Our second meet-up of the day was a different type of reunion. We knew Susie only through her blog. I talked about her so often that John felt he knew her as well as I did. I took only one photo, and that will have to do. Susie is beautiful, and her face is lively when she talks. I could kick myself, and you would be right to chastise me, for not taking a video.
We didn’t go through backgrounds or family histories. We jumped headlong into conversation. I realized she expected to see us laugh, since I write about silly things. I hoped she wouldn’t be disappointed and promptly forgot about it. She took a number of pictures to send her family, promising to send them to me. I should explain that Susie is getting a master’s degree from Yale, while her daughters are attending medical school and doing post-graduate work in India. Her husband is working abroad, but he and Susie will be moving back to India in the near future. Good to her word, Susie sent me the photos, and I couldn’t help giggling. She had caught us laughing. Now laughing is not necessarily pretty, but this was certainly genuine.
For dinner, we wanted Susie to have an American experience. We spotted a diner, hoping the food would be good. The place was owned by friendly Greeks who allowed us to chat at the table for hours. We were totally surprised to learn that she came from a Christian state, one of three in India. (Sorry, my numbers are always suspect.) She grew up surrounded by other Christians. In fact, the churches there are always crowded, often with people standing outside to hear the service. The United States used to be considered a very Christian nation, so imagine Susie’s shock at finding all the churches within walking distance of Yale mostly empty on Sunday morning.
I wanted to know what languages she speaks, knowing she had complete mastery of at least two. The answer was five or six. (Again, I’m sorry I don’t remember numbers.) I had no idea that each Indian state has its own language. She explained that if the language were based on Sanskrit, she would be able to learn it fairly easily. Could she switch easily from one to another? The answer was yes. If someone spoke to her, she would automatically reply in that language. To someone who knows English and reads music, that is astounding. Switchers that I know include daughter Lise, friend Gerhard, and niece Celine.
We also had a serious discussion about higher education in the United States. Susie has talked to a number of foreign students who agree with her. Her gentle observation is a scathing denunciation of what is being taught. Being politically correct is more important than teaching content.
Friends, and that is what we are, talk on many levels. We enjoyed being with Susie, sharing both serious and amusing moments. Neither of us ever expected to meet in person when we first followed each other’s blogs. To have shared such a wonderful evening was beyond my dreams.
Click here to see Susie’s blog.
Mehrling Muse 
There’s nothing quite like meeting a fellow blogger who you;ve never met before. You leave friends behind wherever you go. Anne
Huge Hugs
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Friends like you go with me, David
xxx Blogging Hugs xxx
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That’s just awesome! 💕
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“Being politically correct is more important than teaching content.”
Now that’s an interesting observation. I haven’t been on a college campus as a student in decades, but I will say that when I was in college not one professor cared about my personal opinion of their way of communicating their content. In fact, it was part of the process to be slightly disturbed by what a prof said. All you had to do was understand their perspective long enough to finish the class– and get a decent grade, of course.
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I was dodging the issue, because I normally do not write or comment about topics that people consider political.
Susie has a master’s degree from England in public health. She wanted to update her knowledge with American theory and practice. She used her salary from the past three years to pay for this degree. Most of the professors lecture about racism, LGBTQ issues, and climate change. None of that is really applicable to health care in India.
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You two are amazing, traveling NORTH in winter. One question, what did you do with David, didn’t he start out with you? I’ve begun, 24/7, to carry a wide ruled Composition book with me. I’ll ask during a chat session, do you mind if I jot a few things down.,I have not been refused yet. Just a thought. My remembery button gets stuck at times. Be safe, watch yourself in CT, can’t trust those Troopers I’ve been told. Peace my friends.
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The weather wasn’t a problem. We drove through light snow one day and enjoyed what was already on the ground.
David was not with us. He stayed home to work.
Good for you for taking notes! Normally I remember many details of conversations. I was hampered this time because of lack of sleep and no time to write. If aging is part of it, I don’t want to admit it yet.
CT was fine. There were lovely people there!
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Anne, how wonderful that you got to meet Susie and she sounds an amazing, warm and generous woman! It is always a bit nerve-wracking before meeting a blogger – the unusual position of knowing somebody quite well without knowing much about them, never having met. The photo of you both shines with joy and the enjoyment had by all is evident. I’m so happy you all had such a special time … and thank you for sharing with us. Your two posts of friendships, meeting up has been a lot of fun. xx
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Both John and I loved talking with Susie. I talked about her so much that he felt he knew her already. We jumped into conversation and explored things we might not have written about.
