Costa Women Blogs

  As Jane Elliott said, “All those who want to be treated like a black person, please stand up.” Nobody did! The blue eyed and brown eyed exercise was amazingly revealing! I so love Jane Elliott’s work!      Well, with everything that is happening in the USA and worldwide, all I can do is let you know a little bit about my life as a black woman. But first, a little history. The UK was reasonably fine with black people. It wasn’t until the USA influenced the UK that things changed. So I will focus on the USA black history. After all, when the USA sneezes, the UK catches a cold! I’m sure I don’t need to remind everyone of white people going to Africa to, raid, rape and pillage the country. Millions of abductions! Even that part I learnt at school. So we will jump ahead. When slavery was outlawed, (13th amendment), those who were previous slaves now needed to pay rent and other costs. If they did not pay, the new laws said that you are “free” unless you are criminalised. This loophole resulted in many going to jail for minor charges eg non payment, wolf whistling a white woman, for, disproportionately to the crime, extensive periods. Then “hired out” to plantations to work. Slavery in any other name and money being made from it. The 13th amendment created more and more single mothers of colour. No father figure to guide them, mothers working as much as possible to survive, so the children were left to their own devices. Economic deprivation and lack of investment has made sure this situation never improves. When the first black bank and town was built, and doing very well, it was burnt to the ground. If any black person fought back, they were arrested, not the white aggressor who burnt it all down, only the black person. Trying to keep the black person as a second class citizen, which is reflected in the laws and attitudes then and now. When the slaves got their “freedom” they were not compensated. However, the slave owners were paid, as they lost their “property”. I believe at least Jamaica was still asking for some form of compensation for taking people against their will. The abductees lost their life, family, friends, country, home, customs and language, and nothing to show for it! READ Robert Smalls’ story here   The media are a curse and a blessing. A curse for false or exaggerated reporting eg 100 whites killed (when in fact it was 2). Narrative for white violent outbreaks as overzealous young people. But for black people it is described as a riot, thugs, animals. Anything that reflects black people in a good light is not reported on. This was the truth then and it is the truth now. A recent blessing, is they can’t get away with false reporting as someone somewhere has it on CCT or on their mobile…although I still think the media are controlled. I do not in any way shape or form condone violence. Nowadays, there are other ways via the internet and reaching masses of people to get the point across. However, look at the USA/UK history. The white people landed in The USA and again raid, raped and pillaged the Indian community who still suffer today. Nothing in history has been achieved by the white person without a degree of violence. This is regarded nowadays as white privilege. My introduction to racism was asking my dad questions, of which one was, “Dad where did you get those scars?” It turned out that my dad, on his days off work, used to practise running from the train station, to the house, put his keys in the door and get in as soon as possible. If not he ended up on the wrong end of a stoning by those waiting for him at the train station to come home. When my parents arrived in the UK, a study was done to find out how many black people signed on to get social security or help. Only a few did!!! But, because it wasn’t in the whites interest to publish this information, everyone said blacks took their jobs etc. We wouldn’t have arrived if we weren’t invited!! Now don’t get me going on Windrush!! Later while walking to school, I had ink poured down the back of my uniformed coat, with some nasty words that I didn’t really understand at the time. I liked that coat.     Then later going for a Saturday job with my white (Polish descent) friend. I asked if the job in the window was still available. No was the answer. My friend said she would try and she was taken on as a trial the following Saturday! I was mouthy even then and I spoke up as I dragged my friend back in the shop and said this is my friend, how come she got the job and I didn’t? The manager babbled something, but I was soooo angry, I can’t remember what they said…other than if we don’t leave they would call the police! It was my friend who dragged me out of the shop, because I would have stayed there until the police arrived! We are still friends now, coming up for 50 years! Bless her! At the end of the 80’s I felt that the UK was draining my happy essence out of me so we decided to move to Spain. I first did a lot of research on the welcoming of blacks in Spain. Southern Spain was reported to be friendlier than northern Spain. Maybe due to the Arabs being here