Addendum to the feature article in the Winter 2009 Saber

Due to space limitations in the magazine, only portions of the alumni comments were printed. Thank you very much to the men below for taking the time to answer our questions. Not only can classmates "catch up" with friends, but we hope that current students will learn from those who went before them. 

~ Mary Culbertson
Saber editor

Matthew Bosrock ’85, banker,
Vancouver, British Columbia

* General International Experience
I have been with HSBC (the world's largest bank and largest company - Forbes April 2008) for 18 years, working on four continents and in eight countries.  International experience includes Hong Kong, Bangladesh, London, South Africa, Greece and, since June 2008, Canada.  I also worked in the US in San Francisco, New York and Houston/Dallas.  I am currently the Deputy CEO of HSBC Bank Canada, responsible for Retail Banking which includes personal financial services and welath management and commercial banking.  HSBC Bank Canada is the seventh largest bank with 7000 employees.  Prior to this role I was CEO of HSBC Bank Greece, based in Athens.

* Challenges of Being Abroad
The professional challenges include adapting your leadership capabilities to different cultures and communicating in a way that is effective and produces the desired result.  This is easier said than done!  It also requires an ability to network very proactively so as to ensure that you get deeply involved in the business community as quickly as possible so as to maximize your impact in a relatively short perios of time.  Personal challenges include getting the whole family 'set up' every time you move - schools, activities, houses, cars, clubs, etc, etc, etc.  Fortunately, my wife has become a pro at all of this and I, therefore, largely stay out of the way.

* International Highlights
The highlights have really been around all the amazing people we have met.  Living in a place like Bangladesh or South Africa gives your the opportunity to get to know very interesting people from all walks of life and from all over the world.  As CEO in Greece, I regularly interacted with ambassadors, other CEOs and business leaders across Europe.  Expanding my perspectives of the world, and those of my family, has been a great benefit.  I have learned that different points of view not only provide better ideas and aid in making better decisions  but they also make live fuller and much more enjoyable.

* International Experience vs. Life in United States
Living and working outside of your home country gives you a unique understanding of the U.S., how it is viewed in the world and why that is important to Americans and non-Americans alike.  I spent the last eight years living on four continents.  The decisions that were made in the U.S. during this period have seriously damaged the US credibility globally.  This is not a political statement, simply a fact.  While many American do not care what the world thinks about our country, this is short-sighted, reckless and, frankly, totally uninformed.  The reality is that the world is coming closer together and the U.S. ignores this at its peril.  I have no plans to return to the U.S. although this is always a possibility.

* Influence of STA
To be honest, the Academy did little to prepare me for life overseas although I believe that you are doing a better job in this regard now.  Not only should the curriculum be expanded to include courses on current geopolitical issues and global economics, students should be encouraged to do study abroad, etc.  I would also add that STA should encourage students to get out of the Midwest when looking at colleges and universities.  While we have excellent universities in the area, the fact is that by reaching out early in life and learning how to adapt to different environments prepares one for an international career.  

Gregory Delaune ’86, urban design and landscape architect,
Ferrara, Italy

* General International Experience
Less than isolated excursions to foreign lands, my travel experiences have been a series of full immersions in foreign cultural environments. At 40 years of age, I have spent more than a quarter of my life living, studying and/or working outside the United States. My earliest memories are from the period in which my family lived in San Jose, Costa Rica, as part of my father's work.  My first words were a mix of Spanish and English. In 1975, my family moved to northern Germany where, at the age of six, my parents enrolled me in a local public school without my knowing how to speak a word of German.  By the time we left, three years later, I was fluent in German and outwardly indistinguishable from any other nine-year-old German boy.

During my studies at the University of Notre Dame, I spent the third year of a five-year architecture degree program studying in Rome, Italy, and had my first experiences as a “backpacker” traveling in the Middle East.  Since my college graduation, in 1991, I have undertaken a number of multi-month backpacking trips all over the world (including, Australia, Asia and Africa), worked as a  researcher and professional consultant on projects in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and South America, and (out of necessity) become fluent or functional in German, Italian and Spanish. These experiences have dissolved my perception of geographical distances and political boundaries, opened my eyes to realities that I could not have previously imagined, and fueled my curiosity for the cultures and lands which I have yet to know.

