Get Out of the Country! Broaden and Enrich Your Education!

Matilda asks, “Grandpa, what is your all-time favorite place to travel to?”

Dear Matilda:

You ask an interesting question, the same question that I had when I was your age. What places do I hope to see someday? The many books that I read growing up sparked images of western pioneers in the plains, forests, and mountains; Yankee Stadium and Wrigley Field; Alaska; Charles Dickens’ London. I wanted to someday visit all these sites.

I had thought that my life would be complete once I had matched my early imagination to the reality of the destination. I wasn’t disappointed but I later understood that the destination failed to become a complete picture.

I can say that my favorite travel destinations turned out to be Ireland, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines not strictly because of their beauty, but because of the people. My association and friendship with the Irish, the Puerto Ricans, and Filipinos became the dominant feature in these places. My many visits with them in their homelands weren’t temporary; the friendships have extended past our brief visits to the current day.

Please think about this in your future travels. Scenic pictures will serve as reminders of landmarks and historic sites, but your lasting memories will be enriched if you can spend your valuable time by being with the inhabitants. Talk with strangers when possible, because when you meet them they won’t be strangers. They make it real and unforgettable. If you have to be on a tour bus (my nightmare), wander around by yourself when you can. 

Let’s start with Ireland

Our intent on going to Ireland was to begin the search for ancestors and their descendants. My sister, my brother, and I had this longing to visit the village where our Irish ancestors left back in 1853. We had some basic information but weren’t sure if we could find any distant cousins. Along with our spouses, we made our first journey in 1988. Our quest came up empty, but we did find a few leads that turned out to be successful a few years later.

I made the trek to Ireland many times over the years and never got tired of the beauty of the land and the genuine kinship that I felt with the people, especially those whose lineage we had in common. Cousins Eileen, Mary, Oliver, Margaret, Noreen, Paul, Sean, Rory, and Tom plus many others seemed as pleased to meet me as I was to meet them. Our relationships continue to current times.

Of course, I met other Irish with whom friendships have continued, especially with Pat Leamy and Kathleen Fanning. It was Patrick who identified a genealogist who tracked our ancestors. Over the years, Pat and Kathleen have visited Denver and we continue our conversations on social media.

Puerto Rico

Although my Spanish language skills are negligible, I fell in love with Puerto Rico beginning with my first visit. That first visit involved a business meeting with the Ana G Mendez University System Board of Directors in San Juan. Over the next 25 years, I was engaged in a partnership that resulted in academic programming in Florida and Texas.

There are a number of Puerto Ricans that I am proud to have known and I continue a strong friendship with them. Pictures of Jorge, Pepo, Pepe, Eli, Ilia, Luis, Syndia, Roxana, Nicholas, and Sherley are below.

Philippines

What began as a business relationship between Regis University and Ateneo de Manila University, rapidly became a personal relationship. On every trip I had one or more Regis colleagues with me which made the journey even more enjoyable after being in the air for 18 hours. I would usually be there for at least 6 or 7 days which meant that there would be time to see several sites with my new Filipino friends.

During those times, I learned much about the Philippine history/culture and the rocky relationship between our two countries. But it was the time that I spent with Albert, Danny, Sir Albert, Fernando, and Lulu that endeared me to the people. Everyone was so gracious.

It was also a time that my friend/colleague, Bill Husson, and I had the chance to make a trip to mainland China with a Jesuit priest, Fr. Dan Ross, who was fluent in Mandarin Chinese.