Lessons Learned

Today was spent dropping Molly at her first day at her new school and getting David Garreth registered at East China Normal University. I was astounded by the hundreds of students from all around the world that have come to study Mandarin. I think it will be an outstanding, albeit demanding, opportunity for Garreth and he is very excited even though it is a LONG commute via bike, bus and subway to get to campus.

I had a most enjoyable chat with another mom, Esther, from the Philippines. We had around 6 hours of waiting while the students went through the various stages of registration. And it got me to thinking......

I have always been fortunate to have good experiences abroad and encountered so many kind people, save Bari, Italy where we were truly frightened. But I haven't always been as kind when the tables are turned. Living in Japan many years ago, there was no shortage of people that assisted and befriended me. During each of our visits to China there have been folks that have gone far out of their ways to be gracious hosts and guides.

I think of the exchange students I encountered during high school and college. Always pleasant and polite, I was much too self absorbed to extend myself beyond that. I regret that and I am truly sorry. It is my loss.

I hope I have taught my children better and they will reap the joys of international friendships begun on foreign soil or at home. This old world grows smaller all the time and it would serve us all well to just be a little kinder.