Graciela Espinoza
A Life of Generosity & Resilience in Australia from Peru with Graciella V. Espinoza
Graciela learned resilience as a child and rebuilt it as a migrant by teaching others to belong.
Hear this story
Kintsugi Studio
Graciela Espinoza
Graciela learned resilience as a child and rebuilt it as a migrant by teaching others to belong.
Hear this story
Graciela Espinoza Valenzuela was born in the mountains of Peru in 1948, the second of nine children. Both her parents were teachers, and they moved the family across Peru's regions, from the highlands to the capital, Lima, following their work. This childhood taught her something practical: when you have no money, you start solving. You break big problems into small ones and train your mind to stay open. She learned this wasn't just survival; it was how people in her community approached adversity. Later, she studied at a Salesian school where students visited prisons and hospitals to learn directly from people in difficult circumstances. The lesson stuck: see people's hearts, not their circumstances.
At 40, Graciela and her husband Mario made a hard choice. Their three children had moved to Australia, and after teaching and working in construction and sales to fund their education, Graciela and Mario decided to follow. They spoke only Spanish. They learned English deliberately: one hundred words a week, helped by the church and community organisations. The loneliness surprised them most. In Peru, extended family lived close together. In Australia, the family structure was smaller, more isolated. But Graciela chose to think positively about connection. She loved everybody around her, even neighbours from Korea, even strangers.
Two years ago, she founded an organisation to unite Spanish-speaking immigrants from 19 American countries, Spain, and Equatorial Guinea. When people arrived alone carrying that same loneliness she had felt, she believed the answer was gathering them together and helping them understand their rights and duties in Australia. Now seniors in her community teach each other WhatsApp and Zoom. Her mother, nearly 97, lives in Peru; technology lets them stay in real relationship. After 54 years of marriage, she and Mario are still a team. She travels across Australia. She votes in local elections. She gives away what she has. The gold in the cracks, she knows, is how you rebuild.
“when I was a child in my childhood all the time I learn we need to help we need to overcoming adversity no problem we need to help say this is no problem no money no problem we need to start”
“the main problem language and another another problem very hard is the uh loneliness and isolate that is the problem because this culture is different”
“integrate is not just Joy or or lying on the bed together no no because integrate is uh thinking the future or helping for the future Australia”
The hero, today
Graciela learned from childhood that small problems solved one at a time train the mind to stay open and ready for bigger ones: no money, no problem, just start. Moving to a new country meant adapting to a different family structure and overcoming loneliness, but it became possible by thinking positively about connection and by loving everybody around her, even if they came from Korea, Australia, or elsewhere. She founded her Spanish-speaking community organisation because when immigrants arrived alone they carried the same loneliness she had felt, and she believed the answer was to gather people together and help them understand their rights and duties in Australia. Technology like WhatsApp and Zoom has let her stay in real relationship with her mother, who is nearly 97 and living in Peru, and has given older members of her community the chance to teach each other and stay connected to their families. The advice she would give her younger self was to always see below the surface of people's faces and into their hearts, and to share generously with others instead of holding things for yourself.
Yes. Graciela Espinoza is a real person who shared their own story in their own words. Kintsugi Heroes is a not-for-profit that shares first-person stories of overcoming adversity, told with the person's consent.
Kintsugi Heroes, a registered Australian not-for-profit. Every story is shared with the hero's own consent and reviewed under Kintsugi Heroes' trauma-informed content standard before it goes public.
Graciela learned from childhood that small problems solved one at a time train the mind to stay open and ready for bigger ones: no money, no problem, just start.
Moving to a new country meant adapting to a different family structure and overcoming loneliness, but it became possible by thinking positively about connection and by loving everybody around her, even if they came from Korea, Australia, or elsewhere.
She founded her Spanish-speaking community organisation because when immigrants arrived alone they carried the same loneliness she had felt, and she believed the answer was to gather people together and help them understand their rights and duties in Australia.
