Open minds, open hearts – At AdventureWomen, as our minds open to new learning experiences around the world, so do our hearts. And as our hearts open, so does our appreciation of the intrinsic bonds we share with other women across cultures and geographic boundaries!
Central to enriching every AdventureWomen experience is the chance for you and your travel companions to meet and learn from women of other cultures! In 2020, you can travel to Laos, Uganda, and Oman to sit down with local women to share a regional coffee, watch them practice traditional crafts and create works of art, and listen to women tell you about the joys and challenges of being a female entrepreneur in a world much different than yours.
Women in Thailand & Laos: Promoting Cultural Diversity as a Way of Saving It
Preserving cultural diversity is an increasingly vital effort in societies where rich traditions are under threat from modernization. Meet the Laotian women who founded Traditional Arts & Ethnology Center (TAEC) to learn about their work in promoting a variety of age-old practices such as weaving and beading, and learn about the economic and social challenges facing women in Laos today. You’ll also have an opportunity to visit their fair trade shop of regional handicrafts!
Woman at the Traditional Arts & Ethnology Centre in Laos making handmade bedding adornments
Uganda: Women Overcome Hardship by Producing Exceptional Coffee
In Uganda in 2020, while trekking to see gorillas in the wild, you’ll also visit the Omwani (Kyambura) Women’s Coffee Cooperative, a community-based initiative thoughtfully designed to provide vocational training to women and provide an alternative, and sustainable, source of income. Women plant, harvest, roast, grind, and package everything by hand! Tour their coffee plantation then meet the women who work there. Many have experienced extreme hardship and some will share their stories with you. A coffee tasting follows; some have said it’s the “best cup of coffee in Uganda”. Let us know what you think!
Ugandan woman working at the Omwani Women’s Coffee Cooperative
Dolomites: Learn to Cook Italian Cuisine and Harvest Organic Produce
On our 2020 women’s hiking tour in Italy, visit the organic orchard and gardens of Sot la Napa, where owner Silvia will help you harvest the fruits, herbs, and vegetables needed for a hands-on Italian cooking experience in her private kitchen. After gathering your ingredients, learn how to prepare Silvia’s popular traditional Italian regional dishes then sit down to enjoy your masterpieces over a glass of delicious wine!
The farm of Sot la Napa is comprised of many small fields dotting the village, typical of mountain agriculture. Discover how Sylvia and her partner Eliana successfully transitioned this local business to a certified organic farm in 1995 and how they organically protect and grow their produce then sell it in the community. Sot la Napa received the Green Flag award for their commitment to preserving and promoting mountain culture. Bring your questions and learn about what it’s like to be a woman farmer in Italy!
Oman: Where Economic Opportunities Exist for Enterprising Women
At the Omani Heritage Gallery, discover an entirely Omani-owned non-profit company dedicated to promoting and increasing the awareness of Omani’s rich, diverse cultural heritage through the preservation and promotion of Omani artisans and handcrafts.
Staffer Katie visits the Omani Heritage Gallery, getting to know Muna Ritchie, Gallery partner and passionate champion of Omani culture.
In Oman, we also visit the Sidab Women’s Association where you will interact with local women, enjoy traditional Omani coffee, and discuss their work. Next, we meet with Nawal Al Hooti in her design salon, then marvel at her talent for turning traditional women’s wear into stunning haute couture!
Sidab Women’s Association sitting room in Oman.
Whatever your preferred destination for 2020, these “women-to-women” travel opportunities will engage your heart, mind, and spirit all the way around. Don’t miss these unique ways to experience different cultures as women, with women, on our AdventureWomen trips.
