About
Noelle
In 1998, Noelle co-founded Volunteer Abroad (www.volunteerabroad.ca). Managing field logistics and developing programs took her from guiding environmental expeditions on Mount Everest basceamp to setting up volunteer placements in Ghana, Ecuador and Peru. Some of her adventures include; rock climbing in Southern Thailand, exploring the Mayan ruins of Tikal, bribing police in Nicaragua, diving in the Galapagos and learning to ride a motorcycle on her way to the border of India…Still an Eccentric Gypsy, she continues to wander.
Barbara
Babsy began her travels when she left her hometown Guyana and went to Windsor World Camp in England with the Girl Guides. Later returning to London to study nursing, she tripped around Europe for the next four years during her off time. Seeking adventure Babsy found herself in Canada which eventually became home. She co founded the Women’s Health Care Centre at St. Michael’s Hospital and was the International Coordinator for the Girl Guides of Canada (Rolling Hills) organizing trips for girls and leaders. Her love for travel brought her to China, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Fiji, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Jamaica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Columbia…
John
John was the Director at large of Odyssey Travel. A former teacher, John came to Odyssey over 20 years ago after many years working and living abroad. Although a tad less mobile now, he has visited over 100 countries and every continent except Antarctica. Of special interest to some will be his more exotic and off the beaten track experiences including: trudging through the infamous Darien Gap(twice), crossing the Khunjerab Pass, travelling overland from Lhasa to Kathmandu and driving a Mercedes across the Sahara. Each to his own.
Rosella: Italy & Mongolia Specialist
Rosella is an Italian Paleontologist. After years at the University of Turin as a researcher, working on Mesozoic fauna, Rosella moved to North Africa to study the Neolithic rock carvings in the Sahara region. Later she returned to Italy and worked as headmaster specializing in Classical Teachings. Since 2001, she shares her life between Italy and Asia, where she contributes to her husband’s research and study of the fossils of Dinosaurs’ in the Gobi Desert. Rose has travelled across Asia, from Mongolia to China, across the Taklamakan desert, along the Silk Road, continuing into Tibet, Bhutan and Nepal. As a cultural expert in Buddhism and Oriental history she writes for several magazines and has written a guide for Mongolia.
Arzu: Turkish Specialist
Engineer, Entrepreneur, Adventurer. Join Arzu and discover the real Turkey. Her experience lies in classical and cultural tours. She has extensive knowledge of this glamorous country, and shares the passion of a travel experience that is so out of the ordinary, allowing our guests to reach deep into the Turkish culture and history and manages to be informative without being boring. Arzu works hard, likes playing hard, travelling, sea-kayaking, yoga and spending time outdoors with the sun, sea and wind.
Juan Pablo: Artist
Juan Pablo founding member and leading force of “Itinerantes” believes the artist, particularly the Guatemala artist, has a healing role to play the nation and the world. While maintaining a provocative stance, Juan Pablo and his associates feel that in a world of violence, war, degradation, tragedy and want, the thoughtful artist can speak to the better angels of our nature with skill, humor and grace.
Juan Pablo is a self-taught, Guatemalan artist. He has taught drawing of the human figure in “Casa Azul” an art school in Guatemala City. While living in Italy & Spain in 2001, he shared techniques with other recognized & contemporary artists, and participated in a collective exhibition. As the great grandson of José Mongrell who taught at “Bellas artes” in Spain in the late 1800’s early 1900’s and nephew of the recognized artist Ramón Banús Mongrell, you could say painting is in his blood.
Donna Bonin: Artist
A native of Hamilton Ontario, and a graduate of Queen’s University, Donna taught Physical Education, English, and Art at Moira Secondary School in Belleville for 34 years. Since retirement in 1999, she has become a full time artist, watercolour instructor, avid traveller, and leader of artists’ travel vacation workshops.
Donna’s paintings have been shown to critical acclaim in numerous juried shows, galleries, and art festivals throughout Eastern Ontario. Her style gives the impression of realism and is best known for attention to detail and bold use of colour. Subject matter is inspired by many life-long passions. She has been “Artist-in-the Park” at both Sandbanks and Presqu’ile Provincial Parks and loves to paint in Algonquin as well as in the tranquility of her garden. Travel has inspired many paintings from Europe to the High Arctic. Years of experience with boats and horses allows for accurate rendering of these within a composition. Horse and pet portraits are a specialty.
In some of her more recent paintings, Donna has emphasized pattern and design bordering on semi-abstract through use of unusual colours and juxtapositions. This allows the viewers a flight into fantasy and individual interpretation.