tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989837755018110330.post2464288683616150058..comments2024-03-17T11:33:23.580+04:00Comments on From There to Here: JeanJayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04585816729964741872noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989837755018110330.post-39126867295435047882013-12-04T03:44:49.553+04:002013-12-04T03:44:49.553+04:00Jean reminds me of the guards we had in Rwanda. Ki...Jean reminds me of the guards we had in Rwanda. Kindly older men (usually) whose lives would always brush past our own. Part of it, yet wholly separate at the same time. It was safe enough in Kigali that you didn't really need a guard, though protocol dictated it was necessary. There isn't a week that goes by when I don't stop to wonder how those men are. A lovely piece Jay, thanks.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10126138735761537870noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989837755018110330.post-66733634749794999682013-08-31T00:07:32.878+04:002013-08-31T00:07:32.878+04:00What a beautiful post and blog! Thanks for stoppin...What a beautiful post and blog! Thanks for stopping by my blog, it's been pleasure reading your posts! Satu VWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01760877753274004937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989837755018110330.post-61907575877732857502013-08-30T20:21:08.927+04:002013-08-30T20:21:08.927+04:00You're right Lana - the people that we make re...You're right Lana - the people that we make relationships with definitely count for more!<br /><br />{And to be honest, there weren't beautiful buildings in Gabon anyways ;-) }Jayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04585816729964741872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989837755018110330.post-42019513910275147642013-08-27T20:45:12.112+04:002013-08-27T20:45:12.112+04:00This is well-written and very touching. There are ...This is well-written and very touching. There are so many people we encounter for only a short time in our lives, but many of them stick with us through a specific familiarity or some other memory trigger- what a lovely example in your story of Jean.Gescihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09543798912886827648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989837755018110330.post-60651173117170155772013-08-27T17:05:20.169+04:002013-08-27T17:05:20.169+04:00What, you had to have a day guard? That is quite s...What, you had to have a day guard? That is quite scary. But Jean seemed like a very nice guy, somewhat dimwitted - because he didn't close up the parking space, but nice. I love the way you wrote this Jay. Meganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03038453626532039182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989837755018110330.post-47436671572739782962013-08-27T15:12:14.662+04:002013-08-27T15:12:14.662+04:00This almost made me cry. It's really the peopl...This almost made me cry. It's really the people we meet along the way that leave the biggest impression on our hearts. The beautiful buildings and the well-balanced wine that we find in our travels are wonderful moments, but the memories always seem to bring us back to the people. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17479083319482397950noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989837755018110330.post-23614244214087246092013-08-27T14:57:01.363+04:002013-08-27T14:57:01.363+04:00Thank you Cynthia. A nostalgic nomad - yes, I can...Thank you Cynthia. A nostalgic nomad - yes, I can relate well.Jayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04585816729964741872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989837755018110330.post-74466970445269363982013-08-27T14:55:58.186+04:002013-08-27T14:55:58.186+04:00Thank you Danielle!Thank you Danielle!Jayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04585816729964741872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989837755018110330.post-20946150313667830152013-08-27T14:55:34.770+04:002013-08-27T14:55:34.770+04:00Ammonia - I hadn't heard of that but I'll ...Ammonia - I hadn't heard of that but I'll most definitely keep it in mind should we find ourselves with a similar problem down the road!Jayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04585816729964741872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989837755018110330.post-9009427920128759082013-08-27T14:48:41.519+04:002013-08-27T14:48:41.519+04:00We had a lot of trouble in our first year with our...We had a lot of trouble in our first year with our guards (hence the 4 break and enters/robberies) so we were quite skeptical of Jean in the beginning but I think we appreciated him even more in the end having experienced all that we had.<br /><br />I read a post once from a blogger in India putting pictures of Gods on their walls in 'pee locations' which really curbed the problem. No one wants to urinate on a God's face - clever solution to a disgusting problem.Jayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04585816729964741872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989837755018110330.post-12647076574301642532013-08-27T14:18:47.475+04:002013-08-27T14:18:47.475+04:00So beautifully written Jay, I really love posts li...So beautifully written Jay, I really love posts like this...about people, about relationships, about what makes like our life abroad so real. Especially like the line "I knew when we said goodbye, we'd never hear from each other again but I think of him often." That just rings so true to me with people I have met along the way in life. Keep writing like this! xAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05022023043718407104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989837755018110330.post-36546085071985065652013-08-26T23:55:48.337+04:002013-08-26T23:55:48.337+04:00What