First of all, I'm happy to announce that my personal coaching service is now up and running! I'm offering one on one sessions via Zoom in:
- Foreign language learning -- Whether you're enrolled in one of my courses or not, I offer guidance in what language to study, how to study any language, and specific tutoring in French, Spanish, and beginning Italian and German
- Cross-cultural dynamics and cultural preparedness -- for anyone preparing for:
- an overseas job assignment
- a missions or humanitarian trip
- simply intelligent travel and tourism!
You can read more about my coaching right here.
If you've followed me for a while, you know that my wife Becky and I had a life-changing experience in 2016, when we traveled to Greece to familiarize ourselves with the refugee crisis that had broken out, primarily as a result of the Syrian civil war. The people we met who had fled their homes, contrary to many of our preconceptions (if we're honest), were not street people. They were not freeloaders looking for a handout. They were almost all professionals who had been forced to leave their jobs and all their possessions to escape an oppressive regime in often life or death situations. We learned more from them than we could ever teach them. They showed us true hospitality to the point that we were sometimes humbled to the verge of tears.
Most of them were trying to get to Germany, where many had family members there waiting for them. We decided to follow a couple of their stories to Germany ourselves, where we met a man who remains my friend to this day. I call him Ali online to protect his identity. His niece was engaged to one of our new friends in Greece, and Ali served as interpreter when we paid them a visit in Berlin.
Ali was risking his life if he stayed in Syria; he risked his life to leave Syria. I don't have room here to tell his whole story, which he told me in an interview for my podcast. The reason he's on my list of heroes is that, in spite of the unspeakable ordeal he has been through, Ali has made the most of his circumstances. He already had a degree in English literature; now he has become fluent in German and is hoping to go to grad school once we're through the worst of this pandemic.
And do you know what his job is? (Currently on hold due to Covid) He is hospitality coordinator for a leading concert hall in Berlin, making the performers feel like the honored guests they are. How perfect. How humbling. Someone who could very well be bitter, defeated, or permanently depressed is showing the same hospitality to world class musicians and singers that he showed Becky and me in the summer of 2016.
I would love for you to listen to the interview with him when you have a few minutes. I will personally never forget it, and am grateful to still call Ali friend.
Who are your heroes? I'd love to hear from you. Just leave a comment below.