Birthday Fun with Friends
Yesterday was my birthday and normally having a birthday in the middle of the week means not as much fun because we are busy with work, school etc. I was busy yesterday with the end of the quarter at the college with advising appointments with students and grading final exams. During the day however I enjoyed receiving over 200 birthday wishes on facebook in various languages and from several countries. I received greetings in English, French, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish, and Vietnamese. I also had an appointment to study with some friends from Vietnam who are preparing for the ACT test. They are in high school and want to go to the University of Nebraska in 2012. They came yesterday with a few more friends from Vietnam and brought a surprise cake for me.
my birthday chocolate ice cream cake
They brought a chocolate ice cream cake from Coldstone. It was perfect for me since it combined the two things I love in a dessert which are chocolate and ice cream. They closed the door and did not let me in the room until they finished writing a greeting on the white board. When I came in, they sang Happy Birthday to me and showed me the cake.
me with Tai, Tram, Linh and Lan
They are a group of successful students. Lan is a student at UNL and is in summer school. Tai graduated from high school and will start classes at UNL this fall. He also received scholarships for his first year. Tram and Linh will be seniors this fall and are doing very well. I felt blessed that they surprised me with the cake. We took time off from studying yesterday to relax and have fun.For a teacher one of the best things is when students succeed but when they take time in small ways to show appreciation it means a lot.
me with Tram. Lan and Linh
me with Tai
It was the only time that would have worked for me to take time to celebrate. Yesterday afternoon I was busy with advising appointments and then had my final Level 5 class in which I gave a final exam. Thank you Lan, Linh, Tai and Tram for bringing me the cake and celebrating with me 
Mongolian Grille with Friends on Memorial Day
On Memorial Day after going to the cemetery to remember my father, I joined some of my friends for lunch at Mongolian Grille. It was a belated lunch to celebrate TIngting graduating from the University of Nebraska Lincoln. It may also have been the last opportunity for me to have lunch with the group since Tingting will move to Buffalo New York for her MBA program. Summer travels will happen too as my friends return to China at different times this summer to visit family.
Next fall our group will be minus Tingting who has been a spark among us. However I look forward to having my friends Alex, Huiyuan, Johnny, Kevin and Nancy around. It is great to be a small part of their lives while they are here working on their degrees. Mongolian Grille has become a spot for us to enjoy some food together while we celebrate for various reasons such as the beginning of a new semester, the end of a semester, birthdays etc., so it was fitting to go there yesterday.
They had a lively conversation in Chinese, so for a while I sat back and enjoyed listening to them speak in a language I don’t know. While they did so, I also took some fun pictures.
One picture that captured the reason for the lunch and reminds me of why my work is so rewarding is one I took of Tingting. In the group she was the first one I met that night in the Lincoln Airport in January 2009. She has come a long way since then and thrived at UNL. I am confident she will continue to thrive everywhere she goes.
Tingting
Sunday at Engine House Cafe with my Friends Mindy and Yoshio
KLIN Radio in Lincoln had a contest in March called Munch Madness which was a contest between restaurants in Lincoln. Listeners could log in and vote for their favorite restaurant. I kept hearing about a restaurant called the Engine House Cafe which is a place I had never gone to before today. After church Mindy and Yoshio wanted to go out to eat. Mindy suggested we eat at the Engine House Cafe and we agreed to try it.
Mindy and I in front of the Engine House Cafe
The Engine House is on Havelock Avenue in Lincoln. It was once a fire station which is why it is called the Engine House. It looked fun on the inside with Firefighter gear on the wall. The servers wore T-Shirts that said “Lincoln Hunger Rescue” on the back. I used that as a topic to teach some English as we ate. We also talked about how Havelock used to be a small town until Lincoln annexed it years ago.
me with Mindy and Yoshio
Our server was very friendly. I introduced her to Mindy and Yoshio as her customers from Vietnam and Japan. The food was good and kind of a throw back to the old days of breakfast at a small town cafe. Mindy and Yoshio enjoyed learning about the history behind the Engine House. The reason I had not been there before is due to living in South Lincoln close to Highway 2, so the Engine House is far from where I live, but as we ate I realized that I drive by it all of the time when I drive to teach in Airpark. I think I will be stopping there from time to time for my lunch.
It was a nice way to cap off the morning. We had a good class today and a bit of a surprise. Tingting had told me she was going to Colorado with our friends from China. I did not expect them today and then lo and behold in walked Tingting, Johnny, Alex and Huiyuan this morning. It was good to see them as well as Mindy, Yoshio, Phung and Quang. Next Sunday we will have a graduation party for Tingting. It was another wonderful Sunday with my international friends.
Easter Sunday Dinner- A Lot of Good Food with my Hispanic Friends
Sunday afternoon I joined my friends at Ministerial Manatial de Vida for their Easter Worship Service and dinner afterward. The worship was wonderful and lively. The youth group performed a drama as well. It was awesome to be able to participate in two Easter Services, one at my home church and with my friends at Ministerial.
