-to-face. But I think at the end of the day, both are tools that you use to connect with others on a human level. But the business model is wildly different. Learning both of them so intimately has actually supported the other ones. We’ve gotten better at our marketing with the café. For Wanderful, we’ve understood business economics better and been able to apply those to some of our products and services. It’s been great to be able to run both side by side. But for the first couple months, it was a pretty wild story. All the things that we had to learn
Lisa Niver:
And there are so many different kinds of regulations and food safety and staffing for a café!
Beth Santos:
Everything was different. The building inspector would come by and we didn’t know anything about anything. But it was great. We had a great team. The group that sold the café to us, we were the underdogs. There were many other businesses that were vying for the cafe that were going to break down the café as it stood and then reopen it as a second or third store franchise. They took a bet on us. We were local in the community. It’s the café that’s five minutes down the street from us. We wanted to keep it what it was and jmake it better. We made this whole pitch deck about it and what our vision was. And I like to think that people saw something in that and that our community was really excited to support that. That’s what has carried us and a lot of humor and patience. .
Lisa Niver:
Yes. You have your hands in many different businesses. I love on your LinkedIn that one of your jobs is a very busy 168 hour a week job with a lot of details. Can you explain to people about this job you have on LinkedIn?
Beth Santos:
So, a few months ago, I was thinking about my role as a mom. I am tired of us not giving parents the credit that they deserve for the work that they’re doing. I run a household. Every time I make travel plans, I’m making plans for four people. I run two businesses and get dinner on the table, and I thought, I’m going to add this to my LinkedIn because this is a job too. People have done it before. If people did that more, whether they’re parents or whether they’re caregivers of another kind, we forget that we have this whole other part of our professional careers.
Part of it too was me seeing myself fully. It sounds like I do a lot and I do do a lot, but I think I, like anyone else, I’m always comparing myself to other people and the accomplishments of other people. I remember there were times when I’d be down on myself that I didn’t do X, Y, or Z. And then I think, I’ve been raising two humans at the exact same time. Why am I not acknowledging how valuable and important that work is? I put mom in chief. I decided to phrase it like a real, I’m using like air quotes real job, where I basically said, you know executive assistant, primary social planner responsible for four ongoing executive calendars. Because that’s really what it is. All the things you have to remember and do, and your brain is working a mile a minute, and you get paid for none of it. In fact, it’s pretty expensive.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Beth Santos (@maximumbeth)
Lisa Niver:
I think it’s brilliant. People are starting to recognize more and more the 168 hours of unpaid labor. I think the reason why as parents and women, the air quotes come up is because it’s not paid labor. It is real work. When your child is sick or you have to go in the ambulance with someone, you have a different impact at work the next day because part of your brain is exhausted. And concerned. And you’re trying to make so much happen in the relationship part of our lives. We talk about in business, people work with people who they like, but the people that are closest to us in our family, somehow they don’t get recognized as taking up space in our brains and our day. I loved what you did. I agree travel planning for four calendars with two kids, they’re both in elementary school right now, or littler?
Beth Santos:
The youngest is two, she’s just about to start daycare and my older daughter is in first grade.
Lisa Niver:
Those are busy times when you’re still tying shoes for people. And I believe you’re having an addition, right?
Beth Santos:
Yes. In January we have our third coming.
Lisa Niver:
We wish you happy and healthy. In Hebrew, we say B’sha’a tova, that the baby should arrive at the right time, healthy and a great addition. We know that you’re doing so much with the WITS summit, the café, Wanderfest and the ShesWanderful Community. And like me, you have a book coming out.
Beth Santos:
I love this work. I love the travel industry, I love entrepreneurship. I actually started writing this book years ago. I have like this message I want to share about, traveling by yourself. I wrote the very first chapter, the introduction, when I was pregnant with my first daughter. Then I had her and went into the whirlwind of being a parent for the first time. Then got back into it when I was pregnant with my second child and said I think there’s something here. I really want to write this. And it just so happened it was like the stars had aligned. I found an agent very quickly. She found a publisher very quickly. And the book deal was signed three weeks before I gave birth.
For my maternity leave, I had time sitting and thinking and nursing and thoughts with myself. I had just talked to Dr. Anu Tarana, who published a book called beyond Guilt Trips, Mindful Travel in An Unequal World. I was talking with her about her book and she said, she’s a mother, she has two kids. And she said she wrote her books seven minutes at a time because seven minutes a day was all she had to work on it. And hearing her say that gave me the validation to say, you know what? I can do this. I don’t need to be sitting down for 10 hours a day. Granted, I did sometimes, but I felt this is something I can actually do. I started and I just finished all of the rounds of edits and all of the back and forth with the copy editors on Friday, which today is it less than a week ago. (recorded Sept 2023)
It’s at the publishing house, and I am relaxing now. They that a book is like a baby. But I actually think writing a book is like if you had to go through labor for nine months, just the labor part and then afterward, all the fun stuff happens. So it’s like the reverse of having a baby in my mind. But yes, we’re very excited. Wander Woman How to Reclaim Your Space, Find Your Voice, and Travel the World, Solo is coming out in spring of 2024 on March 5!
Lisa Niver:
That is so exciting. I love what you said about writing in seven minutes and small drips, because for my book, I did 50 challenges before I turned 50, and one of the things I always tell people is to start with very small steps. Those little things add up, just like the seven minutes of writing adds up. Just don’t give up.
Beth Santos:
It becomes more manageable when you think about that. I mentioned there were plenty of days I wrote more, but sometimes your brain stops you with those expectations so much. If you think I have to set aside four hours today to write, you’re never going to do it. But if you say, all I need is 10 minutes, then you might find that time that you needed later. You’ve been able to kind of convince yourself this is doable. I can do this. And actually to get started.
Lisa Niver:
I know you have 50 cities where you have Wanderful meetups. What’s the best way for someone to get involved? You have the Creator Summit and Wander Fest. When someone comes to the site, what are they finding? How do they get involved? What’s the best step?
