The Globe March 2007
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
“Spring makes the earth ambitious.
It makes every root and bud, and bough
desire to be
more.”
Henry Ward Beecher
The month of March brings us signs of spring and the Houston Livestock Show
and Rodeo to Houston. Our February meeting was held at the Goode Company Texas
BBQ 2. Along with a tasty barbeque lunch, we were treated to the history,
accomplishments, insights and delightful personal stories from a volunteer
member of the Houston Livestock and Rodeo Speaker’s Committee. Did you know
that this year the show will award college scholarships to over 500 students?
Many thanks to Kathy Waugh, VP- Programs, for organizing the day.
This month we will back at the Park at Voss for our monthly meeting but
will be on the move once again for our April meeting. Our March meeting will
feature a program on cross cultural awareness; a subject dear to our hearts.
Our April meeting will include a reception at the University of Houston – Clearlake and then on to a day of fun at Kemah
in Galveston. Come join us to learn more about our ICH
endowment program offering a scholarship to an international student at U of H
– Clearlake. Please find all the
important details and information in our March and April newsletters.
As stated in the ICH brochure, our mission is “to connect, educate and
empower members who have lived or are living an international experience.” Our
community is indeed unique and ever changing. The ICH Board is open to your
ideas and suggestions for meeting the needs of our membership. Please feel free
to contact me regarding any suggestions you may have. Our VP-Newsletter, Mun
Molloy has added several new features this month so please take a few moments
to check them out. Thanks, Mun!
Wishing you all Happy St. Pat’s Day and enjoy Springtime!
All my best,
Chris Lusignan
Spring Tour – Our Annual Spring Tour brings us to the University of Clear Lake-Houston
where we will be hosted by the University and get a chance to meet our
scholarship winner. As you know, we are
a non-profit organization and the funds that we raise and you so generously
give at raffles etc. go to a scholarship fund that has been established at this
University. More information in
April. From the University, we will spend
the next couple of hours having an outdoor lunch and shopping in Kemah. There will be a CARPOOL SCHEDULE set up at the next meeting. There will be 2-3
locations to meet up. Those driving and
the times you expect to return to your Houston
locations (for school pickups etc) need to be penciled in. We need VOLUNTEERS to drive so please let any
Board member know early as possible if you can do so. All Schedules, Maps and further information
will be sent to you with the April
Newsletter and Carpool Schedules set up at the March meeting.
MONTHLY MEMBERS’ MEETING –MARCH 2007
Janet Fagan, cross-cultural educator and entrepreneur, will
lead the group in a mini-workshop on cross-culture etiquette. The workshop is designed to help participants
explore some of the common cultural divides in the rules of etiquette for
greeting and introducing people, gift giving and entertaining. Fagan will identify key codes of etiquette
that often differ from one culture to another and provide resource information
and suggested ways to prepare for new cross-culture encounters and to improve
communication and understanding in existing relationships.
Janet Fagan is president and owner of Great Expatriations,
LLC. She has a Master’s degree in sociology and a post-graduate certification
in life course development from the University
of London, London
England. She
has lived and traveled throughout Europe, the Middle
East, and North America.
For the past 10 years, she has focused on facilitating
intercultural understanding and communication by designing and delivering
programs specific to the cross-cultural needs of her clients. Her company has
provided destination services and counseling to expatriate families and
individuals moving to Houston from
the Middle East, Europe, Africa,
Australia, Asia
and Canada. Fagan also has written a relocation guide
book to Houston for the
international newcomer. (http://www.greatexpatriations.com/)
Other resources:
http://www.globalhouston.org/
Global
Houston is your link to international organizations and
global resources. The site serves as a central point of access for information
on Houston-area events, experts, and institutions with global expectations.
http://www.houstonworldaffairs.org/index.php
The Houston World
Affairs Council is one of Houston
most prestigious citizen forums. Through diversified programming, the Council
presents all sides of current global issues, promotes better understanding of
international relations and contributes to national and international policy
debates. The result is a better educated citizenry and the advancement of Houston
as an important international center.
http://www.gocitykids.com/?area=187
GoCityKids
is a website full of event information and resources catering to parents and
children up to their teens. You can also
sign up for a weekly newsletter.
http://www.visithoustontexas.com/
One
of the best websites relating to all things Houston. Set up by the
Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau, click on “Special Offers” for a
host of discount coupons to restaurants and events, memberships at museums and
theatres. Click on “Events Calendar” to
find out what is on for the month or week when you have some idle time or idle
visitors from out of town.
Directions:
The Park at Voss
2424
South Voss Road, Houston, TX-77057
The Park at
Voss Apartment Complex is on Voss Road between
Westheimer and San Felipe. It is on the west side of Voss - the left side
if you are coming from Westheimer, the right side if you are coming from San
Felipe. Enter the area by the ‘Park at Voss’ sign and proceed to the left side
of the parking lot. Once you are parked, follow the path inside the fenced area
to the leasing office and the conference room.