for so long and Spaniards travelling for work. The south had more understanding of economic migration. I was once told by a Spaniard, to go home to Africa. I said, funnily enough, it’s one country I haven’t visited yet, so I may well take his advice and visit there, would he suggest anywhere? All his friends laughed at him. The GC kept pulling me over for my car documents. “How come you drive a car like this?” I respond with “I don’t have to answer that, just check my documents please. However, do you have children? Do you smoke? Do you drink? Well I don’t, so I spend my legally earned money how I want to thank you! ” At one stage, I was stopped at least once a week! Once my husband and I had a word with the Captain of the local GC I was not pulled over anymore. I am constantly asked by the UK people here “where were you born?” “London, says I.” “No really, where do you come from?” So depending on HOW they ask, depends on my answer. Sometimes it’s “ Ohhh, you mean where my PARENTS come from, because I can only be born in one place and that is as I already said, in London!” OR “Us humans come from our mother’s womb. How about you? Where do you come from?” That tends to shut them up and let them know my thinking on the matter in question! If I get a really obnoxious person, I remind them that here in Spain, they are a foreigner too, so do not try to be any superior to me. Here, it is a different game and rules, for me a very even keel, and I love it!! Especially as I’m totally legal and some here are not! A UK person at a bar said to my husband, “Oh there’s the nxxxxr lover” They stepped outside, a fight broke out and a long story short, the male in question was deported back to the UK that afternoon. He was wanted for some other naughty goings on in the UK. The Spanish bar owner asked my husband what happened. As my husband explained, the owner said, you should have said, I would have beaten him too. I love your wife! jajaja!! I volunteered once. A person of age told me they didn’t like me when they saw me. “Why?” I asked. This was their response. “I was walking down the road with my children (when they were 5 and 6 years old-they are in their 50’s now!!) when a group of black boys were walking towards us.” “What happened?” I asked. “Nothing, they just walked past, but I was soooo scared.” After a moment to digest this, I asked “What size shoes were they wearing? Size 6, size 7? Why are you not terrified of boys with size 6 or 7 shoes now?” “Sounds silly now doesn’t it?” says she. However, she still had a reaction years later to my colour?!!! The older generation are set in their ways and lost to think any differently. We should concentrate on the next generation for any hope of change for the future. I used to joke and laugh along to slightly hidden stabs at my colour under the guise of humour, see B below, but as I’m getting older, I am more intolerant of it. Maybe it is due to the fact that I’ve retired and I have no need to endure ignorance and rudeness any longer. Maybe that is why older people have a more don’t-mess-with-me attitude?! jajajjaj!! For the folks already here in Spain, I can only try to change one mind at a time. It is exhausting! Everyone should stand up when they see something wrong happening. No need to get involved, if it appears dangerous, but call the authorities, make sure it is reported. Video/record it. The more that is reported, the higher chance they will do something about the recurring problems as the number increases. It is like breastfeeding in public. The most natural thing, but some people are outraged by it. If I saw something like this, a mother being bullied, I would quietly just go, sit beside the person and talk to them. I would think this would defuse the whole situation….and also video the aggressor! I would never suggest anyone put themselves in harm’s way. But the way forward, in my opinion, is to tell ALL history, good and bad, to educate the next generation. There are a lot of well documented successful black people despite every obstacle being thrown our way!     The difference now, is that more non black people are demonstrating and videoing every injustice. The huge difference is everyone has a mobile and they record some offbeat situations that would normally be missed by the media. Some non black supporters of equality carry weight in various offices of influence. However, those in “power” will not want to lose money, so the journey continues to be a hard one! Do we need an alien invasion for the human race to come together as one? I certainly hope not!! Read and take to heart the motto, and it’s on the Coat of Arms, for Jamaica is, Out of Many, One People! If black people are so terrible, why not give us an even playing field? Then we will see how harmonious the world could be. If you have an hour or so free to be educated, please watch “13” on Netflix which is a documentary. Most enlightening!

NoNeedtoPaint are an experienced, affordable and professional team of Spray Painters. NoNeedtoPaint offer Villa Painting Services on the Spanish Costa Blanca, Valencia, Costa del Sol and parts of Portugal.

