Thursday, February 13, 2014

Friends in Gheralta


We don't normally go on vacation with friends.  But if you go with the right friends, it really enhances the experience.  Especially for the children.  Our friends Alex and Emily and their two precious boys (3 and 1) joined us for our Gheralta adventure.  Both family rooms were within a fenced compound with a stone patio for the kids to play.  Which meant that the adults could sit and relax or even take a shower while the kids played on the patio area.  We spent a lot of time letting all the kids enjoy the sandbox which sat right in front of the veranda with lounge chairs.  We had a view of the kids and a view of the mountains.  Perfection.

I like Alex and Emily a lot.  They are the kind of friends I would want to have if we were in America.  Isn't that the test?  Would we be friends in a normal situation?  I am so lucky to say that most of my good friends overseas are friends that I would most definitely want to have in America.  In normal life.  There must be some like-mindedness going on with young families who decided it's a good idea to up and move to a developing country for a few years.  There must be some common ideals and beliefs that draw us to other amazing families.  These are the people we connect with.  These are the people that become our family while we are overseas.  Thank goodness for friends.

Justin and I talk about how fun it would be to gather all our best expat friends, and even a few choice non-expat friends; and move to a small town in Wyoming or Montana and just take over the town. Not in a mafia way, but in a nice way. Buy homes, open businesses, run for mayor and sheriff, take over the PTA and city planning committees.  This really is a testament to the quality people we have had the opportunity to call friends in Manila and Addis Ababa.  I want to live in a magical place where all these amazing families can be our neighbors and business partners.  What a great dream huh?

Long story short.  Alex and Emily would be invited to our town.

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