The River Oaks Garden Club presents their 72nd
Annual Azalea Trail Friday, March 2 – Sunday March 4 from 11 am to 6 pm. Tickets at $5 can be bought at the door or
cheaper at various locations. It’s Spring – get out and smell the flowers at Bayou
Bend and Rienzi and visit River Oaks' exquisite private homes and admire their
breathtaking gardens. A map of the various locations of these viewings is on http://www.riveroaksgardenclub.org/AzaleaTrail.cfm
The Heritage Society is the city's only outdoor,
interactive historic museum and park. Nestled in 19 acres of beautiful green
parkland in the heart of downtown Houston, The Heritage Society boasts 8 historic structures
dating from 1823 to 1905. This month,
their fundraising Reminiscences of Houston Luncheon at the Rice Hotel on March
7th will feature former First Lady Barbara Bush. For tickets and
find out more about their work of preserving Houston’s past, look up http://www.heritagesociety.org/ .
Journey to the Island of Skye at Houston's 43rd Annual Scottish Festival
at the Toyota Center.
The event will also feature the Juvenile World Champion St Thomas Pipe
Band and the US
champion Highland dancer Carla
Gardner. This celebration of traditional
and contemporary Scottish music and dance will surely put a spring in your
step. For tickets and more information,
look up http://www.scottishfestival.net/info.htm
More
Celtic celebrations up close and personal can be had at McGonigel’s Mucky
Duck 2425 Norfolk, Houston (Montrose
somewhere). St Patrick’s Day on March
17th features dancers from Houston’s O’Maoileidigh Schoiol of Irish Dance, The Celtic
Gypsies, and best of all Irish food and drink all day - Guiness Beef, Shepherds
Pie, Fish and Chips and Guiness on tap. A great way to chase off the winter
blahs! Click on http://www.mcgonigels.com/
Also, if the weather’s great,
check out MILLER OUTDOOR THEATRE 100 Concert Drive in Hermann Park on March 17, 8:00 pm
for a free concert (reservations required for covered seating) of Irish dancing
by the Trinity Irish Dance Company. This
seminal Irish-American troupe was the birthplace for progressive Irish dance,
paving the way for blockbuster shows like Riverdance. Trinity dazzles
with hard-driving percussive power, lightning-fast agility and awe-inspiring
precision. Click on http://www.milleroutdoortheatre.com/default.asp?id=110
Prefer quieter pursuits – the
Museum of Fine Arts Houston is the only venue in the US that will be showing the treasured 19th
Century French Masterpieces from New York’s Metropolitan Museum. The exhibit
runs to May 6th – for tickets click on http://www.mfah.org/main.asp?target=home
March 15 – 18 features special painting stations to try your hand at recreating
these masterpieces. If you are in the
area, check out Bayou Bend’s Spring Open House from March 6 – 10. Tour the house
without reservations as docents in each room explain the period decorations and
furnishings. The River Oaks Garden Club decorates the house with festive spring
flower arrangements. Tues- Fri from 10 am to 4 pm and Sat from 10 am to 1 pm.
Call (713) 639-7750 for more information or check out the website on http://www.mfah.org/bayoubend/main.asp?target=home
The Bayou City Art Festival is an art
lover’s delight. On
March 23-25, 2007 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. all three days.
Admission is $10 for adults and free for children 12 and under. Features an
interactive zone for children, outdoor wine bars and performing stages and of
course, 300 artists working in 19 different media. All nestled in Houston’s Memorial
Park. http://www.bayoucityartfestival.com/
Activities Co-Coordinator: Barbara Donnelly (ich_activities@yahoo.com).
Note that all participants in ICH activities must be members of ICH!
*In all the
following activities, please contact the activity leaders using their personal
phone numbers or e-mails found in the ICH MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY. For a copy of
the Membership Directory, please contact the Activities V-P, Barbara
Donnelly, at ich_activities@yahoo.com or Membership
V-P, Shelagh Metselaar, at ich_membership@yahoo.com.
SPECIAL ICH ACTIVITIES
COUPLES DINING OUT 
The next meeting will be Saturday March 10 2007 at 7 pm at
Polo’s Signature Restaurant, 3800 Southwest Freeway Suite 124. For more information about this event contact either Beverly Smolenski or Catherine Hay.
INTERNATIONAL
LUNCH
Hope
you can join us at one of our lunches as they are deliciously fun. The next
luncheon will be on Friday 16th March 11.30am -2pm and will have a Canadian theme. Guests need to contact Jo Hentschel to reserve. Places are
guaranteed with a $25 check made out to ANA HENTSCHEL.
NEW2ICH COFFEE
Our next New 2 ICH Coffee will be held on Monday 2nd April 2007, 10.30 - noon. If you are a new member of ICH and wish to be
invited please contact Barbara Donnelly or Linda
Hunter to confirm and ask for directions. This coffee morning will be held
in the Galleria area.
DINING DAMES!
There will be no Dining dames in March.
Ladies Night Out! Husband
traveling? Looking for a pleasant evening with the girls? Each month, either a
Tuesday or a Wednesday, the hostess will choose a restaurant and make
reservations, bill to be split. Please
honor your reservation and advise hostess of any cancellation.
EXPLORE
HOUSTON .
