Back in the USA -- After 4 Years

                               

It's been four years since I've been home and I was anxious to go there to see my sister, friends, eat my favorite foods, and just be in a place where everyone speaks English. Covid was responsible for three of those four years of absence -- two due to the non-movement of just about everything in the world and one year when I contracted Covid only one week before I was to fly home. 

Eluiza went with me to the train station since she had some other business to take care of in town. That was a nice good-bye for the next two weeks. This was my first train trip since the Le Puy station was renovated and updated. We look very modern now. Behind the platform (left) is one of the trains that runs back and forth from LePuy to St. Etienne, the connecting city to Lyon. It is clean, comfortable, swift, and almost always on time.

The Rhone Express runs from the Lyon train station to the Lyon airport in 30 minutes. I met these two women on the Rhone Express and spent some time talking with them on the train and at one of the airport restaurants. They were waiting for their afternoon flight, and I had the entire afternoon to lounge around since I would be staying overnight in an airport hotel. They were both writers and they gave me some ideas for writing articles for National Geographic, still a dream I've had in my life since I was 11 years old. One of the women lives in the Azores and knows a retired NatGeo photographer who may be able to help me.

I stayed overnight at the Ibis Hotel near the Lyon airport and took an early morning flight to Detroit, which totaled only 12 hours with one stopover. Not bad but very expensive. 

I landed in Detroit and stayed with my sister and brother-in-law for a few days before I rented a car and visited friends in Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, and East Lansing. Then I spent the last few days again with my sister.

I rented a car for one of my two weeks in Michigan, and it was nice to get back on the wide, open roads of Michigan. France's roads in the Haute-Loire Region are frequently two-lane highways with twists and turns through the mountains and down narrow medieval-age streets flanked by stone walls or buildings. What's more, I was able to rent the car for free because I could apply my Amtrak credit card points toward the rental. What luck!!

Time with Elsa and Jesus in Battle Creek

A few years ago I began a small tutoring business teaching English to international students. This work included English lessons for employees from the Kellogg Company. That's how I met Elsa. She is the wife of Kellogg engineer, Jesus, who is Mexican. We eventually struck up a relationship that has lasted over the past decade. During the Covid years we extended our conversations to twice a week on Zoom so that we could practice English and French. We continue to do this today. When I told Elsa that I was coming to the USA, she invited me to her house for an overnight--and a visit to the new brewery in town: the New Holland Brewing Company. Jesus joined us and we had a nice dinner together. It is so important to have friendships like ours that stretch across the miles, the years, and our cultures. 

Time with Tracy in Kalamazoo

My friend, Tracy, invited me to stay with her for a few days while I was in Kalamazoo. We indulged ourselves in some interesting talks, walks, and some delicious meals. Here we are having a Middle Eastern buffet at Shawarma King. 

One day we went to Saugatuck for lunch at The Butler, one of my all-time  favorite places in southwest Michigan. You can't beat the surroundings of the marina that opens to Lake Michigan. Tracy had pizza and I had The Butler's famous olive burger with fries. Tracy's parents, Bryce, and Monny, used to take us here for dinner. It's a nice memory of them and the good times we had in Holland. 

In Saugatuck, I bought some kitchen stuff for the International Centre at the Butler Pantry, the world's greatest kitchen store. It's not always possible to find things in France, so I took this opportunity back home to buy what we needed including a cheese grater (with a handle), a sturdy wine bottle opener (yes, I'm serious!), ice cube trays, and a scrub brush for vegetables. 

On my last day in Kalamazoo Tracy and I went to Antique Kitchen where they make the best pancakes and have the best servers in the city. I had my favorite, banana nut pancakes, while Tracy had scrambled eggs. I had been thinking about pancakes for months and fortunately had my craving satisfied. (Crêpes and galettes are not the same as pancakes, as good as they are.)

Since I usually come to this restaurant alone in the morning, I sit at the bar (below) in order to watch the kitchen staff and servers pump out the delicious breakfast food. We sat at a table instead.

