Inspiring Women February 2023

INSPIRING 

WOMEN 

Evolving to 

Maturity 

Fabulous, Fun and 

Fierce 

February 2023 

Volume 7 

Issue 1

Contents 

February 2023. Volume 7, Issue 1 

profiles 

features 

8 

48 

15 

53 

Skies, Skis and… 

Spies 

Carol Boren, a 

member of AWA Rome 

and FAUSA, 

experienced so much 

in her life abroad. 

Now, catch her (if you 

can) as she lives the 

next exciting chapter. 

18 

34 

Becoming a Marathon 

Runner in My 50s 

Cynthia Smith-Ayed, 

member of AIWC of 

Casablanca, has spent 

much of her life in the 

Middle East and North 

Africa. It wasn’t until 

2004 that she took up 

running and today she 

has run thousands of 

kilometers (and gone 

though many pairs of 

trainers) competing in 

many races. 

A Life 

Spent 

Not 

Fitting 

Into the 

Behaving-Like-a-Lady Stereotype! 

Melissa Mash has lived following her 

mother’s example of not worrying about 

being different. 

58 

This Is My 

“Golden Age" 

Claudia Tessie 

grew up in the 

Flower Child years. 

Today, as she 

approaches her 

80s, she embraces 

her maturity and 

doesn’t let it stop her from trying new things. 

68 

In My Own 

Words: When 

I'm Sixty-Four 

Robin Goldsby, a 

member of AIWC 

Cologne says: 

"I shouldn’t be 

surprised that sixtyfour 

sneaked up on me, but since I’ve spent 

most of the last three decades assuming I’m 

still thirty-two, the idea that I’m a year away 

from taking my musician union pension 

seems a little extreme." 

25 

24 Hours in ... 

Vienna 

Who best to tell 

us about the best 

places to visit in a new 

city than those who 

live there? AWA Vienna 

board members take 

us on a whistle stop 

tour of Vienna. 

A Club Inspires: AWC Antwerp 

Tharien Van Eck, of AWC Antwerp, 

introduces her club to us. AWC Antwerp is 

one of four clubs in FAWCO's Region 4. 

65 

Inspiring Reads: 

Pipe Dreams 

The Urgent Global 

Quest to Transform 

the Toilet 

Chelsea Wald, member of 

AWC The Hague, has 

repeatedly plunged into 

the topic of toilets since 2013, when editors 

first approached her to write about the latent 

potential in our stagnating infrastructure. 

Bloom and 

Blossom Where 

You’re Planted! 

Georgia Regnault came 

to The Netherlands for 

one year. Fifty+ years 

on, her life and career 

have been full of 

caring, compassion 

and FAWCO. 

“Emily in Paris”? 

Hold My 

Champagne 

Suzanne Justen, a 

member of AWG Paris, 

experienced 

devastating personal 

pain and challenges. 

Moving to Paris 

brought her the joie de 

vivre that many aspire 

to, but few achieve. 

39 

Through My 

Lens 

Our brand new 

feature is a 

compilation feature 

with a photo and 

short caption from 

multiple contributors. 

74 

Inspired Reader 

In October we 

launched our 

newest initiative, a 

quiz to find the 

Inspired Reader for 

each issue. See our 

latest winner! 

2 INSPIRING WOMEN INSPIRING WOMEN 3

5 

6 

7 

in every issue 

A Note from the Editor 

Advertisers Index 

Introducing This Issue 

new feature 

Inspiring You 

More About This Issue 

That’s Inspired! 

Inspiring Women Magazine New Feature: Through My Lens 

We are looking for your photos of friends, family or yourself that you think embody 

the next issue's theme of "Goodbyes and New Beginnings". 

75 

76 

77 

Photos should be in color and a minimum of 300 dpi. Send your photo 

with your name, FAWCO Club and a maximum 50-word caption 

explaining why the photo fits the theme to: 

inspiringwomenfeatures@fawco.org. 

The deadline for submitting 

features and photos for our 

next issue is ... 

April 6, 2023 

“A mature person is one who 

does not think only in absolutes, who 

is able to be objective even when 

deeply stirred emotionally, who has 

learned that there is both good and 

bad in all people and in all things, and 

who walks humbly and deals charitably 

with the circumstances of life, 

knowing that in this world no one is 

all knowing and therefore all of us 

need both love and charity.” 

– Eleanor Roosevelt 

As we have been preparing this issue for 

publication, I have been thinking about maturity 

and ageing and how that changes over our lives. 

In other words, the Evolution to Maturity. 

As Eleanor Roosevelt says, mature people 

appreciate that life doesn’t happen in a straight 

line. Life, I've realized, is a funny mixture of 

experiences, one’s inherent nature and the 

passage of time, all mixed up in a big pot. 

My little grandson, Tristan, is now 16 months 

old. Today he doesn’t care one bit how old 

he is, nor if he is behaving maturely. He cares 

about having fun, about learning new skills, 

about eating and drinking well and about the 

important people in his life (especially his 

Mummy of course!), which is a pretty good 

place to be. He isn’t especially noticing, or 

even caring about, the passage of time. 

But it won’t be long 

before he gets to the 

stage where becoming 

one year older will be 

super exciting. Where 

starting school (and 

eventually work) and 

getting more independence 

as he ages will be 

important to him. He’ll 

be longing to speed up 

the passage of time. 

Then, like most of us, 

he’ll get to a stage where 

he doesn’t really like 

seeing the passage 

of time. Where 

celebrating another 

year is not necessarily 

something to be looked 

a note from 

the editor 

forward to. Where he/we would rather ignore 

the wrinkles and grey hairs that have developed. 

Like the rest of us, he’ll be trying hard to ignore 

the passage of time in these years. 

Finally, as we age it is my impression that many 

people get to the stage where they want the 

passage of time to slow down. They want more 

time to do the things they were always meaning 

to do. They have an appreciation, learned from 

their years on this earth, of how quickly things 

change and can be taken away. At this stage one 

is trying to slow the passage of time down as 

much as possible. 

The women featured in this issue are “more 

mature” and have been through these various 

different stages already. They have come to 

embrace their maturity and learned to deal with 

the ups and downs of lives well lived. There is 

much for us to learn in their stories. 

If you are looking for other ways of developing 

maturity then I think that this quote from Ann 

Landers sums it up very well: “Maturity is the 

art of living in peace with that which cannot 

be changed, the courage to change that which 

should be changed, no matter what it takes, and 

the wisdom to know the difference.” 

So how are you going to (or 

how do you already) embrace 

maturity? What is it you’d be 

better off letting go of? What is it 

that you need or want to change? 

How are you going to evolve from 

now? 

I hope the stories and features 

in this issue give you some 

interesting ideas. 

Best wishes! 

Liz 

Inspiringwomen.editor@fawco.org 

Liz and grandson Tristan. 


advertisers 

index 

introducing 

this issue 

The Short List p. 13 

The Short List has helped students with the 

college admissions and application process 

for over 20 years. They are knowledgeable 

and current on the changes in the college admission 

process. International students who 

wish to study in the US can benefit from their 

services. 

The Pajama Company p. 23 

The Pajama Company, founded by 

Ellie Badanes, member of FAUSA and 

AW Surrey, sells pajamas that are cozy, 

cheerful and available online! 

London & Capital p. 33 

Whether you are a US Citizen living abroad 

or a foreign entity with US reporting, their 

dedicated teams take care of your wealth, 

giving you time to concentrate on the things 

that matter to you. London & Capital has 

been supporting FAWCO since 2016. 

Janet Darrow Real Estate p. 47 

Around the corner or a world away, contact 

Janet Darrow, FAUSA member, to find the 

best properties. FAWCO referrals to Janet 

help the Target Program! 

The Existential Traveller p. 51 

Owned by FAUSA member Linda Johnson, 

offers bespoke cultural experiences. Contact 

her to arrange a dream vacation. 

Tharien's Art p. 57 

AWC Antwerp member and former Target 

Program Chair Tharien van Eck is a superb 

artist. She creates beautiful hand painted 

cards and prints. Proceeds from her cards 

continue to support education programs 

for Hope for Girls and Women Tanzania. 

London Realty Intl. p. 63 

London Realty Intl. is owned by AWC London 

member Lonnée Hamilton, who is a worldwide 

property consultant. Her firm works with the 

best agents across the globe to fulfill your 

property needs. 

TASIS p. 73 

The American School in England TASIS 

England is a leading international day and 

boarding school (ages 3-18) located 35 

minutes from central London on a beautiful 

campus in Thorpe, Surrey. 

Throughout the years FAWCO has relied on advertisers and sponsors to augment its 

income. This revenue has allowed FAWCO to improve services and gives it the flexibility to try 

the latest innovations to enhance the FAWCO experience. FAWCO’s advertising 

partners believe in our mission and support our goals; some directly support 

our activities and projects. 

We encourage club leadership throughout the FAWCO network to 

share our publications with their membership. Our advertising 

partners have valuable products and services and we want your 

members to take advantage of what they offer. Please support them! 

For more information on these advertisers or if you have any questions about 

FAWCO’s advertising program, please contact Elsie Bose: advertising@fawco.org. 

We were inspired to select this theme by the announcement in September 

that Serena Williams was going to retire. Throughout the days leading up 

to her last match, she spoke often that, in effect, her retirement from tennis 

was not the end, that she was evolving to a new place in her life. 

Not very long ago, when one retired the scene that was set before them was 

days at home, working in the garden, a little golf and a little travel, maybe 

grandkids. And yes, that is part of it. But the new stereotype that describes 

today’s mature population is that every day they break the old stereotypes. 

We continue to work or return to work. Many of us who have the luxury 

and means are pursuing additional formal education. “Age-evolved 

people” are more physically active than ever. Men and women are not 

simply active, they continue to compete and win, often at elite levels, 

beyond ages once considered too old. 

To me, the best feature of age-evolved people engaging in all these 

activities is that they come to it with the benefit of their past experiences, 

to be able to look through a big lens, with the colors and features of life 

lessons learned. The result can produce a better pathway to solve 

problems both big and small. Unfortunately, these results are often set 

aside as mere musings of an old person. The challenge is to continue to 

be relevant, to keep our seat at the table. 

I meet and work with a lot of people on the phone, via email, etc. When 

I meet people in person, they frequently ask, “where do you get your 

energy?” or “how did you come up with these ideas?” It wasn’t until recently 

that I realized they were expecting to face a younger person. I would 

hope that instead of being alarmed by the fact that the idea came from an 

age-evolved person, they open themselves up to the possibility that my 

experiences may have resulted in an idea that will prevent them from 

falling into the mistakes that a less age-evolved person might make. 

So to everyone out there, make your path to maturity, your “age evolution,” 

an age revolution! Move, physically, emotionally, intellectually every day. 

And those of you new to the revolution, listen and learn. We’re here to help! 

Elsie 

Founder 


profile 

Skies, Skis and…Spies 

Carol Boren, a member of AWA Rome and FAUSA, experienced so 

much in her life abroad. Now, catch her (if you can) as she lives the 

next exciting chapter. 

Carol Boren. 

I 

was born and raised in Houston, the 

daughter of an eccentric and typically 

absent-minded professor of philosophy, 

and a drop-dead gorgeous mother – who was 

also a professional comedian. Growing up in this 

unusual combination of academics and comedy, 

my younger sister and I developed a lifelong love 

of learning and a great sense of humor. 

After graduating from St. John’s School in 

Houston, I attended Sophie Newcomb College 

at Tulane University, graduating in 1963 with 

a degree in Modern European History. New 

Orleans was a culture shock for this naïve Texas 

girl – and I loved every minute of it! I discovered 

the culinary delights of their amazing cuisine – 

learning to eat crawfish out of a barrel, stand 

at an oyster bar and order six at a time, drink 

the famous Hurricane cocktails at Pat O’Brien’s, 

savor breakfast at Brennan’s, and all the other 

wonders available to me. These people took 

food seriously, and I learned that there was 

more to good eating than Texas barbecue. I also 

enjoyed sailing in Lake Pontchartrain, and 

waterskiing in the nearby bayous – never mind 

the snakes and alligators. I was a member 

of Pi Beta Phi sorority and president of the 

Barracuda Synchronized Swimming Club. 