* Challenges of Living Abroad
Living abroad or being immersed in the experiences of long-term travel is full of difficulties and challenges, but can also be extremely rewarding as a means of understanding other cultures and the contexts in which they thrive; ultimately providing insight and understanding into our own American culture and our role in global society. In the context of these international experiences, my education and personal development at Saint Thomas Academy were an important opportunity to crystallize the life experiences that I had already had, and provide the moral grounding, judgment and maturity to help navigate the subsequent challenges that I would face as a result of the lifestyle choices that I have made since.

While people often seem to idealize the realities of living and working in a foreign culture, my sense is that it is no more or less inherently fulfilling than a more sedentary life. Like any lifestyle decision, it is a series of trade-offs. I often explain my lifestyle as a trade off of stability and security for autonomy and variety. In either case, there are joys and sorrows and I have had my share of both.

Perhaps foremost among the challenges that I have faced is a sense of dislocation. It can be extremely disorienting to find yourself alone in a completely foreign environment where you can’t communicate effectively, and everyday tasks like taking a bus or shopping for food become major undertakings. In these instances, the romanticism of the most breathtaking scenery is quickly lost in the face of emotional exhaustion and utter frustration. Even though this feeling of cultural isolation may be self-imposed, the inability to immediately “fix” or control the situation is a tremendous test of your self-confidence, maturity and poise. On the other hand, overcoming these challenges, and arriving at a point where you feel that you have a thorough understanding of your new cultural environment is an extremely rewarding and empowering feeling that in my experience has few equals.

* International Highlights
It is important to point out that, In large part, my willingness to venture again and again into these challenges has been based on my awareness of the tireless loyalty and moral support that I have enjoyed from my family and friends.  As far away as I may venture from home and as long as I may be away, I know without a doubt that there are people who will always welcome me back into their lives with open arms. My parents emotional support  and encouragement to always pursue my dreams has been a fundamental guide in times of doubt. 

And, principle among these supportive friends have been my core group of Academy brothers (Bill Costa, Dan Egan and Tim Towle all ’86) whose loyalty has never waivered, despite my long periods of absence from the Twin Cities. Meeting up with friends for a beer at O’Gara’s or spending a sunny weekend cruising on one of Minnesota’s scenic lakes can easily be taken for granted as routine activities. But coming home for a visit and having the chance to participate in these local rituals while reconnecting with old friends helps me to appreciate the unique cultural context of the Twin Cities and the United States as a whole.

One of the most important lessons that we can learn from traveling is that the unique beauty and/or cultural richness which we seek out, or imagine to exist, in far away exotic lands, is usually present in our daily lives, if only we choose to recognize it.

* International Experience vs. Life in United States
My experiences outside the United States have had a profound effect on the way I view the culture, values and foreign policy of our country. From international friends and colleagues, I occasionally hear stories about the “ugly American” travelers who behave in ways that are disrespectful to their host countries. In many parts of the world, bashing of the Bush administration is a obligatory prelude to any discussion about the United States. But, often from these same people, I am struck by the tremendous sense of sincere emotion and respect that they feel for our basic commitment to liberty and democracy and our influential position as ethical role models on the global stage.

Personally witnessing the suppression of free speech and lack of liberty in other nations has strengthened my own faith in the inherent potential of our Imperfect Union. However, the facts are that the U.S. has not always been a superb role model. We are responsible for a shocking number of atrocities that were the result of either direct military action or indirect pressure in the form of strategic financing or political influence. Each event has a specific context and it is often difficult to separate political rhetoric from the facts on the ground. Nevertheless, my increased understanding of political history from a vantage point outside of the U.S. has made me bristle at the relative lack of awareness of, and interest in, international events on the part of the average American. The conversations I have with people from other countries who are better informed than I am about the impacts of U.S. policies in their nation are a constant reminder that it is every American’s responsibility to take an interest in understanding how the lifestyle decisions that we make as Americans have real-world impacts on the day-to-day lives of average citizens in many other parts of the world.

