Children of Krishna and Uma Balakrishnan have many questions. They are only 11 and 8 years old. So it’s relatively simple so far. Why do they go to the temple? Why do their friends go to church?

The Bloomington couple know these questions are only going to get tougher as their children grow into teenagers and young adults. They will start dating. Choose a college. Decide which career to pursue.

“Some questions we never asked our parents,” Uma said. “But we are also looking for answers. For an 11 year old and an 8 year old, I want to make sure I give at least the correct answer. But they expect clear answers. That’s a big difference in parenting.

Krishna and Uma are among the many East Indians in Bloomington-Normal who navigate life as parents and first-generation immigrants. No parent has it easy, but it takes a special blend of courage and resilience to raise children to thrive in a culture you’re learning too. Added to this level of difficulty is the desire of many Indian parents to find practical ways to keep their children connected to their Indian culture – and to ensure that they can converse with Grandma and Grandpa at 8,000 miles away.

“It is very different now,” Krishna said. “We are constantly learning with them, trying to improve and be better parents as much as they try to adapt between worlds.”

Uma added, “They are American Indians, so they see each other in both worlds. They are not in bubbles.

Krishna and Uma grew up in southern India. Their journey to Bloomington-Normal is unique to them, but also echoes the experience of many other Indians who have found a new home here.

“My parents put me on a one-way flight to a country no one had been to before,” Uma said.

They earned advanced degrees in computer engineering, and it was State Farm that brought them to Bloomington. Uma thought they would be here 6 months. They stayed for 14 years. They now own and manage the Parke Regency Hotel on the east side of Bloomington.

Krishna and Uma enjoy the quality of life here, especially the commuting. Their children can take classes and extracurricular activities, even on weeknights, while still having quality family time.

“While I was at State Farm, (Uma) would call me at night and say, ‘Hey, can I make you some tea? And by the time she makes tea, I’m home. It’s a luxury you can’t get anywhere else in the world,” Krishna said with a smile.

Krishna and Uma’s children grow up surrounded by American culture. But they’ve also invested a lot of time in making sure their kids stay connected to their Indian heritage.

They only cook Indian food at home so they are nothing new when visiting India. They celebrate all the holidays. And they went so far as to start their own non-profit language school six years ago, called Abdul Kalam Tamil Palli, helping their children and more than 80 others learn their mother tongue (Tamil).

Language

Normal’s Jay Tummala said the language was a big consideration for his family.

Before going to school for the first time, many children of Indian origin in Bloomington-Normal speak their family’s native language at home, Tummala said. For his family, it is Telugu.

“Once they start going to preschool and kindergarten, there’s your identity crisis,” Tummala said. “Because when you go to school, everything is in English. And when you come home and try to be 100% in your native language, it’s going to be very confusing for a lot of kids. And most children will automatically switch to English and their families will give it up too.

But it is a problem if there are grandparents in India who want to get to know their grandchildren. It’s expensive and time-consuming to bring your whole family back to India for visits, Tummala said. So that makes phone calls and now video calls important, he said.

“Our family has been there. That’s when we noticed…oh my god, the kids are not able to communicate properly with the grandparents because of the language difference,” Tummala said.

So, about 10 years ago, Tummala helped start a language school for Telugu.

“Unfortunately, not all languages ​​have this opportunity (in Bloomington-Normal). Only a few have it, and we are lucky to have it. And I feel like it helps them at least be able to communicate with their extended family back home,” said Tummala, whose two children are now in middle school and high school.

The rapid growth of Indians in McLean County around 2000 facilitated those cultural ties, said Archana Shekara of Bloomington, whose children were born in the late 1990s.

“There was a sea of ​​Indians in this town. And it was to our advantage. All of a sudden, we felt noticed. We felt like, yes, the community was growing. And there were so many opportunities for my children to learn about our culture, our traditions, our music,” she said.

Her daughter spent years learning Indian dance. His son took a real interest in Indian classical music.

“This is how we keep our cultural traditions,” Shekara said. “It’s so important for kids today to understand who they are and feel good about themselves. Because there are fights. I saw my own kids struggle in elementary school and middle school. It was then that they discovered colorism and sought a community within the school. And it was hard for them. »

Shekara was still learning about American culture herself when, at age 25, she became a mother.

