Here I want to share my story with you. I had a penpal several years ago. It was a Turkish guy who studied in Vilnius, Lithuania. He’s name was Serhan. We’d been chatting for about two months when he said that he is going to visit Minsk. I was really surprised and excited.
He came together with his friends. One of them was from France and another from Germany. So the only way we could communicate was English. It was my very first time I spoke with someone in English not in a classroom but in real life… It took about an hour for me to get over my fear to speak… But my new friends were quite patient. From time to time they helped me to find the right word and I felt really comfortable in their company. We spent together almost two days and it was an amazing experience for me. I showed Minsk to them and they asked me so many question about everything they saw around. It was funny cuz sometimes we had to explain what we want to say with fingers )) We had really great time.
That was my only such experience so far. Hope next year I’ll see my friend from Canada. And have you ever met your friend from another country in real life?
From the left to right: Serhan, me, my friend Ira, David (from France).
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And from those meeting I remember two things. One is quite funny really. When I returned home after those two days my first words to my family were in English and I didn’t even notice it. They just stared at me and didn’t know what to say )))
And another thing I remember is that I remembered a lot from my passive vocabulary. Really! I didn’t remember those words or used them not so often but I knew them. Maybe I heard them somewhere or saw in a book… anyway they printed in my memory. So now I use every possibility to enrich it with vocabulary from books, movies, song lyrics…
I've talked with some friends on the phone, or online, and seen them on cam. I only met a couple of people but from my own country. Still in touch with them after many years.
One of them was kind of afraid a bit, as you don't know if the other person will be a nice one, or as she said, "Jack the ripper". So many things have happened when online friends, acquaintances, etc, meet in person; from a longlasting relationship to fatal endings. Good for you that you had a nice experience :)
Thanks a lot for sharing Mary! It's quite a unique experience !
What a great experience you've shared Mary. I met a guy online for almost 2 years but I still never get a chance to meet him in person. We planned to see each other before.. well he wants me to visit him and he'll buy me a plane ticket but I don't know what lies ahead if we do meet in person. I always have this thought within me " it is either be cautious rather than sorry"
If he really wants to meet me in person, It is him to take a first step. Not talking about EGO here.
About English, I have been there done that situation. When I first met my husband, ( anyhow I met my husband way after that guy online) I spoke to him very limited basic English! yeah! really when you want to say a story but don't know how to convey, you started using your hands as a sign language to make him understand what are you trying to say :)
There times I wanted to say a story with my English native friends but I'm afraid that I'm going to end up spoiling my story.
I'm glad that English is not his native language unlike my husband :)
I hope one day you can meet Mary, Dreamer ;)
and I'm sure Mary would post your photo here ... :)) don't hide from us
An interesting story, Mary. thank you
-Nadiyah-
wow such nice meeting so exiting I know only Ohnie and Nadira who met each other in real they both are EC members , I hope to meet my precious online friends in real one day , thnks for sharing