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In 2001 my husband and I purchased a get-away house in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire and began spending all our free time there. Then, in 2003 my husband took early retirement, while I continued to work for Elderhostel in Boston. By early 2004, however, we made the decision to move permanently to New Hampshire. Giving up a steady paycheck was another very big step outside my comfort zone. But after working out what I hoped would be a suitable arrangement for both Elderhostel and me, we made the big move.
My husband built a beautiful office in our home for my use, one that overlooks the mountains on one side and our high mountain meadow on the other. It’s a far cry from my view of the sides of buildings in Boston. As an independent contractor I continue, thanks to modern technology, to do the exact same work for Elderhostel. No longer an “employee” of the company, however, this frees me up to do other things too– like write a book!
Spreading the word about the value of lifelong learning for older adults has become my passion. Lifelong learning changed my life and I see every day how it changes the lives of people in the programs I work with. When I visit these programs, people always come up to me and relate stories about what a difference being involved in their lifelong learning program has made in their lives. Their accounts are very moving and powerful.
Along with that, over my years with Elderhostel I have been interviewed numerous times by the media and even appeared on a CNN -TV program, thanks to a satellite feed from Boston. Part of my job is to promote the learning in retirement movement in whatever ways I can. While doing that, however, I noticed that many people do not understand the concept of lifelong learning for older adults.
As an example, some members of my own extended family looked at me and asked, “You do what, for whom?” Unfortunately, there are some people out there who think, “Why bother? They’re too old, etc. etc.” There appears to be a great deal of confusion about this entire field. Hence the idea of writing a book was born.
Next – The Book
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