                                    

Anita -- Two Dogs Lady

Best neighbor ever is Anita. We lived as next-door neighbors in Parkview Hills for over 10 years. The first night I arrived at the condo, she brought some homemade cookies as a neighborly welcome. Since I've been in France she takes care of my financial affairs, which has made living so far away much easier. We are avid Tiger baseball fans and watched a game one evening during my time in Kalamazoo. Here she is with her "black dog", Darby. Her "white dog", Dewey, hadn't yet arrived at the time of this photo. Darby used to "chase" my cat, Tucker. Even after Tucker died, my whistle got Darby all excited thinking the cat was near. Such precious pets they are!

Time at Nazareth

I visited Nazareth but failed to take some photos of the sisters I saw there. Instead, I spent time with one of my long-time friends, Sr. Lois. She had invited my hometown pastor, Fr. Bob, for a visit, and she had arranged a nice lunch with him and a number of other friends: Sisters Sue, Pat, Pam, and Joan. Of course, other sisters were in the cafeteria, and I stopped and said hello to each of them. It was very nice to see them all again after so many years. Here are some past photos of my sisters, both living and deceased, that represent my memories of Nazareth. 

                    

                               

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Here is a photo of the sisters saying good-bye before I left for France in July 2017. This is one of the things sisters do consistently. We gather like this at the International Centre, too, to say good-bye to someone. Some of the sisters in this photo have passed on over the past six years. It's sad to see them now in this picture, but like so many things, the memories of each of them are precious and something to hang on to for the rest of my life. I am grateful to the sisters for their love and support for me over all these years. They have truly made a difference in my life! 

One major thing that changed at the Nazareth campus over the past four years was the removal of the old Motherhouse. It is now field of prairie grass. Seeing it only made me numb. I didn't even drop a tear. The Jesus statue (below) on the tree-lined chalice drive was still there, however, dark spots are beginning to cover it. Maybe these spots are tree resin. This change marks the end of an era where there were once over 900 sisters in the community and a full campus with a girls' high school, a boys' elementary school, a college, a retired sisters' home, and the Motherhouse. Like all of the sisters, I miss the old Nazareth and will always hold its memory in my heart. Unfortunately, it was one of those 20th century places that couldn't endure the 21st because of societal changes. 

Shopping Spree in Kalamazoo

You can't have a vacation without going shopping, and neither did I. It's not always easy finding things in France because the sizes are much smaller and the shapes of women's bodies are different from those in the USA. And being of rather large girth these days, it's almost impossible even though I'm getting a little better at finding things. Thank God for the Saturday street market! 

Time in East Lansing

Beth and Marge and I got together for dinner, an overnight, and breakfast. We are classmates of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Nazareth and have been friends since 1974, a year before we entered.  Our other classmates, Bobbie and Patty, now live in Colorado and North Carolina, respectively. We have kept in touch with each other via Zoom over the past few years -- once a month on the first Thursday. It is truly remarkable that our friendship has lasted this long, but then again, we are sisters forever! Marge has been kind enough to store some of my stuff during my time in France. 

Favorite Foods

It doesn't take much to make me happy so when I go back home, I eat all of my favorite foods: Chinese food (sweet/sour chicken or subgum chow mein with won-ton soup), char-grilled burger and fries, banana nut pancakes, a tin roof ice cream treat, and a Coney Island hot dog with skins. Simple pleasures.

               

Time with Denise and John in Livonia (Detroit)

I spent most of my time with my sister, Denise, and brother-in-law, John. Here we had an old-fashioned BBQ picnic in their backyard.

When we weren't eating, we had morning coffee at the Italian Bakery near their home. They regularly go there and are part of the Italian community that hangs there. Denise speaks Italian to the men that go there, and they speak English.

Denise and John just joined the local Italian-American Club. They shared with me their first night's feast: a buffet akin to an Italian weddings we used to go to as children. It brought back many memories of my family going to the Eastside of Detroit to celebrate Mom's cousins' weddings. The club even had dancing!

