Special Guest Posting: OVERCOMING OBSTACLES

I am proud of people who have overcome obstacles. One of them is Nels Matson, who was born with a congenital heart defect (CHD). At three years old he received a surgery. It was a hard operation, and the doctors didn’t think that he would be alive, but at age five the doctors said he was healthy. Since then, Nels started doing sport activities. He wrestled for Iowa University in college. Nels was my lab teacher at UM at IMG Academies when I first met him. In the morning, when everybody just woke up and just ate breakfast, he is always fresh. In addition, he always finds something interesting for everyone. I’ve never a seen person like Nels. He is interested in everything. He has participated in many athletic events to raise money for the Children’s Heart Foundation. For instance, he completed a triathlon 70.3 miles (1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike and 13.1-mile run). Moreover, he is bicycling across America now. Nels overcame his life obstacle and showed to many people that any difficulties can be overcome, even if you are born with some problems.
by Andrii Protsiuk (Photo: Nels and his Dad on the cycling journey across the U.S.)

Nels: Bicycling Across America for the Children

We're following Nels Matson, our hero for the children, as he bicycles across America to raise awareness about congenital heart defects and funds for the Children's Heart Foundation.

http://www.athletes4heart.blogspot.com/

REMEMBERING BUCKEY

A Secret in Japan ( A Descriptive Essay by Mari Takuno)

A riyoute is the most expensive, luxurious restaurant in Japan. These restaurants are also very exclusive. They usually refuse service to customers without introduction beforehand. When I first went through the gate into a riyoute, I heard peaceful singing of birds and the soft sound of a stream. I felt I was in a special space far removed from my common life. I believe riyoute restaurants have the most beautiful Japanese cuisine, the most sophisticated service, and the most stunning surroundings.

A riyoute serves splendid Japanese food. There are eighteen dishes for each person, each with a small bite of food. These dishes are served over two hours or more. Once in the spring, when I visited a riyoute, I saw colorful food which tasted fresh, delightful, and pleasant, just as spring. I caught the soft and pleasant smell of the food such as sprouts and rape blossoms. For the season, the chef had prepared dishes in the color of spring. There were pink foods for the cherry blossom and light green food for the new bamboo. The experienced chef had collected organic vegetables from special farmers the same morning. The fish came from one particular fishing port. A good Japanese food must have a fresh aromas and seasonal colors and tastes. The chef chose the ingredients for the food carefully since the dishes are pieces of art. I enjoyed the beautiful spring cuisine.

The service also made a deep impression on me. The waitresses were all women wearing beautiful kimonos (Japanese traditional clothes), for the season. Kimonos have the season colors and tell ancient. Further, the waitresses were very gentle, kind, and quiet. When they entered our private room in the restaurant, they softly opened the sliding door and walked on their knees, not their feet, carrying the food.

A riyoute is always in a wonderful Japanese style building. There is a black tile roof, a white wall, green trees, a blue waterfall and pool, and red and yellow flowers. When I enter, I remove my shoes because no one should walk on the beautiful tatami (woven straw mat) floors. When I touch the tatami, I feel cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The restaurant is divided up into many private rooms, each decorated with a single, but perfect, ikebana (flower arrangement) with flowers from the season. For example, in fall chrysanthemums are very popular. Ikebana has to be change everyday depending on the customers. Also, people are seated on the floor in front of low wooden tables. To add to the single beauty, each plate is almost like a beautiful painting for the season. Usually, riyoute use plates made by famous ceramic potters.

A meal at a riyoute restaurant is a very special experience shared by very few Japanese people. People will remember for years the beautiful food, exclusive service, and the exquisite beauty of the restaurant.

Mari
10/03/2009

Our end of semester luncheon

Cookbook cover art by Eliska

Lunch at MTI

After our trip to State College, we walked over to the campus of the Manatee Technical Institute to have a fine dining experience at the bistro. The students at the Culinary Arts Program prepared and served us a lovely gourmet lunch. Both the food and the conversation were of exceptional quality.

A Visit to an Elementary School

We visited Wakeland Elementary School of International Studies, an International Baccalaureate elementary school in Bradenton. We mentored first graders, who were working on creating art projects with international significance. We were very impressed by the creative plans they had written for their projects. Mari wrote the students' names for them in Japanese, and they were so fascinated that they didn't want to let Mari leave. Thank you, Wakeland, for this opportunity for intercultural exchange.

A visitor who touched our hearts

Heike's friend Barbara came to visit from Munich. She joined us on field trips, and we are so happy to have met her. She is pictured here with us in the butterfly garden at Mixon's Fruit Farm, at the De Soto National Memorial, on the patio at the Ca D'Zan, and at Captain Brian's. Thanks, Barbara, for sharing these times with us.

A Visit to the Art Department at State College

Mari organized a field trip for us to visit her pottery teacher, Daniel Wolfe, who graciously welcomed us to his studio and gave us a tour of the Art Department at State College of Florida in Bradenton. We learned a lot about art in 3D. Thanks, Dan!

DEDICATION: NELS MATSON

We dedicate our blog to Nels Matson, who had the patience to teach us, all first-time bloggers, how to make a blog. Nels is a very special person with a very big heart, who dedicates his time to helping raise consciousness and money for children with congenital heart defects. He is bicycling across the United States this summer for the Children's Heart Foundation. Thank you Nels for all that you do for the children.

