Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - The International Friendship Club would like to invite you to attend some very special events in February. Events include an interactive workshop on capturing and preserving family memories on Feb 24th and an in-town mindfulness retreat in from Feb 26-28th.

An In-Town Retreat: A Mindful Path from Difficult Emotion to Creative Action

On February 26, 27, and 28 Kavindu, author of Mindfulness and Director of Meditation and Co-Founder, YogaEspacio.com, will be leading an in-town retreat in mindfulness at the IFC clubhouse on the theme: A Mindful Path from Difficult Emotion to Creative Action.

According to Kavindu, "Emotions urge the mind-body to action. Too often with difficult emotions we choose the habitual path and simply reinforce the afflictive emotion through repetition and proliferation. We will closely examine the true nature of emotional energy, the underlying values being expressed by our emotions, and the many options for creative action available when we choose to live mindfully."

The dates and times of the sessions are: Thursday Feb 26: 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM; Friday Feb 27: 9:15 AM - 1:00 PM; Friday Feb 27: 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM; Saturday Feb 28: 9:15 AM - 1:00 PM. All sessions will be at the IFC. No meditation experience or training required.

Discount for Early Registration for Entire Conference: $1,450 pesos or $100 USD (includes closing lunch!) Also possible to register for individual sessions only. Cash and Paypal accepted. For more information, please contact Dan Grippo at dangrippo(at)yahoo.com.

Capturing and Preserving Family Memories

Tuesday, February 24 at 7:00 PM The International Friendship Club (IFC) is hosting an interactive workshop led by Candace George Thompson, author of the award-winning family saga, Still Having Fun, a Portrait of a Military Marriage. Candace will facilitate "The Gift of Story: Capturing and Preserving Family Memories." Donation for IFC charities: $50 pesos at the door.

You are invited to discover easy ways to capture family memories as Ms. Thompson shares family traditions and habits such as special event letters and a memory jar. Take away concrete ideas and resources for engaging your entire family. Handouts included.

We talked to Candace recently about what inspired her to write her family saga. "The short answer is grief. After my parents died a week apart in 2007, I found solace in re-reading my mother's 1947-48 letters from post WWII Okinawa."

"Before she got Alzheimer's, Mother had mentioned wanting to publish those 30+ letters. I decided I would take on her project and the little project grew. It expanded back to my parents' courtship and my father's Army Air Corps days. It crept forward in time as I delved into documents and records, navigator logs and travelogues, performance evaluations, tax returns and household expense ledgers. My parents, it turned out, led well-documented lives."

"Much to my surprise, I ended up writing an entire book about their life adventures. Since the book was published, I've become an evangelist for capturing family stories and documenting family life," she says.

Candace urges you to start collecting your own family stories. "Don't wait; don't hesitate. Do it now-before it's too late. Record your uncle's memories about the Vietnam War. Ask your mother or grandmother to tell you about an early job or the origins of a favorite family recipe. Decide to make saving memories a family tradition."

You can start by attending Candace's lively and informative workshop at the IFC on Tuesday evening February 24 at 7:00 pm. And bring your pen!

"Of all the gifts people can give, the most meaningful and lasting are love and the gift of story." - C. P. Estes

The International Friendship Club is a registered charitable organization in Mexico listed as Club Internacional de la Amistad de Puerto Vallarta A.C. It is located at the northeast corner of the Rio Cuale Bridge above the HSBC Bank, Colonia El Centro, Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico, 48300. Phone: 322-222-5466. Website: ifcvallarta.com Email: ifcvallarta(at)gmail.com