“Making the Going Great” 

After graduation, I was hired as a stewardess 

for Pan American Airlines. They 

required a college degree and a 

foreign language, and I seemed 

to fit the bill. I was transferred 

to New York, which would be 

my home for the next two years. 

One of Carol's 

hikes with the 

Pikes Peak Over 

the Hill Gang. 


Carol celebrating her great life. (from left) 

Carol’s mother, Jovan Spears, aged 74 

Carol’s son, Massimiliano Silenzi, daughter, 

Kimberly Silenzi Fontanelli, and grandson, 

Andrea Fontanelli, in Amsterdam. 

Carol with her grandbaby! (below) 

I would love to tell you all about my wonderful 

adventures as a Pan Am stewardess, but suffice 

it to say that I flew the world and broadened 

my horizons. 

In January 1966, I resigned from my job at Pan 

Am and left to study German at the Goethe 

Institute in a small town near the Austrian 

border (very handy for skiing!). When the course 

finished, I moved to Munich and began studying 

at the University of Munich. 

And then my life changed completely 

I was hired by the CIA in Munich and began my 

25-year career working on a special Cold War 

project. In July 1968, I was transferred from 

Munich to Rome. During this period, I met my 

husband-to-be and started a family – a son, 

Massimiliano, born in 1977, and a daughter, 

Kimberly, in 1979. My project with the CIA lasted 

until the collapse of the Soviet Union. 

In 1998, I was hired by an American international 

law firm to set up and manage their Italian 

offices. I retired in June 2012 and moved to 

Colorado Springs to be close to my aging 

mother, and I reside there to this day. Still good 

friends, my husband and I are separated. My 

daughter and grandson live in Rome, and my 

son lives in Amsterdam. 

Appreciating “me time” 

My life before retirement was glamorous and 

exciting, but also involved long working hours 

and a lot of stress. Between work and family, 

I never had time for myself. My newly found 

freedom from work has given me the 

opportunity to do all the outside activities, 

professional and otherwise, that I never had 

time for. So, for me, I am in a new, exciting 

chapter of life – professionally, giving back to 

my new-found local community, and aging 

gracefully by diving into reading of all kinds 

and many sports. 

What are you involved in now? 

I joined FAUSA shortly after moving back to 

America, served for three years on their board, 

and I organized their 2014 Getaway in Colorado 

Springs. One of my most rewarding experiences 

has been serving as a mentor for the KPWE 

scholarship program at UCCS (kpwe.uccs.edu). 

I also volunteered for several years at Stable 

Strides (health and healing through horses 

www.stablestrides.org), and I belong to the local 

Pi Beta Phi Alumnae Club, where I have had 

the opportunity to participate in many social 

and philanthropic activities, establish close 

friendships, and continuously serve on their 

board in various positions since joining. 

I belong to three book clubs, a giving circle, a 

Mahjong group, and the Colorado Springs World 

Affairs Council (csworldaffairs.org). 

As for the fun activities I never had time for, 

about a year after moving to Colorado I was 

introduced to the Pikes Peak Over the Hill Gang 

(www.ppothg.com), a fabulous group for 

people over 50 who enjoy outdoor sports. I 

joined for the skiing, since at the age of 71 it was 

not so easy to find people who still wanted to 

ski. This was a real turning point. Our chartered 

bus takes us skiing once a week all winter – to 

such fabulous places as Vail, Breckenridge and 

Keystone. We are a bunch of crazy old skiers 

having the time of our lives despite knee and/ 

or hip replacements, tired muscles, and all the 

other complications of aging. I look forward to 

our annual ski week in Beaver Creek in January! 

This group is so much fun that I decided to join 

them in hiking, snowshoeing and pickleball. I 

even took up golf at the age of 75. I took lessons 

and love trying to improve my game. Weather 

permitting, we play golf every Monday at golf 

courses all around Colorado. 

What continues to surprise you? 

After living abroad for 46 years, it has definitely 

been a culture shock to live in America again. I 

am still challenged by the complete change in 

mealtimes (2 or 3 hours earlier than in Italy!), 

slow and disciplined driving, pumping my 

own gas, etc., but more than pleased by the 

availability of parking everywhere. I am still 

shocked by the amount of obesity and 

homelessness, and by our current politics, and 

I do a lot of reading to try and understand why 

my country changed so drastically in the years 

that I lived abroad. But I continue to be 

pleasantly surprised by the overall courtesy and 

kindness of complete strangers, the incredible 

natural beauty of the country, and the many 

cultural opportunities available. 


What continues to sustain you? 

As I grow older, I am sustained by the example 

set by my mother, who died at age 99. She 

always said that each decade is better than the 

last – so I am inspired to make that true for my 

life as well. So far, so good! 

Carol takes in the majestic views of Colorado 

Springs. (left) 

Carol on the golf course. (right) 

Watch Out! The Pikes Peak Over the Hill Gang 

(below) 

GUIDING 

YOUNG ADULTS 

INTO COLLEGE GRAD SCHOOL AND CAREER! 

LIFE IS SHORT. DREAM BIG! 

www.TheShortList.org • (413) 528-LIST (5478) 

© 2022 THE SHORT LIST. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 


feature 

In My Own Words - 

When I'm Sixty-Four 

Author Robin Meloy Goldsby is 

also a Steinway Artist and 

popular solo piano recording 

artist with over 200 million 

streams on the Pandora platform 

in the USA. 

Another song lyric comes true. I 

shouldn’t be surprised that sixty-four 

sneaked up on me, but since I’ve 

spent most of the last three decades 

assuming I’m still thirty-two, the idea 

that I’m a year away from taking my musician 

union pension seems a little extreme. In honor 

of this milestone, I’ve composed a list of sixtyfour 

discoveries I’ve made in the last year. 

Robin Meloy Goldsby 

Photo by Sascha Christopher. 

1. Inanimate objects (such as plastic wrap, 

coat hangers and electrical cables) are capable 

of attack. 

2. There are more idiots in the world than one 

would hope. 

3. There are more kind people in the world 

than one would expect. 

4. Your breasts get bigger as you age, but so 

does everything else. 

5. Underwear costs more 

than shoes. 

The cover of 

Robin's latest 

book. 

Illustrated by 

6. Lingerie salespeople will try 

to convince you to buy a 

smaller size bra for “comfort 

and support.” Don’t listen to 

them or you will end up with underwireinduced 

rib fractures, especially if you spend 

a lot of time sitting on a piano bench. 

7. Spanx (the 21st Century girdle) make you 

feel (and look) like a human sausage. 

8. A good marriage depends on trust but relies 

heavily on laughter. 

9. Nothing beats tomato soup and grilled 

cheese (even if it’s vegan). 

10. Jackie O had it right. Big black sunglasses 

are the ultimate fashion accessory. 

11. Reciting the details of a complicated 

Will Smith movie plot will put your partner into 

a stupor. 

Julia Goldsby. 


12. Restful 

sleep 

determines 

your ability 

to get through 

the day without 

slapping anyone 

(including Will 

Smith or yourself). 

13. It’s possible 

to fall going up 

the stairs. 

14. 

Nothing 

hurts quite as 

much as a 

broken toe. 

15. No one 

looks good when their 

feet hurt. 

16. Hunger and bloat are flip sides of the 

same coin. 

17. Your kids will either leave home at age 

eighteen or live in your basement until they’re 

forty. Either way, you’ll be worried. 

18. No one looks good in beaded fringe. 

Except maybe Tina Turner or the drag queen 

Kim Chi, but you’re not them. 

19. You probably don’t need two cars. You 

might not even need one. 

20. Autumn leaves might be pretty, but they 

can also make you sad. 

21. Autumn leaves, once they drift by your 

window and land on your front steps, are slippery 

(see #13). 

22. The ocean never loses its appeal, even if 

you suffer from fear of fish. 

23. Your own kids are now older than you 

are (in your head). 

24. Your doctors all look like they’re fifteen. 

25. Some of your kids’ friends are now 

doctors and lawyers, which is 

disconcerting because you remember their 

muddy hands and chocolate-smeared faces. 

26. You really miss those chocolate-smeared 

faces. 

27. Your children work in fields that didn’t 

exist when you were their age. 

28. One activity a day is plenty. Dinner at 

home does not count as an activity, unless you 

have guests. 

29. Embrace positive change, even if it means 

rethinking your pronouns. 

30. You can never have too many pairs of 

stretchy black pants. 

31. Fruit flies were sent to this earth by the 

devil herself. 

32. If you think you see a big mouse, it is 

likely a rat. 

33. Women leaders are better for the world. 

34. As much as you might hope it to be so, 

The Squid Games is not the heartwarming 

Netflix sequel to My Octopus Teacher. 

35. Privilege breeds arrogance. Arrogance 

leads to indifference; indifference destroys the 

planet. 

36. A compassionate person always wins, 

even when she loses. 

37. If you must get dressed up, wear pajamas 

with bling. 

38. No one looks good in plaid, 

except maybe 

a very buff 

logger, and you’re 

not good with a 

chainsaw. Yet. 

39. Pick one 

vetted charity 

organization and 

support it any way 

you can. If you don’t 

have cash, donate 

time, and create 

awareness. 

40. Be nice to 

restaurant service 

people. Tip well. You 

want these people 

on your side. 

41. Visit your friends whenever you can. 

They (or you) might not be around forever. 

42. Fruit flies will be around forever. 

43. Turn off the TV or the computer. Read a 

book, even a trashy one. 

44. Magnesium and Vitamin D supplements 

solve all kinds of problems. 

45. Go for a walk, even if it’s raining and you 

forgot your umbrella. 

46. Keep your eyes on your own paper. 

47. Maintain an anti-clutter policy on your 

kitchen counter. 

48. Have your piano tuned. 

49. Black patent oxfords look hip with just 

about any outfit. 

50. Tell people you love how much you love 

them. Often. 

51. Buy local. 

52. Go to a concert. 

53. Support your local non-chain restaurant. 

54. Always avoid the Balkan platter unless 

it’s the specialty of your local restaurant. 

55. If you’re freaked out by the climate 

crisis, stop buying factory-farmed animal 

products and anything packaged in 

plastic (see #1). 

56. Ask for help when you need it. 

57. Help others when you can. 

58. Dance, especially if someone 

is watching. 

59. Be aware that the “advanced 

beginner’s course” is likely more 

advanced than beginner. 

60. Learn to love root vegetables 

and naps. 

61. Carole F. Baskin is probably guilty 

of feeding her husband to the tigers. 

62. Laugh, cry, craugh. 

63. Every day is your best day. 

Ready, steady, go. 

64. Remember that intermission is over. It’s 

the second act of your life, sister. Onward. 

All illustrations are by Julia Goldsby. 

“When I’m Sixty-Four” was originally 

published on www.robingoldsby.com in 

November 2021. She celebrated her 65th 

birthday in 2022 and is still embracing 

positive change, wearing black patent 

oxfords, and searching for a bra that fits. 

Robin is the author of Piano Girl; Waltz of the 

Asparagus People: The Further Adventures of Piano 

Girl; Rhythm: A Novel and Manhattan Road 

Trip, a collection of short stories about (what 

else?) musicians. New from Backbeat Books – 

Piano Girl Playbook: Notes on a Musical Life. 

Robin has performed numerous benefit 

concerts for FAWCO clubs and enjoys 

contributing to the fundraising efforts of 

her FAWCO sisters. 


profile 

Becoming a Marathon 

Runner in My 50s 

Cynthia Smith-Ayed, member of the American International Women’s 

Club of Casablanca, has spent much of her life in the Middle East and 

North Africa. It wasn’t until 2004 she took up running. Today she has 

run thousands of kilometers (and gone though many pairs of 

running shoes). 

