World Refugee Day

Had I been born in another part of the world, I might be among the refugees of my age struggling to walk their way to freedom.

I am fortunate. I know where I will sleep tonight; that I can walk into the local neighborhood, wave to people I know, and to feel safe. No one has forced me from my home, violated me, or made it impossible to remain in my country without fear of injury or death. No, I am not one of the 68 million refugees or internally displaced people in the world today as a result of conflict or persecution. Many of them are my age, if not when they begin their journey they may be by the time they are able to return to their countries.

From 1998 to 2001 I was privileged to be part of a team of local leaders in Geneva, Switzerland brought together by Mrs. Sadako Ogata, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). It opened my eyes to what it meant to seek refuge.

• Most refugees want only to return to their homes. They have been forced to leave and dream of the moment when they can return. You’ve only to witness news reports of the risks they have taken and the hundreds of miles they have walked to know that they had no choice if they were to survive.
• Many refugees have been born and raised in refugee camps waiting to enter into a safe country. The average length of displacement today is 17 years. Recently I mentored a woman who had spent her whole life in a refugee camp.
• Many of the people we think of as the heroes of science, exploration, humanity and education in our own countries came to our countries as refugees. Geneva, Switzerland where I live, developed into the world renowned city of Global Peace Talks and the United Nations organizations largely thanks to the arrival of refugees over the centuries.

Let’s stand together with refugees and also recognize that had we been born in another part of the world we might be among them, or left behind to die.

Bonnie Fatio

Halloween in Geneva

Have you seen Halloween in Genève?

There are ghosts at the Postes au Salève.

Witches park in the dark under trees,

Goblins scowl as they prowl in the bise.

Slinky cats snarl at bats by the Quai.

I’ll remember in November all this fray.

Written by Alexandra Taylor for AgeEsteem®

Do You Hate To Fly?

Do You Hate To Fly?

If you find you have to fly

Try to think about the sky

Look, its almost always Blue

Clear and Bright – that could be You!

Young or old, each “flight” is new

If clouds be gray, what to do?

Just take the journey anyway –

Be happy for another day.

Written by Alexandra Taylor for AgeEsteem®

Alexandra Taylor, our Age Esteem Poet, spends several winter months in the land of her childhood roots, Palm Beach, Florida. Fortunately she is en route back home to Geneva, Switzerland. – Thus the topic of the poem.

We look forward to a new flow of verse to keep our rhythmic age esteem alive with rhyme and smiles. 

A Geneva Tradition: Escalade

Traditions are important as a means of bringing people together for a common purpose. We have family traditions that include celebrating holidays, watching the sunset and greeting visiting friends or family at the airport with flowers. There are also community traditions such as how people celebrate the national holiday together in their town.

The city and state of Geneva, Switzerland have a unique tradition of celebrating the Escalade. It is the day that they commemorate the citizens of Geneva fighting off the Savoyards during the night of December 11th 1602, and thus remaining independent and free.

There is much folklore around the festivities. One story tells of La Mère Royaume, a woman who took the cauldron of vegetable soup off the fire and threw it on the enemy soldiers. This has resulted in delicious chocolate cauldrons filled with marzipan vegetables like those you see strewn over the table in the photo above.

These chocolate cauldrons are then smashed by the oldest and youngest person as they hold hands and say, “And thus perishes the enemies of the Republic!” This is to the great delight of all ages since you then eat the chocolate and its candy vegetables.

Bonnie Fatio

Albert Gallatin – Historical Age-Esteemer

I love to discover historical expositions that feature age-esteemers.  Albert Gallatin is one of these historical age-esteemers.

Few people know Albert Gallatin.  Certainly I don’t remember learning about him in history classes while growing up.  Yet this Swiss American was Secretary of the Treasure under both Presidents Jefferson and Madison, helped found New York University, was instrumental in the Louisiana Purchase, and was responsible for many improvements in the infrastructure such as roads within the United States.

Albert Gallatin left his home in Geneva, Switzerland at the age of 19.  From that time on he was active in the development of the “new world”.  He seemed to never stop.

At the age of 69 he was asked to run as Vice President of the United States on the Republican ticket with William Crawford.  The letter that Albert Gallatin wrote to say that he would not run for this office was on display at the Exposition Gallatin in Geneva, Switzerland, as was a letter written to Albert Gallatin in 1806 by Thomas Jefferson.

Looking at these amazing artifacts, I remember wondering what virtual artifacts will be saved in cyber space from our lives today.