* Influence of STA
I applied to the Academy with the specific goal of preparing myself to attend the University of Notre Dame for college. Being accepted as a Cadet and then excelling enough to successfully achieve that goal was a powerful reinforcement of the lessons with which I had been raised; that my destiny was my own to guide if I was willing to invest the hard work and perseverance to achieve my life goals. The core values of family, loyalty, integrity and perseverance that the Academy has reinforced, have equipped me to both overcome the challenges I have faced and appreciate the tremendous fortune I have enjoyed throughout my life.

One concrete example of this enduring influence is the fact that, even though my sense of religious faith has gone through many evolutions, the guiding words in the prayer of St Thomas Aquinas have maintained their importance for me. Since my first days as a Cadet, when I initially learned the prayer, I have become more self-confident and proactive in the pursuit of my dreams, but have also strived to maintain the prudence and moral character that its words evoke.

I am very pleased with and proud of my achievements and accomplishments here in Ferrara. Teaching architecture and urban planning at the graduate level in a foreign language has given me the opportunity to bring to bear all of my previous professional experience and training while testing the limits of my adaptability in the academic environments of Italy and Latin America. My travels continue and the challenges abound. There are still plenty of things left for me to learn about my chosen field.  I still make lots of grammatical mistakes while trying to improve my Italian. And I still have days full of profound doubt about whether it wouldn’t just be easier to go back and settle down in the United States. But when I reflect on the places I’ve been, the people I’ve met, the experiences I’ve had, and the lessons I’ve learned, I know that the choices that I have made have been the right ones for me.

Bill Huss ’67, attorney,
Tokyo, Japan

* General International Experience
Following graduation from STA, I attended undergraduate and law schools in Washington DC.  My initial work after law school was as a lawyer at the University of Virginia in then quite bucolic Charlottesville.  Before "settling in" to some likely fixed life, I was extremely lucky, as I later realized, in my attempt to "do something different" as a result of my being able to secure a position with a Japanese law firm in Tokyo in 1977.  This was the beginning of Japanese business enterprises becoming more global in their commercial activities, and there were a handful of Japanese law firms in Tokyo who had need for U.S. legal knowledge to assist their clients in cross-border transactions.

After working in Tokyo for about four years, during which my much better half, Mieko, joined my life, my fate was sealed as it were as a result of my getting involved in a Japanese legal practice at a New York law firm in early 1982.  This circumstance resulted, as things turned out, in my legal career essentially being dedicated to a Japan-related commercial law practice.  Following an exciting stint in New York throughout the 1980s where I had the opportunity to be involved with and exposed to peoples from many countries and walks of life, I returned to Tokyo to continue my legal practice there.  This arose in connection with my opening a Tokyo office of a U.S.-based firm that was made possible by changes in 1988 of Japanese law governing law practice, allowing U.S., U.K. and certain other non-Japanese law firms to set up shop in Tokyo.  I have remained living and working in Tokyo continuously for the past 18 years, and I expect to complete my career in Japan.

*  Challenges of Being Abroad
For some Americans living and working abroad, the challenges of an unknown language and unfamiliar customs where they are living may be grounds for experiencing continuous annoyances and the causes of daily frustrations ("why can't they be like us!").  Due to some undoubted quirk of my personality, I found the different language and customs of Japan to be interesting challenges that I had a responsibility to try to meet, and I had a sense that it would be worth my while if I did so.  As I was able to to learn the language and begin to gain some understand the customs and manner of thinking of Japanese who I came in contact with, those language and other learning experiences over time  (my Latin course at STA did not prove much help to me in learning Japanese!) very much helped me learn to appreciate the strengths, subtleties and sophisticated values of the Japanese and their culture as well, of course, of some of the kind of silliness within this society that is a part of any country's society.  I have always enjoyed working with Japanese and with living in Japan, where one can feel quite comfortable experiencing the daily politeness, safety, orderliness and efficiency of Japanese society.  It helps too my not minding sharing space with millions of folks in Tokyo, which I know is not everyone's cup of green or other tea.

