How High Do We Want to Reach- One Karen Student Has Overcome Obstacles
This picture is a scene from a trip I took to Ensenada México last summer where we stayed at a Mountain Camp. I have also been in the mountains in Romania and in the Bavarian Mountains in Austria/Germany. Mountains can represent the heights we want to reach in life or obstacles to reaching our goals. Today I had an opportunity to talk with a Karen student who has overcome many obstacles on her path of learning English.
Her family was the first Karen family to be relocated from the refugee camp in Thailand to Lincoln in the summer of 2007. I met her in the Spring of 2008 when I began to do some work with the Karen community. She has provided leadership for their community since she first arrived by helping others with their adjustment to their new country. When I first met her, she spoke perhaps 20 words of English, but she did not let anything deter her from learning.
Along her path of learning the past few years she has had a major surgery, kept busy helping others in the Karen community, and continues to take care of her family. Today I watched her for a moment as she helped other women as they studied from a reading book together. Watching her study with the women showed me how far she has come from speaking few words in English. She is motivated by her desire to help her children and her community. She has overcome obstacles of fleeing her homeland, living in a refugee camp, coming to a new country, and being busy with her own family while helping other families. She probably won’t go to college or trade school, but she has accomplished a lot and reached a level of English she never thought she could
Students like her are a big reason why I pushed forward with my español class in February when I had bronchitis. It would have been easy to drop the class since I was sick and already had a busy schedule of teaching, but I wanted to be able to tell my students that I did not give up. Compared to what my Karen friend has been through one quarter of being sick is not such a big deal.
Frequently Asked Question by my Students- Teacher are you Married?
me in my Karen robe
One of the most frequently asked questions by my students, apart from questions about English, is – Teacher are you married? When I answer no, the next question is- Teacher do you have a girlfriend? Normally when I hear these questions it is because the next thing they want to say is along the lines of; I have a sister, I have a cousin, or I have a friend. Yesterday while I was beginning my class as a substitute to Karen students, some of the women asked me- Teacher are you married? and then Teacher do you have a girlfriend? I thought at first they were going to tell me they had a sister, cousin or friend they wanted me to meet.
I was wearing the Karen robe you see me in in the picture. After they asked me if I was married or had a girlfriend, one of them came up to me to show me I had my Karen robe on inside out and that I needed to fix it 
We had a good laugh and I realized their concern was perhaps that they think I need someone to take care of me.
It was a lighthearted moment that is a good sample of what my times with my Karen friends are like. They are a group that enjoys friendships, appreciate family, and have the ability to laugh at themselves and with each other as they learn more about their new culture. When I spend time with them, we have many humorous moments together, but we also get a lot done. I have been impressed by how motivated and well organized they are for a new refugee group new to Lincoln. Many of them quickly find work at local meat packing plants. I will never forget when I sat in on one of their committee meetings shortly after the first groups arrived. They were concerned about the lack of adequate food and supplies being provided for new arrivals of Karen and Burmese refugees, so they decided to pool their resources and to buy food for new arrivals.
It has been my pleasure to spend time with them again this week. I look forward to going to a Karen wedding this later this week too. I wonder if any of them will ask me the question about whether I am married at the wedding. If they do, I will wonder two things, 1- is my Karen robe on right, and 2- should I feel nervous lol.
Birthday Cake Vietnamese Style
I just met my new neighbors who moved in yesterday and are from Vietnam. It seemed fitting to write about an experience with my Vietnamese friends last Friday. I stopped by to visit some friends and see their new house. I also wanted to bring a birthday gift for my friend. They had another visitor who brought a birthday cake.