this limited kugi Heroes podcast series was made possible through grant funding provided by the New South Wales Department of communities and Justice connecting seniors grant program if you'd like to find out more about kugi heroes head to kugi heroes.com [Music] Welcome to Our kugi Heroes special series connecting seniors where we share the experiences of Aging alans to create connections across our communities in this episode John mum had a chat with grael espanosa a resilient Peruvian born teacher saleswoman and Community Advocate who spent 50 years navigating the challenges of immigrating to Australia graciella shares her Incredible Journey of embracing multiculturalism staying connected through technology and fostering Community Support amidst adversity and illness now let's get to the conversation and welcome listeners to kugi Heroes podcast welcome back and if it's the first time uh congratulations on joining us and today uh we are talking about uh stories of matter the connecting seniors series and uh we have a wonderful opportunity today to share some time with uh graci Spinosa I hope I said that all right graciel welcome to kugi Heroes Gra Espinosa Valenzuela that is the first difference with this culture because we take a uh surname two surname from our for my father and my mother maybe it's long but uh we are happy remember all the time my mother and my father okay it's beautiful so and it's of course it sounds so musical graci Spinosa Valenzuela it's it has a lovely sound to it okay okay uh I was born in Peru uh in uh 1948 my my parents uh when growing uh when I am growing they uh teach me the values that is more important because they was a their career was a teacher were the teacher both okay both parents were teachers in Peru yes yes so in the 40s and 50s yeah and just knowing the in the cost because you need to know uh everybody need to know in Peru we have Coast uh uh mountains and jungle and we confront from the mountains in the mountains very disly like Mau picu for example you know yeah so you were born in the mountains in the mountains my my department is like States was wano wano okay yeah growing a lot of potatoes a lot of potatoes vegetables very very good no and I am I am second of nine siblings wow wow those nine siblings uh did your uh parents teach at the same school in the in the local Village is that where they no different that is why that is another good experience for me because um we Bor in wano pass Another Mountain in anash after that we came to the capital because that is different to with Australia uh in in Jungle uh in mountains um there is a good education good dis supplying but my parents move to to teach move the schools teaching okay they pass another state and I I knew different states that is why the oldest Bor in wo the and Bor in anash and the last last five siblings in Lima okay right so you so you grew up in the capital city in Lima of course teaching was an interesting profession Peru has had a long history of both you know it's a beautiful and um you know vibrant country but it's also had its social problem so how was it for you growing up did you did you feel um you know the you know the so the uprising at times were you scared were you happy did you know about those kind of social issues that is very important question thank you because when we I am uh I was a child in my childhood all the time I learn we need to H we need to overcoming adversity no problem we need to H say this is no problem no money no problem we need to start sing our childhood start to uh organize financial problem uh organize uh siblings help to my parents okay we socialize in family that is why I was H uh I was a a growing and help family uh social in community even in in Lima in Peru after that here okay in the same same H Behavior same behavor saying because the group in in my country very people the characteristic is very resilience right resilience for solution the problems yeah so when you when you uh and that's F fascinating thank you the the idea of you know growing up and having values that are related to social support not just your family but the community so I imagine you you you you learned and as you grew up you gave to the community that's where the resilience comes from do you think oh all the time because when we learn practice no no listen just practice the values yeah we start or we growing H the resilience H little by little a small problem solution the small problems after that is like our mind our brain open open open and growing okay for different problem is like training yeah so you grew and and uh gave back to the community do you think that's a quality of U Peruvian people is that part of who you are your culture is Peru but Peru the central all South America Maybe because you know Machu picu was the center of all Incas ire okay but uh all South America even all Spanish speaking they similar characteristics different different background maybe different linguistically or or maybe actions different because each people is different no but but we are happy with them because we find same thing yeah yeah yes so you feel connected to not just your family your community but also you know the country and then the you know the greater you know Spanish Spanish Community Spanish speaking Yeah because I start I I said to to you uh I am a a person who always carry carry out activities in the family in the community and social area because I study even after with my parents teaching me since I born but when I enter the school I study with the S Vincent the PO s Vin po school right yeah that is very good because they they H teach and we we visit for example uh prison hospital uh all place of poor areas and where we I am uh we said because of my country or my class classmates we learn from everybody because the poor people uh teach us a lot okay we learn from there too okay yes yes so you you start you went to school it's been to the Paul school and you studied with them what did you become uh what was your profession okay um I start maybe maybe I decided study at the University as at uh my career as a teacher but I couldn't work as a teacher long time because the salary the is very uh little little not not enough for uh to live there that is why I work even in um private companies selling something or representing uh companies brick companies cement companies material because you know we need we need to uh get money for