“It was very difficult,” she said. “It was like, how do you trust? How confident are you to send your child to a sleepover? Because that kind of culture didn’t exist when I was growing up. How do you let your child go to someone else’s house – who you really don’t know who they are – and have a slumber party? … My children would say, ‘Everybody does that, and we don’t!’ »

Parenting Styles

Mustafa Jawadwala from Bloomington half-jokingly wishes there was an official parenting manual. Her children are 8 and 3 years old. And like the children of Krishna and Uma, Mustafa asks a lot of questions.

“I think that’s the age we’re in: kids are much more analytical. They don’t hesitate. They will ask you questions. And then it makes you think about how you respond to them. A lot of things have changed,” Mustafa said. “(Being a parent is) a very personal experience. I know they say you should learn from the experience of others. But this one is, like, so personal that it gets really hard.

Mustafa grew up in Mumbai and came to Bloomington 11 years ago. He works in information technology – a life his own parents played a key role in shaping.

“A lot of the decisions that were (made) for me were because my parents thought it might work well for me. And that’s how I am who I am today. A lot of what I am educationally is an investment, a decision, a conscious effort on the part of my parents,” Mustafa said.

WGLT asked Indian parents, like Mustafa, what influence they want to have on the career paths of their own children. Indians are among the most educated groups in the United States, with 75% of those 25 and older having earned a bachelor’s degree or higher, according to the Pew Research Center. It’s only 33% for all Americans.

“For me, a lot of decisions were made based on my parents. I would definitely like to provide the support system for my children, but at the end of the day I want them to choose what makes life more fulfilling or what makes them happy,” Mustafa said.

Archana Shekara, mother of two young adults, knows this question well. When she was younger, she felt pressure from her father. First, he told her she would be a housewife. When she insisted on going to work, her options were limited: she could be a doctor, or a teacher, or take the civil service exams.

Archana came to the United States and, with the support of her husband, found and pursued her passion: art. When she came to Bloomington-Normal and was working in graphic design, she didn’t feel her work was respected within the Indian community here. But that changed once she got a job at Illinois State University, where she’s now an associate professor of graphic design.

“Because academia is considered super respected. It is a highly respected profession,” she said.

Her experience – and all that time spent with students – shapes her approach with her own children. Her son was recently deciding when to pursue higher education. Archana advised him to take a few years off from school – “go get a job, do something else. Don’t study.

“He came back to me and said, ‘I’m so surprised you’re saying that, mum. Being an Indian parent, I thought you were going to say go straight to medical school and finish and don’t lose your time. And I was like, ‘You know what: life is not a checkbox,'” Archana said. “I went to graduate school at 36. You can do the same. Its good. We do not care. No one is evaluating you.

Krishna and Uma’s children are young, but they feel a similar attraction.

One day, their 11-year-old daughter approached them – almost in tears – and told them they were holding her.

“It kind of broke our hearts,” Krishna said. “We said, ‘What are you talking about? We give you everything you want. You are well cared for. How are we holding you back?'”

Their daughter was looking for independence. So they let her choose her own activities outside of school. She chose singing and gymnastics.

“We understood that it was his passion. And we saw that when we sent her to class we wanted her to go, that passion was not there. I feel like we give them that independence to choose: OK, if that’s your passion and your path, we want to show them that everything has consequences and that you have to work hard and you can be the best at whatever you want make.

It’s kind of a blend of their two cultures, Uma said: High expectations in pursuit of your passion.

“We can survive thousands of miles from home because we understand the importance of education and how things are done in different parts of the world,” Krishna said. “You can only get that through education. I don’t see any other skill that can fill this gap.

Morgan Sindall Construction is expected to begin work on the school in May 2022, with the school due to open in September 2023.

The school will be located on the site of the former Pembroke School in Bush Hill, near Henry Tudor School.

Rob Williams, Regional Director of Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “We are extremely proud to be playing a part in building a school that will support Welsh language education.

“We will work together with the council and the Welsh Government to deliver a school that reflects the need for state-of-the-art educational facilities in the 21st century.

“Having worked extensively across the region on educational institutions, we know how important schools are when it comes to nurturing and inspiring young people and helping cities and towns stay vibrant. .”

Pembrokeshire County Council Cabinet Member for Education and Lifelong Learning, Cllr Guy Woodham, said: “We are really delighted that this project is progressing and has been granted planning approval.

“This is great news for Pembroke and the surrounding area and will go a long way towards expanding Welsh language teaching locally.”

“In 2023, we hope to open Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Penfro, replacing the double flow supply at Ysgol Gelli Aur.”

