"A TRIP THAT CHANGED MY LIFE"
In 1981 I went to England for the first time. Arriving in London was so emotional that my eyes were watering. The view from the plane was splendid. The countryside seemed like a patched bedspread.
I went directly to Bath, the city where I’d be living while the three-week course I came to take lasted. I was assigned to live in a minute old house that belonged to a very nice lady, who was about my age. Freda, my landlady, was kind, warmhearted, outspoken and friendly. She worked as a secretary and rented three small rooms to make ends meet. A friend of hers, Christine, also a secretary about my age, rented the second room and a young shy girl rented the last one.
In the evenings, we’d sit by the table to have dinner and chat. The young girl usually called the day off almost immediately, but the rest of us would have long conversations about life in England and in Mexico, but particularly about ourselves. Just before I left for Bath, I had asked my husband for the divorce. We had had a very tough year, and I couldn’t take it any longer. Go to England, he said, and we’ll discuss it when you come back. And so I did.
Freda, Christine and I always had something to share. They were honestly interested in getting to know about me. How have you managed to stay married for 17 years?,they’d ask, Look at us. We are both divorced. I decided that if I told them how I felt at that moment, it’d be very biased and unfair to my husband, who was not there to present his own viewpoint . So, to tell them a more objective memory, I started reflecting on what had made me last for 17 long years married to the same guy. The evening chats became sort of group therapy sessions, but warmer and at no cost. And they worked as such for me!
After three weeks, I came back to Mexico in a different attitude. I decided to give my marriage a second chance, and it ended up being a successful secondchange. I’ve been married for 47 years now! And I still don’t regret it, thank God.
As important as my marriage, were the two friends I gained in that trip. Freda and Christine have been my true friends, my English sisters as they call themselves, ever since. We’ve corresponded periodically and sent photos. When Freda started using email, we switched to emails, but Christine kept writing letters until this year, 2010, when she finally got a laptop and has just started to learn to email.
In all these years, I’ve only seen them twice again, in 1990 and, in 2009. Both times it’s been as if we had never stopped seeing each other – simply wonderful, natural and heartfelt. I count on them and they count on me as true friends do. I love them dearly, and so does my husband. I owe them my marriage, and will always be grateful to them.
My first trip to Bath marked me forever, not only because of the friendships I made or the marriage I saved, but because of the city itself which is majestic, gorgeous and unique. Here are some sights I took during my last trip. Enjoy.
I went directly to Bath, the city where I’d be living while the three-week course I came to take lasted. I was assigned to live in a minute old house that belonged to a very nice lady, who was about my age. Freda, my landlady, was kind, warmhearted, outspoken and friendly. She worked as a secretary and rented three small rooms to make ends meet. A friend of hers, Christine, also a secretary about my age, rented the second room and a young shy girl rented the last one.
In the evenings, we’d sit by the table to have dinner and chat. The young girl usually called the day off almost immediately, but the rest of us would have long conversations about life in England and in Mexico, but particularly about ourselves. Just before I left for Bath, I had asked my husband for the divorce. We had had a very tough year, and I couldn’t take it any longer. Go to England, he said, and we’ll discuss it when you come back. And so I did.
Freda, Christine and I always had something to share. They were honestly interested in getting to know about me. How have you managed to stay married for 17 years?,they’d ask, Look at us. We are both divorced. I decided that if I told them how I felt at that moment, it’d be very biased and unfair to my husband, who was not there to present his own viewpoint . So, to tell them a more objective memory, I started reflecting on what had made me last for 17 long years married to the same guy. The evening chats became sort of group therapy sessions, but warmer and at no cost. And they worked as such for me!
After three weeks, I came back to Mexico in a different attitude. I decided to give my marriage a second chance, and it ended up being a successful secondchange. I’ve been married for 47 years now! And I still don’t regret it, thank God.
As important as my marriage, were the two friends I gained in that trip. Freda and Christine have been my true friends, my English sisters as they call themselves, ever since. We’ve corresponded periodically and sent photos. When Freda started using email, we switched to emails, but Christine kept writing letters until this year, 2010, when she finally got a laptop and has just started to learn to email.
In all these years, I’ve only seen them twice again, in 1990 and, in 2009. Both times it’s been as if we had never stopped seeing each other – simply wonderful, natural and heartfelt. I count on them and they count on me as true friends do. I love them dearly, and so does my husband. I owe them my marriage, and will always be grateful to them.
My first trip to Bath marked me forever, not only because of the friendships I made or the marriage I saved, but because of the city itself which is majestic, gorgeous and unique. Here are some sights I took during my last trip. Enjoy.