*  Experiences
I have been most fortunate in having a career which has given me the opportunity to travel extensively in countries throughout South East Asia and China as well as sporadically in Europe along with the occasional trips back to the good 'ol U.S.A.  These experiences have helped me gain some direct sense of both the similarities as well as the profound differences of peoples in different countries and even of peoples within particular countries.  

* International Experiences vs. Life in United States
Aside from some aberrations and special circumstances arising out of the horrible 9/11 experience of America, I do not have the sense from my visits to the U.S. over the last 18 years that there has been much change in U.S. society over this period putting aside the Internet, cell phones and technology advances of that sort.  However, as may best be illustrated by the truly incredible make-over of important segments of Chinese society in the past two decades, I have been very fortunate to have had the chance to see first hand some of the material changes in lifestyle and quality of life which peoples throughout SE Asia and China have experienced in such a historically brief period.  This has included, for good or ill depending on one's viewpoint, the growing significant and widespread adoption of various aspects of the music, fashion, food and other aspects of US culture throughout Asia.
 

* Influence of STA
Now that a more than just a few years have passed since I graduated from the Academy, I can look back (clearly as to some things and with a lot of hazy edges as to other things) and have some understanding of the manner in which my years at STA may have helped shape the way I have dealt with my life as it unfolded in Washington D.C., Virginia, New York and Japan.  Firstly, I can say without hesitation that my four years at the Academy were some of the most enjoyable years of my life (notwithstanding our football team's loss to Cretin in my senior year!).  Just the sheer fun of the experiences which were delightful benefits flowing out of the some of the hard academic work and and the parts of the athletic struggles which I experienced at STA helped give me, I believe now, a sense that, absent one being blessed with inherited wealth or a lot of plain dumb luck, one is best advised to plan to use a lot of hard work and dedication to the tasks at hand if one wants to be successful in pursuing the personal goals one may set for himself or herself.

Secondly, I appreciated the opportunity I had at STA to interact with classmates of quite different backgrounds, including particularly the fact that in those bad old days we had borders at STA who came from not only exotic locales such as Wisconsin but also different countries, including Latin America.  The influence of our teachers was of course not inconsiderable--some who were very dedicated and who inspired one's curiosity and desire to learn and experience different things as well as other teachers (no names!) who may have been a bit rough around the edges, as it were, or who may have had more to offer in the way of a really fine sense of humor than academics.  My Academy experience was the result of my exposure to this diverse group of teachers and to many classmates who each showed varied strong talents in academics, athletics and in other areas.  The friendly and sometimes not-so-friendly competition and the wonderful camaraderie that grew out of this mixture during my STA days provided me with a more than just a good foundation to help me navigate the competitive situations and the positive and sometimes painful challenges which life threw my way in the U.S. and abroad over the years.  I believe that my Academy experience was very important in eventually helping me better be able to understand and enjoy the experiences of living and working with people of different backgrounds, talents, experiences and view of our world.

Brian O’Malley ’97, global management consultant,
Minneapolis, Minnesota

* General International Experience
I lived in Mexico City for two years.  The first year I spent as a Fulbright Scholar, doing a work/study program.  I worked at Deutsche Bank as an investment banker and studied business at ITAM (the Mexican Autonomous Technical Institute.)  For the second year, I ran the startup of a microfinance investment fund in conjunction with the Ford Foundation.  I've also done consulting projects internationally for about 12 months in Canada, the UK, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela.  My most recent project was for an oil and gas producer in Calgary, Canada, where I helped redesign their capital management processes.

 
* Challenges of Being Abroad
The hardest part was showing up and knowing absolutely no one.  People always have different expectations.  In Minnesota, I count on understanding "how things should be."  In Mexico, I had to learn how I was expected to act in every kind of setting.  I learned that every business meeting started with at least five minutes of personal conversation.  I also learned to live with my friends showing up one to two hours late to everything.  I had to resist the temptation to say, "in America, we really do this better." No one wants to hear that.

* International Highlights
Mexico taught me to appreciate people better, to take the time and make personal connections with everyone I could.  It made me more open to different ways of doing things.  Two favorite experiences stand out.  One year, for Easter, I went to a friend's ranch in the Sierra Madre and spent four days doing social work with the Native Americans who lived in the area.  The people had so little, but were much more welcoming than I could believe.  They would invite us into their houses and just talk for an hour or two. 