I 

grew up in Maryland, in various suburbs 

around Baltimore. I am the oldest of 

three, and our father died when I was 

nine. My mother remarried a year later, and her 

new husband became "Dad" for all of us. I was 

taught that we were lucky – white middle class 

in the US and that children/people in other 

countries were less fortunate. 

Learning about the Peace Corps 

When I was 10, a classmate said she was 

leaving for Ghana, as her father would be the 

Medical Officer for the first Peace Corps 

program. It made such an impression that I 

told myself I would do that when I was older. 

When I was 16, I took a course in the summer 

to be a nurse's aide to decide whether I should 

go into nursing. I liked it enough that after high 

school I went to nursing school. 

Tunisia 

After graduation, I joined the Peace Corps 

and was assigned to a project at a children's 

hospital in Tunis, Tunisia. I met my husband 

on my second day in the country, as he was 

one of the language teachers for our 10-week 

language training! 

Cynthia Smith Ayed 

After two years in Tunisia I went 

back to the US and worked at 

the DC office of the Peace Corps 

while my fiancé went to graduate 

Cynthia and 

family, 

Christmas 2019 


school. In 1979 we got married, and I returned 

to Tunisia to be the Medical Officer for the Peace 

Corps. I did this for 10 years during which time I 

also had a daughter and twin sons. 

International moves 

Then, in 1989, my husband’s career with 

Citibank meant we moved first to Dubai (two 

years), then Morocco (four and a half years), and 

London (three years). During this time I went 

Cynthia Smith-Ayed with her daughter 

and first granddaughter. 

back to school via distance learning, including 

some in-person classes in the summers from 

1988 to 1995. I completed my BA and then my 

MA in Health Administration. 1995 was a good 

year, as I also received a FAWCO Foundation 

Member's Education Award! 

In 1998, my husband took a position with a 

Moroccan bank and we returned to Morocco, 

but to Rabat this time. I went back to work at the 

medical office of the US Embassy for two years 

and became a member of the AIWA Rabat club. 

Dividing my time between two countries 

In 2011, after the Tunisian revolution, my 

husband returned to Tunisia and was the 

Finance Minister for a period of time. After that 

he stayed and started a tech company with two 

cousins. This was the start of my life living in 

two countries! Today I divide my 

time between Tunis, Tunisia and 

Casablanca, Morocco. 

Today, all my children are married 

(last one this year), my daughter has 

two girls (in Morocco) and my son 

has twin boys and a baby girl 

(in Tunisia), so I’m very busy as a 

traveling grandmother. 

Taking the road less traveled 

My most defining moment was taking 

"‘the road less traveled" and joining 

the Peace Corps in 1975 at the age 

of 22. I had lived my entire life in 

Maryland, gone to college in DC and 

didn’t even have a passport! To 

spend two years in a country with 

a different culture, language and 

religion required a great deal of 

adjustment and growth. 

Because of this experience and 

meeting my husband-to-be, I have 

spent all but two years since then 

as an expat. I have friends from many 

countries, my children are trilingual 

and have all married partners who are 

bi-cultural and bilingual like they are. 

I have learned to embrace the 

similarities in all the countries I have 

lived in and accept the differences. 

My FAWCO life 

I first heard about FAWCO in the 1990s, when I 

was living in Morocco, from AIWC Casablanca 

club board members who had attended the 

conferences. Then in 2003, when I was on the 

club board, I found out more about FAWCO, and 

in 2004 attended my first conference. I caught 

the “fever” and attended every year until 2018. 

I went on to co-chair the FAWCO Biennial 

Conference in Marrakech in 2011, then, in 2012, 

joined the FAWCO Foundation board as VP 

Communications for three years. I have been 

our club FAWCO Rep for more 

than ten years and Region 7 

Coordinator for several years. 

Becoming a marathon runner 

All my life I did various sports, and 

learned to play golf at 40, but at 

the age of 50 I met some other 

expat women in Morocco who 

were training for a race and joined 

their group. As a nurse, I am 

disciplined and appreciate a plan 

for training, so I followed it, and 

after five months was more or less 

ready for a marathon. 

My first race, in Marrakech, 

January 2004, was the hardest 

thing I’ve ever done, and I 

understood the concept of 

digging deep to finish. Crossing the 

finish line was such a joy that the 

next day I started researching for 

the next race. I had a sense that I 

could do something really difficult 

if I pursued it. 

As only one percent of the US 

population has ever done a 

marathon, and less than half 

of these people are women, I 

really felt a huge sense of 

accomplishment. From that 

point until September 2018, I 

ran either alone, with best friend 

Gwen and/or other ladies from 

the running group a further 20 

marathons (42 kms), 23 half 

marathons (21 km), two 100-km 

walks and numerous 5 and 10-km 

runs. I’ve not totally stopped, and 

recently I did the Shine Half 

Marathon Night Walk in London 

for cancer research; this was my 

third Shine race. 

Challenges along the way 

I have had several surgeries on 

my feet and now only run/walk 

a couple of times per week. I 

started Pilates six years ago 

and continue spin class, rowing 

machine and elliptical for cardio. I 

also started weight training in 2007 

and have continued. I want to live 

Several of the marathons that 

Cynthia participated in. 


a long life in my best shape and health. 

Having high levels of energy and a sense that 

I am younger than my years is a motivation. 

Breaking stereotypes 

I learned Tunisian Arabic as a Peace Corps 

volunteer and speak it in Morocco and 

Tunisia. As I have a decent accent, people think 

I’m Tunisian. When asked, I will tell them I’m 

American, and they are always very impressed 

that a foreigner would learn the language. As 

for running, when I tell people I started running 

races at age 50 they look surprised, but quite a 

few have agreed, why not, and good for me! 

Some of life's surprises 

There has been a lot of negativity over the 

last few years: politics in the US, the COVID-19 

pandemic, continued wars. I make it a point to 

have small conversations with those I meet at 

the market, pharmacy etc. Besides always being 

impressed that I speak Arabic, I have had many 

people tell me I seem like a nice person. To have 

this effect on people and to have them remark 

on it is truly a surprise every time. 

Embracing “maturity” 

I have generally started each decade of my 

life with a wish/goal list. I have stayed on track 

all these years and have found even greater 

Casa Running Group (below) 

satisfaction as I get older. Women with families 

tend to put the families ahead of themselves, 

so it's often not until they reach their 50s 

and children have left that there is time for 

themselves. This is when I started running 

and concentrating on sports and women's 

associations. I also believe older women care 

less about what others think compared to 

younger women and thus can find peace and 

happiness within themselves. 

Advice for my 25-year-old self 

Take advantage of being young and all the 

opportunities that there are. While life may 

seem long at 25, there is so much to do and 

learn and experience. 

Me today 

Today I have no patience for ignorant and 

misinformed people, nor with those who are 

very opinionated about everything. 

I am also full of gratitude. Every day, I give 

thanks for good health, family, friends, and 

the weather. At the same time, I try to do what is 

possible to improve things in the world as much 

as I can. 

AIWCC Walking Group (above) 

Day or Night. Be the Boss. 

Crisp cotton poplin pajamas from 

Daisy Alexander available online now. 

Shop The Pajama Company 

for the newest styles of the season! 

Ellie Badanes, AW Surrey and FAUSA Member. 

Founder, The Pajama Company 


feature 

24 Hours in ... Vienna! 

The 2023 FAWCO Biennial 

Conference in Bratislava is being 

hosted by AWA Vienna. Vienna 

is the city most attendees will 

transfer through on their way 

to Bratislava, so we asked AWA 

Vienna member Bev Bachmayer 

and her AWA friends to share a 

bit about their club and city. 

Bev has been an AWA Vienna 

member since 1995, AWA FAWCO 

Rep since 2016, and currently 

serves as AWA Secretary. 

“AWA came into being most informally, 

as a response to a need felt in the 

community. It has become apparent that, 

no matter how distinguished and fascinating 

our speakers, there was a strong impulse in 

the community for a more active and varied 

program.” — Hannah Adler, AWA Vienna 

Abit about AWA Vienna 

AWA is the International Women's 

Club of Vienna, with over 300 Englishspeaking 

members from 40+ countries. 

City Hall with 

the Christmas 

market. 

AWA Vienna was founded in 1924 by American 

diplomatic and military wives. In 1931, AWA 

Vienna joined the Federation of American 

Women's Clubs, which became known as 

FAWCO. The group briefly disbanded in 1939 

and remained inactive during WWII. After the 

war, during the Allied Occupation, American 

Embassy and military wives organized the 


Children's Friendship Fund and used the 

proceeds from a thrift shop to help deprived 

and starving Austrian children. AWA Vienna 

became active again in 1964, with about 60 

members. Today, AWA Vienna hosts more than 

300+ members and continues the tradition of 

women helping women. 

From our earliest beginnings about 100 years 

ago, AWAV has developed and grown, together 

with the City of Vienna, into a rich and diverse, 

cosmopolitan, international community. 

Common threads running through our history 

are: making friends, adapting to new places, 

learning about our adopted home and its 

culture, sharing experiences, working together, 

having fun, and supporting worthy causes. 

The AWAV Mission Statement is as follows: 

• z Promotes friendship, networking and an 

active lifestyle. 

• z Provides opportunities for exploring and 

enhancing appreciation of the life and culture 

of Austria, as well as cultural exchange within 

our own diverse community. 

• z Assists charitable organizations through 

financial and volunteer activities. 

• z Promotes understanding of Global Social 

Issues in cooperation with the United Nations 

and NGOs. 

The club hosts over 100 events every month 

and, now that the threat of the pandemic is 

over, the city and the club have come back 

to life. 

A 

little 

about Austria and 

Vienna: 

Vienna is the capital, largest city, and one of 

nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's most 

populous city and its primate city, with about 

two million inhabitants (2.9 million within the 

metropolitan area, nearly one third of the 

country's population), and its cultural, 

economic, and political center. It is the sixth 

largest city proper by population in the 

European Union and the largest of all cities on 

the Danube River. (source: Wikipedia) 

42.6 percent of Vienna's residents are of 

foreign origin, with the most immigrants 

coming from Serbia, Turkey, Germany, Poland, 

Romania, Croatia and Hungary. The migration 

of these residents can be attributed to EU/ 

EFTA origins. (source: https://www.wien.gv.at/ 

english/social/integration/facts-figures/ 

population-migration.html) 

Vienna offers a blend of imperial traditions, 

music, and endearing charm. It is a city that 

inspires with the old and the new alike, and 

always has a cozy place available in a coffee 

house or wine tavern. 

Vienna experiences typical European weather 

with cold winters, mild spring and fall. 

Summers can be very hot or very overcast and 

rainy and humid. The best times to visit are in 

April/May and September/October because 

the weather can be very good and the tourist 

season is not in full swing. 

City Snaps 

View from the Belvedere 

Stephanskirche 

Prater walking group 

Rose Garden Fountain 


ADay in Vienna 

Käsespätzle 

(Cheesy Delight) 

Time for a break: 

Start the day well: 

Since there will probably be a breakfast 

buffet included with a hotel booking, 

most visitors will probably have wonderful 

coffee and breads provided by their hotel. 

But if in fact you want to go out of the 

hotel ... 

Best picks for breakfast – 

Café Museum 

www.cafemuseum.at/en/cafe-museum 

Haas and Haas Tea House, which is 

hidden behind the Stephansdom 

www.haas-haas.at/pages/teehaus 

After breakfast – 

Start your sightseeing by taking the 

Ring Tram, www.visitingvienna.com/ 

transport/vienna-ring-tram. From 

Schwedenplatz, the route takes you 

around Vienna's ring, past the Hofburg, 

the newly renovated parliament 

building. Check out the city hall and 

the Urania building. Each of these can 

be viewed from the tram and you get a 

great overview of the different sights in 

the city. 

Viennese 

Apfelstrudel 

When it is time for lunch you 

need to decide what you prefer 

to eat, and whether you want a 

view and/or a traditional menu. 