I usually hear two comments from my international friends about American food; 1- it is to salty and 2- it is too sweet. The too sweet I agree with when it comes to birthday cake from the store. You know the sheet cake kind that is so sweet it is almost sickening. Just looking at the picture makes me realize birthday cake Vietnamese style is a more natural kind of sweetness. Notice the fresh fruit on top and you get the idea of what I am talking about. I could not have a piece of this cake because it had coconut, but I have had cake with other Vietnamese friends and have enjoyed the natural sweetness from the fruit not only on top, but also layered in the cake. The cake was for my friend Tram. Belated Happy Birthday to Tram
Another Vietnamese food I love are Vietnamese egg rolls. Fresh out of the pan Vietnamese egg rolls or Spring rolls are far tastier than the cheap egg rolls in restaurants. I am secretly hoping that my new neighbors will share some egg rolls with me and maybe even some Pho Bo
Chin’s New Home- A Mother Makes a New House a Home for her Family
Friday evening I visited my friends Chin and her three children Khuong, Khiet and Tram in their new home. Her husband Khieu was working, so I did not have a chance to see him. I am so elated for my friends that they have bought their first home in America. It is a big step for any family after they come here as refugees. My friends have worked hard to improve their lives here and now they have a new house. It is a nice house with space for all of them to have their own room. They were waiting for beds and furniture to be delivered and the house is not completely furnished yet, but that will come. What was obvious to me is that the house is full of family love.
Chin in her new kitchen
Chin was busy in the kitchen most of the time during my visit. She wanted to make sure everyone was well fed and taken care of as well. I was not the only visitor. A young woman stopped by with a cake for Tram. Chin is a woman who stays behind the scenes making sure others are okay. She jokes with her children- all young adults- and the house is full of laughter. The food kept coming and I got so full I could not eat anything else. They gave me a steak, a T-Bone steak, barbecued form the grill. It was delicious. There were chicken wings, bread, watermelon, apples, corn and more. I finally told Chin to relax because we all had eaten enough
Chin's new kitchen
They did not have many decorations up yet. They were waiting for their furniture. We sat at the table in dining room chairs and talked for a few hours. The basement is not finished yet. The decorations, furniture and finished basement will come, but the house is already a home because Chin fills it with love and the smell of food cooking. It is awesome that she has a new kitchen with new appliances. I joked with her son Khuong that Chin has two rooms during my tour of the house. Khuong, Khiet and Tram will each have their own bedroom. Khieu and Chin have their bedroom. But Chin has not only a bedroom, she also has her kitchen and I am sure her family is glad that she does.
Congratulations to my friends and be sure to thank your mother
Reading about Princesses with Quynh at the Library
Yesterday I had my first summer lesson with a nice little girl. Her name is Quynh and she will be in 1st grade in the fall. Her mother and father are friends of mine from Vietnam and we talked about extra help for Quynh during the summer. Yesterday we met at the library to read some story books together. I told Quynh she could pick some books she wanted to read with me. She chose two books which were a story about Cinderella’s wedding and the Princess and the Pea. She told me she likes princess stories. I enjoyed reading with her and thought about the humorous situation of me reading stories about princesses since that is a topic no one would think of when thinking about me lol.
me with Quynh and her little sister Jennifer
It was the first time that Quynh and her mother and sister had come to the library. It was great to see a new world open up for them. A world of books and learning. Quynh liked it so much she asked her mother if they could go back to the library “tomorrow”. Her mother Duyen got a library card for the family. I picked out three books for Quynh to check out and they checked out their first books. It brought back memories of going to the library when I was a kid. My favorite times were riding my bike to the library with my friends and getting a Hardy Boys Mystery book. We would also stop at the Topper Popper and get a Pepsi freeze and some caramel corn. It was awesome that I could help Quynh and her family to begin using the library.
my friend Duyen with Quynh and Jennifer
I heard the statistic that if a child is read to on a regular basis the child has a 50% better chance of graduating from college. The simple things we do with a child when they are young build to positive things in the future. Quynh is fortunate in that her mother speaks English. The reason we talked about me helping is so Quynh can hear a native English speaker read to her. I am very happy to be able to meet with Quynh. I met her last year when I had a family dinner with her family and another family from Vietnam. Quynh is my friend and it is great to be able to help her.
In this day and age of the spread of things like Nook and other electronic readers where you can download books, I wonder how much longer libraries will be around. It was a favorite place for me in the summers with my friends. That and the swimming pool, the school yard for football and baseball, and any other place for adventure. My hope is that libraries stay around and remain a part of our society for the kids to also have a place they can get books to read about what interests them whether they are princess books or mystery books. I am glad Quynh has the opportunity to experience the library.