The second experience was my friend's wedding in Valle de Bravo, a mountain town.  The mass was in a 125 year-old chapel and the reception went from 3 pm until after midnight.  I can't exaggerate how big of a party it was.  Probably over 500 people came and they had a complete mariachi band, dj, and two separate meals.  It's probably the most incredible party I've ever been to.

* International Experience vs. Life in United States
So many things have changed.  I put a greater importance on friendship and personal relationships now, and it's paid big dividends.  I have a new respect for Mexican immigrants.  Until I went to the Sierra, I never truly appreciated what they go through to come here and work for a better life.  I also appreciate the tremendous convenience of living in the U.S.  We're spoiled by how easily the "little things" work here.  For instance, Mexican cell phones are ridiculously expensive.  My first month, I probably spent $150 and I had to pay the bill at the bank.  The cell company didn't have online bill payment.

* Cultural Differences
I was always shocked by how the original VW Beatle was still in production when I came to Mexico.  I hadn't seen one in the U.S. in years, but about half the taxis in Mexico City were "bochos" as they called them.  I'm 6'4", so every time I got out of a taxi I felt like it was a clown car.

* Influence of STA
STA has a hierarchy in a sense (i.e. teachers and students, different ranks in the JROTC program), but it's an accessible hierarchy.  I never felt like there was someone I couldn't talk to.  Mexico is extremely hierarchical, but people rarely socialize across levels of the hierarchy.  I was able to break through the boundaries of the hierarchy without being disrespectful.  People would always be surprised that I had personal relationships with both the head of the Deutsche Bank Latin America Foundation and the interns in my group.  The head of the Deutsche foundation wound up writing my business school recommendation and the intern got me tickets to sold out playoff soccer games.  Both of them are still personal friends.

Pat Johns ’72, corporate trainer/speaker, author and photojournalist,
Dallas, Texas

* General International Experiences
Several years ago I decided to act on an opportunity to leave a very comfortable corporate job and find my real passion as a Keynote Speaker, Corporate trainer, Author and Photojournalist.

Following my first trip to India in 2000 and shortly after 9/11, the government of India invited my to return to the Himalayan Mountains near Nepal  to participate for the second time in the 100 mile running race called “The Himalayan 100.” The intention was for me to journal the race and encourage Americans to get out and travel again after the attack. I managed to get myself invited back for several more trips and ultimately competed in the race and wrote of my experience four times. Making a study of my travel has shaped my keynote presentations and became the subject of my first book:  “Footprints in the Shadow of Giants - the race to the center within.” Then a couple of years ago, having also become an experienced traveler to Africa, I was asked to helped organize and lead a group from the US on a discovery trip to learn how we could help this continent.

 As a result, I have shifted my international emphasis by taking  multiple trips to Africa. Specifically; Ethiopia, Zambia and Malawi, where we are working to raise money and awareness addressing the need for Global, Clean and Safe Water. This outreach has also created the opportunity for the anticipated completion of my next book: “Echo Through the Great Rift Valley - the road to Livingstonia. ”Professionally, the various motivational and educational programs that I teach are all based on my experience as a global adventurer, journalist and endurance athlete.

* Challenges of Being Abroad
The usual stuff like communications language barriers, cultural differences, strange foods and sometimes the physical discomfort are the exciting and fun part for me.

The big challenges are finding ways to overcome the very poor perception that so many people around the world have of Americans. Modeling appropriate behavior and changing peoples minds about how westerners really are, is tough sometimes and a big challenge. On occasion this is was not possible, even with the best intentions and efforts.

* International Highlights
The highlight of my experience has been to have gained a sense of just how small, accessible, connected and vulnerable our world is. Now I understand that we have the ability to make a difference.

* International Experiences vs. Life in United States
Great question! I have seen the results of what happens when we create a sense of entitlement and a condition of over abundance. Don’t get me wrong, I like to be surrounded by nice things too, but here In the US, we assign a disproportionate amount of value to the accumulation of material possession. When we do this we put at risk our ability to truly be happy, grateful and find joy. Like any other addiction, the more we have the more we seem to need to obtain the same pleasure and it doesn’t last.  