uh for for uh give a good education my three children and my three children that is why they they could coming coming here yes so you worked in constru you worked in sales and and representation in construction companies that's amazing so so how did that lead you to come to Australia how can I say ER for family Union for family Union because H in sou in America South America ESP special Peru We join with all the family we live a extended family with with a a parents uh aunties uncle and grandparents closer okay and when they came here oh we miss Mario and me Mario is my my husband now I am uh 50 40 years married okay wow we we we H me missing them missing the children and we came here okay and the main problem because that is when you change the culture you know the first problem was the the language yeah the English never speak English in Peru all the time Spanish Spanish Spanish but that is another another characteristics in resilience or decision yeah when we decided do something or decided and do that okay we decided we need to learn maybe 100 word h a week yeah pronunciation listening writing and reading we decided in that form okay we learn that English and thank you so much to the church to the church and the organization for example Fusion no now with you with you King sui but I am learning from youth a lot no a lot because we are uh practicing reading reading all histories reading uh all news yes yes yes well that that's wonderful it's interesting that uh you know this this series is about connecting seniors uh but you changed countries to stay connected to your family and uh and support them that's wonderful so how you you mentioned the challenge of of changing uh places and then of course uh changing culture and then trying to connect to the new culture how has that gone how do you feel what was important about connecting uh that you found out from Char okay we need to adapt we when we get came uh from from the from there we need to thinking no difficult maybe we easy I need to thinking positive think it's no no just sad no because you know even in in in my country if I go another department or state is different okay we need to adapt and adequate and in here the the main problem language and another another problem very hard is the uh loneliness and isolate that is the problem because this culture is different I I told you we live in the family extended family there here no here is yes basic family okay that is another another uh State no no it's a problem another uh form of life we need uh adapt adapt yes yes and thinking and love everybody so I love that loving so what I'm hearing is the adaption you need to make to connect to the a new place is about having a positive attitude to connecting and to you know remember you remain yourself positive and also positive about your future and to adapt uh you know so you don't you know so you don't fall into the Trap of being isolated or lonely or feeling like you don't you haven't got connection right with the connection for example we don't thinking I I for I give you now I my neigh and right side is from Korea okay the left side is from Australia okay is different attitude different er uh uh different uh form to talking even but everybody we need to connect in with them because this is Multicultural and that is very good lesson for us because help of H is the integration of Spanish speaking Community who uh you organized two years ago we we decided no we need to understand between different people different countries and now in Multicultural countries country Australia is is better yeah so what's better what what do you like what works for you it's better because our knowledge growing right okay our knowledge that is very important and we is the the people is not not just the young people the young the mature people the old people okay H the brain open open open in the knowledge growing growing our lab too okay because we need to understand each other and and respect and and put in pra practical form our values understanding respect solidarity okay all values we can and that is in that form with resilience yeah yeah because is the base base even for the future for the future when we feel H sick for example we feel sick uh sick uh and maybe with said pay when the doctor or somebody said how much you pay between one and 10 we thinking really really five but it's not too much I need to think less yeah I need to think less because we need ous yeah good attit attitude to the family or to the of to the a community but that is is a problem too because because the people or even the family said all the time Jang Jang J but it's all right because we H we help uh our family our community we need to help and give yes positive things no give problems no it's not good that's that's beautiful I love that you know this and the value solidarity respect yeah understanding that um they're wonderful how have you uh what has been difficult for you what how has that impacted you and what did you have to do to get over that difficulty personally um just trying to think uh is no bad yeah just trying to think in that form is not bad everything is all right or something happen for something we need to think because maybe maybe for example if I fall in down okay if I falling down and two times falling down oh I knew the nurse good nurse okay I the doctor explained to me about this this illness I need to look after by myself before didn't that okay didn't that didn't didn't look after by myself because I thought all the time I but we overcoming everything everything with good attitude good attitude so who has helped and what what uh what groups and stuff have have been of benefit to you I am very happy um from the government for example all right from the government the social the social area okay or the health area now stand of for everything just know for for medicine right uh thinking that is very good concept very good concept no not just medicine thinking in socialize okay in happiness in happiness okay that is very good uh for us but this is possible for us because our mind who came uh immigr immigrated from our countries we brought our mind mind open you brought an open attitude and and good Val open attitude for for receive and learn all good about Australia and and Multicultural uh countries okay just just accept good if we found because we are not perfect yes my god is perfect yeah we know if we find something