Watch this space for exciting tours coming up
in 2007!
SPANISH LESSONS (BEGINNER)
The 12 week Spanish class
started on 6th February. We have another class starting soon. There are two spaces available in this
class. At the moment it has been
arranged for Tuesday 11am
– noon. If you are interested in starting Spanish lessons
but cannot make Tuesday, we may be able to arrange a Monday or Wednesday.
If we have any members who
consider themselves ‘intermediate’, please let Barbara Donnelly know and she will determine whether we can form another
group.
SPANISH CONVERSATION
There are a number of members
who would like to get together for Spanish Conversation. They are looking for a
native Spanish speaker who would be willing to lead/tutor them. The
‘conversations’ could be held in members’ homes, a coffee house or any other
suitable venue. The group wishes to practice their spoken Spanish in a relaxed
environment with input from a native speaker who can help them improve.
If anyone would like to join this group or is willing to lead or tutor
them, please contact Barbara
Donnelly at ich_activities@yahoo.com.
BOOK CLUB
The fourth Thursday of the month at 10:30 a.m.
If
you are already a member of the group, you will be given directions to the
venue. If you would like to join, please contact Amber Wickwire OR Jeanne
Hero. If you feel you cannot keep up the pace of one book per month, you
can choose one or more titles and attend the appropriate meeting. "Casuals"
are most welcome.
Book List
for Mar 2007- Feb 2008
March :
Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China, by Jung Chang. This is a
memoir of three generations of Chinese women whose fortunes mirror the
tumultuous history of 20th-century China. Chang unfolds the
painful and tragic lives of her family while also giving a deep insight into
the country. (www.powells.com)
April:
Rising Tide: the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How it Changed America, by John M. Barry. This
non-fiction book tells the riveting story of one of the greatest natural
disasters America has ever known -- the Mississippi flood of 1927. The river inundated
the homes of nearly one million people, which had long-lasting social and
political consequences. (www.disasternews.net)
May.
The Inheritance of Loss, by Kiran Desai.
June.
The Memory Keeper's Daughter, by Kim
Edwards.
July: No meeting
Aug. Small Island: a
Novel, by Andrea Levy.
Sept. The
Daughter of Fortune, Isabel Allende.
Oct. Star
of the Sea, by Joseph O'Connor.
Nov. Lonely Child: a Daughter of Cambodia
Reunites
with the
Sister She Left Behind, by Loung Ung
Dec No meeting
Jan. Desert Queen: the Extraordinary Life of Gertrude
Bell:
Adventurer, Adviser to Kings, Ally of Lawrence
of Arabia, by Janet Wallach.
Feb. The
Constant Princess, by Philippa Gregory.
FRIDAY NIGHT BRIDGE 
Anyone interested in playing bridge in the
evening? Come with a partner or request
a partner to play fun bridge on the second
Friday of the month. For more information please contact Barbara
Donnelly or Friedel
Liptay.
FRIENDLY BRIDGE (Tuesday)
Every other Tuesday of the month from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. If you would like to play with this group, please
get in touch with Raquel Fernandez.
MOVIE MATINEE
Movie Matinee meets every second Thursday
of the month. Leading this activity
is Susan Cunha. Please contact
Susan for further information, schedules and location.
STITCHING GROUP
The Lone Star Stitchers (embroidery, quilting, cross-
stitch etc) meet every Monday from 1:00–4:00pm. If you wish to join the
group, call Margaret Wallace.
PLAYGROUP
ICH members have been
invited to join the TANZOT playgroup. They don’t mind at all if you are not
from The Antipodes! The playgroup meets every Thursday morning 10:00am-12:00pm, usually at a member’s
home. Come and let your kids play, while you have coffee and a chat. For
mothers and children from 0-4. For information, contact Barbara Donnelly.
GET UP AND DANCE!
If
you would like to explore the world of social dancing in Houston then Bronwyn is happy to
facilitate that. She knows where you can
go to begin or can find out. If it’s two step, polka, east or west coast swing,
salsa, waltz or hip hop, she can help get you launched and would be happy to
accompany you to your first class or for your first social outing and to join
you regularly for dancing. Its fun and a great way to meet locals and an
interesting thing to take visitors to see.
To find out more contact Bronwyn Browne.
GENTLE
GOLF
Every Wednesday morning at Bear Creek Golf Club. Anyone
interested in joining us call or email Jen Carne. We would love to have you join us and we
would welcome some more players.
ICE SKATING
When: First Friday of the month, 11:00 am.
Where: Galleria Ice Rink. Meet at La Madeleine at 10
am
for coffee. Contact Sandra Pezzetta.
WEST SIDE WALKERS
This is a great way to meet people in the West
Memorial area, especially if you are new to Houston. We meet weekly on
Friday mornings at 9:00am, at Terry Hershey Park on Memorial Drive, and ¼ mile west of
Eldridge. Meet by the pavilion (gazebo) on the north side of Memorial Drive. Contact Kate Horan or Barbara
Donnelly
TENNIS
We now have a number of members interested in
playing tennis. If you would like to form a group please contact Barbara Donnelly with
details of preferred time, day and location.