Cllr Cris Tomos, Cabinet Member for Environment and Welsh Language, added: ‘Children educated in Welsh in primary school have a wonderful life skill – the ability to communicate in two languages ​​– as well as the enjoyment of a whole Welsh-speaking world. culture and great career opportunities when they are older.

“It’s a great gift and I’m delighted with the progress made.”

Morgan Sindall Construction is also currently working on the £48.7million Haverfordwest High VC School in Prendergast, which is due for completion in the summer of 2022.

The high school will accommodate 1,500 students aged 11 to 16, as well as 250 sixth-grade students.

BARRETT Frederick Taylor Barrett December 12, 1927 – February 20, 2022 Col. Frederick Taylor Barrett, U.S. Army (Ret.) of Arlington, Virginia passed away peacefully on Sunday, February 20, 2022. He was 94 years old. Born in Long Island, New York, he joined the military at age 17, requiring parental consent. When his mother refused to sign the age waiver, he convinced his older sister to sign his mother’s name, thus launching his 33-year military career. He began his military life in basic training in 1945 as World War II drew to a close. He then served in the Korean War and the Vietnam War. In 1946, he was promoted to second lieutenant in the Army Signal Corps. From 1946 to 1950 he served in the occupation army, Yokohama/Tokyo Japan where he met Gladys Saleeby. In 1949, Gladys was working as a missionary for the Episcopal Church in Shanghai, China. She was evacuated to Tokyo, Japan, after the Chinese communist takeover. Although they lived two blocks from each other in Brooklyn, NY, and attended the same high school, they never spoke to each other other than the occasional hello. It was a chance meeting in an American cafeteria in Tokyo, Japan that started their romance and 70-year marriage. His career highlights include 1951-1952 he attended the US Army Language School in Monterey, California for Korean. From 1952 to 1953, he served as a Regimental Prisoner of War Interrogator, 25th Infantry Division in Korea. 1953-1955 Special Agent, 441st CIC Detachment, Japan 1955-1956 Student, US Army Intelligence School, Fort Holabird, MD 1956-1959 Staff Officer, HQ. US CONARC, Fort Monroe, VA 1959-1960 Student, US Army Security Agency School, Fort Devens, MA 1960-1961 S2, US Army Security Agency, Hawaii 1961-1962 US Army Element, Joint Support Group, Seoul, Korea 1962-1966 Counterintelligence Staff Officer, OACSI, DA, Washington, DC 1966-1968 Commander, Collection Detachment, 502d MI Bn., Seoul, Korea 1968-1969 G2, 1st Cavalry Division, Vietnam 1969-1972 Commander , 116th MI Group/Director of Operations, USAFAC, Washington, DC 1972-1973 Student, Department of State, Foreign Service Language Institute, for Turkish 1973-1976 U.S. Army Attaché/Defense Attaché, U.S. Embassy United, Ankara, Turkey 1976-1979 Commander, US Task Group, Fort Meade, MD During his 33 year career in the military, he received numerous medals, decorations, citations and commendations. Most notable are the Bronze Star, World War II Victory Medal, Legion of Merit, Air Force Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Korean Service Medal, Vietnam service and many more. In addition to his military decorations, he was fluent in Korean and Turkish. His military career was followed by 12 years as a regional security manager for Mobile Oil. His work at Mobil included time in London where he traveled extensively overseeing Mobil Oil’s security in Africa, Turkey and the North Sea. He and Gladys returned to the United States where they lived in Dallas, Texas for six years. When Mobil Oil moved its headquarters to Fairfax, Virginia, they moved back to their Arlington home until he retired from Mobil. After his retirement, Fred always had the desire to be of service. At the end of the Balkan Wars, he volunteered as an international election observer for several of the newly formed countries that were once part of the Republic of Yugoslavia. His other volunteer services included work at the National Archives, volunteering for Arlington County elections, and assistant treasurer of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. He remained active for many years and played tennis until his 80s. Between deployments, career obligations and raising a family, he continued his college education. He received his BA in Political Science from George Washington University (1964) and his MSc. in Business Administration from George Washington University (1972). Although the army was his life, he was proudest of his immediate family. He and Gladys had four children whom they raised in various army positions and overseas postings throughout his career. He is survived by his wife Gladys Saleeby Barrett, his children Alice, (Brendan), Kathryn, (Craig), Gale, Fred, (Denise), five grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews . A funeral service will be held Saturday, February 26, at 11 a.m., at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 2609 N. Glebe Rd., Arlington, VA 22207. A service with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Fisher House Foundation and Army Emergency Relief. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Fisher House Foundation and Army Emergency Relief.

