Follow John Di Rico on his round the world trip to train translators on Wordfast software, meet people, and raise $20,000 to purchase bednets, prevent the spread of malaria, and save lives!
Louis and I left Minneapolis for a weekend visit with my dad and his girlfriend Nan in Euless, Texas, smack in the middle of Dallas and Fort Worth. Lucky Louis got a second birthday party and cupcakes on arrival!
Cupcake down, one ice cream sundae to go
On Saturday, we went into Fort Worth for a walking tour of the city. Both Louis and I really enjoyed the beautiful water sculpture/architecture park. It’s so sad that a few years ago several people drowned in it. Fortunately, they made some changes so it isn’t as dangerous.
Chisholm Trail, Fort Worth
Please don't wear anything at all!
Water sculpture park
Afterwards, we went to a brewery event that I found out about on www.couchsurfing.org. Every Wednesday and Saturday, the Rahr and Sons Brewing Company offers a tour, three pints of beer, and a souvenir glass for $7. The place was packed! A mix of bikers, hippies, college kids, and a rocking blues band. I thought I would never find the couchsurfers but they ended up finding me! We chatted a little bit and then left for the stockyards. Thanks for inviting us and pleasure meeting you Kimmie!
My dad, contemplating his next pint
We went for a walk through the stockyards to see the infamous Texas longhorns and their cowboys. I tried to convince Louis to go for a ride on the electronic bucking bull: "No way Daddy!"
Taking the longhorns for a stroll through town
For dinner, my dad and Nan took us to their favorite Italian restaurant... owned and operated by an Albanian!
We had a lovely visit and want to thank both Nan and my dad for having us. That’s 3 more bednets for 3 more families--thanks again and see you soon in France!!!
After sending off Thomas and Co., Maria, Dave, and I met some of their friends for dinner at Mango Thai in Saint Paul. This is an excellent Thai restaurant that allows you to bring your own booze with no corking fee! I definitely recommend it if you’re in the neighborhood.
The next days, Louis and I spent at school, the pool, and playing with toys. He got his first swimming lesson at Lifetime Fitness, down the road from us. I also cruised through my book, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, which hi highly recommend if you enjoy a good cyber-punk cum S&M women’s rights crime thriller.
New Year's Celebration
On New Year’s Eve, I met up with Joe B., his girlfriend, and their friend Kat to ring in the new year in downtown Minneapolis. We were struck by fortune and misfortunate at the same time: we met at the right place but they entered another way and ended up shelling out $20 each as a cover fee. Fortunately, I went in the other way and didn’t have to pay... 2011is already shaping up to be a lucky year for me!
One night later in the week, I was showing my brother-in-law how CouchSurfing.org works and happened upon Rebekah living in Lakeville. I sent her message asking if she wanted to meet for coffee or a drink. I had a response moments later and after a few more messages, was out the door to meet up at Babe’s!
Callie and Rebekah
I really enjoyed Rebekah’s company and her keen sense of humor. Later that week, she came over to play Scrabble and I’ll never forget the word she used when she lost: I got waffle-stomped. Maria, Dave, and I had never heard it before so we looked it up. ‘Waffle-stomp’ means to utterly defeat someone or be utterly defeated (in the case of Rebekah). There is however another definition. Check out definition number one here and tell me what you think ;-)
My friend Chuck-E
On the day before Louis and I left for Texas to see my dad and Nan, my mom threw a Chuck-E Cheese birthday party for Louis and my nephew Charlie. I remember being a kid and how magical stuff like this could be. Now, it’s not so much the fun and theatrics that appeals to an adult like me but the smiles on the kids faces the entire night. Thanks Mom for the party!
I want to thank Casey, Danny, Rita, Katherine, Maria, and Dave for hosting me over the past few weeks. That’s 20 bednets to protect 20 families from malaria for the next 5 years!
‘Twas the night before Christmas Eve and Casey was hosting a massive reunion for my alma mater, Apple Valley High School. Only the brave ventured out it yet another winter blizzard. Nonetheless, it was a great turnout and I got a chance to catch up with some friends I haven’t seen since high school. One of them, Eric, just graduated from an elite Air Force fighter pilot school and is now one of the best pilots in the country. Another, Mark, got a lucky break on the el-train in Singapore and broke into the modeling and eventually the Asian TV and film industry. Liz is now a network news broadcaster. It was nice talking with Erin who recently returned from South Africa where she built a library in a rural community and hearing about Emily and Lindsey's children. Kudos to them and to everyone else, especially the young mothers!
