You Will Be Missed

To say I haven’t thought of you every day since I’ve been in France would be an understatement.  Your spirit was with the birds in the trees that line the river walk to Le Paz. 

You were in the snowflakes that burned my cheeks at the summit of Les Contamines, and you were on the wind that raised the parasailors into the air. 

But most of all, you were on the chairlift with the nine year old boy from Paris who was tolerant enough to chat with me in French.  I was testing out eleven months of our zoom work, and you were encouraging me as usual, in your way.  He was on holiday with his mother, his aunt, and his grandfather, and like all children, he wasn’t aware that his presence made some kind of wonderful in the world. . . he brought you back, and into my life again.  

In addition to the French, it turns out we’re learning quite a bit of English from our friends Julian and Patricia this week. 

At the end of a ski day we’re all quite knackered, and we tend to potter about whittering a bit.  I don’t mean to say that anyone is blithering on, but this is the time when we pick up most of our British.  The morning is too hectic, as someone is always faffing, but in the evenings there’s plenty of time to talk.  Who would’ve thought that we would be reuniting with our seasoned sailing friends so far from the water?  How lucky we are to have been invited to see them in such an iconic place!  

This is the second time that we took advantage of Ryan Air’s budget flights to travel from Sicily.  Hanging out with Jenny and Domingo in England felt more like visiting three countries than one. 

Of course, there was London, where the culture, art, and history radiated from the streets.  However, they also brought Korea and Mexico to us, with delicious home-cooked meals.  Mrs. Won made bi bim bap, and Domingo treated us to his mother’s enchiladas.  (The secret is in the chocolate sauce.) 

Fortunately, we were able to walk off all the calories, by day along the Thames, and at night alongside Mavis, the pug.

Last remarks

• Thank you to Jenny and Domingo for taking us in for an olympian London experience.  Gerty is waiting for you.
• Merci beaucoup to Patricia and Julian for sharing your Chamonix experience with us.  Touring the region from Grande Monte, Saint Gervais, and Les Contamines, to Flegere/Brevant was a superb way to ski the area, and we couldn’t have done it without you.  By land or by sea, it is always a joy to spend time with you.
• Rest in Peace Andres Michel, my most excellent French teacher.  My condolences to your friends and family for your loss.  For those of you who don’t know, Andres Michel came to me as a gift from my son.  She was a Burundian refugee, living in Uganda and working for NaTakallam.  If you wish to learn a foreign language and benefit refugee communities throughout the world please visit natakallam.com.