I took the month of December off and went to France and Spain. I planned my trip for about eight months and worked and saved for my adventure. I had a great time. I travelled solo but never felt alone. I overpacked for my trip but what at first felt like a mistake ended up being part of my adventure.
I shared my trip on Facebook with my friends and I think they enjoyed being along. One thing I didn’t talk about was the homeless that I saw in the big cities of Paris and Barcelona. I think most of the people I saw begging or sleeping on the sidewalk were immigrants. People who have no country, home or opportunity. Children, I saw children sleeping on the cold, wet sidewalk. I often feel helpless about the world situation and here it was right in front of me. So this is what I did. I am sharing this with you because this is not an original idea of mine, someone else once suggested it. So I thought if someone had to turn me on to it maybe I should do the same.
The Thanksgiving that I remember is the one where Raechel and I bought a turkey and cooked it up then convinced Subway to give us their day old buns and we made these big fat turkey and cranberry sandwiches and got on our bikes and drove around Venice and fed the homeless. It was a great day. We had so much fun.
I decided to do the same thing on Christmas day in Paris. Christmas eve I roamed the streets looking for my supplies. I bought 8 giant baguettes and packages of ham and gouda cheese, butter, mustard (boy French mustard is really tasty) mayonnaise, radishes, tomatoes, lettuce, tangerines and chocolate dipped cookies. I got up Christmas day after having a wonderful Christmas eve dinner with lovely friends and got started. I cut the bread and lathered it with tasty butter, mustard and mayo. I made sure the sandwich was thick with ham and cheese then sliced the tomatoes and stuffed in the lettuce. Every bag got a few radishes, a tangerine, couple of cookies and a napkin. I had saved all my plastic bags and paper bags and used any ribbon I had to tie them up. I filled my large handbag with the sandwiches and off I went. I worried that I might not find anyone to give my goodie bags too but silly me all I had to do was walk outside my apartment and look down the street. Everyone I gave a sandwich to thanked me politely and some wished me Merry Christmas. For a moment I didn’t feel helpless, it felt good.
The Buzzy Donahue Show 