For the best garden cafe go to – 

Café Diglas at Schottenstift 

www.cafeimschottenstift.at 

Sit outdoors year round – 

Café Museum, www.cafemuseum.at/en/cafemuseum, 

at Karlsplatz across from Resselpark. 

Café Landtman, www.landtmann.at/ 

en/cafe-landtmann, is also a great stop 

for lunch and across from the University 

at Universitatsring. 

For the best view go to – 

Haus des Meers, www.visitingvienna. 

com/sights/hausdesmeeres, the 

rooftop restaurant. The view is 

fantastic, and the food is good. 

This is one of six flak towers built 

in Vienna, which housed the 

defense against Allied forces. 

Each tower had 3.5-meter-thick walls 

so they were not simple to demolish. The tower 

at Esterhazy park has been transformed into 

an aquarium. 

Additionally for lunch you could go to 

Momoya, www.momoya.at 

Kitcha and Sticks, 

www.kitcha.at, if you are in the 

mood for Asian food. 

Café Museum (top right) 

Haas and Haas Tea House 

Burgtheater and the Ring Road during sunrise 

Karlsplatz with St. Charles's Church (Karlskirche) 

Brettljause 

(Amazing Snack) 


Afternoon activities: 

Once you have had lunch, take a stroll through 

the city known for its greenery. A multitude of 

parks are available for sitting outside in the sun 

and people watching. You could take a walking 

tour of the city; free tours are offered 3 times 

per day, www.freewalkingtourvienna.at. 

On the 16th of January 2023, the Austrian 

Parliament buildings reopened after a four-year 

renovation. Everything was totally removed from 

the inside. Then the building was completely 

renovated both inside and out. Be sure to book 

in advance your tour of the newly renovated 

building, 

www.parlament.gv.at/ENGL/GEBF/FUEHRUNGEN. 

Most people who have visited Vienna have 

walked past or visited St. Stephen’s 

Cathedral. Did you know that beneath the 

cathedral, you can find ossuaries filled with 

bones and skulls? You can visit the rooms of 

the catacombs through a tour booked onsite 

at St. Stephan's, www.stephanskirche.at/ 

toursWhileCorona.php. Go and enjoy the bones. 

Be sure to visit the new 

Albertina Modern Museum, 

www.albertina.at/en/albertina-modern. 

Here you can enjoy the new artists that are 

influencing the world. 

If you would like to do some fancy retail therapy, 

go directly to the Mariahilferstrasse or the 

Kärntnerstrasse, both of which have a nice 

pedestrian zone where you can shop for 

everything with no traffic. 

Some typical shops are: 

the Österreichische Werkstatt for cloisonné 

jewelry in the Kärntnerstrasse and 

Loden Plankl on Michaelerplatz for the typical 

boiled wool outer garments and dirndls. 

For a more bohemian shopping adventure, 

wander in the adjacent “Neubau” district (7th 

Bezirk) featuring galleries, arts & crafts and thrift 

stores, as well as both trendy and traditional 

cafes in every block. 

Austrian Parliament (top) 

St. Stephen’s Cathedral 

Albertina Modern Museum 

Wiener Schnitzel 

Sachertorte 

After dinner… 

Take in an opera, the theater or a concert. 

Check out what is being offered ... 

www.wien.info/en/music-stage-shows. 

If classical music is not to your taste, 

explore the excellent jazz offerings at ... 

Porgy & Bess, www.porgy.at 

Jazzland, www.jazzland.at 

The small jazz jewel, Zwe, www.zwe.cc. 

For a hipster experience, take in the bars, 

cafés and musical venues built into the old 

viaduct under the number 6 subway. On 

a summer evening stroll along the canal 

from Augartenbrücke to Schwedenbrücke 

to enjoy the relaxed and festive spirit of 

Vienna’s ad hoc parties and pop-up cafés. 

After dark fun: 

The place to go for a typical Viennese 

dinner is either 

Plachutta, www.plachutta.at, 

or, if you want to visit a 600-year-old 

cellar restaurant, go to the 

Melker Stiftskeller, 

www.melkerstiftskeller.at. 

If you want something trendier 

try one of the Swing Kitchen 

restaurants, www.swingkitchen. 

com/en, which serve a vegan and 

vegetarian menu along with swing 

music. Or, enjoy a new Israeli/Middle 

Eastern restaurant in a funky, friendly 

atmosphere just steps from Stephansdom at 

Miznon, www.miznonrestaurant.com. 

Vienna is also known for its excellent and fun 

Croatian seafood restaurants, such as Lubin, 

www.lubin.at, at 

Hainburgerstrasse 48 in the 3rd district or 

Fischrestaurant Kaj, 

www.fischrestaurant-kaj.at, 

at Fugbachgasse 9. 

If you want typical Viennese wine culture, 

head to one of the Heuriger (Viennese 

wine taverns) where you can get 

simple food and 

new wine. 

Vienna Opera House 


IT’S NOT TOO LATE! 

THE 2023 FAWCO 

BIENNIAL CONFERENCE. 

MARCH 23-26, 2023 

BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA 

We 

understand 

your world 

Hosted by AWA Vienna in cooperation with the International Women’s Club of Bratislava. 

Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia (known as Pressburg during the Hapsburg empire), is a 

charming city on the Danube, the second longest river in Europe. With its picturesque, 

pedestrian-only old town, surrounding vineyards and nearby Carpathian mountains, 

Bratislava is a real treat for participants in the FAWCO 2023 Biennial Conference. 

FAWCO Conferences are a great opportunity to meet members of other FAWCO clubs. 

Trade experiences, learn about their countries and clubs and join a community of 

enthusiastic people from all over the world. 

International Americans: we believe 

in truly borderless wealth management. 

One team will manage your global 

strategy, wherever you go. 

London & Capital. 

The destination for international Americans. 

Arrange an introduction with Jenny today 

jenny.judd@londonandcapital.com 

It’s not too late to join us for this action-packed event! For more information about the 

conference and all the activities, including the annual Foundation Night extravaganza, hotel 

accommodation and more, go to the Conference webpage on the FAWCO website. 

Search London & Capital US Family Office to learn more. 

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is guaranteed. Investors may not get back the capital they invested. Past performance is 

not indicative of future performance. The material is provided for informational purposes 

only. No news or research item is a personal recommendation to trade. Nothing 

contained herein constitutes investment, legal, tax or other advice. 

FAWCO CONFERENCE GOLD SPONSOR 

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profile 

Bloom and Blossom 

Where You’re Planted! 

Georgia Regnault, a member of AWC The Hague, came to The Netherlands 

for “one year.” Fifty+ years on, her life and career have been full of caring, 

compassion and FAWCO. 

I 

lived for 21 years in the same house in 

a suburb of Providence, Rhode Island and 

went 12 years to Lincoln School, a Quaker 

girls school. I was the youngest of four 

siblings, two brothers and a sister. We 

made yearly a road trip as this family of six, 

including two cross-country summer trips in 

1953 and 1954. That instilled in me a love of 

travel. I studied at Mount Holyoke College – 

a women’s college in western Massachusetts. 

Almost all my life, I have played tennis and 

field hockey. I never attended a camp (although 

probably would have loved it, as I love being 

around people). 

I came to the Netherlands in 1965 for one year, 

but after meeting my (future) husband in June 

1966, it seemed I was destined to live abroad. 

Besides meeting Peter Regnault, the wedding of 

Princess Beatrix to Claus van Amsberg in March 

1966 was a highlight for a young lady from 

Rhode Island. 

Georgia Regnault on New Year's day 2020. 

Keys to the future begin with education 

One cannot live almost 80 years without having 

several defining moments, but I guess the 

overriding one has been my education, 

especially my elementary and high school. I 

learned at a relatively young age that I could do 

anything and had the right to do anything: never 

to be put down because I was female! This sort 

of education really allows a girl to realize her 

potential. My parents believed in 

the importance of education and 

that their two daughters were just 

as important to educate as their 

two sons. They sent my sister and 

Georgia with 

the badge of her 

knighthood in 

2016. 


me to Europe between our junior and senior 

years, because they felt that was part of our 

education. 

Other defining moments in my life 

Making the decision to marry a Dutchman 

(rather innocently I might add); then living the 

rest of my life outside of the USA and having a 

son, Philippe, in 1970, and two more children 

followed, Lara in 1973 and Alexander in 1978. 

I have been actively involved in AWCs since 

1967 (Hamburg, The Hague and Curaçao) 

and in FAWCO since 1982, ultimately 

becoming President of AWC The Hague (1982– 

1984 and 1994–1995) after having served in 

several financial positions, FAWCO President, 

FAWCO Treasurer (1985–1987 and 1995–1997) 

and The FAWCO Foundation Treasurer (2006– 

2008). Now in "retirement," I seem to be the 

archivist for three different organizations. 

Georgia and husband Peter 

in 2015. (left) 

George signing the deed of 

the AWC clubhouse. (below) 

Involvement with American 

Women’s Clubs 

I married an Americanophile, 

who originally wanted to 

emigrate to the USA. When we 

didn’t, but moved to Germany 

with Royal Dutch Shell instead, 

Peter was extremely 

supportive and encouraging 

with my activities with the 

AWC of Hamburg. 

Challenges along the way 

Public speaking and writing! I have held many 

offices in college, in the three AWCs and also as 

FAWCO President, but I still get nervous when 

I have to speak in public, especially if I don’t do 

it regularly. The second challenge was writing. I 

was a math major in college and not very good 

in linguistics. 

Forty years ago, I had to write the President’s 

page in the AWC The Hague magazine every 

month. I remember not wanting it to be only 

thank-yous to her, and her and her, but 

something with a bit more grit or story to tell. 

I painstakingly finished my first and said to my 

husband, "Oh, gosh – one down, nine more to 

go!" And when re-elected for a second term, 

not usually the case in The Hague back then, 

back to the writing table for 10 more articles!! 

Sometimes, I even wrote in the Dutch tradition 

of poetry; it seemed to come more easily from 

my pen! 

And now: 

I haven’t quite overcome my nervousness 

of public speaking, especially when out of 

practice, but I do write every two months for 

a local glossy magazine for the expats/ 

internationals living in my neighborhood. 

Still look at the blank computer screen and 

have trouble with the first sentence, but I love 

interviewing people and the research that goes 

into my articles. 

Helping people, and the importance of friends 

Helping people feel at home, both as a 

professional relocation consultant and active 

fifty-year member of AWCs. Learned from 

my mom as a child about 

the importance of 

entertaining and helping 

friends; when I married 

my Dutchman, he felt 

quite the same about 

the importance of 

maintaining friendships 

and helping people. It 

helped that he was a 

genuine Americanophile 

and our house was 

always open. 

develop and learn, but I hope that, at the same 

time, it benefits others. 

Embrace or resist maturity? 

I think I embrace it, but also feel sad yet grateful 

every morning that I wake up. I became a widow 

in 2016 at the age of 73 after a long battle for 

my husband with a devastating Parkinsonism/ 

MSA. One piece of advice I received after his 

passing was that “You will get used to the fact 

that you won’t get used to it.” These words still 

comfort me today, as his death was probably 

the last most defining moment of my life. 

My mother, sister and one brother all passed 

away at the age of 76, so I consider myself lucky 

that I am still on this earth, active and as happy 

as I can be without a partner to share the ups 

and downs. I ache when I see friends go through 

illness problems with themselves or their loved 

ones. I ache when I see the world around us 

seem to be collapsing. I ache when I meet 

young Ukranian women who have fled to the 

Netherlands and especially a large group in my 

neighborhood, whom I try to help. And I ache 

when there is no partner in my home to reflect 

about these things and comfort me. 

And a royal honor! 

I received the Dutch royal honor of Knight 

in the Order of Orange-Nassau on October 

9, 2016 at the end of the FAWCO Symposium 

“Stand Up Against Human Trafficking." The 

grade of Knight is awarded for outstanding 

personal achievements and special merits for 

society. Six weeks later my husband passed 

away; it was an autumn of intense happiness 

and grief. 

