Congratulations, Raph!

Back in Australia, my good friend Raphael recently graduated from the University of the Sunshine Coast with a Bachelor of Business degree - and with top honors! Congratulations, Raph!

As I’ve mentioned previously, Raph is one of Mike and Bernadette McGowan’s seven children. I first got to know the McGowan family in Goulburn, N.S.W., where Mike was the principal of the primary school at which I taught from 1988-1993. Before relocating to the U.S. in 1994, I taught two of the McGowan children - Jeremiah (in 1989) and Tess (in 1992).

I’ve stayed friends with all the members of the family ever since our time together in Goulburn, and I always try to catch up with as many of them as I can each time I visit Australia from the U.S. (See, for example, the previous Wild Reed posts: Travelin’ South, Return to Wagga, Travelin’ North, Newtown, and Return to Ellenborough Falls.)

When I was home most recently, I caught up with Raph and members of his family on the Sunshine Coast. Raph also visited me in Port Macquarie, where we spent a great day roving the Mid-North Coast.

In 2004, Raph visited the U.S. and stayed with me in the Twin Cities for four months. It was a great time. We visited Minnesota’s North Shore; took a train trip to Washington, D.C; and flew out to San Francisco.

There's not much more to say accept that I'm incredibly honored and happy to have such a thoughtful, generous, and inspiring friend as Raph in my life. And, of course, I look forward to when next we meet and are able to celebrate in true Aussie style (over a cold beer or two!) this great academic achievement of his!