Back in the year 2000, at the ripe age of 18 I took 2 suitcases and huffed off to college in Montreal. I had asked for a roommate at my dorm (the all-girls' Royal Victoria College) because I thought roommates were a standard part of the college experience. I think it was because we both put "sensitive" on the word list to pair up potential roomies, but no matter the reason, I was given THE BEST roommate imaginable. Sarah was quirky and cute and more easy-going and positive than anyone I had ever met. She liked to party but could easily stay in talking and playing games. She only sometimes seemed to mind that I was a slob and had to practice my violin at weird hours. And some nights, she would read aloud to me until I fell asleep. I know, I know. Amazing. In short, she was a ray of sunshine in an otherwise cloudy university experience.
It turns out that on each floor, only one or two rooms were double rooms and that everyone else had single rooms. We had been shoved into a room the same size as all the others, only we had to divide our space in half. (A note to all of you thinking of going to McGill) A little ways down the hall I discovered Barbara, an Egyptian girl from Calgary with the world's biggest personality and most contagious laugh. Barbara is ferociously smart, successful, and a very hard worker. So you can see why we immediately hit it off. That first year was incredibly important to me as a person. Sarah, Barbara and I ended up living together for our last year at McGill in a gorgeous apartment in the Plateau and have remained bosom bodies ever since. Sarah and Barbara came to visit in mid-May and Sarah's daughter Lena and Antonia hit it off just as easily as their mamas had.
 |
| I had to get them matching pjs or "adoomas" as Antonia calls them |
 |
| Paying Sarah back for all the reading aloud |
 |
| Antonia pretended to sleep on Ryan |
 |
| More reading aloud |
 |
| Pittsburgh tourists |
 |
| Johnny bread or carob at Penn Mac |
 |
| We tried many a selfie |
 |
| Lena trying to mimic the way Antonia sits |
 |
| Come again soon, friends! |
I am soooo jealous! I used to live in the Cayman Islands, and am planning to take my 2-year-old--just missed the kids fly free deal:( It's not a long flight really--lay over in Miami on most airlines. I would love to take her to Europe, but thought, that would be way too far. Now, I'm saving pennies after reading your post!
ReplyDeleteTraveling is the greatest learning experience your daughter will ever receive.