In terms of myself, I 

measure my success 

and achievements by my 

happiness in developing 

them. Sometimes it is an 

ego trip in the sense that 

my work still helps me to 

Georgia's entire family 

was on hand for 

daughter Lara’s wedding. 


feature 

Through My Lens 

Our brand new feature,Through My Lens, is 

a compilation feature with a photo and short 

caption from multiple contributors. 

This issue of Inspiring Women magazine 

celebrates and elevates Maturity. For this 

Through My Lens feature, we asked several FAWCO 

women to tell us about a woman in their lives who inspires/d them. 

Michele Hendrikse Du Bois, FAUSA 

Joan DuBois 

Born and raised in Kentucky, my mom has lived a life dedicated to caring for and 

raising not just her own family but the children of hundreds of other families. Her 

professional career started as a teacher but, when she and my dad moved our young 

family across the country, they could only afford for one of them to get the extra 

education required to teach in Washington State. As a result, my mom started her 

own small business running a family daycare. She spent the following 42 years 

helping to raise multitudes of children. In her spare time, she was found sewing and 

creating hand-made gifts for family, friends and the children in her care. Whether a 

stuffed animal, Christmas decorations, costumes or quilts, she was always busy 

creating gifts of love. While she was game for any proposed adventure, her business 

didn’t allow for a lot of vacation time. Once she finally retired, she had more time for 

her quilting and other fun activities. One memorable adventure we had together is 

when she and my dad joined us on the FAWCO Foundation Fun(d)-Raising cruise to 

Norway. The pandemic and health issues have since slowed her down, but she still 

loves spending time with our family and following the lives of her former daycare 

children. 

38 

Michele 

Hendrikse 

DuBois, Joan 

DuBois and 

Charise Eliason 

in front of one of 

Joan's Christmas 

quilts. 

INSPIRING WOMEN INSPIRING WOMEN 39

Joan Taugher 

A woman who never had a “real” job, Joan Taugher worked very hard. Besides 

raising three children, she also cared for her brother, who had severe mental 

disabilities. Through her sheer determination and love, her brother outlived the 

doctors’ predictions that he would die in infancy by 67 years. She was always 

involved in working with the Association for Retarded Citizens (ARC) in a career 

spanning 40 years, including a stint as president of its California chapter. Her 

other volunteer activities included work as a docent at the Oakland Museum, 

with the Children’s Hospital Auxiliary and with Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church. 

At 94 (in January 2023), Mom does not let any grass grow under her feet. She still 

travels once a year to visit me in Dubai and plans on participating as a guest at 

the FAWCO conference in Bratislava this year. A perennial guest at FAWCO 

conferences, it was my mom who encouraged me to join the FAWCO Board. Most 

recently, she has been my inspiration for creating an NGO in Lebanon with my 

husband to address education and livelihood issues amidst the growing crisis 

there. I am proud to be Joan’s daughter. 

Monica Jubayli, AWC Lebanon 

Photograph by Terry Spearman 

Dr. Donna Finch Adams 

Mary Adams, AWC The Hague 

The definition of inspiration is the process of being mentally stimulated to 

do something, usually something creative. There is no one single source of 

inspiration. It can be found anywhere and in anything in life. Although we can 

position ourselves to be inspired, there is no way we can make inspiration 

randomly appear… or is there? Is there an inspiration continuum? 

Creating and teaching art have been my mother’s lifelong passion. Early in my 

life, she inspired me to be an appreciator of art. Over the years, I realized that 

the root source of my inspiration was neither her artwork nor her remarkable 

knowledge of color theory. It was watching (in real-time) how being true to 

yourself and your passions empowers you to reach beyond your own 

potential. At 87 years old, Dr. Donna Finch Adams still pursues her passion 

teaching not only art but helping students understand the art of the possible. 

She continues to inspire me to be brave enough to be different and to follow 

my passions. She inspires me to keep going when inspiration abandons me 

and better yet, to know with certainty that when I am inspired, I will act. 


Doris Scalzo Sheedy Dennis 

Aunt Doris was born in 1921, the second of four children. These children were smart. 

The boys were, without question, going to college and careers, while the girls were 

merely "encouraged" towards further education. Both Doris and my mom attended 

college, which turned out to be important. 

Doris was very spirited. She married John Sheedy and they had three very 

rambunctious boys. My Uncle John died suddenly and so Doris had to provide for her 

sons. She taught “business” in high school. Each boy was a handful, but she persevered 

and made a good home for them. 

My family moved to Denver and on to Hawaii. Doris couldn’t come to visit, but we 

wrote to each other often. When we moved to California she finally came to see us and 

the adventures began! She and my mom took a road trip to Tijuana, Mexico. We didn’t 

hear from them for three days. They came back safe and sound and giggled a lot. 

When we moved back east, every summer she would come to New Jersey and scoop 

me up to take me to the cottage on the Finger Lakes in NY. Our road trips were wild. 

We would stop often for ice cream or a dip in a nearby lake or river. We loved to shop, 

and out of mother’s sight, I pointed and she purchased. I watched her interact with 

strangers. Always friendly and always listening. She took no “guff," kind but firm. She 

knew when to go with the flow and when to take charge of a situation. And boy, could 

she make you laugh! 

Elsie Bose, FAUSA & AWG Paris 

Suzanne Wheeler, FAUSA 

Viola Wheeler 

My mother, Viola Wheeler, is over 101 years old. She has faced much 

adversity in her life, including being orphaned at a very early age. I am 

inspired daily by her spirit, exemplified by her becoming a pilot in the 1930s. 

Mama has a zest for life, a love for people, and a sense of humor that 

persists throughout all situations. Philanthropy has always been important 

to her and she passed that passion on to her six daughters. We are blessed 

by her presence. 


My-Linh Kunst, AWC Berlin 

Thu Pham Nguyen 

In her late 70s, my mom 

was the first one in our 

extended family to own 

an iPad. Also in her 70s, 

she took courses on 

HTML and Excel “just 

because I want to know 

what it is.” My mom is 

not only book-smart, she 

is extremely curious and 

resourceful – traits that I 

value and try to emulate. 

Now in her 90s, she 

continues to tango, 

manage her own 

investments, live on 

her own and travel all 

over the world to visit 

her younger relatives. 

While she does 

appreciate familiar 

surroundings and 

routines, my mom has 

a joie de vivre for all 

things and places new 

and exciting. 

Norah Yates Lissimore 

Norah Lissimore (1906-1994) was my maternal grandmother. Born in the West 

Midlands, England, she was the eldest of three and grew up living over the pub. 

Her diminutive height (she was only 5ft 1) hid a steely strength and determination 

to better herself. In the late 1920s, at a time when it still remained tough for women 

to obtain places at university, Norah won a place at the University of Birmingham to 

read History. She then went on to get her teaching certificate in 1931. At university 

she met my grandfather, Philip Lissimore, but told him she wouldn’t marry him until 

she had had a chance to teach for five years, to use the qualification she had worked 

so hard to get; in those days married women were not allowed to teach. Due to the 

depression, finding a teaching job was not easy and she applied for 80 positions 

before she was appointed in Sheffield. She was a kind and generous woman, who 

spent hours playing “make believe” games with, and reading to, her grandchildren. 

But you also knew you couldn’t cross her as she was a force to be reckoned with too! 

Definitely an inspirational person in my life. 

Liz MacNiven, AIWC Cologne 

Through her many 

personal challenges 

(including losing her 

“country” and everything 

she owned and worked 

for, starting over as a 

refugee in the US in her 

40s, going bankrupt in 

her 50s, and getting 

divorced in her 70s), my 

mom was and is the 

role model of strength 

and resilience. 

She taught me to ask 

the questions, to be 

independent and to 

never give up. Everything 

that I am today, I owe to 

my mom. 


Judy Furukawa, FAUSA 

Chiyo Fukuchi 

In 1920, at the age of 27, Chiyo Fukuchi agreed to an arranged marriage and was put on 

a ship to Seattle. A photo was sent to Giichiro Mizuki, so he would recognize his “picture 

bride” on arrival. My mother was born the next year. 

Grandma never spoke English very well, but was a teacher and taught “Japanese school.” 

My mother and her three brothers didn't attend, as returning to Japan was never my 

grandfather’s plan. They had a corner store and my grandmother was well known among 

her friends and church community as a fabulous cook. 

My mother and her family were forced to leave Seattle in 1942, pursuant to Executive 

Order 9066. My grandparents and two of my uncles “relocated” to the camp in 

Minedoka, Idaho. They eventually returned to Seattle, where they opened a garden 

store. My grandparents were not allowed to become US citizens until the Chinese 

Exclusion Act was repealed after World War II. It wasn’t easy to be Japanese in the US. 

Both my mother and grandmother only had brothers; this gave them a certain 

“toughness,” yet allowed them a gentler side as well. Throughout their lives, they dealt 

with life’s setbacks, and then always, always carried on. 

The top photo is of Judy's grandmother and the bottom photo shows three generations, Chiyo, Judy's mother and 

Judy herself. 


profile 

A Life Spent Not Fitting 

Into the Behaving-Likea-Lady 

Stereotype 

Melissa Meyer Mash, a member of the AW Surrey International Women’s 

Group, has lived following her mother’s example of not worrying about 

being different. 

Melissa Mash 

I 

grew up in Milltown, New Jersey. My 

mom and dad found our lakeside 

property while on a bike ride. They stopped 

and talked to the farmer who was selling his 

land. Dad built the place by himself and the end 

product was a pink house with three differently 

angled roofs. Certainly different from the others 

on the block! I never had to go further than the 

end of our sidewalk to find friends and fun. 

My mom liked to be different 

My mom was always a trend setter. When 

other kids had Christmas trees with lights and 

baubles, we had trees with doves and cardinals 

or candles and gold bows. One time we had a 

Hawaiian theme at school so I asked to borrow 

my mom’s seashell bracelet. She told me to wear 

it on my ankle instead of my wrist. It made a 

wonderful sound as the shells clinked together 

and I was egged on by my classmates to get up 

on the table of the library and do a dance, which 

I did. I ended up in the principal’s office. Mom 

was secretly amused and told me to never worry 

about being different 

How come I live in Surrey? 

It’s quite simple to explain how I ended up living 

in Godalming, Surrey: I met a handsome Brit 

and moving to England with him seemed to be 

quite an adventure, which, in fact, has proven to 

be true! 

Melissa doing a 

preflight check 

on her Cessna 

182. 

A different 

kind of flying! 


A defining moment 

in my life 

When I first arrived in 

the UK, I spent time 

battling with the 

differences between 

how things were done 

in England versus 

America. So many 

things seemed 

nonsensical to me and 

I told everyone so! At 

a company party, a 

kind lady told me that 

I wouldn’t change the 

way Brits do things so 

perhaps it would be 

easier if I made the 

adjustment. I did and life was much better. I 

learned that my way was not the only way! 

The realities of life as an expat 

An issue for all expats is that your heart is 

constantly torn in two different directions. I 

think most people living away from their 

homeland have challenges. Initially, it’s 

overcoming the difference in culture, food, 

language etc. But as you mature, you realize you 

are missing the everyday happenings of your 

nephews, your sister’s birthdays, family 

gatherings and the little things you used to take 

for granted. As you age, so do your parents and 

it is a real struggle to be so far away when they 

are ailing and need care. I was abroad both 

times when my parents passed away. It was sad 

but a reality of an overseas life. 

Measuring life’s successes 

As you age, you discover fairly quickly that the 

bank balance isn’t the measure of success. 

It’s nice not to have to worry about whether 

or not you can feed your family, but success is 

helping those who can’t. It’s about having your 

kids’ school friends still keeping in touch and 

remembering the time when you did something 

for them. Or a Girl Scout from your Troop 35 

years ago winning a gold medal in the Olympics 

and telling you that she’ll never forget you. Or 

someone thanking you for passing on all your 

twin clothes to them when you had completely 

forgotten about it. It’s posting 2000 collected 

bras that will help someone in Africa escape 

the sex trade. That is my definition of 

success and happiness. 

