Costa Women Blogs

Happy #OrangeDay! It’s 25 August, a day to wear orange, speak out and take action to end violence against women and girls (http://saynotoviolence.us1.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=3d29e44d120dbaa8d14163032&id=beb9a526a6&e=acdd073afc) The UNiTE Campaign team is getting ready for the annual 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence Campaign, which runs from 25 November to 10 December, and brings together people from all walks of life, to raise awareness and take action. (http://saynotoviolence.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3d29e44d120dbaa8d14163032&id=176c82f6aa&e=acdd073afc) The UNiTE theme for action for the 16 Days of Activism Campaign is “Orange the World: End Violence against Women.” No country in the world has eliminated violence against women and girls – a fact that continues to stall progress in all other areas of development. This year, UNiTE is calling upon governments, UN agencies, civil society organizations and individuals to come together and step up efforts to prevent and end violence against women and girls. Let’s make our world orange, not for a day, but every day, for the 16 Days of Activism. Engage your government and demand action! Use the colour orange for marathons, marches, flash mobs, bicycle rides and more. Invite your government and local authorities to orange iconic buildings for the duration of the 16 Days of Activism Campaign. Orange your websites and social media accounts and ask celebrities and influencers to wear orange and speak out on the issue. Build partnerships with local businesses and take the campaign to the streets, night clubs, sports clubs and markets, where it may not reach usually. For more ideas, check out our toolkit: http://ow.ly/RcYQA UN Women is looking forward to oranging the world with you. Don’t forget to share your ideas and actions with them! Send them to the UNiTE Campaign Coordinator, Anna Alaszewski at anna.alaszewski@unwomen.org.

As Spain Buddy approaches its third anniversary on September 01 2015, the website at www.spainbuddy.com has been re-launched with a brand new look.   The logo and core branding remains the same, but the website now has more of a magazine layout, drawing it away from the blog format which it had at its inception in 2012. It is fully responsive and works seamlessly with desktop and mobile devices.   Co-owner of Spain Buddy, Elle Draper, said: “Spain Buddy has evolved so quickly and we are thrilled with its growth. A number of businesses targetting tourists and residents of Spain have joined our advertiser ranks in the past couple of years and the content has grown at a rapid pace.”   The website has more than 1,000 articles already, plus more than 3,000 events and a large free business directory. The owners wanted a clean new look – something much more visually appealing and more reflective of the content.   Elle’s partner in business and at home, Alan Gandy, added: “What began as a hobby alongside our other business has become the focus of our energy. We are pleased with Spain Buddy’s success so far and the revamped website takes us into the next phase.”   In July 2015 the website received more than 74,000 visitors, generating almost 700,000 page views and almost 4 million hits. The Facebook page has more than 3,300 fans and there is a fair representation across the other major social networks.   The site includes news articles from across Spain, including the Canary Islands and the Balearics. It also features Spanish recipes, relocation advice, location guides, expat interviews, reviews, celebrity features, information and advice, tv listings for Spanish and British television plus a number of guest articles from authoritative sources across Spain.   Spain Buddy has recently launched a holiday rental section where property owners can list their accommodation for just €20 per year, of which €10 is donated to animal charities. A list of these is available is on the website. If you are a registered animal charity in Spain, get in touch with the owners to see how you can benefit too.   Want to get involved with Spain Buddy? They are always seeking guest writers with a love of Spain, as well as PR companies keen to find extra outlets for their Spain based clients. Visit http://www.spainbuddy.com/about-us/work-with-us/ to find out more.   Contact Spain Buddy Contact person: Elle Draper Web: www.spainbuddy.com Email: info@spainbuddy.com Tlf Spain: +34 950 930 916 Tlf UK: 023 9298 5734

Life is happening now. I can dwell on the past and I can plan or fear the future, but the only reality is here in the present. I think that I am living my life, but what if life is living me. Even when...

First broadcast in September 2014 and re-run on 20 August 2015, ‘Agafia’ follows a wise, wizened “Old Believer” Agafia Lykov as she completes her daily chores in a remote forested area of Khakassia, Siberia. Cut off from the modern world – she refuses products labelled with barcodes – this hard-working, humble woman speaks truths about our global society all of us can learn from, men in particular. The film is not about religion (despite its theme title), it’s about humanity. In the midst of Europe’s ongoing migrant crisis, this is the most thought-provoking social commentary I’ve seen this year. http://rtd.rt.com/films/agafia Follow on Twitter @dovechris1

In my strong, and undying efforts of moving, living and working in Spain, I have registered for a diploma course in copywriting. I am very excited because this is something that I do daily for my blog, and as a self-published author. I’ve worked for myself for almost four years, and though I love the independence, and freedom it provides, I look forward to getting back into the “work force”, meeting new people, and learning new things. So much of the things we do, and don’t do, arise from the fears and barriers we create. And, there is no one holding you back, except for you.

What positive thinking has to do with negative feelings? Can I change a negative feeling by thinking positively? Well, it is a little like trying to refurbish a room by working on its snapshot on computer....