Happy December everyone!
Here are the first of ten reflections on things I’ve learned living overseas. During this final year of the decade, I’ll share several short stories on the small moments and experiences I’ve had over these past ten years that have touched me and taught me in profound ways.
1. There might be many more things to do in a city, but there are often more things to appreciate in a small town.
2. When you celebrate holidays abroad, there’s a good chance that you’ll need to be extremely creative and make “necessary substitutions”. This applies to almost everything, including the decorations and the food itself. But sharing your culture by giving it a local taste and feel makes for some fun and beautiful memories and a whole new tradition of your own.
3. There are many places in the world where small, family-owned shops and restaurants are the rule, not the exception.
4. In some countries when people say they’re going to ride on the bus, they really mean it (as in, on the roof of the bus).
5. There are places in the world where people will run to you for money. And you might be surprised that it’s to return the money you dropped on the ground.
6. There are places where people will declare “you’re welcome!” even though you have not thanked them. This first happened to me in Nigeria, where the director of every school or business I visited exclaimed “you’re welcome” as I approached. Not just “welcome”, but you are welcomed.
7. Sure, it’s always better to learn and speak the local language… and I’ve failed miserably on this. But there are times when language barriers are actually good things— when you probably didn’t really wanna know what that person was saying, or you actually got away with something that might not have been necessarily allowed. I call these “language barrier blessings.”
8. The phrase “When in Rome…” is actually translated into many different languages and used throughout the world, even though most of the people who say it will likely never be in Rome.
9. In most places around the world, something that is 3,000 meters (almost 10,000 feet) high is most certainly called a mountain. In Nepal they call it a “hill.”
10. As a geography teacher, I’ve always liked to tell my students that the only two significant differences between “us” and “them” are the two things that everyone has, no matter who they are or where they live: latitude and longitude.
And this is exactly why I named our website “Latitude, longitude and love.” May we all continue to love and be kind regardless of where we happen to be.
What a great start……….most of my reading is of a technical nature, I will really enjoy this.
Thanks Dad, I’m really happy to have a website to share my thoughts and hope it becomes the basis for a book someday soon. You and Mutti will be mentioned early on in my book dedication.
See you soon; happiness is being with the people you love and I am blessed with a great family and lots of outstanding friends.
Did I tell you recently you’re still my favorite father?
Hello Brian,
I am so proud of you & all that you & your beautiful family have accomplished in the past nine years. You have not only adapted to life abroad, but all of you have given of your talents & your knowledge of life in the world to make that world a much better place. Little did I realize that at the age of 22 I would give birth to such a kind & smart child, Who would grow up to be such a kind & smart adult. Thank you for bringing into our lives such happiness.,
Love Your Very Proud Mom
Thank you so much Mutti!! 💗💗 That means so much to me and you mean so much to me. I often think about our European adventure together, especially our journey through the Romantische Strasse and of course the Sound of Music tour. 😍 In many ways that study abroad experience was really the start of it all. And none of it would have really been possible without your & TT’s love an support. Can’t wait to see you again soon.
We are all looking forward to getting together.
Love Mutti
This is my favorite blog already!!!! I love “language barrier blessings.” 😂 I’ve had a few of those (and some moments I pretended not to hear because men can be disgusting anywhere and everywhere… 🙄🙄🙄😡😡😡). I love this post and can’t wait to read more, Bri Guy!!! ❤️❤️❤️
Thanks so much sweetheart!! It’s so much harder to be a woman traveling alone and after seeing a woman being harassed by a bunch of guys on a tram in Alexandria (no understanding of Arabic was necessary), my blood boiled and I realized I need to do a better job at calling out inappropriate comments, catcalls, and behaviors that threaten and demean women. I need to write about this in a future post for sure.
You do realize I’m going to be your biggest fan (next to your parents and siblings, of course)! I love that you are taking us on this adventure with you. You are opening our eyes to so much and we all need more of it. theglobaltrio are very special people and I’m so proud of all you do.
Love and hugs from your your hometown!
Thanks so much for your encouragement and love Shelli!! You inspire me as well and I think we both live with an awareness that we can do good on both local & global levels, and that the two aren’t mutually exclusive. I look forward to sharing more here and having these kinds of dialogues too. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts ❤️
Oh my gosh!!!! I love the sentiment of this article and the message is so needed in your current political and social climate. 🙏🏻😙🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
I agree Karen. We all are sending our love & wishes for a wonderful December & New Year. What is the comic book that Kai likes? I’m trying to find gifts for all of you. Love Mom
Oh! I am so sorry. I ment to say Sawyer. Please excuse me for my mental problems. Sawyer is so adorable & quite a presence all on his own. Again I apologize for my faux pas.
Love Mom
Thanks so much my first best friend!! ❤️ I’m writing a new post now about balance and I’m reflecting on so much right now including our conversations about this over the years! Love you so much.
First member of the ‘defunct’ Damakistan League of Readers to congratulate you on your blog, I’d always love to hear your perspective in our meetings and now that we are closer geographically, we should meet again bro.
Thanks so much bro, I really look forward to getting together again in 2020, we will definitely make it happen. Incidentally today is Tanzania Day at Kai’s school as a group of students from the high school are going to visit Tanzania in the coming year. As for our Damakistan League of Readers, let’s say we’re on a long-term hiatus rather than defunct. 🙂