Breaking stereotypes 

One time in high school I was sliding down 

the stair banister and the principal caught 

me. He said “Miss Meyer, walk up those 

stairs and walk back down like a lady.” 

There were pretty definite ideas in the 

1970s of what a lady does and doesn’t do. 

In fact, I liked not fitting into the lady 

stereotype. Unlike my fellow classmates 

who wore swirling chiffon bridesmaid 

dresses to the senior prom, I wore a 

purple tropical print which was slit up to 

the waist with hot pants underneath. I 

liked being a pilot at 16, having my own 

motorcycle and being the first and only 

Melissa, her husband and their 

daughters (above) 

Showing off my new toy! (left) 

female Sales Rep for PVC in the USA (at the 

time). And now I am enjoying being involved 

in the City of London livery companies as the 

odd American. 

The women of FAWCO 

The quality of the women I meet through 

FAWCO and the various clubs around the world 

continually surprises me. They are filled with 

multi-talented ladies who are really making a 

difference in the world. They care deeply and 

give their time and talents free of charge to 

make this planet a better place. 

Embracing “maturity” 

I am loving this stage of my life! With my 

children all out forging their own paths in 

life, I don’t have to worry about school buses, 

schedules or school holidays. There is a lovely 

freedom about this age! I’m sure this has 

been mentioned before but the brain doesn’t 

register that you’re old. People see the 

gray hair (skipping the salon dying every 

six weeks is great!) and they see an old 

lady. But you don’t see yourself that way. 

I will confess that I phoned my husband 

in tears the first time someone gave up 

their seat on the Tube for me. 

You go to a 50th class reunion (which 

I recently did) and you’re amazed at 

how old your classmates are! You still 

think the same way but the body doesn’t 

keep up. Fortunately, I am still in fairly 

good health, and it's lovely to be able 

to travel and go out when I like. It’s also 

very freeing to say exactly what you think 

and not worry that they won’t “like” me 

if they disagree. Some of the funnier 

things I have noticed is that people are 

surprised when you say something 

amusing. They assume older people have 

no senses of humor! 

It’s also precious to have time with my 

husband now that he has retired. His job 

demanded a lot of travel so it’s lovely for 

both of us to be together. The biggest 

perk of this stage is not having to set an 

alarm clock! 

What would my 25- year -old self think 

of me today? 

I don’t think she’d be surprised at all. I 

always thought I would marry a foreigner 

(no idea why) and live abroad. Okay, 

having twins wouldn’t have been on my 

radar as there are none in the family, but that I 

view as the off chance of winning the lottery. I 

also, again with no reason, thought I would not 

live beyond 40 years. So in my mind, this past 

quarter century has been a real bonus! 

Losing patience with things as I age 

I have no patience for inconsideration, rudeness 

and bad manners. I’m not sure if that's a 

maturity thing or not, as I have always been 

put off by people throwing garbage out their 

car windows, little kids screaming in a posh 

restaurant when we all know they’d be happier 

in McDonalds or people not taking time to 

say thank you. I think the world needs more 

kindness and it doesn’t cost anyone anything 

to spread it around. 

The Existential 

Traveller 

Bridging Borders since 1984 

Explore your dreams… 

Enhance your mind… 

Enrich your soul… 

Why US? 

Local Expertise 

• We are personally connected to the places you’ll visit. 

• We are committed to preserving environmental integrity and 

to supporting local economies. 

• We are dedicated to your enjoyment and pleasure 

For More Information: 

Contact: Linda Johnson, FAUSA member 

linda@theexistentialtraveller.club 

Phone: +212693842357 

Special Tours available for FAWCO Clubs! Contact Us 


feature 

A Club Inspires: 

AWC Antwerp 

Tharien van Eck – Chair of 

the Target Program (Health, 

2019-2022), Chair of the 

Selection Committee for the 

Target Program (Environment, 

2023-2025), member of the 

Global Issues Health and 

Human Rights teams and 

AWC Antwerp's FAWCO Rep – 

introduces us to her city and 

AWC Antwerp, one of four 

clubs in FAWCO’s Region 4. 

Celebrating 85 years at the Antwerp City Hall 

Founded in 1928, at a time when there 

were few American organizations in 

the city, the American Women’s Club 

of Antwerp was typical of its sister 

organizations in other European capitals. 

Membership was open to United States citizens 

or non-American women married to Americans 

and it offered opportunities for women to share 

common interests, broaden outlooks, extend 

knowledge, and provide community service. 

The motto of the club is “May we never be hasty 

in judgement and always generous.” In 1931, 

the American Women’s Club of Antwerp was a 

founding member of the Federation of American 

Women’s Clubs in Europe (later called FAWCO) 

formed by seven clubs: London, Antwerp, Paris, 

Berlin, The Hague, Vienna, and Zurich. 

Membership in the American 

Women’s Club of Antwerp 

fluctuated with global trends. 

By 1935, the membership had 

dropped from around 40 women 

to just 23, most probably due to the departure 

of Americans from Europe during the Great 

Depression. Then, in 1939, World War II began, 

and the club fell idle. Most American families 

were evacuated from Antwerp in the fall of 1939, 

but about ten years later the population began 

to grow again. 

What does your current membership look like? 

We currently have almost 100 members from 

numerous countries, a truly global organization. 

Many of our members hold dual passports, due 

to marriage or long-term residence in the EU/ 

Belgium. We have an active group of Belgian and 

Dutch members who keep us well connected 

with the local community. Many of these ladies 

are former expats themselves, having returned 

to Belgium or the Netherlands after postings 

abroad. Also, in contrast to the wife/mother 

expat of previous decades, many international 

women who relocated to Antwerp are now 

working full time. With social media, online 

communities, and the ease of finding 

The Brabo 

Fountain is 

located in the 

Grote Markt of 

52 

Antwerp. 

INSPIRING WOMEN INSPIRING WOMEN 53

Club newsletter, ChitChat and excerpts from old issues 

a survey out to all members; an 

important piece of feedback is 

the need to have evening events 

(meetings, speakers, etc.) to make 

provision for working members. 

This is something that we will 

start planning in 2023. 

information on the internet, newcomers 

no longer see the club as a “lifeline” in a 

foreign environment. 

How does the club run? 

The Club has a board that is elected yearly. 

There is a nominating committee that works 

their magic on members, asking individuals to 

serve on the board. A new development is that 

some positions are now shared, lessening the 

workload on already busy individuals. And a 

number of positions/activities are handled as 

a committee. 

Does your club have a signature event? 

The Club has several signature events – a 

Christmas market, Founders Day celebration 

and the Christmas lunch. The pandemic 

interrupted all these activities, but we are 

almost back in full force! A very exciting event 

will be the 95th birthday celebration of the Club, 

which will take place in 2024. 

What other kinds of events do you have in 

your club? 

There are monthly meetings and, where 

possible, this is alternated between a city and 

suburb location. There is a small fee payable 

for refreshments. Members often have the 

opportunity to stay for lunch. We recently sent 

Do you raise money for any 

particular cause? 

The most important fundraiser 

for the Club is for Caring Hearts, 

the group that supports people 

with breast cancer. The heartshaped 

pillow project was 

introduced to the Club in 2008, 

and in 2012 the project was 

named, "Caring Hearts.” The 

members make and deliver 

800 -1,000 pillows a year to 

seven hospitals throughout 

Antwerp. The pillow is 

designed to fit comfortably 

under the arm to relieve the 

pain from the incision area and 

site of surgery. The pillow 

is also a symbol to 

patients that they are not 

alone and that there are 

other people thinking 

about them during this 

difficult time. In addition 

to the pillows, volunteers 

from Caring Hearts make 

breast prostheses. These 

are soft, washable, and 

available in every bra 

size. The knitted or 

crocheted breast 

prosthesis offers a welcome 

alternative or variation to the 

silicone prosthesis. 

The Club has also raised funds 

to sponsor refurbishing hospital 

rooms into breast care lounges 

for cancer patients. These rooms 

serve as oases, quiet and 

comfortable places away from 

the hospital atmosphere where 

patients and their families can 

talk with doctors and nurses 

about their prognoses and 

therapies. Four hospitals in the 

greater Antwerp area have 

received donations for breast 

care lounges. 

(Caring hearts) The AWCA tent 

at Race for the Cure (above) 

Summer get-together (right) 

Antwerp Cathedral tour (left) 

Members of the Caring Hearts 

group (below) 


What was your own favorite activity/event 

last year and why? 

My favorite activity would be the pillow parties, 

the name that we call the meetings when we 

gather to make the heart pillows. We kept this 

group going throughout the pandemic, working 

in stages remotely from each other. The best 

event last year was the first time when we could 

get together in person, not only making pillows, 

but also enjoying the company of each other. 

But also the Christmas lunch! To see so many 

members, all dressed up, was wonderful. 

Christmas lunch (far left) 

Visiting KMSKA - Royal Museum of Fine Arts (left) 

Harbor House, designed by Zaha Hadid (above) 

Museum aan de Stroom (MAS) (right) 

Tell us a little about Antwerp and Brussels. 

Belgium is a small country almost in the middle 

of western Europe. It unexpectedly became the 

home of our family almost 19 years ago, and 

now it is truly home. Our children completed 

their school and university studies here, and 

both are working in Belgium. 

Antwerp is one of the hidden gems of Europe, 

a must-see when you travel through Europe. 

Are there any undiscovered gems in your city 

and or country? 

There are five magnificent churches in a small 

radius in the Antwerp city center, perhaps too 

many to visit in one day, but all very worthwhile 

to see. And the newly restored Royal Museum 

of Fine Arts Antwerp, or affectionately known 

as the KMSKA, is another must visit! If you’re 

interested in architecture, don’t forget a visit to 

the Harbor House or the MAS (Museum aan 

de Stroom). 

Are there any unusual/interesting 

traditions or traits of the locals? 

The dialects! Every town or city has its 

own dialect, difficult to understand for 

locals, and impossible for people with 

limited understanding of Dutch. 


profile 

This is My “Golden Age” 

Claudia Tessier, a member of AWC Berlin, grew up in the Flower Child 

years. Today, as she approaches her 80s, she embraces her maturity 

and doesn’t let it stop her from trying new things. 

I 

grew up in a small Massachusetts town 

characterized by traditional American 

culture. I thought my life was typical and 

normal, but I didn’t find it satisfactory. 

I wanted more. My mother encouraged 

me, nurturing a love for books, music, and 

animals, as well as a desire to travel. 

The Flower Child Years 

Moving to Boston for college and work exposed 

me to greater diversity, but moving to San 

Francisco in 1966 was the defining point in 

my adult life. It was at the height of the Flower 

Child years, with political movements, protests, 

and more. I worked, socialized, and made 

friends with people of all ages, ethnicities, 

religions; professionals, mainstream workers, 

unemployed; gays, straights, hippies, sexists, 

feminists; intellectuals, non-intellectuals, 

anti-intellectuals. I was stimulated by such 

authors as Betty Friedan, James Baldwin, and 

Gloria Steinem; by such activists as Angela 

Davis, Tom Hayden, and Malcolm X; by such 

performers as Janis Joplin, Joan Baez, and 

Aretha Franklin. I marched, protested, sang, 

danced, loved, laughed, cried, changed, 

and grew. 

Claudia Tessier 

An enduring impact 

I left San Francisco in 1975, but its impact 

persists. Decades later, when I traveled to 

Berlin, first for conferences, then for pleasure, 

I was reminded of San Francisco in the 60s 

and 70s. Berlin’s diversity especially appealed 

to me. Its population: diverse in age, ethnicity, 

experience. Its multiple concert venues, opera 

houses, museums. Its varied architecture, 

cuisines, activities, neighborhoods. Its ease of 

travel, locally and widely. 

Claudia and 

her husband 

enjoying Egypt. 


