Internationalmatt's Blog

This blog is about my international friends and their inspiring stories

My New Friend Patricia- Gifted Woman and Musician in Ensenada

Patty is a young woman I met on my trip to Ensenada. She is a talented young woman. She is bi-lingual speaking Spanish and English, is a recent graduate from a University in Mexico with a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, and is a gifted worship leader/musician. I thoroughly enjoyed the blessing of being in the worship service that she led. I have a short video which I wish to apologize for the recording quality due to making it with a digital camera. I do not have a video camera yet, but wanted to share this short video so you can get an idea of the energy in the church when she leads worship.

I love worshiping with my Latino friends. The worship is lively and I can see their enthusiasm. Patty and her group were in a contest in Ensenada and came in first place which was no surprise to me after having witnessed their talent and passion. I also enjoyed meeting her family. Her brother plays in the worship band and is married. He has a cute little daughter. Patty’s mom cooked for us a couple of times. The food was VERY delicious and a welcome break from camp food.

Patty's brother and niece

My secret hope is that more churches in America come to a point of having services full of life such as the services I went to in Ensenada. It would be great if we could bring Patty here to Lincoln to liven things up a little. I appreciated that she smiled as she led worship. Her love for Jesus and her passion for life showed in her music.

Patty leading worship

June 28, 2010 Posted by | Hispanic friends, International Friendships, Internationals, Mexico, Travel experiences | Leave a Comment

Ensenada Mexico- Beauty and Poverty Side by Side

I just returned from an eight day trip that took me to Ensenada Mexico in Baja California. Ensenada rests on the Pacific Ocean Coast line of Baja. It made me think of the title of Dicken’s Book “Tale of Two Cities”. That would certainly be a fitting description of Ensenada. It has beautiful beaches which are a tourist destination of cruise lines. The water of the ocean is clear blue. The weather is wonderful. It is a great place to go for a vacation.

a Cruise Ship Docked in Ensenada

A View of the Cruise Ship in Harbor from the top of one of the hills

I am not writing to be anti Cruise Ships because such Cruises bring money into the area. It has been my observation that far to often when people go to such places, they do not pay attention to or care about the plight of the people living behind the tourist trap. The tourist area is very nice. The buildings look nice. You can find a coffee shop, nice hotel, and nice little shops. If that is all you see of Ensenada, you have missed reality for the majority of those living there. Behind the tourist trap there is considerable poverty.

A Playground for children

a house in the outskirts of Ensenada

a makeshift gym outdoors complete with homemade barbell

I found Ensenada a place of beauty, but also a place of poverty and despair. Our last day we went to the beach and walked through an outdoor market. It was a fun day to end our time there, but as is the case in every place I have traveled to, I walked away with vivid memories of the poverty, the needs, and the faces of the people I met. Our group made some positive contributions in small ways which I will write about the next few days.

June 27, 2010 Posted by | Hispanic friends, International Friendships, Mexico, Travel experiences, world issues | Leave a Comment

May Day/May Flowers- Memories from Geneva Switzerland

In June 2004 I traveled to Lyon France to teach in a conversational English language camp. I enjoyed my time in Lyon and Saint Genis Laval a suburb of Lyon. One day we took the train from Lyon to Geneva Switzerland. It was a scenic train ride through Western France. Geneva is a beautiful city and definitely worth the train ride. While we were walking around Geneva, I came across a clock on the ground that was made of flowers.

We ate lunch at a sidewalk cafe on a 70 degreee day which is about 20 celsius. We all ordered hot food which caused our waitress to be concerned that we were eating hot food on a hot day. Geneva sits at the base of Mount Blanc the highest mountain in Europe. I do not think they have heat waves like we do in Nebraska. I told her that where we came from it is over 35 degrees celsius every day in the summer.

Geneva is a wonderful city to walk through. It has a lot of archetectural sites to see. Historical stes are all around the city. I even happened to see John Calvin’s chair. I was glad that I am not much of a shopper though, because as we walked around I saw the prices for Swiss watches. I hope to go back to Geneva someday and spend more time there.

May 1, 2010 Posted by | Europe, Travel experiences, Uncategorized, vacation spots | Leave a Comment

Scenes from San Antonio- The Alamo

I am staying at the River Center Marriott which is on the River Walk area in San Antonio. It is a beautiful area to walk in and today during my lunch break I went for a walk to the Alamo area. Having seen movies and read stories about the Alamo, I had always wanted to see the site of the Alamo.

What remains of it is a small portion of the original. It is a site of an epic battle between the Mexican Army and a small group of men fighting for Independence. A lot of History in the Alamo and considerable symbolism as well. Now it is simply a tourist attraction.

Before we left the Alamo, I saw a Texas Ranger. I told my colleague I wanted to get a picture and she said “you are probably not the youngest child to ask him that today”. I persevered and got the photo. I told the Ranger what she said and he laughed and told me he has had his picture taken with people older than me.