Beth Santos:
Everything related to Wanderful can be found at our website, which is sheswanderful.com and that will connect you to our membership. There’s a monthly fee for members. You can be a travel member, you can be a creator member where you actually get support on your career as a content creator. There’s a small business membership. And then it lists out all of our local hubs around the world including our global events, our trips. So everything that’s going on there you can find right on our website.
Lisa Niver:
That’s amazing. And what about people that are listening to you –you’re a serial entrepreneur, you’ve done so many things and they think I, I have a small business idea. Do you have any recommendations for someone that’s thinking about it but hasn’t really taken too much action?
Beth Santos:
The first thing you want to do is you really want to just research the market and understand is my idea viable now. Back in the history books, I actually taught social entrepreneurship at a university. One of the things that you learn in entrepreneurship is never, ever start with the answer first. Don’t ever just say, I have an idea for a cool travel backpack that does X, Y, and Z, because you’re not looking at it from the problem. You should always think about your business as what is the problem that’s out there that my business is solving for. If you have an idea, I want you to actually take a step back and think about what problem is my idea solving for? And really get deep and dirty with that problem.
You need to really understand it in its nuances. Why are people facing this? Who is facing this problem? What have been they been trying to do that hasn’t been working? And that might actually change your idea around a little bit more. And then after that, what you want to do is research and see is anyone else already doing this? And if it’s not, widely used across the board, I think you have a really compelling idea that you could move on. There’s a lot of pressure now to just drop everything and start a business and leave your full-time job and take the leap and take the plunge. I see absolutely no harm in doing this part-time and working your nine to five. Work on this new business after hours or during your lunch break or whenever you have time for it, because it does take a lot of time and energy to really make this into a career and to make money from it. Unless you come from a place where money is not an issue, you should be thoughtful about how much personal investment you’re putting into this, both financial, but also time and not give yourself the pressure to have to dive in. That’s the only legit way to do it. You can do this at any pace, just like writing a book. You can do this at any pace you want to do. So those would be my primary pieces of advice.
Lisa Niver:
That is such good advice. Now, I want to take business class with you. Do you have workshops on this at Wanderful?
Beth Santos:
I used to. I haven’t done it in a while. I used to run a Prosperity Circle that I might bring back at some point. It was a mini-MBA with everything I learned getting my business degree. It was actually super useful for people building digital companies and communities and modern-day businesses especially in travel. We had a good group going. Teaching takes a lot of work. I wanted to really give my students all the attention they deserved and remembering everybody’s business in addition to running my own business was a lot. But maybe one day I’ll bring it back, Lisa.
Lisa Niver:
Is some of this business acumen in the book? Is the book a memoir? a business book?
Beth Santos:
That’s a great question. It is part manifesto, part self-help guide, and part memoir. Actually, many of the concepts that I talk about, I base them in my own real life experiences as a traveler. This is the book that I wish somebody had handed to me when I first started traveling alone. The book talks about how to do it. It also talks about the broader issues that women face when they travel for the first time and might be unprepared for including the gender dynamics in new places. Your identity, the realization that you’ve been treated a certain way in your own home city your whole life.
And then you go into a new place and you realize, wow, people look at me different here, they perceive me differently or they expect things differently from me. My book talks about sexism and about safety. I wrote about being aware of the impact that you make as a traveler when you go somewhere. I talk about reentry and the really complicated feelings that come out of coming home and realizing that you feel different. And a lot of that feeling is internal and a lot of people might not see it on the outside. And how do you reconcile that? It’s really an honest supportive real talk nonfiction about the things that people aren’t telling women when they prepare to travel the world. Why travel should be for everyone, why it’s not always marketed that way. And hopefully giving women the confidence and enough information to feel like they can do this and they can take that next step toward that travel life that they’ve been wanting for themselves. My book is available for pre-order now. You can find it on Barnes and Noble. You can find it at Target. The publisher is Grand Central Publishing, which is a Hachette company.
Lisa Niver:
You are such an inspiration. I read on your website that 85% of travel decisions are made by women and you’re providing so much information and inspiration for people to go travel, to be business owners, to take credit for all they do as chief executive of the family. I have so enjoyed spending this time with you. I appreciate you and wish you so much health and happiness with all of these incredible additions that are coming into your community and your company, the Café, a child and your new book. You definitely are a wonder, Wander Woman.
Beth Santos:
Thank you Lisa. It’s been a real pleasure and I’m looking forward to reading your book, BRAVE-ish, One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty. I can’t wait to dig in.
Lisa Niver:
Before I let you go, as a last question I’ve been asking people since my book Brave-ish is about challenges, I’m not sure there’s anything else because we’ve talked about a lot of things that you have taken on, but maybe instead of a challenge you hope to accomplish, maybe you could talk about a time when you didn’t feel so courageous or brave, but you had to take a step anyway.
Beth Santos:
Let me start with this, a lot of people misunderstand what bravery and courage are. We think to ourselves that being brave means you’re not afraid. Being brave means that you’re very afraid and that you do it anyway. I also believe that if there’s something that makes you nervous, that is a signal that you should do it. You should try it because, life is short. We only have so much time to make mistakes and I always tell my husband, now it’s not as funny because we have a cafe, there’s always Starbucks. Like there’s always something that you can do. I have been much more of a risk taker in my professional life than maybe a lot of people would be because, there’s always Starbucks.
All of it scares me especially, as a parent. It becomes a lot scarier because you realize I could eat ramen every day and not have any quality of life, but I’m not going to let my kids live like that. It’s really terrifying to step into the place of trying to make a business work and also trying to be a parent. In our American system, there’s not a lot of support for parents of any kind or caregivers of any kind. You do feel very alone doing that, even if you are parenting with a partner or a big family. That has definitely been the most challenging part of my career to date is finding the unique ways to balance that, to push back against the system, to push back against expectations of professionals and for professional women. And still asserting that I can have it all, that I don’t have to choose the way I want to live my life. And that just that plain and civil fact has been something that every day is absolutely terrifying. But yet, it’s almost like you don’t have a choice. You really don’t have a choice either. So you just keep pushing forward.