Bonnie Fatio

Look out, here I come!  This next weekend my 50th High School Class Reunion will take place in Grove City, PA (population 8027) and I will return to my teenage roots in small town USA.

Have 50 years really passed since we walked down the aisle to receive our diplomas?  So much has happened since then.  Will I recognize ‘old’ classmates?  Will they remember me?  I guess the only way to find out is to attend, so I’m on my way.  Chances are that I will even win the prize for coming the furthest, since most have remained closer to the town where we learned together.  Geneva, Switzerland will seem very far away to most.

I am convinced that it will be a wonderful experience to reconnect with old friends and to renew precious friendships.  And an opportunity to say “Thank you” to those who have left lasting imprints.

Bonnie Fatio

Helen Drew 59, English

When I hear the term Age Esteem I think of the value that older people can bring. – And that would be from the experience that they bring.  If I think personally I think in my life I’ve done many interesting and very different things, and the nice thing to do would be to pass that on to other people.  Of course we do pass them on to our children, which is actually quite difficult.  Often the children don’t appreciate your experience and they don’t really want to listen; but eventually they get to the age when they do.  I have constantly reinvented myself I think. Whatever I started out doing when I left University at 22, I’ve used that experience but I don’t do the same thing now.

Helen’s Tips: I’m very into what I eat and I eat very carefully.  I’ve trained myself to eat carefully.  I make sure I always do some exercise because you also feel better if you do exercise.  And when I get up in the morning I like to have the lot of my day planned out.  I like to know what I’m going to do.  That for me is my raison d’être, my purpose.

I like to think young but I like to look young as well.  I like to keep abreast of fashions.  When I was growing up in the UK the saying for ladies who dressed slightly younger than their age was “mutton dressed as lamb”.  I love to be a mutton dressed as a lamb and I enjoy people who are dressed a lot younger than they probably should be dressing.  Just because I am my age I will still occasionally wear high heeled shoes or platform shoes if I like it.  I will tailor my look for the fashion of that season and I will always buy new clothes every year.

There is always something new to learn and there is always something new you can be doing.  I’m training my mother who’s 81.  I just persuaded her to buy a laptop and I’m training her on how to use it.  She’s a bit nervous about it but we’ve got the email sussed (figured out) and while I was training her I thought, “Oh, I wonder, when I am 81 what will there be new for me to learn at that age?”  I think I will be up to learning it.

I was trained as a designer but didn’t paint for years.  It was only recently that I thought, “Well I’m not going to go down in history as a graphic designer or a trainer but maybe I can carve myself a small niche as a painter.”  I’ve taken on the new challenge of showing my paintings.  I’ve got three expositions coming up and I’ve just hired myself an agent which I think is a wonderful idea.  I hate selling my own work.  If someone else can do that for me I’ll be quite happy.

Helen Drew is a trainer, graphic designer and watercolorist.  Her exposition at the Gallery Chausse-Coqs in Geneva, Switzerland will take place December 5-23, 2010.

On June 20th, people in countries around the world celebrate world refugee day.  It is an opportunity to build awareness and to encourage interest in helping refugees on all continents.  We recognize the strength, courage and contributions of refugees.

“But for the grace of God, there go I.”  Often the only difference between a refugee and ourself is where we were born.  It has nothing to do with education, age and capability.  We were simply blessed to be born in a part of the world where we are safe.

In Geneva, Switzerland where the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is located the famous “Jet d’Eau” water fountain will be blue on June 20.  This is in recognition of the contributions made to our world by refugees such as Albert Einstein, Madeleine Albright, Marc Chagall, Dalai Lama, and Peter Carl Fabergé and for the hope of today’s refugees as the UNHCR continues its important work.

• Become aware of what refugee status means.
• Research the UNHCR to better understand the work that it is doing.
• Contribute funds to your local organization working with refugees or through the site of the UNHCR
• Volunteer time working with refugees in your community to teach the local language and to help them adapt and integrate.
• Count your blessings.

A dream, a purpose, new relationships and synergies, constant learning, support and encouragement, a can do – will do attitude and resilience are but a few of the qualities that Alinghi shares with AgeEsteemers.

What is Alinghi?

Alinghi is the Swiss sailboat and team that won the America’s Cup in 2003 and again in 2006. – Not bad for a land-locked country!

Alinghi is now preparing for the next America’s Cup, this time with a huge catamaran supporting a mast of 164 feet.  What a treat we’ve had to watch Alinghi sail on Lake Geneva, Switzerland, this week.  It’s a thrill for all generations.