I like to be in America...

...but I do enjoy an International experience!! 

One goal I had this year was to try to befriend the international students at my new college home and help them in any way I could.  We have about 15-18 of them that live in the dorms.

My best of intentions have not been what I had hoped for...But I have had a few good opportunities to spend a little time with some of them and am always blessed when I'm with them.  This semester there are only 2 girls (not counting a couple we have who were recruited to play sports.)  I asked them if there was something they'd like to do outside our small town and after contemplation and some negotiating, we decided on an art musuem in Dallas!  They were incredibly gracious last Sat as I did not always take the most direct route to where we were headed. :)  As my experience has been with most internationals on our soil, they were flexible and undemanding and seemed determined to just enjoy whatever was happening. 

Between 2 art musuems, we saw art from all over the world. 
The Asian art really interests me more now that I've spent time in Asia.

We had some great conversations throughout the day getting to know each other.  Both of them are thrilled at the opportunity to get their education here and while they both have clear goals they're working towards, they're open to any number of pathways that might appear before them as their future unfolds.  That's exciting to me.  The WORLD is literally - their oyster. 

Tolu from Nigeria and Rozalina from Turkmenistan have become fast friends.
They enjoyed a beautiful day outside with a healthy veggie wrap at *Jason's Deli*
while I chowed down on the club :)

If you've spent much time with me over the last 8 years, you've probably heard me say I believe everyone needs a chance to travel outside the US to broaden your view of yourself, your country, your world and your God.  I just don't think there is anything else that can have the same effect.  At times, I have been known to be a little hard on my beloved home country, specifically our pride.  Strangely enough, yesterday was a day I found myself proud of the freedoms and joys that living here can provide.

Mostly just the "little" stuff:
     *like having so many choices of  how to spend the day;
     *free to be 3 women driving around, spending our own money;
     *to have literally every cuisine to choose from to eat dinner;

Their request for food - Indian!!  Not on my normal list of choices.  My local brother helped find me a good choice and they were So happy.  It was worth the burning mouth :) (And I enjoyed it more than I expected - yea!)

*to stop on the side of the road and take pictures of the beautiful bluebonnets;

These flowers just make me happy when I see them!

        *to return to homes (or apartments or dorms) with hot running water in the shower and cold drinking water in the faucet.


The girls acknowledged that the American dream can get a little tarnished at times...but it's still out there.  The dream is why they came. 

My prayer is that as others continue to pour into our borders from all over the world - that we realize that for all we have to offer them - we have so much to gain from them, too. 

Thanks, girls.


p.s. Post title from "West Side Story" - America