Published by the Washington Post on February 24, 2022.

There’s a little-known former military base in the South Underground that helped America win World War II.

Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, anti-Japanese sentiment prompted President Franklin D. Roosevelt to set up Japanese internment camps in seven western states, which included Native Americans Japanese who volunteered at the US Military Intelligence Language School in San Francisco. The school and the volunteers had to leave the so-called “exclusion zone”.

Minnesota Governor Harold Stassen offered 132 acres of land to Savage to house the school. In 1942 Camp Savage was established.

“They approached a number of states, but it was Minnesota that ended up agreeing,” said Heather Hoagland, executive director of the Scott County Historical Society. “It was an incredibly intensive language learning program.”

The purpose of the school was for volunteers to teach the Japanese language to military personnel. This skill could then be used to interrogate POWs, translate captured documents, and aid in the American war effort. A total of 6,000 students graduated from the school before it moved to Fort Snelling in 1944.

“After the war, American military officers said that these students’ work at the language school may have shortened the war in the Pacific theater by two years,” Hoagland said.

Along Route 13, an American flag and plaque now mark the former location of Camp Savage.

Tuesday, February 15, 2022

Pontarelli-Marino Funeral Home

Dante Giorgio Ionata, 85, of North Providence died February 13, 2022. He was the son of the late John Ionata and the late Giulia (Pilla) Ionata.

He is a graduate of Classical High School and Brown University. He was an avid reader, a lover of the theater and the Philharmonic, and a lifelong student of the US government.

After graduating from Brown in 1959, he enlisted in the army. He attended Army Language School in Monterey, California, where he learned Cantonese. He served in Korea and Vietnam from 1960 to 1964, working with Army Intelligence.

He was a reporter for the Providence Journal and the Evening Bulletin from 1967 to 1973, specializing in inner city issues, public housing, urban renewal and marine fishing.

In 1973, he became press secretary and principal speechwriter to U.S. Senator John O. Pastore, for whom he worked until Senator Pastore’s term ended in 1976.

From 1977 to 1980, he served as Director of Capacity and Energy Management for Governor J. Joseph Garrahy of Rhode Island. From 1980, he served as Senior Policy Associate to the Governor. In 1984, he was appointed project manager at the Rhode Island Solid Waste Management Corporation, where he was instrumental in establishing a recycling program for the state. He then served as a consultant for the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation.

He was vice president, president and later a director of the Wood Pawcatuck Watershed Association. After retiring in 2002, he focused on his hobbies: travel, his garden, running a vineyard in Hope Valley, RI, with longtime friends, and cooking. He was happiest in the kitchen, cooking for two or twenty. He loved his biannual fishing trips to Vermont. He loved being with his three daughters and three grandchildren.

He was married for 55 years to Angela (Bergantini) Ionata. They were both Rhode Islanders, both Italian Americans, both Democrats, and both NY Yankee fans. Together they raise their daughters and love to travel, work in the vineyard and host dinner parties.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Angela; three daughters, Victoria Green (Vincent) of Florida, Catherine Ionata (Fernando Salazar) of New Jersey and Laura Ionata of New York; three grandchildren, Dante and August Green and Liliana Eden Salazar; and a sister, Bernice (Ionata) Petracca of Providence. He was predeceased by his brother, John Ionata.

Visitation will be Thursday from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and funeral Friday 9:00 a.m. at Pontarelli-Marino Funeral Home, 971 Branch Ave, Providence followed by a Christian Burial Mass at 10:00 a.m. at St. Raymond Church, 1240 North Main St, Providence. Burial with military honors will follow at St. Ann’s Cemetery, Cranston. The family asks that you please wear a mask for all indoor services.

In lieu of flowers, please send a gift to Food for the Poor or the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Brooks Wrampelmeier

1934-2022

Brooks Wrampelmeier of Washington, DC died at home on February 9, 2022 at the age of 87 after a short illness. He is survived by his beloved wife of 63 years, Ann Dartsch Wrampelmeier; daughter Susan Atkinson (Robert) and sons Peter and Christopher (Hortencia); his four grandchildren, Claire Atkinson, Cole, Claudia and Holly Wrampelmeier; his brother Kent Wrampelmeier (Linda); his brother-in-law Floyd White and numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents and sister Holly White.