I'd give anything to re-visit those days just one more time, but alas, the Italian Club is the updated version of what we used to do. If there were a reason to move back to Detroit after my time in France, this would be it! The only thing missing were the old Italians who brought shopping bags to stuff food in them.

Here's my plate--full of carbs. But how oh so delicious they were!! The coconut cream wedding cake was especially good!

We went to Mass at St. Edith's in Livonia with Fr. Jim and Deacon John celebrating. It was nice to be there in person. I usually watch the Mass on Sunday night in order to hear the English version. So sorry I missed pizza night and spaghetti night. Maybe I can plan my next trip around these events.

One of my favorite stores in Detroit is Cantoro's Italian store. As a child, my family used to go to the Italian store to buy cheeses, olives, deli meats, pasta, wine, Italian newspapers, etc. Cantoro's is like that only it offers these same things in a modern store. It also has a coffee bar and a restaurant although we've yet to go there. Detroit has a big Italian community and many ethnic tastes are satisfied with their products.

Denise and I love Chinese food! We always go out for it whenever I'm in town. Since her regular restaurant has closed, she looked high and low for a replacement. It turns out that the Rainbow is very good, and it's close to her home. 

We started eating Chinese food with Mom. After she died, we'd go out for Chinese to celebrate her birthday. Then Denise started a tradition with her son to go to the Chinese restaurant a day or two before the new school year. I often joined them. I miss those days, too. 

I typically get won-ton soup, egg roll, and sweet/sour chicken. Denise ordered subgum chicken and vegetables. There are Chinese restaurants in France, but the one near my home is a buffet with too much food that is over-priced. I prefer the combo plate in the US.

One of the wonderful stores in Livonia is Joe's Produce with fresh, delicious, and  some organic products. During the summers, the store also provides a popular outdoor BBQ of hot dogs and hamburgers. 

Joyce, a friend and former Flint Street neighbor, came to Denise and John's home for a visit. We had spumoni and fruit. She and Denise have been friends and classmates for over 65 years. They used to play school together in the basement of our house in Melvindale. Joyce spent her whole work life with the U.S. Treasury Department in Downtown Detroit. 

After Mom's death in 1970, Joyce used to come to our house on Saturday nights to watch "Mary Tyler Moore", "Bob Newhart", and "The Love Boat". We had to make a new life, and Joyce was there to be with both of us. That's just another aspect of her friendship to Denise that was extended to me. Joyce's mother, Minnie, also played a role in my life: she was my sponsor when I converted to the Catholic faith in 1973. Minnie and Joyce were there at Denise's for my last meal before I went to France six years ago.

                        

I hadn't seen a baseball game in a long time and getting back into it helped me feel like home. The Tigers have been "re-building" their team (a euphemism for a losing season) so I wasn't missing anything. (They lost this game, too.) Meanwhile, in France I've come to enjoy soccer (they call it "fut") and rugby even though I don't know the rules or strategies. One thing I miss in France is taking a nap during the white noise of a baseball game. My cat, Tucker, used to take a snooze with me, too, as we "watched" the game.

Denise and John's Home

Here is Denise and John's house. They have lived here over 20 years. It is beautifully furnished and always clean and comfortable. They have hosted me throughout the 43 years of their marriage and during their parenting years with son, Kevin, who is now 40 years old. In exchange, I spent many wonderful years babysitting and visiting with them. This house and their previous house were like second homes to me, and I have always been grateful to them for their hospitality. 

Mom used to pray for Denise and me. One of her prayers, I'm sure, was that we would stick together for the rest of our lives. Thankfully, that prayer is being fulfilled even while I'm in France. We are in constant touch thanks to FaceTime and email.

This trip was short but it was full. I am grateful I could finally take it after four years. It was good to see that my friendships--many of them over long periods of time--are still there. That's God's great gift to me, and I feel very blessed.

Reflection on Australia and New Zealand

On the last day of our visit to New Zealand, I took some time to reflect on the trip.  

