I always did like that Latin American beat!

Meeting my two brothers for the first time - especially these guys who grew up in another country, in a different culture, speaking a different language - was, for me, a crash course in diversity. Although my brothers' names - Mark and Matthew Burwick - are as Anglo-Saxon as they come, they are Latinos from the word "Go." Although we share the same father, with a Scottish-Irish-English-Dutch-Polish-French-Swiss background, their dark skin, dark brown eyes and black hair testify to a Spanish-Native American mix common to South American citizens. Watching them converse in their native tongue, of which I know "poco" (very little) was fascinating. Their mother, Laura, who accompanied them on their trip to New York in May, speaks a little more English than they do, so she was able to translate for me when needed... which was quite often, unless I was just chilling out, enjoying their rapid-fire exchange. Once in a while, a word or phrase would have a familiar ring to me with my limited Spanish vocabulary.

Steve Burwick, Mark Burwick, Ivonne Reyes, and Matthew Burwick 

Mark and Matthew are now dual citizens, thanks to years of patiently petitioning the U.S. Embassy, along with the efforts of our sister Ivonne and myself in locating and sending our father's school records and other materials to Venezuela. They both plan to move to the U.S. in the next year or so.
Mark has a son who attended high school in Houston, just graduated college in Rhode Island this spring, and will be studying for a Master's in filmmaking in Los Angeles beginning in the fall. Mark works in a bank and I am sure that he can find suitable employment in the financial industry here in the states, while continuing his musical pursuits. He currently plays lead guitar in a pop-rock band in his home town of Caracas, and is recording some original music.

Mark, in "guitar heaven"
 at Sam Ash Music Store in NY City

Matthew, who is an industrial designer and photographer, plays classical piano and guitar. Matthew hopes to exhibit his fine art photography in museums. Our sister, Monica, whom Ivonne and I both met two years ago, is moving from Venezuela to South Florida at the end of this month. She has a degree in highway engineering, and her husband, Luis Carlos, is a commercial pilot.

Matthew, playing one of his
 original compositions

Matthew and Monica have now met all but Cliff and Kyle, the two brothers I grew up with, and I have yet to meet Sister Lorena, who serves as a nun in Venezuela. Matthew met both Ivonne and Lloyd, as well as myself, in May. Mark, who returned from New York to Venezuela early, didn't get a chance to meet Lloyd, who lives in New Jersey along with Ivonne. All of them have met Monica, and Cliff and Kyle have only met Lloyd, when he was a baby.
We are hoping to get a few of us together in one place next year, perhaps in Florida.

The saga will continue in later posts...