The XPATTY Podcast

John Poirtier: Life in Dubai as an American

John Poirtier is an American born in New York and raised in Northern Virginia. He had the opportunity to live on both coasts of the US, Europe, and the Middle East. He spent the past 2 years living in Dubai, UAE. In February 2022, he relocated to the United States. Professionally, he is a Technical Consultant working for Amazon AWS. Outside of work, he loves traveling internationally, training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and spending time with family and friends. 

Juandalynn Abernathy: A child of the Civil Rights Movement Living in Germany

Meet my good friend Juandalynn. I met her while living in Germany and ever since I left Germany we have remained good friends. Enjoy this broadcast to learn about our lives as black women living in Germany.

Juandalynn R. Abernathy was born to Mrs. Juanita Jones and  Reverend Doctor Ralph David Abernathy at the beginning of the non-violent American Civil Rights Movement that her parents co-founded with their best friend, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that changed the course of American history and politics in the world.

During her early childhood Juandalynn survived the frightening experience of the bombing of her parent’s home. She participated in all of the major Civil Rights Marches and lead the mass integration of the school system in the South in 1965. During her childhood, she witnessed many of the crucial and important decisions which influenced American laws and society -  the Civil Rights Bill, the Voting Rights Act and the Public Accommodations Act, Fair Housing Bill and the National Food Stamp Program. 

 

Ms. Abernathy is a classical concert singer, who's talent was discovered and encouraged during her early youth. She was first nurtured by her parents' dear friend and regular house guest, the famous gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, who prophesied that the baby Juandalynn would have a career as a classical singer. Young Juandalynn began singing publicly and regularly in her father's churches, as a child.  She was known as "the little girl with the big adult voice".

 

Ms. Abernathy was awarded scholarships at Oberlin College Conservatory of Music for her Bachelor of Music degree and Boston Conservatory of Music, where she earned a Master of Music. Her powerful soprano voice enabled her to study in the International Master Class in Luxembourg with Prof. Ileana Contrubas.  Ms. Abernathy was a finalist for the Metropolitan Opera Auditions in New England. She was also awarded a scholarship to study at Goethe Institute in Munich, Germany. Her further studies led her to the Universita di Perugia, Italy.  Many additional awards underline the striking quality of her soprano voice.

 

Indeed, Juandalynn R. Abernathy became a well-known opera, concert and spiritual singer.  Ms. Abernathy was commissioned to give the opening concert of the new Opera House in Malta. She has given International Concerts in many major cities in the United States, in Tokyo, Japan where she recorded the CD "A Home in Glory", in South America, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Austria, Serbia, Montenegro and Switzerland, just to name a few.  In 1996, she performed at the opening concert for the German delegation at the Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia.

 

For the Martin Luther King Day Celebration, she gave a classical concert with the Santa Monica Symphony Orchestra. She has performed at the Opera in Graz, Austria, in Montgomery, Alabama for the 50^th Anniversary of the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement, in Tübingen, Germany for the Jazz and Classic Days at the German-American Institute, at the Award presentation ceremony with former German President Johannes Rau for the Universal Children’s Day at Schloss Weitenburg, Germany, at the Summer Festival Burgas, at Varna Summer International Music Festival, at the Sofio Music Weeks, on the American Lifetime Television Series "Any Day Now" in Los Angeles, CA., at the Malta Cultural Experience, the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, Germany, Music Days at Mainau on Lake Konstanz and at the Culture Summer Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany.

 

Her TV and Radio appearances took place on CBS, NBC, Lifetime TV, National Radio Bulgaria, Radio Plovdiv, Salon des Artes, 1 Kanal Live, Sofia, Skat TV, Burgas, Radio Sofia, Radio Tübingen and TV Varna, Eurorom TV, Plovdiv and RTF TV, Germany.