Ice Cream- Spontaneous Treat with Vietnamese Friends
On Tuesday I went to the University of Nebraska Lincoln to participate in New Student Enrollment with my friend Tai from Vietnam. During a break time for the parents/supporters I saw three of my friends from Vietnam- Elaine, Hien and Van-in the Student Union at the ice cream counter. I went over to say hi and they invited me to join then and they bought me some ice cream.
my friends Van, Elaine and Hien enjoying their ice cream
I had not seen them for a long time, so it was great to catch up on what is happening in their lives. Van will graduate this summer and is looking into MBA programs. Elaine will graduate in December. Hien graduated from Dental Hygienist school, passed her boards and is now working as a Dental Hygienist. All three are very intelligent young women. It was a wonderful break in the day. I love unplanned spontaneous moments and I have to admit when someone buys me ice cream it makes it even better. I had two scoops, one peppermint and one chocolate. Thank you to my friends for a fun time and a tasty treat
Ice cream is one of my favorite foods. My favorite ice cream in Lincoln is from the University’s Dairy Store. They use fresh milk from the Ag college and make the ice cream on East Campus. It tastes the way ice cream should taste. I do not use mix ins or any toppings when I eat ice cream there. I also like Coldstone when I want ice cream with mix ins, but when I want ice cream the way it used to be, just good old fashioned ice cream, the East Campus Dairy Store is the best. I makes me wonder what favorite snacks or treats my friends enjoy and also what ice cream others like best.
my ice cream
Celebration for Thiago’s Successful Completion of his PHD
Yesterday was a bookend day for me. I enjoyed spending the day with my friends Thai and Thuy at new student enrollment at UNL. It was great to see them begin their higher education journey. My day ended with joining my friend Thiago from Brazil, his wife Gabriella and friends for a dinner to celebrate Thiago’s successful defense of his Doctoral Dissertation and thus completion of his PHD.
My friend Thiago
It has been a big year so far for Thiago. His wife Gabriella gave birth to their first baby Giovanna and now he has completed his PHD. It has been my privilege to attend the baby shower for Giovanna in the winter, visit Gabriella, Thiago and Giovanna in the hospital and pray with them after Giovanna was born, and to share in the celebration dinner. I am proud of Thiago and confident he will be successful in the future because of his determination and ability, but even more because of his trust in God.
Thiago with Gabriella and Giovanna
It has impressed me how Gabriella and Thiago have both reached out to other students from many countries as well as Brazil. I saw friends from Brazil, Congo, Poland, Nepal, Sudan, Vietnam and the U.S at the dinner.
with his American "mom" Linda
me with Thiago
Thiago was able to celebrate with family. His wonderful wife Gabriella and beautiful baby girl Giovanna were there. His brother Thiciano was there too.
Thiago with his brother Thiciano
Congratulations Thiago!! God Bless you and your family I am confident God will continue to guide you.
Helping Friends Begin a New Adventure- New Student Enrollment with Tai and Thuy
Today was New Student Enrollment at the University of Nebraska Lincoln and I was privileged to share it with my friend Tai. I am very proud of Tai and all of the hard work he put into learning English and graduating from Lincoln High last month. Today he began a new adventure and a new chapter in his life by going to New Student Enrollment. It was meaningful to be able to share the day with him.
me with Tai
We were together in the initial session and then the students and parents/supporters were separated so the students could get about the business of registering for classes, finding out pertinent information and touring the campus. During that time I sat in on some sessions and enjoyed lunch with some parents of other students. I was glad to be in that group since it meant being part of my friend’s big day. Tai does not have parents who speak enough English to go to such events, so I was more than happy to be able to go with him. I also had a nice surprise in the morning when I saw Thuy there at New Student Enrollment. She is the younger sister of one of my former students. Her parents could not come, so I invited her to join Tai and myself.
me with Thuy
I also ran into one of my facebook friends Nho. It was good to see him there as well.
me with Nho
My friends put a lot of effort into reaching their goal of attending the University. Their parents want them to do well and have a good future here in their new country, but language barriers prevent them from being able to be a part of such days. Their parents also work hard to provide for their families. They work hard in places like meat packing plants. I have a lot of respect for their parents and am glad I can help in small ways to help their children with preparing for their future. Today it was good to see Thuy and Nho. Today I was also very proud to be with Tai.
