We often hear people talking, mainly complaining that “Bad things happen in clusters.”. I can channel that because I have had to cope with many tough situations in the past two years. However, I don’t want to consider those necessarily bad, because I know from experience that if you want, you can become a stronger person out of all those miseries. And, that, is one of the best thing I have experienced.
So let’s just say its opposite proposition is true as well. “Good things happen in clusters too.” In the last two weeks of October, a series of good things happened in Pittsburgh’s internationals community, and I was lucky enough to be part of many of them. Shortly after the Worldquest trivia competition on the 21st, +GlobalPittsburgh had its annual International Culture Festival event at Doubletree, 1 Bigelow Square, downtown on the 24th. It’s during this event, I met Mr. Bill Flanagan, whose buy-in served as a direct catalyst for this blog moving from an idea to an action and ultimately a blog on the web.
Also during this event, I met two lovely professors, Heidie and Larry Hutchinson. Heidie came from the Middle East 30 some years ago to Pittsburgh, fell in love with the City, and has stayed on ever since. She was so infectious with her character that I was just drawn to her, as a daughter was drawn to her mother. Guess what? Two weeks after our initial meeting, we bumped into each other in a HandsOn Tech training workshop in Google’s facility at Bakery Square!
Then Carlton Ketchum also at our table for the evening shared his many stories hosting international visitors in his house. One memorable event was that he spent $100 on getting the Vantage Grand Prix car rides for several international youth visitors and he thought that’s one of his best spent $100 dollars. Love to hear stories like this: each citizen here in Pittsburgh is a diplomat for our city!
I remember Bill Flanagan pointed out the "U-haul" Index in one of his monthly email addresses, I was thrilled to know that I contributed to the increase of Pittsburgh's population in 2011. When I became a member of GlobalPittsburgh worked on a proposal with Tom Buell and Nadya Kessler, and attended many joyful and meaningful events GlobalPittsburgh organized, I was even more thrilled because I knew that I had come to the right place.
At the Cultural Festival, a room full of people from different nationalities brought in a vivid atmosphere that speaks itself for the essence of Pittsburgh's personality. Yes, it's about diversity, curiosity, respect, responsibility, citizen diplomacy through each handshake, and making this city a welcoming home for those who are looking for one in Pittsburgh.
A wonderful and meaningful experience. Many thanks.
Beer winning trivia @GlobalPittsburgh
1. It’s established in 1959, as a member of Washington, DC-based National Council for International Vistors, GlobalPittsburgh (formerly the Pittsburgh Council for International Visitors) is the U.S. Sate Department’s designated regional service provider for the International Visitor Leadership Program and other government-sponsored international exchange programs. As of 2013, it has a network of over 500 members, volunteers, and citizen diplomats who ensure that visitors’ time in the Greater Pittsburgh region has bilateral impact.
It currently has four major programs: International Leaders--Hosting overseas delegations; GlobalPittsburgh CONNECT--Serving international professionals, researchers, and student; Study Pittsburgh--Attracting & Engaging international students; and Business Link-- Serving regional corporations & international executives.
Your ID @ International Annual Cultural Festival
No comments:
Post a Comment