Welcome to this special episode of LifeChangingPlaces. For the first time, our protagonist actually works for Lufthansa and discovered her life-changing place, Ethiopia, because she was flying there as a flight attendant. Maira Nolte from Nürnberg, Germany originally chose her job as a flight attendant so she could travel all over the world. She loved that a large part of her job was about working with people and helping others. One day, her work took her to Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, where she discovered not only the beauty of the country, but also met some people in need of support, especially mothers and children. She decided to help and got involved with the Lufthansa Help Alliance to get support for the Mother and Child Rehabilitation Centre. Host Shelby Stanger talks to Maira about finding fulfillment in helping others as well as the fascinating country of Ethiopia. Listen to get Maira’s personal tips on what to do, see and eat in Ethiopia and what you can do to help people in need. Also, please give us a review and subscribe to our channel.

LifeChangingPlaces - Shortcuts

Maira Nolte - On finding a new purpose in life in Ethiopia

Charlotte Orba from Southampton, England was running the pop music and music production degree at Leeds College of Music until a midlife-crisis made her reconsider what she was doing with her time. Desperate for a change in scenery, she googled “volunteering overseas” - a fateful decision that led her to an internship and then a job in marine conservation on the Seychelles. Today, Charlotte still works as a marine educator and says she wishes she had known how much she would enjoy her life change. Host Shelby Stanger talks to Charlotte Orba about the calming quality of the ocean, scuba diving and how travel can change your life forever. Listen to find out Charlotte’s personal tips on what to see, eat and do on the Seychelles and learn what you can do to preserve our oceans. Lufthansa’s LifeChangingPlaces podcast has a new episode out every week so don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode.

Charlotte Orba – On volunteering and scuba diving in the Seychelles

Jeffrey Parks, an attorney and social entrepreneur from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was shocked by the effects of de-industrialisation on his community after the closure of the famous Bethlehem Steel works. He found a solution on a trip to Germany’s Ruhr Valley, an area that had suffered similar problems after the closure of its coal mines and steel plants. He discovered that many of the abandoned industrial sites such as Zeche Zollverein in Essen had since been turned into thriving cultural centers and, in some cases, UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Germans were celebrating the old industrial heritage while using the spaces for museums, concerts and other events – a discovery that changed his life forever. The idea for SteelStacks, a vibrant cultural centre, was born. Host Shelby Stanger talks to Jeffrey Parks about the importance of arts and culture for community life. Includes travel tips for the Ruhr Valley and a guide on which food and drink to try in Germany. Lufthansa’s LifeChangingPlaces podcast has a new episode out every week so don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode.

Jeffrey Parks – On saving his community with inspiration from the Ruhr Valley, Germany

Irene Rouwenhorst from Amsterdam worried that having children would mean the end of traveling for her and her husband, but then the Dutch couple embarked on a year-long journey through Asia with their two young children, loving every minute of it. Being on sabbatical brought them closer together, gave them time to do some soulsearching and think about what they really wanted out of life. When the family arrived in the Philippines, Irene was offered her dream job working with furniture and interior design and decided to make Manila their new home. Host Shelby Stanger talks to Irene about traveling with small children, taking risks, believing in yourself and finding the courage to start over. Listen and find out about what to see, eat and do in Manila. Discover where to find the coolest bar, the best beaches and what locals eat after a night out. Don’t forget to subscribe to Lufthansa LifeChangingPlaces - A Travel Podcast so you don’t miss an episode and give us a review wherever you are listening.

Irene Rouwenhorst - On family sabbaticals and starting her dream career in the Philippines

Benjamin Adrion, the son of a German football coach, started pursuing a professional career in football at an early age and ended up playing in midfield for FC St. Pauli in Hamburg, Germany, a club that is famous for its die-hard supporters and social conscience. During a winter training camp in Cuba, Benjamin became aware of the need for clean drinking water there. Upon his return to Germany, the plan for a clean drinking water charity began to take shape, and “Viva con Agua de St. Pauli” was born with the support of his club. Soon after, Benjamin quit his football career to develop the project full-time. More than a decade later, Viva con Agua continues to raise money for clean water and builds wells all over the world, amongst other things. Shelby Stanger talks to Adrion about football, Salsa and how nothing could be more fulfilling than helping others while doing something you love. Listen and subscribe so you don’t miss an episode or discovering more life changing places!

