My coworker takes French lessons at the Alliance Francaise, and this week they were having some cultural events. It is right down the street from the office, so after work we ambled over to check it out.
We were early for the concert, but there was an art exhibition opening. Of course we'll take the free wine, thank you. They also had bread and cheese, which was very cute and French. We stood chatting with each other, wanting to meet new people but unsure how to go about it, as everyone seemed to stay with the people they came with. None of Suma's classmates were there, so she was bummed she didn't know anyone.
"Wait a minute," I said. "I think I know those people - see the man in the hat with traces of pink in his beard? I'm pretty positive that they sat by me on the plane from Delhi on the way here....yeah, there's his wife. I sat by her...I slept the whole time though. Should I say hi?"
We ventured over and stood on the outer ring of their conversation circle. When they looked at us inquisitively, I said, "Hi - I'm Jen. I think I sat by you on the plane from Delhi 3 weeks ago...?" He looked at me and said, "Yes, yes you did! I remember your hair. And you must remember my beard." (I'm glad he said that before I did!) His wife said, "I think that you must have been very tired, because if I remember you were sleeping the entire flight." Yeah, sorry I was antisocial.
We chatted for a while, though, and it turns out that they are very active at the Alliance Francaise. She took our numbers so that she can let us know what is going on, and "we don't have to wait for that - we can have coffee."
Suma turned to me and said, "Of course. I'm the Bangalorean. I'm the one who is a student here. But I don't see a single person I know. You have been living here 3 weeks, and already you are running into friends."
What can I say? It's a small world. And if you look around, you might start to see (my favorite quote by Anne Lamott, found in the book Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life).
We were early for the concert, but there was an art exhibition opening. Of course we'll take the free wine, thank you. They also had bread and cheese, which was very cute and French. We stood chatting with each other, wanting to meet new people but unsure how to go about it, as everyone seemed to stay with the people they came with. None of Suma's classmates were there, so she was bummed she didn't know anyone.
"Wait a minute," I said. "I think I know those people - see the man in the hat with traces of pink in his beard? I'm pretty positive that they sat by me on the plane from Delhi on the way here....yeah, there's his wife. I sat by her...I slept the whole time though. Should I say hi?"
We ventured over and stood on the outer ring of their conversation circle. When they looked at us inquisitively, I said, "Hi - I'm Jen. I think I sat by you on the plane from Delhi 3 weeks ago...?" He looked at me and said, "Yes, yes you did! I remember your hair. And you must remember my beard." (I'm glad he said that before I did!) His wife said, "I think that you must have been very tired, because if I remember you were sleeping the entire flight." Yeah, sorry I was antisocial.
We chatted for a while, though, and it turns out that they are very active at the Alliance Francaise. She took our numbers so that she can let us know what is going on, and "we don't have to wait for that - we can have coffee."
Suma turned to me and said, "Of course. I'm the Bangalorean. I'm the one who is a student here. But I don't see a single person I know. You have been living here 3 weeks, and already you are running into friends."
What can I say? It's a small world. And if you look around, you might start to see (my favorite quote by Anne Lamott, found in the book Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life).