Life adventures 

Over the decades, I lived in numerous US 

cities while experiencing major life adventures: 

a difficult marriage; buying a California ranch 

to provide a home for rescued animals, 

including wild burros from Death Valley; being 

a university professor, and becoming a widely 

recognized association executive, educator, 

author, speaker, and leader in healthcare 

documentation standards. 

Finding new love 

In 2003, four years after my husband‘s suicide, 

I moved back to Boston after falling in love 

with a German who lived there. As Peter and 

I approached retirement at 70, we wanted a 

new, active life that was rich in culture. So, we 

chose to retire in Berlin, where we purchased a 

home overlooking the Spree, and we are now 

dual citizens of Germany and the US. Through 

Peter, I also gained a family: a son in the Boston 

area, a daughter in Los Angeles, and a daughter 

in Berlin, with whom we enjoy weekly family 

dinners and more, along with her boyfriend 

and a grandniece who also lives in Berlin. I 

love my life. 

unpopulated state surrounding Berlin, with 

about 2400 km of bike paths through woods and 

villages, along canals, and around lakes. We take 

a train from Berlin to a Brandenburg station 

and bike to another station, stopping for lunch 

and a beer along the way, and take a train back 

to Berlin, usually covering 30 to 50 km, three to 

four times a week during biking-weather months 

(March to November). The app Komoot helps 

us plot our route, taking into account distance, 

path quality, and wind direction. 

International biking trips 

Besides frequent rides throughout Brandenburg, 

we‘ve also biked from Berlin to Copenhagen, 

from Luxembourg to Koblenz, from Würzburg 

to Nürnberg, and from Alkmaar to The Hague, 

along the tulip fields in The Netherlands. Several 

times we‘ve biked from Brandenburg into 

Poland. We’ve also taken part in Berlin‘s 

Sternfahrt, an annual biking event through 

Berlin streets, including the motorway, that are 

closed to cars. In April 2023, we‘ll bike around 

Lake Constance, exploring its border towns 

while exchanging apartments with a friend who 

lives there. 

Finding a new hobby 

When my partner (now husband) and 

I moved to Germany 

in 2013, at age 70, he 

suggested we take up 

biking, but I resisted. 

Not having biked for 

decades, I thought I 

was too old to start 

again. Knowing that I 

dislike being pressured, 

he simply invited me to 

go with him to a bike 

convention to check 

out bikes for himself. 

An eBike vendor 

there offered tryouts, 

biking down to and 

back from the 

underground garage. 

I took the bait and was 

so impressed by the 

ease and versatility 

that, dismounting, I 

said, “OK, if we get eBikes, I’m in.“ 

Biking through Germany 

Since then, we‘ve biked about 25,000 km, about 

two-thirds of it through Brandenburg, the largely 

Claudia receiving an award. (top) 

Claudia cuddling a rescue burro. (below) 

Claudia the author, showing off her book. (top) 

Claudia on one of her biking trips. (below) 

Dealing with obstacles 

Overcoming my initial, strong resistance was the 

biggest challenge, but once 

that obstacle was removed, 

I embraced biking. The next 

challenge was getting our 

eBikes (each about 25 kg) up 

and down the stairs in train 

stations without elevators. 

Often, a younger person 

offers to help; if not, we 

manage one bike at a time. 

The joy of traveling by bike 

In addition to its obvious 

physical benefits (eBikes 

assist but do not replace 

pedaling and physical effort), 

biking enables us to see so 

much of Germany and 

beyond in ways that 

traditional touring doesn‘t. 

We don‘t bike to exercise; we 

bike to explore. It’s fun, and 

the exercise is a bonus. Also, we have enjoyed 

wonderful examples of spontaneous German 

hospitality. On one particularly hot summer 

day, we longed to find a Biergarten, but with no 

success. Then, as we biked through a village, 


we asked a man getting out of his car 

if there was a Biergarten nearby. He 

responded, “No, but wait here.“ He 

went into his house, and when he and 

his wife came out, they had lawn chairs 

and beers for all. 

Who would have thought… 

Finally, what continues to surprise and 

delight me is that I‘m doing this at a 

time in my life when I would not have 

predicted doing so. If anyone had told 

me in my 50s or 60s that I‘d be biking 

thousands of kilometers as I approach 

80, I‘d have said, “Yeah, sure.“ Indeed, I 

would have been guilty of both 

stereotyping and ageism. Instead, I 

enjoy biking and hope to continue to do 

so into my 90s. 

Embracing maturity 

This is my “Golden Age,“ full of fun, 

stimulation, and rewards, offering 

• z Opportunities to engage in 

satisfying and stimulating activities 

(music, books, travel, etc.) and to 

meet new challenges (piano 

playing, and eBikes). 

• z Freedom and flexibility for 

travel and activities: any day, any 

time of day, any place that meets 

our interests and budget. 

• z Opportunities to share my 

experience and abilities, in 

particular in AWC Berlin, where I 

currently serve as Parliamentarian, 

as chair of the Constitution 

Committee, and as a book club 

coordinator. I've also been 

secretary and chair of the 

Nominating Committee. 

• z Intellectual challenges as my 

husband and I explore and discuss 

widely ranging topics, read books 

together, and have frequent 

intellectual dinner parties. 

Marriage ceremony of Claudia to her second 

husband. (top) 

Claudia and her husband in Istanbul. (middle) 

Claudia and her husband taking a spin on the 

dance floor. (bottom) 

• z Opportunities to be a "digital citizen," 

enjoying the technological advances of our 

times. So, no paper newspapers or paper 

books, and through a variety of apps, easy 

access to knowledge, entertainment, and 

connections to friends and relatives, near and 

far, including my best friend and others from 

the 1940s and onward. 

What would my 25-year-old self think? 

She would be impressed and proud, noting, 

“You followed your mother‘s advice in so many 

ways, even further than perhaps either of you 

anticipated.“ Examples: 

• z Don’t stay in a job when you‘ve mastered 

it: I changed jobs every two to three years 

until I became CEO of a national professional 

association, where, even after 18 years, I was 

still challenged and stimulated. 

• z Do whatever you want career-wise, but 

never depend on a man for money: I was 

self-sufficient throughout my single years, the 

sole provider during my first marriage and 

I share financial responsibility with my 

current husband. 

• z Don’t hesitate to learn, do new things, 

help others, enjoy life, stay active, accept 

challenges and act outside the norm: 

♦ ♦ Starting weekly piano lessons two 

years ago, 65 years since my last 

childhood lesson. 

♦ ♦ Taking up eBiking at age 70. 

♦ ♦ Remarrying at age 75. 

♦ ♦ Tutoring Syrian refugees in English, 

gaining friends as I did so. 

♦ ♦ Studying German at age 70—and 

still struggling with it. 

♦ ♦ Reading two to three eBooks 

weekly, sometimes more. 

♦ ♦ Becoming comfortable with 

German Thermes/saunas. 

♦ ♦ Attending multiple concerts and 

operas weekly, as well as the occasional 

ball. (I love dancing, from the twist to 

the waltz.) 

♦ ♦ Hosting salons, where we explore 

with friends such topics as "What 

Is a Good Life?, What Is Progress?, 

Thoughts About Death, The Digital 

Society, Elderhood." 

♦ ♦ Travel as much as possible: I‘ve traveled 

to 27 countries over my lifetime. In 2022, 

we visited six countries (The Netherlands, 

Morocco, Switzerland, Poland, Croatia, 

Slovakia) and multiple German towns and 

cities. We’re already planning more travels 

in 2023 and beyond. 

Things I’ve no patience for these days 

Considering my experience, I no longer have 

patience with sexism, racism, ageism, etc. 

Actually, lack of patience is not new, thanks to 

my experiences during the Flower Child years in 

San Francisco, but over the years, it has matured 

and expanded in expression. Example: While CEO 

of an organization populated mainly by women 

who worked for physicians (mostly male), I urged 

my female staff and members to resist calling 

themselves “girls“ and allowing others to do so. 

"You are women,“ I reminded them repeatedly. 

And, “If you are girls, then the men are boys. 

“ I am a woman; hear me roar!" 


feature 

Inspiring Reads: 

Pipe Dreams 

The Urgent Global Quest 

to Transform the Toilet 

Chelsea Wald has 

repeatedly plunged into 

the topic of toilets since 

2013, when editors first 

approached her to write 

about the latent potential 

in our stagnating 

infrastructure. Since then 

she has traveled to Italy, 

South Africa, Indonesia, 

and Haiti, as well as 

throughout the Netherlands 

and the United States, in 

search of the past and 

future of toilet systems. With 

a degree in astronomy from 

Columbia University and a 

master’s in journalism from 

Indiana University, Chelsea 

has more than fifteen years 

of experience in writing 

about science and the 

environment. She lives with 

her family in The Hague, 

Netherlands where she is a 

member of AWC The Hague. 

Most of us do not give much thought to 

the centerpiece of our bathrooms, but the 

toilet is an unexpected paradox. On the 

one hand, it is a modern miracle: a 

ubiquitous fixture in a vast sanitation system that 

has helped add decades to the human life span by 

reducing disease. On the other hand, the toilet is 

also a tragic failure: less than half of the world’s 

population can access a toilet that safely manages 

body waste. And it is inefficient, squandering clean 


water as well as the nutrients, energy, and 

information contained in the stuff we flush 

away. While we see radical technological change 

in almost every other aspect of our lives, we 

remain stuck in a sanitation status quo—in part 

because the topic of toilets is taboo. 

Fortunately, there’s hope—and Pipe Dreams 

daringly profiles the growing army of sewagesavvy 

scientists, engineers, philanthropists, 

entrepreneurs and activists worldwide who are 

overcoming their aversions and focusing their 

formidable skills on making toilets accessible 

and healthier for all. Author Chelsea Wald takes 

us on a wild world tour from a compost toilet 

project to a plant that salvages used toilet paper 

from sewage, and shows us a toilet seat that can 

watch poop for signs of illness. Among other 

accolades, Pipe Dreams was a finalist for the 

2022 NASW Science in Society Journalism Award 

and longlisted for the 2022 AAAS/Subaru SB&F 

Prize for Excellence in Science Books. 

What was your inspiration for the book? 

In 2013, I got two assignments. In my work as 

a freelancer, two things happen: either I pitch 

stories or editors pitch to me. But this was 

very much a coincidence. These stories just 

came my way. 

The first was a story about new toilet 

technologies for very low resource contexts, 

where people might have very poor toilets or 

no toilets at all. The second was about heat in 

our cities and where we could access more of 

it. It turned out that there's a lot of heat in our 

sewers, thanks to showers, washing machines, 

and dishwashers. And we could pull that up 

again with heat pumps and use it to heat and 

even cool our cities. 

This combination of stories in a short period of 

time opened the lid of my mind, as I say in my 

book. I wanted to know more, and I saw a fairly 

untapped niche for myself as a writer. Looking 

further, I found a flurry of innovation in toilets 

and the infrastructure that connects to them. 

There are a lot of innovators in different fields, 

from engineering to design to sociology, thinking 

in new ways about the toilet. Ultimately, I turned 

that into a book about the future of the toilet. 

How long did it take you to write the book? 

Here’s the timeline: I got the first toilet-related 

writing assignment in 2013 and kept following 

up with more stories. Five years later, in 2018, 

I got the book contract, just three months 

after my first child was born – and on my 40th 

birthday. I turned in my complete draft in April 

2020, just after the pandemic started. So I could 

answer this question in a lot of different ways 

– but, any way you look at it, these years have 

been very eventful! 

What kind of research do you do, and how 

long do you spend researching before 

beginning a book? 

As a journalist, I use several types of sources 

to gather information. I speak to experts, as 

well as read loads of papers and books on the 

science and history of the topic. I also prefer to 

go look around at projects in person. My trip 

to Haiti illustrates why this is important. I was 

going to look at a social enterprise called SOIL 

that provides a toilet service to people in very 

poor urban areas. The business picks up full 

containers and drops off empty ones – kind of 

like a curbside recycling program. It sounds 

pretty simple until you see what happens 

when it rains: many flooded roads become 

unnavigable, and workers have to wade in 

thigh-deep water as they make their rounds. 