In cultures where people have very little, the emphases are on three basic components: Survival, Spirituality and Family. These three things can fill up ones life quite well. Surprisingly, many times the people with the least amount of stuff are the happiest people on the planet. We need to think about why that is.

* Cultural Differences
Two stories come to mind:

While finding my way to the Blue Nile in Ethiopia, I had been traveling for many, many hours on an old rickety buss, enjoying the company of a crate of chickens.

After I was  finally  able to learn a way to communicate (mainly with gestures) with the woman seated in the row in front of me, I ask her why her child continued to scream and stare at me? She pinched the skin on my arm and indicated that her little boy had never seen a white person and he was terrified of my color. I learned from this experience how important it is to not assume we know the reasons behind the reactions we get from others, and how important it is to immerse oneself in the life and circumstances of the other person before we judge their behavior.

On assignment to the Burning Gahts in Varanasi, India, to write a story titled “Gold on the Ganges”, about the extremely polluted Ganges River and the cremation ceremonies which take place on its shores. I had been granted by the local government, the extremely rare privileges to photograph up close this seldom witnessed spectacle. In order to get the photographs that I needed, you might say I had to “go native.” As much as I really enjoy doing that, this was a tough one! The intensity of this environment, which included open fires topped with the burning deceased and surrounded by people bathing in what is truly the most polluted river in the world, made blending in with this group a bit dicey .

 I managed well however and succeeded in getting the story.  I learned once again the importance of celebrating diversity . It’s only when we make an all out effort, on all levels of our interpersonal and business lives to suspend judgment,  that we can easily and efficiently connect with others around us…… and no, I didn’t get in the water, I just stuck my big toe in.”

* Influence of STA
For anyone who knew me back when I was at the academy, you might recall, I was not one who easily conformed to the abundance of structure and discipline that was being offered. Now looking back at my experience, several things are very clear:

Perseverance and disciplined behaviors are critical to accomplishing our goals and dreams. Although I was unaware of it at the time, to witness a willingness of staff to teach and mentor with patience and compassion was a gifts that I was given at STA.

 I now realize how blessed I really was to have been there. These are principles that have helped me travel abroad with confidence and success!

Please visit me to see many of my photographs and stories at http://www.pat-johns.com/

Geoffrey Riggs ’89, communications professional,
Montpellier, France

* General International Experience
I had studied abroad my junior year in college and that gave me a taste for the "international" thing. I married a French girl that I met in Minnesota. After living and working for several years in the Twin Cities we made a life change and moved to France to live and work. We did not want to have any regrets and did not want to wonder "what would have happened if." That was seven years ago. I have worked in two Multinational organizations since we moved here, primarily in Communications.

* Challenges of Being Abroad
Understanding how things work and the way people think are the keys. The way things move in the States is not exactly the way they do here in Europe. You can take that even further and look at it country by country. It's an important skill to be a "bridge," by that I mean being able to understand both sides and helping to act as a guide to get everyone what they need in the end. There is also no such thing as a "perfect place" to live and work, you have to make your own definition of what is perfect for you.

* International Highlights
Having so much diversity around you is great. If you drive in any direction for more then say 5 hours, you will more then likely find yourself in another country with different set of "rules" then the one you left. That can be good and bad. ;-)  The greatest thing that I have learned is confidence in myself and to not be scared by the unknown, it sometimes holds some great surprises.

* International Experience vs. Life in United States
I consider myself and American and a Minnesotan, but see myself also as a global citizen. There is a lot more to life outside the confines of Minnesota.

* Influence of STA
The concept of being a leader and taking responsibility for something. It's not easy to do, but I look back and can see how STA did prepare us to do just that.

Chris Rowley ’93, account manager/senior copywriter,
Vejle, Denmark

* General International Experience
I began my international experience in 1995-96 when I studied philosophy during my junior year of college in Salzburg, Austria. Not long after arriving in Salzburg, I met my future wife, a beautiful young Dane who was working as an au pair. The school year ended I had to return to the States and we had to say farewell, not to see each other for five years.

