We Would Cry Three Times: Retirement...As An Adventure (Travel and Volunteering in Retirement)

Bob Evans and Peg McIntosh belong to that group of dreamers inspired by Bobby Kennedy's words, "Some men see things as they are and ask why? I dream of things that never were and ask why not?"

Following an early retirement in 1992 they took a step back and asked themselves "what have we always wanted to do, but haven't had the chance to do? We'd each raised a large family, watched them grow, complete their schooling, marry and have families. We had set them free to follow their dreams, and now we found ourselves in our mid-fifties and free to pursue our unrealized dreams. Both of us knew immediately what that dream would include: travel, education, and cultural experiences. Our journey began with a year of service in Elgin Texas, which gave us the courage to apply for our first assignment overseas, which was two-years in Bangladesh Job Creation Program for women. This involved travel, learning another language, living and working in another culture. It was difficult but amazing; at times it was a heart-wrenching experience of personal growth. It was educational, but more than that it was life changing. As predicted, we would cry three times: 1st, on our arrival; 2nd, on seeing the poverty, and 3rd, on leaving Bangladesh. They would be tears of love, sadness, frustration, and joy, but we continued to serve for 3 more years in British Columbia and in Cambodia to support Peace and Justice for minorities and nationals.