Internationalmatt's Blog

This blog is about my international friends and their inspiring stories

Memories from Romania- a Special Gift from my Students

a Portrait of the Casino area by the Black Sea

My first trip to Romania was in June 1997 which also happened to be my first trip to Europe. The portrait in this post is of the Casino Area by the Black Sea in Constanta Romania. One of my most treasured memories is of Sunday evenings standing at the corner of the boardwalk area close to the Casino and singing with college and high school aged students. What was significant about it was the fact that we were singing worship songs to Jesus out in the open. The reason it was poignant was that it was only 7 years after the revolution that overthrew their brutal communist dictator. Under communism there was no freedom for open expressions of faith and there I was standing with my fellow Christians- Baptist, Evangelical, Orthodox and Pentecostal- singing worship songs. Those were among the most wonderful experiences I have had in my life.

My second trip to Romania I taught a conversational English class. I spent time in the afternoons with students and taught my class in the evenings. The afternoons were marvelous opportunities to spend time with my students and learn more about them and their culture. We did things like go to the Aquarium, go to the beach, and go the Supermarket Tomis. One afternoon I went to Supermarket Tomis with two of my students Cristina and Georgina and walked around for a few hours. They kept asking me what I thought of different things in Tomis. What I did not know is that they were secretly trying to find out for my class what to give me for a gift. When I saw this portrait I told them about how special that spot along the boardwalk was to me and why. Our last evening of class my students showed up with some bread, food and wine to celebrate. They then told me they wanted to thank me for the class and presented me with this portrait. It is one of the best gifts I have ever received because of what it reminds me of and who gave it to me.

I have numerous poignant memories of Romania and hope to return someday to share time with friends and meet new ones. Until then I have my memories and know that I will see some of them again. I also have this portrait to remind of a very special place for me. It also serves as a reminder of how blessed we are in America to have freedom to worship freely.

June 17, 2011 Posted by | Education, international fashion and crafts, International Friendships, Romania, summer, Travel experiences | 2 Comments

My Favorite Christmas- Romania 2005

When people think of Christmas, we usually think of time with family, Christmas Eve Services, Holiday gatherings with friends, and shopping. As I reflect back on Christmas, the Christmas that stands out as my favorite was when I went to Romania to serve others one Christmas.

In December 2005 I went to Constanta Romania at Christmas time. My home church has partnered with a church in Constanta for several years. Their pastor and his family were in South Africa studying in a seminary, so my church sent me to Constanta to help them with their Christmas services. The trip started out a bit rough because of snow in Lincoln and Minneapolis that caused my flights to be delayed and I arrived in Romania without my luggage. The rest of the trip was wonderful.

the children practicing for their Christmas program

Once I was in Constanta, my first activity was to help with the Christmas Eve program of the children. It was a blessing to help out. I was also able to give the children some Christmas candy. Their performance was wonderful. While I was at their practice, some college students invited me to a meeting at a Baptist church. I went with them. The meeting was for all college students who wanted to come. There were students from the Baptist church, Orthodox church and Evangelical church at the meeting. On thing that was funny was that because my luggage did not arrive until the next day, I was wearing a sweatshirt with NU on it which is for Nebraska University. Nu is no in Romanian. At the meeting they asked me if I would speak, so the first thing I did was explain that my shirt did not say no.

I also preached their Christmas eve and Christmas day services. After the Christmas day service I was invited for lunch at the house of some members. We ate Sarmale and a lot of other good food. I stayed until January 1st then went to Bucharest to met with a few Chinese students at Bucharest Christian Academy. The highlight of the trip for me was spending time with the children who come from poor families to share God’s love with them and to be able to give them some holiday treats.

December 24, 2010 Posted by | children, Christmas, Holidays, Romania, Travel experiences | Leave a Comment

A Full Circle Moment for me

Last night I had a great opportunity to have dinner with my friends Andi and Alina from Romania and some friends from church. It was a moment where it seemed like life came full circle. At the dinner were people I had traveled to Romania with during my 7 trips there. Connie was there who was on three of the teams I went with. Brian was there who was on two of the teams I went with. Susan was there who was on two of the teams I went with. Several others were there who were on a team one time.

My work with internationals whether as an English Second Language teacher, helping refugees, my work at my church, helping international students etc, began with my trips to Romania. I met Andi and Alina during my first trip to Romania. I can still remember having coffee and sharing a devotional with Andi in 1997 and 1998 while I was in Constanta Romania. They were a young couple who I knew God would use, but I did not know the details. They are now pastors in Constanta Romania after having studied in a seminary in South Africa.

I have had the blessing of traveling to Romania seven times. Each trip I arrived blurry eyed after a long flight. I enjoyed each trip for different reasons. I count those trips as some of the most significant times in my life. Last night I saw Andi and Alina after they had a long trip and were blurry eyed. It is Andi’s first time in Lincoln. Andi and Alina have come a long way in their lives and I am proud of them. Life came full circle for me last night. In 1997 I was the blurry eyed one sharing with Andi about God. Last night Andi was the blurry eyed one sharing about what God has done in his life and ministry.