In 2001, we were together once again, this time trying to keep a long distance relationship together while we both finished our degrees. In 2002-03, I studied abroad again, this time taking my final year of law school at the University of Copenhagen. We got married quite suddenly in May of 2003 when the American Embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark told us that it was our only hope of staying together when I finished law school.

After officially moving to Denmark in the fall of 2003, I found it extremely difficult to find meaningful work. Finally, in March 2006, I landed my current position as Key Account Manager and Senior Copywriter at EICOM ApS, Denmark's largest communications agency. I am responsible for managing one of our largest clients, The LEGO Group. My responsibilities include copy writing, concept development, editing, rewriting, translation, generating sales growth, maintaining key relationships and managing massive multilingual translation projects.

* Challenges of Living Abroad
Just how challenging living and working internationally can be depends quite a bit on the country you move to, your ability to learn the language, your level of eduction and your ability to adapt.

Denmark can be a very difficult country to live and work in because the language is considered one of the hardest to learn in the world, just after Mandarin Chinese. It took me three years to learn how to speak rudimentary Danish before I started my current position. They were three years I didn't qualify for meaningful work because I couldn't speak the language. But after nearly three of speaking Danish all day at work with my clients, I've become quite fluent. While my native English speaker status and my legal education give me a huge advantage, my greatest challenge remains gaining credibility with colleagues and clients as a foreigner working in Denmark.

The social side of living overseas is possibly more challenging than the work side. As a foreigner, you have to break through the new culture, gain an understanding of it and be willing to adapt to it to some degree. Not an easy task. It can be even more challenging in Denmark because Danes can be quite reserved, making it hard to meet new people and establish friendships.

* International Highlights
Without doubt, learning about the Danish culture from my wife and sharing my own with her has been incredible. And now we get to share both cultures and both languages with our little 22-month old son.

Living first in Austria in 1995-96 and now in Denmark has made me more open-minded, culturally sophisticated and worldly.

* International Experience vs. Life in United States
Living overseas has been one of the most profound experiences of my life. I have learned to cherish my American upbringing, my amazing American family and American culture in a way I didn't think possible when I lived in the States. I get to see the American culture from afar, often through the eyes of those that may have never set foot in the States. It has become very important for me to celebrate the truly American holidays, such as the 4th of July and Thanksgiving.

Living in Europe has made me acutely aware of how important U.S. foreign policy is to the rest of the world and how much the world wants and needs us to be a friend. While eight years of Bush politics has seriously tarnished our international reputation, Europeans once again believe that America can do anything after the election of President Obama.

* Cultural Differences
When it comes to speaking Danish, I'm pretty fearless. This has caused me to make some pretty embarrassing mistakes. I remember when my brother and his wife came to visit me shortly after I moved to Denmark. We were on a walk on a warm summer evening and we stopped to order some ice cream. I wanted to show off a little, so I insisted on ordering for my brother in Danish. He wanted an ice cream cone with two scoops. Simple. I walked up to the counter, pointed at my brother and said to the guy behind the counter in Danish, “She has two balls.”

On another occasion, my wife and I had some friends over for dinner while we were remodeling a portion of our apartment. Because of the remodeling project the bathroom had no electricity and we were using a flashlight for lighting. At some point during the meal, my wife's friend excused herself to use the bathroom. Just as she was about to go into the bathroom, I realized I had used taken the flashlight out of the bathroom to replace the batteries. So I grabbed it from the kitchen and yelled “I want you, Lise-Lotte!” in Danish. Needless to say, her boyfriend and my wife were quite alarmed. Had I just declared my feelings for her so publicly? I learned that flashlight and “want” or “lust for” are nearly the same word, just with a slight difference in pronunciation.

Danes almost never brag about anything. They have an unwritten law, Janteloven, that success or a deliberate attempt to distinguish yourself from others is viewed unfavorably. This is very un-American. My Danish friends often say that when they are around me, they are in a Janteloven-free zone.

I have learned that Danes have very specific rules that need to be followed when attending a formal dinner, like Christmas dinner. When I first moved to Denmark, I found myself sitting alone at the table because the Danes were standing behind their chairs waiting for everyone to be ready to be seated. And we always seemed to sit man, woman, man, woman, etc. I soon learned it was because I was responsible for making sure the woman to my right always had everything she needed, including a fully filled wine glass.

