et moi, et moi, et moi
When I was twelve years old my parents asked my brother, Jesse, and me if we would be interested in having a French exchange student come live with us for a year. Jesse and I were extremely apprehensive. What would it be like to have a stranger living in our house for a whole year? What if we didn’t get along? What if we couldn’t communicate? As Jesse and I saw it, the potential for disaster was looming. After a multitude of family meetings we finally agreed and in the following months we received word that an eighteen year old girl from Paris would be joining our family that August.
When Julie came to us she could barely speak English, but she and I could communicate almost immediately. The bond between us was instantaneous. Having her as my constant companion was amazing, she was the big sister I had always wanted. Over the course of one year she seamlessly become part of my family.
After Julie left the States to return to Paris I was devastated and in the years to come I watched more and more of my family disappear from my life. I went to visit Julie once in Paris but after that we lost touch. It wasn’t for any particular reason. Life simply got in the way and time passed very quickly.
A few days ago, out of nowhere, I received an email from Julie. The feeling was overwhelming, like a part of my family that I thought was gone forever all of the sudden returned. I found out that three months ago Julie had a baby, which I can’t help but feel make me an aunt of some sort.
Julie, je t’aime tellement! — annamarie
