How you can help us make Beth's Adventure truly magical
April 22, 2015 By Judy MacMahon | France
On Beth Cooper-Wares' French bucket list are pain au chocolat, crêpes (bien sûr), French dogs, castles, and EuroDisney. In many ways, Beth is your typical petite Francophile.
Soon, she'll be heading off on an around-the-world adventure with her mother Katie – and France is at the top of the list! Unlike many travelling Francophiles, however, Beth will be seeing the world a little differently. When Beth was born she had four broken bones: a rib, her shoulder, arm and collarbone. Her paediatrician diagnosed her with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, a severe brittle bone disability.
Embracing differences
She uses a wheelchair to get around – but doesn't let this get in her way. "Beth is confident in herself, but I wanted to give her that extra boost of confidence in herself and her uniqueness," says Katie. "Yes, she is different, but that is essential – the world would be boring if we were all the same!"
Katie says the idea to travel around the world was initially her own idea. "[Beth] thought it was a bit crazy at first, but as she started researching what she wanted on her bucket list, she started getting really into it – and now she is so excited," she explains. "It has brought a real sense of freedom to both our lives – the process of selling everything we own, not knowing what lies ahead – it's playful."
"I wanted to show her that nothing is impossible and that if you have an idea and put bravery and faith behind it, you can achieve anything."
Beth's bucket list français
Beth has put together a bucket list of 101 things she'd like to do and see all around the world. France features high on the list: "She wants to cycle in the Loire Valley because she thinks it looks magical and beautiful, she wants to go to Euro disneyland (what 11-year old doesn't) and she wants to eat a chocolate croissant in a Parisian café – they are her favourite!"
"One of [Mum's] favourite sayings is you feel better when you give, not receive," Beth told Matters Speaking. "While I love getting lollies or presents it's nothing compared to that warm fuzzy feeling you get when you let someone go in front of you in the line or pay them a compliment."
"We came up with the idea that each time we completed one thing off my bucket list we would 'pay it forward' or do a random act of kindness for someone else. Hopefully that person will pay it forward too! So one small act of kindness can be so much bigger in the end!"
Making Beth's adventure magical with the help of house-sitting
Travelling the world is no small undertaking, and Katie and Beth need all the support they can get. When we heard about the plans for Beth's French adventure, we couldn't help but want to be involved. That's why MyFrenchLife™ (along with major sponsor Nomador and supporting sponsor House Sitting World) will all be doing all we can to help this intrepid duo as they explore the world!
One of [Mum's] favourite sayings is you feel better when you give, not receive… While I love getting lollies or presents it's nothing compared to that warm fuzzy feeling you get when you let someone go in front of you in the line or pay them a compliment.
Katie and Beth are asking generous homeowners all around the world to welcome them into their homes as they travel. Home-owners and pet-owners all around the world are encouraged to list their houses and invite the pair into their home here on Nomador's interactive map – either while they're there, or to look after their house and pets while they're away.
Does Beth have specific needs, to be taken into account in the homes where they'll be invited?
Katie says "Beth is at a good age where she knows what she can and cannot do. She bottom shuffles around, even up and down stairs. Nothing stops her. I can also carry her where need be so we have no specific needs. We can and will go anywhere!
Katie says they're "both so excited at the prospect [of house-sitting]. Beth is hoping that we get to take care of animals – as many as possible!"
"You can really experience each different culture with the help from locals," Katie says of house-sitting. "We are travelling on a limited budget and are so grateful for any help we receive so I can give Beth the adventure of a lifetime."
"Locals know where the best food is; the secret spots. It will be great to be able to house-sit for longer periods of time in between travelling around so we can both rest up and recuperate. It will make us stay in places we might not have done so otherwise, and have different experiences."
The crowdfunding campaign will be active the whole trip. Katie says "We need to cover flights, transport, food, entry to places, costs of certain activities, travel insurance (with Beth this is huge), and other accommodation that won't be covered.
Here at MyFrenchLife™ we believe that if you join us, then altogether we can help Beth realise her dream to travel the world from home to home, from town to town and from country to country.
Please join us in any way you can: accommodation, donation, experiences, photography, just invite them to dinner… We'll leave it with you to get involved in any way you'd like to do so.
How you can support Beth and Katie
Would you like to meet Beth and Katie and welcome them into your home?
You can do so here on this interactive map created by Nomador, the international house-sitting and pet-sitting community.
Click here to list your house to offer accommodation to Beth and Katie. It's here that you can also view their trip!
If you can't welcome Beth and Katie into your home but want to help make their experience magical, click here to donate to their crowdfunding campaign.
We'll be following Beth's Adventure…
The MyFrenchLife™ team are actively supporting Beth's round-the-world trip as as she lives her dream. We will be following all the adventures closely, and we'd love you to join us and help us spread the word!
We'll share updates on our Twitter and Facebook pages, along with Nomador too:
Follow @nomador_com, @maviefrancaise and #bethsadventure on Twitter.
Like Nomador and MyFrenchLife™ on Facebook for more updates.
You can also follow Beth's adventure on her blog!
Please make all offers of accommodation, experiences etc via the interactive map – see link above
Please make all donations via Crowdfunding campaign – see link above.
All images © Unicorn Studios, courtesy of Katie Cooper-Wares.
Beth's adventure,
brittle bone disease,
Crowdfunding,
donate,
French Travel,
House-sitting,
inspiration,
inspirational story,
list your home,
Nomador,
Nomador.com,
pet-sitting,
Travel in France,
travel with disability
Judy MacMahon
DISCOVER FRANCE beyond the CLICHÉ with MyFrenchLife.org MyFrenchLife is for Curious Savvy Francophiles wherever YOU ARE! 1. Travel to France & also to design your own French Life at home: plan & immerse. 2. Meet Francophiles in France and/or wherever you are: meet, learn, share & enjoy. You're very welcome to join us - Judy MacMahon - MyFrenchLife.org
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Absolutely beautiful! Beth is one lucky girl to have so much love and support. When will they be going on this adventure?
Beth's adventure is planned to start in May Christina – so we all need to help spread the word so that Beth and Katie are able to start ticking off the 101 things on Beth's bucket list. Right now the crowdfunding campaign and the offers of accommodation are the most important ways we can all help.
In May! So soon! Of course, well I hope that they receive as much help as possible! Will spread the word!
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"Les chansons, c'est comme les prières. Ça ne sert qu'à endormir le peuple - Extrait de Le marquis de la dècheThe songs are like prayers. It serves only to lull the people. "
Roland Dorgelès. Translation
Il a une descente que je n'aimerais pas remonter en vélo He's got a slope that I wouldn't like to climb up on a bike - (it's used to talk about someone who can drink large amounts of alcohol very quickly)