He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on September 27, 1934, and soon moved to nearby Wyoming where he grew up and attended high school. He graduated from Princeton University magna cum laude in 1956 with a BA in Near Eastern Studies, after spending his freshman year at the American University of Beirut. He then earned a master’s degree in international public policy from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in 1977.

He joined the US Foreign Service and moved to Washington, D.C. in 1956 where he met his wife on a blind date and they were later married in May 1958. His diplomatic career spanned focused on the Middle East, alternating between assignments in Washington and abroad. After attending the FSI Arabic language school in Lebanon, his overseas diplomatic assignments included Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Zambia, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. His final posting was as Consul General in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, after which he retired in September 1989. Upon retirement, he continued to work part-time for the State Department assisting with requests for the Freedom of Information Act.

Brooks was kind, generous, and caring with a wonderful, self-deprecating sense of humor. He was unfailingly polite to everyone he met and many remember him fondly. He loved reading, crosswords, genealogy and classical music. He also served his DC community for many years as an election worker and later as a precinct captain.

A memorial service will be announced and held later in the spring. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA), Bread for the City, or a food bank of your choice.

CHICO — Nearly 100-year-old Freda Thorlaksson doesn’t think living to nearly 100 is a big deal, but her daughter Brooks Thorlaksson begs her to disagree.

“Our mother has always been very focused and task-oriented, so it’s no surprise that she’s thrived at every stage of her remarkable 100 years,” Brooks Thorlaksson said. “She’s had a life full of ups and downs, joys and sadness, and she’s still going.”

Freda Thorlaksson grew up in Newton, Iowa. She said she was a sickly child and had been hospitalized several times. She suffered from asthma, and at that time one of the ways to treat it was to use home remedies, such as hot and cold compresses applied to the chest. Asthma continued to plague her in high school.

“One of my teachers was very nice and offered my mother the opportunity to go to Boulder, Colorado with her family. He was going to take summer courses in college and we knew that Boulder had a very dry climate. “I spent the summer with them and never had asthma. With my mother’s agreement, he found me a place to live in a good boarding house,” Thorlaksson said.

It was in Colorado that Thorlakkson met her future husband, Steingrimur Octavius ​​Thorlaksson, Jr., who passed through Tavie. Her husband was Icelandic and Norwegian. His son is named Steingrimur Octavius ​​Thorlaksson III, but goes by Thor.

Thorlaksson’s mother made and sold pies, cakes and cookies from her home kitchen over a wood-burning stove.

“I can still see her opening the oven to decide if it was the right temperature to bake. When I was in high school, I often delivered the pies that were ready. Each 9-inch pie my mom got 25 cents and the restaurant cut into five pieces and sold 10 cents each,” Thorlaksson said.

“During the Depression, when the soles of my shoes wore out, my dad would cut up pieces of cardboard to put in the shoes,” Thorlakkson said.

Thorlaksson gave birth to her first child in Boulder. She and her husband had three children together. One of his daughters, Carol, lives in Reno, his daughter Brooks lives in Chico, and his son, Thor, lives in Adin, north of Redding. Thorlakkson and her husband were married in January 1943, and Brooks was born in December of the same year. Her second child was born in 1947 and her son was born in 1953.

During World War II, Thorlakkson lived in Colorado. Her husband had moved there to attend Japanese language school. He was born and raised in Japan. They married in Colorado and lived with her husband’s parents in Berkeley. Her husband was sent to Japan. Thorlaksson said he was fluent in Japanese. He returned after the war ended.

The couple remained in Berkeley, and Steingrimur Thorlaksson went to school at UC Berkeley. He was a violinist. After that, they moved to the town of McArthur in Shasta County, where he worked as a music teacher for 35 years. He also taught typing and shorthand. He died in 2011. The Thorlakssons were married for 67 years.

Thorlaksson served in the all-volunteer PTA for 25 years. “There were so many things we did at PTA,” she said. “I had opportunities that I wouldn’t have had if I hadn’t served in the PTA.”

“My involvement with the PTA has been a wonderful part of my life,” Thorlaksson said. “I learned so much from the PTA.”

She became Vice President of Education for Public Welfare. Thorlaksson traveled to Japan with her colleague Wilson Riles, the California State Superintendent of Schools. They studied the education system in Japan for three weeks.