We had dinner in the basement after worship service. The dinner was a potluck with each family bringing some food and there was plenty of it. We had tamales, tortillas, chicken, barbecue ribs, corn muffins, salads and more. As I went through the line many of the women told me what they cooked, so I tried to make sure I tasted some of everything. It was a fortunate day for me since I did not need to try to make food. I did bring some soda though and I was able to enjoy some good cooking and lots of it. In fact I enjoyed so much of it that I only had an apple later that day and was not very hungry the next day as well.
The best part was to be able to spend time with friends and get to know them better. It also gave me a chance to practice my español more. My español is to the point that I can worship more freely without having to try to figure out the what the words mean. Listening to the message is still a good challenge for me. I usually catch about half of it, but the practice is good for me.
Easter Sunday gave me an opportunity to share it with friends from China, Japan and Vietnam in the morning and then with friends from México and Honduras in the afternoon. It highlighted for me why we celebrate Easter which is to remember how God showed His love for all of the world when Jesus died and defeated death for us 2,000 years ago.
Mongolian Grille- is it my Cheers?
The old sitcom Cheers had a theme song about a place where everyone knows you name and they are always glad you came. I am beginning to think Mongolian Grille is kind of like that for me. When I walk in, most of the workers know me. I have had conversations with some of them. Some are Vietnamese and some Chinese and we talk about English classes. Some are Hispanic and I practice my español with them. One young man at the grill smiles at me as soon as I walk up because he remembers me.
I had the opportunity to go to Mongolian Grille twice last week and both times someone took me out for dinner and paid for me. Actually it was last Friday and last Saturday, so I had a great weekend. I went on Friday evening with my friends Johnny and Tingting which I wrote about on Saturday. On Saturday evening I went to Mongolian Grille again and that time it was with my friends Kevin and Nancy.
Nancy and Kevin at Mongolian Grille
I enjoyed spending time with Nancy and Kevin and catching up on how their course work is going at UNL. Last summer we studied together to prepare them for the TOEFL test. They both passed and went on to become students at UNL.
Nancy went to a school in sunny San Diego before she came here. It seemed ironic that when I first arrived for dinner, it was gently snowing and by the time we left it was snowing heavily and there was a cold, icy wind. We walked out to our cars and quickly said goodbye due to the wind hitting us. If it was hard for Nancy, it must have been even harder for Kevin who is from South China where they don’t have harsh winters.
The cold weather outside could not dampen our fun inside the restaurant. We had a wonderful time. It was great to catch up on things with Nancy and Kevin. Because of their generosity, I had dinner for the second night in a row at my favorite restaurant. It was an awesome weekend.
A Truly International Christmas Eve for me
Christmas Eve was an awesome experience for me this year. I enjoyed sleeping in a bit late and yes went out to do a little shopping. After surviving the shopping, I picked up my friend Daniel from China to take him to Christmas Eve service with me. Phung from Vietnam met us at church and we celebrated Christ’s birth together.
me with Phung and Daniel at church
After the Christmas Eve service I took Daniel back to his dorm and dropped off a small gift for one of my wonderful students Linh. I then went to Phung’s house to wish her family and our mutual friends a Merry Christmas. I came loaded with Christmas Cards and Candy Canes. I gave the adults and young people I knew a card and gave a candy cane to everyone. Phung’s mother and uncle bought a house and they were having a Karaoke party. They asked me to sing, so I sang O Come All Ye Faithful and scored an 89 which they told me is good. I was happy to give Phung’s grandmother a candy cane and a hug. She is a sweet woman who loves to cook for her family.
me with Chi- Phung's mother
After spending time with a house full of my friends from Vietnam, I went to have dinner with Isis an Eduardo from Brazil. I always enjoy my times with Isis and Eduardo. I have learned a lot from them about Brazil and appreciate their perspective on many things. Of course I need to write that I am proud of Isis and that I call her my genius . They have a 4 month old puppy, Susie, that they spoil. I think Susie is the boss of the apartment.
Isis and Eduardo
Isis and Eduardo's daughter Susie
I am proud of both of them actually. They have both accomplished a lot. We had some delicious Brazilian food for dinner and sat around the table and talked until 11pm. Eduardo was impressed by some Christmas cookies I baked, I mean bought lol.
It was a very meaningful Christmas Eve for me personally because I was able to be with friends from Brazil, China and Vietnam. It makes me think of what the Angels said when they announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds. The first Angel said “I bring you good news of great joy for all of the people”. Christmas is a time to remember the birth of Jesus who loves all people. In the spirit of such news I would like to say Merry Christmas, Chuc Mung Giang Sinh, Feliz Navidad, Feliz Natal, Craciun Ferecit and Joyeux Noel.
