Your Happy Hour - Building a home within...

Episode Date: July 11, 2025

Welcome back to Your Happy Hour with Friday Feels!In this episode, we chat to Laëtitia Galvaire - French teacher and founder of The Bridge Home for Children in Cape Town - who shared her profound journey of building a home within herself which led her to creating a nurturing environment for children in need in South Africa. Laëtitia shares her experiences of traveling, healing, and the importance of self, care, collaboration and community support in her mission to empower children. Most importantly to never give up!What does building home within mean to you?Friday Feels is all about having those honest conversations, the power of community for personal growth and taking those actionable steps towards being our authentic selves.Thanks for tuning in! Keep it raw and real out there xYHH is produced by swartkat.co - captured via riverside.fm & shared via rss.com.

It's the Friday feels and we're back with your first sip of the weekend. You're now tuned in to this week's episode of Your Happy Hour. I'm your host Nicole Carmine and it's amazing to have you here joining me this week as we uncover the truths about being a human and a working professional. What are you up to this Friday? Well whatever it is, this moment is just for you. Welcome back everybody to another episode of your happy hour. You're finding yourself in the Friday feel space brought to you by SwatCut

studios, swatcut.co venture. And today we're doing another special episode. We finished our main themes of the season, season two. And last week we spoke to a wonderful dynamic entrepreneur about filmmaking and shooting for the stars, landing in the moon, shooting for the moon and landing in the stars, whichever way you want to see it.

And this week we're doing another special episode. I've got a very dear friend of mine and a beautiful soul who I've swapped countries with it seems. And we're talking today about building a home within. So a very big welcome to you Leticia Galvert to the Friday Field Space and the Your Happy Hour podcast. Hi Nicole. our podcast. Hi Nicole. It's really such a pleasure to have you here. You've had such an incredible journey, such a crazy journey. And I think this topic is really important in the journey that you've walked because you've lived in lots of different places.

You've built home and lots of different places. You've also kind of had to find a sense of home within yourself and now you are also building a home for not just yourself but for a beautiful community as well. So for those of the people listening that don't really know you as well as I do, do you want to give us just a little bit of a background of your journey? How did you get to where you are today and what does this topic mean to you? Yes, I guess it was 20... 21 years ago. I just wanted to leave my country and find myself and I started traveling. I traveled for 8 years in South America and now in Africa. So two times I tried to settle down back to France and two times I was like, no, what I'm doing here?

Because I really have the feeling that I can learn a lot by being with other cultures, people different than me. It's not like in France they are not different than me, because we are all unique, but it's more different because there is different languages, different cultures, different way to live, different ways to eat, anything, even different ways to think. And I love these challenges and it makes me grow all the time actually. I learn a lot all the time. Besides that, I am facing the world in different ways. And one of the big subjects that was touching me, touching my heart, was the children who do not have parents. I always thought it's not fair how you can be born in a loving environment with loving parents

and on the other side be born in the street and end up in an orphanage and have trauma from the beginning when you didn't ask for anything. So in all my traveling I always wanted to help them so I did a lot of volunteering, especially three times in India in different places, different orphanages and I did it in French Guiana in South America and I did it in a township here in Cape Town in South Africa. But you know with volunteering, you are helping temporary. Your impact is very short. It's a big and intense impact when you are there. But as soon as you leave, you leave them

in this environment, which is sometimes good, but not like a loving family when you have, you know, like some of us can have. So I always had this dream that maybe I could found an orphanage one day, but I didn't find really the opportunity. I guess it's because I was not ready myself. I had to do a lot of healing. My childhood was not easy at all.

And that's why maybe I'm touched by these children who do not have parents. And so of course I had to do a lot of healing. I'm still do, doing it. But yes, I was ready and I had the opportunity and I founded the bridge where I look after for I and the team community as well around me and we are looking after three children. We could do more but financially it's a bit challenging because I'm not a permanent resident here so I'm not allowed to have any grant or any funds so I pay I pay that with my

my pocket I mean so but I guess free to do and it's already a lot already enough already beautiful because they are very happy, they have everything they need, not only matriarchal, but we are present with them and yeah so because I found that now I settled down which is very, how can I say, very new for me, because I like to change, to have new challenges. And now I have still challenges with orphanage, but it's like I have been in the same town for years. And yeah, sometimes I just want to travel again.