Lisa Niver:
Thank you so much. I am inspired and I think everybody listening is inspired that all the risks that you’ve taken and all these seeds that you have planted have bloomed into this incredible garden. And I can’t wait to be at Wanderfest and see you at the Women in Travel Summit. Thank you and I and all my listeners wish you the best.
Beth Santos:
Thank you so much, Lisa. Likewise.
LISTEN on APPLE PODCAST: MAKE YOUR OWN MAPThe post Maximum Beth: The Empowering Entrepreneur Embodies Wonder, Wanderlust, and Wanderful Adventures appeared first on We Said Go Travel.
October 15, 2023
BRAVE-ish at BOOKFEST Fall 2023
Join me at BookFest Saturday, October 21st, 2023Day 1 – For Readers
The BookFest Fall 2023 is an exciting event for anyone who loves books and writing. The event brings together a diverse range of speakers and attendees, offering insights and ideas on everything from writing craft to book marketing and technology. Whether you’re a fan of reading, a published author, or are just starting out, The BookFest is an event that is not to be missed.
Day one of The BookFest Fall 2023 is devoted to readers. If you’re a booklover, then get ready for a bookish good time.
In addition to a full day of panels and conversations, there are special segments, the Big Bundle of Books Grand Prize Giveaway, and the Live Author Chats hosted by Beth Worsdell.
Sit back, curl up with your furry pal or text your friends so you can hang out and enjoy the presentation. Don’t forget to join the chatroom on YouTube to network with your new book-buddies. There are often lively conversations happening there. Either watch on The BookFest Home Page or go to the Books That Make You YouTube Channel.
All times listed in Pacific Time. Programming is subject to change.
SEE THE ENTIRE DAY PROGRAMMING HERE: BRAVE-ish is part of the LIVE AUTHOR CHATS!4:00pm PT to 6pm PT
Part afterparty, part networking, and part authors doing whatever the heck they want, this fun interactive event presents authors and literary folks in fast-paced chats with host Beth Worsdell.
Host: Beth Worsdell, English author of the sci-fi Earth’s Angels Trilogy and comedy Calling Clarissa. Founder and host of “The Witty Writers Show”
Co-Host: CJ Ives Lopez, Air Force Veteran, author, Founder of The Authors Porch®, event producer for The Book Fest® and Books That Make You, project manager for Hourly Concepts at BookBrush
4:05pm PT
Sarah Prager, author of Queer, There, and Everywhere, Rainbow Revolutionaries, and A Child’s Introduction to Pride
Lee Wind, writer of Red and Green and Blue and White, No Way, They Were Gay?, and the upcoming The Gender Binary is a Big Lie
4:30pm PT
Alan Henry, special projects editor at WIRED, former editor at NY Times/Lifehacker, and author of Seen, Heard, and Paid delves into workplace marginalization and offers career-boosting tips
4:40pm PT
Mark Leslie, paranormal raconteur and author of Haunted Hospitals, Creepy Capital, and Tomes of Terror will share a true story from his years of researching eerie tales
4:50pm PT
Kalee Boisvert, Money Guru and author of Make Money your Thing! and kid’s picture book Moneywise Mabel’s Bursting Bank, shares her top tips for making money less SCARY
5:00pm PT
Ann Charles, USA Today bestselling author of humorous mysteries and supernatural stories, shares several anecdotes of how life imitates art—or rather her art imitates her life
5:10pm PT
Gwen Overland, award winning author of Hot in Hawaii Series will be demonstrating how to make a Mai Tai
5:20pm PT
Aleksandra Tryniecka, Assistant professor and writer, introduces her character Bunky, discusses her historical book, explores “Halloween” from 1872, and shares an 1887 pumpkin pie recipe
5:30pm PT
Jim Potts, an award-winning author and lawyer will discuss the ethical challenges of representing a confessed child serial killer, clashing with deep moral values
Lisa Niver, award-winning travel writer and author of Brave–ish, shares how to banish your inner demons, awaken the hero within, and courageously craft an extraordinary life
5:50pm PT
Herman DeBoard, US Veteran turned enterprenuer/founder of Huvr, Inc., discusses the Versus Virus and how to evaluate your own beliefs to stop relying on what other tell you through critical thinking skills
6:00pm PT
Winners of The BookFest Big Bundle of Books Giveaway and The BookFest Children’s Book Giveaway announced
More details can be found on The BookFest website. Join the fun and hang out with the bookish community, which includes readers, writers, and industry experts. The BookFest website streams the online event, and it can be found on the Books That Make You YouTube Channel, too.
You can also follow The BookFest on Instagram, Facebook Page and Facebook Group.
Lisa Niver on BOOKS THAT MAKE YOU PodcastBooks That Make You Try New Things and be…Brave-ish What happens when you’re almost fifty, undergoing divorced and moving back into your parent’s home to start from the beginning? If you’re like Lisa Niver, you start by taking one “braveish” step at a time. For Lisa, each step took her away from her old world and into a bold new adventurous one. In her new memoir, Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty, she chronicles her attempt at trying fifty new things before turning fifty: diving into shipwrecks, swimming with sharks, bobsledding and more. All throughout, Lisa found herself traversing the world on a journey of reinvention and personal growth. Brave-ish inspires readers to take risks and embrace the unknown, and even the frightening, in order to live a life filled with wonder and excitement.
The post BRAVE-ish at BOOKFEST Fall 2023 appeared first on We Said Go Travel.
October 9, 2023
Melissa DaSilva Makes Travel Dreams Come True
Melissa DaSilva Makes Magic: Three Decades of Dedication to Making Dreams Come True in the Travel IndustryThank you to Melissa DaSilva, president of The Travel Corporation Travel Brands, for joining me on my podcast to talk about travel. She focuses on Making Travel Matter. We have met at many travel conferences around the world from the 10th annual Women’s Travel Fest in New York City to Travel Classics International at Ashford Castle in Ireland. For the last thirty years, she has been helping people realize their dreams and helping local communities.
I know from my travels that when we meet people in other places we realize we are all more alike than different, now more than ever, we need to remember that all over our planet, parents want their children to grow up happy, heathy and in safe peaceful countries.
Listen or watch our interview on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or your favorite podcast platformREAD THE TRANSCRIPT BELOW
Lisa Niver:
Good morning. This is Lisa Niver. I’m the founder of We Said Go Travel and the author of Brave-ish, One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After 50. I did 50 Travel Challenges and some of them were with the incredible brands that Melissa DaSilva makes happen.at The Travel Corporation. I’m so excited to have you here today.
Melissa DaSilva:
I am so happy to be here. Thank you for having me.
Lisa Niver:
It is my great honor. I felt so happy to hear you speak at the Women’s Travel Fest on the panel about women traveling over 50. And then we were so lucky to be together in Ireland at the amazing Red Carnation Property, there’s no other hotel like Ashford Castle.
Melissa DaSilva:
I agree. It is one of my favorite places on earth. And speaking of being 50, that’s where I celebrated my 50th birthday. So my two best friends and I, we decided to take a lifelong trip to Ireland and we ended it with three nights at Ashford Castle. And I have to say that being treated like a queen on your 50th birthday is the way to go.
Ashford Castle Photo by Lisa Niver at Travel Classics Ireland, the property is part of TTC Red Carnation HotelsLisa Niver:
Oh my goodness. I mean, I can’t say enough about Ashford Castle. You and I were both there as part of Travel Classics Ireland the most recent time, and I’ve been there twice. And for me, walking with the Hawk, the falconry that’s in my book, because that is one of the most amazing experiences of my life.
Melissa DaSilva:
I agree. It’s one of my favorite things to do when I am at Ashford as well. I just think there’s something so wild and powerful about it. And yet, just Majestic and I’m not a huge bird fan, but there’s something about the birds of prey and the hawks that they really take your breath away. They really do.
Lisa Niver:
That’s one of the things that all of your travel brands have in common is searching for those key experiences. You don’t want go to some place that looks the same as when you’re at home and do something you could do around the corner. You’ve flown on this flight and you’ve made this effort. When I was on Insight Vacations Luxury Gold on the Motor Coach, that we had some incredible experiences. We were at dinner in Rome and all of a sudden we were having a private concert.
Melissa DaSilva:
The thing that I love best about a guided vacation, and for any of your listeners who don’t know about the brands that I represent, I actually represent six fabulous tour brands and we really have something for everyone. And it’s, everything from ConTiki, which is our youth brand, all the way up to, as you mentioned, Luxury Gold, which is our high-end luxury brand for the more discerning traveler. We really do have something for everyone. But the thing that they have in common is that we are able to connect our guests with people and experiences that they wouldn’t necessarily even know about, let alone be able to book on their own. And so it makes it really special to be able to deliver that and to watch people have these really transformational experiences that is what makes travel to me so special is to your point, it’s being able to really connect with the destination and the culture in a way that’s deeper than just ticking something off your bucket list.
Lisa Niver:
When I was in Ireland the very first time I was in Dublin at St. Patrick’s Day with Brendan Vacations, I went to see Newgrange, which is a thousand years older than the pyramids.
Melissa DaSilva:
Tthe world is so huge and you and I, we travel avidly all the time and our list just gets longer and longer and longer. It’s not like we ever make a dent in it because we hear about all of these phenomenal places and experiences and add new ones. And that’s why we have six brands and we travel to all seven continents because literally you’ll never get to the end of your list. Brendan Vacations is super special, has a very special place in my heart. We’re able to create custom vacations for whatever the traveler really wants, which is what makes it really special because it’s tailored to whoever it is that’s planning the trip. So, whether you are like me and you’re 50 and you’re planning a big celebration or maybe you want to do a family reunion or you want to trace your heritage, that’s what makes it really special for us is to be able to do that for people.
Lisa Niver:
So obviously you have a wealth of experience and these incredible brands, but what brought you to travel? Were you an early traveler? Did you go on vacation with your family? Did you choose study abroad or summer camp? What inspired you to just have wanderlust in your blood?
Melissa DaSilva:
That’s a great question. So I actually didn’t travel internationally at all when I was younger, but my mother had been one of those women who after college she went and lived in Europe for like three months. In the sixties, she was a very early adopter of women’s solo travel. I heard her stories my entire childhood growing up. And I wanted to do that. I wanted to go experience the world. I also grew up in a very, very small town. I’m from northern California, right by Lake Tahoe, this tiny little ski town called Truckee. And for me, the world just seemed like this big, big, big place that I wanted to explore but didn’t know how. My goal in life was to get a job where I would get paid to travel. I didn’t have a lot of money and going on vacation; it seemed out of reach for me.
I wanted to get a job where I could get paid to travel. I went to school in media and journalism and I thought that’s what I’ll do. It’s the only job that I knew of where I could be someplace else and still be working. When I was at UCLA, I had friends that were traveling all the time and I said, how are you doing this? And they said, we work at the travel travel agency on campus. And so I thought, I need to do that. So that’s where I got a job. That’s what helped pay my way through school. And I remember I had an internship my last year of school with MGM studios in the PR media department and I hated it.
So I quit and picked up more hours at the travel agency andthe rest is history. I was at a travel agency for almost 20 years between that job and another one. And then I’ve been here for going on 11. I’ve been over 30 years in the travel industry. When you work in this industry and you get to experience all the amazing things that travel provides, it opens your eyes, it brings cultures closer together. It really does show us how the world is very, very small and how really we are more alike than we are different. That’s incredibly special and it’s really hard to even think about a job that would do anything different. I feel very, very fortunate and grateful that this is the job that I ended up with and it makes me extremely happy to come to work every day, being able to bring people’s travel dreams to life.
Lisa Niver:
That is true. You are a giver of dreams.
Melissa DaSilva:
I am .
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Insight Vacations (@insightvacations)
Lisa Niver:
That’s amazing. I had an early job in travel after I learned to scuba dive and I was teaching and I could not afford exotic scuba vacations and I went to work for Club Med. And after that I worked on cruise ships. But I always thought about being a tour guide and I have to say the tour guides I’ve met on your different brands have all been incredible people. How do you discover these people that are part of your guided tours that bring the whole experience to life?
Melissa DaSilva:
I think what’s really interesting is if you talk to anybody who’s traveled on any of our trips, they will tell you that their travel director was the best travel director on the face of the Earth . And they will battle it out. And I think that’s amazing ’cause it means that really every one of our travel directors is doing a phenomenal job. There’s a couple of things that we look for. Obviously they need to know about the destination. They have to be extremely, not just well-versed, but they need to really know if not live in that destination. But the thing that’s more important to us, I think than that is that they’re actually fun people that you would want to travel with. Nobody wants to travel with their old high school history teacher, right? You want to travel with somebody who’s engaging and exciting and also inspired by the destination that they’re in and who at the end of the day you want to hang out at the bar and have a drink and hear about their experiences.
Melissa DaSilva:
That is critical and important when it comes to us identifying who’s going to be a good travel director. And then of course we continually invest in their ongoing training. More importantly things that are changing in terms of the service delivery and the expectations that our guests have. We’re constantly putting them in the seat of the guest, we call it our personal development training. Once a year we run these trips and severy other year the travel directors are on them where they sit as the guest and then learn from and critique their peers and receive feedback themselves. They’re not just the person sitting at the front of the, the coach, they’re sitting where their guests sit so that they can get a really good perspective of how they can do better and deliver a better experience for our guests.
Explore Iceland’s natural beauty on a unique photography workshop trip hosted by @ThatOneBlondKid & @jacobriglin! We’re talking erupting geysers, cascading waterfalls, and a full week of travel, collaboration, and creation
— Contiki (@ContikiUSA) September 13, 2019
Lisa Niver:
Many people ask me, how can I travel like you? And when I talk about some of the projects that you have, I get a lot of pushback from people. They say: I do not want to be on a bus with 40 people and I don’t want to wake up every morning early. I know having been on Insight Luxury Gold that every day was really fantastic and seamless. What response do you give to people with all these different brands that have so many levels and so many experiences, especially, for women over 50 who might not want to travel alone, but they don’t want to have too many rules.
Melissa DaSilva:
Now, more than ever, women like myself over 50 who are looking to travel, we’re very, very deliberate and specific about where we want togo, the new places we want tovisit. We want to go on the less traveled destinations. Going with a guided brand is really advantageous for that. It, it delivers that security in the framework, but it also doesn’t restrict you. So to your point, there is a ton of free time built in. You can use that to do your own thing, to go off to be spontaneous or you can use it to hang out with newfound friends. I do think that those of us that travel solo, we do like the mix. We want time to self-reflect. We want time to, experience things on our own. But I do think travel is also really special when it’s a shared experience.
Melissa DaSilva:
And so even if it means coming together at the end of the evening and sharing a meal and a glass of wine and saying, what did you do today and what did you learn and how was your experience same or different than the one that I had? And how special is that? I think that that’s really important. I do think that tours sometimes get a bad rap. There is a misconception as you say, based on how things were 40 years ago. And when I tell you that we are evolving on a yearly, weekly, monthly basis, we get constant feedback from our guests. Every single guest provides us feedback and we are constantly acting on it. So when I say to you we have six brands with a travel style for everyone, I mean that if they want to travel, we can find a trip that has a slower pace, slower starts or a faster pace. If they want to tick everything off because they know that this is the only two week vacation they get. We can go in depth in one destination. We could spend all seven days in one city or we could hit five countries in 10 days. It’s really up to the guest and what they want to do. And I think that that’s really important to know is that it is not a one size fits all to your point. We can really find the perfect trip depending on what it is that that guest is looking for.
Lisa Niver:
And so as an example, I saw one of my cousins last night and she’s getting divorced, she’s over 50, she doesn’t want to travel alone. She really wants what you’re saying, to look around on her own, but have people to have dinner with at night. Are there trips that are more focused to women over 50 or people that want transformation? Or how does that work?
Melissa DaSilva:
All of our trips are open to anyone. In that sense I would say you will find 15% of the travelers on any of our trips are traveling on their own. But we do have trips with our brand Insight in particular where they can choose to travel on a trip with only women, with a female travel director, with even the drivers are women. The other thing that’s really special about those trips is that the experiences that we’re picking are highlighting women owned or women run businesses. Everything that we do is going to be giving back as much as possible to the local economy. But those trips specifically, we want to make sure that we empower those women-owned businesses. That’s really special because as a traveler, not only are you getting that experience, but you’re also able to give back a little bit.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Trafalgar (@trafalgartravel)
Lisa Niver:
Well, I remember on my trip when we were in Italy, we were doing some of the things with Treadright, your philanthropy arm.
Melissa DaSilva:
We’ve evolved that a little bit. Treadright is our nonprofit organization that oversees all of our sustainability efforts. And within each of our brands we are committed to make travel matter. And what I mean by that is we have identified 571 projects now. Our new report just came about our make travel matter experiences. And no matter what trip you go on, on any of our brands, we’re always going to have at least one, if not more than one. And what that means is we have built them into the itinerary. So people who are traveling with us, regardless of where they’re going they are going to be giving back to the communities that they travel to. And that could be something that gives back to either the planet or the people.
Melissa DaSilva:
The majority of our experiences are actually giving back to the communities that we visit or the wildlife. So particularly let’s say you’re traveling to Africa or maybe the Galapagos, we’re going to make sure that we’ve got some some conservation efforts going on, but it’s not like you’re volunteering per se. What we want to do is give back in a meaningful way that is sustainable. A really great example that I would love to share is we work with a woman named Marta in Tuscany and Marta is a weaver. She weaves on a 900 year old loom back from the Renaissance Times. And she is, we believe the last woman who actually was weaving on this type of loom, she learned it from her grandmother who learned it from her grandmother who learned it from her grandmother. And she’s an artist. I mean she will tell you straight up that that’s what she is.
Melissa DaSilva:
She is an artist, but she was not able to sustain her business and she was weeks away from having to close her studio when she was connected with the Treadright Foundation and we were able to collaborate with her. And now two of our brands, both Insight Vacations and Trafalgar have trips that go in, they visit her studio. Our guests get to watch her weave on a 900 year old loom. I get goosebumps, right? They get to hear about her stories from her grandmother and she’s been able to build a business that now is gonna be sustainable. She’s able to have a apprentice, now. So her niece is her apprentice. So this craft, this artisanship is not going to die after 900 years because we were able to form a really beautiful symbiotic relationship with her. Our guests get an amazing experience and Marta, this wonderful woman that we work with in Perugia, she gets to keep this beautiful studio in this tradition alive. That’s what I mean when I say that we’ve got these make travel matter experiences. We are making travel matter in a really meaningful way.
“The best restaurant in town, with a sunset view”- Cruise Manager Louisa in Ristorante Rialto onboard #SSLaVenezia#ExploreUniworld pic.twitter.com/ZpT31P3SbP
— Uniworld Cruises (@UniworldCruises) October 6, 2023
Lisa Niver:
And there’s no way you would’ve known this, but I actually was there. I have video from that day and it was so amazing. And I love that of all the places on the planet that you could have picked, you picked one that I actually have been to, which is like a good synergy of how this travel life works, right? . We saw each other in New York at Women’s Travel Fest, We saw each other in Ireland. We both love Ashford Castle. Early on in my writing career and I met Patricia Schultz, I learned about your brand because she was the ambassador for the Trafalgar brand.
One of the things that I’ve been asking all of my guests, because my book is coming out, Brave-ish, One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty. I did 50 challenges before I turned 50. What are you thinking about maybe personally and professionally, what is something you’re either very proud of a challenge you’ve done or, or what challenge are you looking forward to next?
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Brendan Vacations (@brendanvacations)
Melissa DaSilva:
For me personally, I am looking to do some more adventurous travel. My oldest daughter is off to college in the fall. I’ve got one more at home. We’ve been doing family vacations for the past 18 years, which is fun and I love it. But I’m ready to get back to some destinations that the kids aren’t as excited about. So I definitely want to do some more hiking and camping and I really want to do Machu Picchu and hike the Inca Trail. I am desperate to get to Egypt, so I can’t believe I haven’t been yet. Those are some places that I’m looking to get to. And those are absolutely places that I would not travel by myself and on my own. I would definitely want to go with a tour.
Melissa DaSilva:
From a work perspective, we are continuing this focus on sustainability. While we’ve done, I think a phenomenal job of embedding all of these fantastic experiences for our guests, the other thing that we’re doing, which is a little bit less visible is on the back end, is all of the work that we’re doing on our road to net zero. We’ve committed that by 2050, we will be completely net zero. When we originally launched our plan in 2020, we were looking for carbon neutrality. And as we all know, that’s just not good enough anymore. Every year using our science-based targets, we are making roads and inroads to being completely net zero. That is a super important initiative for us that we’ll continue to work on. That again, doesn’t get any visibility, but will make us very proud at the end of the day when it is done. Because it’s critical for all of us that work here, that we are leaving the world in a better place than we found it for generations of people to be able to travel. We feel like we’re stewards. We want to make sure that we’re doing good.
Lisa Niver:
I think you’re definitely doing great, and I know you’re just back from an adventure. I appreciate that you made time to talk with me. I think it’s very inspiring for people to see the the way that you shifted in your early career. You thought you were going to do one thing, and then you worked in the travel agency. You were inspired to travel like your mom and, and you’re making that happen. That’s so inspiring.
Melissa DaSilva:
Thank you so much. Travel is in my soul. I knew I always wanted to do it and I feel very, very again fortunate that I get to do this every single day. I’m excited to come to work every day and, even after everything that the travel industry went through in the past three years, just being able to be part of the recovery– that’s also very, very special. And, being surrounded by an entire team of people globally who are so committed to making sure that our guests have amazing vacations is it’s very, very special.
Lisa Niver:
I agree with you. I worked on the cruise ships for a long time and at September 11th everything shifted so considerably. And then these past few years, like you’re mentioning with the covid coaster, it’s been again so challenging. In the United States where we both are filming today, there was a lot of economic support and other countries don’t necessarily have that. Specifically, some of the places I visit, like in the Pacific Islands, it was desperate times for people. Tourism is a huge part of the economy.
Melissa DaSilva:
It’s huge. And I don’t think people really think about all of the different parts of the tourism economies. It’s not just the airplanes and the tours and the hotels. It’s all of those small businesses that support them, whether it be walking tours or even restaurants or the people that are doing laundry. There is such a huge portion of the world economy that is focused and reliant on tourism. It’s estimated to be one in 10 jobs are impacted by tourism in the world. And so if you think about that, that is massive 10% of the entire world. And so you’re right, there was not that kind of support everywhere and even where there was support, it’s still been incredibly difficult for the industry to return back to normal. And so being part of that, I think has been not only a challenge, but also extremely rewarding.
Lisa Niver:
We’re fortunate to have passports where we can acquire visas relatively easy and have access to transportation. Also, I, like you, feel very fortunate to have been able to go different places and I love that there’s such a big focus at the Travel Corporation with making travel matter and like you said, the amazing weaver. I look forward to doing more travel with your brands. I was so honored and I had such a good time at Ashford Castle. I definitely want to stay at more Red Carnation properties!
Melissa DaSilva:
They are magical.
Lisa Niver:
Travel is magic and you, Melissa, are magic. I really appreciate you making the time to come talk to me and my listeners about the incredible travel opportunities across all of your amazing brands.
Melissa DaSilva:
Thank you so much. It was a pleasure to be here.
In our interview we talked about Brendan Vacations Newgrange tour that I took in 2015
I traveled with Insight Vacations Luxury Gold in Italy. Melissa talked about Marta Cucchi the weaver in Umbria that Treadrite supports–this video is about my visit during our trip:
My Insight Vacation: Read Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
and watch through 31 videos of my trip:
Together in Ireland
Melissa DaSilva is President of the TTC Tour Brands for North America with an industry career spanning 30 years. Travel is both a personal passion and professional pursuit. An avid and lifelong traveler Melissa has been to more than fifty countries and has lived in both the US and the UK. She has been recognized for an ability to rapidly adjust in a changing business environment, resulting in enhanced business practices, increased productivity, and profits. She has a proven success record of recruiting and developing strong, collaborative teams and delivering consistency in multi-channel organizations.
Her contagious enthusiasm comes from a deeply held belief she shares with The Travel Corporation; travel helps broaden perspectives through the connectivity of shared experiences of adventure, exploration, learning and laughter showing how we are all more alike than different.
Find your next holiday and MAKE TRAVEL MATTER!LISTEN on APPLE PODCAST: MAKE YOUR OWN MAPLisa’s book: Brave-ish, One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty
More about Lisa’s memoir: BRAVE-ishThe post Melissa DaSilva Makes Travel Dreams Come True appeared first on We Said Go Travel.
October 7, 2023
BRAVE-ish at Zibby’s Bookshop
We’re hosting Lisa Niver as she discusses BRAVE-ish! Lisa will be in conversation with Chris Palmeri of Bloomberg News.Date & time: Saturday, October 14, 2023 at 3 pm PDTLocation: Zibby’s Bookshop, 1113 Montana Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90403EVENT RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/author-event-lisa-niver-with-chris-palmeri-tickets-720153056177
Event format: 30 minute conversation, followed by audience Q&A and book signing
About the book:
Although Lisa Niver has traveled in far-off locales from Vanuatu to Nepal and received numerous accolades for both her writing and her top ranked website, what people don’t realize is that this began from the wreckage of a rotten romance.
Newlywed Niver was on the adventure of a lifetime. She had quit her job, rented out her condo, and was traveling around Asia. To the outside world, Niver was a woman living out her dreams of exploring ancient ruins in Cambodia and seeing orangutans in Borneo. In private, she was keeping a dark secret. But, when she found herself lying on a sidewalk in Thailand, looking up at the sky in severe pain, she knew things had to change. At age forty-seven, Niver found the courage to set course on a new life.
Feeling like a failure, pushing fifty, and moving home to her parents’ house to start again from scratch, Niver started taking one tiny “brave-ish” step at a time to take her life far away from the old one and into the adventurous world of travel writing. These small hurdles led to the challenge of trying fifty new things before turning fifty. From diving into shipwrecks, swimming with sharks, bobsledding at 3 Gs, to indulging in wild escapades, Niver found herself traversing the world on a journey of reinvention, personal growth, and discovering what it actually means to be “brave.”
While Brave-ish chronicles Niver’s inspiring expeditions to distant corners of the world including Myanmar, Cuba, Morocco, Kenya and Mongolia this is more than a travelogue. Niver’s story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of perseverance. Brave-ish inspires readers to dream big, take risks, and embrace the unknown to create a life filled with wonder and excitement, even when courage seems elusive.
About the speakers:
Lisa Niver is an award-winning travel expert who has explored 102 countries on six continents. This University of Pennsylvania graduate sailed across the seas for seven years with Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean, and Renaissance Cruises and spent three years backpacking across Asia. Discover her articles in publications from AARP: The Magazine and AAA Explorer to WIRED and Wharton Magazine, as well as her site WeSaidGoTravel. On her global podcast, Make Your Own Map, Niver has interviewed Deepak Chopra, Olympic medalists, and numerous bestselling authors, and as a journalist has been invited to both the Oscars and the United Nations. For her print and digital stories as well as her television segments, she has been awarded three Southern California Journalism Awards and two National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards and been a finalist twenty times.
Chris Palmeri oversees entertainment industry coverage for Bloomberg, a team that stretches from New York to Seoul and involves movies, TV, video games, and casinos. Bloomberg. Lisa met Chris when he was the president of the Los Angeles Press Club.
Bloomberg article about Lisa Niver: “To Stay in Shape on the Road, One Travel Expert Packs a Hula Hoop; Writer and podcast host Lisa Niver has visited more than 100 countries. Here’s her advice on scuba diving, hydration tablets and exercise.”
LEARN MORE about Zibby Owens in Lisa’s interview of her: Zibby Owens, Book Messenger Extraordinaire, Igniting Literary EnthusiasmZibby’s Bookstore events:
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October 6, 2023
BRAVE-ish at Stephen Wise Temple
Thank you to Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback for inviting me on his podcast, Search for Meaning, and to speak on Shabbat at Stephen Wise Temple.
In this edition of his Search for Meaning podcast, Stephen Wise Temple Senior Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback hosts travel writer, author, podcaster, and Stephen Wise Temple Board member Lisa Niver, who just released her memoir, Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents, and Feeling Fearless After Fifty.
Lisa’s memoir debuted as the top solo travel title on Amazon.com when it released on Sept. 19. Her podcast, Make Your Own Map, launched this summer and has been watched on six continents. It was a finalist for two Southern California Journalism Awards in 2023.