Experiencing this with my own senses helped 

me appreciate and describe the magnitude 

of what this organization is 

attempting to achieve. 

What is the most important thing 

you want readers to take away 

from your book? 

We can ask so much more of our 

toilets in terms of health, 

environment, and equity. The toilet 

can be a powerful tool for making 

the world a better place because 

everybody poops. 

When did you start writing? 

I started journalism school in 2002 

but I’ve been writing as long as I 

can remember. I wrote poems in 

elementary school and plays in high 

school. Science journalism was my 

attempt at marrying my interests in 

writing and science. 

As a writer, what would you choose as your 

mascot/avatar/spirit animal? 

For the sake of this book, I would choose a 

wombat. They poop cubes. 

What’s your favorite under-appreciated 

novel? 

While Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables probably isn’t 

under-appreciated (hello, Broadway!), what most 

people probably don’t know is that it contains 

lengthy passages about the history and meaning 

of the sewer system. I found them particularly 

fascinating while writing Pipe Dreams. My 

favorite line: “The sewer is the conscience of 

the city.” 

What is your favorite childhood book? 

Keeping to the theme, I would recommend 

Frank Herbert’s Dune to older children. I read 

it in my early 20s but it’s a thrilling read for 

teenagers. The characters on the desert planet 

wear “stillsuits” that recapture all the body’s 

moisture, creating a kind of closed loop. 

Ideally, that’s what our sanitation systems 

could do someday. 

What are you reading now? 

This and that. On my bedside table is a pile 

of parenting books that I find somehow 

comforting, though I can’t read them all. I’m 

partway through the final book in Hilary Mantel’s 

Wolf Hall trilogy – but I think I’m procrastinating 

because I’ll be sad to finish it. What a giant 

she was! 

If you could tell your younger writing-self 

anything, what would it be? 

You are funny. 

What’s next for you? Are you working on 

anything new you’d like to share with our 

readers? 

I had a second child in July so I am taking some 

time away from work to spend with her and to let 

some new project ideas percolate. 

Writing a book can be a lonely 

business, so I’m hoping to 

find something more 

collaborative. 

Books presented in the 

Inspiring Reads feature are 

available for purchase via 

the FAWCO website in the 

Books by Members or Books 

by Clubs sections. 

Enjoy! 


profile 

“Emily in Paris”? 

Hold My Champagne 

Suzanne Justen, a member of AWG Paris, experienced devastating 

personal pain and challenges. Moving to Paris brought her the “joie 

de vivre ” that many aspire to, but few achieve. 

O 

ne of my oldest memories is singing 

in church, thinking, “I want to sing 

better than anyone else here.” That 

was a tall order for a three-year-old. But I worked 

hard at it. And I didn’t stay in the chorus for long. 

A near death experience and a deserved reward 

In 1993 I was in a bad accident. I was walking 

across the street when a car hit me and threw 

me 26 feet through the air. It was a hard landing. 

To help me get through all the things you have 

to deal with I decided to give myself a reward. 

When I was well enough I would live anywhere 

in the world I wanted to for a year. It took me 

about 20 minutes to decide between New York, 

London, Paris, Rome, or Fiji. It had to be Paris! 

Suzanne Justen 

The year was coming to an end and I had 

shipped back my clothes and things I had 

purchased in Paris. Then, three weeks before 

I was due to go back, I woke up one Saturday 

morning and said, “Nope, I‘m staying here 

forever,” and threw my return airplane ticket in 

the wastebasket. Three months later, I realized it 

was refundable. 

Personal pain and the promise of Paris 

I suppose that accident was the defining moment 

in my adult life. It left me with a brain injury, a 

divorce and a wonderful new life here in Paris. 

But it was more than that. Being married calls 

for constant compromises. Being single gave 

me the opportunity to just be me. Wonderful, 

imperfect, little me. 

Suzanne and 

her dancing 

partner at a 

ballroom 

dancing 

competition. 

Life is such a gift. 

You don’t want to fritter it away. 


Suzanne attending the March for our Lives 

protest in Paris. (left) 

Suzanne “eyeballing” her lunch. (above) 

Suzanne enjoying street-style breakfast with the Democrats Abroad “Walk and Talk.” 

In the early years of living in Paris, I was mugged 

and my purse was taken. I had taken the metro 

from Opera, and was walking home from my 

stop after midnight when I was pushed to the 

ground and my purse stolen. I was feeling 

sorry for myself, thinking that if I had been 

accompanied by my husband, I wouldn’t have 

been mugged. But then I suddenly thought, if I 

were still married, I wouldn’t be in Paris! And 

I just felt the happiness well up inside of me 

and overflow onto the pavement.That is my 

best gift; I can always see the advantages of 

my misfortunes. Although I must admit, I really 

know how to celebrate my good fortunes. 

Maturity (how I got involved with my life) 

My first year I did everything French. French 

champagne, French friends, French movies, 

French food , etc. etc. My second year I spent 

looking for a good Tex-Mex restaurant. 

I had an apartment in the fifth arrondissement 

and I learned everything I could about my 

neighborhood. I took a three-year course in 

Parisian history, art, architecture, and sociology. 

Mainly I was involved in learning all I could about 

Paris, then France, then Europe. 

Next, I went back to singing opera. I had given 

that up when I got married. I simply stopped 

singing and performing. When I was young it 

all came so naturally. I remembered it being so 

easy, but I hadn’t sung for thirty years and I had 

a head injury. Nothing that showed up at first 

sight but people close to me knew I struggled. 

I had to relearn how to read music, rebuild my 

vocal muscles, sing in different languages, 

remember dynamic symbols, put the emotion 

into the song and a million other things like 

rhythm, pitch, and breath control. I started 

rewiring my brain and by 2012, I felt recovered. 

In 2015, I started ballroom dancing. With 

lessons and practice, a busy social life, my 

voracious reading, and my very busy travel 

schedule, it was almost a relief when the 

COVID-19 lockdown brought everything to a 

sudden halt. Such peace and quiet… marred 

only by recurring nightmares of dying from 

COVID-19. There was also that slight hiccup 

when, after weeks of hearing about the poor 

elderly people, 60 and older, being more at 

risk, and worrying and feeling sorry for these 

people, I suddenly realized this included me! I 

became elderly in a split second. 

At this moment 

I have started back up with travel, dancing, and 

friends, but I haven’t tackled singing again. It’s a 

shame, because I was very close to giving a recital 

for my friends, most of whom have never heard 

me sing. 

Also I haven’t started back with my big parties. 

I gave a New Year’s Eve Ball and a Christmas Ball 

with little dance cards and midnight suppers. And 

I hosted the cast of “Singing In The Rain” since 

they had no time off to go home for Christmas. I 

did that twice and they were joyous occasions – 

all those young performers singing and dancing 

in my apartment, Christmas caroling and dancing 

in the courtyard for the neighbors. At least, I hope 

that was a joyous occasion for the neighbors… it 

was fairly late… 

Achieving happiness in this stage of my life 

Will I continue to try to entertain the rest of the 

world or should I move my life into different 

stages? The 20 years I’ve spent in Paris have 

been wonderful magical times. Could they have 

been any better? Could there have been more 

champagne and caviar? I don’t know, but I don’t 

want more than I have had. I am satisfied and 

happy. I love my apartment overlooking the 

Seine. Do you know how you play dolls and 

dress them up in different outfits? I lovingly 

dress my apartment up for the different seasons 

and holidays. 

I am surprised that I have found someone so 

wonderful to love because it is wonderful to 

be loved in return. And quite frankly, I am 

surprised that so many of my friends still put 

up with me. 

Do you embrace or resist maturity? 

Maybe the big, late events are over for me. I think 

more about the sands of time running out of my 

champagne glass. I’ve read that old age turns 

out to be the best age of all. Surprisingly enough, 

people have more fun because they have more 

time and hopefully enough money to do just what 

they enjoy doing. You have nothing to prove and 

no one to keep up with. There are the aches and 

pains, sometimes leading to tough decisions, 

and there are the losses. But as one tries to age 

gracefully, I think one starts to take better care of 

oneself and one’s friends. You learn how 


Suzanne in front of a private airplane owned by Saint Exupery 

during its restoration (above) 

Suzanne with her special backstage pass – backstage! (top right) 

Suzanne enjoying a late night village party somewhere in France! 

(bottom right) 

Suzanne on stage at the Paris production of “Singing in the Rain.” 

INTERNATIONAL | COEDUCATIONAL | DAY AND BOARDING SCHOOL | AGES 3-18 

important friends are if you didn’t know that 

already. And there’s always that magic trick to 

fall back on; if you’re feeling bad, do something 

nice for someone. It always picks you right up. 

And if someone does something nice back to 

you, that also makes you happy. I try to make 

my relationships win-win. 

What advice would you give a 25-year-old? 

Plan ahead. Your plans will change dozens of 

times, but you will be better prepared for the 

changes if you’ve had practice planning your 

life. You will have figured out what is important 

to you. 

Considering your experiences, what‘s next? 

Life is such a gift. You don’t want to fritter it away. 

When I get to 80 my plan is to relax more with 

my partner, get us a couple of kittens, read more, 

dance more, and take an around the world cruise. 

Maybe have small dinner parties, game nights, or 

movie nights with friends, and continue the Walk 

and Talk group with Democrats Abroad. Stay 

active with the American Women’s Group of 

Paris. Support my local American Library in Paris, 

put together a theater group, host chamber 

music evenings, start a Readers Theater Group, 

maybe get a small place out in the country. Just 

slow down a little. 

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feature 

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We are delighted to announce that the Inspired 

Reader for our "Evolving to Maturity" issue is: 

Alkisti Kallinikou of American Women's Club of 

Brussels in Belgium. 

A $50 donation has been made to the Target 

Project in her name. 

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this issue. 

Please contact inspiringwomen.editor@fawco.org 

Look out for the next quiz, which will be launched on our 

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more about 

this issue 

The Inspiring Women Team 

That's 

Inspired! 

Liz Elsie Karen Michele Haley Kristin 

For more information about this magazine, please contact a member of the Inspiring Women team: 

Editor in Chief, Liz MacNIven, inspiringwomen.editor@fawco.org 

Advertising and Sponsorship Manager, Elsie Bose, advertising@fawco.org 

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Acknowledgements: 

Thanks to our profilees (Carol, Claudia, Cynthia, Georgia, Melissa and Suzanne) and our feature 

contributors (Beverly, Chelsea, Elsie, Judy, Liz, Mary, Michele, Monica, My-Linh, Rina, Robin, Suzanne 

and Tharien) for their work on the articles and also for the use of their photos and those of their 

friends and families. 

The cover photo is Carol Boren (FAUSA). 

Special thanks to the proofreading team of Karen Boeker (AWC Denmark), Mary Stewart Burgher 

(AWC Denmark), Sallie Chaballier (AAWE Paris), Janet Davis (AIWC Cologne), Kit Desjacques (AAWE 

Paris), Mary Dobrian (AIWC Cologne), Tamar Hudson (AIWC Cologne), Carol-Lyn McKelvey (AIWC 

Cologne/FAUSA), and Jenny Taylor (AIWC Cologne and Düsseldorf). The rest of the proofing team 

were unavailable for this issue, so a special thanks goes to our stand-in proofers Elsie Bose (AWG 

Paris/FAUSA) and Paul MacNiven. 

Please note: images used in this publication are either sourced from our team, the authors 

themselves, or through canva.com or pixabay.com. 

Please post the link for this issue of Inspiring Women, 

"Evolving to Maturity. Fabulous, Fun and Fierce," in your 

club publications until "Goodbyes and New Beginnings" 

is published on May 11, 2023. 

Photo of 

Claudia Tessier 

participating in 

the well-known 

bike rally, 

Sternfahrt.

Inspiring Women February 2023

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