JULIE ARANT
For several years Julie has been on a journey that has opened her eyes to beautiful people from the nations and has taken her as an "armchair traveler" to the ends of the earth. It all began when her father and mother met a special international friend at a store in Omaha, Nebraska. The visiting international and her parents became fast friends as God seemed to knit their hearts together. From that time forward, their eyes began to open as more and more special friends from around the world began to make their way to United States, and some to Omaha Nebraska. They thought they could help welcome them. The truth is, meeting these friends has changed their lives forever for the better.
DEAN & CINDY LINDGREN
Dean and Cindy worked and lived in Turkey for the last 26 years. When asked why they’ve enjoyed living in Turkey, Dean always points to the warm, hospitable people and the great food. Tasting an Adana Kebab and salad made with fresh Turkish tomatoes and peppers always brings their taste buds alive. Cindy enjoyed learning to make local foods and pastries and seeing how the Turks do hospitality. Dean graduated from UNL with a degree in Agriculture and helped bring a new brand of seed to Turkey. He worked with a great multi-national team alongside several Turkish seed companies.Their children all loved growing up overseas and today one lives in Budapest and another in Istanbul. Since Turks gave them such a warm welcome over the past 26 years, Dean and Cindy want to do the same for international students who are new in Omaha.
NATHAN WILLIAMS
Nathan moved to Omaha, Nebraska in 2010 and has served with Global Friends since 2014. He loves laughing with friends, learning new words or phrases in another language, or getting the opportunity to help a student find answers to questions. Things he dislikes include ladders, dance floors, walking on a roof, and cottage cheese. Nathan loves to travel and has had the privilege to visit a few European countries, Zambia, and the Dominican Republic. He enjoys reading, so if you are looking for a book to read please feel free to ask him for a suggestion!
Kaitlin Malone
Kaitlin grew up in Malawi, Africa which sparked her passion for the world. Kaitlin loves meeting people from around the globe and learning about different cultures. Kaitlin moved to Omaha in 2014 to attend UNO where she studied Elementary Education. She met her husband Clayton on a trip to Thailand and they got married in June 2019. Kaitlin worked as a teacher with OPS for 2 years before having her daughter Selah in November 2020. Kaitlin will be serving as an administrative assistant with Global Friends.