a nice post Jay, beautifully written :)What a nice post Jay, beautifully written :)lauren | eyes/ears/mouth+lenshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00463760502630859035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989837755018110330.post-48801394853637959072013-08-26T21:33:10.829+04:002013-08-26T21:33:10.829+04:00This is lovely Jay! I have a guard like that where...This is lovely Jay! I have a guard like that where I'm living now. It makes all the difference in the world having someone you can trust. And the invaluable local gossip as well :)Rikahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01372566622346733578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989837755018110330.post-47100533342404798362013-08-26T20:31:02.107+04:002013-08-26T20:31:02.107+04:00That was so interesting! Thanks for sharing/ you w...That was so interesting! Thanks for sharing/ you wrote it beautifully!A and Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05694341743491033406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989837755018110330.post-56169924608146510162013-08-26T20:13:46.562+04:002013-08-26T20:13:46.562+04:00So many aspects of your post rang true with me Jay...So many aspects of your post rang true with me Jay. It makes such a big difference having a local person you can trust and help you navigate your way in a new country. We had a wonderful 'house steward' when we arrived, and he made such a difference. But I've got to say, I'm still not used to having people around the house. And the urinating on the walls....my goodness it blows my mind where people will urinate! Seemingly everywhere!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989837755018110330.post-55083837872202923342013-08-26T19:02:38.682+04:002013-08-26T19:02:38.682+04:00So lovely! In Saudi we had "house-boys"...So lovely! In Saudi we had "house-boys" and it was a similar relationship as you describe. I often think of those people and wonder where they are... it's a funny relationship as they are such a part of your life for so many years and then as we move on, it's just gone all of a sudden. Totally brought me back to my childhood and all those people I saw on a daily basis that I've never heard from since.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03481775343584575260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989837755018110330.post-728494446945770232013-08-26T18:54:41.280+04:002013-08-26T18:54:41.280+04:00Your post resonated in so many ways - we have had ...Your post resonated in so many ways - we have had people in and out of our lives that meant so much at the time and yet we have no contact with now. Our cook, steward, small boy, a multitude of drivers.... We think about them often and cherish the memories of our distant friends.<br /><br />NB one of the interesting things I learned in my time in Africa - dousing the walls with ammonia is a sure fire way to prevent people using it as a urinal!Ersatz Expathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03715056719284523304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989837755018110330.post-80820448783696597272013-08-26T17:13:16.163+04:002013-08-26T17:13:16.163+04:00Lovely story. That would've been very difficul...Lovely story. That would've been very difficult for me to get used to as well. Wishing Jean the best!danielle abroadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03852597933426408787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989837755018110330.post-66581366814503019962013-08-26T16:43:14.724+04:002013-08-26T16:43:14.724+04:00A really beautiful story! Thanks for sharing.A really beautiful story! Thanks for sharing.christine_medinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02482557357533056308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989837755018110330.post-27606671317610506512013-08-26T16:42:26.659+04:002013-08-26T16:42:26.659+04:00this is the sweetest post. I'm not sure why ex...this is the sweetest post. I'm not sure why exactly, but the end brought a tear or two. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07177081269343759076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989837755018110330.post-64702447638384223142013-08-26T15:13:45.475+04:002013-08-26T15:13:45.475+04:00really nice, well-written post, jay. it can be so ...really nice, well-written post, jay. it can be so hard to meet people on your travels and time abroad, see them every day, and they become a big part of your life... then it's time to leave. being a nostalgic nomad is my curse, perhaps.Cynthiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11446312405129969191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989837755018110330.post-75846319854606546632013-08-26T14:41:30.254+04:002013-08-26T14:41:30.254+04:00It must be sooo difficult getting used to having s...It must be sooo difficult getting used to having somebody stationed outside, but it seems you developed an interesting relationship :) It's horrible just wandering how people are, if they're alright, never knowing for sure... but this is a really special tribute to him - and so beautifully written! Ericahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09215252781676585946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989837755018110330.post-32250875287605824562013-08-26T14:38:41.823+04:002013-08-26T14:38:41.823+04:00Awww, I love this story. I hope Jean's doing ...Awww, I love this story. I hope Jean's doing well too, and that the new family is kind to him. Amongst all of the crime and violence that riddles parts of Africa, I find that there are so many kind Africans like Jean to make up for them. They almost become like family :)Jennahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07238434752028472905noreply@blogger.com