looking negative no don't remember that well I think that is the best way I think it's very resilient way what do you love to do graciella what's your favorite things to do oh thing to do um reading reading researching uh sometimes before I need I uh like a cook uh food every him but now I can't for my for my illness because a lot of recipe you know uh Peru mostly all all Spanish speaking has a good recipes for every every dishes no every dish but uh I I know but uh uh now I can't properly maybe half a half so tell tell us how do you manage that so you know do you mind sharing you know how you're traveling physically is that oh I traveling but just but I thinkk you by train is very good by train okay or something with the friends uh with the family sometimes because we like I like know all Australia and I am happy because uh all just new part of each state even Northern Territory last two weeks ago I being u u oh wow you went to U yes yes yes yes very good very good because we need to to know but all the world is similar we have for example no aborigen we have indigenous indigenous is the people who uh speaking uh dialects like here in in my country too and we understand these people that is why uh I am very happy uh to know all and now I have the map uh how many maybe 200 groups all all Australia when news as well too maybe we we will have a meeting with with them with our H integration of the Spanish speaking uh community and Australia when we said on Australian communities we need to think about it the Multicultural the Australian properly and the aborigin is too the three because the three groups give Less on us right they do yeah so you you mentioned your Spanish speaking uh group so of course you you are connected to your culture in supporting and promoting uh the well-being of people who speak span Spanish who live in Australia don't you you have a you have an organization that you're a big part of yes yes because 21 countries speak Spanish here 19 19 from America 19 countries one country Spain Europe and one country ginea equatorial from Africa right equatorial it's very admirable but speaking and we already meet with 16 16 people from 16 uh countries Wow We join and we interchange ideas interchange message interchange lessons and we understanding even in how can the ideas because each people thinking different or understand different too so what's the purpose in this are you aiming to help people uh transition uh they to living in Australia is that what's the aim is for okay the a a purpose is Union Union for all Spanish speaking communities okay for for understanding it may be for let the Multicultural uh this Multicultural country let them know this are big Community because when we are separate you know from Peru from Chile from Ecuador from little little little little but everybody Spanish and uh we help all migrants uh immigrant people okay we um we is the help when they arrive in different stages wow we arrive and teaching about they need we said you need to know the law you need to respect you need to uh accept uh or you need to your duty and your rights is the same level just no rights the duty for us is more important because we need to help um Australia the country help us yeah okay we need to help that is the the main purpose the main objective the main that is why our P Pati is join join the Spanish speaking cont and integrate with Australian communities we connected with we connected with Singapore we connected with Malaysia right we connected with uh Kenya okay and they start to learning Spanish it's very very interesting because they know our we are for example very welcoming sorry for said recognize our value but we open coming no call us but say you don't didn't call me I am very busy but do you entry no problem please this is a cup of tea or something you know because we need to understand maybe a lot of people from different country maybe a a loneliness too and we need to help them so that from your experience of of the possibility of isolation and loneliness you're able to help other immigrants even non-spanish speaking ones because that experience is common to that to all people yes yes even sing a song just sing a song okay Sing a Song in English and said please we need to sing a song little by little each you trying don't worry if you don't understand no worry but you integrate getting happy getting Freedom right don't worry we every everybody or even uh said you need to know for advice your your children or your grandchildren how many universities in that point is very important we need to advise as a organization we need to advise what is uh better for you or for your future or for your family future because your that is the difference for example in our background we we worry not just for my children we are thinking what do my grandchildren okay because and and advise our children please is no good you uh try to do this in this form okay because Australia and all the world need to get better okay when each generation growing and getting better absolutely that's a wonderful thought how how do you how do you uh like obviously your children came out here and you joined them how have your children found the experience connecting to Australian culture have they they have they managed it differently to you oh we work my husband and I work hard in Peru in different ways even 16 6: a.m. until 12 uh 12 a.m. next day for join money and give the best education because this is the main the main thing the best education and instruction education is behavior okay education instruction maths uh literature everything okay both the best that is why my children came here when skill M migrants because we we pay they went first United States for for the English too they study in Peru went there we no millionary we no millionary but we prioritize spense we maybe not the best the best pant the best clothes no the more important is it now they understand they are happy said oh thank you thank you because in that stage in that that time complain I don't have because my my friend have now said better because now we and they stay connected quick here because they and even when they come one by one okay because they came mostly because I got my cancer okay that is another another thing I say thank you my my children because they support us when came here okay but now the when they were single but now each had family we have own problem we don't ask