  

Ms. Abernathy has studied and performed the opera roles of Mme Lidoine in "Dialogues des Carmélites", Donna Anna and Donna Elvira in "Don Giovanni", Contessa in „Le Nozze di Figaro“, Pamina in "Zauberflöte", Fiordiligi in "Cosi Fan Tutte", Mimi and Musetta in "La Boheme", Gretel in "Hänsel and Gretel", Dido in "Dido and Aneas", Bianca in "The Rape of Lucretia", Laetitia in "The Old Maid and the Thief", Nedda in "Pagliacci", and Micaela in "Carmen".

 

More than ten years ago, Ms. Abernathy founded and has directed the large gospel choir, "Voices, Hearts & Souls", in Balingen, Germany. She also directs a smaller à capella choir. These choirs successfully perform regularly throughout Southern Germany.

 

Honoring her history, Ms. Abernathy is often asked by various units of the United States in Germany, as well as German schools, to lecture and deliver speeches commemorating the American Civil Rights Movement, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and her Father, Dr. Ralph David Abernathy, Sr.

 

Today, Juandalynn R. Abernathy makes her home in Southern Germany with her German husband Sven-Torben Haderup and their son Sören-Niklas Haderup. 

Meghan Markle Is No Longer an EXPAT!

Since the recent departure of Meghan Markle leaving the British Royal Family, she has decided that the life of an ex-pat was not for her, and for that matter, no longer is being a princess for her. She and her husband Prince Harry have decided to move to Canada. My friend JD and I talk about the life Meghan had in England and discover the real reason why Meghan left her life in England. 

Daniel Ortiz: Life Abroad Changes You

This month I speak with Daniel Ortiz. Danny has been in public speaking and business for the past 20 plus years, which has allowed him to travel the world. His life was humbled by different life experiences he had from visiting and working in impoverished foreign countries. I speak with Danny about how working abroad changed him.

Danny was born in the South Bronx, NY and has experienced first hand the challenges and difficulties of being raised in the inner city, by a single mom. 

Danny Ortiz has a drive and passion to equip and send this generation to live for Jesus and establish His kingdom by encountering His presence. His desire is to help and encourage each individual he meets by serving in their development: spiritually, wellness education and community living. His heart is to awaken this generation to positive change and being driven by their end result. Danny’s goal is to help everyone he meets to understand their full potential as well as to see and fulfill their purpose and dreams.

He has a degree from Vision University and he continues to serve in the capacity of, Executive Director at The Wave, partner of 22 Ventures and founder of You Decide You. Learn more about Daniel at www.thewavecolumbus.com. He is a husband of over 20 years and a father of three incredible girls. 

 

Tyler Cooperwood: Professional German Football Player

Tyler Cooperwood from Long Beach California played professional football for the Stuttgart Scorpians for eight months in Stuttgart, Germany. He talks with me just two months after coming back from Germany about his experiences in Europe and how the experience exposed him in a good way as an American. He wants to encourage more American youth to consider going abroad to gain important life experiences. You can follow Tyler on Instagram at Totally Committed 258. Tyler also has his own clothing line and you can purchase items at www.totallycommitted258.com. 

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Living and Working in China: Interview with Erika Mitschrich

She lived in China for 10 years! She has a wealth of information to share with you about her experiences and how she had a great life living in China. She'll discuss with me how she did it and why she was glad she did. China helped to open her eyes to a whole other way of doing things and made her see her life in China as a monumental accomplishment. 

Meghan Markle May Need Some Help

We've all seen what has been going on with the most famous expat in Great Britain Meghan Markle. JD and I talk about some of the news that she has been generating and offer our perspective about what is going on with this girl. Life as an expat can be challenging, especially when you are famous and married into one of the most famous families in the world. This is part one of the Expatty Podcast on YouTube. 

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Shawn Carter Scholarship_JAY Z Helps with College

The Shawn Carter Scholarship helps students to pay for educational experiences abroad. I discuss educational opportunities with the Shawn Carter Foundation with JD Johnson.