July 9, 2010 Posted by | Experiences of international friends, International Friendships, Internationals, Romania | Leave a Comment

Romanian Friends- Two Young Women Irina and Madalina

My first trip to Romania in 1997 I met a teenage girl that I could see was a special young lady. Irina was on summer break from school and hung out a lot with our team and around the English classes we were teaching. She spoke English which made it easy to get to know her. I always looked forward to seeing her during my subsequent trips to Constanta, so I could catch up with how she was doing.

me with Irina

Irina is a young woman now and will get married this year. She still looks like she is 2o, but I will not reveal her real age. My second trip to Romania in 1998 I met Madalina a friend of Irina. Madalina was 14 when I met her and I was impressed by her language skills. She spoke fluent English and did some translating for us. Most of our translators were teenagers or in their early twenties. It was fun to take them for ice cream and to spend time with them.

me with Madalina

Madalina is married now and has a baby girl. Irina and Madalina have both grown up. I am proud of the young women they have become. I am thankful I can keep in touch with them on facebook, so I can keep up with how they are doing. As a Christian it is wonderful how friendship transcends time and distance. They are my little sisters and will always be in my thoughts and prayers.

April 5, 2010 Posted by | International Friendships, Internationals, Romania | Leave a Comment

My good friend in Romania- Nicu

I first met Nicu during my trip to Romania in 1997. He was a young man in college at that time, but I could see his potential even then. The team I was on in 1998 was impressed by how he stepped between one of the women on our team and a dog that was growling at them. The reason that impressed us was that he had recently been bitten by a dog at that time and had to get shots. I knew he would develop into a good man.

me with Nicu

Nicu was someone we could rely on for help when we went to Romania. He would meet us at the airport in Bucharest and help us get to Constanta. One trip I got sick and needed antibiotics, so I sent Nicu because I knew I could depend on him. There was another time that we locked ourselves out of the guest apartment in Bucharest  for our church and it was Nicu who helped us get into our apartment. On one of my trips I met Roxi his then girlfriend. Nicu was about to ask her to marry him and when the group was in a store I walked by as Nicu and Roxi were looking at rings. I think I was probably the one person they did not want to see at that moment. I was happy for them and still am now that  they have 2 children.

Nicu and Roxi

Every one who travels should hope they have a dependable friend in the country they visit. I always look forward to seeing Nicu when I go to Constanta. I have not seen Nicu and Roxi since my last trip in December 2005/January 2006, but I know anytime I see them it is a blessed time for me.

April 4, 2010 Posted by | Cultural Ambassdors, International Friendships, Internationals, Romania, Travel experiences | Leave a Comment

My First English Class- Constanta Romania June 1998

My first trip to Romania in June 1997 I helped with some Conversational English Classes. That was a positive experience for me, so when I returned to Constanta in June 1998, I taught my own class. It was an incredible experience for me. I like to use humor when I teach to help reduce stress for the students. It can be stressful to learn another language. I like to help my students feel relaxed so they can learn.

my first ESL class

We taught the classes in a school in the evenings. We also spent time with the students in the afternoons. I let the students choose a place they wanted to show me in the city and had them explain the place to me in English. The first evening of class  my students kept looking at each other and were discussing something in Romanian. During the break I asked my translator what they were discussing and he told me they were asking each other “is this really a teacher?” The reason was because my teaching style was something new to them. We had a great English Camp and I learned a lot about Constanta and Romania from them.

I can still remember their names and faces. I can still remember the times we spent in the city walking around. It was a memorable time for me and was a big reason I began to do what I do now. They were my first English students. They made a lasting impression on me.

April 1, 2010 Posted by | International Friendships, Internationals, Romania, summer, Travel experiences | 2 Comments

Teaching English in Constanta Romania in 2004

In the summer of 2004 I went to Constanta Romania with some of the members of the college group at my church. It was a fun adventure for me to watch as some of my Romanian friends spent time with the people from the college group. We did several different activities such as visiting an orphanage, activities with children in the park, and spending time with our Romanian friends. One aspect of the trip that meant a lot to me was being able to teach English and sharing that experience with some of the college students from my church.

me teaching in Grace Church in Constanta Romania

I enjoyed sharing the experience with the students who joined me. I appreciated their willingness to try something new to them. They were a talented group and watching them interact with my Romanian friends gave me a lot of respect for them as they stepped out to try a variety of new activities that at times stretched them. I consider that trip as one of the highlights of my work with internationals because I had an opportunity to pass on a bit of my experience.

one of the students from the college group taking a turn to teach

Of course any trip to Romania the best part for me is to see my friends. One of those friends is Cristi. He grew up in a difficult life situation but thanks to Jesus working in his life and his determination to press on despite the challenges Cristi has been able to not only improve his life but also help others. Cristi has worked with Turkish children to help them improve their lives. He has also helped many others such as the young man in the following picture who was homeless. Cristi brought him to church and to our English classes.

me with Cristi on my left and the young man he was helping

That trip meant a lot to me because I had the opportunity to connect with my Romanian friends again. I always enjoy my time in Romania. It meant a lot to me because I also had the opportunity to pass on a bit of what I have experienced with my friends from church.