We have seen more places than 80 percent of Aussies and Kiwis have seen, said Blinky, our guide. In Australia, we have been in two major cities (Sydney and Melbourne), the Outback, the rain forest, and the Great Barrier Reef. We saw flooding due to extreme rainfall in the desert as well as lower temperatures for this time of the summer. In New Zealand, we saw the changes in urban Auckland and the majestic countryside of the South Island, complete with a tour of the Milford Sound. We learned about efforts each country is making to be more multicultural, especially with the indigenous peoples who lived there before the white colonialists arrived.

Our flights were all on-time, our hotels comfortable and well-sited, and our local bus drivers were excellent and safe. Meals were good, and we sampled many local favorites even though some of them were overly fatty. One great revelation of this trip is that I am too sedentary and need to get more exercise. I also found that I longed to be home again in France and hearing the language even though I still don't understand it completely. It will also be good to get back to simple meals--I don't want to see eggs for breakfast for a LONG time! 

As I write this, I am in Queenstown seated on a simple park bench with a memorial plaque bearing the names of a couple who had lived in the area for 28 years. I suddenly became connected to them, which led to a reflection of this trip and what it has meant to me.

The couple probably placed the bench here because they enjoyed the exquisite beauty of the landscape and wanted to share it with others. This view has changed a few times over the past 150 years when the white Europeans settled this land first as a gold mining town and now as a fun and adventure park. And yet, as you look beyond these "uses" of the land, the land's profound beauty remains. 

The wind rustles the green and yellow leaves of the trees. The deep blue water contrasts the view with the timelessness of the mountains that stand there ever-present like the tabernacle of a cathedral. The permanence of the mountains is God-like. The peace and quiet of this place contrasts the noise, pretension, pain, and suffering of our modern world, which once again witnesses Nature's enduring presence. The crunching sound of walkers and bicycles on the gravel path beside the bench represents the various intrusions onto this land: The Māori. The colonizers. The industrialists. The tourists. What have they given? What have they taken? How were they changed? What do they understand? The Cambridges who lived here for 28 years left a simple park bench that overlooks the beauty of this lake and mountains.

At 72 years old, I look back on my life and try to figure out what I have to leave to this world. What is my legacy? The intangibles: educating young people, informing the public about various institutions, serving God as a Sister of St. Joseph and now as an associate and staff member of the International Centre. I have been one who prepares others for their own journey ahead. I'm the "in-between". I'm also on the edge of what normal people do, never fully investing in any one thing. I sample things and prefer to know a little about a lot instead of delving deeply and expertly into one thing. That I finally found journalism as my metier was a long journey, but I made it. That I have been able to travel and now live in France has been a dream come true. I am satisfied and grateful for this wonderful gift.

However, I won't leave the world anything concrete such as a bench for people to sit on and enjoy the beauty and peace of this place. But, perhaps, my writings are my legacy. I've written hundreds of articles and blogs. Once I return to the USA, I'll compile them in book form and give them to my nephew or maybe the Kalamazoo Public Library. 

I have lived a good life and enjoyed it. , and I have seen the world and encountered people from all walks of life and studied many different cultures. Not many people have done that nor do they have such a desire. And even though I'll never be recognized for my efforts, I did accomplish what I set out to do in life. That is satisfaction enough. I did end up doing what I wanted even though I struggled knowing exactly what that would be.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another quiet walk along the lakeshore and another view of the Remarkable Mountains gave me a moment to give thanks to my Dad for helping me finance this incredible trip of a lifetime: three weeks in Australia and New Zealand--with other trips to come.

Our time here is now coming to an end and in a day or so we will all go home. It's a sad sort of feeling to have spent this much time with a group of people only to say good-bye and probably never see or communicate with them again. However, the memories, stories, and photos of the places we have visited are treasures that we will have forever. That is pure gift. I thank all my fellow travelers and Blinky, our guide, for this supreme pleasure.

 

New Zealand -- Milford Sound

 

One of the highlights of our Queenstown leg was our journey 180 miles west to Milford Sound near the Tasmanian Sea. The virgin forests, mountains, rivers, and waterfalls were like a return to "Jurassic Park". In fact, our bus driver-guide played the theme music from this film on his audio player as we entered the Sound.

