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Two One Way Tickets to Paradise by Uriah Langmeyer & Leolani Stanley
February 10 @ 2:15 pm - 3:15 pm
| In the years leading up to 2018, Uriah had deployed several times and for several months at a time with the Red Cross as a disaster volunteer. His passion and willingness to help those in need spearheaded a pretty wild idea. With the combined desire to travel, volunteer, and be of service, he proposed to his partner of 8 years, Leolani. He unconventionally proposed they sell everything they owned and set off on a grand adventure. Amazingly, she agreed and by March of 2018, things were roughly in motion. We both knew of a program called WOOFING (worldwide organization of organic farming) and knew friends who had traveled in this fashion. We didn’t want to be limited to only farming so we fortuitously learned about a very similar organization called Work Away. Once we created our profile describing our skills and where we’d like to go, we started getting emails and made first contact with a lovely couple in Hereford, England. They were looking for help in the garden, with animals, home repair, rustic patio building, and any jobs in and around their 600-year-old Tudor home. This felt like second nature for us. Uriah had his own handyman business for 10 years, and Leolani was used to helping Uriah paint houses, and help with small repairs and was eager to learn more about gardening and building. This first connection gave us the confidence to leave the country and see what the rest of the world had been up to. From England to Peru, Australia, Germany, and New Zealand, we explored, worked, and lived with people from all walks of life. We spent 2 years on the road, returning to the States Feb 2020 just as COVID became a reality. Our story is one of risk, adventure, learning to live with strangers, living out of a suitcase, and surviving to tell the tale. Our goal is to take the audience through what it’s like to minimize your belongings down to what you can carry. To purchase a one-way ticket out into the world (with a bit of planning) and see what happens. We will show them the different places we ended up along the way, the projects we were part of, and what life is like living in different parts of the world. |
Uriah Langmeyer is an “all-around helper.” He is an artist, builder, comedian, photographer, nature lover, rescuer of spiders, the list goes on. He owned his own handyman business for 10 years and was affiliated with the Senior Network in Santa Cruz, CA where he was raised. He has a strong desire to help others and be of service. Since moving to Dayton, he has found his dream job at Cox Arboretum and continues to serve with the local Red Cross chapter and the Alzheimer’s Association among others. He is deeply passionate about preserving natural spaces, litter picking, and his two cats.
Leolani Stanley is also a Santa Cruz Native and has always been curious about the world and its cultures. She has been lucky enough to travel to 13 countries often visiting her favorites more than once. An avid poet and photographer she loves the natural world and is inspired to protect natural spaces. She currently works at Whole Foods Market using her knowledge to help customers choose supplements and body care that help protect the environment and give back to underserved communities and people.