March 31, 2010 Posted by | International Friendships, Internationals, Romania, summer, Travel experiences | Leave a Comment

Roxi one of my Romanian Friends

Roxi is one of my friends in Romania. I met her on one of my trips to Romania when she was first dating Nicu her husband. She was teaching German when I last saw her during my trip to Constanta in December 2005 – January 2006. When Nicu and Roxi were dating and after they got married I always looked forward to seeing them during my trips there.

Roxi at church

When I went to Constanta in July 2002, July 2004, April 2005 and December 2005, I took Roxi and Nicu to have dinner at Aldo’s Pizza which is now closed. They both did some work with a college group and also helped with children. Roxi is quieter than Nicu but she has a strength in her personality. I also discovered during my last trip to Romania that she is a good cook. She cooked food for a New Year’s Party with some of her friends.

I have been thinking abut my friends in Romania a lot lately. I hope to have another trip there some day to see them again. Life has changed so much in Romania since my first visit there in June 1997. I want to see how my friends are doing and how life has changed there since my last visit in December 2005. Nicu and Roxi have had two babies since my last visit so I would like to see them as well.

I will never forget how on one of my trips to Romania Nicu was looking at rings with Roxi in a shopping mall in Bucharest. I think I was probably the last person they wanted to see them looking at rings. I was thrilled for them and especially for Nicu because I knew that Roxi was and is good for him. She may be quiet, but I never overlooked her.

March 18, 2010 Posted by | International Friendships, Romania, Travel experiences | 2 Comments

Sharing Christmas with my international friends- A Simple Christmas can be very Meaningful

Sharing Christmas with my international friends has helped me to understand that a Simple Celebration can be very meaningful. Sometimes it is too easy to get caught up in all the activity and shopping and lose our focus on why we celebrate Christmas. We do not celebrate Christmas to spend more than our neighbors so we can one up them. Christmas is not a competition. It is a celebration. We do not celebrate Christmas to have the perfect recipe. The first Christmas they had simple food in a stable full of animals. There are many other ways we can get caught up and too  busy.

Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of a child, but not just any child. Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of the Son of God. A time to celebrate the fact that god loved us so much that Jesus came into the world to show us God’s love. I have been reminded of this many times by celebrating Christmas with my international friends. For me the best way to celebrate Christmas is to spend time with others and show the love of God to them. That is why tomorrow I will spend some time with my Karen friends and then with my friends from Peru. A time to remember God’s love. I would like to share a few pictures with you that show simple yet profound Christmas celebrations.

My friend Roxi in Romania preparing food

My friends Cristi and Alexandra in their small apartment in Romania that was full of love

Cristi and Alendria had a friend come visit on Christmas day to share friendship

some of my young friends from Vietnam experiencing a Chirstmas program for the first time

reunion of old friends Brigitte from Belgium, Yoshio from Japan, Julia and Jochen from Germany at a Chirstmas program

Paula and Yen sharing time at a Christmas program

some of my friends seeing a Living Nativity for the first time

Carlos and Amelia at our Christmas program. It is Amelia's first Christmas in America

December 24, 2009 Posted by | Belgium, Chinese friends, Christmas, Cross Cultural, Cultural Ambassdors, Cutural Celebrations, Experiences of international friends, German friends, Hispanic friends, Holidays, International Friendships, Internationals, Peruvian Friends, Romania, Vietnamese friends, winter | Leave a Comment

Christmas memories- Friends that were happy to see snow for Christmas

Daniela and Raluca 2 of the college students who were happy to have snow in Romania

Lumi- the snow was gone but we had fun with her brother at the Sea Coast

During a cold and snowy week like this week, it can be hard to believe that anyone could be grateful for snow. My trip to Romania for Christmas in 2005 had an unforeseen event- it snowed. It snows in most of Romania but where I went it does not snow that often. Constanta is on the coast of the Black Sea, so the weather is milder there than in other parts of the country. I flew in on Saturday December 17th and t snowed the next day. Every one was happy to have snow for Christmas, the people at the church, the college students I met with, the children I shared with, all were happy to have snow for Christmas. They had not had snow for Christmas for 5 years.

If it does not warm up in the next few weeks, we will have a white Christmas which is something many Americans talk about. It means snow for Christmas. I do not understand the excitement but nevertheless it is there. For me Christmas is more about whose birthday it is, the friends I am around, and the fun we have together.

I had a poll in October about what you thought the first time you saw snow. This week’s poll is about what you think about having snow for Christmas.

December 10, 2009 Posted by | Christmas, Cross Cultural, Cultural Ambassdors, Cutural Celebrations, Experiences of international friends, Holidays, International Friendships, Romania, Travel experiences, winter | Leave a Comment

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