“We are looking at the education system and how it relates to ours,” Thorlaksson said. She said that in the American PTA the members were female, but in Japan the members were male.

“The men took over and did the job,” she said. “It was so interesting as a team to go there. We learned how Japanese culture is very different from American culture.

Riles asked her to come up with a sex education plan for schools. He asked the PTA to take over. A journalist from San Francisco wrote an article about the PTA’s support of sex education in schools.

“In my opinion, women started working and the PTA was the first women’s liberation group. Women joined the PTA to get away from home,” Thorlaksson said.

Thorlakkson was president of the PTA from 1979 to 1981. She then served as a consultant. She was involved in the national PTA.

Thorlakkson threw the baseball in a Dodgers game after the team asked the PTA president to come.

Thorlaksson moved to Chico in 1980. When she moved here, she got involved with Weight Watchers. Thorlakkson lost 10 pounds and received a lifetime membership. He was asked to work for the organization as a receptionist. She worked for Weight Watchers until she was 90. She still has close friends in the local organization.

“They’ve been so good to me,” Thorlaksson said. “We always go out for the wine.”

“I felt like I was helping them,” Thorlaksson said of Weight Watcher customers. She likes that Weight Watchers now focuses more on health.

Thorlaksson took evening classes and attended the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. Her daughter started a reading course for Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.

“When I got to Chico, everything was there,” she said. “My husband retired and we decided to leave the remote and rural area for Chico. We were like kids in a candy store when we moved. There were so many shops to visit and we enjoyed everything the university had to offer. They had just hired Yokohama to build the organ. Since my husband spoke Japanese, he became an active friend and volunteer.

Thorlaksson’s 100th birthday is February 7. Brooks Thorlaksson planned a big party, but when a few guests came with COVID-19, they decided to postpone it.

The secret to Freda Thorlaksson’s longevity is – well, she has no idea. She trains every day and takes a line dancing class. She said she likes to be involved and eats right. She is curious and interested in many things.

“I’m surprised my kids are thrilled that I’m turning 100,” Thorlaksson said. “I’m very lucky, my children support me so much. They are as sweet as they can be. We talk or text every day. ”

His children come regularly on vacation.

Thorlakkson received a nice surprise in the mail in 2004. Thorlaksson had written Maria Shriver a note regarding her story about caring for her father, who had Alzheimer’s disease. Shriver wrote Thorlaksson and sent him a copy of his book.

“I told her my husband had Alzheimer’s disease and cared for him for 13 years. I know she had a hard time with him. (Arnold) Schwarzenegger was governor at the time,” Thorlaksson said. “He had Alzheimer’s disease and when I learned that Maria had written a children’s book about her father who had it, I wrote him a letter saying how important the book would be for the children. I was so surprised when she sent me the book and the letter.

ROCKLAND — Penobscot Bay Language School, a nonprofit organization based in Midcoast Maine, kicks off its 2022 Cultural Dinner Series with an authentic Italian meal and a discussion about the current state — and hopeful future — of the global tourism economy.

Dinner will begin at 5:30 p.m. on February 10, 2022 at PBLS’ Rockland location. The event was originally scheduled for January 20.

The event features Bianca Corti from Florence, Italy.

The four-course meal includes authentic Tuscan cuisine and a regional (Italian) wine paired with the meal. The event also includes a discussion on the changing economics of tourism (near and far) and what the future of cross-cultural tourism looks like in a world aware of COVID-19.

Visit www.pebobscot.us (under the Cultural Events tab) to make reservations online or call (207) 594-1084 for more information.

The current global pandemic has decimated tourism economies around the world over the past two years with massive labor shortages, restrictions on international travel, global politics and many other challenges. How to reinvent a sustainable global tourism economy that can survive the uncertainties of the future? With Maine’s tourism industry tightly tied to the global tourism economy through several canceled — or severely curtailed — international work visa programs during the pandemic, many small businesses have endured more than just the loss of customers due to the pandemic, but the manpower needed to serve the smallest of the visitor crowds over the past two years. Join Penobscot Bay Language School as we explore how local and global tourist markets are surviving the current crisis, and look to the future with new ideas – and enjoy a delicious meal based on the culinary traditions of Tuscany.

Founded in 1986 as a non-profit language school and cultural exchange center, Penobscot Bay Language School has served over 6,000 locals and over 500 international students of all ages with language instruction and cultural programs. More than three decades later, we continue to promote our mission: to develop and provide opportunities for people in Midcoast Maine and around the world to explore our shared experience on Earth through the study and celebration of language and culture.