For more information, please go to the following sites:
www.athletes4heart.com
www.athletes4heart.blogspot.com
www.childrensheartfoundation.org
www.firstgiving.com/athletes4heart

A Trip to the Ringling Museum in Sarasota

In the courtyard


Mari and Lucie admire David...while Ivete photographs



Under the banyan tree

A local hero: Justin Matthews of Matthews Wildlife Rescue

We visited Matthews Wildlife Rescue in Bradenton. We were touched by Justin Matthews' close relationship with and deep understanding of the animals. Justin rescues and rehabilitates thousands of wild animals each year. Thank you, Justin, for all that you do for the animals.



Justin with Bandit.

Presentation about my country - Czech Republic, Lucie

Journal - The Amish

On Friday we visited an arena in Sarasota where the Amish organized a chicken BBQ. I went there with my brother and his girlfriend, because I thought that was the best way to see the Amish. It was really an interesting experience. Before we visited the chicken BBQ, we made a small trip in a neighborhood where the Amish live. We saw a lot of people there. Men wear a beard and women wear a long dress and a hat on their head. We stopped on Bahia Vista Ave. where there is an Amish shop. When you are going to drive around, stop there! They sell there some products even from Pennsylvania. There was a beautiful cake 



After this visit we went to the chicken BBQ. I think that 90 % of the people there were Amish or Mennonite. It was impossible for me to distinguish who was who. But I discovered that it is hard even for the Amish. I spoke there with some people and one woman (Amish) told me that it is impossible for her too. This woman was really interesting and she was a big surprise for me. I sat next to her when we had dinner. She was Amish from Ohio. She told me that it depends on how strong the view of their congregation is. She decided not to marry because she wants to do what she wants. She travels a lot. She has visited many European countries. So she can use a plane. She can use a zipper and she has electricity at home. So, I was really confused. It was the best experience about a religion in my life.
Lucie

Eliska and the snake at Matthews Wildlife Rescue

SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER: Hazeldean Meyers on Quilting

On February 19, 2010, Dr. Hazeldean Meyers paid us a visit with her prize winning quilt. A member of the Manatee Patchworkers Quilt Guild, Dr. Meyers appears in the photo above with her quilt that won Best of Show at the Manatee Convention Center earlier that month.

In preparation for her visit, we read "A Quilt is Something Human" from the Foxfire Books. In January we had attended the Amish-Mennonite Quilt Auction to benefit Haiti and became very interested in quilting (and in Amish-Mennonite culture as well).

During her visit, we learned so much about this traditional sewing art and how modern technology is used to expedite parts of the process. We even got to try our hand at quilting our own small pieces. Thank you, Hazeldean for sharing this special art with us.

For more photos of the prizewinning quilt and for more information about quilting, visit: http://www.manateepatchworkers.org/

Witness

We saw in Christine’s class the film Witness. It was directed by Peter Weir, whose goal seems to be to show the worst behavior from some people (urban American) in opposition to the best behavior from other people (the Amish).

Harrison Ford is John Book, a big city cop who knows too much. His only evidence: a young Amish boy, Samuel Lap, who witnessed a murder, while he was travelling with his young mother, Rachel Lap. John Book must go with them into Amish country to hiding from the killers and Book has to adjust to the new life style, and his feelings for the boy’s mother.

Weir emphasizes the way that people choose in our culture: the “bad” choose corruption, the easy way to make money, violence, and a lack of ethics, whereas the “good” have to break rules, and be violent in order to survive and maintain the state of peace. Things always seem to be twisted and out of control.

In other words, American culture, according to the director, always needs a superhero protecting the people from evil.

On the other hand, there are the Amish, a peaceful people, that know how to respect each other and their social, moral and religious rules. From the relationship between the grandfather and grandson, the film director shows how behavior is built as a cultural heritage. Everybody is a good person, everyone knows what his/her people expected from him/her. Rachel, although she had fallen in love with Book, stayed in her community. But this behavior doesn’t make her different from her people; she didn’t become a heroine.

Ivete

MEET THE 7

Hello. I'm Christine Lambert. I was born in Boston and grew up in New York. I have been teaching English as a Second Language for nearly 20 years. I love teaching because every day I learn so much from my students.





My name is Eliska Vrbkova. I’m from The Czech Rep. I came and joined to The University of Miami school in Sarasota to make new friends and have some fun with learning English.

Hello everyone. My name is Lucie Petrásová and I live in the Czech Republic. I wanted to have better English eight months ago, so I decided to leave the Czech Republic for the USA. My first plan was to stay here, in Bradenton, for four months but I love this place the school and my classmates. I have to leave the USA in 14 days and I really don’t want to. I will miss all of the magnificent minds.






My name is Ivete Santos. I'm from Sao Paulo, Brazil. I've been living in Sarasota since January with my husband and my 2 children. I came to the University of Miami in order to improve my English. Since then, I have had such a wonderful time with my 2 teachers and my 4 classmates, whom I consider as my good friends. Each one of them has taught me a little bit about her country, her life, her culture. Therefore, I am sure that I am finishing this course richer and happier than when I started it.I will miss all of you and I just have to say:" THANK YOU SO MUCH!"





















Hi, I'm Mari Takuno from Japan. I've been living in Florida for three years. I like the Bradenton-Sarasota area because it's peaceful and the nature is beautiful. The beaches, the sky, the stars and the weather are all awesome! I'm supporting Japanese people here in the area and I am introducing people here to Japanese tea, Japanese ideas about improving health and the Japanese-inspired jewelry that I make.