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Laughter is definitely beautiful!
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I am jealous but so happy for you . Following Susie for several years has been a joy.You are truely blessed to be able to travel and make a conection with our blogging friends.
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We wish we had started earlier looking for blogging friends along our routes. Our visits have been most satisfying and exciting.
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Lucky you to have had such a lovely visit, Anne. I especially read and agree with your friend’s assessment of higher education in this country. It trickled down to high schools as well. That’s why we no longer donate to schools since they only seem to be interested in politically correct issues. Enter the world of Common Core in NY State, and the dumbing down of education and society, and that’s when I decided the time was right to retire. I value truth. And I refuse to be silenced by the noise around me. Happy blogging and thank you for sharing your visit with Susie. oxox
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I agree with you. Truth is most important. Universities should be places to search for truth, and that is not happening.
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Anne, I had a former student who will soon graduate from a prestigious university write me her freshman year that as long as she mirrored the professor’s liberal leftist views in her papers, she received high marks. If she expressed her own conservative views, she did not. This was a student who wanted to study medicine and has since changed her mind. How sad when the best and brightest students have to play games of politics. Universities should be places which accept and encourage all different viewpoints. Truth seekers are discouraged and some simply drop out. My husband and I no longer donate to universities which are now silencing conservative viewpoints. Saddened.
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You’ve seen and heard it firsthand. It is very, very discouraging. I’ve read a little about indoctrination and the lack of free speech, but Susie was the first who talked to me about it.
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I saddens me to say so, Anne. I can only pray at this point. I refuse to be silent, however, when I see or experience injustice. Just call it the teacher in me! Off to Syracuse Chorale rehearsal.
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What a lovely chat you had with Susie. She sounds like a fascinating person (and so do you!) I hope we can meet face to face when we come back down to Asheville in March! 🙂
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Susie was delightful You can’t tell what writers will be like in person. She thinks quickly and organizes her thoughts as she speaks. I admire that, because I tend to babble.
That would be wonderful if we could meet when you are here. Please let us know what date and time would be good for you. We’d love for you to come to our home if that would work out.
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That is a lovely picture of you two.
Who could have imagined as children we would have such a wonderful international platform like WP and blogging where we can meet such wonderful people?
Sadly I also agree how our once stellar educational system has slid into decline – more focus on not hurting feeling and PC than solid facts. (It used to be if you spoke only one language, you were thought to be poorly educated – that requirement should have never been dropped. Languages are the door to understanding other places and people)
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As a child, I was thrilled to have a pen pal in England. The letters took forever to get there, and we quit after a year. Now communication is instant! Isn’t it amazing that we can talk to people all over the world??? I’ve been surprised that so many bloggers keep on for years. We can have warm relationships easily.
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That is a lovely picture of you two.
Who could have imagined as children we would have such a wonderful international platform like WP and blogging where we can meet such wonderful people?
Sadly I also agree how our once stellar educational system has slid into decline – more focus on not hurting feeling and PC than solid facts. (It used to be if you spoke only one language, you were thought to be poorly educated – that requirement should have never been dropped. Languages are the door to understanding other places and people)
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What a nice evening you and John spent with Susie and her blog post about the same meeting mirrors that wonderful time. It sounds like you felt like lifelong friends and that says a lot about friendship, whether it is just in person, or in cyberspace only.
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I’ve decided writers are very special people. We deal in the art of communication, and that must be why we form close friendships.
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I agree and we choose to be revealing about our innermost thoughts … it is easy to bond with one another when you do that.
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You are right. I hadn’t though about how we share ourselves to others through blogs.
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I had not thought of meeting a fellow blogger in real life as you did. I am going to consider that possibility in the future. I don’t know much about higher education these days since I exited it in 2001.
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We graduated college in 1964 — the dark ages. We felt our children got a lot our of college. Grandson David is just finishing, but he went to a small Lutheran college and did not experience the things Susie did. Grandson Nathaniel is about to finish his second year. His culinary courses are focused and full of information he needs.
If you find a special blogger is on your route, you might explore meeting up. We have had tremendous fun seeing people we knew only through blogging.
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My home schooled grandkids are free of nonsense too.
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John worked in Borders and said you could spot home-schooled children a mile away. They were polite, comfortable with talking to adults, knowledgeable, and engaging.
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And so many people think they are socially awkward! None that I know.
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We’ve never met a socially awkward home-schooled student.
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Even the “odd” ones are very chatty I find.
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Wow, such a lovely way to meet each other.
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This makes me so happy! It could not have happened to nicer folks!
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We had a marvelous trip.
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