When I was seventeen I went to the United Sates on a Rotary exchange student program.
But I didn’t go to any place in the USA, I went to a small town called Sunnyside.
We had to go to friend of a friend’s house to get a map from the United States to be able to see where Sunnyside was.
Sunnyside is located in Washington State which is close to Canada.
This fact got me to the need to get the visa to the USA and to Canada. Oh, the thing was, my Rotary Club was an international Rotary Club, part of the clubs were from Washington State (USA), part was from British Columbia (Canada).
Long trip… no cell phones or internet.
Got there.
I had no idea of what was expecting me…
Time went by and I head to my first exchange student meeting…
The mettings all happened in Canada.
When I got on the bus there was Greg, the guy from Zimbabwe and Cadu, the guy from Brazil.
And the fun began.
From Sunnyside to Canada (I don’t remember the mane of the town) was a long drive.
So long that we had time enough to get to know each other very well.
The students from the USA District arrived in Canada and we all were welcome for the students from Canada District.
We had 4 days of talking, singing, playing and no sleep. That’s right we never slept.
It was in this very first meeting that I got to meet Greg from Zimbabwe, Alex and Dave from Belgium, Al from Mexico, Burçin from Turkey, Marina from Argentina, Nina from Germany and Tomo from Japan.
And from that day on we had a lot to hope for…
We had official meetings every two months but we got together more than that in our host families houses.
Friendship got stronger…
The first six months flew by and Greg and Tomo had to leave. There had been there for one year already…
It was hard to say goodbye.
(Remember there were no emails or cell phones or skype by that time)
They left and the rest of us stayed together for six more months…
The first year of the rest of our lives…
Time went by and we all went back home…
We went back home with thousands of pictures, millions of stories to remember and one promise “to keep in touch”.
Letters! Yes! We wrote many letters. And then we finally got the emails!!!!
22 years of writing and being in touch.
Al has this beautiful tradition to send us a Christmas letter with a brief story of his year.
Now we send emails which are faster to receive and to answer.
Greg, Tomo, Alex, Ale and Nina have kids. Dave, Marina and I don’t.
The kids are just beautiful! What else can I say.
Some of us got to meet again during these 22 years.
But the thing is: we kept in touch...
We have been trying to meet somewhere in the world, but it’s hard to get a time of the year everyone can.
I really believe that as the kids grow older we will be together again…
But… what I really want to share is that this time of my life together with this guys changed who I was and changed my life forever.
Having the chance to meet at such early age such great friends from so many different countries really did something to me… And I believe it did to my friends too…
Made me believe I can make it happen, because after all it is very simple:
You’ve got to give a love, have a little hope, make this world a little better.Try a little more, harder than before
We can really make it happen!
As Marina well wrote: After so many years we still are as close as we could be!
To Alex, Dave, Al, Nina, Greg, Marina and Tomo for making my world a little better ever since…
Hope to see you soon.
J.
Dec., 27, 2012
Waouw! I understood how it works to post a commentar... ;-) wel my little sweet Juliana! you message really is beautiful and it is soooo true! after all these years, our lifes went on but we are still exchange student in our mind and heart! thanks to the good group we were back there! such good memories, good friendschip, strong friendschip after all these year... the last time we saw each other with you, Alex and Burçin here in Belgium was a good way to prouve it! we are running like crazy in our life sometimes, have lot's of activities... time go fast but I have the hope as well that one day in europe, or south america, nothe america or asia, we can get togheter for a big reunion!!! as you said, that year back there was such a year that you will never forget! Never! such beautiful times with you guys... we were young but hey! we are still young! ;-) love you my Juliana! always in my heart sweety... and have a very happy nieuw year 2013!!!! Big kisses... and by the way, the name of the city is Wenatchee...;-)XXX
ResponderExcluirDear Dave thanks for your lovely words... you are always in my heart!
ExcluirJu:
ResponderExcluirLike Dave, I am quite technology challenged, so it is my very first time in a blog. I hope this actually gets posted, and I dont screw things up, ha ha...
Thank you so so much for writing so many beautiful things about our year as exchanges. When I read what you posted, it just made me smile and sooooo may memories and flashbacks just came back to my head. It is amazing how that year really had a big positive impact in every single one of us. Sometimes I think nobody for us really understand the strong huge friendship and bond we have. I still have my Blue Jacket with pins, and I have shown it to my wife and kids... of course they think is cool, but I guess they just dont fully get it :)
I know we all deep inside hope to meet again and PARTY NON-SLEEP like we did 22 years ago.
Amazing that you wrote about that song... everytime I hear it, it just makes me happy and makes me want to dance!
The biggest hug to you and may we meet someday again, before we turn 100 yrs old !
Love
Al