Anyway, yeah. I think it's amazing. Well, firstly, what you've done is amazing. You know, I admire how much courage you have and I've tried to help along the journey. Maybe it's not always been so easy and I know there's so much more that we can do. So a call to community out there for everyone that wants to get involved. But Cape Town is a really beautiful city and yeah, that's where we met and found each other

and also kind of walked a little bit of a journey together as friends and now working together on the bridge too. But I find it interesting, you know, having watched your journey and you've watched mine and how, yes, you are this free spirit and finding your way to building a home. Have you found that building the bridge as a home has given you kind of some home within you? I would say it's the other way around. It's like I think I had to build a home within me before doing the bridge because

it's a big challenge to have children with traumas and you have to you have to find a peace and a safe zone within yourself to to be able to face that it doesn't mean that I manage all the time. I still have tools to help me along the way. But yes, I think you need this foundation, like building a home within before doing that. Because if you are not stable, if you are not healed a bit, at least a bit, because we are never healed completely, I mean, it would be very difficult. Yeah, yeah, now I can imagine that because you know you integrate energies into yourself you learn things about yourself You learn how to make decisions that are right for you

Sometimes they make wrong decisions and you learn then not to do that again But you really find this kind of self-trust self-love within your own being that you can then share with other people and then with kids who are so Kids are like sponges, you know, they just kind of want loving they give a lot too, but they they expect a lot from you so it's really brave that you are sharing your heart in that way and I'm curious. So like obviously ten years ago because this is not the only thing that you do you also teach So ten years ago, you didn't think the only thing that you do, you also teach.

So 10 years ago you didn't think that you'd be doing what you're doing now? Yeah I would say yes, but how and when, I had no idea. But I'm glad I'm here now. Yeah, we're also glad you're here. Yeah the universe always has its own timing. And tell me, so obviously the journey hasn't been easier times, but what has been like one of your highlights of being with the kids? If you can think of one moment that stood out for you and maybe what's been like one real challenge?

I mean something very simple. Highlights is when I see them laughing and having fun together. So it's very often. And that is like... Because sometimes like, why am I doing that? You know, because especially the boy, he has a very deep trauma. And you can... there is sometimes you can find the peace and like okay to not take on his energy sometimes you can but sometimes it's very difficult

and you are like why I'm doing that? because I don't have to and when I see them laughing and having fun together just their smile and their love, this beauty, happiness on their face. And when I see that, it can be just running around a dinner table. Anyway, when I see that, I'm like, oh, I know I am doing that. So it's not really one hairlight.

I think it's that, yes, which makes me finding peace within and comforting myself with what I created. And yeah, the result that I have, because sometimes we have doubts in what we are doing. Of course, of course. And then when you do have doubts, what do you feel is like that thing that helps you through it? You know, maybe it's something that someone wants said to you or a mantra that you kind

of keep to yourself for a long time. Like what is that thing that you hold on to? Okay, so there are a few things and I would say it's very personal, very unique to everyone, but it's really taking time for myself. That for sure. At the beginning I was not doing that and it was a lot of sacrifices. So it can only end up with burning out. So I really need to find time for myself. That is for me the way to build a home within. So, after it's... everyone can take their own space and time for themselves in their own way. But personally, there is a few things that I love to do.

I would say a big thing that I do a few times a year is going to camp with my friends in nature because we always end up swimming in rivers which is for me very purifying. I love river water and it's very pure, very clean and because here it's very fresh, it gives you like a new beginning for the day, for the week, for the month, for the year. I really enjoy that. And of course to live in a community because when you camp with friends you are all together or not, it's not like all the time together but we learn to be together for the weekend or for the week sometimes it can be a week.

So that is one of the big things that I do in the year but sometimes we don't have opportunities to do it especially in winter for a few months so hopefully I don't have only that in my life to take time for myself. It can be... so I have a kind of healing tool on chakras that I used to use because it works for me. After there is like a lot of reading, playing music, doing Sudoku, that is one of my things as well. But yes, to be in, I would say something that I don't share and it's only for me. Sometimes it's in silence, so it gives me the opportunity to meditate at the same time. And yeah, that is a few tools that I have along the year.

Yeah. I love that. I love that. And, I can resonate with with having me time. I think it's so important You know whether you go away with friends or whether you do it by yourself at home. I think Getting to know yourself is really the key and being able to love your own company is amazing you know where you can get to be in your own space and appreciate who you are in the world, it's really important. It rejuvenates you. I know that building a home is not just about within or with the kids, but you're also building a home within community. I think building community around what you're doing

is quite challenging. I think a lot of people don't always invest the time. So how have you been doing that or how has that been going for you in terms of building community around the bridge? You know it starts by the you need to dare to ask for help. And that is a big lesson. Because I used to travel on my own. I used to be very strong, very masculine, and doing everything like finding solution for any problem that I had on my way. And now I have this project, I have no funds, and I have to find solutions on my own.