Would you like some more confidence in some areas of your life? 3 Secrets To Boost Your CONFIDENCE. Learn to BE More Confident Today.  With these 3 secrets you will be able to start growing your self-confidence today. These 3 hacks are practical and easy to implement. These 3 secrets have been proven over and over and are common hacks among successful people that I have researched and interviewed for my book, Awaken Your Confidence.  Watch this video and start to BE more confident today! In this video I talk about 3 WAYS to boost your confidence:   Please Comment: What is your favorite way to boost your confidence? Have a wonderful day! Rachel, RachelSmets

    IAM delighted to welcome back here today our Guest Blogger and Author, the Magnificent Wendy Gillissen. IAM sure some of you will remember our Divine sister is a great mystical and magical lady, who is always excited to join others who share her passion for love, mystery and magic! My friends, you are in for another delightful story in which to bathe yourselves in the magic of being and living on Magical NewEarth.   Wendy is a past life reincarnation therapist, who loves to help others reconnect with their true selves and give them a new sense of freedom. Freedom away from trauma and this crazy world we have all created together. Wendy studied clinical psychology in Holland to give her business a solid foundation, but she will be the first to admit that the knowledge she intuits when practicing her passion comes from a very old and innate space within her.   Wendy is Dutch, born in the beautiful town of Delft in The Netherlands. The flat lands of tulips, Delft blue china and friendly open people who love to speak English, German and French!   She lives a most authentic life, loving the outdoors and natural living which takes her often for holidays in the UK and Greece where, sensing past lives, reunites her with times of long ago. Her love to play the harp is an old Celtic tradition she holds dear and keeps her balanced, fresh and revitalised. AND her passion for writing her books and blog posts about her own experience, supports and inspires us all to live our magic and be our most magnificent selves.   If you haven’t already read Wendy’s first book, Curse of the Tahiéra, it is then a beautiful gift you can give yourself now and indulge in a most magical adventure of love and forgiveness of past times.   So without any further delay, let’s sit back and enjoy Wendy’s story… Magical NewEarth.     Wendy shares her Story… Magical New Earth   When I was invited by the lovely Barbara to share my vision of a new Earth, I found I was immediately thinking in polar opposites. The ‘’twisted now’’ v the ‘’true expression’’ of values.    So I wondered: Is that a bad thing? I guess not; we came here in the playing field of opposites, as souls from the eternal bliss of Source, the Unity consciousness, to experience, to play, learn and grow. So I will write from what I feel has become the ‘’normal’’ in our society to what I strife for and feel is essential to the New Earth: the true expression of our fundamental human and divine nature.   I don’t think this New Earth will manifest itself magically. I feel a New Earth begins with us, with every individual, in our personal development of consciousness growth. When enough individuals have shifted their focus from fear to love, they will tip the scales and collective change will happen. But it begins with us. With you. With me.    The seed of the New Earth will have to be sown in our hearts first, and grow: even if we live in an environment where we are not supported by the group, by general consensus, that is where it begins. If we can live the New Earth by being the change we wish to see, by living from the space of our own hearts, we are the new Earth. And when we so rise our frequency, we will inspire others to do the same.   So what are those polar opposites I was thinking of? Here they are:   I feel there has been a tendency in our society where those things we want as human beings have steadily been replaced by substitutes. Sometimes I think it began with the Industrial Revolution, in the early 1800s. Then I think it began earlier. Much earlier. Somewhere along the line, those things we as humans need, want, and long for have been replaced – and we have let it happen. We have deluded ourselves. We have become addicted to illusions, by the semblance of that which we really long for…   Authentic love has been replaced by romantic illusion.  Self-love has been replaced by image. Acquisition of knowledge and wisdom has been replaced by rote learning. Worthwhile work has been replaced by empty slavery. Healing has been replaced by toxic medicine.   The grand adventure of the soul in incarnation, for many is not an adventure at all but has become a dreary road of survival, from living from pay check to pay check, filling the emptiness with distractions and addictions, the semblance of that which we really want.   What do we need in order to live life as a glorious adventure again and create the New Earth?   I think the first thing we need to do is wake up to the fact that we are glorious, divine, unique eternal beings. We are not our bodies. Our lifespan is unlimited.    Second of all we need to realize we are powerful creators. Even when we do not realize it, we create everything we experience on the basis of our deepest beliefs and convictions. Things do not happen to us, we make them happen. Once we shift our focus, we can take full responsibility for the circumstances we have created – and change them at will, inspired by our soul to meet the needs of our true authentic selves.   Shifting our focus often will entail healing our deepest wounds, the foundation of those limiting fear-based beliefs most of us have carried with us from the beginning of our incarnation process. When we create from those unhealed wounds, the result will be the same: circumstances that validate the fear-and pain based beliefs. That is why we often encounter the same lessons life after life. Those lives are like an upwards traveling spiral: they enable us to learn through experience at an ever increasing level of awareness.    Healing the core wounds at the basis of the learning spiral enables us to fully embrace being a divine creator and create from joy.   