On football, Cuba and founding a clean drinking water charity

Fashion designer Lotti Meier from Switzerland fell in love with huskies and caught the „dogsledding bug“ on holiday in Lapland. She decided to leave her glamourous lifestyle behind and moved to Sweden. Today, she runs the Snowtrail Dogcamp near Gällivare in Lapland. Host Shelby Stanger talks to Meier about finding happiness and inner peace while dogsledding through untouched nature some 100 miles north of the Arctic Circle and learns why managing a hundred huskies is no different from managing the same number of people. Listen and learn insider tips about activities, culture and food of northern Sweden through one woman’s amazing journey to self-fulfillment.

Lotti Meier - On trading catwalks for inner peace in Swedish Lapland

Gesa Neitzel, originally a TV producer from Berlin, became fed up with her hectic big-city-job and went on a soul-searching trip around the world. When she arrived in South Africa, she realized that she belonged among the wild animals and beautiful nature there. In order to make her dream a reality, Gesa trained as a safari-guide and started her own business with her partner Frank. Gesa discusses her life-changing travels through South Africa with host Shelby Stanger and tells exciting anecdotes from her adventures as a safari-guide and writer. Today she splits her time between Berlin and South Africa and offers guided tours for tourists. In Lufthansa’s first ever podcast series, guests tell their inspiring life-stories and give insider travel advice on their favorite places. Listen to find out more about Gesa’s incredible journey, learn why you should never run from an animal in the bush and get some great tips on what to see and do in South Africa. Don’t forget to subscribe so you can listen to more inspiring travel stories and #LifeChangingPlaces every other week!

Gesa Neitzel - On falling in love with nature in South Africa and starting her own business

Cici Li was studying bio-chemistry in preparation for a career as a scientist when she took a trip to France and ended up amidst the rolling hills and vineyards of Burgundy. She discovered a whole new way of life, fell in love with French culture and decided to stay in France to study winemaking. Today, she is an entrepreneur who imports French wine to China. Host Shelby Stanger talks to her about finding herself and freedom in France, and gets some insider tips on which wines and food to try in Burgundy.

Cici Li - On discovering wine and finding freedom in France

British chef and entrepreneur Thomasina Miers talks to host Shelby Stanger about her life-changing travels through Mexico. She fell in love with Mexican food and was shocked to find that it simply didn’t exist in Britain back then – so she trained as a chef and opened up a Mexican restaurant herself. Today she ist he owner of the Wahaca restaurant chain and publishes a weekly food column in the Guardian newspaper. In Lufthansa’s travel podcast series, guests tell their inspiring life-stories and give personal travel advice. Thomasina reveals how difficult it was to pursue her dream career but how she succeeded in the end. Listen to discover more about her journey, learn a great recipe for guacamole and listen to Thomasina’s personal tips for what to see and do and eat in Mexico.

Thomasina Miers - On falling in love with Mexico and starting her own restaurant

Surf photographer Chris Burkard had it all – a promising career shooting surfers on the world’s most popular beaches – but he still felt like something was missing from his life. He embarked on a soul-searching trip to the rugged beaches and icy waters of Lofoten, Norway. LifeChangingPlaces is Lufthansa’s first travel podcast series. Host Shelby Stanger interviews people who tell their personal stories of how traveling to a new country changed their lives. Chris Burkard reveals how struggling with the elements not only brought him closer to himself but made his work more meaningful. Learn more about his journey and get insider tips on ice surfing, taking better photographs, and Chris’ favourite places on the Lofoten Islands in Norway. Don’t forget to give us a review and subscribe to our podcast today so you don’t miss an episode.

Chris Burkard - On surf-photography under the northern lights of Lofoten

IT consultant Somnath Halder’s life changed completely when he discovered a music workshop run by jazz legend Barry Harris. Jazz music made him feel free, and he realised that playing music was the thing he loved doing most in life. Inspired by Harris, Somnath decided to study and teach music back home in India. He talks to host Shelby Stanger about changiung careers and starting a new life. Listen to learn how to follow your dream of a creative life and make a living at the same time, and enjoy Somnath’s personal recommendations for the best street food and live jazz venues in New York City. Don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast so you can listen to more LifeChangingPlaces every week!

Somnath Halder – On Jazz, New York and changing careers

Travel can be life-changing – discovering a new culture, meeting inspiring people, trying new things - on the Lufthansa LifeChangingPlaces podcast, each guest tells their personal story of how traveling to a new place has inspired them to take the leap and follow their dream of a new life or career. Host Shelby Stanger interviews people from all over the world for this inspiring travel podcast that also features personal travel advice from her guests. This podcast is brought to you by Lufthansa, the premium airline to take you to your next destination, and maybe even your personal life-changing place.

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