Uh-uh, it doesn't work. It just doesn't work. And sometimes we just need to not be so proud and always want to do everything on our own and ask. And sometimes it's just like for me, it didn't start by the fact, oh, I'm going to ask. I think it started by me sharing the difficulties in this way, this way, the other way.

And by sharing, actually the people are proposing solutions. They are like, oh, but I know a therapist for the boy of the orphanage. Oh, but you know, I have donations for this community. Maybe I could share my donations with you for food or a few things like that who came along the way. So by sharing and be vulnerable, so sharing your difficulties, your challenges, actually the help comes.

And my own project started to be a collaborative project. So yeah, I think it's, it seems simple, but it's not because... Yeah, I think it's simple is the best. Yeah, but I love that. And I can so understand it. Also being a solo spirit, I've had to learn the value of community, especially in the last two years. You can't really get much fun life if you don't open your heart to people and to being

able to be supported. And I think the best projects are collaborative projects. So yeah, that makes complete sense. And I'm glad you did. I'm glad you opened your heart to being able to... Yeah, even when I said that I'm not allowed to have funds, there is three friends who are saying, you know what, me, I can give you a bit every month to pay the caregivers at the orphanage. And it's not much, but just the fact that they're doing it, it's like because they see

it doesn't go for me. They see the orphanage, they know the place, they know the kiddies. So it's another way as well that it's not only about finding solutions, but I wanted to add that I have this financial support as well. And I would like to thank all these people who are around me actually, who are helping in these many challenges that I can go through. Yes, really, yeah. Community is very important and it gives me even for myself, not only for the kids, but for myself because like I told you I was quite débrouillard, it means like doing things of my own and being

quite masculine. And because I allow myself to share and be vulnerable, it made me... it allowed me to be more feminine. It made me being more feminine. And when I started this project, because I started to be vulnerable, I started to be more feminine as well. Which I would love to have done that in the past. But I guess I need it. Sometimes we need community to help us to grow in the way we would like to grow. So it's not only for kids, it helps me as well for my own being to exist in the way that I wanted to be vulnerable and feminine and fragile sometimes. And it's beautiful that I allow myself now to feel that way. I think there's always like a yang with every yang, you know,

and it's like you always need the balance. And you will go find that balance somewhere, in some project or some venture or something in the world to help you. So that's really awesome. Yeah, I think it's really important to know that often we do these things, I think, because we want to change something in the world.

But it's very much about our own growth too, which is important. So important. I think we all kind of won, you know, as you change, the world changes. So it's really awesome that you could do that for you. So a year from now, where do you see, what is your dream for the bridge and for yourself? I know a lot can change in a year. Now I really have no idea. Really, I cannot tell you. I'm like, I'm I would love the children being less subject, subjected how we say, less subject to their own traumas. I would love them to get some healing but otherwise

yeah we will be where we will have to be. I don't know. Well I can definitely say I hope that a year from now, and I know in a year from now, we'll definitely have enough funding for you to be able to do that full-time. You know, I know that's been a struggle, juggling, doing full-time teaching as well as looking after the home and the kids. It's really brave. I mean, your patience for being around kids is admirable really. I would love to offer this environment. I mean, you saw the place, you can see that now they have jungle gyms, they have art rooms, they have a workshop space that they can dance and do things

in. I mean, I would love to open this space for more children. Like not a lot because I don't want to, I didn't found the bridge to create a big orphanage, but a family based environment orphanage. But I would love to maybe offer that environment to six children because we have the space, we have the facilities, we have the employees, it's just we don't have the funding. But yeah, if it would be possible, I would love that.

I'm sure we can make it possible, and we're putting it out there into the universe. Exactly. Fingers crossed for those who cannot see us. Thank you so much for sharing all of that. And on that point, I do want to speaking of funders and sponsors and all of that, I want to say thank you to Riverside FM and RSS.com, who are the partners of the Your Happy Hour podcast and who walk the road with us and make these conversations possible. So if you are a content creator, a live streamer, a podcast of sorts, or just keen to have your conversations in a more efficient manner, they have amazing features.

So thank you so much to them for giving us this platform and for being our partners in podcasting crime. And they've also generously given our audience a discount. So if you are interested, reach out to us on the socials at fridayfields.co and we will send you the discount code. And then I want to do a quick little slide into a segment we call the people, places and spaces that we've identified in this last week that have the feels. So this week, Shout Art goes to, I feel like this is quite a funny space probably to mention,

but it's meant a lot to me in my life. And that is Bumble, the dating app. And I know it's not just a dating app, it's a connection app. So on the topic of building home, Bumble has been an incredible way for me to meet people as I've traveled. I've made wonderful girlfriends on there. I've made wonderful gentlemen on there that have become friends and co-founders of now businesses.

