Un petit monde...
I recently began work as a volunteer doing PR and editing work for MESSAGE, the English-speaking mothers' group I mention all the time as my constant resource. The reason we've gotten so much out of our stay here in Paris is because of this wonderful support network of 1500+ English-speaking parents in and around Paris. Through MESSAGE, I can post questions and get instant advice about anything related to living in Paris, feeding Emmett, where to find XYZ. Best of all, I've had the privilege of meeting and bonding with mothers from such countries as England, Ireland, Scotland, Australia, South Africa, Canada, and the U.S. I feel like I've lived such a sheltered life.
Anyway, last night I attended a PR committee meeting at someone's house where ten of us had dinner and talked. The woman sitting across from me, Cathy, reminded me of someone and I grappled with who it was on and off throughout the night. Her manner of speaking, the inflections of her voice, her mannerisms... I finally realized she reminded me of my first piano teacher in Berlin, Wisconsin named Mrs. Swan.
Background: Berlin (pronounced BER-lin) is a tiny rural farm town of about 5,000 where I lived for 12 years. I loved growing up there and I had a hard time moving to California when I was 13, even though I had relatives there and visited about once a year.
Back to Paris: As we were all bundling up to leave at around midnight to catch the last metro, Cathy turned to me and asked me where I'm from. She told me that she has been living in Paris for 7 years. She married a Frenchman and has twin 4 year-old boys, but most recently lived in Chicago and grew up in Wisconsin.
L: "Really? I grew up in Wisconsin, too... near Oshkosh."
C: "So did I!!" ... (our mouths dropped open when we realized that we're both from Berlin)
L: "You remind me so much of my piano teacher, Mrs. Swan."
C: "My mom is a piano teacher! I'm her daughter, Cathy! I remember you now -- she used to talk about you all the time."
We were dumbfounded and yet ecstatic to have found each other. If I hadn't come to this meeting, if I hadn't been standing where I was standing, if Cathy hadn't struck up a conversation with me or mentioned that she's from Wisconsin....
Needless to say, I hope to be back in touch with Mrs. Swan very soon. I saw her last in 2001 when she came to Oakland to attend her son's wedding and apparently she visits the Bay Area at least once a year, so I hope we'll see each other on her next visit. I felt instantly comfortable with Cathy, whom I vaguely remember seeing at her house when I was younger (Cathy was probably in high school when I was in elementary school.) On the metro ride home, Cathy and I talked nonstop about friends we have in common, including a family that is very close to both of our families, the Field's. These are photos taken during our visit to Berlin in 2002 -- David's first visit to Wisconsin -- when we stayed with the Field's in their home that has been designated as a historic landmark. We used to have Thanksgiving dinner at their house each year.
Anyway, last night I attended a PR committee meeting at someone's house where ten of us had dinner and talked. The woman sitting across from me, Cathy, reminded me of someone and I grappled with who it was on and off throughout the night. Her manner of speaking, the inflections of her voice, her mannerisms... I finally realized she reminded me of my first piano teacher in Berlin, Wisconsin named Mrs. Swan.
Background: Berlin (pronounced BER-lin) is a tiny rural farm town of about 5,000 where I lived for 12 years. I loved growing up there and I had a hard time moving to California when I was 13, even though I had relatives there and visited about once a year. Back to Paris: As we were all bundling up to leave at around midnight to catch the last metro, Cathy turned to me and asked me where I'm from. She told me that she has been living in Paris for 7 years. She married a Frenchman and has twin 4 year-old boys, but most recently lived in Chicago and grew up in Wisconsin.
L: "Really? I grew up in Wisconsin, too... near Oshkosh."
C: "So did I!!" ... (our mouths dropped open when we realized that we're both from Berlin)
L: "You remind me so much of my piano teacher, Mrs. Swan."
C: "My mom is a piano teacher! I'm her daughter, Cathy! I remember you now -- she used to talk about you all the time."
We were dumbfounded and yet ecstatic to have found each other. If I hadn't come to this meeting, if I hadn't been standing where I was standing, if Cathy hadn't struck up a conversation with me or mentioned that she's from Wisconsin....
Needless to say, I hope to be back in touch with Mrs. Swan very soon. I saw her last in 2001 when she came to Oakland to attend her son's wedding and apparently she visits the Bay Area at least once a year, so I hope we'll see each other on her next visit. I felt instantly comfortable with Cathy, whom I vaguely remember seeing at her house when I was younger (Cathy was probably in high school when I was in elementary school.) On the metro ride home, Cathy and I talked nonstop about friends we have in common, including a family that is very close to both of our families, the Field's. These are photos taken during our visit to Berlin in 2002 -- David's first visit to Wisconsin -- when we stayed with the Field's in their home that has been designated as a historic landmark. We used to have Thanksgiving dinner at their house each year.
posted by Lynna | 2:34 PM
3 Comments:
*that* is way, way too cool. uh-may-zing. my god, what a crazy small world. :)
The world is just way too small. That's so cool!
that's crazy, dude.
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