Wednesday Lunch at El Sitio- My Friends Atesa and Delores
Wednesday afternoon I had lunch at a quaint Méxican restaurant in Lincoln called El Sitio. It is at 17th and Van Dorn. I had not eaten there in many years. The reason I went there Wednesday was due to one of my international friends working there. Atesa is a student of mine. She is a bright student and a good woman. I have enjoyed having her as a student. I wanted to stop in and meet her uncle that she talks about, try the food, and chat with Atesa a little.
me with Atesa
It seemed funny to me that a family from Iran would own and operate a Méxican restaurant and to be honest I wondered how Méxican it would be. I found out the cook is actually from México. The food was good and I enjoyed meeting Delores. I went in around 1pm knowing it would be slow at that time the day before Thanksgiving. It gave me a good chance to not only talk with Atesa but to also get to know Delores a little.
me with Atesa and Delores
I had a burrito with an enchilada but he burrito would have been enough on its own because it was plentiful by itself. I finished with some fried ice cream.
The food was good and the people make it even better. If you want a pleasant lunch experience I recommend El Sitio. It is easy to find by going to the intersection of 17th and Van Dorn. You will see some large metal insects in front. When you go in you will see some warm friendly people named Atesa and Delores.
The teacher becomes a student- A Terrible 2 Weeks is Over
I have been enjoying studying Spanish and love learning another language. I realized a possible mistake the past few weeks, but I managed to stay with it and overcome the problem
We began a unit on food a few weeks ago. Food is one of my favorite topics. I seem to be able to quickly learn the names of food I eat from other cultures. I have been able to experience delicious foods in France, Mexico, Austria, England, Switzerland and Romania. I have had the privilege of eating with friends from numerous cultures here in Lincoln. So why was the past 2 weeks so terrible?
My problem was that my class is from 11am to 12:20pm Monday through Friday which makes it right before lunch. For two weeks we looked at pictures of food, talked about food, learned words like bistec for steak and papas fritas for french fries. One day I said to my profesora “solo cuarenta y cinco minutos hasta puedo comer” which means “only 45 minutes until I can eat”. Another day I said “tengo mucho hambre” which means “I am very hungry”
We took the test today and our unit on food is finished. I may still have a few problems with attention span since our next unti is on Fiestas and I think food is a part of that too lol
Sunday Fun- I ate at Mongolian Grille Again
After church on Sunday, I went to Mongolian Grille with my friends again. I have been there so many times with my international friends that the staff knows me when I walk into the restaurant. The food is great there, so it has become one of my favorite places to go for dinner or lunch. Going out for lunch or dinner is a great way for people to get to know each other. I went with friends from America, China, Japan and Vietnam.
Brandon had an opportunity to talk with Yoshio and learn more about Japan and Japanese culture. I enjoyed listening in on their conversation at times.
I appreciate my time each Sunday when I pick up Daniel and Yang from China to bring them to Sunday class. I enjoy hearing about their studies and lives in America. It is also fun to watch them as they converse in Chinese.
Having lunch with my friends after church is one of my favorite ways to wrap up my Sunday fun. In the fall I can come home after lunch and watch football. I can also watch my favorite TV show on Sunday evenings which is Amazing Race. I love to see what country they go to each week. Fall is my favorite time of the year and Mongolian Grille is one of my favorite places to visit.
Karaoke Party with Chinese Students for Moon Festival
Saturday evening I joined some of my Chinese friends at UNL to watch their Karaoke night that was held to celebrate Moon Festival. Moon Festival was actually last week, but last night was first opportunity for them to celebrate at UNL. I am glad that my friends could have a party for Moon Festival since it is a big holiday for them in China. Holidays can be a time international students miss family and friends.
My friend Zhou Heng is on the committee for the Chinese Student Association. It was fun to watch her organize things at the Karaoke competition.
Zhou Heng
I saw my friend Yinjing at the judges table. She sang beautifully at China Night, so I expected her to sing at the competition, but she was a judge. That was probably a good thing because if she sang it would not be fair to the others
While I was at the judges table talking with Yinjing, I met one of the Professors that teaches Chinese at the Confucious Institute at UNL. I told her I wanted to learn Chinese but need baby steps Chinese. She told me they had level 0 which I think is what I need
Of course it was a Karaoke party/competition and I watched some good performances. My main interest was to see my friend Daniel. He had a lot of fun and got the crowd into it as well. There was also a young man who played guitar and sang very well.
my friend Daniel
Moon Cake is a big part of Moon Festival in China. They had Moon Cake at the party a long with sodas.
I only stayed for about an hour and a half. I wanted to drop by as a way to wish my friends Happy Moon Festival. I wanted to write about it today as a way to say Happy Moon Festival to my friends from China. I know they live far from their families and homes, so my hope is in a small way this blog today gives them some joy.
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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