Weekend Fun with my Hispanic Friends- Father’s Day at Ministerio Manantial de vida
On Father’s Day I joined my friends at Ministerio Manantial de Vida for their worship service and a potluck dinner afterward. The worship service was full of poignant moments as the church celebrated Father’s Day or Día de Padres. Women in the church came up and read from the bible in español to the congregation. The children performed a drama that the church created. At the end of the service fathers came forward to the front and their children prayed for them. I got a kick out of the message by the Pastor’s wife. She shared about what it means to be a father and a man from the bible while using a tool box and tools as props. I listened with a smile while I wondered how often she used the tools.
the women reading
the children's drama
fathers being honored
After worship service we had a potluck dinner at the church. There was a lot of delicious food such as barbecue chicken, papusas, barbecue ribs and much more. During dinner I sat for a while with a family that has three girls who go to an elementary school where I teach Family Literacy. Then I walked around and took pictures for families. It was a wonderful way to cap off my weekend of fun with my Hispanic friends. I also had a chance to go for ice cream with Pastor Rogelio, his wife Chayo and daughter Jezharela in the afternoon.
The day reminded me of how important family is for our Hispanic friends. The weekend was full of fun, food and friends and also gave me many opportunities to practice my español, see how former students are doing, and appreciate the diversity of God’s creation especially when it comes to people. God loves all people of all cultures. I had a chance to observe that at different Hispanic churches this weekend.
Weekend Fun with my Hispanic Friends- Fiesta at Cristo Rey on Saturday
On Saturday my weekend adventure with my Hispanic Friends continued when I went to a Fiesta at Cristo Rey church. I actually went twice, one time around noon and the other in the early evening. I went around noon to watch the children dance some traditional Méxican dances which were fun and lively. I made a special point to go watch because a friend told me about it. A friend who helps teach the children how to do the dances, but she did not come due to her husband’s birthday. Nevertheless, I had fun watching.
Méxican culture has a lot of rich tradition, which I do not presume to know much about, but I certainly enjoy observing and sharing with my Hispanic Friends. The music, dance, and colorful costumes were an experience I enjoyed thoroughly. Watching children perform is always fun and it is cute when they make a few mistakes, but then I have to admit they certainly danced better than I could. The dance was just the beginning of my fun. I also had the opportunity to walk around and see some of my former students and my friends. It was great to catch up on how they are doing in their lives. I was also able to enjoy some delicious food for lunch.
my friend Roxana made Papusas
Torta table
My lunch began with a delicious Torta which was a sandwich with meat, avocado, tomato and some other toppings although I passed on the jalapenos. The Torta was very tasty and I thought about having a second one, but then I remembered the Papusa table, so I went there too. I had two Papusas which my friend Roxana was cooking. I asked her if she needed my help and she just gave that look I get sometimes when I try to joke around. I was full after a Torta and two Papusas, so I went to a table where they were playing a form of bingo.
The game cards had pictures of different items with their names in español. I played mostly to practice my listening skills, but had fun as well. I was not concerned with winning and in fact was elated when some children I gave tickets to won in a few games. My friends Yolanda and Elizabeth helped me with some of the words when I missed them. My biggest thrill at the table was watching the children have fun.
I left to go sit in some air-conditioning and get some things done. I returned around 5pm to enjoy some more food and see if I could run into anyone I knew. I ran into several people I knew as I walked around. I had opportunities to practice my español and find out about my friends. I also had corn on the cob Hispanic style which is rolled in butter, then dipped in grated cheese and red pepper sprinkled on it. It was awesome!! I also had another torta. I then found my way to the flavored drinks and had a lime drink. I finished my indulgence of good eating with a ice cream bar of mango and creme.
It was a full day of fun, food and friends. It was especially a blessing for me to see my friends having fun and enjoying themselves. My Hispanic Friends tend to be maligned and face discrimination. Life is hard for them and they work hard. Seeing them have a day to have fun with their families was very meaningful to me. I also gained even more appreciation for the work that some of my friends such as Yolanda, Elizabeth, Olga and many others do to help my Hispanic Friends in their lives here in Lincoln. I look forward to next year’s Fiesta.
About
I teach English Second Language and have a ministry for internationals at my home church First Evangelical Free church in Lincoln Nebraska. I have had the pleasure of traveling in Austria, Canada, England, France, Germany, Mexico, Romania and Switzerland. My hobby is to learn words and phrases from other languages. I have learned how to greet people in 30 languages.
My blog is about my experiences with international friends, my travels, and people I meet along the way. My international friends’ stories are fascinating to me. Experiencing other cultures makes life rich for me.
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