International Honor

I am the granddaughter of Italian immigrants to the USA.  Visiting them, where Italian was spoken,Old World cooking and traditions were kept, instilled in me a pride in my heritage. Unfortunately, our family lost our Italian language in one generation. I have always felt a loss over this. My father spent 30 years in the Navy. There wasn’t a place on earth that he could not tell you where it was.  I never was a great speller, but if you put me in a geography bee, I would be the last one standing. I’m sure these early influences in my life fostered an intense interest in European culture and a quest to be bilingual.I have to say that I have been very fortunate to have had the opportunities to travel. Being a tourist has not satisfied my quest to experience the cultures at first hand.

In 2002-04 and in the summer of 05 I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work in my field of Speech Language Pathology at The National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dun Laoghaire,Co.Dublin,Ireland. Here for the first time, I got to live a European life style. 

I learned small space management, living without a car, walking, taking buses, and trains to get to my destinations. And, yes that involved buying a Target Dry wet suit to wait for the bus in the legendary Irish rain. I worked with brain injured patients on the locked behavioral unit. I loved every minute of it. Walking to the village butcher, flower shop and vegetable shop were highlights of my week. The people were so very welcoming too. I was frequently welcomed in their homes in a way that we here in the US can not rival.  

Here is a journal entry form my time in Ireland. Opened the journal and there was my ticket to see Paul McCartney

Approximately 4 years ago I received my first invitation to represent my field of Speech Pathology as a diplomat with the People to People Ambassadors program. I was humbled and honored. I wondered if my experience working in Ireland had not in some way influenced my selection. Well, financially, it was a large commitment. 

I have for some time wanted to do something humanitarian in my field. I signed up for Doctors Without Boarders years ago. Difficult to offer aid in my profession without a through knowledge of a foreign language. I started taking French ( as I loved France and I never could read those French passages inserted in my novels).

Well this past year, I finally took the plunge and accepted going on a Speech Pathology Delegation to Brazil. I was paired with a roommate that was so fortuitous. Kirstie, from Oregon. She was amazing!!! She spoke French fluently. She served two years in a French speaking nation in Africa. She had taught high school French. Here was a Speech Language Pathologist who had international humanitarian experience and, lest I say it again, spoke French. We vowed to see each other again, spend time in France and work on a humanitarian project.

Here I am in Rio, 

Beautiful Rio

Saturday’s mail brought yet another surprise to me. It goes something like this...

You were selected as a top Speech Language Therapist in Saint Paul, MN by the International Association of Healthcare Professionals. The Association spotlights professionals that have demonstrated success and leadership in their profession. It provides an opportunity to network, collaborate and share information with other medical professionals from around the globe.

Again, was I selected because of my international experience? I don’t know. But, given the chance, I would love nothing more than to have a collaboration in an international/ cultural capacity. 

 All along the way, I have journaled my experiences.  Some entries are in the lovely handmade journals featured in my Etsy shop at: valburgesscollage.etsy.com

Hand finished wood journal cover with Coptic binding

Japanese rice paper covered book-board