As our boat took us through the Sound, we were dazzled by the steep mountains that met the salt water. These sights were quite moving for me and the Sound became one of several places in the world where I could sense God in the raw and untouched natural environment.

Below are some of the breath-taking sights of Milford Sound, which turned out to be both an unforgettable and unutterable experience. The waterfalls were the most intriguing, and I was able to take photos of them from different angles.

 

The boat captain knew how to please his passengers by moving closely to the shore where we could see seals lounging on the rocks and feel the sprinkles of waterfalls. 

 

 

 Our trusty boat (on the left) toured us through these beautiful waters. Upon boarding, we quickly claimed a table where we would eat our provided and delicious box lunch that included a well-stacked ham and cheese sandwich, an apple, and a brownie. We gobbled down our lunches so we could go out on deck to see the natural wonders before us. Although the boat captain provided a commentary, it was difficult to hear. However, the scenery provided enough visual stimulation that the commentary didn't matter.

 

The Road to Milford Sound

We began our four-hour bus ride to the Sound at 7 a.m. A taxi met us at the hotel at 6:45 to take us to the bus depot where several other buses were also departing for the same destination. When we boarded our bus, it was completely full. It was easy to see that Milford Sound attracts between 550,000 and 1 million visitors per year and is one of the most-visited tourist spots in the country. 

 

Our driver/guide broke up the long ride as his mellifluous voice expertly related stories of the area in a BBC radio style in an interesting and compelling way. Originally from England, he has lived in New Zealand for the past 11 years.

 

After a couple hours of riding, we stopped at a country café. However, with several buses all stopping in the same place at the same time, we engaged in a big scramble among scores of people to compete for toilets and the snack bar. This was not easy to do in just 30 minutes and be back on the bus!  However, some of my fellow travelers were adept enough at buying t-shirts, hats, or cuddly koala bears as well as finding something to eat and making a visit to the rest room. I was barely able to to hit the bathroom, eat a blueberry muffin, drink a cup of tea, and make it back to the bus. Although this part of the trip was extremely stressful, it was part of what made the trip an adventure. 

Our bus took off with everyone on it at the appointed time. However, it wasn't long before one of the kids on the bus vomited and then started crying out of embarrassment. Blinky, our guide, was seated near her and witnessed the disaster. He quickly ran up to the driver to tell him to stop the bus. Then he helped to clean up the mess, which was considerable. I've never seen such an emergency before on a trip but these quick-witted travel professionals were able to efficiently take care of it.

We made two other planned stops: one to Mirror Lakes and the other to a mountain lookout site. So even though the trip was long, the stops and the scenery took our minds off of the clock and made the ride quite an enjoyable. Below are some shots I took from the bus.

Trees communicate with one another. The soils here are not that good and trees live by entwining themselves with each other's roots. If one of the trees of the same root system goes bad, the entire group suffers and may die. The white line on this mountain illustrates this effect. It means that there are no trees there. Nature never ceases to amaze!

At Mirror Lakes, the driver gave us 15 minutes to view the sights.

 

 

We returned from Milford Sound tired but happy from the long day of 13 hours from start to finish. We dragged ourselves back to the hotel and planned to meet for a simple dinner at the sports bar next to the hotel.  

 

Our driver/guide played the theme from the film, "Jurassic Park", as we entered Milford Sound tourist area. Now, I will forever associate my memories of this day with this beautiful music.

The fiord was a playground for local Māori who knew its tidal and fish feeding patterns. European explorers didn't enter the Sound because they thought it would lead to a dead end. They also feared the steep mountainsides and changing wind conditions would prevent escape. Captain John Grono "discovered" the Sound around 1812 and named it Milford Haven after his homeland in Wales. In 1823, Captain John Lort Stokes renamed it Milford Sound. Thanks to the Ngāi Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998 which recognized Māori place names, the fiord's official name is Milford Sound/Piopiotahi.

 

Resources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milford_Sound