Internationalmatt's Blog

This blog is about my international friends and their inspiring stories

Thanksgiving Day with Friends from China

Alex, Nancy and Huiyuan

I celebrated Thanksgiving Day with my friends from China, Alex, Nancy and Huiyuan. I told them I would prepare dinner for them and bring with me. The preparation consisted of buying the food from HyVee Deli. I promised them a taste of an American Thanksgiving, so we had Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Stuffing and Pumpkin Pie.

Thanksgiving is an American Holiday, so it does not have emotional attachments for my international friends. For them it is nice to have time off from classes or work depending on their situation in life. Alex, Nancy and Huiyuan were glad to have time off from classes at the University of Nebraska. They have holidays that are important times to be with family and friends in China such as Chinese New Year’s or Fall Moon Festival, but Thanksgiving is mostly time to relax or travel for international students. Some may feel lonely if they are stuck in their dorm rooms with no one around. Many travel to see the USA.

Nancy getting her food

They were curious about why we eat certain foods for Thanksgiving, so we talked about the first Thanksgiving and what the Pilgrims ate such as Turkey, Cranberries, Pumpkin etc. We also talked about why Thanksgiving is a Holiday and the meaning behind it.

Huiyuan getting her food

In a way it was a fitting way for me to celebrate Thanksgiving Day. The first Thanksgiving the Pilgrims, who were new to America, had a celebration dinner with the Americans living here who were the Native Americans. Likewise I was the American having dinner with newcomers to America. The difference was that I prepared the food for them. Another difference would be the fact that there were no Delis to buy food from at the first Thanksgiving. The main similarity was that I had a chance to share with my friends and show my appreciation for their friendship :)

November 26, 2011 Posted by | Chinese friends, Cultural Ambassdors, Experiences of international friends, Fall, food, Holidays, International Friendships, international students, Internationals | Leave a Comment

Goodbye Week for Uncle Yoshio- Moved Back to Japan

Goodbye Lunch

After 6 years in Lincoln Yoshio returned to Japan last Saturday. He leaves having made many friends here from many countries. His nickname with the young people was Uncle Yoshio. Some of them would call him when they needed help to go shopping. He was always willing to help with driving people to activities or class. His goodbye lunch had people from America, China and Vietnam. At the airport he was greeted by people from America, Belgium, China, Japan and Vietnam.

at the airport with Thuy's family

Thuy came with her family. Thuy and Yoshio were together in a class of mine about 5 years ago. Yoshio worked with Thuy’s husband. They were like a family away from home for Yoshio.

with Brigitte at the airport

I went out to the airport to say goodbye Yoshio. He was the last of a a fun group. The others have moved back to their countries. It speaks well of him that people from diverse places wanted to say goodbye.

When I meet a new friend from another country who is here working or on a student visa, I know the time will come we say goodbye. The times between initially meeting someone and saying goodbye make it all worthwhile though. Our friends had a lot of fun with Yoshio such as trips to the Omaha Zoo, Mahoney State Park and for lunches. I am sure Yoshio will make new friends in his new city in Japan.

November 17, 2011 Posted by | Chinese friends, Experiences of international friends, international students, Internationals, Japanese friends, Vietnamese friends | Leave a Comment

In Loving Memory of Tydin

my friend Tydin

Tydin is a friend of mine from Vietnam. She was adopted by a family from Ohio and came to America for her new life. I met Tydin at the library where I used to teach her “sister” English. I write “sister” because Tydin lived in a house with some friends from Vietnam who were like her brothers and sisters. The first time I met Tydin I was impressed by her bright smile. When I talked with her or chatted with her on facebook, it was obvious how much she cared about other people. She worked for a while at a home for adults with Alzheimers and found joy in helping the people there.

I also noted her faith in God and how that helped her to overcome obstacles to be able to go to college in America. She moved away from Lincoln and got engaged. I thought I would hear occasionally about her married life. I first wrote about Tydin in November 2009. This picture was one she chose for that first writing. I was proud to write about her. Today I am saddened to write about her. That is because Tydin passed away after the car she was riding in was hit by a drunk driver this week in Ohio.

Tydin’s bright smile now belongs to heaven. I am certain that she is dancing on the streets of gold in heaven in the presence of her loving Savior Jesus. She now has eternity to dance in joy as she waits for her friends to meet her there someday. Her life here was cut short by our standards, but in her short life here she touched many lives. She touched the lives of many friends here in Lincoln, in Ohio and in Texas. She touched the lives of her patients where ever she worked. She showed God’s love to others. Now she shows her love directly to God.

Many people will miss her. Many people are saddened by her passing away. One thought that I have is that Tydin is not sad. She is experiencing the fullness of joy that comes from being in the presence of Jesus. She is dancing on streets of gold. Hopefully one day all of her friends will join her there.

November 15, 2011 Posted by | orphans, Vietnamese friends | 1 Comment

Immaculée- A Rwandan Woman Who Not Only Teaches But Lives Out Forgiveness

This weekend I had the privilege of meeting a woman from Rwanda named Immaculée. She came to Lincoln to give a retreat at a Catholic High School here in Lincoln which is Pius X. I am not Catholic, but I wanted to go and meet the woman whose book Left to Tell has meant so much to me in my walk with God and my work with refugees and immigrants. In her book Left to Tell she shares her experience of living through the terrible genocide in Rwanda in 1994 and how she survived by hiding in a tiny bathroom of a family friend along with other young women. She shares about how she grew closer to God while in that bathroom.

me with Immaculée at her book signing at the retreat

Immaculée wrote the book to share about how God spared her and helped her to forgive those who killed her family. She spreads a message of forgiveness by being to forgive in God’s power. I am just finishing her new book Led by Faith in which she details how God helped her step by step after the genocide to begin rebuild her life and forgive others. Both books Left to Tell and Led by Faith are powerful books that have impacted me in my life. I would strongly encourage anyone from any walk of life to read these two books.

Reading her first book gave me greater joy in my work with those who have suffered in this life. Currently I teach a class in the mornings for parents of elementary aged children. In my class are women who have suffered. They had to leave their homelands because of danger. It is hard to start a new life in a strange land. One of my students has burn scars. I do not know how she got them and will not ask. If she wants to tell. I will listen, but I will not press for information. It is enough to bring a bit of brightness into her life. When she comes in, I smile and ask if she brought her smile today. She starts to laugh each time. She used a computer for the first time in her life in my class four weeks ago. I asked her how it felt and she smiled. Mother Teresa said, ‘Love begins with a smile…” There are so many people suffering in this world who need love. The love of God. It is my privilege to teach them and show them kindness. My hope is that learning English in my class can also provide one of the many small healing moments in their lives as they rebuild their lives. I try to show them I respect them and hope they know and feel that I care about their success.

Of course the little I do is nothing compared to the wonderful things Immaculée continues to do in her retreats and in her continued work in Rwanda. She has set up a scholarship fund for orphans in Rwanda so they can go to school. Her family home was destroyed in Rwanda during the genocide. She is now living in America and has no need for her old house, but she did something awesome. Along with her one surviving brother she rebuilt  their home to be used as a prayer center for Catholics and Protestants. She brings groups to Rwanda twice a year and they do some marvelous works there. It was an honor to meet this special woman whose books have meant so much to me.

November 13, 2011 Posted by | African friends, International Friendships, orphans, Refugees, victims of crime and violence, world issues | 3 Comments

   

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