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Photogragh courtesy of Global Volunteers
Global Volunteer: Campbell resident Cathie Harris (standing) shows a map of California to middle school students in Cisternino, Italy.
Public Citizen
Traveling Mercies
By Erin Mayes
Campbell resident Cathie Harris and her son, Joe, are modern-day Marco Polos, trekking their way across the world's continents.
A part of their yearly Mother's Day trip, the two Harrises' most recent adventure in May was to the port city of Ostuni, Italy, where, as new members of Global Volunteers, a private nonprofit organization based in Minnesota, they taught English to students in the nearby town of Cisternino, located at the southernmost tip of the boot of Italy.
Cathie Harris, a homemaker, said most people in Cisternino have never seen Americans because it's not a tourist area.
"They were wonderful," she said. "They were so excited to practice what little English they did know."
Most of the young people were glad to meet Harris' 14-year-old son Joe.
"The word got around that there was a young American boy and Joe would tutor them privately, about four or five of them at a time," Harris said. "Those children in Italy were so grateful, and even though my son doesn't speak Italian, they have the same haircuts, they like the same music groups and basketball stars. They might as well be speaking the same language."
Harris, who has lived in Campbell for 18 years, said that even though she doesn't have a background in teaching English, the fact that she and her son could speak conversational American English was a novelty to the Cisternino students.
"The English that they learn is British English," she said. "For instance, they call socks knickers--it's a little outdated."
Harris said she has learned Italian through self-teaching and classes and has made many trips to Italy. During her three-week trip to Ostuni, she taught conversational English to professionals, such as doctors.
Harris said that, although she was born in America, her heritage is Sicilian.
"The next trip we'll probably take will be to Italy for the summer, where we can go and learn Italian while we're there," she said. "At some point, I'd like for us to live there for a year."
Harris said her trips with Joe have been truly enlightening for both of them.
"I'm trying to foster a better understanding between us and the world," she said. "It's so important for people to realize that even though we have cultural differences, we're all basically the same. Every time we go somewhere, I really think we learn more about ourselves."
The mother and son have managed to hop around the globe quite a bit in the nine years since they started their traveling tradition.
"We take family vacations, but Joe and I have done trips, just the two of us, for Mother's Day for years," Harris said. "One year we did Paris; another we did London. When we travel, I really respect and love the person he's becoming. When you travel, you're more friends than mother and son. It's great, and then he comes home and acts like a teenager again."
Joe, who has attended St. Lucy's School in Campbell, is returning next week from a trip to Australia as one of 30 student delegate ambassadors from the United States.
Harris, 50, said one of Joe's goals is to visit all seven continents before he's 18. He only has two left to visit: South America and Antarctica.
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Campbell, California
