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Health & Fitness

Meeting other cultures

The August International Gathering brought together friends from France, Russia, Japan, China, India, Korea, Peru, and Ukraine.We shared beautiful places we've seen in the Pacific Northwest so others could also visit them this summer.

Our conversation then changed to cultural practices we've observed which we might be interested in adopting for ourselves.  Isabelle appreciates the non-judgment of Americans she's met, how open they are to diverse opinions. Mary appreciates the respect for privacy that Americans hold for others' personal life.  Estrella appreciates the practice of dropping by a friend's home without making prior arrangement. 

Isabelle felt inspired by Estrella's sharing and dropped by Leyla's home after the meeting.  Leyla has a baby and sometimes unable to attend the International Gathering.  Leyla was absolutely delighted with the surprise visit.

Plans are being made on learning to cook Russian cuisine in the near future, as well as a trip to Orcas Island.

The September 6th meeting will continue the discussion on "what practices have you observed in other cultures that you might be interested in adopting", as well as "what skills have you enjoyed using in your home country that you would love to put into use here?"  We'll explore how you can do that now.  We may also be learning some Russian phrases from Julia that we can use in our travels.

The International Gathering meets the 1st Friday of each month in Redmond Library.  The purpose of this group is to promote understanding and friendship among cultures.  Details are posted on English Around The World.com.

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