Yesterday I went to Clearwater to get the rest of my stuff in storage and do a few errands and I met two young ladies at two different times that I am still thinking about with awe.
The first and most fasinating was a 26 y o Vietnam lady who gave me a pedicure, (Bright red polish,, yummy). She was a tease and a jokester. It was hard to understand her English and I often had to ask her to repeat sentences. When she found out I was from Canada, she told me she had lived in Montreal for a time. Found the food very expensive and that was all. I prodded her for more.
Canada was her entry point into North America. I'm not sure whether she was married when she came to Canada or met her husband here. He was a computer Engineering student at McGill. She said he had to work very hard and he found it very difficult. Also besides doing the full University thing he worked full time installing air conditioners. I asked her how big is he..."Not much taller than me and very small man" These air conditioners weighed 50 kilos. The she said he walked to University and back . It was a total of 13 km a day.
While I was marvelling at what she told me, she went on to tell me how you have to have a sponser to get into Canada and United States. I asked her who was your sponser and she replies her uncle. Then I asked her how he got into Canada. He was one of the Boat people. Remember years ago when it was news about how these boat people were treated and what they survived. This man was one of them.
She only knew part of his story. The next time I go I will ask her more. Apparently they were at sea for 21 days. Very little food and water. Many people died. Some of the people as they were dying told the others to eat their flesh so they could survived. And the people did. This uncle still mourns that he did to this day, but had to survive. He had other experiences as well... He worked for a pizza delivery and when he left the car running to deliver the pizza, someone stole it. He lost that job.
This young lady with two small children was laughing and joking with me until this story and then back laughing and joking after the story, until she told me her husband wants her to go to University, but she can't. He has no patience with the children and she must be primary caregiver. She in a sad tone, "I paint nails." I told her I thought she was very smart and she made a disgusting sound as if it couldn't be,, but she is. She is very witty and is quick with comebacks. Quite a lady
The second young lady was a waitress at a resturant, a white girl. When I explained the no bread no flour she said ,"Are you Celiac?" She is too. She had acne scars on her face. She has a very rare kind of Celiac and it was discovered when she was 14. She has both the digestive problems and the skin disease, but she also goes into seizures. This was all told matter of factly. like, "So what". Her attitude was beyond amazing. So everytime she came to my table I asked her questions about the area. She told me about a Natural Food store, I found it and it is even better than the one I was going too.. (Betty, you would die to see all the food that is available for us) She told me that "Chick a fil" has GF fries and there is a pizza place in Tampa that even her non glutten free friends love. She also said that Wendy's has a GF chilli.
I didn't get to go beading with my friends yesterday, but I met two beautiful ladies with attitudes that make you want to be alive and like them. It was a good day.
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