* Influence of STA
I learned to be confident at the Academy. You need confidence, to be certain about who you are and what you believe in, when you live and work overseas. You need to hold your head high and not hold back or be timid. There are far more obstacles when living and working overseas and you need every advantage you can to be successful. Confidence in your own abilities can be a deciding factor in that success.

John Van de North ’88, attorney,
London, England

* General International Experience
I've worked as a lawyer in London since the summer of 1998 and am now a partner in the mergers and acquisitions group at O'Melveny & Myers.  My practice involves representing investors-- private equity funds, pension funds, corporations - making acquisitions or other investments in Europe and the U.S.

* Challenges of Being Abroad
The challenges of living internationally fall away to some degree once your family learns how to dial the international prefix when calling you - otherwise it just means that the plane ride to visit is a bit longer.  Living in England, for obvious reasons, cuts down on some of the culture clash of living abroad but you do have to get used to a few things - like everything seeming small, dirty and expensive for the first couple of years you live here.  As far as work goes you have to get used to the fact that not everyone in the world wants to do thing like they do in America - which is a bit of a surprise at first.

* International Highlights
It's hard to pick them out to be honest, since when you compare the highlights when I first moved over at age 28 (wine with lunch) to now (going to my kids' school play) it's a disparate group.  A couple randomly selected ones?  I met Michelle and we have two great little [girls], I work next to St. Paul's Cathedral, I can walk to two or three great museums from the office in five minutes, there is a pub on every corner of the block we live on and two more across the street. The first week I was here in 1998 I got sent to Stockholm for four days in June - when it never really gets dark. I get to go skiing in Europe more often, and you meet a lot of really interesting people that have wound up here for some reason or another.

* International Experience vs. Life in United States
I'll tell you that you get an appreciation for what it means to love something through thick and thin - the past eight years have been pretty rough for U.S. expatriates.  To go from the September 11 service at St. Paul's Cathedral - standing in the street with 40,000 people from all over and feeling like the U.S. would emerge as a real leader in the world tackling tough problems with the advice, consent and support of the world to the situation we now find ourselves in is pretty sobering.  On the other side of the coin, to see how inspirational Europe has found the recent election reminds you of just what a dynamic place the U.S. is - Europe is still at least a generation away from an ethnic minority leader in any country - and maybe more.  

As far as things I do when we're back in the U.S.?  I immediately get in a big old American car and drive over to a big old American store and deal with customer-service oriented people working there.  When I go to restaurants and they refill my drink, without being asked, for free, I try not look too surprised.  I buy a lot of cheap consumer electronics and watch as much college football and History Channel as I can manage.  I also try to listen to what people are thinking and caring about - you can get a pretty narrow view of the U.S. if you just read the New York Times online and watch the BBC news.  I also try to cut some grass and see a few friends.

* Influence of STA
Three things:
Lyle Gilbertson - who taught French and Spanish. Gilbertson was an outstanding teacher and friend to me and many of my classmates - making sure that French class covered not only grammar and pronunciation but an appreciation of French culture, food and art.  He was a guy that had traveled extensively and shared those experiences with us and gave us a taste of what life abroad was like.  I don't mean to sound too much like a hayseed but for a kid whose concept of "Europe" was a bunch of boring Super 8 films shot by my parents in the early '70s Gilbertson had a lot of interesting stories and made Europe an exciting prospect. I've got to say that but for Gilbertson, I never would have made the jump, he made a huge difference in my life.

Pete Tanghe - who pointed out to me that the real value of the military aspect of Saint Thomas was learning to "convince people to do something that they don't want to do without any real ability to either reward them for doing it or punish them for failing to do it" which pretty sums up my job to this day.

The rest of it was the can-do attitude that the place instills in you - if you've got a good idea and some common sense, STA is a place that puts itself behind you. Having that kind of support to try new things, to put together ideas and make a go of it is really the best preparation.

Last, and not least, the place keeps you from taking yourself too seriously - which is also worth a lot.