My First and Last

Well, I flew to Berlin in July of 1982 when I was 25 years old. When I left Kennedy Airport in New York, I was with my parents and I was really nervous since I was having second thoughts about going to another country and committing to a two year teaching contract. I wasn't sure what to expect, so I had sort of decided that if things didn't work out in Berlin I would quit after the first year and then return to my job in the States. At that time you could only fly first to West Germany, not directly into Berlin. So, my flight was from New York to Frankfurt. In Frankfurt, I got on a short hopper flight with Pan American from Frankfurt to Berlin, a 45 minute flight. In the waiting room, I happened to notice a very nice looking guy and we ended up sitting next to each other on the flight. Normally, I have no interest in talking to the people I sit next to, but in this case it was different.

Frank and I started to chat and I told him I was on my way to Berlin to teach at the John F. Kennedy School. He told me that he knew that school since he had known some people who had attended it. When we got to Berlin, Frank offered to take me to my apartment, but since I didn't even know where my apartment was, I was supposed to wait in the lobby of the airport for a family from Pan American to come and pick me up and take me to my new apartment. When the plane arrived, there was no one there to pick me up, so I told Frank that perhaps I should try and call the school. Frank gave me some money to make a phone call, but I remember looking at the coins in my hand and feeling helpless since I had no idea the value of the coins and no idea how to make a call with them!!!! He helped me make the call, but being Saturday there was no one at the school. After that, we returned to the arrival gate and the person was finally there to pick me up by that time. Frank gave me his address before we said goodbye. After a few days, I wrote Frank a thank-you letter to tell him that I appreciated the help at the airport. He sent me a letter back with a gift certificate included that he had made himself. It was a gift certificate for a complete tour of West Berlin, and he had decorated it with pictures of the sights of Berlin. So, of course, I called and we made arrangements for a day that I could "redeem" my gift certificate! :) And that's how things started. .....

Frank always tells everyone that I wasn't choosy; I ended up marrying the first European I met!