Who was your first foreign friend?

Only the snail mail was available long time ago, we had a way of contacting others through penpal.
My first penpal was a lovely Dutch girl -- Wilma, who was going to be a nurse.
We were both 15 years old.

She used to send me some of her photos when she helped out her uncle on his farm, many small farm animals she used to take care of was refreshing to me.

I sent her my photo taken in front of Olympic Stadium gate, I lived right next to it at that time.
She asked me whether that was my house..😁

The second one was a boy-- Diego from Brazil, who was really into David Bowie.

It became my youth memory that I used to enjoy and it seems so pure now compare to what we can do the same thing instantly.

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NativePortlander1970

At the beginning of second grade, in 1977, we got a girl from France, whose father got an engineering job at a local electronics company that my Grandfather worked at as well in the same department. My Grandfather invited her father and my new classmate's family and my family over for dinner one night when I told him she was in my class, he was a serious home gourmet at made bouef borgignon (French beef stew made with a Bordeaux red wine) with home made french bread. We all loved it, except my grandmother, who's a hick to begin with, my mother a simple taste farmgirl cornbilly from iowa, and my two older brothers, who both hate veggies. But regardless, most of us had a great time.

Eyeinthesky · 56-60, F

@NativePortlander1970 That sounds like some minor culture shock... but good old memory for you for sure..🤗

NativePortlander1970

@Eyeinthesky That's one of the major reasons why my Grandfather invited us all over, to both welcome them to America, and attempt to show them that not all of us are arrogant, sadly my grandmother, my mother, and brothers, failed in that respect. I forget exactly what we had for desert, it was some French cake, which was his specialty, he made the best cakes in fhe world.

Eyeinthesky · 56-60, F

@NativePortlander1970 They are so good with food preparations like some of art form... that dessert must be a delicacy.... your grandfather had a right idea of opening up to new culture and found out by experience it first...I always liked exotic place, food, impressions that Im not familiar with...

NativePortlander1970

@Eyeinthesky Definitely, my Grandfather was a serious home gourmet, as was my Dad, and now myself, food is the common denominator in every culture around the world.

Eyeinthesky · 56-60, F

@NativePortlander1970 I think it is fun to share and learn about food each other...

NativePortlander1970

@Eyeinthesky Most definitely