The core wounds often have their roots in our first encounter with duality, when we sprang from Source to begin the individuation journey. Our shock at the existence of light and dark is often so great we feel we have been abandoned by Source, separated from Love, our soul and Creation and begin to create from that feeling of separateness.    Many of us develop survival strategies and defence mechanisms to cope with the fear and pain we feel at the illusion of separation. Many of us go into shock at encountering the collective energies of pain, fear and rage in the astral worlds and three dimensional worlds and begin to push against them – or take them in in an effort to ‘’save the world’’.   Those coping strategies along with the illusion of separateness keep us creating from fear, from ego, from loneliness and pain.   When we finally heal the rift and realize we were never separated from Source, that we ARE Source, that we have always been lovingly supported by the Universe, even when we couldn’t feel it, that the Dark is only a learning tool and we can always choose Light, is when the journey comes full circle. That is when we can finally embrace all of who we are: all our lives, all our selves, all of our hurt abandoned inner children. We heal ourselves and become whole – in fact we always were.   From that wholeness as fully integrated, multidimensional multifaced beings, fully aware of our divinity, connected to our soul, we can express our true authentic selves on earth as masterful creators. We begin to create from joy. Life is an adventure again: an exciting journey of self-expression and creation.   We become like joyful children, playing with the endless possibilities on Earth to express our divine nature. We can play with synchronicity and the laws of attraction and manifestation like a child with its toys: but now fully aware and delighted at the magic of conscious creating. It doesn’t matter where we are when we embody the New Earth: we ARE the New Earth and our lives will transform simply by shifting our focus.   We will open our eyes to the beauty that is everywhere. We will feel the love that is everywhere. We will feel spirit in everything. We will be connected to everything in a glorious dance of existence. We will feel the magic of fully expressing who we truly are: divine, limitless magical beings creating from joy. That is embodying the New Earth: it begins right here! ©2020 Wendy Gillissen     Wendy’s Biography…   Wendy Gillissen, M.A. is a psychologist, author and past life therapist in the Netherlands.   Although she was born in the Netherlands, she loves to write her books and articles in English and translate then back to Dutch.    After falling in love with a Greek island where incidentally, she has many past lives, she began writing her first book. ‘’Curse of the Tahiéra’’ is an adventure story that turned out to be a spiritual autobiography of past lives that spans many centuries. For some readers, and for the author herself it proved to be a story of transformation as well.    To Wendy’s own surprise, ‘’Curse of the Tahiéra’’ won three awards for independent authors in the United States. The sequel, ‘’The Search for Tzanáta’’ has just been finished and will be published around May 15th in the United States and the Netherlands.    Wendy lives and works in her own private practice in the Netherlands. In her spare time she loves to hug trees and play the Celtic harp.    Connect with Wendy…   Wendy’s websitehttp://www.reincarnatietherapie.com    Wendy on Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/WendyGillissen.author/    Wendy on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/wendy.gillissen/   Wendy’s Books…   You can purchase Wendy’s first book Curse of The Tahiéra here and here’s a sneak look at her second book cover, The Search for Tzanata. Available to purchase soon… watch this space.     ThankYou Wendy…   Thank you so much Wendy for being your joyful and magical self, for your passionate work you most gracefully share with us all AND especially today you share your story Magical NewEarth. We are grateful for all your insights that support and inspire us all be the change that creates harmony on Earth.   I’d love you to share this Guest Blogger Feature…   Let’s support each other by sharing this Guest Blogger Feature on your own blog/website. I don’t have a reblog button, but you can write a short introduction about the Guest blogger and their story Magical NewEarth, inviting your readers to both join in this writing challenge and read the post here too.   Thankyou so much, together we can make sure we continue supporting and inspiring each other AND co-create Magical NewEarth.   Magical NewEarth   Do you want to be part of my Guest Blogger Feature…    Throughout Summer 2020, IAM hosting a Guest Blogger Feature to put YOU and your writing talent in the LIGHT. Not only this, your story Magical NewEarth will be part of a Free E-Book we will be publishing worldwide to inspire mass consciousness who is now Awakening.   I know this is an incredible venture that is deeply impacting the world we live in.   For more information and how to apply, please read my post here.   Barbara Franken… Creative Visionary & MasterCreatorInspiring New Energy Consciousness     A paperback and Digital Book is available from all Major online stores… Amazon and Apple   I share my own magical journey, exploring Who I AM with the help of nine Elemental Beings and expand from a world of fear, struggle and limitation into a New Energy Consciousness of love, grace and freedom. It is in this loving space that I discover my Divine and ALL LOVING self and allow myself to integrate together as one Body Consciousness… a DivineHumanBeing… and Magnificent Master Creator who expresses and creates heart and soul passion on the physical plane and beyond.     Join my MasterCreator Class and emerge yourself in the celebration of life through dance, song, art, relaxed inner journeys and beyond everything known… preparing yourself for your NEW role on New Earth.   There is no time like the present moment to Sign Up and give YOURSELF this magnificent gift… More Info: MasterCreator Class       All the money raised from my books and classes go to my non-profit association The Magnificent Consciousness that holds free local projects in Benalmadena, Spain.    

