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Too Young to Retire, the perfect holiday gift. Now available where books are sold.
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How to transition gracefully from a structured and demanding professional life into “a long sabbatical” filled with adventure and volunteering? Drs. Herb and Phyllis Goldberg, two accomplished professionals – a plastic surgeon and marriage and family therapist – are engaged in answering that question. By training and temperament they are well equipped to do so. Drawn to medicine, Herb wanted to “see disease, deformity and illness improve because of intervention”. When the couple met as camp counselors, he was a medical student. Herb was attracted to “intricate and finite surgical manipulations that improve function and form” and went on to a private practice, in Encino, California, in plastic and reconstructive surgery.
Daughter of a doctor, Phyllis “fell naturally into the study of psychology”
at the University of Manitoba. She completed her Ph.D. in counseling
psychology before establishing her practice in relationship and individual
therapy in Tarzana, California. “We were certain that we wanted travel and volunteer work to be a part of our lives.” Using the INTERNET and other resources, they began to plan a 9 week “off the beaten track” journey to Southeast Asia, a “great learning experience and almost as much fun as the trip itself”. Concurrently they reviewed volunteer opportunities, “looking for a good fit for us in terms of goals, commitment, time and locations.” They chose to join Global Volunteers, a non-sectarian group “whose philosophy – teaching and assisting people in developing countries - we both admire. It offers an interchange of ideas and cultures and enables volunteers and their hosts to learn from each other”. They began their adventure in the spring of 1999, traveling to remote areas of Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos, with a trek in the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan. They spent 3 weeks in Vietnam as Global Volunteers, where they “taught conversational English in the local hospital, to college students and in an English language night school.” Later the same year they trained for, then climbed 14,500 ft. Mt. Whitney. The following year they embarked on a 3 month journey to Sub-Saharan Africa and spent the following summer in South America as Global Volunteers. Herb and Phyllis are” still passionate about travel” and the past several years have enjoyed unbelievable experiences in Guatemala, New Zealand, India, Alaska, Canada, Australia. This spring they will be Global Volunteers in the Cook Islands and then travel to New Guinea. Back at home in California, Herb and Phyllis are involved as volunteers in a number of projects. They have taught seminars in retirement at the Emeriti Center at the University of Southern California. They also offer their professional services at the Los Angeles free clinic and through the Red Cross crisis intervention program. Herb teaches surgery to family practice residents and English to a 4th grader in the local public school. Phyllis is the clinical director of a community outreach mental health program and has just completed a coach training program in positive psychology. In partnership with 2 colleagues, Phyllis has developed a website for mid-life women, HerMentorCenter.com. They are doing research for a book, focusing on the emotional tools that are helpful during this life transition. However the highlight of their week remains the time they team-baby sit their 3 grandsons. Global Volunteers Home |
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