” Previous

Following ”

One look at Halifax, and Samara Burton, an undergraduate student in Applied Computer Science at Dalhousie University, already knew she would feel right at home.

“I was born on the Caribbean island of Dominica. Halifax appealed to me as a city, because being on the waterfront always felt a little closer to home! she enthuses .

Halifax – located in the province of Nova Scotia – has one of the largest and deepest natural ice-free harbors in the world, making it an important port city, much like the maritime paradises of Dominica. No wonder Burton feels comfortable there.

Genny Andrea Centeno Metri, who holds a master’s degree in applied computer science from Mexico, agrees, having previously attended language school in Toronto.

“I completely fell in love with Canada and its people. It has always been my goal to move abroad, so this experience put Canada as my first country to consider,” Metri shares.

With this singular goal, Metri set out to find a Canadian university that had a scholarship agreement with Mexico. This search led her to Dalhousie University, and the rest is history.

“I chose Dalhousie because it offered me the best of both worlds: an excellent university with a very interesting program and a beautiful city to live in and explore. Academically, I was amazed by the programs and research conducted in the computer science department,” says Metri.

Burton has a similar reason: “I chose computer science at Dalhousie because I knew I was interested in programming, but I was also interested in the ways technology can be used to improve people’s lives. . The Bachelor of Applied Computer Science allowed me to sharpen my computer skills with a focus on their real-world applications. »

Students of the Faculty of Computer Science can pursue innovative undergraduate and graduate programs. Source: Dalhousie University

Both degrees – offered at the Faculty of Computer Science – are flexible and multidisciplinary, allowing students to tailor their programs according to their personal and professional interests. In fact, such diverse research strengths in different disciplines – ranging from artificial intelligence to ocean data analytics – make this particular department the premier academic research institution in information technology in Atlantic Canada. .

At the same time, with many world-renowned researchers working in labs, studios, and respective fields, it’s no surprise that Dalhousie is Atlantic Canada’s leading research-intensive university. Dalhousie is also a member of the famous U15 group of Canadian research universities; this entire group holds no less than 81% of Canadian university patents.

Yet despite all this prestige, Dalhousie remains accessible to its students thanks to its affable faculty and staff. Metri believes that without the support of teaching assistants, professors, graduate advisors and the program director, she could not have come this far.

“It was my first time living abroad and on my own, so it was a big challenge,” says Metri, adding gratefully that the program director, the Faculty of Graduate Studies and the Department of student accounts have been a great help when she has experienced financial complications. .

Dalhousie University provides an excellent learning environment for its computer science students. Source: Dalhousie University

For this reason, in addition to award-winning professors and an impressive 12th overall ranking among Canadian universities (QS World University Rankings), more than 20,000 students are proud to call Dalhousie home. Nearly a quarter are international, hailing from 115 countries – a strong indication of Dalhousie’s reputation around the world.

Keeping classes interesting and innovative is another thing Dalhousie excels at. For Metri and Burton, what stands out the most is the practical application of the concepts learned in their courses.

“I really liked the communication skills course. The professor was amazing and had a great way of giving his lectures. The biggest takeaway, which is a skill I still use today, is written communication. The course really helped me improve my written communication skills to work on my cover letters, CVs, presentations, as well as technical and professional documents, among others,” recalls Metri.

As for Burton, she took a fourth-year course in web-centric computing.

“I build web apps as part of my current job and several of the individual concepts were helpful, such as security testing websites, but it also helped show how the different aspects work together to build a great app Web,” she notes.

Experiential learning opportunities—internships and co-ops—add more value to Dalhousie degrees. Burton undertook three co-op terms. For Metri, his internship at Jazz Aviation is one of his best memories.

“I had a great time working there. I learned a lot and had a lot of fun. I’m actually still friends with some of my colleagues to this day. I will always be grateful for how the team welcomed me into the group and the company,” she says.

When all of these elements – support staff, innovative education and immersive experiences – are combined, they produce well-rounded graduates ready to meet the challenges of the world.

Metri sums up her experience best: “Today I am back in Halifax, a city close to my heart, I have good friends and a job that I love to do.

If you are interested in pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in computer science, consider Dalhousie University.

Follow Computing at Dalhousie University on Facebook, instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn