Saturday, January 26, 2013
Traveling Alone
3:55 PM | 
Posted by
Janet Boyanton |
Traveling
alone as a single woman can seem challenging, or for some downright impossible.
But it doesn't have to be a frightening experience. I recently returned from a
trip to Wales in the UK and in the next few posts I thought I would share some
ideas about traveling in a foreign country as a woman alone.
First do good research in advance. If you are traveling overseas, check your passport expiration date. If your passport expires while you are abroad you have a very big problem. Check to see if you need a visa well in advance of the trip. If you need a visa for the country you are visiting, it may take some time to secure it.
Check the expiration dates on any credit cards or debit cards you will be using on the trip. If you debit card expires while you are abroad you may not be able to get needed cash. When your departure date gets close let your bank and credit card companies know that you will be in another country. If they see unexpected charges from a foreign country they may suspend use of the card until they can verify your transactions. This can create problems paying for things and require you to call the company and confirm that the charges were made by you.
First do good research in advance. If you are traveling overseas, check your passport expiration date. If your passport expires while you are abroad you have a very big problem. Check to see if you need a visa well in advance of the trip. If you need a visa for the country you are visiting, it may take some time to secure it.
Check the expiration dates on any credit cards or debit cards you will be using on the trip. If you debit card expires while you are abroad you may not be able to get needed cash. When your departure date gets close let your bank and credit card companies know that you will be in another country. If they see unexpected charges from a foreign country they may suspend use of the card until they can verify your transactions. This can create problems paying for things and require you to call the company and confirm that the charges were made by you.
Good preparation
can make a trip easy and fun.
For
the next several posts I will give you tips on traveling alone as well as some
highlights from my trip. If you have
tips for traveling alone, please share those with my readers!Thanks,
Janet
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Sunday, September 23, 2012
How Long Does Grief Last?
Grief is a
very individual thing. I recently had a
widow ask me how long it took me to get over my grief. So how long does it take to stop grieving for your husband? It depends on a lot of different things. Mostly it depends on the person who is grieving.
There
is no set time to “finish” grieving. For
many of us there are events that will evoke the grief response for years after the
acute grief has passed. For me it took
several years. For you it may be
different.
So
what can you do to get through your grief?
First, be patient with yourself.
Grieving is natural and is different in different people. Second, remember there is no “normal time”
for grief to go away. Don’t be overly
concerned about people who tell you they got over their grief much faster. Third, Grief groups can be beneficial in
helping you through your grief. If you
feel you need more assistance seek out a grief counselor who can help your deal
with your loss.
Weeping
may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning.
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Hurricanes
I recently attended an Elder Law conference in Galveston,
Texas. My son and I have gone to the conference
for a number of years. Several years ago
Galveston was hit by a major hurricane destroying or damaging many of the
islands buildings. One hotel, that was
built on a pier over the water, was completely destroyed and set there damaged
for several years. Two years ago we
noticed that the hotel was being torn down and last year the pier was being
rebuilt. This year the new pier was
filled with amusement rides. They had transformed
the destruction into a Pleasure Pier, reminiscent of the boardwalk of the
past. The brightly lit roller-coaster
and Ferris wheel can be seen for miles.
That is what widows have to do. Out of the hurricane of destruction that
follows the death of a spouse, we must build a new life. For widows that can mean starting a new job,
going back to school, working as a volunteer, or simply finding your passion
and acting on it.
Just remember that out of the hurricanes of life each of us
can build our own Pleasure Pier (read future here) complete with dazzling light
and a joyful new start.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Book Award
I
am excited to announce that my book, Alone and Alive, a practical guide to
dealing with the death of your husband, won the 2012 Texas Association of
Authors book award for Women’s Issues.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Setting Goals
When we think about goal setting, we tend to think about business
men and young people planning their lives.
But as we accommodate to the
changes in our lives we often need to think about setting new goals. For a new widow those goals may be career
goals, financial goals or goals for addressing the changes in your personal
life.
I recently read an article by Steve Hendon, business coach,
who discussed goal settling related to the Olympic athletes. He discusses setting challenging and specific
goals:
"It's not uncommon for us to believe
that goals should be realistic to be attainable, but Edwin Locke,
professor emeritus at the University of Maryland, and Gary Latham, professor at
the Rotman School of Business, at the University of Toronto, suggest otherwise."
As widows it is important that
we set new goals, and many of them will reach beyond our comfort zone. When your life is irreparably changed by the death
of your husband, planning for your future and setting goals is essential. So reach beyond your comfort zone and set
some goals to help you achieve a happy future.
Go to http://practicetobusiness.wordpress.com/
to read Steve’s whole article on goal setting.Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Thoughts on the Fourth of July
When I woke up this morning the first thing I did
was check my personal email. As I went
through the 100+ emails that came during the night, I was struck by how many of
them were headed, “Happy Independence Day,” “Happy July 4,” or simply “Happy 4th.” The heading was inevitably followed by, “Save
25% on _______ [anything from boxer shorts to bass boats] during our
spectacular Independence Day Sale!”
That made me wonder if the 4th of July
has become nothing more than a day to shop for bargains, cookout, and watch
fireworks. It made me stop a reconsider
my on plans for the day, sleeping late, painting my den, and, yes, watching
fireworks with Thomas.
But before I started my busy Independence Day, I
stopped to remember those who have made it possible for me to live in
freedom. I cherish the freedoms we hold
dear, and am grateful for all those down through the ages who have done their part
to keep our county strong and free, whether they served in the military, in the
legislature, in the judicial system, in our great workforce, or simple kept the
home fires burning for those who did. We
all have our part to play to keep America strong and our freedoms alive.
So I will take this moment to remember and thank
those in my immediate family who have served our country.
Harvey Shafer - WWII North Africa
Marion Shafer - WWII South Pacific
Aubrey Shafer - WWII Europe
Ken Galen - Vietnam
Rick Carpenter – Iraq, Afghanistan
Kenny Galan - Iraq
Happy Independence Day!
Janet
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Hobbies
I was talking with a friend the other day about hobbies. She has spent her whole life working and now is disabled and unemployed. She really never had any hobbies. She spent all of her time working, raising children and taking care of the house. Now she reads for recreation, but is becoming board.
When I became a widow I was frantically busy with work and raising a child alone. Now that Thomas is away at college, I have been looking for other interests to fill the time that used to be filled with band concerts, football games and Boy Scouts. I have renewed old interests and may find some new ones.
One of my requirements is that any hobby I chose must have some personal contact. I want to be able to engage in hobbies that bring me in touch with like-minded people. One hobby I have enjoyed for years is entering sweepstakes. Most of that activity is done alone, however I have joined a sweepstakes club that meets once a month. So I am doing something I like and meeting new people.
What kind of hobbies do you enjoy? What kind of hobbies would you like to try and how will that hobby help you deal with your free time as a widow?
When I became a widow I was frantically busy with work and raising a child alone. Now that Thomas is away at college, I have been looking for other interests to fill the time that used to be filled with band concerts, football games and Boy Scouts. I have renewed old interests and may find some new ones.
One of my requirements is that any hobby I chose must have some personal contact. I want to be able to engage in hobbies that bring me in touch with like-minded people. One hobby I have enjoyed for years is entering sweepstakes. Most of that activity is done alone, however I have joined a sweepstakes club that meets once a month. So I am doing something I like and meeting new people.
What kind of hobbies do you enjoy? What kind of hobbies would you like to try and how will that hobby help you deal with your free time as a widow?
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