nothing because we just ask you need imp Pro and I need to be see better my grandchildren that is the best help that is my strength okay that is that is my best medicine okay that my children understand and we join every we are 12 now before was 13 but uh 13 in my family but now 12 right from no but he is here in my in the heaven and in my heart and that's a that's a family tragedy and S hear that so you know obviously health and you know said family tragedies and loss they're very difficult do you feel um not do you feel a far away or struggle you're not uh back in Peru when you go through those things is that no because I I said to you we in in in the Spanish speaking Community we are friendly all the time the communication is the best you know with the technology now we are learning technology too we are going to the college or the T for ex for learn soon for example you know more than my 60s I learned zoom and and we see with my family I saw my mom uh last week my mom 90 going earli 97 and she she see me by by WhatsApp by video all family by video we communicate with everybody okay yes yes yes that that that's interesting way you so do you you know see seniors around you connecting with technology now is that something yes yes and we we help each other okay we help uh today for example uh Somebody went the group six people six Spanish community members went to K hav okay oh W Now by TR today one of them H called another member and said I need to know you how can I need to see yours I need to show but I can't manage my mobile phone for for WhatsApp video and somebody I said what can I do and another person said you're talking with somebody the the six people one of them no technology okay or learn from the children yeah and we said you learn from your children now you teach to her because when you go uh a a holiday just no go to Holiday to eat or walk or or what a lot of thing to do yes not to learn something and you collaborate the friend oh last now half an hour ago okay uh for entry by WhatsApp oh it's Fel Fel feliciana oh feliciana ENT hello I learn now I hope tomorrow remember and do you think that uh uh seniors can once they Embrace and learn that technology does that help them stay connected to their own families and communities yes yeah no family War family because in our mind the family is biolog biological family you know from the same parents but we are siblings all the world yeah yeah we need to that is way we contag when when we said another people no you're not family yes because we are siblings and and siblings and daughter and son and children from my God if not you know you know exist now okay we're talking that a lesson even the our culture teach this culture because different okay different how can I say different form of L Australia show different form okay different because because you for example or somebody Australian people when I had mistake when I talking said you must be said desent oh thank you so much but no criticize that is LA to that is La different okay oh this be be careful you falling down oh are you okay asking that is different La we never ask like that because yes we did help okay but we interchange culture and growing coach that's beautiful that's I love that idea and interesting speaking of Love of course you mentioned uh you've been with your husband for 54 years how do you stay connected over 54 years what's the secret there patient Pere yeah and sometimes no Ling so patient persevere and selected hearing right so yeah oh maybe we no because that is another thing in my culture in my culture when you we said I'm Maring in good thing I accepting bad things until passed away we need to do that until passed away okay very rare the people get another married in my country mostly at the mountain and the cost learning another so it's important to get a right first time right so no it's all right and and we are we are team he help me in Practical thing because my body is no good no I am help him in the mind because it start forgotten a lot okay but we are a team we hope stay until pass away together helping each other and falling in love no no no forgot the love that is that is better oh that's that's beautiful so and just uh uh as we sort of um round out this wonderful story I was just thinking what do you what are you going to look for what what what do you want to connect to in the future well uh in the future I love I love socialize socialize connecting with more more people and give us a legacy as a legacy the action maybe in future now uh three people are organiz I am like Mentor okay but uh there another people learning learning because in the future I am no Mentor another people for growing growing growing that is the best action because uh you know the the people who help each other is the best that is that is the main the main thing we need to do that is that is my uh awesome my my goal my P my passion join join Joy even with another another culture that is that is very and the thing with in family in community and in country maybe May maybe Li yeah and uh you obviously there's still 200 places at least to travel to so no because uh we uh thank you thank you Australia we now for example we are old my my group the six person went to Kaba with a ticket to to to places Go free for free a year you know all that okay they go they go free do we say thank you Australia but we need to help Australia we need to uh contribute uh a lot it what they may we can we don't have money but we need to the action positive actions for growing good get better better country for example now we are we are very worri for 12 of September you know what happened 12 of September in US s way no no no I you've got me it's the elections oh right of course so yeah yeah so I thought was that the 12th or 14th right but yeah 14 yes but before I will go to vote before but yeah no that's right yeah that's the local elections yeah local election okay but we are worried because depend we just no for we not coming Australia just for itat or traveling Just For Dance we have respons we need to be a responsible where is the candidate what can I do no because G me to me something no thinking in in local area thinking in Hornby thinking in eping thinking in bar thinking each each is the sh sh it's sh Council Council sh maybe no we need to thinking thinking and we talking about and we said because somebody said not talking about religion not talking about