It was fun to see the Alamo, but something I was able to enjoy at the end of my walk back at the Mall was some Andean music being played on traditional instruments. I love that kind of music, so I stopped to listen to a few songs. It is a rich part of Hispanic and Native cultures. We have a group from Ecuador that comes to Lincoln occasionally and I have a few of their CDs. It was the real highlight of my walk.

After my walk, it was time to return to the conference. There were many good sessions today. This evening we had a banquet and the one who stole the show was a 8 year old Native American girl who talked about what Family Literacy means to her. She was a tough act to follow.

San Antonio is a beautiful city. I hope to return someday when I have more free time and not so busy with a conference. There is a lot of rich culture and history here.

April 13, 2010 Posted by | Hispanic friends, Travel experiences | 1 Comment

Scenes from San Antonio- Rich Hispanic Culture

Last night I went to a wonderful Mexican Cafe and Bakery in the Market Square area in San Antonio Texas. It was a night of delicious food and lively entertainment. I knew we were in for a treat when I saw a street entertainer in the Market Square before we got to the Cafe.

Street Entertainer in the Market Square

The Cafe/Bakery was a great experience. The food was delicious. The Bakery really caught my eye with all of the bright colors and vast assortment of treats. It was so popular that we had to take a number and wait for about 20 minutes before we got served but it was worth the wait.

I bought a chocolate muffin that tasted the way chocolate should taste. It was not overly sweet like most American desserts are. It was sweet but not so much so that you could not taste the chocolate. I also tried some other treats that were equally tasty. One of my Hispanic co-workers told me there is a Mexican Bakery in Lincoln just not as big. I plan to visit it when I am back in Lincoln.

While we were eating in the cafe some Mariachi Musicians came in and played music at the tables. It was lively music and a lot of fun to sit back and enjoy. One of the people in my group paid for them to come and sing to  our table which I thoroughly enjoyed. Before we left, a large group of Mariachi Musicians came in and played. They had not only the string instruments but also trumpets. The sound was awesome.

After we left the colorful lights in the Market Square grabbed my attention. Before we got back to the motel I noticed a horse drawn carriage that was lit up. It was perfect ending to a great night. Today was a full day of meetings and sessions which was the real reason I came here. I am glad I had a brief opportunity to experience some of what San Antonio has to offer before a busy conference schedule.

April 12, 2010 Posted by | food, Hispanic friends, Travel experiences | 2 Comments

Matt in Saltzburg Austria the Summer of 2004

The Summer of 2004 was my best summer so far. I taught in a Conversational English Language Camp in Lyon France in June and early July. I came back to Lincoln for three weeks and then went to Constanta Romania with the college group from my church in late July and early August. On our way back to Lincoln  from Constanta, we spent a few days n Austria. We spent most of the time in Vienna, but also took the train to Saltzburg to spend a day there.

outside an old castle in Satlzburg

Saltzburg is full of sights to take in and appreciate. There is an old castle we walked through. Saltzburg is full of historical sights to see. There is the original Von Trapp family home as in the Von Trapp family the movie the Sound of Music is about. Salltzburg is a beautiful city to see and walk through. It is nestled in the Bavarian Alps so there is breathtaking scenery to savor.

me inside the castle at an ancient canon

As you approach the castle you walk through a carnival area. There are street performers, food vendors, artists selling their creations, games to play, and various other fun activities to partake in.

me with a street performer

When traveling there are places to visit that are not part of the major tourist destinations such as Saltzburg, but experiencing such places will offer excellent opportunities to take in historic sights and experience the culture of a country. I thoroughly enjoyed my day in Saltzburg and would definitely go back if the opportunity presented itself.

April 9, 2010 Posted by | Europe, Travel experiences | Leave a Comment

Teaching English in France in the Summer of 2004

In June 204 I went to Lyon France as part of a small group to teach Conversational English for children and teenagers. I taught the teenagers and the two women taught the children. It was a wonderful experience for me to be in France which is a beautiful country and to meet some French people. I also had the opportunity to taste some delicious food while I was there such as the best chocolate mousse I have ever had.

our group for the conversational English classes

Before I went I had some concern about how we would be received because there was all of that crazy America/France stuff going on in the media. I found the people I met to be warm and friendly and the “issue” of America/France did not come up. The teens I taught were full of life and a joy to be around. They were eager to learn and entertaining to be around. We all had a good laugh when I tried to make microwave popcorn and due to  not being able to read French burned the popcorn.

me with my class and my helper

That was a great summer because I had two trips; one to France and one to Romania. I also went to Austria and Germany as part of my travels. One day we took the train to Geneva Switzerland and the scenery through France was stunning. The scenery in Lyon and Saint Genis Laval where we were was also beautiful. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in France. I also had the opportunity to meet with some men in the evenings for conversation time.

If you are wondering if you should go to France, I would say definitely go. As with anytime we travel remember to respect the culture and country you are in and you will have a good experience like I did. The scenery is great. The food is delicious. The people are warmer and more friendly than the media portrays.

April 8, 2010 Posted by | Europe, food, France, International Friendships, Internationals, Travel experiences | 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

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