A high school reunion party isn’t a reunion party without a little drama. Without naming any names, there are two stories to tell. But I don’t want to get in trouble, so if you really want to know, I’ll have to tell you in strict confidentiality, face-to-face :-) Thanks to Casey for hosting me and helping buy a bednet to protect a family from malaria!
On Christmas Eve, my mom and Danny had the whole family over, plus the Frenchies for an Italian seafood feast. The dish, called cioppino, originated in the San Francisco Bay area among Italian fisherman. Thanks Danny, it was delicious! Christmas day ensued, with too many presents for Louis (please don’t spoil him Santa!) and a wonderful brunch at Maria and Dave’s place.
God bless every American home
Capitol Building in Saint Paul
Hey, won't you give me S'mores!
Somewhere in between, Thomas taught us all how to play bambu, a fun card game that is actually several games in one. See the rules here if you’re looking for a great way to while away the time by a fireplace with s’mores and hot beverages.
Mickey's Diner
We still had a couple days more to visit Saint Paul and run some last minute errands before Thomas, Christelle and the kids went back to France. On Sunday, we went to Saint Paul to see the Capitol building, the cathedral, and eat in a traditional downtown restaurant, Mickey’s Diner. Christelle and Thomas also insisted on going bag to the mall for a teeth whitening session. Smile!
Before
After
Before
After
This ends the adventure with the Frenchies. On behalf of my family and me, I want to thank you again for bringing Louis with you and sharing in our family’s Christmas celebration. We all truly appreciated your presence and you are more than welcome back to Minnesota when it is warmer, with or without me!
Home sweet home... or home sweet home away from home? It’s hard to say now where I’m really from. I guess Minnesota will still be my home--away from Nice.
Hitting the slopes in the G-suit
The first thing that strikes a kiwi-tanned face with a hint of SoCal is the biting cold that chafes at your skin when you step out of the airport terminal building. Remember, this is Minnesota, the only other region in the world that records as much climactic variation as Siberia in the winter. Just one week earlier, our sports stadium, the Metrodome, imploded from the weight of snow!
But I wasn’t going to be deterred by cold weather. The very next day, I joined my good friend Casey for a late afternoon ski outing at Buck Hill. We didn’t last long: not sure if it was the cold, the call of tap beer in a warm tavern, or my inappropriate clothing for the occasion... Thanks Dave for letting me use your GS suit :-)
Later that night, I met up with Casey again in uptown to go to a house party his roommate was invited to. Minnesotans are very health conscious and aren’t particularly fond of smoking indoors. It’s quite a sight when the few sweaty smokers leave the dancefloor, get bundled up in boots, winter coat, hat and gloves, and huddle around with determination in sub-zero temps on the back porch to light up!
Casey, cute girl, and me at a house party
Translation from English to Burmese
On Tuesday, I ran a Wordfast training by the Minnesota state fair grounds and a winter snow storm set in, again. Luckily, I had an hour and a half to make it to the airport to pick up my son Louis, friend Thomas and his family (ex-wife Christelle and twin children Guillaume and Caroline).
“So how was the flight?” I asked Thomas.
“Great, Louis was really funny. When he got on the plane, he insisted on sitting next to a stranger and singing In the Jungle for a good half an hour. Luckily, his neighbor was patient and enjoying the song!” he replies.
Mall of America tourism
“What about leaving Nice, everything ok?”
“No problem, except when we got to New York. The custom’s officer looked at all of our passports and then Louis’ and was perplexed. ‘And whose child is this?’ he asked. So I explained that we were going to Minnesota and accompanying my friend’s son. The officer looked at Louis and asked, ‘Do you know these people?’ Silence. Louis didn’t say a word! Come on Louis, help us out here! He finally said, ‘Caroline’ and that seemed to satisfy the officer. Whew!”
The next couple of days, we did some traditional Minnesota tourism: Minnesota Zoo, Mall of America, Minneapolis skyways, and a puppet show. This was the first time Christelle and the kids had been to the United States so we wanted to give them a good first impression!
The Frenchies, Louis and I were being hosted by my sister Maria and her husband Dave. Everyone got along nicely, it’s hard not to laugh at Thomas’ jokes and smile when Christelle smiles at you. The kids were great too and the hosts some of the best ever. Thanks to all of you! If you want to hear Thomas’s joke about the crocolion or see the number trick, let me know the next time we meet!
Mural done by my mom Rita at her school. See the letter?
Thomas enjoying American lunch
Minnesota Zoo: Louis and cousins
Undisclosed location: whisky, guns, and cigars. God bless America!
