Hi, I'm Joanne
…and this is my story of how my interest in World Cultures grew.
The Early Days
I never went on any family vacations as a kid as my mom was dealing with health issues.
One of my favorite classes in 10th grade was World Cultures. Our teacher, Krista Reitz, would dress up in traditional garments from all over the world. I could touch the texture of her dresses and study the intricate patterns up close. She would teach us about the food and traditions carried down through each generation. Miss Reitz’s sense of adventure and appreciation for other cultures touched my heart in a big way.
As I got older, I still loved “Going Exploring.” However, now I had wheels to drive on the PA Turnpike, choose an exit, and go deep exploring. I was learning about local people and places.
I would love to study in the cool, dark Gothic lobby of the Cathedral of Learning, especially on Saturdays. That was when the Nationality Rooms would be open. The rooms, though now renovated, were so awe-inspiring to me back then (my old Polaroids don’t do them justice). Each one was different. Some were simple, and some were more elaborate. They all had beautiful colors. It was so hard to choose my favorite. I wished that someday, I could visit the countries that these rooms represented.
Travel Begins.
My dream started becoming a reality in the mid-‘80s. I had the good fortune to visit many Asian cities and countries such as Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. In addition, opportunities opened for me to explore the major cultural cities of Europe, such as Florence, London, Madrid, Munich, Paris, Rome, and the Vatican. I spent New Year’s Eve 1987 under the stars at Rovaniemi, the official home of Santa Claus in Lapland, near Helsinki, Finland.
My co-workers and I were huddled around the phone in 1989 when the Berlin Wall came down. One of our engineers, who was in Germany, had us on speakerphone. We could hear the crowd, the cheers, and the delight of those across the pond. I still get a tingling feeling when I think about that evening. Later, I would visit Berlin and travel more extensively throughout Europe, Eastern Europe, and Asia.
Now, it was my turn to try on traditional garments like this Korean wedding dress.
Later, I successfully introduced the travel bug to my husband on our first trip to Aruba and thus began a lengthy exploration of the colors of the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America.
Plus, sharing a love of Formula 1, we often combine our travels to coincide with race weekends around the world.
During those early days in Asia, I fondly remember the children. Sometimes they would be wearing traditional clothing going off to the temple with their moms. Sometimes they would be on a group field trip. Every time, they would look at me and smile and wave, and I would smile and wave back. I must have seemed so foreign to them. I didn’t speak their language fluently, but a simple smile was all that we needed to connect.
It got me thinking that they were not all that different from me. Yes, these children wore eclectic clothing and had various beliefs. That was because of their parent’s influence, just like my parents taught me what they knew. Deep down, parents want their children to be safe, happy, and healthy regardless of where in the world they live.
Professional Bio
Colorado Tour Guide Certificate in progress
HarvardX Certificate on Religious Literacy
Hungary Destination Specialist
Scholarship Recipient for Colorado Governors Conference 2015
Tourism Management Certificate, Metropolitan University of Denver
CPA, Colorado
MS, DePaul University, Accountancy
BS, University of Pittsburgh, Business
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- Indian Tree #745352 7765 Wadsworth Blvd. Arvada, CO 80006
- (303) 330-1622
- info@allthingsethnic.com