Elected this summer as a Congregational Director, Lisa is a graduate of Wise’s religious school program. Wise’s founder, Rabbi Isaiah Zeldin, officiated her bat mitzvah. She began her “nomadic” lifestyle by spending a summer in Israel on LA Ulpan, and went on to study abroad in Jerusalem at Hebrew University. She returned to Israel with her family for Rabbi Zeldin’s 80th birthday celebration. As a journalist, Lisa often shares articles about Wise clergy and services, most often through her column in the Jewish Journal.
Lisa has taught religious school at Wise and science at Brawerman Elementary, and has spoken at Wise about the Jews of Morocco (join our trip there next February!). Through the Jewish Federation, Lisa was part of the Rautenberg New Leaders Project and a mentor for the Julie Beren Platt Teen Innovation Grants Program.
Lisa’s mother, Judi Niver, also served on the temple’s board and both parents are active members in the temple community. Lisa is a regular at Shabbat services (speaking about her book on Sept. 29) and during COVID, she helped coordinate political leaders to read the prayer for our country.
Small Steps to Begin Again by Lisa NiverBeing here in the sanctuary, I am reminded of our founder Rabbi Zeldin. Where other people saw an empty mountain top, he imagined THIS city on the hill sometimes called the shul with a pool. I wonder what it was like when he decided to begin our temple. Did he always believe it would work out? He probably did.When most people take a first small step, to build a new synagogue, website or completely new life, it is scary. I remember in religious school, Rabbi Zeldin taught us to open our books and read the words on the page. We were not meant to memorize the prayers, we had to see the letters in front of us. I took away from this that we need to be present in the moment. We may be familiar with the prayer, but we need to bring all of our attention and focus. In so many ways, I have needed to stop, breathe, and see what is in front of me. BRAVE-ISH: ONE BREAKUP, SIX CONTINENTS AND FEELING FEARLESS AFTER FIFTY
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October 3, 2023
50 Years of Ms. Magazine at Vroman’s Bookstore!
THE FEMINIST FIGHT FORWARD: LESSONS FROM 50 YEARS OF MS.
Please join us at Vroman’s Bookstore to celebrate the extraordinary new anthology
50 YEARS OF Ms.: THE BEST OF THE PATHFINDING MAGAZINE THAT IGNITED A REVOLUTION (Knopf, Sept. 2023)
and engage in critical conversation – with Carmen Rios, Ms. Consulting digital editor, Lisa Niver, author of Brave-ish, One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty and Ms. contributor, and Nayereh Tohidi, a member of the Ms. committee of scholars. We’ll explore what the future of feminism and movement journalism demands: vision that is bold, imaginative and collaborative.
DATE: October 10, 2023
TIME: 7pm
LOCATION: Vromans Main Store 695 E. Colorado Blvd Pasadena, CA 91101
Vroman’s Bookstore, founded in 1894, is Southern California’s oldest and largest independently owned bookstore.
Lisa Niver and Carmen Rios will see you at Vromans on Oct 10, 202350 YEARS OF Ms. is a remarkable collection – five decades of the magazine’s most startling, audacious, and norm-breaking pieces. Filled with iconic covers, photos, and letters to Ms., it features a foreword from Gloria Steinem and contributions by bell hooks, Alice Walker, Pauli Murray, Eleanor Smeal, Billie Jean King, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Allison Bechdel, Brittney Cooper, Joy Harjo, Toni Morrison, Audre Lorde, Adrienne Rich, Rita Dove and many more.
Ms. remains a trusted feminist source for news, analysis and commentary, and is more critical than ever as the fights for women’s rights and for democracy face new challenges. The book is as much a reflection of the past 50 years as it is a roadmap for the path forward.
50 Years of Ms.: The Best of the Pathfinding Magazine That Ignited a Revolution By Katherine Spillar (Editor), Eleanor Smeal (Introduction by), Gloria Steinem (Foreword by)
Published: Knopf – September 19th, 2023
Brave-ish, One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After FiftyBy Lisa Niver
Published: Post Hill Press – September 19th, 2023
Lisa’s articles on Ms. Magazine
We hope you’ll join us to celebrate the extraordinary new anthology 50 YEARS OF Ms.: THE BEST OF THE PATHFINDING MAGAZINE THAT IGNITED A REVOLUTION (Knopf, Sept. 2023) — five decades of the magazine’s most startling, audacious and norm-breaking pieces.
In a starred review, Booklist praised it as “thoughtfully curated and zestful,” noting that Ms. “continues to lead in the long battle for gender equality, an essential element in a thriving democracy.”
Because this book is as much a reflection of the past 50 years as it is a roadmap for the path forward, we are thrilled to leverage its release to engage in conversations with movement leaders around the country. Together we will explore what the future of feminism and its journalism demands: vision that is bold, imaginative and collaborative.
Many thanks for being a loyal member of the GLI community. We hope to see you soon!
JOIN US IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA:
Thursday, Oct. 5: THE HAMMER MUSEUM
with labor and civil rights leader Dolores Huerta, Ms. publisher and Feminist Majority Foundation president Eleanor Smeal, Ms. executive editor Katherine Spillar, Ms. Studios executive producer Michele Goodwin and Ms. consulting digital editor Carmen Rios.
Tuesday, Oct. 10: VROMAN’S BOOKSTORE
with Ms. consulting digital editor Carmen Rios, Ms. contributor Lisa Niver and Ms. Committee of Scholars member Nayereh Tohidi.
Sunday, Oct. 29: SKIRBALL CULTURAL CENTER
with Ms. executive editor Katherine Spillar, Ms. Studios executive producer Michele Goodwin, labor and civil rights leader Dolores Huerta, Ms. consulting digital editor Carmen Rios, Futures Without Violence founder and president Esta Soler, Pandia Health CEO and co-founder Sophia Yen, conceptual artist Michele Pred, NPR correspondent Renee Montagne, Academy Award-winning filmmaker Rayka Zehtabchi, Afghan social activist Crystal Bayat, Rabbi Sari Laufer and more speakers to come.
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