politics because problem no we not talking about person we talking about how can I say for example uh heal Pol Health politics yeah education politics is all right policies yeah policies so yeah the policies that support education and health the policies support education support uh Health maybe service we need to think what think and we said you asking somebody you asking somebody this is election we are asking what can I do with this problem we I do that oh wow that's amazing so yeah staying connected to the political life as well because we we need to integrate yeah what does integrate means integrate is not just Joy or or lying on the bed together no no because integrate is uh thinking the future or helping for the future Australia maybe mistake Maybe mistake everywhere there a mistake no but we need to thinking and said I belong Australia I belong hsby I belong eing I belong right okay I need to active yeah if not because uh I am I am sorry for this uh I am I I am human body no another thing I am not able okay politicans for the that's okay that I think that message is amazing right so you know stay active be active take responsibility they're they're wonderful messages right yes and and you you've shared them with us today so beautifully so we we we sit around when we going and have a no meeting yes conversation because when you said meeting it's very hard I know maybe somebody S V what no yes convers what do you think about it what is your opinion yeah please I respect if if I you not agree with me I respect with you okay but we need to read about the rules rules local rules a state Rule and federal rules yeah okay we we're talking about and said what is pan how many councel I for example in the state how many uh States and we Le Estates not all state not the territory the the capital is no State no it's a territory we we need to learn because it's different we learning learning learning about that okay yeah yes everything everything and even said oh why very very very expensive the the banana now very expensive for example is is for for the nutrition no I said very expensing okay somebody said somebody said oh you read what another fruit what another dish gave you do the same like banana you don't desperate eat banana or the Tomato one month when you learn yeah you can so you can learn which one can you can do when one gets expensive so yes that is financial that is financial because we need to help when we help each other but maybe we buy something for GI somebody don't have that okay that is that is that is very good that is better well that is there's lots of good advice in that so just on that just to finish up graciella if you would if you were to give you to meet your younger self like in a much younger self what advice would you give your younger self maybe my my thinking is everything positive everything in love everything help each other everything not thinking but for for anybody or maybe if somebody know a smile okay look the face but not look the face and you can it inside the face because you need to think that people very serious have inside maybe very hard maybe they love you okay like homeless for example like homeless we were all brid no criticize because maybe they didn't listen nothing no I I need to thinking in everybody in positive uh I think for so always be positive and and see below below the surface see look at their heart all the time because our organization or even even we we service INF Fusion in Fusion me no no us okay the community for example somebody somebody gave uh Ian know that somebody lady got $1,000 okay but know that ,000 at the pocket just gave for buy something and some or some some activities that is why we are thinking is some something arrive extra is not in our budget but that is that is for maybe for somebody or something not selfish no yes for me so that's that that idea of you looking below seeing their heart and sharing and caring for them AIT yeah instead of yourself yeah yes oh it's a lot of my my English is not good sorry oh you you do you doing a fantastic job and you and I enjoyed so much of your wisdom and so much of your story today thank you so much gra yes thank you priv I am I am very happy with kin sui it's good the pronunciation kin sui yeah it's fabulous perfect yeah Ki because over time everything okay and we is similar to our culture and even ER maybe I think I will ask somebody we can H each country we have people too maybe maybe we were talking with Ian for organize something and that sounds that sounds like a a wonderful series to get into the me the the many cultures of Australia right and how teach teach we how to uh overcoming the adversity the adversity is very hard all the time adversity in health in health in education in social problem now in um no sexual living yeah so you have been you have offered us a lot of inspiration and education for overcoming adversity you have had a an amazing life and I'm looking forward to all of the activity that and action that you take in the future so thank you so much for being with us today thank you you for letting me know to Interchange idea thank you thank you so much joh and you are uh my friend now well that's wonderful thank you again thanks for joining kugi Heroes today thank you for listening to this episode of connecting seniors a consi Heroes special series thank you to Colin Lily for permission to use broken as our theme music for this series if you enjoyed this conversation share the podcast with a friend and let us know by leaving a rating and review on Apple podcasts Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts if you'd like to support kugi Heroes and the stories we share head to kugi heroes.com and follow the instructions to make a tax deductible donation thank you for listening and we'll see you next time
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Technology like WhatsApp and Zoom has let her stay in real relationship with her mother, who is nearly 97 and living in Peru, and has given older members of her community the chance to teach each other and stay connected to their families.
This conversation includes born in the mountains, taught by teachers, second of nine, moving between states, learning to solve problems, not avoid them, school visits to prisons and hospitals, teaching, sales, and three children and coming to australia to stay near family.
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