The Start of the love affair with a city and an adopted country
My international journeys began in May 1995 with purpose and vision of becoming a global citizen. My favorite moniker is: A citizen of the world.
After turning 40 in 1993, and losing my husband, it was time to reinvent myself again as a single, professional urban woman owning her own condo in center city Philadelphia to create my next adventure in life.
When I was a16 year old visiting the Philadelphia Art Museum, I fell in love with Claude Monet’s Water Lilly painting and knew I would visit Monet’s art in France one day. The opportunity arose in 1995 with an invitation from cousin and mentor,Jerry Newmark to join him and Deborah in Paris, and I jumped at it. The moment I arrived in Paris, I felt like I belonged.
I stayed in a residential section near them on Port Royal Blvd and began my love affair with the city of lights. My senses were all heightened to the visual beauty of the buildings and art in all the museums visited, the tastes of the baguettes and croissants and food, the aromas of the boulangeries, the sensuality of lovers kissing and holding hands along the Seine… I found a new heaven.
I dreamed of being kissed one day at the Eiffel Tower by the man I loved ( little did I know it would actually happen just two years later on my honeymoon in May 1997).
My love of tennis was satisfied to a new level by actually going to Roland Garros and seeing the French Open in the Andre Agassi days, one of my favorite players ever.
I met the Girard family who were long time friends of my cousin, and developed a relationship with Isabelle who was my age. We became friends and have exchanged many visits through the years to this day.
I came home from that trip and joined the French American Chamber of Commerce to meet more French people. I discovered that Philadelphia is a major Francophile town.
Now my life changed again, with a vision of including Paris and France into my life forever.. and that came about. Year after year after year.. with many trips and friends and a part of my heart and soul dwelling there.