So I want to give a shout out to an application that has helped people connect in some way. It's not always perfect, I know. But yeah, that's our shout out for this week. And I'm going to do a quick slide also to a segment, which we call the gems. Leticia, this is our moment of sharing of what's happened in our week. So it could be something for gratitude or maybe something challenging. So for me this week, my gym has been actually talking about home, it's been selling my Cape Town home which has been like a bittersweet gym but it's really been a

closing of a chapter and it's showed me a lot and taught me a lot about taking responsibility and doing things even when you're scared because what lies on the other side is so much more new and wonderful for you. So that's been my bittersweet gem this week. What has yours been? Actually, it's a big news that I even didn't share with you yet. It has been a few years, like three years, that I'm asking a bursary at a French school for Hope.

And yes, she managed to have it a few days ago. So she's going to join the French community from September. Yes. So it's very nice because the school she was at is not really helpful for her, for these kind of children. So I'm very glad that she will join the French school and she will have a beautiful time there I'm sure. So that is my gem. That's amazing.

I love that. And now she's going to have to learn to speak French, I'm sure. Yes, and I told her as well. Because she knows that like I asked for the bursary for few years and now when we got it, it was such a big lesson for every one of us at the orphanage because I said you see never give up. You need to persevere, persevere, persevere, even if you think and you have rejection and no. If you persevere, if it's meant to be, if the universe is with you, it's going to happen. So now, it's like, what does it mean? So we have a little doll that I shared with her and I said, like, we're going to add this little doll in the treasure box.

And this little doll means to never give up. It's you and her in the French school. So it's a symbol of perseverance. So now she's like what does she represent? Is it like to never give up? And it's like, oh, one is on his ear now. It's like always, yeah. I love that. I'm so, so, so happy to hear that. And yeah, I just love how you're converting everyone to French that you touch in your life. So it's beautiful. It will be easier for me in the future, I guess.

Yes, exactly. To be able to speak in French with them. I guess. Yes, exactly. To be able to speak in French with them. I should have spoken in French to you more when we stayed together. But I'm really happy about that. Thank you for sharing that, Jamie. That's beautiful.

And yeah, to everyone else out there, I wonder what you're feeling about building a home within, you know, yourself, wherever you are traveling in the world, if you are, whatever kind of sense of home you're trying to find, you know, even if you're at the point of retiring in your life and you're entering a new phase, what does building a home mean to you? And yeah, please let us know. We love receiving your messages. Let us know on the DMs at fridayfields.co. And then I have one more question for you, Leticia, and that is a little section we do called the stack. And it's like our reading list.

And so if you have any books or anything that you'd like to recommend for our audience, something that's touched you a heart, I want to ask you what's in your stack. It's quite interesting that you asked me because when just before the podcast you shared with me the topic, I was thinking to a book that I read in 2010. So why do I remember it was in 2010? It's because it's the year that I went to India to do like a volunteering mission in Palwal, nearby New Delhi, and I went at the same time after this mission, I went to Auroville, which is a small community at six kilometers of of Pondicherry and it's a community who was built by the mother and Shri Orombindo

and they both wrote some books. It's all about how to become better and the mother wrote a book which is called, well I read it in French, I know it exists in English, so the mother is la mère, and the book is called L'Harmony Intérieur, so it's the harmony within. And I was thinking of this book when you told me the topic of today, because it's literally one of the first books who gave me insight for me to have peace and safety within me. It's a really, really beautiful book. It's very helpful. It's not too spiritual, and we can easily read it, practice it and feel love in our hearts because she looks very loving when she's writing.

And yeah, it's feeding me, it fed my heart so much. So yeah, I would recommend it. That's a great recommendation. Thank you. I was having goosebumps when you were talking about it. So that means I should probably read that book. I will add it to my stack and we will definitely add it to the stack. So for whoever wants to go check out all the books that get recommended on the podcast, they're on the website. So thank you for that recommendation.

And thank you just for coming on today for sharing, sharing your heart, your love, your kindness. It means a lot and I'm emotional just in this moment because I miss you and I wish I could give you a big hug. So thank you. It's really, really been a pleasure to have you. Thank you very much. Thank you very much for that Nicole. See you soon. Okay. Bye bye bye boy. If you haven't just yet, follow Friday Feels on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and LinkedIn. You can share with us all your feels this week by tagging us at fridayfeels.co

and you can also find the website at that handle. And you can also find the website at that handle. And now as you ease into this weekend, take a moment, celebrate who you've become, what you've overcome and what is yet to come as you do the crazy and cool things that you do as the authentic you. You know the truth about life and work is that it's hard, but the beauty is this global working experience that you're in while we are in it together. So keep connecting, empowering and inspiring this week. And of course,

keep it raw and real. Until next time.