Apr 7, 2017
DONNA LUCAS – TOUR PARTICIPANT
Donna Lucas was 58 when she sold her business in 2008. For years, she was an industrious business owner who ran a door and window company that had both a retail store and a manufacturing facility. It was a busy time, but once the business was sold, Donna found herself with plenty of extra time on her hands. It wasn’t long before she realized how much the world had changed while she was running her company.
In her newly found free time, Donna often caught herself recounting nostalgic stories to her family that began “When I was young…” But sounding like a retiree didn’t suit her; she had too much left to experience to be saying that. “Being retired, I needed to travel, not to kick back and drink margaritas by the pool,” she shared. “Instead, I needed motivation to discover new visual, tactical, emotional, and cultural experiences.” Fittingly, Donna took up photography and travel.
Once she heard about Langara’s Educational Travel Programs, Donna realized they were exactly what she was looking for. They were perfect for her travelling style; she wanted fun, adventure, and education, but preferred to not worry about the logistical side of travel. She loved the format the College provided, so much so that she has been on three different Langara-led tours in the last three years.
“My tour to the Galapagos Islands in 2013 topped all expectations. We were actively part of the adventure. Everyone was hiking and swimming with Mother Nature at her best. I had so many life changing moments,” she says. “The Yukon Tour in 2016 was very good. I loved Whitehorse. Capturing the Northern Lights in the early morning was well worth it, and the trees had also changed colour making the day trips absolutely stunning.
”While recalling the India Tour in 2016, Donna remembers the time she tagged along with tour guide and acclaimed photographer, Wayne Kaulbach, who wanted to locate someone in a busy market he had photographed on a previous trip. “[Wayne] went to the market kiosk where he had once found his subject but it was the subject’s 70-year-old son who was running it that day. However the son was thrilled to take us home to visit his father. So we made our way through several narrow openings and into a tiny courtyard, and sure enough, there was his 90-year-old dad. Wayne presented him with a large portrait; he was wearing the exact same clothes he wore in the photo! The family was delighted. It was so fun.
”In addition to her memorable experiences, Donna remains friends with fellow tour-goers, loves that the programs are tax deductible, and realizes that photography and travel have changed her perspective on life. “Stepping away from years of working indoors to discover new visuals through photography has made me feel born again.” She plans on joining another Langara tour in 2018.
About Langara
Located in beautiful Vancouver, B.C., Canada, Langara College provides University, Career, and Continuing Studies education to more than 21,000 students annually. With more than 1,700 courses and 130 programs, Langara’s expansive academic breadth and depth allows students of all ages, backgrounds, and life stages to choose their own educational path. Langara is also known as house of teachings, a name given to it by the Musqueam people on whose unceded traditional territory the College is located.
Learn more.
Rolf Savella
Communications Officer
Langara College
604.323.5961
rsavella@langara.ca