    I am a black women of mixed race.  I am sometimes treated differently due to my skin colour!       There has been much in the press about Brexit, Covid19, demonstrations and of course the tragic death of George Floyd at the hands of the US police.   Throughout it all, there have been mixed messages about racism and sticking together as a Nation.  Tensions have also been high due to drawn out lock down conditions imposed on us due to Corona Virus!   But this is not new!  Many people, regardless of education, culture or stature have been given a label. Some people are a victim of ‘casual racism’ and don’t want to recognise it or make a fuss or be seen as different.    Things have come a long way since black people were totally segregated from others, but there is still that “stigma” from people all over, that black people are different.  My generation were encouraged to assimilate, other generations to integrate and others to become invisible or ‘chameleons’.    I have a CBE and have worked as a CEO/Principal in further education across the UK. I am recognised for leadership in equality, diversity and inclusion, and believe education is the key.   We must educate ourselves to understand, recognise and value difference. Whatever  industry we work in and wherever we are in Spain, ’all of us’ can do better in the equality stakes. I have help to develop the “All of Us” platform (https://allofus.social) borne of a desire to help organisations address their interest and obligations to diversity and inclusion.      The Lammy Review is an independent review into the treatment of, and outcomes for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic individuals in the criminal justice system.  It was published towards the end of 2017, but remains to be seen how much of the 108-page report has actually been implemented.   Following on from this, came the Windrush Scandal of 2018 and as a result Wendy Williams (Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary) put together a 276-page report with recommendations.    It seems there is a lot of paperwork, but nothing brought to conclusion or legal implementation.     Personally, I am OK, but recent events have been extremely painful on a personal and public level. Being asked to empty my bag multiple times when I am alone on a back road  in the Costa Tropical, or being asked what am I doing and where am I going by police and Guardia Civil are recent examples of being singled out, when my white husband is not even checked.    He is observant of the looks I get in Spain because I look different not Spanish not ex pat, who and what am I? Please don’t defend, minimise or trivialise my experience of living in Spain. My perception is my reality as is yours. I love living in Spain I have met some amazing, awesome people particularly through Costa Women.   Writing this may seem trivial to others, but I am simply exhausted having to justify my place in the world by explaining my heritage and my professional credentials because my skin colour doesn’t add up to a CBE, 3 degrees and a successful career.    As a black woman put it recently…in my professional bubble I am seen for who and what I am …in my personal bubble people stare, move away,ask inappropriate questions by querying my skin colour, and asking where I am from.  Even when people start to get to know me, somehave even had the audacity to say “all black people are…but not you…you are not black” to be polite… This is my reality…the struggle is real.   “Silence is not an option; interventions are a necessity.  Equality is being invited to the dance, inclusion is being asked to dance”. 

So I just wrote a post for our business blog to help understand how coronavirus will affect the property market in Marbella.  We were lucky enough to still make sales during lock down even though we expected the worst.  Click here to read the full post on our business blog. We have also been more active on our YouTube, click to see some virtual tours, don´t forget to subscribe if you are interested to see more in the future. I hope you found this informative and feel free to contact me if you are looking to buy a property in Marbella.  We only focus on good quality, good prices and fully legal properties.  Our aim is to make sure you find your dream home, click here to see our 5*rating all from real customers on Google! I hope you are all staying safe and are adapting well to this new norm.