I got home last night from dinner with friends to find a typed Skype message from Samir in Nepal. He and I first 'met' years ago and now he's married and has a little boy, after going through that dreadful earthquake. And just yesterday I caught up with Mariana in Portugal. We started emailing when she was still in high school and now she's been a GP for two years. This makes me think of Bianka from Germany, who also started emailing me when she was in high school, then, as soon as she'd finished school, came to Australia for almost a year and stayed with me in Newcastle for a couple of months. She's an architect now. There's Australian Scott and wife Tarja from Finland, who were in my French class in Muswellbrook years ago, and who went back to Tarja's home to live and produced four beautiful children, now all adults. Christabel, one of them, came to visit me here in Sydney a couple of years ago.
Karin in Germany, now retired from teaching, video Skyped me a while back, giving me a lovely surprise. How envious I am of your perfect English, Karin! In fact, all of you speak wonderful English as a second language, putting Australians to shame. Same with you, Michael, also from Germany, whose English is just perfect.
Feyzi from Turkey goes back about 13 years and Skypes most days. Georges, my 'adopted' son from Burkina Faso, doesn't communicate often, but it's good to be kept aware of what he's doing from time to time.
Then there are my two faithfuls, Winifred from the south of England and Frank from the north, both of whom I've actually met. And Olga from Russia, who lives in Newcastle.
In France there are two marvellous families, the Bouchus and Bouchards. They both helped me through my divorce and custody battle in 1973/4 by taking me and Philip into their homes. Eternally grateful, I am. Sadly Jean-Claude has died and Maxime is confined to the house, on oxygen. I was able to visit both families on my last trip to France about three years ago.
When I did an Italian course in Siena years ago I met Beatrix, from Switzerland, who sends a yearly bulletin in Italian - oh dear, I haven't answered yet. Nor have I answered the yearly bulletin from Canadian friend, Jackie. (They're both on my To Do list today!)
Talk about a melting pot of nationalities!
I haven't even mentioned the Australian friends I have, or my latest obsession finding ancestors and cousins currently living.
Winifred, photos are pretty scarce in my background, too, as most ancestors were poor. Most of the ones I do have have come to me from other related researchers through Ancestry.com. Mum had a few, which have come down to me. I really regret not having asked her questions about ancestors before she died in 1998.
Since putting together my family tree, which goes back on some lines to 1500s, I have learnt the Jewish side came from Poland generations back; but all the others mostly came from London and a few other parts of England, Scotland and Ireland. Possibly France, way, way back. Not surprising I feel at home in UK. Interestingly, the DNA results reflect this. The science is amazing.
Karin in Germany, now retired from teaching, video Skyped me a while back, giving me a lovely surprise. How envious I am of your perfect English, Karin! In fact, all of you speak wonderful English as a second language, putting Australians to shame. Same with you, Michael, also from Germany, whose English is just perfect.
Feyzi from Turkey goes back about 13 years and Skypes most days. Georges, my 'adopted' son from Burkina Faso, doesn't communicate often, but it's good to be kept aware of what he's doing from time to time.
Then there are my two faithfuls, Winifred from the south of England and Frank from the north, both of whom I've actually met. And Olga from Russia, who lives in Newcastle.
In France there are two marvellous families, the Bouchus and Bouchards. They both helped me through my divorce and custody battle in 1973/4 by taking me and Philip into their homes. Eternally grateful, I am. Sadly Jean-Claude has died and Maxime is confined to the house, on oxygen. I was able to visit both families on my last trip to France about three years ago.
When I did an Italian course in Siena years ago I met Beatrix, from Switzerland, who sends a yearly bulletin in Italian - oh dear, I haven't answered yet. Nor have I answered the yearly bulletin from Canadian friend, Jackie. (They're both on my To Do list today!)
Talk about a melting pot of nationalities!
I haven't even mentioned the Australian friends I have, or my latest obsession finding ancestors and cousins currently living.
Winifred, photos are pretty scarce in my background, too, as most ancestors were poor. Most of the ones I do have have come to me from other related researchers through Ancestry.com. Mum had a few, which have come down to me. I really regret not having asked her questions about ancestors before she died in 1998.
Since putting together my family tree, which goes back on some lines to 1500s, I have learnt the Jewish side came from Poland generations back; but all the others mostly came from London and a few other parts of England, Scotland and Ireland. Possibly France, way, way back. Not surprising I feel at home in UK. Interestingly, the DNA results reflect this. The science is amazing.
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