The Community Coffeehouse Opens Its Doors

Are you ready for my “6-Word Story”?

Here it is . . .

The beauty of our “Oasis of Cultures” is that it isn’t limited to the “international,” or foreign, community in our small rural town in Pennsylvania.

It includes the host culture too—the beautiful American culture! “Let’s Weave Cultures” together!

Shortly after meeting other fellow sojourners from around the world, I met a young American woman. She was just waiting . . . waiting to rub shoulders with the global community that had settled in her town.

Regina and I had first met at the local community coffeehouse. She was outgoing, easy to talk to, and displayed a real love and compassion for people—locals and foreigners. I told her that our family had just recently arrived in her hometown from France, and she was immediately intrigued.

No Accidental Meeting

A few months later, we crossed paths again. This time, it wasn’t at the local coffeehouse. Rather, it was on the soccer field. Her husband just happened to be Pierre’s soccer coach for the spring season. Our families would now see each other several times a week.

Regina approached us on the soccer field and asked us questions about our life in Europe, our work among immigrants and refugees, etc. She was obviously interested in the “world beyond.” She was a “cultural learner.” Regina went on to share about her own exciting, international travel experiences around the world, as well as her family’s unique cultural heritage. It was a fascinating conversation.

I suddenly had an idea! Perhaps Regina would be interested in meeting some of the internationals in town? I knew that several of the foreigners in our group had just recently arrived in the U.S. They were still being introduced to the American culture and some were still in the process of learning English.

Cultural Exchange

Perhaps our group could become a cultural exchange group. We could share our cultures and languages with each other, learn from each other, and become better “global citizens” in this small town community.

When I first mentioned the idea to Regina, she immediately began naming other “internationals” she knew in the area who might be interested in joining our “Oasis of Cultures.” She had friends from Mexico, Venezuela, India, etc. She also knew some other Americans who would love to be a part of the group—some who enjoyed traveling and learning about other languages and cultures.

We chose a date, and then invited and gathered as many as we could to the “Oasis of Cultures.” The “oasis,” however, was not full of water. It was full of coffee, as the local community coffeehouse, Haz Beanz, opened its doors to our group.

Coffeehouse Hospitality

The coffeehouse staff kindly offered to host our “Oasis of Cultures” meetings twice a month and our weekly language conversation exchange groups. They reserve the back private room just for our “international” group. They prepare tables and chairs for us and take our orders directly at the table so that we can continue our group activities.

It is also a lot of fun when some of the coffeehouse staff sit down and join us around the “international” table. They enjoy tasting the ethnic treats that we bring from time to time and participating in our various cultural topics of conversation.

The local community coffeehouse has become the regular meeting place for our “international” group and symbolizes a unique blend of cultures . . . foreigners and locals thriving together. The coffeehouse is an integral part of our group, welcoming us into their space, and even joining us at the “Oasis.” We also love that we can support a local business by bringing regular clients through their doors.

That’s the beauty of our local community and the way the world should be. We can all join together—learn from one another—breaking down cultural barriers and building cultural bridges. Together, we are seeking to grow in cultural awareness, understanding, and appreciation of each other.

Let’s Weave Cultures . . . at the local community coffeehouse!

—The Cultural Story-Weaver

Let’s Weave Cultures!

How could you begin your own “Oasis of Cultures” in your hometown— gathering locals and internationals together? Is there a local coffeehouse who could jump on board with you and welcome you into their space?

We invite you to tell us your own cultural stories and global adventures . . . as you engage with the world, breaking down barriers, building bridges, and “weaving cultures”! Write about them in the comment box below.

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